《Her Precious Baby》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 After being inbor for six grueling hours, she received devastating news at the hospital in Hallsbay. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sorelle. Your child¡­ didn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°What?¡± The exhausted Angeline Sorelle nched at the obstetrician¡¯s words. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. The fetus has been healthy all this while. So what do you mean the baby didn¡¯t make it? I felt it kicking in my womb every day!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sorelle¡­¡± Angeline clenched the bedsheet. The obstetrician¡¯s revtion had caused her to experience great misery. ¡°Impossible¡­ That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Nine months ago, her family celebrated her birthday at a hotel in Hallsbay. When she got a little tipsy, her sister brought her upstairs to give her some rest. When she woke up the next morning, Angeline realized she was lying in a stranger¡¯s bed. She found out she was pregnant a monthter. Angeline¡¯s parents exploded with rage, but they could not just leave their daughter in the lurch. ording to the obstetrician, Angeline had a thin endometrium. Should she undergo an abortion, she might not be able to conceive children in the future anymore. In the end, Angeline¡¯s parents decided to send her to a rural vige, where she spent the next nine months. She eventually returned to Hallsbay when she was about to deliver the baby. Angeline still could not believe she had lost her child just because she identally slipped and fell. She went berserk and started looking for her baby frantically in the hospital, even though she had just experienced severe blood loss a while ago. After searching high and low, she still could not find her newborn. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°No! This is not possible! How can I lose my baby just like that?¡± she howled in despair as she fell to the ground. Many passersby walked past her, but none stepped forward tofort her and help her up. Meanwhile, a woman retrieved a baby from a nurse before giving the nurse a mary gift. The woman then left the hospital in haste and sneaked into the private room of a high-end restaurant. Upon seeing the muscr man with an indifferent look on his face, she showed the child to him. ¡°Here¡¯s the baby, sir. It¡¯s a girl.¡± The man¡¯s face was hidden in the dark though he was sitting by the table. Nevertheless, anyone could feel his dominating aura by the sharp glint in his eyes. ¡°Ss.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± His assistant, Ss Miller, walked up to him. ¡°How can I help you?¡± The man said in a calm voice, ¡°Get rid of her.¡± Nine months ago, he identally impregnated an unknown woman at that hotel in Hallsbay, so he did not want the child. Ss responded with a grunt and carried the baby from the woman. When he was about to get rid of her, he unintentionally brushed his arm against the nket, revealing the child beneath it. The newborn had a beautifulplexion and eyes that resembled a pair of onyx. The mysterious man¡¯s eyes darkened when he unintentionally nced at the baby. The baby giggled when she saw his face. Her response melted the man¡¯s stone-cold heart a little. He reached out his fingers and yed with the child. A few secondster, the man said, ¡°She has my eyes. What a pretty little girl. Bring her home and get her a nanny.¡± ¡°All right, sir.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Five years had gone by in the blink of an eye. Arge group of fans gathered around the VIP passage of Hallsbay¡¯s international airport. ¡°Angeline! Angeline! We love you!¡± These fans shrieked while holding up cards printed with Angeline¡¯s name and photos. As the cheers continued, a tall, slender woman with exquisite makeup emerged. She came out of the VIP passage wearing a cap and a pair of shades. Though she did not utter a word, everyone knew she was the A-list celebrity Angeline Sorelle. Just a simple wave of her hand sent the crowd into a frenzy. Angeline had just entered the minivan when her assistant approached and asked, ¡°Where are we going now, Angie?¡± Angeline took off her shades, revealing a pair of mesmerizing eyes. She answered with a cold smirk, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Sorelle residence. I heard it¡¯s the old man¡¯s birthday today.¡± ¡°All right!¡± The minivan headed north and arrived at the Sorelle residence before lunchtime. The entrance of the residence was adorned with a red carpet. Many well-wishers, too, arrived to attend the birthday celebration. Angeline alighted from the car and took a sidelong nce at the familiar building. She had finally returned to the Sorelle residence after half a decade.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The elegant Angeline charmed the guests with her star-like personality. She instantly became the center of attention when she entered the house. A number of guests gasped in shock as they recognized her. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Angeline, the second daughter of the Sorelle family?¡± Another person echoed, ¡°I thought she was kicked out of the house because of that incident five years ago?¡± Of all the guests, only one person gazed steadily at Angeline. The man was tall and had a chiseled face. His expression darkened by a little the moment Angeline stepped into the residence. Angeline? I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s back. Angeline heard the murmurs from the crowd but gave them the cold shoulder. Ignoring the man¡¯s gaze, she entered the house and saw a group of people surrounding an elderly man. She greeted him from afar, saying, ¡°Hello, Grandpa.¡± All the guests turned around and looked at her. Wilfred¡¯s face became gloomy when he saw her from a distance, even though he had been beaming from ear to ear just seconds ago. Angeline walked up to him with a gift. ¡°What are you doing here, Angeline?¡± A young woman stopped her from advancing. Despite the gentle look on her face, she balled her fists in anxiety. Evidently, she did not expect Angeline to appear unannounced that day. She also could not believe Angeline had be an A-lister in merely five years and dared to return to the Sorelle family. The young woman intentionally added fuel to the fire by saying in an aloof voice, ¡°You¡¯re no longer a part of the Sorelle family, remember? We don¡¯t wee you here.¡± Angeline looked up at her with a scowl. The young woman was none other than her biological older sister¡ªJoseline Sorelle. After taking a deep breath to suppress her grievance, Angeline lifted the corners of her lips into a faint smile and responded, ¡°Joseline, I heard you¡¯re engaged. I hope it¡¯s not toote for me to congratte you.¡± She turned her attention to the man standing behind Joseline and gave him a warm, polite smile. It was the same courteous attitude she had shown him when they first met years ago. Yet, this time, there was an obvious look of disgust in his eyes. Had the incident five years ago not happened, he would now be holding her hand instead of Joseline¡¯s. ¡°Angeline! Stop trying to change the subject!¡± Joseline could not help but panic as she feared that Hanson Yiurk still had feelings for her sister. ¡°You don¡¯t belong here. Please leave right now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a part of the Sorelle family. Why can¡¯t Ie back to celebrate Grandpa¡¯s eightieth birthday?¡± The sharp re in Angeline¡¯s eyes caused Joseline to shudder. ¡°You¡¯ve been kicked out of the Sorelle family!¡± Joseline steeled herself and insinuated, ¡°Have you forgotten how you brought shame to the family five years ago?¡± The smile on Angeline¡¯s face instantly vanished. She responded by giving Joseline a murderous re. How dare she mention that incident in front of me. Does she still think I¡¯m that helpless girl who didn¡¯t know how to retaliate? ¡°Of course not. Well, I guess you¡¯re right. I didn¡¯te to celebrate his birthday. I¡¯m only here to verify some rumors I heard recently.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Joseline¡¯s heart jolted. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Sorelle Group. I heard that¡­ Mom and Dad left me some shares as well.¡± Angeline stared right into her eyes, flipping her hairzily. The instant Joseline heard the word ¡°shares,¡± her expression changed. Meanwhile, Angeline had been taking note of her every change in expression. She continued, ¡°Or are you nning to pocket the assets they left me, Joseline?¡± Her arrogant expression and the words spilling out of her mouth were tantamount to knives stabbing Joseline in the heart. Thetter¡¯s expression flushed bright red with rage. p! Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. A hard pnded on Angeline¡¯s face. Joseline was so livid that her face had contorted into a mask of fury. Following that p, even her arm shook. At the same time, a distinct palm print swiftly manifested on Angeline¡¯s face. The guests went into an uproar. Some even furtively took out their phones and captured that scene. Angeline¡¯s ears buzzed, and she tasted a hint of blood. Nheless, she was as calm as ever, her lips curving into a smile. That was precisely the result she wanted. ¡°Why, you¡¯re mad because I spoke about my shares?¡± She lifted her face and continued antagonizing Joseline. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°Joseline!¡± Just as Joseline raised her hand to p Angeline for a second time, Hanson, who hadn¡¯t spoken in a while, seized her wrist. He was afraid that she would do something unbing again in front of the many people there. Worried, he warned in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s birthday today, so it isn¡¯t the right time to kick up a fuss.¡± His words had resentment zing within Joseline. Still, she pulled her hand away and stalked closer to Angeline. ¡°Do you still have the cheek to speak about that, Angeline? Don¡¯t forget who caused Mom and Dad¡¯s demise back then! Never mind that you got pregnant out of wedlock, but it was because of you that they were in an ident and died! Yet, you¡¯ve still got the gall to ask for their shares in the company at such a time!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Joseline was about to speak further when Wilfred, who was surrounded by the guests, mmed his cane on the marble floor. With a grim expression on his face, he barked at Angeline, ¡°You. Get out of here!¡± Angeline lifted her eyes and cast her gaze over. Regretfully, Wilfred was looking at her as though she was a venomous snake. His gaze brimmed with utter detestation. As Angeline pondered upon it, bitter disappointment swamped her. In the past, I loved him from the bottom of my heart. But ever since my fall from grace, he abandoned me as though I was nothing more than a pawn to him. He never cared when I was out there, having only Joseline in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Grandpa. I¡¯m your biological granddaughter, after all.¡± Chuckling, she brushed past Joseline and walked over. She ced her gift on the table beside Wilfred. ¡°This is a gift from me. Wishing you good health and long life.¡± Then, Angeline pursed her lips before adding, ¡°I don¡¯t dare go against your words. I¡¯ll leave right away. But you and Joseline should still give some thought to my words earlier.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Wilfred roared at the top of his lungs and again gave her the boot as if he loathed hearing her voice further. A smirk yed on Angeline¡¯s lips. She whirled around indifferently to leave. At that precise moment, a cold voice abruptly rang out from outside the door. ¡°Your birthday banquet is really lively, Old Mr. Sorelle.¡± The tepid voice was unhurried, but it had everyone cutting their gazes in its direction. Even Angeline couldn¡¯t help but halt in her tracks. The man walking in wore a dark blue suit that rendered him all the taller and strapping. On the whole, he was exceedingly outstanding. He emanated a dignified aura that was inimitable. Even Angeline, who stood at the height of one point seven meters, only reached his shoulder. How tall! Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Angeline stopped short and stared at the man unblinkingly. Unbidden, the man swung his gaze at her. Their eyes met. His icy gaze could seemingly see right through her. His lips were pressed into a thin line, giving off a sense of maturity and reticence. He seemed to be on an entirely different level than them, transcending beyond the transient world. Angeline nervously averted her gaze. By the time she again raised her eyes, the man had already walked past her and gone to Wilfred. At the sight of the man, Wilfred¡¯s initially dark expression promptly transformed into joy. He was so thrilled that he almost sprang to his feet. Even Joseline and the others present were over the moon because of Evander Golding¡¯s attendance. They had all seemingly forgotten the debacle brought about by Angeline earlier. ¡°Why are you here, Mr. Golding? As propriety dictates, we shouldn¡¯t be washing our dirty linens in public, so my apologies that you had to witness that.¡± Wilfred eagerly had someone help him to his feet to greet Evander. In fact, his excitement was so great that he couldn¡¯t mask it. Surprisingly, Evander stepped forward respectfully and motioned for him to remain seated. Inclining his head a fraction, he replied, ¡°As the younger generation, I naturally have to attend your eightieth birthday. After all, you were one of the few friends my grandfather had when he was alive.¡± Mr. Golding? As that name drifted into Angeline¡¯s ears, she kept an eye on everyone¡¯s reaction. At the same time, she immediately thought of a person, a man who held Hallsbay¡¯s economic lifeline and was also the head of Golding Group who struck fear into all prestigious families¡ªEvander Golding. Hence, she couldn¡¯t resist taking another nce at him. Unexpectedly, his chiseled face gave her a sense of familiarity. I seem to have seen him somewhere! Taken aback by her thought, Angeline hastily withdrew her gaze. As with a man as famous as him, I must have only seen him on television, right? When her lovely eyes alighted on Wilfred and Joseline, she was greeted by the sight of them both grinning from ear to ear. That aside, their eyes fixated on Evander gleamed as though they were beholding God himself. A wave of repulsion swept over her. Isn¡¯t this what they¡¯re best at, feigning civility to curry favor with those of high standing and authority? I should leave as soon as possible. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, this is a gift from Mr. Golding. It¡¯s a piece of artwork by Charlie Day.¡± Charlie Day? Angeline had just taken a step away when she again stopped because of that name. She turned, only to see Evander¡¯s assistant beside the man opening the exquisite wooden box in his hand. He took out a scroll of painting that he then unfurled before everyone. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. It was an oil painting depicting a sunrise. Everyone eximed over the painting, praising it to the skies. Even Joseline, who had some artistic skills, wore an astounded expression on her face. She couldn¡¯t help but step forward and brush her fingers over every line of the drawing, not bothering to conceal her admiration toward Evander. ¡°This is too costly a gift, Mr. Golding. You bought this at an auctionst month for thirty million, didn¡¯t you?¡± Evander didn¡¯t even bat an eysh. His gaze remained cid without giving anything away. ¡°You¡¯re pretty well-informed, Ms. Joseline.¡± Thirty million! As soon as that figure rang out, everyone went wild. Consequently, they regarded the Sorelle family in a different light. Evander Golding is a figure on a pedestal, yet he personally spent thirty million to bid on a birthday gift for Old Mr. Sorelle! Besides, Charlie Day is the most outstanding oil painter of the century. A genuine work of his years after his demise is really priceless! In an instant, exmations rang out everywhere, and incredulity showed on everyone¡¯s faces. Noting their reactions, Angeline sneered. She initially wanted to leave, but she then retraced her steps. Needless to say, Joseline noticed the change in her. Her expression turned wary and hostile at once. She watched Angeline¡¯s every move. When thetter reached the painting, she stepped forward and intercepted her. ¡°What else do you want, Angeline?¡± Evander¡¯s brows knitted together, and his cool gaze fell on Angeline. He stood before the entrance of the Sorelle residence for some time earlier. As such, he witnessed the entire debacle. Undeniably, this younger daughter of the Sorelle family, who had just returned to the country, is rather intriguing. She¡¯s unfazed in the face of trouble, calm and unruffled. I¡¯m pretty curious to know what she¡¯s going to do next. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°While the painting is good, it¡¯s, unfortunately, a counterfeit!¡± Angeline¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t all that loud, but it drifted into everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°What? A counterfeit?¡± ¡°H-How is that possible? How could it be a counterfeit when it¡¯s a gift from Mr. Golding?¡± That single remark created a great uproar. Everyone¡¯s expressions turned incredulous though their opinions differed. Some even criticized Angeline for being arrogant and ignorant because of her young age. ¡°Y-You¡­ unfilial granddaughter! What have I ever done to deserve this?¡± Wilfred thumped his chest in anger, almost keeling over. Seeing red, Joseline shoved Angeline away and reproached loudly, ¡°What do you know, Angeline? This is a painting gifted by Mr. Golding himself! Yet, you im that it¡¯s counterfeit? Do you have an eyesight problem?¡± Angeline merely smirked. Sweeping her gaze over the crowd, shenguidly countered, ¡°As far as I know, Charlie Day¡¯s greatest love in his life was his paintings. He couldn¡¯t part from them even when he was eating or sleeping. When he was dying, he burned all his paintings. Therefore, it¡¯s difficult to find a genuine painting by him on the market today!¡± In the end, her gaze met Evander¡¯s. Evander¡¯s expression was grim, his dark and unfathomable eyes glinting sharply. It was as though he could see through her with a mere nce, intimidating her to the core. His thin lips innately curved upward slightly, and he seemingly wasn¡¯t affected by her words. Angeline came to a conclusion¡ªhe¡¯s someone I can¡¯t afford to offend. Thus, she changed her tune and added, ¡°Despite being a counterfeit, this painting¡¯s colors are distinct, and its detail excellent. Even the lines at the edges of the clouds are brisk and outstanding. Judging from the texture and color of this paper, one can effortlessly tell that it was also from the same period as Charlie Day¡¯s works. In short, it¡¯s also a priceless piece of artwork!¡± She loved art and had been studying it since she was young. Although she had been engaged in a different industry for the past few years, she had never given up on painting and researching the paintings of renowned painters. For that reason, she could tell a painting¡¯s quality with a mere look. After Hanson, who had been standing at the side silently, heard her methodical exnation, the repugnance in his gaze as he looked at her faded slightly. In fact, he spaced out as he scrutinized her profile. He used to be family friends with Angeline and Joseline. He had liked Angeline for many years and initially wanted to propose to her, but he never expected her to be so shameless to get pregnant out of wedlock. During the five years she was away, Joseline confessed her love to him. Only then did he learn to ept thetter slowly. At that moment, Angeline shone brightly before everyone, evoking the beautiful memories she once left him. Hence, he inevitably started falling for her again. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Joseline perceptively noticed the man¡¯s thoughts. Her face promptly flushed bright red. ¡°How dare you! Stop spouting nonsense here, Angeline! This painting is a gift from Mr. Golding himself!¡± As her gaze alighted on Evander, sheer confidence imbued her. s, things didn¡¯t progress the way she expected. ¡°This is indeed a counterfeit.¡± The instant Evander¡¯s voice rang out, the main hall of the Sorelle residence plunged into dead silence. Everyone held their breaths, not daring to utter a single word. It¡¯s really a counterfeit? At the very second, Joseline, Wilfred, and all other rtives of the Sorelle family had utter embarrassment written all over their faces. On the contrary, Evander remained calm and unruffled. It was as though everything that transpired had nothing to do with him. He was elegant, aloof, and dispassionate. Under Angeline¡¯s stunned gaze, he strolled over to her side and dangerously shed her an unfathomable smile. ¡°How did you know that Charlie Day burned all his paintings while on his deathbed, Ms. Angeline?¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Evander leaned exceedingly close to Angeline. Due to his tall figure, his shadow enveloped her entirely. Everyone knew that Charlie Day passed away at the end of thest century. Therefore, that question of his exposed Angeline to public scrutiny once more. ¡°Well¡­¡± She naturally wouldn¡¯t say that the owner of the house she rented while abroad for five years happened to be Charlie Day¡¯s eldest grandson, for Angeline promised him that she would take that secret to her grave. ¡°Charlie Day once wrote an autobiography. On thest page, he vowed that he would definitely have all his paintings reduced to ashes alongside him if he were to die one day. And so, I surmised that.¡± When her gaze collided with that of Evander¡¯s, she immediately averted her eyes guiltily. ¡°Is that so?¡± Evander took another step closer to her, deliberately lowering his voice. Words eluded Angeline. A smirk tugged at Evander¡¯s lips. Seemingly disinterested in exposing her, he turned to look at Wilfred at the main seat, whose expression was as ck as thunder. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, although the painting is a counterfeit, it was indeed by a renowned painter and is priceless.¡± Pausing for a moment, he continued in a low and solemn voice, ¡°If you¡¯re not satisfied with it, I¡¯ll make amends with a different gift another day.¡± Thatment of his was a show of respect for the Sorelle family. Wilfred gave him a tight smile, the wrinkles on his face bunching together. ¡°Of course not, Mr. Golding. I¡¯m very much satisfied with it.¡± Following that, a mocking smile bloomed on Angeline¡¯s face. ncing at Joseline at the side, she chimed in coldly, ¡°This is indeed a fine painting. If you can¡¯t make sense of it, Grandpa, you can show it to Joseline. She¡¯s an expert in this aspect, after all!¡± Every single word brimmed with ridicule, jabbing at Joseline¡¯s sore spot. Joseline¡¯s pupils constricted, and her face drained of all color. She was just about to utter a reply when Wilfred, who sat at the side, pointed an using finger at Angeline. ¡°H-How dare you!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. His chest hurt badly, and he couldn¡¯t quite catch his breath. His face went bright red. He was advanced in age in the first ce and had been suffering from a heart condition all these years, so his health had always been poor. If Joseline hadn¡¯t insisted on throwing him a birthday banquet, he would be resting in bed. With Angeline¡¯s words right then, coupled with the unforgivable mistake she oncemitted popping into his mind, fury zed within him. Ultimately, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he toppled out of his seat. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Joseline¡¯s expression changed drastically. She rushed over at once. ¡°Quick, call for an ambnce! Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s life is at risk! Hurry up and get a doctor over!¡± The initially boisterous hall plunged into chaos, shrill screams piercing the air. When Wilfred copsed to the ground, Angeline instinctively wanted to rush forward, but she abruptly thought of something and stopped short. I¡¯ve experienced the Sorelles¡¯ indifference and callousness firsthand. Why should I step forward and invite contempt when I¡¯d only end up stamped as a ¡°hypocrite¡±? At that thought, a stony expression flittered across her mesmerizing countenance. She timely halted her high heels from advancing and twisted them a fraction. Spinning on her heel, she left resolutely. Everyone wasing and going from the hall. Someone had even led the doctor over. Evander swung his gaze back and thoughtfully watched as Angeline left, the look in his eyes as cold as ice. In the Maybach, Evander reclined against the seat. The contour of his profile was distinctly sculpted, his jaw clenched tight. His expression was chilly. Ss stole a peek at him through the rearview mirror, puzzled beyond words. He has gotten into the car for more than ten minutes, but he has maintained this posture ever since¡ª his brows are furrowed slightly, and he emanates a menacing aura. I wonder what he¡¯s thinking. Could he be dwelling upon the events at the birthday banquet? ¡°Investigate that woman. I want a detailed report on her.¡± Out of the blue, Evander¡¯s baritone voice sounded from the backseat. ¡°Understood!¡± Just then, Evander¡¯s phone rang, breaking the silence in the car. Taking out his phone, Evander cast a nce at it. It was a phone call from the Golding residence. He frowned slightly. No sooner had he picked up the call than he heard a babyish female voice crying and making a fuss while the housekeeper cajoled her. At once, Evander knew that Floretta Golding refused to eat again. After saying a few words, he hung up the phone. He pinched the bridge of his nose and instructed Ss, ¡°Return to the Golding residence first.¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Early the next morning, Angeline was awakened by the ringing of her phone. The person who called was her manager and best friend, Nancy Yandell. ¡°You¡¯re actually the younger daughter of Sorelle Group, Angeline?¡± Angeline vaguely grunted in affirmation. On the other end of the phone, Nancy eximed, ¡°Oh my God! Why have you never told me about that? Have you gone on Twitter today? You¡¯re now on the trending list!¡± Angeline only made Nancy¡¯s acquaintance after she left the Sorelle family. At that time, thetter was merely an insignificant assistant. Upon hearing that, Angeline didn¡¯t seem all that surprised. Instead, it was as though she had expected it. Wilfred¡¯s birthday banquet was supposed to be a closed-door event with tight security. If there weren¡¯t any deliberate arrangements, not a hint of a rumor would have leaked out. She opened her eyes and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look at it. I¡¯ll be hanging up, then.¡± After hanging up the phone, she rolled over and started scrolling through Twitter on her phone. Sure enough, she was at the top of the trending list again. The search terms read: Shocking news! Angeline Sorelle¡¯s true identity is heiress to the Sorelle Group! Ms. Joseline threw her weight around and pped her own sister in public! There¡¯s seemingly something more to Ms. Angeline¡¯s pregnancy out of wedlock leading to her parents¡¯ death than meets the eye. Otherwise, why would she fearlessly turn up at Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s birthday banquet? As expected, thements varied. But at the very least, it was no longer the same as five years ago when everyone bashed and mocked her. Flipping her phone closed, Angeline changed into a casual T-shirt and a short skirt that bared her long and slender legs. When she applied makeup before the mirror, she couldn¡¯t help brushing her fingers over the palm print left by Joseline yesterday. Then, she concealed it with foundation. Well, this p paid off! Next, I¡¯ve got something even more important to do. A few dayster, Financial Daily revealed that Angeline held shares in the Sorelle Group. On the heels of that, Entertainment Weekly divulged that the Sorelle sisters had been at odds since they were young. In the blink of an eye, the Sorelle family became the talk of the town because of Angeline. Meanwhile, Sorelle Group¡¯s stock prices which had always been stable, also became turbulent. The negative press ultimately affected Sorelle Group¡¯s uing round of financing. After receiving news of investors withdrawing their financing, Joseline finally snapped. She furiously ordered her secretary to obtain Angeline¡¯s contact and rang thetter up. Angeline, who had just finished shooting a magazine cover, unhurriedly swiped a finger across her phone screen and answered the call. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Before she could utter a single word, Joseline¡¯s tempered voice rang out from the other end of the phone. ¡°Where are you, Angeline? Let¡¯s meet up.¡± Angeline took off the mink coat supplied by the brandpany and handed it to her assistant. Smiling, she agreed, answering, ¡°Sure.¡± Subsequently, she took a taxi to Hallsbay International Hotel. When she arrived at the hotel and located Joseline, she sauntered over. Joseline ced her Chanel bag on the table and shot her a re. With a dark expression, she demanded, ¡°The news out there was your doing, no?¡± ¡°Yes, it was my doing.¡± Smirking, Angeline swept her gaze over the bag on the table nonchntly and admitted to it openly. Then, she drawled, ¡°But it¡¯s already been about half a month, yet you¡¯re only now seeking me out. Isn¡¯t it a bit toote?¡± At her easy admission, Joseline felt as though she had braced herself for nothing. She seethed inwardly. ¡°Have you lost your mind? What good will it do you if the Sorelle family copses? Or are Mom and Dad¡¯s shares more important than the entire Sorelle Group? Do you know that Grandpa¡¯s myocarditis recurred because of you, and he almost died?¡± Throughout it all, Angeline remained smiling. Taking a sip of coffee, she changed the subject. ¡°Joseline, this is where you brought me to celebrate my birthday back then. Look, it hasn¡¯t changed at all, has it?¡± To Angeline, her eighteenth birthday was one she would never forget. Joseline was stunned, never having expected her to change the subject suddenly. She reflexively nced around at the luxurious d¨¦cor. Something urred to her out of the blue, and she swung her gaze at Angeline. Could it be that she had learned the truth of the matter? No, that¡¯s impossible! It has been a long time, and there¡¯s no evidence anymore. Why would she suspect me? Chapter 8 Chapter 8 After reassuring herself, Joseline reverted to her arrogant self. ¡°Stop talking about irrelevant matters with me, Angeline. Let me warn you. Because of the fact that you caused Mom and Dad¡¯s deaths alone, I¡¯ll never give you a single unit of Sorelle Group¡¯s shares!¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes went cold, and her lips curved into a smirk. ¡°Oh, really? I shall wait and see, then.¡± Trepidation filled Joseline at the look in Angeline¡¯s eyes. Snorting, she wanted to snag her bag and leave. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Angeline put down the coffee in her hand. Then, she snagged the Chanel bag Joseline ced on the table before thetter could do so. ¡°What are you doing, Angeline?¡± Without waiting for Joseline to stop her, Angeline had already unzipped the Chanel bag and tipped out the cosmetics, purse, and keys within. Finally, a ck, rectangr recorder pen appeared before them both. In a sh, Joseline¡¯s face paled, and she reached out to snatch it away. Angeline acted much faster. Her slender fingers grasped the recorder pen, and she tossed it into the cup of steaming hot coffee. It instantly sank into the liquid, bing a useless pen. ¡°Angeline!¡± Joseline¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers. ¡°Every question you asked was so intentional that I couldn¡¯t help suspecting that you had an ulterior motive, Joseline. It looks like you didn¡¯t waste the five years you worked at Sorelle Group and learned quite a few tricks of the business world.¡± Angelinenguidly swiped a piece of tissue and wiped the coffee that spilled onto the table as though she didn¡¯t see Joseline gritting her teeth. In the end, she took out two hundred from her bag and ced it on the table before slowly getting to her feet. ¡°We¡¯ve met and talked. Coffee is on me this time. If there¡¯s nothing else, Joseline, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± When she was about to leave her seat, Joseline stood up as well. She had long since known that Angeline wouldn¡¯t give in to threats or sweet talk, so she had been racking her brain for a way to convince thetter while on her way to the hotel. The only thing that can keep her in check is probably the secret I¡¯ve kept buried within me for five whole years! ¡°Angeline!¡± Her voice rose a few decibels, and she was close to shouting. ¡°What if I were to tell you that your child was still alive five years ago? Would you then stop everything you¡¯re now doing to Sorelle Group?¡± Angeline, who was just about to walk away, abruptly halted in her tracks. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. That statement sessfully had the smile on her face stiffening bit by bit. Is there a problem with my hearing, or am I hallucinating? What does she mean by my child being alive five years ago? She instinctively clutched her handbag tightly, feeling as though her entire body was encased in ice. A long whileter, she feigned calmness and lifted her eyes to Joseline. Forcing a half-smile, Angeline murmured, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to make up such a lie just to obtain Sorelle Group, Joseline. Did you think I¡¯d believe that?¡± The corners of her mouth lifted in contempt. She didn¡¯t continue to prattle with her but left her spot and took off. Joseline was left there all alone. She fell back onto the chair. She actually thought that I was lying to her? Five years ago, she learned that Angeline had taken a fall and suffered from excessive bleeding, leading to dystocia. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she had happened to hear the doctor telling thetter that the child was gone. However, she personally witnessed a woman furtively taking a swaddled infant from the midwife. She could even vaguely hear the child¡¯s cries. Thus, the child was obviously still alive. She trailed the woman, curious to know where she was taking the child, but she lost her in the end. As Angeline walked along the hotel¡¯s corridor, she kept a rapid pace. Her usually steady breathing was a tad flustered then, and she stumbled slightly. Several times, she staggered in her high heels. Joseline imed that my child was still alive, but that¡¯s absolutely impossible! I heard the doctor say the child was gone back then. How could the doctor possibly have lied? Hence, this must be another trick she came up with! At that exact moment, the hotel¡¯s elevator doors opened. A few figures stepped out, solid footsteps blending with the click-cking of high heels. The first person to step out was a tall man with a young and beautiful woman beside him. A middle-aged man in a suit followed behind Evander. ¡°I¡¯ve already ced your bill on your tab. I¡¯ll arrange for a car to pick you and Ms. Sherrock up right away.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Evander declined in a cold voice. He had one hand stuck in his pocket and held a cigar in the other hand. Gazing right ahead, he parted his thin lips a fraction. ¡°It¡¯s a trivial matter, so you don¡¯t have to go to such trouble, Mr. Jansen.¡± In truth, he had already arranged for Ss toe and pick him up. If it weren¡¯t for his grandmother, Valerie Tayhouse, putting pressure on him, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted his time on such a pointless ¡°date.¡± ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s no trouble at all! It¡¯s our hotel¡¯s honor that you had a meal here, Mr. Golding.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re being so nice, Mr. Jansen, it¡¯s pretty much a sure thing that Evander and I will be having our wedding here.¡± The woman who held Evander¡¯s arm wore a beige trench coat. She was tall and slender, with a gracious smile on her face. That woman was none other than Olivine Sherrock, the daughter of the Sherrock family, one of the four most prestigious families in Hallsbay. Most importantly, she was the only granddaughter-inw Valerie had in mind for Evander. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Naturally, Olivine was all for dating a wealthy and excellent man like Evander. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She had tried to meet Evander on multiple asions with the excuse of paying Valerie a visit, but he had rejected her requests with all sorts of reasons. Sometimes, she couldn¡¯t even get to see him at all. As such, she felt the need to be bold and get her message across after finally being able to meet him. Olivine slightly tightened her grip on Evander¡¯s fingers as she cautiously looked at him from the side. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Evander?¡± Evander frowned when he heard that and slowed down beforeing to a halt. He then stared at Olivine with his lips curled into a cold smile. As Isaac was so focused on pleasing the two of them, he didn¡¯t notice the changes in Evander¡¯s expression. Evander was about to say something in response when Isaac asked, ¡°Wow! You two look perfect together, Mr. Golding and Ms. Sherrock! Congrattions on getting married so soon! May I know when you two will be holding the wedding so I can make the preparations for it?¡± Since that was exactly what Olivine wanted, she went along with the flow and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Evander, how about we head back and pick out a suitable date for our wedding? This is one of Old Mrs. Golding¡¯s wishes, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love to have it fulfilled as soon as possible.¡± Olivine was trying really hard to look graceful and big-hearted, but Evander wasn¡¯t buying it. Evander slowly tightened his grip on the cigar and crushed it in his palm. He had no interest whatsoever in wealthy, spoiled heiresses like Olivine. However, he had to keep his responses neutral to avoid ruining the friendship between their families. ¡°We¡¯re in no rush. Golding Group¡¯s businesses have yet to stabilize, and my schedule is full with international conferences. I can¡¯t afford to let my personal affairs affect thepany¡¯s development. Surely, you¡¯d understand where I¡¯ming from, Ms. Sherrock?¡± Evander replied coldly. The smile on Olivine¡¯s face was frozen in ce. No rush? He may be in no rush because it¡¯smon for men to start having a family at the age of thirty, but I¡¯m twenty-eight now! My value will significantly decrease if I don¡¯t marry soon! Olivine¡¯s chest was heaving when she noticed the mocking look in his eyes and the way he had politely turned her down. ¡°Evander, I¡ª¡± Not wanting to give up just yet, Olivine was about to say something when a figure emerged from the corner she was standing next to. Angeline pulled on the brim of her hat to hide her face and kept her head low so people wouldn¡¯t recognize her. The cking of her high heels could be heard as she walked swiftly while looking the other way. I left the house without my bodyguards today. It¡¯d be problematic for me if amotion were to break out¡­ With that in mind, Angeline quickened her pace as she made her way around the corner. By the time she saw someone standing in front of her, it was toote. ¡°Ah!¡± Olivine eximed in shock when Angeline bumped into her and knocked her Chanel handbag off her shoulder. Having lost her bnce, Olivine stumbled forward and crashed right into Evander. Evander reached out to hold her steady but quickly let go a few secondster. He frowned when he noticed a familiar scent and stared at the person behind Olivine. All he saw was the side of Angeline¡¯s face, but he found himself captivated by her tall nose, thin eyebrows, and slightly powdered cheek. Olivine was already in a bad mood at the time, so she lost her temper when Angeline bumped into her. ¡°Hey! What the heck is wrong with you? Can¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 As the two of them were standing really close to each other, Angeline didn¡¯t dare look up for fear of being recognized. ¡°Sorry!¡± With her hat covering more than half of her face, she quickly ran off after apologizing. Evander seemed to be deep in thought as he stared at her back while she left. As he recalled her charming voice and great enunciation when apologizing, he couldn¡¯t help but think of that woman he saw the other day. Huh¡­ Is it just me, or does she resemble that woman I saw the other day? Evander frowned deeply at the thought of that. ¡°Honestly, people these days have no manners whatsoever! Hey, Mr. Jansen! How could you let a savage like her into this hotel?¡± Olivine yelled furiously, her face all red. Realizing that things could potentially escte, Isaac quickly stepped forward to help pick up her handbag. Then, he handed it over to her. ¡°Please calm down, Ms. Sherrock. A woman of your status shouldn¡¯t be getting mad at a lowlife like her,¡± he said while ncing at Evander. Due to how obvious his gaze was, Olivine was quick to notice it and immediately took the hint. Since Evander was right next to her, she had no choice but to keep her anger suppressed. After taking a few seconds to calm down, she took her handbag over from Isaac and thanked him. ¡°Evander, let¡¯s¡ª¡± Olivine was about to have Evander send her home when someone came bursting through the front door. Ss tightened his grip on the phone and shed Evander a solemn look before making his way over. ¡°Mr. Golding, it appears Ms. Floretta has been following us¡­¡± He then handed Evander a pink doll as he continued, ¡°I found this in the trunk.¡± Floretta would always carry that doll with her wherever she went. The look on Evander¡¯s face turned gloomy as he took the doll over. ¡°Have you tried calling home?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°Yes, I have. The housekeeper said Ms. Floretta was taking a nap in her room, but the room was empty when the housekeeper checked on her,¡± Ss replied. Evander was frowning so deeply that he could probably squash a fly between his brows. D*mn it¡­ This kid just won¡¯t give me a break, huh? She must¡¯ve snuck into the trunk when we left the house earlier. With that in mind, he turned toward Isaac and said, ¡°Get me the footage from all the surveince cameras of your hotel. Do it right now.¡± Although Isaac had no idea who Floretta was, he figured she was probably someone important to Evander after seeing his solemn expression. ¡°Sure thing!¡± Isaac replied with a nod and instructed the receptionist to prepare the surveince camera footage within the past hour. Dozens of people were gathered in the security room as they checked the footage but couldn¡¯t find anything, no matter how hard they tried. The look in Evander¡¯s eyes turned dark as he stared at each and every figure that appeared on the screen but saw no sign of the girl. Olivine ced a hand on Evander¡¯s shoulder andforted him, saying, ¡°Calm down, Evander. Floretta may be mischievous, but she¡¯s a very smart girl. I¡¯m sure she just decided toe out for some fresh air after getting bored at home. She won¡¯t go missing or anything.¡± Unbeknownst to him, there was a hint of malice in Olivine¡¯s eyes as she cautiously observed his response from the side. Floretta has always been opposing me and pulling pranks on me. Heck, that brat even told me she wouldn¡¯t let Evander marry me! It¡¯ll be great if she goes missing or gets into an ident! Evander¡¯s patience was running out as the end of the surveince footage drew near. Suddenly, someone pointed at the screen and yelled, ¡°Mr. Golding! I see a little girl!¡± Evander, who was about to get up and leave, paused in his tracks and red coldly at the screen in response. Sure enough, he saw the petite figure of a little girl. ¡°Rewind it by a couple of seconds!¡± he ordered. The person did as told, and everyone could clearly see a little girl wearing a pretty dress with her hair in twin braids. As if afraid of being spotted, she nced around before disappearing behind a corner. Olivine¡¯s expression grew increasingly awkward when she saw that. ¡°Where is that ce?¡± ¡°The second floor of the underground parking lot.¡± Not wanting to waste another second, Evander got up from his chair and began walking out of the security room. ¡°Evander! Wait for me!¡± Olivine shouted as she grabbed his coat and ran after him.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Cars were passing by at regr intervals in the underground parking lot. Angeline kept her head low and walked quickly. When there was finally no one else around, she stopped tugging at the brim of her hat and finally revealed her face. She was wearing minimal makeup, and her eyes were glistening with tears. It was obvious that she had been crying. Joseline had cruelly reminded her of her stillborn child. It was a grief that she had carried with her for the past five years. She could not believe that Joseline would not even spare her long-dead child¡¯s memory in her quest for power, status, and the Sorelle family. She¡¯s heartless! Angeline retraced her steps to her parked car. She had not wanted to be seen driving a luxury car in case it gave off the wrong impression. So, she had purposely parked the borrowed car in an inconspicuous location. The rhythmic cking of her high heels echoed around the underground parking lot as she headed quickly in the direction of her car. At that moment, a lollipop rolled along the floor and stopped by her toes. Angeline was oblivious to the candy on the ground and was about to step on it when a child¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Oh no! My lollipop!¡± A tiny figure dressed in a white tutu skirt appeared out of nowhere. The little girl had long, slightly wavy hair bound in two braids. She looked like a princess who had stepped out of a fairytale. Angeline immediately retracted her foot and took a step back. I almost stepped on it! The little girl bent over and picked up the candy. She cleaned it carefully with her tiny hands. Then, she raised her head to smile at Angeline. ¡°Thank you, miss!¡± However, once Floretta got a good look at Angeline¡¯s face under the brim of her hat, her mouth fell open. She stood staring in surprise. Her eyes lit up as she piped up in disbelief, ¡°Are you Angel, the big star?¡± Angeline was a little taken aback. Angel? ¡°You recognize me?¡± Angeline asked. Floretta nodded exuberantly. ¡°Yes! You are my goddess! I¡¯m your biggest fan!¡± After her outburst, Floretta blushed prettily, embarrassed by her own excitement. Angeline¡¯s heart melted. The little girl¡¯s every move was adorable. At a nce, the girl looked to be about five or six years old. If my child had lived, they would be about the same age¡­ ¡°Where are your parents?¡± Angeline nced around the parking lot, but there was no one else to be seen. What kind of parents would let their young daughter run around by herself in such a huge parking lot? What if she got lost? Floretta blinked slowly, her eyes filling up with tears as she confessed, ¡°I don¡¯t have a mommy or daddy.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. No parents? How could this be possible? Angeline nced at the skirt that the girl was wearing. Although it was just child¡¯s clothing, Angeline recognized it as having been made by the most popr brand currently. The girl was clearly the daughter of a rich family. She must have said that because she is throwing a tantrum at her parents. Angeline led Floretta to a safe corner, away from any car¡¯s path. She bent down to meet the girl at eye level. ¡°Little girl, I have somewhere to be right now. Please don¡¯t run around the parking lot. Stay here and wait for your parents to get you, okay?¡± The smile faded from Floretta¡¯s face. Her rosebud lips turned downward in a sad pout. She looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Angeline could not bear to see the girl cry, but she really was in a rush. Nancy would be blowing up her phone with her calls in about ten minutes. She caressed Floretta¡¯s hair soothingly. Then, she pressed a button on her car key and unlocked her car with a small beep. She pulled open the door, got in, and fastened the seat belt around herself. Angeline nced at the rearview mirror. She could still see the little girl standing forlornly in the corner, watching her with teary eyes. Floretta had been telling the truth. She was an orphaned child. Every time her kindergarten had a parent-teacher meeting or any other parent-child activity, she would always be sitting alone by herself. In contrast, all the other students were apanied by their parents. Many of her ssmates teased her cruelly, calling her an unwanted child. Floretta¡¯s face drooped sadly as she watched Angeline reverse her car out of the parking spot and speed off. Her lips quivered when she saw that Angeline was already reaching the parking lot exit. In the blink of an eye, Floretta made up her mind. She immediately took off on her little legs, running after Angeline¡¯s car. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 A tiny figure suddenly rushed in front of her car. Angeline flinched. She stepped down hard on the brakes, and the car came to a screeching halt. The sudden stop threw her body forward. Her face nted into the steering wheel and a sharp pain shot through her forehead. The car had stopped just as it touched Floretta. The girl fell to the ground, bruising her exposed arms and knees. Trickles of blood slid down her bare leg. ¡°Ouch! So painful!¡± Floretta bawled. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Angeline immediately turned off the engine, pulled the handbrake, and rushed toward Floretta. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. At that moment, a group of people appeared at the entrance of the parking lot. Evander had just crossed the entrance when he noticed Floretta sitting on the floor, crying pitifully. His eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Floretta!¡± Evander called out to her impatiently. His voice had a cold, stern edge. He walked over quickly. It took him just a few long strides to reach Floretta and Angeline. Behind him, Olivine tottered unsteadily in her high heels, following in his path. The walk exhausted Olivine. My heels must be worn out by now! This is all that silly little girl¡¯s fault! ¡°Floretta, who allowed you to run around like this?¡± The man ignored Angeline. He bent his tall figure down and scooped Floretta into his arms. Floretta wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, sobbing pitifully. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do it! Who told you to find me a new mommy? I don¡¯t want a new mommy! I want my own mommy!¡± Floretta burst into tears anew as she beat her tiny fists against the man¡¯s broad chest. She continued crying loudly. ¡°I¡¯m not okay with that! Let Angel be my mommy¡­¡± Angeline was stunned. The corners of her lips twitched as she tried not tough. Did this girl really run in front of my car just because she wanted me to be her mom? How bold of her! This man must be her father, right? Is he a single father? He must be such a terrible father if even his own daughter refused to acknowledge him! She¡¯s already running away from home at such a young age! ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m so sorry! She ran out into the road suddenly. I¡­¡± Angeline tried to exin what had happened. As soon as she began speaking, Olivine¡¯s face immediately snapped in her direction. Her eyes widened. The image of the woman who had bumped into her at the hotel earlier was still vivid in her memory. ¡°Is that you, the woman from the hotel earlier?¡± Olivine asked loudly in a rather rude tone. The woman looked familiar. Her voice, too, sounded familiar. Olivine nced at the way the woman was dressed, and she immediately knew that this was the woman who had crashed into her at the hotel earlier that day. Evander, too, was surprised to hear that voice again. He turned his attention away from his daughter and looked at Angeline. His eyes were icy, emotionless, and distant. A shiver ran down Angeline¡¯s spine when she met his gaze. Yet, Angeline was enraptured. She could not pull her eyes away. Evander? So, it¡¯s Evander! She looked at the pair of father and daughter in front of her in disbelief. No wonder the little girl looked so familiar! I can see the resemnce between the two of them now that they are here together! She really is a mini version of Evander! So, her father is Evander? No way. How is it possible for Evander to have a five-year-old daughter? I have never heard anyone say that he has a daughter before! Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Angeline was confounded. Nevertheless, she quickly tamped down her gossip-loving urges. What was most important at that moment was to exin what had just happened. After all, Evander Golding¡¯s daughter was not someone she could afford to cross. Angeline started, ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡¯m so sorry. What happened earlier was a misunderstanding. Your daughter¡­¡± Evander¡¯s expression was as gloomy as a graveyard. It seems like I didn¡¯t get the wrong person earlier. It¡¯s her. The ¡°Angel¡± that Floretta was talking about is her too? Previously, she stole the spotlight at the Sorelle residence¡¯s banquet. Then, she was able to make Floretta ask to make Angeline the girl¡¯s mother. It was difficult for him not to suspect that she had ulterior motives. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Stop trying toe up with excuses. How can things be different from what we¡¯ve seen? You¡¯re an uncivilized woman. I won¡¯t hold you ountable for the collision at the hotel, but you¡¯ve even hit a kid this time and tried to run off!¡± Olivine pointed at Angeline before turning to the security guards behind Isaac Jansen. ¡°Why are you still all standing there? Hurry up and take this woman to the police station!¡± Before Isaac could recover from the shock of learning that Evander had a daughter, he heard Olivine¡¯s usation. It made him even more flustered. As he hesitated and waited for Evander to give him the instruction, he muttered, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense! Angel didn¡¯t hit me! Even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t have done it on purpose. Daddy, this has nothing to do with Angel. This is all my fault!¡± Floretta cried out as she tugged Evander¡¯s pants and stared at Olivine fearlessly. Olivine never expected Floretta to speak on behalf of Angeline, and she paled. As she tried to grab Floretta¡¯s hand, she said, ¡°Floretta, you¡¯re still young, so you still can¡¯t differentiate a bad person from a good one. Let me tell you this¡ªthis woman¡¯s an uncivilized bad person!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the bad person!¡± Upon hearing Olivine nder Angeline, Floretta turned furious. Like a tiny tiger, she stepped away from the spot behind Evander¡¯s leg and red at Olivine. ¡°To me, only Angel has the right to be my mommy. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to marry my daddy and be Mrs. Golding. No way!¡± Her words struck Olivine¡¯s sore spot, and Olivine paled before grimacing. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Evander yelled to stop Floretta from saying any more. His voice was a thunderous one, and Floretta promptly mped her mouth shut to stop talking. Nevertheless, she still nced at Angeline and winked at the woman. Words eluded Angeline at the girl¡¯s action. I¡¯ve only seen her once, but why is she so adamant about making me her mommy? It¡¯ll be impossible for me to clear my name with how smart Evander is. ¡°Mr. Golding, there are surveince cameras in the underground parking lot. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can always ask them to show you the footage. I¡¯ll admit that I was wrong to have bumped into your daughter. I don¡¯t mind if you requestpensation or something along those lines, and I promise I¡¯ll bear the full responsibility for this,¡± Angeline sincerely told him. Olivine scoffed. Right as she was about to retort Angeline again, Isaac cut in to say, ¡°Our hotel¡¯s underground parking lot has been under construction for three months straight a while before, so some of our surveince cameras have yet to be installed. The spot where the incident happened might be at a blind spot.¡± At that, Angeline fell silent. Evander lowered his eyes. If this is also part of the woman¡¯s n, then I must have underestimated her. Evander then lowered his head to nce at Floretta¡¯s still-bleeding arm before lifting her up with one hand. In a much softer tone, he asked, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Floretta froze for a second before biting her lower lip and nodding honestly. In the next second, Evander¡¯s cold eyesnded on Angeline, and his tone was as cial as his demeanor. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you should know that the Golding family does not need yourpensation. Floretta is my precious daughter, and I¡¯m certain a childless woman like you, Ms. Sorelle, would not understand the protection a father seeks to give his daughter. If anything were to happen to Floretta today, the Sorelle family would never be able to live in Hallsbay ever again.¡± With that said, Evander turned and left with Floretta in his arms. At the same time, he called out, ¡°Ss, drive. We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡± Olivine sneaked a nce at the frozen Angeline and sneered. After she vengefully hit Angeline¡¯s shoulder with her shoulder, she left with Evander. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The pain radiating from Angeline¡¯s shoulder did not affect her at all. She remained still in her spot for a long time as she listened to the sound of a car¡¯s starting engine before the said car drove past her. Even then, Evander¡¯s words were still ringing in her mind. The mention of a child broke her heart again. However, the moment she rposed herself, she realized something else. It was not the right time for her to wallow in her misery. With Evander¡¯s status and position in society, it would be a piece of cake for him to cklist her in society. If that were to happen, everything she had done so far would be washed down the drain. What would she use to take revenge on Joseline if that were to happen? Moreover, it was true that Floretta was hurt because of her. At the very least, she should head to the hospital to visit the girl and express her sincerest apologies. Thus, Angeline wasted no time lingering in the spot as she rushed back into her car and drove in the direction the ck Maybach had gone in. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Angeline followed the car all the way to a private pediatric hospital. The Maybach stopped outside the emergency department. Through the ss windows and doors, Angeline could see that the medical staff were already waiting by the entrance of the department. Once they saw Evander, they rushed forward. One even reached out to carry Floretta. However, he was forced away by Evander¡¯s re. Then, Evander strode into the building with a tensed jaw, still holding onto his daughter. Angeline was surprised to see that. She never thought that the icy man would be quite the caring father. It was only after Evander entered the hospital did Angeline unbuckle her safety belt and went in after him. By the time Angeline found the VIP ward that Floretta was in, Floretta was already done with all of her tests. The doctor told Evander that Floretta had only grazed her skin and was mostly fine. Hearing that, Evander¡¯s grimace finally seeped away a little. ¡°Daddy, I already told you that I¡¯m fine! Angel really isn¡¯t at fault for what happened today; it¡¯s my fault! Don¡¯t be mad anymore!¡± Floretta cried out before pouting. Her knees had been treated with iodine and were currently exposed to the air. Evander¡¯s frown only deepened after he heard her words. ¡°Daddy¡­¡± The more Floretta spoke, the weaker her voice became. She could see how the expression on her father¡¯s face was getting darker and darker. Olivine, who was standing at the side, had been silently fuming. As her eyes flitted toward Evander, she pasted a fake kind smile on her face and patiently said to Floretta, ¡°Floretta, that woman isn¡¯t someone nice¡ª¡± Rage flowed through Floretta likeva, and she rolled her eyes at Olivine. ¡°Hmph! I¡¯m talking to Daddy, not you!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Olivine nearly growled. She was the daughter of a prestigious family, so she never had to endure infuriating moments like this, let alone one induced by a young child. ¡°Evander!¡± Olivine turned to cast pleading eyes at the man. Evander¡¯s eyes flicked toward her, and he said in an indifferent tone, ¡°Ms. Sherrock, it¡¯ste now, and Floretta is fine. Please return.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± There was nothing Olivine could say to change Evander¡¯s mind by then. Even when she saw Floretta sticking her tongue out at her, she could only tamp down her anger and hesitantly mutter, ¡°Okay.¡± Right as she exited the ward, she bumped into Angeline, who was about to enter the ward. Angeline was holding onto a bag of snacks that she had just bought from the supermarket outside the hospital. Guessing that Floretta must be hungry, Angeline had gone back out of the hospital to buy some food for the girl. ¡°Seems like you know how to butter someone up quite well,¡± Olivine mocked before walking closer to Angeline. Then, she whispered, ¡°Still, a pauper will always be a pauper. Let¡¯s see if you can really turn into a princess.¡± With that, Olivine lifted her chin and strode off. Angeline tightened her grip on the bag and scoffed. A woman with ever-changing emotions like her has close to nobat powers. I don¡¯t even want to respond to her. While Angeline was lost in her thoughts, a cold interrogative voice suddenly sounded out above Angeline. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Angeline raised her head to see that, at one point in time, the door to the ward had been opened, and Evander had stepped out of the room. The two of them nearly collided with each other. The moment Evander saw her, his rxed expression turned grim again. In fact, he even raised his brows. This woman is like an unwanted piece of gum sticking onto us! ¡°Mr. Golding, I was thinking about how Floretta must be hungry, so I¡¯ve brought some food, nning to¡­¡± Angeline then raised the bag she was holding onto to dispel Evander¡¯s suspicion. However, Evander did not even look at the bag¡ªhe continued staring right at her. In the next second, the man towed her away to a silent stairwell before she could figure out what he was trying to do. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 The world spun around her before her back crashed against the wall behind her. Pain spread all over her body and made her gasp. Yet, before she could recollect herself, the man¡¯s intimidating aura rushed toward her like tidal waves. The man then grabbed her wrists and held them above her head. No matter how hard she struggled, she could not get out of his grasp. ¡°Y-Y-You¡­ Mr. Golding, let¡¯s talk instead. Don¡¯te so close to me!¡± Angeline stammered nervously. They were in a dim environment, but she could see the clear outline of his sharp features. She could not help but tense up at his continuous stare as fear began growing in her chest. Angeline could sense how dangerous Evander could be, so she quickly turned her head and averted her gaze from him. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, weren¡¯t you doing all those things for this?¡± Evander asked, his tone t. His question made Angeline tense up even more. Her instincts yelled at her to retreat further from the man, but the wall was right behind her¡ªthere was nowhere else she could run. ¡°Mr. Golding, is there a misunderstanding somewhere? I¡¯ll confess that there¡¯s another reason for my presence here. I was scared that you¡¯d put me on a cklist. After all, barely anyone in Hallsbay is a match for you in terms of power. Still, my concern for Floretta is genuine. After all, she¡¯s only a five- year-old, and there¡¯s no reason for me to hurt her.¡± Evander¡¯s eyes darkened even more when he heard her mention his daughter¡¯s name. Before Angeline could finish her sentence, his slender fingers gripped Angeline¡¯s chin painfully, and he forced her to lift her head to look at him again. Then, he hunched over to lean closer to her ear and icily hissed, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, did you really drive all the way here to visit Floretta out of the kindness of your heart?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Angeline let the man study her face. After a while of meeting her eyes, Evander finally let go of her. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t bother hiding anything.¡± Angeline felt as if she had been revived at his release. Her stiffened limbs finally regained their sensations, but her jaw continued to ache. It was a testament to the amount of force he had used earlier. Although Angeline seemed calm on the outside, she was quaking in her boots inwardly. While Evander¡¯s focus was not on her, she discreetly inched toward the exit. That way, she would be able to flee or scream for help if anything were to happen. However, Evander noticed her actions and sneered. Then, he pulled out a handkerchief from his outbreast pocket. As he wiped his hands, he uttered, ¡°Have youe back to the country to fight for Sorelle Group¡¯s shares?¡± Angeline did not understand why the man was raising that topic, so she grew suspicious again. ¡°But you¡¯re merely an abandoned child of the Sorelle family. What makes you think you have the right to fight for it?¡± Right after he said that, the expensive handkerchief fell to the ground. Angeline stiffened when she heard him, and her eyes moved away from the handkerchief on the ground to the man. The dim spot the man stood in concealed half of his icy expression and tall figure, but it could not hide the noble yet aloof demeanor he had. Instinctively, Angeline straightened her back. She did not want anyone to underestimate her. ¡°That¡¯s a personal matter, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that, Mr. Golding.¡± After all, she had been nning this for a long time. Yet, right as those words left her mouth, Evander chuckled. Disdain crept into his eyes, and he uttered, ¡°Is that so? That would be for the best. However, if I find out that you¡¯re nning to use either Floretta or me to get the Sorelle family¡­ My apologies, then. I¡¯ll surely let you have a taste of how ruthless I can be.¡± Thest part of his sentence was spoken in a low but menacing voice. Anyone who heard the warning would feel a shiver running down their spine. ¡°I won¡¯t be taking the food, but I¡¯ll thank you, Ms. Sorelle, on behalf of Floretta for your kind intentions.¡± After onest nce at Angeline¡¯s food bag, Evander turned and left. Only then, Angeline rxed. She rubbed her chest and let out a sigh of relief. I don¡¯t think Evander¡¯s going to see me as an enemy anymore, right? After leaving the hospital, Angeline went home and slept for three days straight. On the third day, even after the sun was high up in the sky, Angeline stilly in her bed, not intending to leave it. Thatsted until she abruptly heard the sounds of things nging downstairs in the living room. Her eyes flew open, and she flopped upright and perked her ears to focus on the sounds. After making sure that she was not still dreaming, she hastily put on a jacket and got out of bed. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Speeding out of her room, she heard a familiar voiceing from the living room just as she reached the stairs. ¡°Angeline, you made a mess! This ce is so messy,¡± Nancy grumbled as she kept away the clothes on the couch. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± Angeline slowed her pace when she realized it was not a robber who had broken into her house. Once she reached Nancy, she said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t havee for no good reason, so tell me why you¡¯re here.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°Do you hear yourself? Can¡¯t I just visit you?¡± As she cleaned away the drinks and snacks on the coffee table, Nancy¡¯s head remained hanging. After that, she finally stopped and picked up a file to pass to Angeline. ¡°But you¡¯re right. There¡¯s something I need to inform you about.¡± Angeline took the document in confusion before reading therge letters on the cover of the file: Endorsement Contract. ¡°Open it up.¡± Nancy gestured to her with a tilt of her chin. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re being all mysterious,¡± Angeline muttered under her breath, but she still obediently flipped the pages of the contract. Just a nce at it, and her eyes were bright. In shock, she whispered, ¡°The brand spokesperson of Starlight Jewelry?¡± Starlight Jewelry had always been a high-end international brand, and it was a brand that many female celebrities desperately wanted to endorse. Unfortunately, in the earlier years, the brand had always chosen foreign female artistes, so the local artistes had no luck with that. Without a doubt, her current agency must have spent a huge sum of money to pull strings and get this contract. Yet, as Angeline¡¯s gaze drifted downward, she noticed the bold words¡ªGolding Group. She then could not tear her eyes away from those words. This brand is under Golding Group? ¡°What do you think? Exciting, right? Do you know how much effort thepany has poured into getting this endorsement? Moreover, you had Denise Campbellpeting for it too! She has been quite popr recently, and she has strong financial support, so she nearly won this deal instead!¡± Nancy was agitated when she started talking about Denise. ¡°Still, I¡¯m the great Nancy Yandell! No one¡¯s going to steal anything from me,¡± Nancy passionately uttered, but she did not notice Angeline¡¯s darkening expression. What preupied Angeline¡¯s mind was Evander¡¯s cold expression and aggressive speech. An endorsement deal like this would never reach Evander, so Angeline was sure that he never thought that Golding Group¡¯s brand spokesperson was going to be her. s, Angeline mulled over it for a little longer before saying, ¡°Reject it. I¡¯m not going to endorse this.¡± Then, she tossed the contract to a corner of the couch before letting herself slump onto the couch. She did not want to establish any more connections with the Golding Group and Evander Golding. Otherwise, the man would certainly assume that she had ulterior motives and was trying to approach him. Unsurprisingly, Nancy reacted as if someone had told her the world was ending tomorrow. Without missing a beat, Nancy reached out to touch Angeline¡¯s forehead. ¡°My goddess Angeline, are you ill? What foolish words are you speaking? Did you read the contract? It¡¯s Starlight Jewelry¡¯s contract!¡± Angeline took an apple and began eating it. ¡°I saw it, but I don¡¯t want to endorse it.¡± After taking a few bites, she stood up, about to wash up. When Nancy saw Angeline walking toward the stairs, she took the contract and solemnly said to the other woman, ¡°It¡¯s toote. While you were away, thepany made the decision for you. The contract is for five years.¡± ¡°What?¡± Angeline shrieked before spinning around to stare at Nancy. She had only briefly flipped through the file, so she did not notice the seal mark at the back. At that, Angeline quickly returned to Nancy to look at the contract again. Nancy swiftly dodged her grasp by taking several quick steps back and hiding the contract behind her. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re rejecting it, but this is an opportunity thepany simply can¡¯t let slip by. Think about it. Won¡¯t you be more confident in winning the best actress award with this endorsement?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. At Angeline¡¯s hesitance, Nancy quickly shoved the file back into her bag and continued, ¡°That¡¯ll be it, then. There are some filming details that you¡¯ll need to confirm with Golding Group tomorrow, so rest well now. I¡¯lle to pick you up tomorrow. I¡¯ll take off now. Bye.¡± As if fearing that Angeline would reject her again, Nancy gave Angeline no time to respond before she dashed out of the house with the trash bag in hand. Angeline was speechless even after she was left alone in her house as the door closed with a loud bang. Her temples throbbed. What ill luck. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Right then, her phone beeped. Angeline arched a brow and unlocked her phone. It turned out to be a picture from Nancy¡ªa page from the contract. When she zoomed in, she saw the penalty for breaching the contract. ¡°A zero. Two zeroes¡­ Three¡­¡± The sum is a hundred million? Angeline gasped before supporting herself with the armrest as she lowered herself to the couch. The next morning was sunny. Nancy came to Angeline¡¯s condominium to pick Angeline up before taking her to Golding Group¡¯s headquarters for the filming discussion of the advertisement. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Starlight Jewelry was one of the few local jewelry brands that managed to be an international luxury brand. Furthermore, Angeline was a popr A-list actress, so almost all of the famous media companies¡¯ reporters were there during the contract signing ceremony. In other words, the event was a grand sight to behold. The moment Angeline arrived, the cameras began shuttering. In the meantime, at Golding Group¡¯s chairman¡¯s office, Evander was looking through the contracts at his office desk, which had neat piles of documents, as usual. He was wearing a white dress shirt and a dark brown checkered vest. The fabric of his garments was exquisite, and the cutting perfectly fit his figure of broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His figure alone would be alluring to most women. ¡°Mr. Golding,¡± Ss greeted after knocking on his office door and entering. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mr. Jantz suddenly called and told me that something urgent has cropped up in his schedule, so he won¡¯t be able toe to the office.¡± Without lifting his head, Evander replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a normal thing? What¡¯s surprising about it?¡± Ss anxiously exined, ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s just any other day, but the brand that Mr. Jantz is in charge of, Starlight Jewelry, will be signing the contract with the brand spokesperson they¡¯ve chosen in the conference room downstairs. The media reporters have all arrived, and they¡¯re waiting for Mr. Jantz.¡± Evander flipped the page of the document he was reading and signed it. After passing it to Ss, he said, ¡°Send this to administration. Where¡¯s the contract signing taking ce?¡± ¡°In the conference room on the tenth floor.¡± Ss let out a relieved sigh at Evander¡¯s agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Send the document to administration and call Roger. Tell him that he has just lost his quarterly bonus.¡± Ss pointed out, ¡°Mr. Golding, did you forget about this? You¡¯ve deducted all of his quarterly bonuses this year thest time he stood up thepany¡¯s business partner.¡± Nevertheless, as Evander adjusted his cuffs, he calmly said, ¡°Deduct his year-end bonus, then.¡± Ss only blinked in response. Meanwhile, in the conference room on the tenth floor, the reporters had already crowded the ce. All of their cameras were trained on Angeline, and they had never paused the recordings. Despite Angeline¡¯s professionalism, the smile on her face was starting to stiffen. While she was lowering her head to tidy her hair, she whispered to Nancy, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The agreed time to sign the contract had been half an hour ago, but the person in charge of signing the contract on behalf of Starlight Jewelry had yet to appear. Nancy then said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a little longer. After all, they¡¯re a famous brand. We¡¯ve already signed the proper contract; this is only for show.¡± Before Nancy was done speaking, ovepping voices sounded out in the corridor, as well as the clicking sounds of camera shutters. ¡°He¡¯s here. He¡¯s here. Please move aside. We¡¯re about to start the contract signing.¡± Angeline turned to look at the doorway as the reporters parted to open up a path for the neer. The man who came was a man in a brown suit. He was one hundred and eighty-seven centimeters tall, and even though there were plenty of people surrounding him, anyone would be able to spot his aloof figure from afar. Angeline¡¯s heart took a dip when she saw who hade, and she immediately straightened up in her seat. Evander? Why is he here to sign the contract? Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Starlight Jewelry was only one of many brands under the Golding Group. She could not fathom how important Starlight Jewelry would have to be for the chairman of the group to sign a contract for Starlight Jewelry with the brand spokesperson. What kind of luck do I have? ¡°Mr. Golding, she¡¯s Angeline Sorelle, the brand spokesperson Starlight Jewelry is about to sign a contract with,¡± the person in charge of the event introduced to Evander. The moment he heard Angeline¡¯s name, his eyes darkened. Then, when he looked at the other end of the table where the person in charge was looking, his expression turned frigid. The eyes of Evander and Angeline met as the cameras continued to click away. Still, Angeline forced the corners of her lips to turn upward. She stood up and greeted, ¡°Hello, Mr. Golding. It is my honor to be working with yourpany as Starlight Jewelry¡¯s brand spokesperson.¡± Meanwhile, the person in charge who had spoken earlier handed the pen to Evander. All cameras then turned toward the contract. As everyone watched them, Evander nonchntly lifted his hand and pushed away the pen. His gaze was frosty as he uttered, ¡°Sorry, but Starlight Jewelry can¡¯t sign the contract with Angeline Sorelle. I¡¯ve decided to change the brand spokesperson.¡± What? Evander¡¯s words created an uproar in the room. ¡°Why?¡± came Nancy¡¯s shriek of surprise. Angeline¡¯s expression turned grimmer as the reporters continued to snap photos of them with even more vigor. Why else? Evander must resent me for what happened earlier. But isn¡¯t he crossing the line by embarrassing me in front of so many reporters? ¡°No reason. Speak to my legal department about the breach of contract.¡± With that said, Evander glimpsed at the person in charge and said, ¡°You¡¯ll deal with the rest.¡± The person in charge was still reeling in from the shock as he numbly bobbed his head. By the time he came back to his senses, Evander was gone. After that, the reporters began exchanging nces with each other. ¡°Are they really not signing it anymore?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is it because of the recent news about Angeline?¡± ¡°Is it because of Sorelle Group¡¯s dispute over the assets?¡± While the people in the crowd discussed away, someone who recollected themself sooner than the others asked, ¡°Angeline, is your property dispute with Sorelle Group the reason Starlight Jewelry has suddenly breached the contract, or is it because the news of your premarital pregnancy has affected your reputation?¡± The mention of premarital pregnancy snapped everyone back to their senses. Angeline had never responded to the rumors since day one. However, before the reporters could swarm her, she had pushed the people around her aside and hurried in the direction Evander went to. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. The reporters hastily tried to follow her but were stopped by the security guards. By then, Evander was about to step into the elevator. ¡°Wait!¡± Angeline ran after him, her heels cking behind. It would have been fine if she had not epted Starlight Jewelry¡¯s endorsement deal from the start. However, everyone knew that she was going to be its brand spokesperson, and Evander had just humiliated her in public. There was no way Angeline was going to let Evander go without getting an exnation from him. She would only be embarrassed more if she simply left. Yet, Evander did not even spare her a nce as he walked into the elevator and pressed the button to close the doors. ¡°Wait!¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 A second before the elevator doors closed, Angeline dashed forward, her hands forcefully stopping the doors from shutting tight. Upon sensing something was obstructing the doors from closing, they automatically opened up. Evander¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding between the two of us, so I feelpelled to exin to you what happened before,¡± Angeline said. Then she tried entering the elevator, but her leg was stuck after taking one step forward. The heel of her shoe was caught in the gap between the elevator and the doors. Immediately, she lost her bnce and fell forward. ¡°Ah!¡± Her nose mmed onto a ¡°wall,¡± but it wasn¡¯t as painful as she thought. A cold voice came from above her head. ¡°Is this your so-called misunderstanding?¡± Currently, Angeline¡¯s entire body was in Evander¡¯s embrace. Her hands mbered to his shoulders as she raised her head, meeting his face. The expression on his face was so dark that it looked almost like a ck hole. ¡°No, you really did misunderstand.¡± She spoke with difficulty because she was out of breath after chasing him. Her leg being stuck in the gap only made things worse. Holding her shoulders, he didn¡¯t hesitate to peel her away from his embrace. Angeline stumbled and held on to the elevator door frame before she barely managed to pull her leg out. Sadly, the heel was still stuck in the gap. It was an embarrassing sight of her. However, she didn¡¯t care about that. Her good upbringingpelled her to apologize for her behavior first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± A clear look of disdain shed past Evander¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to use this kind of clich¨¦ scenario, Ms. Sorelle. You sure are relentless.¡± ¡°Scenario?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Then she quickly realized what he meant by that. ¡°You think I¡¯m doing this on purpose? I only came here because of the spokesperson position for Starlight Jewelry ¡ª¡± ¡°All brands under Golding Group, including Starlight Jewelry, will never coborate with you, Ms. Sorelle,¡± he directly cut her off and used a Burberry¡¯s checkered handkerchief to wipe his hands. Then he threw the handkerchief into a trashcan in front of her. ¡°Wait, I only learned about the coborationst night. What did I¡ª¡± ¡°Step back,¡± Evander requested. Subconsciously, Angeline stepped backward and watched as the elevator doors closed. His emotionless, icy face promptly disappeared from her sight. It wasn¡¯t until the doors were shut tight that she returned to her senses. Then, her insides began churning with fury. Who does he think he is? Does he think I¡¯m trying to seduce him? How can someone be that narcissistic? As she returned the way she came, she cursed him in her heart,pletely unaware of the phone hidden behind a giant pot of nts at the corner of the corridor that was filming her. A vintage-style three-story mansion sat inside the well-known and quiet private estate valued at ten billion in the Eastern District of Hallsbay. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. It was located behind a lush greenwn and fountain and was surrounded by roses. The balcony on the second floor, which was facing south, had pink roses growing on it. A little girl in a white princess dress was sitting in the sun on the pink swing couch with aptop lying on her knee. On the screen was a list of what was trending on Twitter. Her pink cartoon slippers were embedded with a blue gem shining brightly under the sunlight. The five-year-old Floretta only knew how to read a few words. Aside from the word ¡°Angeline,¡± she basically had no idea what the media was saying. As she swung her legs happily, she scrolled through all sorts of pictures. Her hand stopped when she saw a particr picture before she zoomed into the building behind Angeline. Huh? That ce looks so familiar! Isn¡¯t that Daddy¡¯spany? Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Floretta¡¯s ember eyes became wide open as they glistened with light. Then she promptly jumped down from the couch and trotted into the house, straight toward the wardrobe. As she ran, she shouted, ¡°I¡¯m going out, Franny!¡± Francesca Green, who had been taking care of Floretta since she was little, followed after her. ¡°Why are you going out right now, Ms. Floretta?¡± ¡°To find Daddy!¡± Floretta went through the wardrobe to find the clothes she wanted. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Didn¡¯t he promise yesterday that he¡¯lle back early during the night to celebrate your birthday?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want him to celebrate my birthday. He¡¯s going to find his girlfriend and ditch me.¡± As though the girl was throwing a tantrum, she pulled out and threw the clothes inside the wardrobe all over the ce. When she found a more formal-looking red dress, she positioned it in front of her body and showed it to her caretaker to see. ¡°I want to wear this to meet Angel.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this¡­ Angel?¡± Francesca was confused, though the name sounded familiar to her. I think I heard Floretta mention it a couple of times before. However, she didn¡¯t take the girl¡¯s words seriously, as all adults often do when listening to what children say. Floretta¡¯s eyes sparkled when she spoke about Angeline. ¡°She used to be my idol, but now she¡¯s my idol and my future mommy!¡± Because the spokesperson arrangement was canceled on the spot, Angeline and Nancy were surrounded by reporters as they tried to exit the building. Even after half an hour, they still couldn¡¯t leave Golding Group. Nancy was protecting Angeline as she called the driver. ¡°Block A, the entrance of Golding Group. Quickly.¡± Meanwhile, a dozen microphones and cameras were pushed so close to Angeline¡¯s face that they were almost kissing her. ¡°Is the reason Starlight Jewelry terminated the contract because of your pre-marital pregnancy from five years ago?¡± ¡°Did you suddenly return to the Sorelle family to fight for the inheritance?¡± ¡°Did you give birth to the child, Angeline? Who¡¯s the father?¡± ¡°I heard your rtionship with your family worsened and was the reason you got exiled. Is that true?¡± The barrage of questions the reportersunched at Angelinended squarely on her old wound. Her eyebrows furrowed tightly as she remained silent. Years of experience in the entertainment industry had taught her that the best thing she could do at the moment was to say nothing. If she spoke too much, she might identally say something wrong. Nancy continued to repeat the same things as she blocked the reporters from getting closer to Angeline. ¡°Sorry, but we didn¡¯te here to sign a contract. This is a private trip. Please make way. We will be making noments today.¡± The contract-signing ceremony was pretty significant, so a lot of reporters were there. Both Nancy and Angeline were getting squished pretty badly by the sea of people. Just as Nancy was wondering what to do, a voice amplified by a loudspeaker to the point of being deafening was suddenly heard from behind the reporters. ¡°Hello!¡± The sea of reporters suddenly froze for a moment. ¡°Look! Denise is kissing her rumored boyfriend in the car! This is a rare opportunity! If any of you manage to capture a picture of it, it¡¯ll be going straight to the headlines!¡± A middle-aged woman¡¯s voice was heard from the loudspeaker. Not only that, she repeated the same thing three times in a row in a mechanical manner. Just as everyone was still dumbfounded about what was going on, a ck sports car abruptly started its engine in the open-air parking space in front of Golding Group¡¯s entrance. A man and a woman were sitting in the driver¡¯s seat and the passenger seat. The woman in the passenger seat was using her coat to cover up her face, and her figure looked like Denise¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s Denise!¡± an unknown person shouted. The wave of reporters promptly chased after the sports car with their cameras. Angeline was still taken aback when the edge of her dress was tugged. When she turned around, she saw a girl with hair buns clutching the corner of her dress. The girl was wearing a red strappy dress while looking as though there were stars in her eyes. She shushed Angeline before whispering, ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nancy was still dumbfounded as she stared at the reporters chasing after the ck sports car. Then she waved her hand behind her, hoping to touch Angeline to get her to move. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Angeline.¡± However, her hand wasn¡¯t hitting anyone, which prompted her to turn around in confusion. Where¡¯s Angeline? Where did she go? Concurrently, Angeline and the girl she met once before reentered Golding Group. They avoided all the reporters and the people who gathered in the lobby. Angeline let out a sigh of relief after she hid inside a stairwell. Then she pulled out her phone and sent a text message to Nancy while thanking her savior. ¡°Thank you. Was the loudspeaker your doing as well?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee!¡± Floretta raised her watery eyes and stared at Angeline with a bright smile. ¡°The person who was shouting earlier was my caretaker, Franny! The people inside the car were actually Wace and his girlfriend.¡± ¡°It was not Denise?¡± ¡°I asked my caretaker to lie to the reporters! He was unlucky to have been sitting at the entrance at that moment.¡± The girl stuck her tongue out, looking lively and adorable. ¡°However, my daddy said that Wace is a phndering man and that he changes girlfriends faster than he changes clothes! So, there¡¯s no need to worry about him.¡± Angeline wasn¡¯t interested enough to ask who the man Floretta mentioned was, though she did vaguely understand what happened. With a confused look, she stared at the girl. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t let them bully my future mommy!¡± That stunned Angeline as she stared at the girl with innocent eyes and dressed like a character from a children¡¯s cartoon. For some reason, she suddenly thought about what Joseline had said about her child still being alive. If the child were still alive, they¡¯d probably be as old as this girl right now. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Angel.¡± Floretta¡¯s voice pulled Angeline back to the real world. Bending down, Angeline patted the girl¡¯s head and spoke softly. ¡°First off, I¡¯m thankful that you helped me. Nheless, I¡¯m not your mother, so please don¡¯t call me that in the future, okay? It¡¯ll cause misunderstandings.¡± If the girl didn¡¯t call her ¡°Mommy¡±st time in the parking lot, Evander wouldn¡¯t have misunderstood anything. After all, it would make anyone suspicious if their child suddenly got close to an unknown woman. ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t know who I am. What if I¡¯m a bad guy? I would¡¯ve taken you away if that was the case. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Floretta shook her head vigorously. ¡°You¡¯re not a bad guy. You¡¯re my idol.¡± Angeline smiled. ¡°Thank you for liking me, but I have to go. Can you find your way back to an adult whom you know?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re leaving?¡± That made the girl panickily grab the corner of Angeline¡¯s dress. ¡°No.¡± Just as Angeline was about to exin that she had work to do, she saw Floretta¡¯s knee injury at the periphery of her sight. It was still bleeding, which was why she immediately crouched in front of the girl. ¡°What happened? How did you get hurt?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I identally tripped when I exited the car to find you.¡± The first time they met, Floretta tripped and hurt her knee. Before the bruise was even gone, the same knee was hurt again. The addition of a new wound on top of the old one made it stand out on her pink, tender skin. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Angeline asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± The girl shook her head. Staring at Angeline¡¯s worried expression, her gaze flickered before she spoke aggrievedly. ¡°But I do feel sad because I identally ruined my birthday cake.¡± ¡°Birthday cake?¡± Raising her head, Angeline stared at the girl. ¡°Is it your birthday today?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± With a nod, Floretta asked, ¡°Can you celebrate my birthday with me, Angel?¡± A troubled look appeared on Angeline¡¯s face. The girl¡¯s eyes immediately turned red as she lowered her head aggrievedly and fiddled with her finger. ¡°Daddy wants to marry a new mommy, so he doesn¡¯t want me anymore and doesn¡¯t want to celebrate my birthday with me.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t your daddy know today is your birthday?¡± Angeline was surprised. However, as she thought about the time when she saw Evander having a meal with a woman at the mall, it suddenly became usible to her that maybe he didn¡¯t care about his child. Floretta sniffed and uttered chokingly, ¡°Daddy never remembers my birthday and never bought me a birthday cake before. Franny¡¯s the one who bought the cake for me. No one has ever celebrated my birthday with me before¡­¡± She began sobbing. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Seeing that, Angeline panicked. She couldn¡¯t stand the sight of a crying child. ¡°I¡¯ll celebrate your birthday with you, all right? Don¡¯t cry.¡± The moment she finished speaking, Floretta immediately ceased her sobbing and stared at Angeline with teary eyes. ¡°Really? You promise? No takebacks, okay?¡± Aside from the girl¡¯s red-rimmed eyes, there wasn¡¯t any sign of crying on her face at all. Angeline sighed silently. If this girl is an actress, she¡¯ll definitely beuded as a prodigy. Maybe she may even win an award at the Oscars at such a young age. After patting the girl¡¯s head, she agreed, ¡°Mhm, I won¡¯t.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear to leave Floretta because she was the reason the girl was hurt and the birthday cake was ruined. ¡°Your cake is destroyed, right? I¡¯ll ask someone to buy one for you.¡± Nheless, Floretta blinked and asked, ¡°Do you know how to bake cakes, Angel?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¡°I watched your cake-baking video before. Can you bake a cake for me?¡± Floretta didn¡¯t even give Angeline a chance to say no. Instead, she directly brought up the fact that Angeline used to live stream herself baking cakes on social media. That was before Angeline was famous. What a crafty child. Angeline uttered with hesitation, ¡°I do, but there are no ingredients here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Follow me!¡± Following behind the girl, Angeline was brought to the top floor of Golding Group. ¡°Come on in, Angel!¡± Floretta navigated all the way into an office with great familiarity and pulled Angeline in. ¡°This is¡­¡± Looking around, the woman asked, ¡°Is this your daddy¡¯s office?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The girl pointed inside. ¡°There¡¯s a kitchen over there. Wait for me. I need to call someone.¡± Then she climbed up the leather couch behind the office table and used the phone sitting on the table. ¡°I need ingredients for baking a cake right now. Send it up here in ten minutes.¡± Despite her soft, childish voice, she already sounded like an authoritative figure. Angeline gazed at the girl. She¡¯s indeed Evander¡¯s daughter. As they waited for the cake ingredients to arrive, she found a first aid kit and treated Floretta¡¯s knee wound. ¡°It may hurt a little, but the wound needs to be disinfected, so bear with me, all right?¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m not afraid.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t any girls who aren¡¯t afraid of pain.¡± Angeline chuckled. ¡°With how much your daddy loves you, if he learns that you¡¯re hurt, he¡¯ll be heartbroken.¡± That prompted Floretta to ask, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to be a spokesperson for my daddy¡¯s jewelry company, Angel?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°You know about the spokesperson matter?¡± Angeline was surprised. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m your superfan! I know everything about you. So, can I go and watch you when you film the advertisement?¡± What a shrewd little girl. She knows quite a lot, huh? As Angeline applied ointment to the girl¡¯s wound, she said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not going to happen for now. Your daddy terminated my contract.¡± ¡°What?¡± Floretta almost jumped up from the couch when she heard that and almost knocked the ointment away. Then she sat back down while gritting her teeth in pain. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± That terrified Angeline. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I identally hurt you, didn¡¯t I? Is it painful?¡± The girl ignored her words and spoke with fury. ¡°How can my daddy terminate your contract? I¡¯m going to ask him about it!¡± Then she tried to get up again. Angeline quickly pressed the girl back down and rejected resignedly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do that, but thank you, nheless. I can handle my own matters.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re so awesome! How can Daddy terminate your contract? He must be crazy!¡± Seeing how Floretta was scolding Evander righteously, Angeline felt the urge to chuckle. Still, she held back her desire and exined, ¡°It¡¯splicated. In any case, I can take care of it by myself. Once our misunderstandings are resolved, I¡¯ll be the spokesperson.¡± It was one thing for her not to want to be the spokesperson; it was another for her contract to be terminated. It wasn¡¯t a problem for her if Starlight Jewelry wanted to cancel the contract should the discussion have taken ce in private. However, Evander intentionally made her look bad in front of the media. If she were a reporter, she would¡¯ve also thought something was wrong with her character that led to the cancetion of the contract. She was going to recover the dignity that she had lost. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 After Angeline finished treating Floretta¡¯s wound, the ingredient and tools for baking a cake were delivered to the office. Staring at the tools, the girl asked seriously, ¡°Is there anything that you need, Angel? If there is, I¡¯ll ask someone to buy it for you.¡± Angeline examined the items and put on an apron. ¡°It¡¯s all present. There wouldn¡¯t be a problem even if I were to open a cake shop here.¡± Usually, when she wasn¡¯t working, she would stay in her house. Celebrities had very little freedom outside their own house, as even a trip to the supermarket would mean getting their pictures taken by the paparazzi. In order to avoid any issues, she would cook in her own home. After a while, she got pretty good at cooking, especially baking. While she was making the cake, Floretta excitedly hopped around her and stared at what she was doing with curiosity. asionally, the girl would poke at or touch something. Floretta looked very much like a porcin doll. Her skin was fair with a hint of rosiness. She was wearing a small dress and had hair buns on her head. She was a ball of pure cuteness and joy, especially when she kept praising Angeline for how pretty the woman was. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Angeline had always liked children, which was why she was very patient. After she asked the girl to wash the strawberries, she taught her how to decorate the cake. The final product was excellent. As she jabbed the candles into the cake, she asked, ¡°Oh yeah. How old are you?¡± Floretta lifted her small hand and spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m five years old!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s put six candles here.¡± With a confused look in her wide eyes, Floretta stared at Angeline and asked, ¡°Why six?¡± Angeline exined tenderly, ¡°When I was a kid, my parents hoped that I could grow up safely and healthily. So, every year, they¡¯ll add an extra candle as a sort of blessing.¡± ¡°Then I want to grow up quickly too! Put six candles on the cake for me.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After the candle was put on the cake, Angeline smiled at Floretta, who was closing her eyes and making a wish with a serious look. However, as time passed, her smile became forced. Why is her birthday also today? This is such a coincidence. If my child were still alive, they would be celebrating their birthday today too. ¡°I¡¯ve made my wish!¡± Floretta eximed. ¡°Then let¡¯s cut the cake.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression swiftly returned to normal. A long time had passed since she lost her child. Many things happened during that period. The pain she had to bear was no longer just the agony of losing her child, which was why she had been able to act unfazed ages ago. Sitting on the couch, Floretta was initially pretty happy as Angeline fed her the strawberry cake. Then her eyes suddenly turned red, and her chewing speed slowed down. Sensing that something was wrong, Angeline asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Floretta?¡± The moment she asked that question, Floretta sniffed and cried. ¡°Why are you crying right now? Is the cake not good?¡± Angeline panicked. ¡°No¡­¡± As Floretta shook her head, she raised her arm and rubbed her tears away. ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten such a delicious cake before.¡± Seeing how much the girl was crying, Angeline was at a loss. Hence, she just hugged the girl and patted her back. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, okay? It¡¯s fine. If you want to eat more in the future, I¡¯ll make some for you.¡± Just as she spoke, the door to the office was suddenly opened. Four to five people promptly entered the office. Those people were department heads and a secretary, and they were all surrounding Evander. They had just returned from a meeting. The secretary pushed the door open and heard the sound of a child crying, prompting the person to turn and look at where it wasing from. Everyone¡¯s line of sightnded on the couch. Evander¡¯s precious daughter was currently being comforted in a woman¡¯s embrace as she cried, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± All of them, including Evander, were stunned when they heard that. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Hearing the sound of a door opening, Angeline turned her head and saw a group of people gazing at her. She was also stunned. When Evander saw Angeline, rage almost instantly showed on his face. How dare this womane here instead of leaving! As the group of people at the door discussed amongst each other, someone recognized Angeline. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Angeline?¡± ¡°When did Angeline be Floretta¡¯s mother? Does this mean Mr. Golding and Angeline¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Goodman.¡± When Ss saw Evander¡¯s expression, he quickly chased everyone unrted to the situation away. ¡°Mr. Golding has matters to tend to, so all of you, please return to your posts first. I¡¯ll inform you all when to submit reports about your workter on.¡± Swiftly, he sent the department heads out of the room. When he turned back, he saw Angeline already letting Floretta go and standing up from the couch. Angeline exined, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Mr. Golding. I¡¯m only here because I came across Floretta.¡± Evander had no interest in listening to her exnation. Staring coldly at her, he cut her off, ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated you. You certainly have a lot of tricks up your sleeve.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Her expression changed. ¡°You still think I¡¯m¡­¡± Seeing that she still refused to leave, Evander ordered, ¡°Ss, call the security guards.¡± The look in his eyes grew colder. ¡°Daddy!¡± Floretta panicked. ¡°Why are you calling the security guards? I invited Angel to celebrate my birthday with me! She even made my cake!¡± When Evander heard the word ¡°birthday,¡± his eyebrows imperceptibly furrowed as though he had just recalled something. Then he noticed a strawberry cake that had already been cut open on the coffee table. There were also a couple of candles that were already lit and extinguished by the cake. ¡°Daddy, you said you were going to celebrate my birthday with me, but you didn¡¯t show up the whole day! That¡¯s why I came to find you, but the cake was ruined. Angel was kind enough to bake me a new cake and celebrate my birthday with me. How can you chase her away? You¡¯re too mean, Daddy. I don¡¯t want to see you anymore.¡± The girl started crying again. Usually, that tactic wouldn¡¯t have worked because he knew what kind of personality her daughter had. Inside her head were a million ways to avoid getting faulted. Crying was amon tactic for the shrewd little girl to get out of trouble. However, that day was her birthday, and he did promise to stay with her for the whole day. Soon, Evander noticed Floretta¡¯s red, swelling knee. A look of heartache shed past his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Floretta. I should¡¯ve celebrated your birthday with you. How did your knee get hurt?¡± As he approached his daughter tofort her, he noticed her eyes were swollen, meaning she wasn¡¯t faking it. That made him feel even more guilty and sorry. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Floretta.¡± Crouching down, he pulled out a tissue paper and wiped her face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go to the amusement park? I¡¯ll take you there next week.¡± ¡°Liar! You always lie to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying this time. I promise I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°Promise.¡± Floretta raised her little finger. Evander raised his hand out of habit before realizing there was still someone next to him. The look in his eyes darkened as he uttered in a cold tone, ¡°Thank you for celebrating Floretta¡¯s birthday with her. You can leave now, Ms. Sorelle.¡± It wasn¡¯t the first or second time Angeline was asked to leave. She had nned to depart after celebrating Floretta¡¯s birthday. After that, she would devise another way to deal with the spokesperson issue. However, seeing how defensive he was, she changed her mind on the spot. ¡°Since you seem to believe I have an ulterior motive, then let me ask you this. Why did you terminate my contract with Starlight Jewelry? If you can give me a convincing reason, I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± Evander¡¯s focus was wholly focused on examining Floretta¡¯s wound as he carried her. He didn¡¯t even look at Angeline. Ss, who had been standing at the entrance, understood what he needed to do and informed, ¡°Ms. Angeline, we¡¯ve chosen Denise, an actress in the samepany as you, to take the role of Starlight Jewelry¡¯s spokesperson.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ve chosen Denise?¡± Upon hearing that name, the edge of Angeline¡¯s eyes twitched. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 The look on Angeline¡¯s face changed instantly. I would¡¯ve been fine if they chose someone else, but they went with Denise, of all people? I understand that it¡¯s perfectly normal for celebrities working under the samepany to have some form of competition with each other. However, not only has Denise alwayspeted with me over product endorsements and roles in shows, but she also picked fights with me very often. I bet she¡¯s the one who hired someone to nder me with those articles online! ¡°Are you saying that a hugepany like Golding Group can¡¯t even provide me with a proper reason for terminating my contract? You can¡¯t just have me reced without a proper exnation! I won¡¯t ept this decision!¡± Angeline confronted Evander with her fists tightly clenched. As if he had just heard the funniest joke ever, Evander let out a chuckle in response. ¡°You won¡¯t ept this decision? Who do you think you are?¡± he asked with his lips curled into a mocking grin. ¡°Rest assured that we willpensate you ordingly for terminating your contract, Ms. Sorelle,¡± Ss reminded her cautiously. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°This isn¡¯t about the money! If you¡¯re going to rece me with my rival, then you should at least tell me the reason behind that decision! Do you guys not have any integrity at all?¡± Angeline yelled angrily. Evander was starting to grow impatient as he said, ¡°I have the freedom to choose who endorses the products of mypany¡¯s subsidiaries. Even if I needed a reason for doing so, I have no obligation to inform you of said reason.¡± Angeline fell silent upon hearing that. He¡¯s right¡­ Golding Group belongs to him, so he has theplete freedom to decide who endorses the products of its subsidiaries¡­ Realizing that Angeline was in a pinch, Floretta tugged at Evander¡¯s cufflinks as she said, ¡°But Denise doesn¡¯t look as pretty as Angel, nor is she nearly as popr. A lot of people out there don¡¯t like her, so you¡¯ll have a hard time selling the jewelry that she endorses. This is obviously a bad deal!¡± Despite her being a five-year-old girl, her analysis of endorsements was rather sound. What shocked everyone even more was the fact that she held nothing back when talking to Evander. ¡°Daddy, yourpany will go out of business if you keep managing it like this! How will you afford to raise me, then?¡± As her rude behavior was the result of him spoiling her, Evander had long since gotten used to it. Although he was fine with Floretta talking back to him, his feelings of disgust toward Angeline only intensified when Floretta took her side. If there was one thing he couldn¡¯t stand the most, it was people using his daughter to get what they wanted, regardless of their reasons. ¡°Ss, I want you to get the contract signed with that Denise or whatever her name was as soon as possible.¡± Throughout his many years of working for Evander, this was the first time Ss had seen him get so angry. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll go prepare the contract right away.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Angeline and Floretta called out to him in unison. Floretta then hopped off the couch and ran up to Ss. ¡°Nobody is going anywhere unless Daddy agrees to let Angel endorse the products!¡± she shouted while standing in front of him with her arms outstretched. As Floretta was Evander¡¯s most precious daughter, Ss didn¡¯t even darey a finger on her as he pleaded, ¡°Please don¡¯t make this situation any more difficult, Ms. Floretta.¡± ¡°Floretta may be a child, but she ispletely right about what she just said. Mr. Golding, I know you don¡¯t like me, but you shouldn¡¯t let your personal emotions influence your decisions!¡± Angeline added. Me? Let my personal emotions get in the way? The look on Evander¡¯s face grew cold when he heard that. ¡°What makes you think you¡¯re capable of affecting my decisions?¡± ¡°Everybody knows I could bring thepany more profits than Denise, so why would you choose her over me? It¡¯s obvious that your decisions are affected by your bias toward me!¡± Angeline snapped back at him. Evander¡¯s eyes were filled with rage at that point. ¡°Ss!¡± ¡°No! You¡¯re not going anywhere!¡± Floretta refused to budge from the door. Infuriated, Evander shouted at her sternly, ¡°Get over here, Floretta!¡± After racking her brain for an idea, Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up as she suggested, ¡°How about you have Angel and Denise both shoot an ad for Starlight Jewelry, Daddy? You can hire the one with the best results!¡± ¡°Ads cost money to shoot, Floretta! You¡¯ve gone way too far! Come here right this instant!¡± Evander scolded her impatiently. No brand out there would possibly release two ads from different ambassadors. Although Angeline found Floretta¡¯s suggestion preposterous, she didn¡¯t want to interrupt as she was on her side. ¡°Actually, we can somehow make Ms. Floretta¡¯s suggestion work.¡± Ss shot Angeline a nce as he continued hesitantly, ¡°Mr. Golding, thepany is nning on setting up a public welfare foundation, right? Since we haven¡¯t decided on a candidate for the foundation¡¯s advertisements, we could have multiple people endorsing it. It¡¯s quite amon practice these days.¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Knock! Knock! Knock! Evander was considering Ss¡¯ suggestion when they heard someone knocking on the door. He shot Ss a nce and motioned at him to open the door. Ss did as told and saw a woman standing outside with a beige coat and sunsses on. ¡°Ms. Campbell?¡± Ss eximed in shock, as he wasn¡¯t expecting her to show up. Denise took her sunsses off and nced at Evander, who was standing in front of his desk, as she said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Golding.¡± She then brushed past Ss and made her way into the office. It wasn¡¯t until she noticed Angeline standing on the side that her smile became frozen in ce. Angeline? What¡¯s she doing here? Angeline, too, frowned slightly when she saw Denisee in. She was a little surprised when she turned toward Evander and saw him narrow his eyes. Oh? So he didn¡¯t summon her, then? Denise¡¯s manager gave her a pinch on the waist to snap her out of it and said, ¡°Mr. Golding¡¯s office sure is crowded today, huh? Looks like we came at the right time, Denise!¡± As Ss shut the door behind them, the two of them made a beeline for Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, I must say, we were thrilled when we received word that Denise will be the ambassador for Starlight Jewelry! In order to save you the trouble of drafting a contract, we¡¯ve already prepared one for you beforeing over!¡± the manager said tteringly while presenting the contract. ¡°Wow! Aren¡¯t you an eager one?¡± Having regained herposure, Denise walked up to Angeline and wrapped her arm around hers as she continued, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you here, Ms. Sorelle! Since you¡¯re familiar with endorsing Starlight Jewelry¡¯s products, I have some questions that I¡¯d like your advice on!¡± Having witnessed Denise¡¯s ability to y the part of a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, Angeline brushed her arm off and took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re in for a huge disappointment, Ms. Campbell. Starlight Jewelry is the one making the rules, so there isn¡¯t much I can do to help you out,¡± she said coldly. ¡°That¡¯s all right! You¡¯re a very excellent actor, Ms. Sorelle. We should share our experiences more often. That way, you won¡¯t get eliminated so easily next time!¡± Denise replied sarcastically. She even made sure to emphasize the word ¡°eliminated.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes went wide with anger, but there wasn¡¯t anything she could say in retaliation. As the tension between the two continued to rise, Evander realized it was the first time he had seen Angeline get insulted like this. This woman is ridiculously bold and arrogant. If I don¡¯t teach her a harsh lesson now, she might pull even crazier stunts in the future! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. With that in mind, he took the contract over from Denise¡¯s manager and began skimming through it. After going through a few pages, he saw that it was very well prepared, which showed they had a lawyer write it for them. After getting to thest page without spotting any issues, Evander grabbed his pen and was going to sign it. Denise may be a sloppy eater, but I¡¯d much rather pick her as the next quarter¡¯s ambassador than someone with ulterior motives like Angeline! Denise and her manager exchanged excited nces when they saw that. Yes! Victory will be ours! In that critical moment, a chubby little hand mmed its fist down on the contract. Floretta then climbed onto the desk and red angrily at Evander. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re breaking your promise, Daddy!¡± she eximed with a pout. ¡°Who taught you to climb on the table?¡± Evander scooped her into his arms and sat her down on his lap. ¡°Also, I didn¡¯t promise you anything.¡± Floretta wrapped her arms around his neck and rocked. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who disrespected me first! Was my suggestion not good enough for you?¡± Unable to ept her disrespecting him in front of others, Evander brushed her arms off and shouted coldly, ¡°You¡¯re too young to understand adult decisions!¡± Upset at being scolded like that, Floretta hopped off hisp and stared at him with teary eyes. ¡°An adult like you shouldn¡¯t be taking a child¡¯s words too seriously, Mr. Golding!¡± Angeline eximed as she instinctively stepped forward and carried Floretta in her arms. Evander, who had just picked up the pen, paused and red at her in displeasure. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, an outsider like yourself is in no position to criticize my parenting methods!¡± Angeline fell silent as she had nothing to say in retaliation. Since Floretta was clinging tightly to her shirt, Angeline could only give her a hug in an attempt to comfort her. This poor child¡­ She must¡¯ve been through a lot, huh? Denise and her manager fell speechless with shock after seeing Evander argue with Floretta. What? Evander has never been rumored to have a girlfriend or anything, so why does he have a daughter? Also, who¡¯s the mother of his daughter? Being the first to snap out of her daze, Denise shed Floretta a smile and beckoned at her. ¡°Aww, you¡¯re such a cute little girl! Come on; I¡¯ll buy you some candy, okay?¡± ¡°No!¡± Floretta shook her head and nuzzled against Angeline. ¡°I still think Angel is much prettier! You have really bad taste, Daddy!¡± She was still too young to tell right from wrong, but she knew she had to support her potential future mom no matter what. The smile on Denise¡¯s face was frozen in ce. She shot the others around her a nce before asking Floretta, ¡°Do you have some kind of misunderstanding toward me?¡± Before Denise could say anything further, Floretta came up with another idea. If I can¡¯t force Daddy into listening to me, then I¡¯ll try coaxing him instead! She then broke free from Angeline¡¯s embrace and made her way over to her father. Evander frowned as he watched her nuzzle against his chest. What the heck is she trying to do this time? After adjusting herself into afortable position, Floretta ced a hand over Evander¡¯s cheek and said in her sweetest voice possible, ¡°How about we have a little bet, Daddy? Angel is really good at this stuff. If she wins, you¡¯ll have to let her star in the ads. If she loses, I¡¯ll do anything you say from now on. Is that okay with you, Daddy?¡± That was the first time Floretta had behaved so affectionately toward him. The warmth of her body and the sweetness of her voice made Evander¡¯s heart melt a little. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t want to disappoint her too much. Floretta then kissed him on the cheek and continued with a pout, ¡°Besides, Golding Group will be even more famous if you have two ads instead of one! That way, you¡¯ll be able to make lots of money and buy me pretty dresses!¡± What the heck has Angeline done to win her over like this? Why would she go so far as to defend that woman? ¡°You¡¯ve been way too naughty this time, Floretta,¡± Evander said with a conflicted look on his face. Despite having his heart melted, Evander maintained his cold expression as he ced Floretta back on hisp. Floretta had a disappointed look in her eyes when she realized her n had failed once again. I¡¯m sorry, Angel! I tried to help you out, but my daddy is too dumb to listen! After a brief moment of silence, Evander said, ¡°Ss, I want you to make a copy of this contract.¡± D-Did he just agree to give me a chance? Angeline was utterly shocked. It wasn¡¯t until she saw Floretta winking at her that she realized what was going on. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding,¡± she said respectfully. Evander tapped his finger on the desk and shot her a cold gaze as he reminded her, ¡°This will be a fair competition between you two. You won¡¯t get another chance if you mess this up.¡± Angeline was too happy to let his warning bother her. That¡¯s fine! An opportunity is all I need anyway! I¡¯ll reim my honor and pride once I win this! Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Denise finally understood what was going on. She would bepeting against Angeline, and that realization made her so angry that she trembled and almost smashed the ss near her. Who would¡¯ve thought that the prize that was within her grasp would be snatched from right under her nose like that? It didn¡¯t take long before the contract was printed. Angeline didn¡¯t calm down until she signed her name on the dotted line. Denise, however, was burning with rage. Her hand, which was holding the pen, was trembling a little when she pressed the pen down to sign her name. She used so much effort getting that contract, and it ended up being a stepping stone for Angeline, so it was only natural that Denise wasn¡¯t okay with it. Denise felt as though she had lost a part of her soul after she signed the papers. She had to grip her manager¡¯s hand to calm herself down. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding, for giving us the opportunity to work for you,¡± said Denise as she held the contract. She was doing her best to suppress her emotions and had put on a warm smile before she turned to Angeline. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Sorelle. I guess I should ask you to take it easy on me.¡± Angeline sneered internally. Click! She put the cap back on the pen and ignored Denise entirely. After signing the contracts, Evander left for work. He had Ss get the car from the parking lot and take Floretta home. Angeline and Floretta ended up holding hands and leaving Golding Group together. The little one kept humming and skipping happily as she walked. Angeline crouched down when they were by the entrance. ¡°Floretta, you¡¯ve helped me tremendously today, and I want to thank you for it. Is there anything you¡¯d like as a present?¡± ¡°Angel, I am your biggest fan, so let¡¯s not be that courteous or talk about presents,¡± replied Floretta. She was smiling so brightly that her dimples and her tiny teeth revealed themselves. Angeline grinned. Her heart melted at the sight of that. She thought about it a little before fishing out a piece of paper and a pen from her bag. After that, she wrote her personal contact details on it. ¡°Then, I will promise to grant you one wish. You can call me once you decide what you want,¡± said Angeline warmly before cing the note in Floretta¡¯s pocket. Floretta smiled. Her chubby hands flew to her lips, and it looked as though she was trying to stop herself from giggling aloud. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Oh, this is great. I didn¡¯t even need to work that hard to get Mommy¡¯s phone number. Eek! Does that mean I¡¯ll get to ask her toe to y with me whenever I want? Evander had a brief meeting with the top managers and discussed the major projects that the subsidiarypanies would be handling for that quarter. He managed to get the shareholders and the representatives to calm down right away. That was why it didn¡¯t take long before he took the private elevator and returned to the lobby. There, he saw his daughter smiling at thedy. He moved as though he was trying to clean the floor with his leather shoes as he walked extremely slowly. I have truly underestimated that woman¡¯s skills at manipting others. She had my daughter wrapped around her greedy finger! ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you got what you came for, so please leave Floretta alone,¡± said Evander. He made his way to the girls and dragged Floretta to him. He kept his other hand in his pocket, so everything about him, even the silver button on his coat, glowed with distaste. Angeline stood there awkwardly and frowned deeply. ¡°I think you misread the situation, Mr. Golding. The truth is that I simply enjoy Floretta¡¯spany and¡ª¡± Evander sneered to cut her words short, ¡°If memory serves, this is only the third time you¡¯ve met with Floretta, right?¡± She ims to grow fond of Floretta even though they¡¯ve only had three encounters¡­ My gosh, this woman is a terrible liar. Angeline stopped talking. Exasperation and helplessness filled her. She knew that there was nothing she could say to convince him otherwise, so she decided against talking at all. At least that would prevent him from further disliking her. Ss drove up with the car at that moment. Evander held Floretta¡¯s hand. His voice was sweeter when he spoke to her. ¡°Floretta, go home and be good, okay? I¡¯ll go home early tonight after my meeting concludes.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± murmured Floretta. She stared at Angeline with her big, round eyes because she truly wanted thetter to y with her. Evander¡¯s smile turned upside down right away. Without uttering another word, he picked Floretta up from the ground and put her into the car. The guy did not let his daughter stay for a moment longer and had Ss drive away immediately. Angeline watched until the car Floretta was in had turned the corner and was out of her view. Sheter thought about what Evander said and got so upset that she turned around to face him. That would be thest time she exined herself to him. ¡°Mr. Golding, you might see me as a scheming woman, but I am not someone who would go after a kid.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± replied Evander. His gaze was emotionless when he looked at her. ¡°I hope that is true.¡± After saying all that, he paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Good luck with thepetition.¡± Those words were meant to be a blessing, but Evander did not even nce at her when he spoke. He took a step forward and walked past her to go to his office. The nonchnce and stoicism he disyed infuriated Angeline even more. What gives? Why does he get to act as though I¡¯m not a victim here as well? I am innocent. Yet, I am somehow forced to carry thisbel as a maniptive woman. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The more Angeline thought about it, the angrier she got. She shifted her gaze to the guy¡¯s back and shouted, ¡°Mr. Golding, I will definitely win thispetition. I just pray that you won¡¯t mess with my scores from behind the scenes. After all, that would make you incredibly petty and unmanly.¡± Evander stopped walking as soon as he heard those words. Anger rose within him. That was the first time someone had tantly insulted him like that. Who the h*ll does she think she is? Evander frowned. When he turned around, however, he realized that Angeline was already nowhere to be seen. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. It seemed that Angeline didn¡¯t have the guts to stay even a second longer. By the time Evander turned around, Angeline had already gone to the other side of the road and had gotten into the taxi she had just hailed. Evander looked ahead and happened to catch her getting into that taxi. That made his thin lips curve into an evil smile. Suddenly, he was curious. He wanted to see just how long she could handle the pressure. Angeline had her hand on her chest and was breathing unevenly in the taxi. The rage she felt simply wouldn¡¯t fade away. She had never met someone that unreasonable before. Regardless of what the situation was, though, she still had to work hard on that project to destroy any misconception Evander had about her. Angeline ended up spending days at home working on that project because she had a few days off. Starlight Jewelry had already sent the script for the advertisement to herpany. The short video would go on for about ten minutes and would feature two women. It demanded superb acting skills. Angeline practically started off as a nobody in the entertainment industry and had to learn a lot to be that sessful. Hence, she was nothing like Denise, who depended heavily on the paparazzi to be famous. That was why Angeline¡¯s victory in thatpetition seemed inevitable. The day of shooting the advertisement for Starlight Jewelry was less than a week away. Angeline rested in the tub and had her feet underneath the bubbles. She thought long and hard about it, but eventually, she grabbed her phone and sent Nancy a message: I¡¯m bored. Get me a job. Please? Evander had publicly asked to rece her the day they signed the contract at Golding Group. Hence, manypanies canceled their contract with her out of fear that they might identally offend him. As a result, Angeline lost dozens of jobs, and every single one of them was a source of ie for her. It didn¡¯t matter, though. If she were to get the job as Starlight Jewelry¡¯s spokesperson, everyone would fight to hire her. Ding! Angeline was just gettingfy in the tub when her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that Nancy had replied to her text. She texted: There is nothing major for now, but there is a small job. It¡¯s for an event that a real estate developer will be holding. The job willst about four hours, and they¡¯ll pay three hundred thousand. Interested? Angeline got excited as soon as she finished reading that text. The job might not be a big one, but it was easy, and the pay was great. Oh, I¡¯m not going to let this lucrative job slip out of my grasp. Angeline replied via text right away: I¡¯ll take it! The event in question urred that Friday. It would take ce in La Posh Hotel, which was in the city center. The hotel¡¯s exterior looked as regal as a pce, and the hall could fit a few thousand guests. They had to get a few halls to fit everyone, but the tight security made it clear that the event was an exclusive one. Bentleys and other luxurious cars stopped at the entrance, suggesting that the people invited to the party were all powerful figures. Angeline¡¯s driver used a minivan to drop her off at the hotel. When the security guard by the entrance saw the car, he waved to stop her. ¡°Hold on. Do you have an invitation to the party?¡± Angeline, who was in the backseat, rolled down the window and said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Angeline Sorelle, and Mr. Halls asked me to drop by for the opening ceremony.¡± The Mr. Halls in question happened to be issuing orders at the entrance at the time, so he overheard the conversation. That prompted him to jog to her. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this the superstar, Angeline Sorelle? Wee. Thank you so much for being here today.¡± Angeline opened the door and offered him her hand. As they shook hands, she said, ¡°Well, you extended the invitation, Mr. Halls, so it¡¯s only right that I show up. Should I go to the hall right now?¡± Her kind words got the man smiling, and he replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to hurry. Let me take you to a private room so you can change your clothes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Angeline. She nodded and told the driver to park the car. After that, she grabbed her purse and left with the man. She kept a low profile the entire time to avoid detection by the media. After Angeline reached backstage, she was taken to a changing room that was obviously reserved for VIPs. Only the makeup artist was there, and the table at the side was filled with luxurious makeup. Since the event took ce at night, the celebrity¡¯s outfit needed to be elegant. Angeline had a light yet stunning makeup on and was wearing a dark blue gown. She paired all that with a fur coat and tied her hair into a beautiful bun. Soon, night fell, and the guests showed up one after another. Everything was going smoothly, and the party was on. The preparation on site was done, and the powerful business tycoons, real estate developers, and their companions for the night were all there. Angeline showed up and greeted her employer before she did anything else. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, we have another very important guest who hasn¡¯t shown up yet, so the ceremony might be slightly dyed,¡± said the guy as he smiled warmly. He grabbed a pair of ceremonial scissors and handed them to her. When he looked at her again, his eyes shone with astonishment. No wonder she is a celebrity. She really can stand out from the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind waiting a little longer,¡± replied Angeline as she took the scissors. Quite a few of her fans had gathered around the entrance, and they cheered while holding her photo. Angeline kept smiling at them. She didn¡¯t expect them to go all the way to that ce to support her, even though it was thatte at night. Soon, lights from a car came, and a dark grey Bentley slowly stopped by the entrance. ¡°Hey, check out the car¡¯s te. That means Evander Golding is here,¡± said one reporter. That prompted everyone else to hurry forward with their cameras. Evander? Angeline¡¯s hand stiffened as she held the ribbon. She genuinely wondered if she was hallucinating. When Evander¡¯s name was mentioned, every guest in the hall became so excited that they ran forward. The hotel¡¯s security guards had to step up and stop them from getting too close to the car. It didn¡¯t take long before the door to the car was opened, and someone tall stepped out of the vehicle. Evander straightened his cor and stared at the cheering crowd. His gaze remained as icy as ever. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell them to stop the crowd from gathering?¡± asked Evander as he shifted his gaze to Ss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Golding. I¡¯ve already asked them to do so, but the crowd is too enthusiastic, and the security guards can¡¯t stop them,¡± replied Ss as he followed closely behind Evander. Evander frowned. He had always preferred silence and serenity, so a hint of frustration and irritation glowed in his eyes. He wouldn¡¯t have bothered to show up if Golding Group didn¡¯t need to participate in the project. Ugh, it¡¯s so crowded and noisy. Just then, the party¡¯s host, who was also a real estate developer and Angeline¡¯s employer, stepped forward to wee Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s been so long since west met. Thank you foring. It is such an honor to have you here.¡± ¡°Your words are too kind. Golding Group gave you full authority over this project because we know you have what it takes to make the most of it. This is an amazing business deal that benefits both sides greatly. Here. I got you this gift. Please ept it,¡± said Evander while shaking the guy¡¯s hand. One look from Evander was all it took to get Ss to hand the gift over. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding. Please,e in. We¡¯re waiting for you to cut the ribbon,¡± replied the real estate developer while smiling. Just like that, Evander ended up walking to the stage with a bunch of elderly men circling around him. Angeline widened her eyes and stared in disbelief when she finally saw the guy and realized that he truly was Evander. Coincidentally, Evander, who had been moving toward her, paused. His sharp gazended on her. When he saw her there, his pupils constricted in surprise before an amused grin crept up on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s impressive how great you are at creating coincidences, Ms. Sorelle.¡± As the two of them looked into each other¡¯s eyes, the look of disdain was evident in his gaze, and that frightened Angeline so much that her legs were trembling. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Nevertheless, she endured it and stood her ground. ¡°I have no reason to do such a thing, Mr. Golding, as I¡¯m only here for work. Could it be your supreme confidence in your own qualities that had you convinced that every woman out there must desperately want to get in your good books?¡± Those utterances seemed to weigh heavily in the atmosphere around them. The look on the pair¡¯s faces told Dno Halls that something was not quite right. ¡°Do you and Ms. Sorelle know each other, Mr. Golding?¡± he asked in concern. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know her.¡± Speaking in his deep and low inflection, Evander sought to distance himself from her. Unable to stomach that sight, Angeline managed a stiff smile. ¡°Of course, he doesn¡¯t. Not everyone can hope to be acquainted with someone as illustrious as Mr. Golding himself.¡± Is she suggesting that I¡¯m unapproachable? Evander¡¯s expression turned increasingly sullen. It was as though a terrible storm was brewing within him. A secretary-like woman skirted around to Dno from behind. After she whispered something into his ear, thetter¡¯s face turned constipated. It would seem that he just had found himself caught between a rock and a hard ce. So, Evander and Angeline actually can¡¯t get along with each other? This is all because of my previous work trip. It¡¯s no wonder I had no idea about what was going on despite how long the news has been out there! ¡°About that, Mr. Golding. I invited Ms. Sorelle to help me with the promotional work for the property a long time ago.¡± He only concluded that he might have misspoken after those words had escaped his lips, but s, it was toote for him to retract them. ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Evander¡¯s unblinking eyes remained fixated upon Angeline¡¯s face when he asked that question. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Does that mean that it is a sheer coincidence that we have found ourselves in the same ce here today? Was I wrong about her? ¡°Look, Mr. Golding¡­¡± Dno wiped a palmful of nervous sweat from his own face as he was unable to figure out what Evander actually meant to say. Is he trying to tell me that he¡¯s not going to step on that stage, or he wants me to kick Angeline out? Should that be the case, he feared that hispany would make the headline news the next day, except that it would be for all the wrong reasons. An extended silence ensued. ¡°It¡¯s time. Let¡¯s go cut that ribbon.¡± Evander finally peeled his eyes off Angeline. Though he offered that reminder in an icy tone, he had provided a way for all of them to ease out of that impasse. With that, Dno was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He then quickly instructed the femalepere to hand out the scissors. Before themencement of the ceremony, Evander and Dno positioned themselves right smack in the center of the pack. Dno even called out for Angeline to stand directly on the other side of Evander. On Angeline¡¯s part, she was a little too self-conscious to refuse. Her entire body was unnerved by the wintriness that radiated off Evander, so much so that the scissors trembled in her grasp. It took her two solid tries to actually nail the cutting motion. Upon thepletion of the ribbon-cutting segment, Evander was ushered into the banquet hall by others. In the absence of that imposing presence, Angeline was finally able to let her hair down. When she felt the back of her clothing, it was surprisingly slick with sweat. All the guests for the evening¡¯s event were mostly convened. Angeline¡¯s belly started rumbling the moment she was able to rest. In order to maintain her figure ahead of the promotional shoot, she only had one packet of meal recement cookies very early in the day. By this time, the hunger pangs were really starting to gnaw at her. Seeing that there was no one around, Angeline made her way over to the banquet hall¡¯s dining area, taking care to avoid the crowd. Coupled with the fact that everyone else was busy mingling amongst themselves, no one really paid any attention to her. The silvery trays that lined the length of the long table were stacked with a wide assortment of food options. Grabbing a te, she then went on to pick out a few small pieces of cake for herself. Word had it that all the food served that night was prepared by a Ferropenian pastry chef and that their taste was truly something to behold. Leaning back against the table, Angeline worked her dessert fork away at the cakes that were as savory as reputed. She herself found the cakes to be quite irresistible, even as someone who did not have that much of a sweet tooth to begin with. ¡°Your husband¡¯s business has been developing quite splendidly, Mrs. Halls. Such a lucky woman you are.¡± At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. Angeline¡¯s gaze grew frigid when she nced to the side¡ªit was Joseline. Thetter had her hands around a wealthy woman¡¯s arm, and the duo was steadily making their way over. Joseline picked up a ss of red wine from the table in view of offering a toast to Colleen. Her smile, however, unraveled as soon as she made eye contact with Angeline. I¡¯ll be d*mned! Angeline was not expecting to run into Joseline there either. Not wanting to get into an argument in that sort of setting, she pretended not to know Joseline. Thus, she swiftly ced her cake down and turned to make a quick exit. Joseline, on the other hand, was still bearing a grudge from theirst unpleasant encounter at the cafe. As such, there was no way she was going to miss out on that opportunity to embarrass Angeline. An insidious look shed across Joseline¡¯s eyes as she tightened her grip around the wine ss and intentionally flung its contents in Angeline¡¯s direction. Fortunately for Angeline, her quick reflexes saved her in the nick of time. Nevertheless, a couple of splotches of wine stains still managed to catch themselves onto her dress. ¡°Oh, my dear sister, how careless of you!¡± Purposefully feigning surprise, Joseline hurried to grab a napkin to help wipe at the dress, only to make it even filthier. Her motivations did not elude Angeline, who straight up shook her off. Angeline then gave her a stern reminder, ¡°If it¡¯s not bad enough that you¡¯ve terrible eyesight, Ms. Sorelle, do you now have a poor constitution to go along with it? How else could you have failed to hold on to your ss and sshed wine all over somebody else?¡± Joseline¡¯s face fell, and her sharp nails dug deep into her own palms. Colleen, who was observing from the side, reacted in astonishment. ¡°Is this your younger sister, Ms. Sorelle?¡± she discreetly asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Joseline appeared apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to see this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± As an understanding person, Colleen scrutinized Angeline before she regarded her with some skepticism. ¡°But why would a youngdy from the Sorelle family be taking on a job like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story. My sister made many mistakes previously because of her own immaturity, so she isn¡¯t quite on reasonable terms with the rest of the family.¡± Exhaling, Joseline portrayed herself as though she was a concerned older sister. When Angeline heard that, she stopped trying to clean her dress. ¡°Have you forgotten, Ms. Sorelle? I¡¯ve already severed ties with the Sorelle family eons ago,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Oh, Angeline.¡± Joseline strutted over to her younger sister on her three-inch stilettos and ced a hand on thetter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You should know that I¡¯ll continue to do my best to convince Grandpa to allow you to go home. While I understand that you¡¯re still very upset, we are in a public space and, as such, should try to be more mindful of our conduct.¡± Angeline could have really been touched by Joseline had she not been privy to the truth. It was a pity then that her sense of rity allowed her to seize upon the wickedness within the eyes of her own ¡°good sister.¡± ¡°I think your kindness might be a little too much for me, Ms. Sorelle,¡± Angeline replied with a smirk. She suppressed the contempt in her heart while she tossed that crumbled piece of napkin in her hand into the bin. From the perspective of the outsider, she came across as being quite aloof. Having untethered herself from the opinions of others for a while now, however, she elected to quietly turn and depart. ¡°You will attend Hanson and my wedding next month, won¡¯t you, Angeline?¡± Joseline called out after her once more. Wedding? Angeline froze in her tracks. It felt as though she had just been doused with cold water that soaked her to the skin. When she about-faced, there was an added element of astoundment in her eyes. ¡°Are you two getting married?¡± ¡°Yeah. Seeing that I¡¯m conceiving Hanson¡¯s child, we couldn¡¯t dy things any longer. Grandpa has already settled upon a suitable date on our behalf.¡± While Joseline spoke, she rubbed her own abdomen and let out a blissful smile. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve disowned the Sorelle family, but considering that we¡¯ve grown up together, won¡¯t youe and give us your well-wishes?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes fell upon Joseline¡¯s tiny baby bump. As she regarded it with mixed feelings, her fingers involuntarily closed tightly against themselves. Joseline can finally realize her lifelong dream. I bet that the Yiurks and the Sorelles must be feeling over the moon right now! ¡°My congrattions, then. I¡¯ll be sure to have my assistant prepare and send a gift to you at your wedding venue when I return.¡± Angeline¡¯s lips curled up slightly to mask the pain she felt inside. That was exactly the sort of reaction that Joseline sought. Though she felt indescribably gleeful inside, she nheless acted as though she was regretful and aggrieved. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been very busy with your work, but surely you must be able to set aside one day for this? I¡¯m still hoping that you¡¯d be able to be my bridesmaid.¡± Being the bridesmaid to my ex-boyfriend at his wedding? How ridiculous is that? ¡°I¡¯m rather concerned that I may end up making you ufortable by being there.¡± Angeline hooked her own hair behind her ear and curled up her red lips in a mocking manner. ¡°After all, Hanson had courted me for so many years back then. What if¡­¡± Her words hit Joseline right in the gut, so much so that it got thetter silently stewing. ¡°But of course, that was all in the past. Thinking back on it now, it probably doesn¡¯t even warrant mention. You may rest assured, though, Joseline, that I¡¯ll never reuse anything that I have discarded.¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 After exchanging a few words with the people who had approached him, Evander put down his ss of red wine. When he realized he reeked of alcohol, an imperceptible frown marred his face. As a businessman, he could never avoid socializing with people, but he was never a fan of the smell of alcohol. Noticing that, Ss, who was following behind Evander, hurriedly handed a mini bottle of perfume to him. Evander rolled up his sleeves, revealing his Vacheron Constantin watch, and sprayed some perfume around his wrists. As the faint aroma of sandalwood wafted into his nose, his frown slowly rxed. Only then did Ss report, ¡°Mr. Golding, there are a couple of mediapanies that would like to have an interview with you.¡± ¡°Turn them down. I promised Floretta that I would go home early to keep herpany. Say goodbye to Mr. Halls for me,¡± Evander said coldly. He looked at the time and realized that it was almost nine o¡¯clock. Floretta will be so upset if I¡¯mte. As soon as Ss left, Hanson, who had been standing in the corner, approached Evander. In fact, he was there with Joseline. While Joseline had gone to deal with Dno¡¯s wife, he had been waiting for an important person¡ªEvander. With a ss of red wine in his hand, Hanson went forward and greeted politely, ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s been a long time. I wonder if I could have the honor of catching up with you in the lounge?¡± d in a white suit and wearing his gold-rimmed sses, Hanson looked extraordinarily elegant and sophisticated. ¡°Just tell me what you want, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Evander looked at him coldly. He could tell the pretentious nature of Hanson hidden under his disguise at a nce. Evander did not want to waste another second. Hanson was momentarily stunned by Evander¡¯s contemptuous attitude, and his expression darkened. He had always been the favored one, yet he found himself feeling inferior before Evander¡¯s presence. Such a feeling made him feel ashamed and exasperated. ¡°Mr. Golding, I wish to talk about Project Serenity with you. It should be a joint project between Yiurk Group and Sorelle Group, but a man iming to be an employee of Golding Group showed up and intercepted the contract signing. Are you aware of that, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Evander replied calmly. ¡°And let me tell you this. Golding Group is determined to win the bid for Project Serenity.¡± Hanson was left speechless, and his face contorted. He did not expect Evander to be so straightforward. With his voiceced with a hint of anger, he said, ¡°This is on a firste, first-served basis. It¡¯s inappropriate for you to do that!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never lost a project that I was interested in. Mr. Yiurk, are you perhaps in the mood to teach me what to do?¡± Evander¡¯s voice was cold, and his gaze was steely. The aura he exuded was so powerful that Hanson could barely catch his breath. Those wordsing from Evander clearly told Hanson that all the hard work Yiurk Group had poured into the project was all for nothing. If it was someone else, Hanson could have called them out for being unscrupulous. However, if it was Evander, people would just think that he deserved it. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± There was an intense dissatisfaction in Hanson¡¯s eyes. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t win against Evander. Right then, amotion broke out in the food area. The noises of a fewdies arguing echoed through the corridor, drawing the attention of the crowd. Evander looked over and heard Angeline¡¯s voice. ¡°Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth mentioning anymore. I never use something that I¡¯ve used before.¡± Suddenly, Evander¡¯s interest was piqued, and he smirked. He took a step forward, patted Hanson¡¯s shoulder, and mocked, ¡°Seems like your personal life is much more exciting than your work life, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Hanson pulled himself together, and his face clouded over. What do you mean by you don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth mentioning? Angeline had cruelly disregarded the past, which embarrassed Hanson greatly. After all, he had never been looked down on and cast aside like an old pair of shoes. He clenched his fists, turned around, and strode over. Evander fixed his eyes on him, interested to see what would happen next. After squeezing his way through the crowd and passing by the dessert area, Hanson picked up his pace, rushed forward, and grabbed Angeline by her wrist. Feeling a sharp paining from her wrist, Angeline raised her head and was weed by the sight of Hanson¡¯s screwed-up, handsome face. ¡°Angeline, I didn¡¯t realize you were this good before.¡± Angeline was surprised by Hanson¡¯s appearance. Frowning from the pain, she eximed, ¡°Let go of me! It was your fianc¨¦e who provoked me first!¡± Hearing that, Hanson gave Joseline a displeased look. Throughout their years together, he was very well aware that Joseline was not a pushover. Joseline felt guilty from Hanson¡¯s stare. She put on an innocent look and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t, Hanson. I was merely trying to care for Angeline, but she disregarded me. She even bad-mouthed you in front of Mrs. Halls.¡± Thedies exchanged a nce, and Colleen chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Yiurk. Mrs. Yiurk is never a person who would pick a fight with someone. Besides, she¡¯s pregnant. Getting angry is bad for her health.¡± Upon the mention of the child, Hanson wavered. He saw that more and more people had gathered around, and they were using Angeline of bullying a pregnantdy. He even heard someone mumbling about the past between him and Angeline. This is so embarrassing. I can only sacrifice Angeline at this moment now. In a demanding and stern tone, he said, ¡°Angeline, apologize to Joseline!¡± Apologize? ¡°Mr. Yiurk, are you talking to me?¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t help but question her hearing abilities. Hanson averted his gaze. Looking solemn, he said, ¡°Joseline is your sister. Even if you¡¯re angry with her, you shouldn¡¯t embarrass her in public.¡± He¡¯s putting on a show again to hide his disgusting true nature! Without hiding her disgust for Hanson, Angeline said, ¡°Mr. Yiurk, I think you¡¯re worried that you¡¯ll be embarrassed if I don¡¯t apologize, right?¡± Her straightforwardment made Hanson¡¯s face pale. ¡°Angeline, look at what you¡¯ve be! Since when did the daughters of the Sorelle family need to work and show themselves in public?¡± As she had put on her ten-centimeter crystal heels that day, Angeline was standing at the same height as Hanson. She grabbed his tie, and the scenting from her made him freeze. However, in the next second, a cold female voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Whatever I do is none of your business, Mr. Yiurk. Do you think you deserve an apology from me?¡± Upon hearing her bold and arrogant words, Joseline and Hanson wished the ground would swallow them whole. There, among the crowd, stood Evander. He remained as cool and calm as ever, but something was secretly growing in him as he looked at Angeline. He had once more witnessed how harsh Angeline could be with her words. All in all, she was much more interesting than the otherdies, which fueled his desire to continue watching the scene before him. Meanwhile, Angeline showed no sense of remorse. Her gaze remained icy cold. She understood there was no point in continuing the argument when she had lost the upper hand. She turned around and left, only to have Hanson grab her arm. ¡°Hanson¡­¡± Joseline threw herself into Hanson¡¯s arms. A sinister look flickered in her eyes, and she seized the opportunity to push Angeline¡¯s back. Caught off guard, Angeline lost her bnce and fell on the bar. The bar table was, in fact, made from wooden nks attached together temporarily, which made it incredibly unsteady. The table couldn¡¯t sustain Angeline¡¯s weight, and the wine sses shattered on the ground. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Like a waterfall, red wine spilled all over the ground. The pain had Angeline drenched in a cold sweat. Wine stained her dress, and the worst part was that a few pieces of broken ss had stabbed deep into her palm. ¡°Oh my God!¡± The crowd fled, and none came forward to help. Hanson had actually wanted to offer his help, but Joseline stopped him. She wrapped her arms tight around his and reminded in a low voice, ¡°Hanson, calm down. I saw the reporters rushing toward us. We mustn¡¯t make it even more difficult for us!¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Hearing that, Hanson stopped in his tracks. The sympathy he had in his heart for Angeline disappeared when he recalled thetter¡¯s harsh words. With that, he left with Joseline. Joseline nced at Angeline and sneered at her miserable state. This is what you get for pissing me off! Let¡¯s see how long you can stay smug and arrogant! The crowd chattered away, and Angeline pretended to be deaf. After all, she had already learned how to keep her cool and stay calm, having endured five years of hardship. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She helped herself up from the ground and winced at the sses poking deep into her palm. When she was about to pull them out, a huge hand grabbed her by the arm. The next moment, a man¡¯s deep voice rang above her head. ¡°If you don¡¯t want your hand, you might as well cut it off. It¡¯s easier and quicker that way.¡± Angeline raised her head, only to see Evander¡¯s perfect face and his deep frown. ¡°Mr. Golding, what are you¡ª¡± Instead of answering her, Evander looked at the crowd and said emotionlessly, ¡°Do you all have nothing better to do?¡± Intimidated by his words, the crowd dispersed. Evander looked at the disheveled Angeline with disdain. In a manner one would never describe as gentle, he removed his jacket and threw it on Angeline¡¯s body. Looking at her bloody hands, Evander couldn¡¯t help but frown again. However, despite being irritated and annoyed by her situation, he reached out and scooped her up. Angeline¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise, and her body stiffened. ¡°Let me down. I can walk on my own¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better be quiet. I don¡¯t have much patience.¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and clear. Angeline obediently shut her mouth. Listening to his strong and steady heartbeat, she felt ill at ease. She felt as if she was dreaming, for the fact that Evandering to her rescue was simply unbelievable. When Evander carried her to the lounge, Ss had already brought a doctor over. The room was silent. Looking at Evander¡¯s broad back, Angeline dared not say a word, and her breathing quickened. The doctor opened the first aid kit, then disinfected and applied a green ointment to her wounds. ¡°Ouch!¡± Angeline gritted her teeth in pain, tears welling up in her eyes. Evander looked up from his phone and at the doctor. ¡°Be more gentle.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The doctor was so intimidated that he was sweating buckets. ¡°Your wounds won¡¯t leave any scars with this ointment. Of course, I have some other ointment, but they aren¡¯t as good as this one.¡± ¡°Go on. I can take it,¡± Angeline said hurriedly. Despite the mixed emotions in her eyes as she looked at Evander, her heart softened. He¡¯s not as cold-hearted and unapproachable as he seems. After he was done applying the ointment, the doctor bandaged the wound and said, ¡°You¡¯re lucky that the wounds aren¡¯t deep, but still, you must be careful. Refrain from doing any heavy work and avoid wetting your wounds.¡± Angeline thanked him and then Ss sent him off. In the lounge, only she and Evander were left. The atmosphere was extremely awkward. Evander was typing away on his phone expressionlessly, having no intention of talking to her, when Angeline suddenly sprang up to her feet, cleared her throat, and said seriously, ¡°Thank you for your help, Mr. Golding.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I¡¯m not doing this for you.¡± Evander looked up at her, his eyes frigid. ¡°I simply don¡¯t want to be on the headlines the next day. I¡¯d do the same if it were someone else.¡± Angeline was at a loss for words. After a moment, she said, ¡°And that¡¯s none of my concern. I only know that if you hadn¡¯t shown up, I¡¯d have been so embarrassed today.¡± Right then, the door of the lounge was violently pushed open, and it mmed against the wall. ¡°Angeline, I need an exnation from you for the huge mess outside.¡± Dno could be seen barging in unhappily, with his bodyguards following behind him. ¡°Mr. Golding? What are you doing here?¡± However, the next moment, he was dumbstruck when he saw that Evander was there. He was so embarrassed that he wished the ground would swallow him whole. Evander regarded Dno with a hint of impatience flickering in his eyes. ¡°Would you like to have a seat and have some tea to put out the fire burning in you, Mr. Halls?¡± His tone was heavy with warning. Dno broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Angeline looked at Dno apologetically and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Halls. This is all my fault, so I¡¯ll bear the responsibilities. I¡¯ll pay for the damage with my sry.¡± ¡°Now, did you listen to what you just said, Ms. Sorelle? Forget about responsibilities. Look at you. You¡¯re hurt! Are your hands all right?¡± Dno asked with concern, his attitude toward Angeline taking a sharp turn. Angeline was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡± ¡°And that will do. Leave the rest to the others. Your task right now is to get a good rest.¡± Dno nced at Evander and smiled politely. ¡°Well then, if I may excuse myself.¡± With that, he closed the doors and left in confusion. Strange, I thought they said Evander is trying to take Angeline down but there they are, alone in the same room. Now that¡¯s some ambiguous rtionship there. Oh, forget it. I should just stay away from anybody who¡¯s rted to Evander. Evander did not stay in the lounge for too long. As soon as he left, Angeline took out her phone and saw that she was trending on Twitter, just as she had expected. The media had posted pictures of her falling on the bar. Her hair was a mess, and her snowy-white skin was exposed. One of the headlines read: Shocking news! Angeline Sorelle failed to seduce Hanson Yiurk and was instead taught a lesson by Joseline Sorelle. Angeline¡¯s temper sparked after she read the article. If it weren¡¯t because of how expensive her phone was, she would¡¯ve smashed it to the ground. Do these people have nothing better to do? However, after searching and finding not a single photo of Evander lending her a helping hand, she heaved a sigh of relief. She reckoned things would be even moreplicated if the man was dragged into this mess. Nancy was the first to reach out to her on WhatsApp. Angeline snapped a few photos of her hand and sent them to Nancy with an aggrieved emoji: I¡¯m fine for now. It¡¯s just the pain. Nancy quickly replied: You¡¯re really good at getting yourself hurt, aren¡¯t you? Wait right there. I¡¯ll have the driver pick you up. A surge of warmth filled Angeline¡¯s heart as she read the text. However, her right eyelid kept twitching for some reason, and she had a bad feeling about it. She was well aware of what kind of person Joseline was. There was no way Joseline would let her off that easily after she had kicked up such a fuss. Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside the door. ¡°Listen carefully! The editor-in-chief bribed the manager, so you¡¯d better find Angeline and get your hands on the first-hand news if you don¡¯t want to lose your job!¡± Hearing that, Angeline nched. These evil wretches would do anything to get their hands on exclusive news! She knew that this lounge was no longer safe as she had heard that they were searching the rooms one by one. Fortunately, she noticed a reporter¡¯s outfit lying on the table beside her. Without hesitation, she put it on and sneakily opened the door, slipping away when the paparazzi weren¡¯t looking. However, just as she reached a corner, one of the paparazzi shouted, ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t that the heels worn by Angeline tonight?¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°Quick! Chase her!¡± Angeline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. She turned the corner and took longer strides. However, her high heels were hindering her speed, so she undid the straps and ran down the stairs. Soon, the paparazzi lost sight of her. ¡°This woman should¡¯ve be an athlete.¡± The man carrying the camera was sweating profusely from running. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Split up and look for her, especially at the entrances. She couldn¡¯t have gone far.¡± Angeline noticed that the sky was gray when she stepped out of the hotel entrance. With a loud thunderp, the rain began to fall without warning. Many distinguished guests were standing at the entrance, ming the heavens for the unfavorable weather as they got into their cars. Angeline looked anxiously at the time on her phone. D*mn! Has the car that Nancy called for me broken down? Why is it not here yet? As the people at the entrance slowly left one after another, Angeline knew she could not stay there any longer or she would risk getting discovered. Hence, she jogged in the rain to the roadside and put her hand out to hail a cab. Just as she opened the door and was about to get in, the driver said impatiently, ¡°Miss, please hail another cab. Someone has already booked a ride.¡± Noticing the paparazzi looking around at the hotel entrance, Angeline gritted her teeth and pleaded, ¡°I¡¯ll give you more money.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ept it. It¡¯s against the rules!¡± The driver did not have the patience to hang around with her, so he reached out and closed the door. In his hurry, he failed to notice that Angeline¡¯s pant leg was caught in the door. ¡°Wait! My clothes¡­¡± Just as she was about to remind him, the driver stepped on the elerator and drove away. Angeline leaned forward and ran a few steps. Then, followed by a ripping noise, a piece of fabric was torn from her right pant leg, revealing her pale and slender thigh. What awful luck! I just can¡¯t catch a break. Angeline felt down in the dumps. Despite being thoroughly drenched in rainwater, she dared not return to the party and could only take out her phone and call for a private cab. Honk! Angeline had not gone far when a dazzling light illuminated the road. She covered her eyes with her hand, and because of that, she could not see the license te number and only saw that it was a ck MPV. Thinking that it was the private cab she had called, she quickly stopped the car and opened the door to the back seat. ¡°Hey! Ms. Sorelle, you¡­¡± Only after hearing Ss¡¯ reminder out of goodwill from the driver¡¯s seat did Angeline raise her head, and a chill went up her body from the soles of her feet. Evander was seated in the back seat with his long legs crossed and a cigarette between his slender fingers, his expression dark and unfathomable. When Angeline met his gaze, she froze on the spot. Evander furrowed his brows, not expecting to meet her again. His thin lips curled into a smirk as his gaze swept over her attire. ¡°Anything I can help you with, Ms. Sorelle?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I mistook your car for another,¡± Angeline faltered, feeling embarrassed and afraid that Evander would misunderstand her behavior like before. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Angeline was surprised by his reply. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Evander lifted his head and asked in annoyance, ¡°How long do you n on blocking my car door?¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline came back to her senses and let go of the car door, her face a little red. ¡°Drive,¡± Evander instructed coldly. It was apparent that he no longer wished to talk to her. At that moment, Angeline heard the screams of the paparazzi from behind again. ¡°Come quick! I saw Angeline! Hurry up and stop her!¡± Angeline¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. In her panic, she gritted her teeth and opened Evander¡¯s car door again before jumping in. By then, Ss had already begun driving. Startled by her actions, he eximed, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, that was really dangerous. What if¡ª¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Sprawled between Evander¡¯s long legs, she ced her index finger on her lips and pleaded in a low voice, ¡°Please drive quickly. I¡¯ll be doomed if the paparazzi discover me.¡± Ss¡¯ heart nearly jumped to his throat when he saw Angeline¡¯s bold action. No woman has ever been able to get close to Evander Golding! Evander looked down at her, his handsome face gloomy. He was about to throw her out when he suddenly took in the delicate fragrance on her body, which was different from the usual tacky fragrance. The delicate orchid scent permeated the air, and he thought it smelled familiar. ¡°Drive.¡± Only after hearing the cold male voiceing from behind did Ss return to his senses and step on the elerator. Angeline poked her head out and was relieved to see that the paparazzi were left far behind. How tragic! Why can¡¯t I escape the fate of being chased all the time? ¡°Are you done touching?¡± Evander¡¯s icy tone lowered the temperature in the entire car. ¡°Huh?¡± Angeline took a closer look and held her breath upon noticing that her hand was resting on the spot between his legs. This is tant molestation¡­ ¡°Please hear me out, Mr. Golding. I didn¡¯t touch you on purpose. Oh, no, I didn¡¯t see anything¡­¡± she exined in a panic as she quickly withdrew her hand. ¡°What do you wish to see?¡± Evander held her chin, his originally cold eyes growing chillier like the frosty winter. ¡°Your hand hasn¡¯t even healed yet, Ms. Sorelle, and you¡¯re already that impatient?¡± Angeline¡¯s chin hurt from his grip, and she felt extremely aggrieved. Do I look that insatiable? Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze and said calmly, ¡°We can talk this out in a civil manner, Mr. Golding. Besides, I¡¯m not as despicable as you think I am. If I truly wanted to seduce you, I would¡¯ve made my move in the lounge. Why would I bother to put on such a show and put myself in such a wretched state?¡± Evander¡¯s gazended on Angeline¡¯s feet. As she was not wearing shoes, her toes were covered with mud and there were shallow cuts on them from being scratched by tree branches. His icy gaze softened a little as he took out a bottle of mineral water from the base of the luxury seat and a pair of disposable white slippers from the hotel. He handed both items to her and said in a deep voice, ¡°Handle it yourself, and don¡¯t dirty my car.¡± Angeline¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line. She washed the dirt off her feet with the mineral water, and after she put on the slippers, her frozen feet regained their warmth. She then cleaned up the mud stains in the car before smiling at the man seated on the other side of the back seat. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding. Sorry for troubling you again.¡± Well, he helped me avoid the paparazzi, after all. I should at least be polite. ¡°You¡¯re truly troublesome,¡± Evander remarked in a harsh tone. Angeline blushed in embarrassment upon hearing his words. However, she was not a shameless person as she said, ¡°We¡¯re reaching the city center soon. Just drop me off there.¡± Right then, a phone rang. Evander took out his phone from his pocket, and after seeing the name on the screen, he answered without hesitation. Amid the noiseing from the other end of the line was a childish female voice. ¡°Daddy, you promised toe home and apany me, but you broke your promise again. I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time,¡± the child sobbed. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 It was Floretta. Angeline¡¯s expression gradually softened. She obediently sat back and listened to the conversation intently. With his brows slightly furrowed, Evanderforted, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. Be good and finish your meal with Franny. I¡¯ll be home in fifteen minutes.¡± Only after hearing that did Floretta stop crying. After he hung up the phone, Angeline looked at his stern profile and suddenly became curious as it seemed that Evander and Francesca had been the only ones apanying the girl so far, and she had never seen Floretta¡¯s mother in that picture. ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡¯m guessing that your wife is usually overseas? I¡¯ve never seen her before,¡± Angeline asked tentatively. If I can meet this mysterious woman, it may help me be the ambassador. However, her words had evidently triggered something within Evander as his expression instantly darkened. Ss was about to say something, but he thought the better of it and could not help feeling nervous for her. ¡°Stop the car!¡± Evander instructed. Ss obediently pulled over by the road. Angeline was stunned. Before she could process what was going on, the man said firmly, ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°You mean now, Mr. Golding?¡± Angeline thought she had heard him wrong and looked outside. Although the rain had stopped, there was not a single person under the night sky, and fear gripped her heart. Evander did not repeat himself but reached over and opened the car door on her side, his intimidating gaze looking as though it could pierce through her, sending chills down her spine. Angeline gulped in fear and fumbled to grip the car handle, using it as a support as she got out of the car. No sooner had her feet touched the ground than Evander¡¯s car sped away like the wind. ¡°Hey!¡± The breeze at night was ufortably frigid, and apart from a few streetlights, there were hardly any cars. A jarring sound from a sudden rustle in the bushes snapped Angeline back to her senses. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered. I used to think that he was a good man, but now it seems that I was such a fool! Would any normal human being dump a weakdy like me in the wilderness? I just casually asked about her daughter¡¯s mother. Must he react that way? I think he¡¯s most likely an unfaithful man. That¡¯s why he dared not face it! The MPV continued to move forward at a steady speed. Evander saw Angeline standing rooted to the spot through the rear window mirror. She was wearing only a thinyer of clothes. Ss looked at Evander¡¯s expression and could not help butment, ¡°She looks quite pitiful.¡± Even after he chased Angeline out of the car, Evander¡¯s mood still did not improve. s, Angeline only has herself to me for touching on a sensitive topic. For all these years, the subject of Floretta¡¯s birth mother has always been a taboo within the Golding family, and anyone who dares to mention her will be driven out. Angeline should count herself lucky. ¡°Do you wish to get out and apany her?¡± Evander withdrew his eyes and leaned back against the seat while tugging at his tie with his slender fingers. Exhaustion and irritation were evident on his face. ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry for saying that.¡± Ss shuddered, not daring to speak anymore. After walking for more than an hour in the darkness of the chilly night, Angeline finally arrived home. She was exhausted, and her legs felt as though they were about to give out. She took off her slippers and noticed that there were blisters on the soles of her feet. Her phone was already out of battery, so she went to charge it first before heading to the bathroom to take a hot bath. Only after soaking in the warm bathtub did warmth return to her body. Since graduating from university, Angeline had never walked for such a long distance. Had she not been familiar with the route, she would have died on the spot. After the bath, she took out a medical kit and applied medicine to the soles of her feet. The silence in the room caused her to start spacing out. So much had happened that night. The memory of Hanson misunderstanding her and forcing her to apologize in public, in particr, filled her with disappointment. It hadpletely extinguished thest spark of hope she had for him in her heart. Joseline, Hanson, someday, you¡¯ll regret what you¡¯ve done. Raising her head, Angeline saw that the few bottles of beer left over from thest time Nancy hade over were still on the dining table. Upon deliberation, she walked over and unscrewed the cap. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. She felt horrible as though arge stone was pressing on her chest, and at that moment, she desperately needed an outlet. Because of her low alcohol tolerance, she was so drunk that she lost consciousness after drinking two bottles of beer. Ding! An iing phone call rang out in the silent room. ¡°Who is it? Ugh, so annoying,¡± Angeline mumbled after waking up with a start. She got up, walked over to the couch, and groped for her phone. Upon unlocking it, she discovered that someone was giving her a video call. Seeing the unfamiliar phone number, she instinctively pressed the hang-up button. Soon, her phone rang again. The noise gave her a headache, so she answered in an unpleasant tone, ¡°Who are you? Is there something you need?¡± ¡°Are you sleeping, Angel? Am I disturbing your rest?¡± An adorable little girl¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. Hearing that, Angeline immediately sobered up. There was only one person who would address her that way. Looking at her phone screen, she spotted the little girl in the video. ¡°Floretta, is it really you?¡± ¡°Angel, I miss you so much,¡± Floretta shouted excitedly. ¡°You ignored me for a week.¡± Her face gradually erged on the screen, and she kissed the camera a few times. Angeline looked at the bubbly little girl on the video call, and her gaze gradually softened. ¡°Why are you calling me at this hour?¡± Floretta pouted and whined, ¡°Daddy went out to the party and hasn¡¯te back.¡± Angeline was at a loss for words. ¡°Angel, I saw on Twitter that you fell just now. Are you all right?¡± Floretta stared at her with wide eyes. ¡°Your face is so red. Are you in pain?¡± Angeline¡¯s heart warmed when she heard those words. ¡°No. I just drank a little alcohol,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°What is alcohol?¡± Floretta asked curiously. Angeline walked to the dining table, picked up a beer bottle, and introduced to her, ¡°It¡¯s this right here. It¡¯s something like a drink.¡± ¡°I get it now!¡± Floretta nodded with new understanding. She then lowered her head and took out a small pink carton from her drawer before pointing at the picture on it and saying with a smile, ¡°Just like my favorite strawberry yogurt. I feel happy every time I drink it. Do you feel the same, Angel?¡± Happy? Angeline was stumped by her question, and there was a hint of bitterness in her eyes. ¡°Perhaps,¡± she replied in a low voice, clenching the beer bottle so hard that it made a cracking sound. All she knew was that beer was bitter, and although being drunk was not a pleasant feeling, it would help her forget many troubling matters. Maybe it¡¯s a form of happiness for adults. Floretta could tell that the other woman was feeling troubled and not in a good mood, so she bit her finger and pretended to be deep in thought. Oh no! My goddess is unhappy. How should Ifort her? I got it! The little girl suddenly burst outughing, her eyebrows curving like a crescent moon. ¡°Angel, would you like to know some juicy gossip about my daddy?¡± Angeline was intrigued by those words, and she widened her beautiful eyes. ¡°Is that okay?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Even Evander has another side to him? Angeline found it hard to believe. ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t care.¡± Floretta had always been quick to expose her father. She pulled up a small stool and said animatedly, ¡°Daddy always looks cool and distant all right, but he behaves like a child when he¡¯s drunk every time, and he¡¯ll always do something that¡¯ll surprise the people around him.¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. ¡°Mr. Roger told me that Daddy got drunk once at a university gathering. Everyone was getting ready to leave when Daddy suddenly sang Three Little Pigs¡­¡± Angeline was dumbstruck at the revtion. She could not even begin to imagine the usually restrained Evander singing nursery rhymes. After all, the image was a striking contrast to his usual self. Amused, she let out a chuckle, and so did Floretta. ¡°Oh, but Mr. Roger did also mention that it was the only time that he had seen Daddy get drunk.¡± Angelineughed so hard that her stomach hurt. Floretta¡¯s little revtion had warmed her heart. ¡°Thank you, Floretta.¡± ¡°Sharing is caring, and especially so when it¡¯s some juicy gossip. Oh, right¡ª¡± Bang! A loud noise of the door getting mmed against the wall ensued. Floretta was so taken aback that she had forgotten to turn off the video call as she hid underneath her chair. Suddenly, arge hand with slender and bony fingers grabbed her cor. ¡°Were you guys having a nice chat?¡± Angeline gulped when she noticed Evander on the screen. She, too, felt a chill running down her spine. Floretta sniffed his coat. Her face fell as she said, ¡°Daddy, something¡¯s not right with you. There¡¯s woman¡¯s perfume on you, and it¡¯s not Ms. Sherrock¡¯s!¡± Evander raised a brow as he had not expected Floretta to have such a sharp nose. Then he looked at Angeline with a twinkle in his eyes. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Angeline, who was on the video call, shifted ufortably as she coughed lightly. Why do I feel as if I¡¯ve been caught in the act? ¡°There were more women than men at the party tonight,¡± Evander lied with a straight face. Lucky for him, Floretta did not press on, and she soon forgot all about it. She kicked her chubby little legs and struggled as she said, ¡°Daddy, let me go. Mr. Roger told me that. Go look for him and don¡¯t bully me.¡± ¡°I told you not to talk with bad people. You haven¡¯t been behaving yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡± Evander¡¯s face turned cold as he spanked his daughter. ¡°Ouch!¡± Floretta screamed. However, Evander did not actually use any force. Angeline shuddered as she watched what happened on the screen. Feeling ufortable about witnessing Evander teaching his daughter a lesson, Angeline wanted to disconnect the video call. However, just when she was about to do so, Evander turned his attention to her. His thin lips quirked into half a smile as he mocked, ¡°It seems that you have too much free time on your hand, Ms. Sorelle. Why are you not sleeping at this hour and why are you misguiding my daughter instead?¡± Angeline blinked innocently and asked in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Golding, did you think I was the one who asked Floretta to tell the thing about you singing nursery rhymes?¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened, and he became cold and distant right away at the mention of nursery rhymes. Angeline could even feel it through the screen. ¡°I hate being used by someone else. Ms. Sorelle, I believe you¡¯re smarter than that.¡± Usually, Angeline would try to bear with his disparaging remarks. However, at the thought of being left behind by Evander that night, she was filled with rage. Hence, on the pretense of having one too many drinks, she mustered all her courage and pounded her desk as she chided, ¡°Mr. Golding, not every woman wants to throw themselves at you to gain something from you. No wonder your wife ran away. You¡¯re such a heartless man, and you¡¯re going to end up all alone and pitiful¡­¡± Evander¡¯s boiling fury was apparent even though there was a screen separating him from Angeline. Floretta was so stunned that her mouth formed a little O. My goodness. Angel is so cool.. The little girl lifted her head to look at Evander¡¯s handsome face and could not think of anything else to say. After a while, she carefully asked in a small voice, ¡°Daddy, how does it feel to get scolded by someone else for the first time?¡± ¡°Crazy woman!¡± Evander snapped. He snatched away Floretta¡¯s phone and hung up the video call. The usual ck suits that he wore seemed toplement his moodpletely that day. The cold glint in his dark obsidian eyes made him seem inhuman. Floretta shrunk away, her eyes filled with the sympathy that she felt for Angeline. ¡°You¡¯re forbidden from asking too many questions,¡± Evander said in a frigid tone. Then he whisked the girl off her feet and ced her on the bed to put her to sleep. Noticing the grim look on his face, the little girl clung to his arm and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy. I¡¯ll watch what I say from now on. Please don¡¯t be mad at Angel. She told me she had beer tonight because she was feeling quite down. I just wanted to cheer her up¡­¡± Beer? Evander raised a brow as his eyes darkened. No wonder she was so brazen tonight. He did not answer Floretta. He reached out to switch off the bedsidemp on her nightstand, tucked her in, and said in a much gentler tone, ¡°Go to sleep now. Remember to stay away from alcohol in the future, all right? You¡¯re not to have a single sip.¡± ¡°But Angel said ¡ª¡± The stern look on Evander¡¯s face made Floretta blink her innocent eyes a few times. She bit her tongue and dare not say anything further. Evander only left her bedroom after making sure that she was asleep. He made his way to the floor-to-ceiling window. His slender figure stood tall, and there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. Suddenly recalling something, he took out his phone from his pocket and made a call. ¡°Reduce Angeline¡¯s screen time.¡± The director of the public service announcement of Starlight Jewelry snapped awake upon getting the order from Evander. ¡°M-Mr. Golding, why are you bringing this up at this hour? Besides, didn¡¯t we agree to let herpete equally with Denise?¡± ¡°You got a problem?¡± ¡°No!¡± the director immediately replied with an obsequious smile. ¡°As you wish.¡± Evander hung up the phone. He could not be bothered to deal with Angeline in the past. However, it was different now. He realized she was more daring than any other woman he knew. I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯re going to keep up with that rotten attitude of yours when you lose the competition. The next day, Angeline was roused awake by the incessant ringing of her phone. She reached out from under her nket and felt for her phone to answer it. On the other end of the phone, Nancy¡¯s solemn voice rang out. ¡°Forget that you stood me upst night, Angeline. How are you still in bed right now? Have you forgotten that today¡¯s the rehearsal for Starlight Jewelry¡¯s PSA?¡± Immediately, Angeline sat up from the bed and tousled her already messy hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was too busy and had forgotten all about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you half an hour. We¡¯ll meet downstairs at your ce,¡± Nancy said before hanging up. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± For reasons unbeknownst to her, Angeline felt as if her head was about to explode. She rubbed her temples for some time before pulling her nket aside. Then she headed for the bathroom, got changed, and put on her makeup. While Angeline waited for Nancy in the living room, her phone pinged with a notification. It was a message that read: Angel, you must be awake now. I just stole my phone back from Daddy¡¯s drawer. Don¡¯t get sad over Daddy snapping at you yesterday. Well, you did scold him too. Judging by the way the person addressed her, Angeline knew that the text must be from Floretta. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 So¡­ I scolded Evander yesterday? At that moment, Angeline felt as if she had run out of breath. Her fingers trembled as they flew across the keyboard on her phone. She typed: Floretta, you can¡¯t joke about things like this. Soon, Floretta replied: I¡¯m not lying. You were really impressive! No one has ever dared to oppose Daddy like that. Oppose? Still unable to believe it, Angeline scrolled up to read the conversation history and realized that she had indeed video-called Floretta for half an hour. Her expression changed drastically as she massaged her head. A look of regret filled her eyes. I¡¯m doomed! Ever since young, she would lose control over herself once she became drunk. She had never expected herself to cause such huge trouble this time. Although she resented Evander, she was stillpeting with Denise to be Starlight Jewelry¡¯s next ambassador after all. Now that she had just offended her direct superior, her future did not seem bright. Upon contemtion, Angeline found Evander¡¯s number on her phone and drafted a message carefully: Mr. Golding, it was very impolite of mest night. I¡¯m sorry. She read through the draft multiple times to ensure that there were no typos before she dared to send it. After almost ten minutes, Evander still did not reply. Angeline could feel her heart in her throat. She bit her lower lip so hard that it became swollen. Yet, all she could do was console herself that having no responses was a good thing. Nancy was using her phone in the back seat when Angeline got into the car. The moment she saw Angeline, she stopped typing and sneered, ¡°Exin yourself, Ms. Sorelle. Your scandal at the banquet is stered all over the morning news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± Angeline sat beside her and opened a packet of snacks at the side. ¡°I bumped into Hanson and Joselinest night. Joseline has most likely hired ghostwriters on the inte.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nancy widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°I heard insiders saying that their wedding day is approaching. If she¡¯s seeking trouble with you at this juncture, doesn¡¯t that mean that Hanson still has feelings for you?¡± A cold glint appeared in Angeline¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know him very well. He always puts profit first.¡± After a pause, Nancy asked with concern, ¡°How are you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Angeline crushed the remaining potato chips in the bag and poured them into her mouth. ¡°If Joseline sends you a wedding invitation, remember to ept it!¡± Since Joseline had spent so much effort trying to defame her, she would give her a wedding gift in return. Screech! Just when they were about to arrive at the rehearsal venue, the driver abruptly stepped on the brake. The car jerked, causing Angeline¡¯s body to lurch forward. Luckily, she was wearing the safety belt, or the consequences would be unimaginable. ¡°What happened?¡± Nancy looked worried. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sorelle. I was driving just fine, but a car suddenly came charging in my direction and blocked my path. I have no choice but to step on the brake.¡± The driver patted his chest, still feeling shocked. As he spoke, the car that he was referring to overtook them. The car window rolled down, allowing them to catch a glimpse of the person sitting inside. It was none other than Denise. Her red lips parted as she lifted her sunsses slightly and revealed the smug look in her eyes. It was evident that she had done it on purpose. ¡°Is she crazy? Does she have a death wish?¡± Nancy pped the car seat furiously. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even be the ambassador yet, but she¡¯s already bullying us!¡± Sitting in front, the driver, in a dilemma, asked, ¡°Should I still drive?¡± ¡°Yes! Overtake them!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ impossible. It¡¯s obvious that their driver is a professional and they¡¯re already so far ahead of us,¡± said the driver carefully, his forehead filled with sweat. ¡°D*mn it!¡± Nancy was purple with rage. She could not stomach this anger. Right then, Angeline, who had been quiet, opened the car door, walked to the driver¡¯s seat, and ordered the driver, ¡°Go to the back. I¡¯ll drive.¡± ¡°Angeline, are you sure about this?¡± Nancy asked. Angeline sneered. After changing seats with the driver, she instructed them, ¡°Buckle up!¡± Then she mmed her foot against the elerator and the car shot forward in the direction of Denise¡¯s path. Nancy screamed as she clutched her seatbelt. Even the driver¡¯s expression changed. The wind howled beside their ears while the buildings around them became a blur¡ªit was impossible to see anything. However, Angeline remained calm as she drove steadily on the road. Soon, they saw Denise¡¯s car and Angeline slowed down. When the distance between them narrowed, she shifted to the highest gears and crashed into their car. Their car smashed into a utility pole, causing smoke to billow from the bo. Since Denise did not buckle her seat belt, her head crashed against the car seat, and her phone was sent flying out. Feeling dizzy from the sudden crash, her manager yelled furiously, ¡°What happened? Do you not know how to drive?¡± The driver hugged his head and stared at the bo in a daze. He was on the verge of breaking down. Enduring the pain and raising her head, Denise took out a mirror from her bag immediately and stared at her reflection. There was a huge bruise on her forehead. Meanwhile, other than a few scratches, Angeline¡¯s car was fine. She drove forward, rolled down the car window, and gave Denise the middle finger. Hearing the joyousughter in Angeline¡¯s car, Denise trembled in fury and a vicious glint flitted across her beautiful eyes. While concealing her bruise with powder, her managerforted, ¡°All right, don¡¯t be angry. This is the only way for her to vent her frustration. She¡¯ll be taught a lessonter.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I must win!¡± spat Denise resentfully through gritted teeth. Gripping her bag, she hissed in pain and snapped, ¡°Not so hard!¡± She had nned to intimidate Angeline before the rehearsal. Yet little did she expect Angeline to be so skilled at driving. After Angeline parked the car at the rehearsal venue, Nancy alighted from the car while cheering and asked in surprise, ¡°Since when were you so good at driving, Angeline?¡± Angeline got out of the car and stretched her back. Feelingfortable again, she tossed the keys to the driver. ¡°I won a racing championship when I was overseas.¡± Nancy was rendered speechless. When they entered the set, the director and the other staff were all busy. Angeline headed to the dressing room first. While getting her makeup done, she read the script. Denise, on the other hand, waste for twenty minutes. When she hurried into the dressing room and noticed how rxed Angeline was, fury overwhelmed her. Suppressing her anger, Denise sat down and let the makeup artist do her makeup. When thetter identally touched the bruise on her forehead, she gasped in pain. ¡°Do you know how to do your job? Where¡¯s your manager? Get him to find someone else for me.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Campbell,¡± the makeup artist said, sounding as though she was on the verge of tears. Denise was already in a horrible mood, but Angeline grabbed the opportunity and mocked, ¡°Ms. Campbell, did someone anger you? Is there a need to vent your frustration on a makeup artist?¡± ¡°Can you be any more shameless?¡± Denise looked daggers at her. Angeline picked up her teacup slowly and put on an innocent look. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Denise gripped the table. If she could, she wished for nothing more than to throw all the bottles on the table at Angeline¡¯s face. However, when she remembered the call she received that morning, sheughed out loud. ¡°Angeline, don¡¯t be so pleased with yourself just yet. Soon, you¡¯ll be in tears.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Angeline¡¯s right eyelid twitched when she heard that. Denise¡¯s words kept haunting her. That¡¯s definitely a warning that actually means something. A live-stream voting session between Angeline and Denise would be conducted to decide on the ambassador for the public service announcement. Besides, the gifts given by their fans during the live stream would be donated to the Red Cross. Angeline had been reading her script seriously the moment she reached the dressing room. She didn¡¯t even put it down. Although she was a very experienced actress, the public service announcement this time was extremely important to her. I have to win! Only then can I take back my shares with the Sorelle family and get my revenge on Joseline! At that moment, she heard porcin crashing on the ground. Following that, a girlined, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t step on my little trumpet! All of you are so mean!¡± The girl¡¯s voice captured Angeline¡¯s attention immediately. Why does it sound like Floretta¡¯s voice? She lifted her hand and asked her makeup artist to stop before she went to open the door. Then, she saw a security guard carrying a little girl. Thetter was wearing a pink bubble dress, and her hair was tied into two little braids. She looked adorable. ¡°Floretta?¡± Angeline was shocked when she looked at the little girl¡¯s face. ¡°Angel, help me. Quick.¡± Floretta tilted her head to look at Angeline with teary and pitiful eyes. Horrified, Angeline quickly walked up to the guard and carried Floretta from his arms. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡± Angeline asked with concern as she examined Floretta¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Angel.¡± ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Angeline took a deep breath and patted her chest. It¡¯ll be awful if Evander sees this. The guard left. Realizing no one was apanying Floretta, Angeline asked seriously, ¡°Can you tell me what¡¯s going on now? Did youe here on your own?¡± Floretta stuck out her tongue and said, ¡°Yeah. I sneaked in. I didn¡¯t expect to be noticed. I remember the date of yourpetition when I was in Daddy¡¯s office the other day. As your top fan, I muste to support you in person!¡± After saying that, she took out a toy trumpet and blew on it forcefully to make a loud sound. Angeline couldn¡¯t hold back herughter. She couldn¡¯t get mad at Floretta when she looked at the latter. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful for your support, Floretta. But do you know how worried your daddy will be if you sneak out like this?¡± She looked at the time on her phone and saw that there was still a little time before the shooting began. She patted Floretta¡¯s tiny head and asked gently, ¡°Floretta, let¡¯s go back to your daddy¡¯s office, shall we?¡± Floretta was unwilling to leave. She teared up and pleaded, ¡°No¡­ Can I stay and watch your performance? Please? It wasn¡¯t easy for me to sneak out, and I even got you a present. Look!¡± She searched through her bag and took out two cartons of strawberry yogurt. ¡°You said you feel happy when you drink alcohol, so I got you my favorite yogurt. I hope you¡¯ll always be happy, Angel.¡± Angeline was speechless. I only said that when I was drunk. I didn¡¯t expect Floretta to take it seriously. Angeline took the yogurt from Floretta. When she felt the warmth of the yogurt from Floretta¡¯s hand, her eyes reddened slightly. A child¡¯s innocent feelings are the most sincere. Itforted Angeline from all the grievances she had suffered all those while. Unable to bring herself to turn her down, Angeline took Floretta for a little tour of the set after sending a message to Evander to let him know where Floretta was. It¡¯s better for me to tell him where Floretta is before he finds her. Otherwise, he¡¯ll think that I have some ulterior motives again. Floretta must¡¯ve been kept at home for too long, as she was curious about everything, and Angeline had to exin everything to her patiently. ¡°Angeline, this is bad!¡± At that moment, Nancy rushed toward Angeline in a fluster. It was rare, given how calm andposed Nancy usually was. As she walked over, she stared at Floretta in bewilderment. Angeline pushed Floretta behind her back. ¡°It¡¯s fine. She won¡¯t affect me. What happened?¡± she asked, putting on a serious look. Nancy lowered her head and handed a document to Angeline. ¡°Bad news. We¡¯ll definitely lose this time. This is thetest script given by the director. I looked through it and your screen time has been greatly reduced.¡± Hearing that, Angeline immediately flipped through the pages of the script to scan the scenes and lines. Her eyes burned with rage as she eximed, ¡°How can this be? Didn¡¯t we have a deal?¡± ¡°He said it was Golding Group¡¯s decision.¡± Angeline gritted her teeth, and her entire body shook with anger as she gripped the script. The only person who has the authority to give such an order is none other than Evander! I knew things wouldn¡¯t end easily when I scolded himst night in my drunken state. Not only were her scenes significantly reduced, but her character¡¯s arc had been changed for the worse. Denise would y a university student who went to help in the countryside, while Angeline would y a butcher who was brought to justice for kidnapping a child out of evil thoughts. My fans on Twitter are pretty young. What¡¯s going to happen once a storyline like this is aired? Let¡¯s not even talk about winning against Denise right now. Before that even happens, everyone will probably curse me on the inte! Floretta¡¯s eyes widened. Realizing something, she pulled Angeline¡¯s hand and made Angeline lower her body. She said in Angeline¡¯s ear angrily, ¡°I¡¯m sure Daddy did this! That cunning man! I¡¯ll call him and get him to undo this!¡± With that, she took out her phone from her bag and was about to press the speed dial to call her father with her chubby fingers. ¡°Floretta, don¡¯t!¡± Angeline stopped her immediately. Evander hates me from the beginning. If Floretta does this and makes things worse, I may even lose the chance topete with Denise. Angeline furrowed her eyebrows tightly and massaged her throbbing temples as she tried to calm down. However, her mind was already a mess. The live stream is less than an hour away¡­ Meanwhile, at Golding Group, Evander was going to attend a morning meeting after taking a document from his assistant when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was a call from Francesca. He knitted his brows and answered the call. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°M-Mr. Golding, it¡¯s bad. M-Ms. Floretta disappeared when I went to take her food,¡± Francesca said incoherently. Evander¡¯s handsome face fell. ¡°How could a living person just disappear like that?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. A pair of her shoes are missing. I-I think she sneaked out again.¡± What? She¡¯s still so young. Where could she possibly run off to? Evander was fuming with anger when he hung up the phone. At that moment, he received a notification for a new message. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 It was Angeline¡¯s apology message that she had sent a few hours ago, which he didn¡¯t see it earlier. The second message was the one Angeline had sent earlier to inform him of Floretta¡¯s whereabouts. After knowing that Floretta was safe, he rxed his brows. The next moment, he remembered something and looked at the calendar on his table. I almost forgot. It¡¯s the shooting day for Starlight Jewelry¡¯s PSA! Evander¡¯s eyebrows knitted together again when he remembered the call he had made the night before. Ss walked up to Evander and said, ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡¯ll get some men to look for Ms. Floretta.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Postpone the morning meeting. I¡¯m going out for a while,¡± Evander said, then took his coat from the couch and walked out. At the set, after Angeline asked Nancy to take care of Floretta, she took a ss of warm water and gave it to the director, who was sitting behind the camera. She tried to negotiate with him in a kind tone. ¡°Mr. Fuller, could you change my lines?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sorelle. Golding Group has decided on this script, and they¡¯re very satisfied with it. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing I can do,¡± Gordon Fuller, the director, replied with a serious expression. Angeline¡¯s face fell as herst ray of hope was crushed. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you agreed to a fairpetition back then in Mr. Golding¡¯s office. Everyone¡¯s watching. You shouldn¡¯t try to bend the rules,¡± a woman piped up. Denise¡¯s assistant was holding an umbre for Denise. Thetter was a white shirt and a pleated skirt thatplemented her long and fair legs. Other than that, her straight, shoulder-length hair made her look lovely and innocent. When she was walking in Angeline¡¯s direction, she bumped into Angeline¡¯s shoulder on purpose with a smug look. Angeline clenched her fists as she tried to suppress her anger. With a poker face, she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Denise looked at Angeline with pity and shed a smirk. She had seen Angeline¡¯s script before Angeline did. Her new script is terrible. I can¡¯t even look at it. Why is she still acting all high and mighty? The live stream had officially begun. Denise was the first to perform. The ten-minute scene was beautiful and conveyed positive energy. ¡°Cut! Good take!¡± Meanwhile, somewhere not too far away, Angeline was sitting on a recliner, wearing a solemn expression as she scribbled on the script. The film crew was touching up Denise¡¯s makeup while Denise walked up to Angeline and sneered, ¡°Good luck, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Angeline ignored Denise and continued focusing on her script. Denise didn¡¯t mind because she was satisfied with her performance. Victory is mine! ¡°We¡¯re doomed. Denise¡¯s online votes have reached one million, but ours is only two hundred thousand,¡± Nancy informed, her face pale. ¡°How can we possibly catch up to her when there¡¯s such a big gap?¡± Angeline tightened her grip on the script. At that moment, her palms were stained with ink from all the writing, and her expression darkened. I can¡¯t lose. I just can¡¯t! After the ten-minute break was over, Gordon went over to them. ¡°Angeline, the props are ready. It¡¯s your turn!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Angeline responded emotionlessly. She stood up and took the floral apron at the side before tying it around her waist. Everyone was watching her as if she was a joke. Meanwhile, as if she had just made a critical decision, she walked toward Floretta and squatted down to look her in the eye. She patted Floretta¡¯s head and asked gently, ¡°Floretta, would you like to know what acting feels like?¡± Floretta nodded without hesitation. Excitement and curiosity were written all over her face. ¡°Yes! Can I?¡± ¡°No. You can¡¯t.¡± Denise stopped her right then. She did not notice Floretta until then. Before she could take Floretta away, Floretta shoved her off forcefully and looked at her with disdain. ¡°Daddy told me not to y with ugly women.¡± Everyoneughed when they heard that. ¡°You¡­¡± Denise¡¯s face turned red, and her eyes were filled with anger. Since she couldn¡¯t snap at Floretta, she vented at Angeline. ¡°Angeline, have you forgotten who Floretta is? What if the entire film crew gets into trouble just because you asked her to be on camera?¡± ¡°So it¡¯ll be fine if her face isn¡¯t caught on camera, right?¡± Angeline retorted. ¡°Enough, you two. Hurry up and get ready! The audience is waiting!¡± Gordon instructed impatiently. Angeline ignored Denise and led Floretta to the filming site. Suddenly, Floretta slowed down. She looked at Angeline and said dejectedly, ¡°Angel, I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll embarrass you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Just do what I tell you to doter.¡± Angeline chuckled, then whispered something in Floretta¡¯s ear. The next moment, Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up as if she had discovered something new. Angeline patted Floretta¡¯s head and said confidently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just treat it like a game. I¡¯ll protect you the whole time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Floretta nodded and held Angeline¡¯s hand tightly as they walked toward the filming site. ¡°Angeline¡¯s first scene, action!¡± Angeline stood at the pork stall in her apron, chopping pork with a kitchen knife as she shouted, ¡°Pork! Come get some freshly cut pork!¡± At that moment, Floretta, acting as her character, walked over to the stall and gave some cash to Angeline. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Angeline gave Floretta a strange look. In a husky voice, she asked, ¡°How much? The usual?¡± ¡°Yeah. A big piece, please.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Angeline lifted the knife and cut a piece of pork. Because she was guilty, she identally cut herself. As Floretta put on a band-aid for her, Angeline lowered her head and looked at her guiltily. She put the meat into a bag and gave it to Floretta, who took it and turned to leave after thanking her. However, at that moment, a murderous look appeared in Angeline¡¯s eyes. She scooped Floretta up and stuffed a cloth in her mouth until she passed out. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Meanwhile, outside the filming site, Evander, in his suit, was walking toward the camera slowly. The crew members were so shocked that they couldn¡¯t even speak. Suddenly feeling a chill on his back, Gordon turned his head to look behind him. When he saw Evander, he was so startled that he dropped his microphone. ¡°Mr¡ª¡± Evander¡¯s expression was cold as he put his finger on his lips. ¡°Be quiet.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Gordon nodded fervently and quickly instructed his crew member to get a chair for Evander. Evander looked around the set. When he saw Floretta acting with Angeline, he knitted his brows and suddenly realized something. This is absurd! Evander took a step forward with the intention of taking Floretta back, but Floretta saw him then. She flinched and gestured for him to stop as she looked at him with pleading eyes. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 She really wishes to act¡­ Evander couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks. After making sure that it was safe, he went to take a seat in an obscure corner. He could see Angeline¡¯s and Floretta¡¯s every move from that angle. Angeline had yet to notice him and was continuing to act passionately. The current scene was set in a police station. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Angeline was sitting on a chair in a dark room, wearing handcuffs. A dim yellow light was shining at the side of her face, making her look gloomier. She looked at the police officer in front of her and asked anxiously, ¡°How¡¯s the girl? Is she okay?¡± The police officer gave her the side-eye and said expressionlessly, ¡°Stop pretending that you care. You were the one who kidnapped her.¡± Angeline covered her face with her hands and began crying silently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have done it¡­¡± Tears rolled down her fingers and fell onto the table, forming a puddle. ¡°You inhuman human trafficker!¡± Suddenly, a woman barged into the room and looked at Angeline with hatred. Floretta was behind the woman. The moment Angeline saw Floretta, she stood up abruptly from her seat and walked toward her with joy shing across her eyes. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re okay¡­¡± ¡°How dare you touch my daughter?¡± The young mother grabbed Angeline¡¯s hair. I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson, you human trafficker! Angeline hugged her head, and unable to resist it, she fell to the ground. The woman pressed Angeline hard on the ground and pped her like a madwoman. Angeline grimaced in pain and rolled on the ground. Her eyes were bloodshot as she clutched the floor that was stained with sweat with her fingers. It was only a fake fight, but Gordon and the other film crew members were so captivated by her realistic acting that they all gasped in shock. Even the man acting as the police officer had forgotten his lines. At that moment, Floretta ran up to Angeline and hugged her tightly. ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t hit her anymore! She¡¯s been nothing but kind to me! She¡¯s not a bad person!¡± Everyone was stunned when they heard Floretta¡¯s determined voice. That included Angeline. She didn¡¯t expect that Floretta would plead for her. Looking at the little girl, Angeline murmured, ¡°No. It¡¯s all my fault. I did something wrong. I¡ª¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I know you only did that because you needed money for your son¡¯s medical bills! I don¡¯t me you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Angeline cried hysterically. Her hoarse voice was piercing and unbearable to the human ears. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, kid. I can¡¯t bring myself to face you and my son. I can¡¯t get enough money to treat his illness. I¡¯m a terrible mother¡­¡± Her realistic emotions made Floretta cry too. Floretta walked over to her and hugged her lightly. Although she didn¡¯t say anything, that gesture alone was enough to melt everyone¡¯s heart. At that moment, the camera zoomed out and fixed on the scene of them embracing each other. With that, the film ended. Angeline vividly portrayed her role as a woman who had lost her rationality and a mother with no choice. Everyone had cheered after Denise finished shooting. However, only silence followed when Angeline¡¯s scene ended. Everyone was shocked and hadn¡¯t returned to reality. ¡°Cut!¡± Gordon shouted dazedly while wiping off his tears after some time. Meanwhile, Angeline was half kneeling on the ground as she covered her face with her hands. She hadn¡¯t gotten out of character yet. Her shoulders were trembling slightly. It seemed that she was crying. Evander stared at her and was a little fascinated. Judging from how he was staring at her, it seemed that he didn¡¯t hate her as much as he did before. The scene with Floretta that Angeline had improvised on her own was the finishing touch. She had changed the character from a viiness to a desperate mother, and no one could bring themselves to hate such a character. In terms of acting skills, she was a soulful actress who handled details well. ¡°Guys, look! Look at the votes on the inte!¡± someone shouted, and everyone else quickly moved up to look at the votes. Evander¡¯s lips pursed into a hard line as he took out his phone and logged on to his Twitter ount, which he seldom used. Angeline¡¯s votes had suddenly risen to half a million from the hundred thousand from earlier. Then, it kept growing until it was the same as Denise¡¯s. Everyone inhaled sharply. After that, the votes continued rising to two million, and it kept going. It didn¡¯t look like the vote would stop anytime soon. Thements section was going crazy as well. Someonemented: What an outstanding performance! As expected of a celebrity who has received numerous awards! She¡¯s better than those actresses who rely on their looks! Also, that little girl is just so adorable. Another wrote: I¡¯m proud to call myself Angeline¡¯s fan! Who wouldn¡¯t fall in love with such a beautiful and humble actress with such excellent acting skills? ¡°No! This is impossible! How can this be? She must have cheated!¡± Denise was shocked when she looked at the votes, and she dropped her phone. However, how could it be faked with such a huge gap? ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Angel.¡± Floretta¡¯s voice brought Angeline back to her senses. Angeline lifted her head and saw Floretta¡¯s worried expression. Floretta took a piece of tissue from her little bear bag and wiped Angeline¡¯s tears. ¡°Angel, we won. Shouldn¡¯t you be happy? Why are you crying?¡± Stunned, Angeline looked around. Only then did she realize that her votes had surpassed Denise¡¯s. She smiled, and joy filled her eyes as she patted Floretta¡¯s head. ¡°Thank you, Floretta. You were great earlier! You¡¯ve helped me a lot!¡± Floretta blinked, and the happiness in her eyes was obvious to the naked eye. My goddess justplimented me! Not far away, Gordon was reporting to Evander respectfully. When Angeline saw Evander¡¯s cold face, she frowned. I thought he¡¯d get someone to pick Floretta up. Who would¡¯ve thought that he¡¯de in person? She walked up to Evander with Floretta. When Floretta reached Evander, she jumped into his arms and asked happily, ¡°How did I do, Mr. Golding?¡± Evander raised his eyebrows when he heard her calling him that. He had asked her to call him that in public because he didn¡¯t want anyone to know Floretta¡¯s real identity to avoid unnecessary trouble. I¡¯m sure she feels aggrieved having to call me Mr. Golding when I¡¯m her father. Thinking about that, he couldn¡¯t get mad at her. All he did was pat her buttock and remind her in an icy voice, ¡°Floretta, this is the second time you sneaked out! You¡¯ll be grounded for an hour once we get home.¡± ¡°Fine! Why do you have to be so fierce?¡± Floretta pouted. I helped my goddess, so this is worth it! Angeline looked at him seriously and smiled. ¡°Thank you for lending this lucky star to me, Mr. Golding.¡± Evander pulled Floretta behind him as he stood up. His shadow towered over Angeline. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I believe I¡¯ve said this more than once. Don¡¯t use Floretta!¡± Angeline frowned slightly. She didn¡¯t expect him to embarrass her in public. ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯ve misunderstood¡ª¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°Angeline, just apologize to Mr. Golding.¡± Denise stalked over to Angeline right then on her sky-high stilettos. ¡°I know you really wanted to win thispetition, but how dare you get Mr. Golding¡¯s daughter involved! Mr. Fuller, it¡¯s against the rules for her to mess with the scripts. She should be disqualified!¡± Gordon¡¯s temple throbbed with frustration. ¡°Mr. Golding, thepetition is over. How should we proceed?¡± he asked Evander in a respectful tone. ¡°So, is it against the rules or not? Do you really need to bother me with such trivial matters?¡± ¡°Ah, I understand. Well, Angeline¡¯s action did not meet the¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the contract that states that I couldn¡¯t change the script,¡± Angeline retorted sharply. ¡°Besides, even if it really is against the rules, it isn¡¯t my fault!¡± It seemed as if Angeline had something more to say. She red meaningfully at Denise. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± ¡°Ms. Campbell, you¡¯re using me of speaking nonsense, but I wouldn¡¯t dare to make any false allegations in front of so many people. After all, I still want to be in this industry.¡± She turned to Evander and smiled lightly. ¡°I have a friend who works in the publishing business. He sent me a video some time ago. I¡¯d like to show it to you, Mr. Golding.¡± Nancy handed Angeline¡¯s phone to her. Angeline tapped a few buttons. Then she turned the screen to Evander. It was a video of several screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation. It was evidence of Denise¡¯s manager bribing several magazines to sabotage Angeline. Evander gave the phone to Denise. ¡°I need an exnation for this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks likes. Those screenshots are fake, Mr. Golding. Please don¡¯t believe such lies,¡± Denise countered in her own defense. However, her face had drained of color, and her palms were damp with cold sweat. She had not expected Angeline to investigate her. Didn¡¯t I hide my tracks well enough? ¡°I have a recording as well. Would you like to watch it, Ms. Campbell?¡± Angeline pressed on in a calm voice. She would not allow Denise to get away with her lies. Denise pursed her lips. ¡°There will be no need for that.¡± Evander threw Denise a disgusted look. ¡°Angeline will be the ambassador of Starlight Jewelry.¡± His voice was low but authoritative. Denise¡¯s face turned pale. Her fists were clenched tightly by her side. She bit her lip, not daring to say a word. Her manager approached her with his head hanging shamefully. He pulled her away to spare her the embarrassment. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline smiled softly. She raised her eyebrows, rejoicing in her victory, but not gloating at Denise¡¯s defeat. Evander grunted in reply. His face was an indecipherable mask devoid of any emotion as he turned to leave with Floretta. Floretta, however, had other ideas. She tugged at her father¡¯s arm coyly. ¡°It¡¯s already noon! I¡¯m hungry!¡± ¡°Shall we have Jetroinian food?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Floretta pped excitedly. She skipped toward Angeline and pulled her hand. Then, in a pleading voice, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s take Angel with us. She hasn¡¯t had lunch yet either!¡± Evander did not refuse his daughter¡¯s request. He had a new respect for Angeline after what had just happened. It became clear to him that Angeline was not just beautiful, but also very clever. ¡°Floretta, I¡¯ll go with you next time instead,¡± Angeline said gently, declining the invitation to save Evander from having to refuse his daughter. She did not want to irritate him any further. ¡°No, no, you muste with us!¡± Floretta pouted. Angeline was torn. She did not want to disappoint the young girl. However, before she could speak, the man piped up, ¡°The restaurant is not far from here. Let¡¯s all go together.¡± Angeline nced at Evander in surprise. She did not expect Evander to extend the invitation to her personally. However, this was not a bad development for her. Nancy exined the turn of events to Gordon. Then she nudged Angeline toward Evander¡¯s car. During the car ride, she pulled out her phone. The news of Angelinending the public service announcement had attracted an insane amount of attention. The public was not so easily fooled. Those who had spoken badly against her now changed their tune. Their vilements turned into praise and admiration. The weight that had been sitting heavily on Angeline¡¯s shoulders finally lifted. However, she owed her victory to a mysterious benefactor. At that moment, her phone lit up. It was a text message from the mysterious stranger who had sent her the video evidence of Denise¡¯s wrongdoing. The message read: Two o¡¯clock tomorrow at ck Forest Cafe. Come alone. Angeline¡¯s face turned solemn after she read the message. Her assistant would often buy her coffee from ck Forest Caf¨¦. For this unknown person to specifically suggest that caf¨¦ meant that he or she had been watching her movements. ¡°Angel, we¡¯re here!¡± Floretta called out excitedly, pulling Angeline away from her thoughts. She grabbed Angeline¡¯s hand, and they both followed Evander into the restaurant. This particr Jetroinian restaurant was not the most popr in the area. The ambiance of the ce was very typical of a Jetroinian restaurant. What made it different was the attention to detail in its decoration and the children¡¯s y area in one corner of the restaurant. ¡°This way, please.¡± The waiter led them to a table by the window. It was a quiet corner from which they could watch the busy city through the window. Angeline took a seat opposite Evander while Floretta sneakily climbed into the chair next to her. ¡°Floretta!¡± Evander narrowed his eyes threateningly at his daughter. However, Floretta had no ns to go over to sit next to her father. She hugged Angeline¡¯s arm tightly and stared at Evander petntly. It was a battle that he would not win. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let her sit with me. You are right here anyway. You can still watch over her,¡± Angeline said, trying to defuse the situation. Evander red at his daughter, who was looking at him with puppy eyes. Angeline found the scene rather funny. The CEO of Golding Group, who is usually so in control, is unable to handle his young daughter! ¡°There are not many patrons in this restaurant, and nobody saw using in,¡± Evander said, turning to Angeline. He had noticed her fidgeting ufortably in her seat. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Angeline visibly rxed. She removed her sunsses and the hat that she had been wearing. It was risky for Angeline to enjoy a meal out in a public restaurant with her current poprity level. However, she believed that Evander must have already thought of the issue and prepared for it since he had invited her to have lunch with them. ¡°Here, order whatever you like,¡± Evander said, pushing the menu toward her. ¡°I¡¯ll have this one,¡± Angeline replied, pointing randomly at a meal set illustrated on the menu. She turned toward the little girl beside her and asked, ¡°Floretta, what do you want to eat?¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes sparkled greedily as she scanned the menu. She pointed here and there as she demanded, ¡°I want this¡­ and this¡­¡± Angeline¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. ¡°Can you really eat all of that? This is all already included in this set meal. Let¡¯s not waste food.¡± Floretta considered Angeline¡¯s words, then nodded in agreement. She crossed out most of the items from her order, leaving only a meatball soup and a pudding for dessert. ¡°Excuse me! Waiter, please!¡± Evander snapped his fingers. He returned the menus to the waiter after cing their order and looked at Floretta in surprise. His daughter had never before understood the concept of saving money. In truth, Evander had always indulged his daughter in order to make up for hisck of affection and attention to her. Evander had not expected his willful daughter to be so receptive to Angeline¡¯s advice. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Like any other child, Floretta did not have a patient personality. The girl¡¯s attention gradually drifted to the y area after she waited for the food for a short while. ¡°Daddy, can I go over there to y?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that the ying area was well within his line of vision, Evander felt more assured. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Thank you, Daddy!¡± Excitement filled Floretta¡¯s gaze, and she eagerly got off the chair and darted toward the ocean ball pool. As Angeline watched the chirpy girl¡¯s retreating figure, she could not help but lift the corners of her lips into a faint smile. ¡°Floretta is at the age where she¡¯s the most yful and active. You can¡¯t always let her stay at home.¡± As soon as those words fell, Evander turned grim and cast her a displeased look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just a casual remark of mine. Don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Angeline hastily exined, as she was made nervous by the man¡¯s intense stares. ¡°Floretta is a special case. I hope you won¡¯t poke your nose in our family matters, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Evander shot her an icy look. She shed an okay sign with her fingers and kept her mouth shut. Evander leaned back in his chair, appearing lost in his thoughts while gazing at that cheerful girl in the y area a distance away. Angeline¡¯s words had somehow reminded him that Floretta¡¯s identity had always been a secret to the public. That had inadvertently limited the girl¡¯s freedom. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯vest seen Floretta smiling so brightly. Besides, she¡¯s no longer that young. I can¡¯t possibly hide her at home forever, can I? It seems that it¡¯s about time I should reveal her identity. But making things public means there must be a wedding ceremony first to let the world know who Mrs. Golding is. Soon after, a waiter served their order, filling their table with an array of food. It was a delicious sight to behold. Sliding down from the slide, Floretta followed the delicious smell of food and hurried her way through the pool of ocean balls. She reached out to grab a meatball from the te, only to get intercepted by Angeline. She held onto the girl¡¯s wrist and gently reminded her, ¡°Floretta, you need to wash your hands before you eat.¡± Frustration surged within Floretta as she said grumpily, ¡°I always have Franny to help me at home.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Angeline said before requesting the waiter to bring over a bottle of hand sanitizer. Then she carried Floretta onto herp, squeezed a few drops of sanitizer, and rubbed it on the girl¡¯s tiny palms. ¡°Here, let me teach you. Rub your left hand first, then your right. Next, sp them together and give them a good rub. That way, the germs won¡¯t stay on your hands.¡± Floretta listened to the instructions attentively, and it did not take long before she could follow the steps perfectly. ted, the girl began dancing around. ¡°Angel is amazing. Daddy, look! Are my hands clean now?¡± asked Floretta joyfully as she swung her hands in front of Evander. ¡°Mm.¡± At the sight of Floretta sittingfortably in Angeline¡¯sp, Evander decided not to stop her for once. A portion of the Jetroinian food on the table was raw, and the meatballs were big. Noticing that Floretta was having a hard time eating, Angeline ordered a te of pasta, cut the meatballs into smaller chunks, and mixed them with the pasta before feeding them to the girl. The sight of Floretta swinging her legs happily while taking big mouthfuls of the food left Evander a little shocked. Feeding Floretta had always been a tedious chore for Francesca at home daily. Surprisingly, Angelinepleted the task without much difficulty. In no time, the te was emptied. ¡°Angel, it¡¯s yummy.¡± Floretta looked up and smiled at Angeline brightly. Angeline stroked the girl¡¯s head tenderly and was about to say something when she heard Evander¡¯s deep voice. ¡°Floretta, be good and sit properly. Ms. Sorelle hasn¡¯t eaten because she¡¯s been feeding you.¡± Angeline was undoubtedly a little taken aback, as it was beyond her imagination that he would speak up for her. ¡°No worries. I¡¯m not hungry anyway.¡± ¡°Children cannot be spoiled.¡± Angeline was at a loss for words for that split moment as awkwardness surged within her. At the same time, Floretta quickly got off herp and sat up straight beside her. After they finished their meal, Evander sent Angeline back to the filming site as Nancy had been waiting for her. Unwilling to part ways with Angeline, Floretta started making a ruckus before the former got out of the car. ¡°Floretta, if you continue acting this way, you won¡¯t be allowed toe out anymore,¡± Evander uttered strictly. It was clear the man was on the verge of losing his temper. The mischievous Floretta stuck her tongue out and shot Evander a hopeful gaze while tugging Angeline¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s Thanksgiving tomorrow. Can we invite Angel to our house?¡± At that, Evander paused in surprise. Recalling how Floretta, who had always been a picky eater, had finished an entire te of food when Angeline fed her, he wavered. If it¡¯s in a safe and protected environment, perhaps it isn¡¯t a bad idea for Floretta to interact with Angeline. After pondering for a short while, Evander put on a solemn look and said, ¡°How about I send the chauffeur over to pick you up tomorrow?¡± ¡°Mr. Golding?¡± Angeline was so bewildered she even doubted if her ears were ying tricks on her. ¡°It¡¯s mainly to discuss the ambassador contract.¡± The man¡¯s words instantly captured her attention, and not daring to refuse any further, she silently acquiesced. ¡°Yay, that¡¯s great. I can see Angel again.¡± Delighted, Floretta held Angeline¡¯s hand and twirled around her. With that, the girl finally agreed to head home with Evander. After watching the father and daughter duo leave the scene, Angeline fished out her phone and gave Nancy a call. She informed thetter to head over with the driver to pick her up. Once Angeline got into the car, Nancy, looking particrly nosy, rested her chin on her hand and teased, ¡°Angeline, I¡¯ve underestimated you. You¡¯re one efficientdy, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ve already set your sights on Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense. I will never have the guts to seduce Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline smacked Nancy¡¯s head. The mere thought of Evander¡¯s icy gaze was enough to send chills down Angeline¡¯s spine. Moreover, she was all focused on seeking her revenge right now. ¡°But Angie, you¡¯re now a hot topic on the inte.¡± Only then did Nancy regain her serious expression. She scrolled through her phone and handed it to Angeline. ¡°Here, these are some invitation notices from thepany. There¡¯s no conflict of interest with your ambassador contract. Plus, they¡¯re offering high remuneration too. Go ahead and choose one.¡± ¡°So fast?¡± Angeline gasped in astonishment. After flipping through a few pages, she finally had her attention on a variety show named Let¡¯s Go, My Friend. Her red lips lifted into a weak smirk as she knocked her finger on the screen twice. ¡°This is it.¡± Rumor has it that this new variety show will invite guests to participate in their games as they head to a new city every episode. It¡¯s a popr show recently. Most importantly, the investor of this variety show is none other than Hanson. As she thought of that, her gaze grew increasingly frosty and even had a tinge of mockery to them. The following day, Angeline went to the office to attend a conference. As she had no schedules nned for the rest of the day after signing the contract for the variety show, she decided to head over to ck Forest Cafe. The interior of the cafe revolved around the theme of forestry. At the intersection of the stairs, there was a streamlet. The sounds of water flowing along warmed the hearts of the visitors. At an hour like this, there were only a handful of customers at the cafe. Nheless, Angeline instinctively adjusted her mask and avoided the crowd as she swept her gaze, hidden under her sunsses, across the venue. Eventually, her gazended on the man sitting at the table next to the windows. The roughly twenty- five-year-old man was wearing a in white shirt and ck pants and was probably the only one around who did not have his head buried in his phone screen or work. Angeline stepped forward and headed in the man¡¯s direction. In truth, she could not associate the young man¡¯s countenance with the craftiness of that person in the text message. Furrowing her brows, Angeline tightened her grip on her bag and decided to leave. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°Ms. Sorelle, since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t you take a seat and have a chat with me?¡± The man¡¯s deep voice rang out, a nonchnt smile disyed on his face. Angeline raised a brow when she heard that. To make sure she was not mistaken, she asked, ¡°Were you the one who sent the text?¡± ¡°What do you think? I¡¯ve done you a great favor, haven¡¯t I?¡± His gentle voice was very attractive. As he spoke, he casually poured a packet of sugar into his cup of coffee and stirred it with a spoon. It was the amount Angeline took daily. Angeline gazed at him solemnly, then pulled out a chair and sat down, clenching her bag strap. ¡°Who are you? Why are you helping me?¡± The man pushed the cup of coffee toward her. ¡°I¡¯m Jonathan Green. We have amon enemy, and I can help you take revenge.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Angeline¡¯s face darkened, and she got up to leave. Right then, Jonathan, behind her, said, ¡°I know you were set up by your sister to have sex with a stranger. You even gave birth to a child, right?¡± He uttered every word unhurriedly, yet each word was a huge blow to Angeline. She stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at Jonathan. Her calm gaze stirred with emotions. ¡°What are you trying to do? Are you suggesting we work together?¡± Jonathan stood up and approached Angeline. His mischievous smile had vanished. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll help you take back Sorelle Group¡¯s shares and continue looking for the child. However, I need you to remember this. Get on Evander¡¯s good books. That¡¯s the easiest shortcut to your sess. Give it some thought and contact me when you¡¯ve made a decision.¡± With that, he turned around and left the cafe, having no intentions of staying back. As Angeline watched him disappear from her sight, she slumped into her chair listlessly and stared at the cup of coffee in front of her in a daze. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how terrifying the situation was. That man even knows how much sugar I put in my coffee. Just exactly how much has he looked into me? Most importantly, he said he¡¯ll help me look for my child. Is he trying to tell me that my child isn¡¯t dead? At that thought, Angeline could no longer suppress the wave of emotions in her heart. She clenched her fists so hard that her palms became sweaty. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Shortly after, she stepped out of the cafe. As the zing sun shone on her face, she lifted her hand and blocked it off. At that moment, her phone rang in her pocket. Seeing it was an unfamiliar number, she frowned and swiped the screen to answer it. ¡°Hello, Ms. Sorelle. I¡¯m the driver of the Golding family. Ms. Floretta has been asking to see you. Mr. Golding has instructed me to ask you if I could bring you over now.¡± Angeline was surprised to hear that. It was at that moment that she finally realized it was Thanksgiving that day. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll send you my location,¡± Angeline responded. She returned to the cafe, bought a red velvet cake from the counter, and patiently waited for the Golding family¡¯s driver. Around fifteen minutester, Angeline got into a minivan that sped toward a mansion. On the lime-green grass in the courtyard stood a swing entangled by flowers and vines. Dressed in a pinkce dress, Floretta sat on the swing and swung her legs while humming a tune. Beside her stood a middle-ageddy who had an apron on. The moment she heard the sound of a car engine, Floretta hopped off the swing excitedly and ran toward Angeline with her arms wide open. ¡°Angel!¡± Francesca went after her anxiously. ¡°Ms. Floretta, don¡¯t run. You¡¯ll fall.¡± Angeline caught Floretta in time and gently tapped her nose with a smile. ¡°You little glutton, did you come running because you smelled cake?¡± ¡°Cake?¡± Floretta was surprised to see Angeline revealing a cake box. She held it close to her chest, her eyes crinkling as she beamed. ¡°Wow! This is the best gift I¡¯ve ever received.¡± She then turned and showed off to Francesca. ¡°It¡¯s from Angel! And it¡¯s my favorite vor!¡± Francesca held her steady in an affectionate manner. ¡°I see that. Please slow down, Ms. Floretta. We don¡¯t want to drop this cake, now do we?¡± Seeing Floretta so happy made Angeline feel slightly awkward. She nced at Francesca and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a little present.¡± Francesca nodded respectfully, having a good impression of Angeline. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen Ms. Floretta this happy. You must be Ms. Sorelle, right? You look more beautiful in real life.¡± Angeline grinned shyly. ¡°You tter me, Francesca.¡± Floretta grabbed Angeline¡¯s hand and led her into the mansion. Upon arriving at the living room, Angeline scanned the interior, which had a modern-style structure. It had three floors and arge area. The table was filled with fruits, boxes of apple hand pies, and unopened presents. Angeline figured they must be given by Evander¡¯s business partners. Francesca walked over and said, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, why don¡¯t you y with Ms. Floretta? I¡¯ll head over to the kitchen to finish the apple hand pies.¡± Angeline arched her brows upon hearing apple hand pies. She looked rather interested. ¡°Floretta, do you want to try making apple hand pies?¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up. She pped excitedly and replied, ¡°Yeah! I want to be as great as Franny!¡± ¡°Can we join you, Francesca?¡± Francesca could not believe her ears, for she had never seen Floretta showing so much interest in something. She nodded and said, ¡°Of course. Come on.¡± Angeline led Floretta into the kitchen and helped her wash her hands. She then folded Floretta¡¯s sleeves and helped her put on an apron. Once the tools were prepared, Angeline and Floretta stood in front of the countertop. Angeline exined patiently, ¡°Floretta, let me show you how to knead the dough and you can follow me after that.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta beamed. With that, Angeline began to teach Floretta step by step. At the same time, Floretta followed her instructions seriously. As Floretta was not familiar with the steps, she identally covered her face with flour. ¡°Oh my goodness. Why are you in such a state, Ms. Floretta?¡± Shocked to see Floretta in such a mess, Francesca quickly rushed off to get a towel. Just as she was about to walk out of the kitchen, she bumped into Evander, who asked frostily, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± As soon as he saw what was going on in the kitchen, he was stunned. Floretta had always been particr about hygiene. Yet, she was ying flour with Angeline in the kitchen. What shocked him more was that Floretta¡¯s face was covered with flour. ¡°Stop ying around, Floretta.¡± An exasperated Angeline grabbed hold of Floretta, who was running around and not paying attention. Even so, her voice was still filled with affection. As she looked up casually, she spotted the man standing by the door. She felt her stomach drop, and she staggered a few steps backward. ¡°Y-You¡¯re back. So soon?¡± ¡°Angeline, is this your way of getting revenge? By messing up the kitchen?¡± Evander¡¯s expression darkened, his eyes filled with displeasure. Angeline shook her head vehemently. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to do. I just wanted to teach Floretta to make some apple hand pies. I thought that would be meaningful.¡± Evander frowned, unable to understand her actions. He said impatiently, ¡°That¡¯s totally unnecessary. There are tons of ready-made apple hand pies in the house already.¡± Angeline red at him and retorted, ¡°They taste different from handmade ones. Besides, Floretta¡¯s at the age where she needspany. If you keep herpany by making them with her, she¡¯ll be very happy even if they taste bad.¡± ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Floretta called out sweetly as she made her way toward Evander, not realizing the floor was slippery. ¡°Floretta!¡± the two adults shrieked in unison. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 They stepped forward at the same time to hold Floretta. However, Angeline was too anxious that she, too, had forgotten about the slippery floor. Her body leaned forward, and she was about to crash to the ground when arge arm grabbed hold of her. Surprised, she looked up and saw Evander holding both her and Floretta, each in one arm. Floretta chuckled, her gaze darting from Evander to Angeline. Immediately, her eyes lit up, and she asked, ¡°Angel, shouldn¡¯t you consider bing my mommy since Daddy hugged you?¡± Evander froze while Angeline blushed. She scrambled out of Evander¡¯s arms and stood up, correcting Floretta, ¡°Watch your words. Your daddy has a fianc¨¦e already. Come on. Let¡¯s continue making apple hand pies.¡± The moment Floretta heard the words ¡°apple hand pies,¡± she ignored Evander in an instant and skipped toward Angeline to continue making the pastries. Suddenly, Angeline turned around to nce at Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, you haven¡¯t been spending much time with Floretta, right? Do you want to join us?¡± Evander could not help but feel bad when he saw Floretta kneading the dough seriously. She¡¯s right. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been spending much time with Floretta recently. Just as he was lost in his thoughts, an apron was stuffed into his arms. Standing in front of him, Angeline said with a smile, ¡°Francesca says Floretta hasn¡¯t been this happy. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be delighted if you could make apple hand pies with her.¡± Evander frowned with disgust at the pink floral apron in his arms. Regardless, he still followed Angeline to the countertop. Floretta helped him put on the apron in a clumsy manner and said sweetly, ¡°Remember to pay attention, Daddy.¡± Evander was speechless. Just like that, Angeline had sessfully recruited a father and a daughter as her students. Evander followed Angeline¡¯s actions mindlessly, mixing the flour and making the filling. Finally, they reached the final step, which was to wrap the fillings with the pastry. ¡°Most apple hand pies sold out there are shaped like semi-circles, but we don¡¯t have to be so strict. We can let our imagination go wild and make whatever shape we want,¡± Angeline said professionally. ¡°Got it!¡± Floretta raised her hand excitedly. Looking deadpan as usual, Evander poured all his focus on the dough as he crimped the sides. He looked so serious as if he was creating the world¡¯s greatest masterpiece. Ten minutester, Angeline had created rabbit and bear-shaped apple hand pies. At the same time, Floretta had created a chubby smiley face and had even made some openings to decorate the face. Finally, their eyes fell on Evander¡¯s board, and they were filled with shock. The pastries on his board varied in sizes and colors. Floretta tilted her head and asked innocently, ¡°Wow, Daddy, did you make a pile of poo?¡± Unable to hold it in, Angeline burst outughing while hugging Floretta. Evander¡¯s expression turned as dark as thunder. Feigning ignorance, he forced himself to remain calm as he ttened the ¡°poo¡± with his hand. Then he washed his hands and marched out of the kitchen without a word. Angeline and Floretta pursed their lips, smiling as they exchanged nces. Floretta pped her hands happily when the apple hand pies were ced in the oven. ¡°Mission aplished!¡± Francesca wanted to take Floretta for a bath, but thetter insisted Angeline help her instead. In the end, Angeline had no choice but to oblige and follow Floretta into the bedroom. First, Angeline filled the bathtub with warm water. Then, she checked the toiletries, only to find the children¡¯s shower gel had finished. Looks like Francesca didn¡¯t have the time to rece it with a new one. Angeline told Floretta to wait in the bathroom. After asking Francesca, she found out that the new bottles of shower gel were stored in the guest room. Seeing that Francesca was busy and unable to step away from her spot, Angeline went to the guest room alone. The shelf was filled with new towels, and to her dismay, the shower gel was ced on top of the shelf. Frowning, Angeline tip-toed and reached out to grab a bottle of shower gel. ¡°Is this the one you want?¡± Suddenly, a man¡¯s deep voice rang out beside her ears as an arm passed over the top of her head. Realizing who it was, Angeline froze and nodded robotically. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡± She did not dare to look up. All she saw was the shadow on the shelf getting darker. Evander grabbed a towel and lowered his head. The surprise was evident in his eyes as he studied Angeline¡¯s delicate side profile. He had never looked at her carefully and had just realized that she was rather pretty. She looked better than the other women out there, at the very least, and she seemed exceptionally patient, especially when it came to taking care of children as if she was experienced. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline took the shower gel, blushing from the stare he gave her. She felt as if the temperature of the guest room had risen. Angeline figured Evander had just finished showering, for the refreshing fragrance made her want to take a few more whiffs. Right then, Floretta came looking for Angeline in the guest room. The second she saw the scene in the room, she mped her hands over her mouth, her eyes glinting with excitement. Judging by the recent happenings, I think Angel is going to be my mommy soon. Hmm¡­ But I think I have to help them out. Floretta pulled out her phone and sneakily took a few pictures of them. Creak! The door she was leaning against moved, causing Evander and Angeline to look over. Floretta quickly put away her phone and blinked innocently, grinning. ¡°Daddy, Angel, what are you guys doing? Are you ying a game?¡± ¡°No. Your daddy¡¯s just helping me take some things.¡± It was at that moment that Angeline realized she and Evander were standing in an awkward position. Embarrassed, she shuffled aside and put a safe distance between them. She then walked to the door, grabbed Floretta¡¯s hand, and left the room. Evander¡¯s gaze darkened as he stared at Angeline¡¯s retreating back in a daze. By the time Floretta finished showering, Francesca had finished cooking. Floretta had been thinking about thepleted apple hand pies the entire time. She ced one onto her te and enjoyed her pie outside while admiring the night view. As Angeline sat at the dining table, she realized Evander was still not bringing up the agreement. With a ss of water in her hand, she stood up and raised it to make a toast. ¡°Mr. Golding, should we arrange a time to sign the agreement?¡± Evander did not expect Angeline to be so straightforward. He cast her a cold gaze and said sternly, ¡°Come to Golding Group the day after tomorrow.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that. ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, she downed the ss of water. Evander put down his fork and ced his hand on his thigh. He uttered in a dictatorial tone, ¡°However, Golding Group has its own rules. During the shooting period, you¡¯re not allowed to use thepany¡¯s name to gain fame on screen.¡± It was a reminder that had an implicit meaning. Angeline immediately understood his intentions. She met his gaze calmly and answered, ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t mention Golding Group¡¯s name at all. Besides, Let¡¯s Go, My Friend has a great reputation. My appearance on this show is basically a free advertisement for Starlight Jewelry. It¡¯s quite a good deal.¡± A good deal? Evander took in her confident expression. After several seconds of silence, he smirked and announced Angeline¡¯s motive. ¡°The Yiurk family isn¡¯t acting so arrogant without any reason. Hanson is a capable person. You¡¯re totally overestimating your capabilities if you¡¯re nning to fight against him with what you have now.¡± Angeline was helping Floretta to wipe her mouth when she heard that. She smiled evilly and said, ¡°We should first anger the enemy if we want them to expose themselves, right?¡± Upon hearing that, Evander looked at her inquisitively. The sense of calmness and confidence that she gave off made it clear that everything was going ording to her n. Looks like there¡¯s no way Joseline and Hanson are going to have their wedding as nned. This woman is quite impressive. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 It was already ten o¡¯clock at night by the time they finished their meal. Seeing it was alreadyte, Angeline got ready to leave. Evander instructed the butler to send Angeline home. Before she entered the car, Floretta hugged her thighs, unwilling to let her go. It took her a long time to coax the girl. After watching the car leave, Floretta held back her tears and trotted to her room, ignoring Evander. Evander looked at her retreating back while massaging his temples. He then quickly followed after her and pushed her room door open. Floretta could be seen huddled up at the corner of the couch while hugging a rabbit plushy. Though her face was covered with her long hair, it was easy to tell that she was crying. Evander approached her and took the plushy away, wanting to wipe her face with a piece of tissue. However, Floretta harrumphed and avoided his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough. What did Angeline feed you that made her so unforgettable?¡± Evander questioned fiercely with a stern expression. Floretta pouted and sobbed louder. ¡°Angel is great. She¡¯s way better than that Ms. Sherrock. Bad Daddy. You never let Angel and I see each other.¡± Evander was at a loss for words. He could not handle Floretta¡¯s rant, for it made his head hurt. He pinched her nose with the tissue, removing arge snot, then said helplessly, ¡°All right, stop crying. I promise you can visit Angeline at work.¡± Floretta stopped crying, and her eyes sparkled with surprise. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°But you have to promise me that you won¡¯t sneak out again. Francesca must be with you all the time, and each visit can onlyst for an hour.¡± ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best, Daddy!¡± Floretta threw herself into Evander¡¯s arms and nted a wet kiss on his face. Evander returned the hug, his frosty expression reced by a gentle one. Ever since Angeline appeared, Floretta had gotten closer to him. He was beginning to think that it was not a bad idea to let them interact. However, that did not mean he had put down his guard toward Angeline. The next day, the shooting for Let¡¯s Go, My Friend officially began. The filming location was in arge building, and the area nearby was packed with fans. In fact, most of them hade for Angeline. Right then, a minivan pulled up in front of the entrance. Angeline was dressed quite fashionably in a bucket hat, a cropped tank top, denim shorts, and a zer. As soon as she got out of the vehicle, her fans waved banners and yelled crazily, ¡°Angeline! Angeline! We love you!¡± Hearing that, Angeline turned around and waved at them with a smile. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The fans¡¯ excitement reached its peak. Even their voices became hoarse as they screamed, ¡°Ah! She¡¯s so lovely! All the best, Angeline!¡± In the entertainment industry, all rumors could be suppressed as long as the celebrities were famous enough. Now that the public service announcement had made her so popr, she would be trending on Twitter in no time. Angeline entered the building under the bodyguards¡¯ escort. The building had already been cleared out. The only people remaining were the staff, who were busy decorating the precinct. After greeting the director, Lester Anderson, Angeline made her way to the dressing room. Nancy had been following behind her. In a low voice, Nancy said, ¡°I just heardst night that Hanson will always come to the set to supervise the work. I can help you think of something if you don¡¯t want to meet him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s just film this as usual.¡± Angeline smiled, looking as if she was familiar with such situations. The variety show had a total of twelve episodes, each having a different theme as an attraction. The first episode was Back to Schooldays. The makeup artist had prepared a few sets of uniforms for the celebrities. Angeline¡¯s expression grew cold when she saw Silverleaf High¡¯s logo sewed on the chest area of the uniform. What a coincidence. Hanson, Joseline, and I graduated from that school. Angeline changed into the uniform and examined herself in the mirror. A pained look shed past her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she recollected her thoughts. She took out an old hair clip from her bag and clipped it onto her hair. Once the preparations wereplete, the shoot officially began. Hanson sat beside Lester, his eyes fixed on the screen as he discussed some work-rted matters with him. Joseline, who was behind him, could not conceal her bulging belly no matter howrge her clothes were. With an arm wrapped around Hanson¡¯s, she said coyly, ¡°Hanson, let¡¯s go. The smell here makes me want to puke.¡± Hanson cast her a nce and instantly retracted his arm. ¡°I¡¯m working. You can go home first if you can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Tsk, I just want to spend more time with you,¡± Joseline grumbled. Hanson frowned impatiently. However, a conflicted look fleeted across his eyes when he nced at her belly. The fact that Joseline could get pregnant was an ident. However, his mother somehow found out about it and threatened Hanson to bring the baby into the world. Thus, he had no choice but to put up with it during Joseline¡¯s pregnancy, regardless of how displeased he was. The permanent cast members of the show stood in the middle of the building while teasing each other and making introductions. Just then, the host¡ªwith a microphone in his hand¡ªwalked toward the center of the stage while introducing, ¡°This episode is quite an exciting one. We¡¯ve managed to invite some young actors and actresses from thetest hit dramas to bring us back to our school days. First, let us wee the male lead of Pce Drama, Stanley Carr!¡± A loud round of apuse echoed in the air as the actor, Stanley, got onto the stage. Next, a few young actors were quickly introduced as well. Finally, it was Angeline¡¯s turn. She walked toward the stage in an unhurried manner. The moment she took her third step, someone called out, ¡°Angeline?¡± Hanson¡¯s voice was filled with shock and disbelief. No matter how mentally prepared Angeline was, she still felt a pang in her heart at the familiar voice. She calmed herself down and slowly turned around. Standing in the distance were her ex-fianc¨¦ and her sister. Wow, they look so sweet holding hands. Joseline¡¯s pupils constricted, and her face paled. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I was invited to this show. Is that weird?¡± Angeline said coldly. Hearing that, Hanson threw Lester a reproachful nce, causing thetter to hang his head guiltily. It was evident that Lester knew about the grudge between Angeline and the couple, but he had selfishly invited Angeline to the show for the sake of ratings. Hanson¡¯s eyes gleamed, but he still chose to be rational by saying grimly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Carry on.¡± Angeline sneered inwardly. The moment she stepped onto the stage, she dismissed her emotions and introduced herself to everyone enthusiastically. She also admitted, ¡°This is quite some coincidence. I went to Silverleaf High during my high school days, too.¡± ¡°I heard most students have crushes when they¡¯re in high school. Do you have an unforgettable rtionship back when you were in high school, Ms. Sorelle?¡± Hearing the host¡¯s words, Angeline cast a nce at Hanson. Shebed her hair with her fingers and pretended to touch her hair clip. Hanson¡¯s eyes were aze as he stared at her. He clenched his fists and suppressed the stirring emotions in his heart. Time had flown by so fast that he could still picture the teenage Angeline from high school in the current version before him. The thought of it left a pang in his heart. Right then, Angeline answered, ¡°No. I poured all my attention into my studies during my high school days. I didn¡¯t have anyone I liked.¡± Her words were like a pail of ice-cold water that was dumped on Hanson, who looked livid. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 That was the nature of men. They would never realize how great it was to own something until they had lost it. Just then, Angeline smiled and added, ¡°However, I had a senior in high school who¡¯d pick me up every day on his bicycle. He would pack food from the cafeteria for me and even go to all the upperssmen¡¯s ssrooms to borrow a dress when mine was stained during a cultural performance. He was once an important person to me.¡± The look on Hanson¡¯s face changed when he heard that. For some reason, it made him feel strangely uneasy. He had never expected Angeline to regard him as her senior again. At the same time, the words ¡°an important person¡± kept echoing in his mind as if it was a string tugging at his heart. Joseline could not help but scoff inwardly as she observed the change in Hanson¡¯s expression. Hah. Here I was thinking Angeline was quite a capable person. Well, all she knows is to bring up these memories in front of the camera. Why would Hanson be with me if he really cared about the past? As she lifted her head, her eyes fell on the water park, and they glinted with malice. After taking a ten-minute break, all the guests gathered at the water park to begin the first mini-game, Guess the Riddle. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. There was an automated elevator in the middle of the pool. Once the guests had stepped on it, the elevator would start moving with increasing speed. At the same time, the host would ask them questions. If the guests failed to answer them, they would be tossed into the water. Soon, the match began. The guests were divided into two teams, red and blue. Angeline was assigned to the blue team. The first group of people to join the match were a few rookies. The host held up a tiny board with a brain teaser written on it. Unfortunately, some of them failed to guess the answer, and they fell into the water, leaving everyone roaring withughter. Just as the show was at its peak, it was Angeline¡¯s turn. She arrived at the scene, stepped onto the elevator, and got into a standby position, looking rather serious. ¡°All right. Currently, the red team is leading the game by one point. All the blue team¡¯s hopes are pinned on Angeline now. Let¡¯s look forward to her performance!¡± The host chuckled and blew the whistle. ¡°Ready¡­ Go!¡± He quickly picked up the board from the floor, which had a question written on it: How do you calm down a sparrow? As soon as the question was revealed, the elevator started moving. To prevent herself from falling, Angeline had no choice but to start walking on the elevator. The question was surprisingly challenging. However, it was a brain teaser, which meant one could not figure out the answer using normal ways. ¡°The answer is¡ª¡± Angeline was about to answer when the elevator suddenly moved faster as if it had lost control. She could not keep up with its speed. With a loud ssh, Angeline fell into the pool, forming big waves upon impact. She tried her best to p her arms, keeping her head above the water while she waited for the film crew to send in a lifeguard. To her horror, no one came. It was only after she choked on the water several times that she realized it was all nned. ¡°Help!¡± Her cry was incredibly soft, and her consciousness was slipping away. s, the guests on the stage thought she was acting for the sake of the game. They were teasing and laughing at her. Only Hanson realized something was amiss when he watched the rippling waters. Suddenly, he recalled the incident where Angeline had identally fallen into the pond behind their school during their high school days. By the time he rushed over to save her, merely five minutes had passed. Even so, she was already on the verge of unconsciousness. That incident alone was enough to prove that Angeline did not know how to swim. At that thought, Hanson stood up abruptly from the chair; his usually warm expression turned grim. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop filming.¡± He took off his coat while making his way to the pool. ¡°Hanson, what are you doing? The water is cold!¡± Joseline shouted frantically. Hanson, however, ignored her words, leaping straight into the water. He swam professionally toward Angeline and pulled her into his embrace. Angeline had her eyes shut tight, with her eyebrows knitted together. Hanson¡¯s heart was instantly filled with worry. He leaned into her ear and whispered, ¡°Angeline, stay with me. Don¡¯t sleep.¡± Then he brought Angeline out of the pool as fast as he could. Seeing that the situation was bad, Lester hurriedly called over the medical staff on standby to perform CPR. At the same time, Joseline walked over with a towel. She ced it over Hanson and said worriedly, ¡°Hanson, you should go get changed. It won¡¯t be good if you catch a cold.¡± At that, she lifted one of the corners of the towel to wipe his face, but he did not respond. Instead, he reached out and shoved her away harshly. ¡°Stand there. Don¡¯t get in the way here.¡± With that, he continued patting Angeline¡¯s face and kept calling her name. Get in the way¡­ Joseline staggered backward. When she finally steadied herself, she noticed Hanson¡¯s concerned gaze as he looked at Angeline. She felt as if she was struck by lightning. Just then, Angeline spat out a mouthful of water and lifted her heavy eyelids, gradually regaining consciousness. Hanson¡¯s face instantly lit up. He helped her up from the floor and asked, ¡°Angeline, how are you feeling now?¡± Angeline frowned at the blurry sight. She coughed lightly and replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lester, who was standing by the side, looked utterly guilty. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. The lifeguard left. I¡¯ll get someone to fire himter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. He didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Angeline¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. She nced at Joseline, and realization dawned on her the moment she saw how anxious thetter was. Immediately after that, her lips curled into a smile. She hung an arm around Hanson¡¯s neck weakly and stroked it gently with her nails. ¡°Hanson, I¡¯m freezing,¡± she said feebly, sounding as if she was acting cute yet feeling aggrieved at the same time. Hanson froze. Angeline had changed. She contrasted greatly with the cute and obedient version of her from the past, and the difference made him feel excited. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you to the infirmary,¡± Hanson said grimly. Bending over, he picked her up and marched toward the infirmary. Being left behind, Joseline felt utterly humiliated as the crowd nced at her oddly. She had only wanted to teach Angeline a lesson. Unfortunately, she underestimated Hanson¡¯s skills at hiding his emotions. She could not bring herself to believe that her caring fianc¨¦ still had feelings for Angeline. I¡¯m bearing your child! Angeline is such a cunning woman! I¡¯ll never let things go her way. Soon, Angeline arrived at the infirmary. When Hanson hurried off to get her a change of clothes, she gently wiped her hair dry using the towel he gave with a smirk. I can imagine how interesting Joseline¡¯s expression will be. Click! The door suddenly opened, and Joseline could be seen entering before carefully shutting the door. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Joseline walked over and grabbed her sister¡¯s arm. ¡°Angeline, are you all right?¡± she asked concernedly. ¡°How did you fall into the water? That lifeguard is so irresponsible.¡± To her surprise, Angeline pulled away and replied curtly, ¡°Don¡¯t I have you to thank for that?¡± Looking incredibly aggrieved, Joseline stared back with puppy dog eyes. ¡°How could you say that? I¡¯d never¡ª¡± ¡°Quit pretending, Ms. Sorelle. No one else is around, so go on and get to the point,¡± Angeline interrupted as she eyed her sister with open disdain. One thing was for sure¡ªshe was sick of her sister¡¯s friendly fa?ade. Since Angeline had seen through her, Joseline knew there was no longer a need to keep up her pretense. With an evil glint in her eye, she promptly leaned in and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m marrying Hanson soon, Angeline. You¡¯d better not ruin things for me.¡± Angeline looked her in the eye and scoffed. ¡°My, my, you¡¯ve thought this n out well, haven¡¯t you? If you hadn¡¯t gotten me drunk back then and pushed me into a stranger¡¯s bed, I reckon Hanson and I would¡¯ve been married by now.¡± Upon hearing that, Joseline stumbled backward in shock. Oh, sh*t! Angeline knows the truth about that incident! After looking around frantically and realizing there weren¡¯t any surveince cameras in the room, she finally calmed herself down. ¡°S-Stop spouting nonsense,¡± Joseline said through gritted teeth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who set you up all those years ago.¡± As she continued staring at her sister, Angeline suddenly recalled thetter saying that her child was still alive. Naturally, that piqued her curiosity. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s not talk about that for now. What I want to know is what happened to my child.¡± Joseline¡¯s air of superiority returned as she gave an arrogant sneer. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. Your child is really still alive!¡± Angeline froze immediately, feeling as though someone had doused her with cold water. ¡°Tell me everything you know,¡± she demanded, trying desperately to calm herself down by biting her lip and pinching her thigh. Joseline, on the other hand, was secretly delighted to see her sister in such a panic. Without further ado, she whipped out her phone and began scrolling through her videos. ¡°Speaking of which, you really ought to thank me. That man had intended to get rid of the baby, but I managed to save her and sent her to the orphanage.¡± Angeline still wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, but after watching the video, all her doubts disappeared in a sh. The hospital in the video was where she had delivered her baby, and ward 504, in particr, was where she had stayed. In the video, a nurse walked out of the ward carrying a newborn and looked around shiftily. When she realized there wasn¡¯t anyone else around, she tightened the nket around the baby and ran off. Angeline paused the video right at that moment and zoomed in on the baby¡¯s nket. After scrutinizing it for a while, she was so ovee with emotions that she couldn¡¯t stop shaking. Yes! That¡¯s my child! As it turned out, she had spent a month before her due date making a nket for her baby. She had even sewn a sunflower on one of the corners, hoping the little one would grow up full of joy and optimism. ¡°O-Orphanage¡­¡± Angeline stammered before throwing her towel away and preparing to rush off in search of her child. Before she could venture far, however, Joseline¡¯s cold, unfeeling voice rang out. ¡°Do you honestly think the child is still there?¡± Stunned, Angeline stopped in her tracks and turned around robotically. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The kid only stayed at the orphanage until she was three years old. She went missing after that,¡± Joseline replied as she approached her sister, a wicked glint in her eye. Just like that, Angeline¡¯s me of hope was extinguished yet again. She stood rooted to the spot, staring nkly at Joseline. ¡°I¡¯ve checked with the orphanage before, and the director gave me a photo of the woman who kidnapped the child,¡± thetter said as she dug out a photo of a middle-ageddy and handed it to Angeline. ¡°If you want to know the girl¡¯s current whereabouts, I suggest you stay far away from Hanson and stop eyeing thepany¡¯s shares!¡± Upon hearing her sister¡¯s threat, Angeline finally came to her senses. Ah, so that¡¯s the real reason she told me about my baby! Seeing how smug Joseline was, Angeline¡¯s face grew cold and stern. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe you just because of a few words and photos?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Unless you find and bring my child to me, I won¡¯t stop fighting for Sorelle Group¡¯s shares,¡± Angeline replied calmly. ¡°As for your wedding with Hanson¡­ Who knows if it will go ahead as nned?¡± Joseline flinched. D*mn it. Not only have I not managed to get my threat across, but I¡¯ve also given my leverage away! Feeling defeated and humiliated, she red at her sister. ¡°Angeline Sorelle, you b*tch!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Instead of replying, Angeline merely scoffed and walked away. s, she had only just opened the door when she saw Hanson approaching with a set of clean clothes. Even though he was frowning, his gaze had softened quite a bit. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Since her thoughts were still a tangled mess, Angeline was in no mood to deal with Hanson or Joseline. ¡°If you¡¯re so free, Mr. Yiurk, I suggest you keep an eye on your fianc¨¦e,¡± she said coldly. With that, she hurriedly stepped past Hanson and left the lounge, leaving the man fuming after her. As clever and sharp-witted as he was, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like Angeline had yed him for a fool. Meanwhile, Angeline had made her way to the lobby when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, looking somewhat helpless. Oh, gosh, what have Joseline¡¯s words done to me? How am I supposed to find my child with just a photo? No. I should deal with what I have on hand first. Having made up her mind, Angeline instructed Nancy to bring her a set of clothes before assuring the film crew that she was fit to continue filming. At that moment, however, Joseline¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Since you can¡¯t swim and are at risk of drowning, I doubt this variety show is for you. Mr. Anderson, why don¡¯t you let Ms. Sorelle head home to rest?¡± Angeline¡¯s face fell instantly. She could feel everyone¡¯s mocking gazes and hear them speaking in hushed tones. Lester, too, seemed somewhat awkward as he pondered the situation. Eventually, he gave in, not wanting to offend the future Mrs. Yiurk. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯m afraid we have to ask you to¡ª¡± However, before Lester could finish his sentence, his assistant hastily walked up to whisper in his ear and showed him something on the phone. Lester frowned as he took a look, but it wasn¡¯t long before he began chuckling. ¡°Oh dear, Ms. Sorelle, why didn¡¯t you tell me about your rtionship with Mr. Golding?¡± he asked politely. ¡°What an ignorant fool I¡¯ve been!¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows in confusion. Huh? What¡¯s with his sudden change in attitude? And what rtionship do I have with Evander? Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°You should just speak your mind, Mr. Anderson.¡± ¡°How long more are you trying to conceal it, Ms. Sorelle? Your photograph with Mr. Golding is all over the Inte!¡± The director chuckled as he handed his phone to Angeline. Angeline gasped, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the trending photograph on Twitter. It was of them in the guest room next to the rack, and Evander was reaching for the shower gel for her. The angle of the photograph made it appear as if Evander was embracing her. Furthermore, he was d in casual attire. It was difficult to imagine any scenario other than them being a couple. Most importantly, who took the photograph? And why was it circted? Angeline returned the phone to the director with a mystified look. Noting the curious stares directed toward her, she could not help but twitch her lips. I¡¯m famous now because of Evander. The director not onlymenced Angeline¡¯s scenes, but he also canceled the minigame at the water park and tasked an assistant to oversee Angeline¡¯s requests. Joseline faltered at the sight, bbergasted. How did this happen? How could a second-tier celebrity like Angeline be an acquaintance of Evander? Furthermore, wasn¡¯t it revealed that he has a fianc¨¦e? Before Joseline could figure it out, the director called for filming to continue. The remaining scenes were shot without a hitch. After wrapping up for the day, Angeline called Nancy at once to have thetter help pack up while she went to change out of her uniform. Angeline had spent the afternoon simmering in unease. I¡¯d just sworn to Evander yesterday, and such an intimate photograph was leaked a dayter. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll let me off the hook for this. After getting dressed, she emerged from the changing room and caught a glimpse of a silhouette following her from the mirror on the wall. Angeline frowned, a cold smile spreading across her lips. She stopped and, without turning around, said, ¡°How long are you nning on following me, Mr. Yiurk?¡± Hanson emerged from behind a column not more than two meters away. Though looking refined in his expensive suit, his countenance was extraordinarily gloomy. ¡°How may I help you?¡± Angeline turned around to gaze expressionlessly at the approaching man. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Hanson stared down at her. ¡°Is the news true? Are you really in a rtionship with Evander?¡± ¡°So what if I am?¡± Angeline asked in cold amusement. ¡°Who are you to interrogate me, Mr. Yiurk? Have you forgotten about your pregnant fianc¨¦e?¡± Her aggression caused Hanson¡¯s scowl to deepen rmingly. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good. You cannot afford to entangle yourself with Evander!¡± Angeline¡¯s expression turned sourer. She was about to retort when she spotted the gorgeous silhouette hidden behind the wall not far away. A smile appeared on Angeline¡¯s lips. Her five-inch heels allowed her to meet Hanson¡¯s gaze and match his imposing aura with her own. In the next instant, her slender fingers wrapped around Hanson¡¯s necktie and shoved him against the wall. ¡°Are you showing concern for me, Mr. Yiurk?¡± Hanson grimaced in pain as his back collided against the wall, but he was not angry. Angeline leaned in closer. The tenderness in her eyes confused and fascinated him. ¡°The entertainment industry does not suit you, Angeline. You are a graduate of a prestigious university, and I can arrange a stable job for you,¡± he uttered every word with warm sincerity. Angeline gazed at him. Her seductive gaze suddenly turned cold as she sneered. Hanson¡¯s expression grew taut. He only realized that he had fallen into Angeline¡¯s trap when he heard her say, ¡°Have you seen enough, Mrs. Yiurk?¡± Joseline stalked out with an expression of deranged fury. ¡°How dare you seduce a married man, you b*tch?¡± Allposure forgotten, she raised her hand. Just when Joseline¡¯s p was about to find its mark, Hanson grabbed her wrist in time with a grim look on his face. ¡°Enough! You look like a madwoman.¡± ¡°How could you say that about me, Hanson?¡± she demanded, aggrieved. Angeline turned to depart with a cold, contemptuous smile crinkling the corners of her eyes. Sounds of the quarrel she started gave her wicked satisfaction. How weak of Joseline to be angered by such a small act. Without the support of Wilfred, Sorelle Group would have fallen apart in her hands a long time ago. Nancy waited for Angeline to emerge from the mall and dropped her home. The former departed after ascertaining the time to sign the agreement at Golding Group the following day. Angeline sank onto her couch. After a moment of thoughtful silence, she rummaged through her purse in search of the gold-ted name card and dialed the number on it. She had a vague feeling that the man called Jonathan Green knew of her child¡¯s whereabouts. The call was answered promptly. ¡°Ms. Golding,¡± came the man¡¯s low rumble on the other end. ¡°Is my child alive?¡± Angeline asked tentatively in a hushed voice. Jonathan did not deny it but chuckled instead. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve decided to cooperate, Ms. Golding.¡± Despite having braced herself, Angeline still felt strangely detached. She was so worked up that it felt as though her heart was about to beat out of her chest. Even her eyes grew red. ¡°I willply with your request,¡± she said quietly as she clutched her phone, ¡°but you must find out what happened to my child without risking my interests. Otherwise, I will terminate our partnership at any time.¡± ¡°Are you that confident, Ms. Golding?¡± Jonathan¡¯s voice wasced with coldness. ¡°If you didn¡¯t have a special use for me, you wouldn¡¯t go through all that trouble to make contact,¡± Angeline replied nonchntly and hung up without allowing time for him to respond. Though Angeline did not want to get involved with a stranger, she could not turn a blind eye after Joseline revealed that her child was still alive. At the moment, Jonathan is my only hope. She could not sleep that night. Nancy came the following day to pick Angeline up before they headed to Golding Group to sign the spokesperson contract. As she had not managed to investigate the culprit who leaked the photo of her and Evander all over the Inte, Angeline was forced to avoid him. After dering the purpose of their visit at the reception, the women entered Golding Group with surprising uneventfulness. Angeline sent Nancy to locate Roger, the person overseeing the signing of the agreement, as Angeline was determined to avoid Evander. While waiting for Nancy in the corridor, she took special care in locating a deserted corner for her to skulk in. I¡¯m going to avoid Evander wherever I can to avoid trouble. Bang! Angeline had been so upied with ncing about furtively that she did not see where she was going, resulting in a collision between her foot and a trash bin. Grimacing in pain, she bent her knee slightly to touch her heel. Suddenly, a surprising force yanked her arm and threw her off bnce, causing her to fall backward. ¡°Ah! Help!¡± Angeline screamed in rm. Therge hand held her body steady before covering her mouth from the back. A warm breath heaved menacingly beside her ear. ¡°How bold of you, Angeline.¡± His cold voice sent a chill down her spine and was sufficient to snap her back to her senses. Then, she turned around and smiled stiffly. ¡°What are you doing here, Mr. Golding?¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Evander raised his eyebrows. ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m here to sign the agreement.¡± Angeline almost tripped over her words as she spoke. ¡°I was thinking to sign the agreement with Mr. Jantz before dropping by your office to say hello. I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here instead.¡± Evander red down his height at her, looking effortlessly imposing as he always did. ¡°Are you telling me that you¡¯re not avoiding me on purpose and that the leaked photograph had nothing to do with you?¡± The atmosphere grew tense in an instant. Angeline¡¯s pupils dted with fear. ¡°Mr. Golding¡ª¡± She was just about to exin herself when Evander ced a hand on her shoulder and pinned her firmly against the wall. His other hand squeezed her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. Angeline could not see his face clearly as it was dim in that corner, but she sensed his intense anger from the strength of his grip on her chin. ¡°I warned you once, Angeline, to handle matters on your own without using Golding Group. Do you think you can slip by me by going to Roger for the agreement? I can nullify it at any time!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Angeline squealed in pain. The fear in her eyes grew as she stared at Evander. The short exchange had shown her her insignificance before him. ¡°How stupid do you think I am, Evander, to leak the photograph right before I sign the contract?¡± she said with much difficulty through gritted teeth. Every time she stretched her lips caused her pain to the point where her breaths were bing labored. ¡°I will swear right now if you don¡¯t believe me. If I was trying to obtain benefits with the photograph, may I forever be a second-rate actress and never obtain Sorelle Group¡¯s shares.¡± She met his gaze with firm resolve, and her vows increased with intensity as she uttered them. Slightly taken aback, Evander¡¯s expression grew grim. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Just make sure this never happens again.¡± He let go of her. Angeline clutched her chest, still wary, and gazed nervously at Evander¡¯s back as he turned around to leave. It¡¯s fortunate that I reacted quickly, or I might have lost my life there. What a terrifying man. It was only some photographs with him which are not even concrete evidence. Why is he so petty? ¡°What are you still standing there for?¡± Evander suddenly turned around to re at her. ¡°Eh?¡± Angeline gazed at him, startled. ¡°The agreement is with me,¡± he said curtly. ¡°There¡¯s no point looking for Roger.¡± Without another word, he strode away and left Angeline to connect the dots. When she finally deciphered his meaning, she hastened to catch up with him with a delighted smile spreading across her face. The signing of the contract to be Starlight Jewelry¡¯s spokesperson is officially underway! N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Angeline felt her heart settling with relief as she watched Evander¡¯s slim fingers deftly maneuvering his fountain pen. He signed his name with a flourish on thest page of the agreement. After ironing out some details of the agreement, Angeline tugged at Nancy to leave as she did not dare overstay her wee. Evander¡¯s voice sounded once more when they were about to walk out of the entrance. ¡°Floretta will visit you today. I¡¯ll have Francesca talk her out of it if you¡¯re busy.¡± Angeline was dumbfounded by those words and pped her hands in surprise at the sudden nice gesture. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m very fond of Floretta! Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The coldness in Evander¡¯s eyes seemed to dissipate almost entirely as he gazed at her. ¡°The time you spend with Floretta will be billed separately.¡± Angeline was about to tell him it was unnecessary, but she was worried Evander might think she harbored an ulterior motive, so she merely nodded. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding.¡± d in casual wear, Olivine held her club steady on the golf course beneath the blistering sun. After taking aim, shended a hole-in-one with a resounding smack of the ball. Crisp apuse sounded. ¡°Well done, Ms. Sherrock!¡± Olivine frowned at the praise. Turning around, she found a woman d in a pearly white dress. It was in that the stranger was not there to y golf. The woman removed her sunsses to reveal an exquisitely made-up face beaming pleasantly. ¡°I was supposed to meet a friend for a game but didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. What a coincidence!¡± Olivine gazed at her uncertainly. ¡°Are you Hanson¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Yes, we met at your birthday party. nned for you by the Golding family, I¡¯d heard, and Evander was there as well! You are a handsome couple. I¡¯m envious.¡± Olivine raised her brows. The glee on her face was difficult to conceal. Joseline suddenly sighed. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°However what?¡± Olivine became nervous. ¡°Did you not see the news yesterday? The photograph of Evander and Angeline looks pretty intimate.¡± Olivine¡¯s grip tightened around the club. ¡°How could Evander be attracted to that woman?¡± she asked in a low voice. Joseline walked up to her and leaned close to her ear to fan the mes. ¡°Be that as it may, Angeline is known to be a vixen in the industry. Your rtionship with Mr. Golding is at risk if the news is to be believed.¡± Olivine¡¯s expression shifted at those words. Evander¡¯s reluctance to marry me already causes me enough anxiety. If that vixen were to get involved, the gap between us would only widen. It¡¯s time I taught her a little lesson. Gazing at Joseline, Olivine seemed to remember something. ¡°I recall you are her sister, are you not?¡± she asked cautiously. Disdain appeared on Joseline¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s a long story. My sister has been rebellious and constantly at odds with me since she was young. Five years ago, she even got drunk and slept with a stranger. Nine monthster, she gave birth to a child without knowing who the father was. Grandpa and I are not fond of her.¡± ¡°She had a child, you say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. However, it was abducted by somebody in the vige shortly after its birth, and I think it died long ago.¡± Olivine¡¯s brow furrowed at the news as her gaze became thoughtful. ¡°What is the name of the vige?¡± ¡°Who would remember that?¡± Joselineughed contemptuously. ¡°Now you know how promiscuous Angeline is, don¡¯t you?¡± Olivine was on another train of thought, however. Floretta turns five this year, if my memory serves. ording to the nanny who used to care for her, Evander had brought the girl back from a vige. Olivine went to the restaurant after her conversation with Joseline. Despite the delicious spread before her, she did not have an appetite. Her difort became more pronounced as the possibility of her inference needled at her. Unable to bear it any longer, Olivine promptly set down her fork and snapped her fingers to summon her assistant. ¡°Hire a private investigator, George. I want to know everything there is to know about Angeline Sorelle. More importantly, focus on her pregnancy andbor five years ago. The more detailed, the better.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Olivine pursed her red lips. Her gaze glinted icily at the thought of Floretta, the unapproachable child who somehow grew exceptionally close to Angeline upon their first meeting. Perhaps out of paranoia, she was determined to get to the bottom of it even though it had nothing to do with her, as she could not bear the thought of any other woman getting ideas about Evander. Angeline returned home after signing the contract and made detailed ns with Nancy for the work later on. Over the next few days, Angeline rejected all of the notifications that found their way to her and focused on filming the endorsements for Starlight Jewelry. Angelinepleted her filming obligations for the morning on one of those splendid days when the sun shone and a pleasant breeze grazed her cheeks. She was about to head to a nearby restaurant with Nancy for lunch when a figure appeared, heading for her with great speed. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¡°Angel!¡± An adorable voice sounded as well. Halting in her tracks, Angeline spread out her arms subconsciously and hugged the person. When Angeline caught a closer glimpse of the child burying herself in her arms, an amused look crept into her eyes. She reminded softly, ¡°Run slower next time, Floretta.¡± ¡°I missed you so much, Angel!¡± Floretta jumped excitedly and hugged Angeline¡¯s waist, refusing to let go. Children grew very quickly, almost seeming to change every single day. It was obvious that Floretta had gained some weight recently. Angeline stumbled, unable to carry her. ¡°Floretta!¡± At that moment, a deep and masculine voice rang out. Angeline stared at Evander a distance away and asked in surprise, ¡°Why are you here, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not busy at noon,¡± exined Evander briefly, his voice as cold as his personality. Walking over, he pulled Floretta away from Angeline and chided unhappily, ¡°Who taught you to climb onto people like that? How udylike of you!¡± After he said that, Floretta behaved better. She stood beside Evander and winked at Angeline secretly. ¡°Mr. Golding, since you¡¯re already here, you can sit at Angeline¡¯s lounge for a while,¡± suggested Nancy, breaking the tense atmosphere. She pushed Angeline¡¯s shoulders and reminded her, ¡°Take good care of Mr. Golding and Floretta. I¡¯ll get the staff to send some food upter.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Before Angeline could say anything else, Nancy had already left. Smiling exasperatedly, she shot a careful gaze at Evander and asked, ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s a very humble lounge. Do you mind?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied Evander calmly. With that, Angeline held Floretta¡¯s hand and brought them to the lounge. Starlight Jewelry was a major corporation. Although the lounge that they had prepared for Angelinest minute was not huge, it was well-equipped with daily necessities and electronic products. Furthermore, since Angeline would only rest there for a few hours at noon, the room was extremely clean. With his hands crossed behind his back, Evander strode into the room, looking like a manager inspecting the ce. Due to his arrival, the atmosphere in the room became awkward. However, Floretta nced around and fiddled with the items around the room curiously. Grabbing the game console on the table, her eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Angel, can I y games on your television?¡± When Angeline heard that, she returned to her senses. ¡°I¡¯ve never yed any games, but you probably can.¡± Staring at the television, she suddenly thought of a good solution to diffuse the awkward atmosphere. She walked over, turned on the television, and switched it to game mode, revealing a dozen different games. ¡°Why don¡¯t we y a racing game?¡± Angeline snuck a nce at Evander and noticed that he did not oppose it. ¡°Sure! Sure!¡± Floretta pped happily and selected a racing championship game that could let three people y at once. She then grabbed a game console and shoved it into Evander¡¯s hands. ¡°Daddy, isn¡¯t it boring just sitting there? Come here and y with us!¡± A faint smile formed on Evander¡¯s lips as he gazed at the game console in his hands and sat beside Floretta. The game officially started as the three race cars zoomed on the big screen. Since Angeline wanted to make Floretta happy, she did not put in her full effort. On the other hand, Evander was dead serious, and his car soon surpassed theirs. Frowning in frustration, Floretta yelled angrily, ¡°Angel, you can do it! We must win!¡± For Floretta¡¯s sake, Angeline decided to be serious. Her fingers controlled the game console nimbly, allowing her to evade all the obstacles and catch up with Evander¡¯s car quickly. ¡°Yay! Angel¡¯s amazing!¡± Floretta jumped up from the couch excitedly. When Evander nced at Angeline¡¯s beautiful side profile, he noticed that her brown hair was loosely tied behind her head. A few strands of hair on her forehead dangled beside her cheeks, entuating the bright look in her eyes. Angeline was the only woman who constantly made him feel challenged. Maintaining his original speed, Evander tailed behind Angeline¡¯s car closely for half an hour. At thest juncture, right when he was about to overtake her, Floretta suddenly kicked his game console. Evander lurched forward when his car suddenly crashed into a missile. Grabbing that opportunity, Angeline surpassed him and clinched the upper hand.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Wow! We won!¡± Floretta ran over, flung her arms around Angeline¡¯s neck, and kissed her face. Looking at the victory scene on the television screen, Angeline was also filled with excitement. ¡°Daddy, you need to ept the punishment for losing.¡± Floretta crawled to Evander and flicked his forehead. A grim look crossed Evander¡¯s face as he demanded coldly, ¡°Another round.¡± This is ridiculous! I raised my daughter for so long, but it feels like I¡¯m doing it for Angeline instead. However, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang. When he nced at the name on the screen, he walked to the toilet and picked it up. Reappearing with a solemn expression, he looked at Angeline and said, ¡°Something happened at the office, so I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll have to help me take care of Floretta. I¡¯ve already asked Francesca to come over.¡± Immediately understanding what he said, Angeline assured, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take good care of Floretta. Don¡¯t worry and just go ahead with your work.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Evander calmly before grabbing his coat and striding away. After he left, Nancy delivered Angeline¡¯s lunch. Angeline turned off the television and carried Floretta to the dining table. ¡°Floretta, I have a gift for you!¡± Suddenly remembering something, Angeline opened the drawer in the lounge and took out a bottle of strawberry yogurt drink. Since she knew that Floretta loved drinking it, she had bought it the moment she joined the crew. Out of convenience, she just ced it in her lounge. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I couldn¡¯t find the brand that you usually like in the supermarket, so I bought the most expensive one for you.¡± ¡°Wow! You¡¯re amazing, Angel!¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. She poked the straw into the yogurt drink, took a sip, and swung her legs in satisfaction. ¡°Yummy! It¡¯s better than what Daddy buys.¡± ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll bring one for you every day.¡± Angeline burst outughing. It¡¯s so easy to make kids happy. She¡¯s so delighted just by drinking this yogurt drink that doesn¡¯t even cost that much. Floretta¡¯s eyes swiveled around as she inched closer to Angeline. ¡°Angel, what do you think of Daddy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not bad. Very capable. Why?¡± When Floretta heard those words, her eyes instantly lit up. ¡°Angel, since both you and Daddy are single, why don¡¯t you consider having him as your husband?¡± When Angeline heard that, her expression changed drastically, and she spat out the water in her mouth. ¡°Floretta, don¡¯t speak nonsense! How can I ever be with your daddy? Furthermore, doesn¡¯t he have a fianc¨¦e?¡± She quickly grabbed a few pieces of tissue paper and wiped her mouth. cing her hand over her pounding heart, she still could not calm down after a long time. Luckily, Evander¡¯s left. If he had overheard it, things would have gotten messy! Floretta lowered her head disappointedly. Her eyes watered before tears flowed down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m so pitiful! I¡¯ve never seen my mommy ever since I was young. Soon, I¡¯ll fall into Ms. Sherrock¡¯s clutches and be an abused child¡­¡± ¡°Why would you be abused? What about your mom?¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Angeline suddenly became curious. When she casually mentioned Floretta¡¯s mother in front of Evander previously, he had chased her out of the car. It seemed like that woman had be a taboo topic. Revealing a look of confusion, Floretta replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen my mom since young. Grandma said that she didn¡¯t want me.¡± ¡°Furthermore, Grandma only likes boys, so she keeps forcing Daddy to marry Ms. Sherrock and have an heir. Once Daddy actually marries that woman, I¡¯ll be kicked out of the house to wander the streets.¡± Floretta sighed heavily, propping an arm beneath her chin with a troubled look. Her sighs made her seem like an adult. Although Angeline knew that Floretta was exaggerating, she still felt her heart ache when she heard that. If she had not lost her daughter, she would be as old as Floretta by now. Whenever she looked at Floretta¡¯s situation, her thoughts would wander to her child. Although she might not live as good a life as Floretta, but she¡­ Angeline did not dare to continue her thoughts. Tears welled up as she raised her head slightly and fanned her eyes. Floretta was shocked by her reaction. What¡¯s happening? Not only did I fail at setting up Angel¡¯s and Daddy¡¯s marriage, but I also made her cry! Oh no! Am I going to be chased out by Ms. Sherrock to the streets? Can I still survive by being a child celebrity? Floretta quickly whipped out a piece of tissue paper and passed it to Angeline so she could wipe her tears. In a cute voice, Floretta consoled, ¡°Angel, don¡¯t be sad. Daddy treats me very well.¡± Angeline calmed down and stroked Floretta¡¯s head with a determined look in her eyes. ¡°Floretta, you must believe that your mother had her own reasons. No mother in the world is cruel enough to abandon her child. You must grow up well and wait for her to find you again.¡± By saying that, she had already solidified her determination to find her child. After they finished eating, Lester suddenly called Angeline over to film another shot, which would take around ten minutes. During that period, Francesca would probably have arrived. Hence, Angeline told Floretta to stay in the room to drink her yogurt and wait for her return. Floretta agreed easily. Since she looked so confident, Angeline did not think much about it and left the lounge. However, a few minutes after Angeline left, someone suddenly knocked on the door. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a staff from the cake shop. You ordered a strawberry cake from us in the morning. Can you follow me to retrieve it?¡± When she heard that, Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up. This must be Angel¡¯s surprise for me! The more she thought about it, the more excited she got. She climbed down from the bed, ran to open the door, and said to the man standing outside, ¡°Bring me there!¡± The man held Floretta¡¯s hand and walked forward. When they reached the ground floor, he suddenly led her around multiple corners. Their surroundings became darker as they progressed. Feeling scared, Floretta tugged the man¡¯s arm and refused to budge. ¡°Sir, send me back! I¡¯ll get it after Angeles back.¡± However, the man turned his head around and revealed a vicious smile. He lifted Floretta abruptly and tossed her into the freezer room at the side. After Angeline finished her filming, she was done with her work, so Lester let her leave early. She nned to bring Francesca and Floretta to the nearby amusement park in the afternoon. Yet, when she returned to the lounge, Floretta was nowhere to be seen. Her heart instantly sank. She felt so anxious that she could barely stand on her feet as a worried look appeared on her face. If Francesca had brought Floretta away, she would have informed me. ¡°Oh my God! There¡¯s a little girl in the freezer room. Whose daughter is she!¡± At that moment, someone¡¯s yells traveled to Angeline¡¯s ears. Without any time to think, she ran down the stairs and dashed to the freezer room on the ground floor as quickly as possible. ¡°Help!¡± A weak, child-like voice sounded. Fear gripped Angeline¡¯s heart. She swiftly opened the door of the freezer room and was instantly enveloped by a gust of cold air. Angeline raised her hand and fanned the pungent smell of chemicals away. Scanning the messy freezer room, she yelled, ¡°Where are you, Floretta?¡± ¡°Angel¡­¡± Floretta, who was only wearing a thin shirt, was cowering behind a pile of boxes. She hugged her knees, her small body curled up into a ball. Trembling uncontrobly, she had closed her eyes in fear. When Angeline saw that scene, her eyes watered before tears rolled down her cheeks. Her entire mind was upied by nothing else than self-me. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Floretta! I¡¯ll bring you out!¡± Angeline walked forward and pulled Floretta into her arms. When she felt how cold the girl¡¯s body was, a chill ran down her spine. Yet, when she reached the door, she realized an even more serious problem. The door could not be opened! Suddenly, realization dawned upon her. A gloomy look spread across her face as she understood that she had fallen into someone¡¯s trap. The temperature in the freezer room would drop as time passed. Are they trying to kill me and Floretta? ¡°I¡¯m s-so cold, Angel! So c-cold¡­¡± Still in Angeline¡¯s arms, Floretta tugged the woman¡¯s cor. Her tiny body trembled as she sobbed, tears rolling down her fair cheeks. Angeline felt like something was gripping her heart tightly, suffocating her and filling her with pain. Luckily, there was a small window high up in the freezer room that was still open. She carried Floretta to the wall the window was located and took off her coat, wrapping it around the child¡¯s body. ¡°Hang in there, Floretta! Trust me! I¡¯ll definitely bring you out of here safely,¡± assured Angeline repeatedly beside Floretta¡¯s ears. She rubbed her hands together to generate some warmth and cupped Floretta¡¯s cheeks. Soon, Floretta¡¯s body became warmer. On the contrary, Angeline, who only had a thin blouse left on, grew progressively colder. When Francesca visited the film set to pick Floretta up, she could not find her. Hence, she quickly called Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, Ms. Sorelle and Floretta are both missing!¡± Within ten minutes, Evander instructed Ss to dispatch two groups of bodyguards. One group surrounded the film crew and interrogated everyone, while the otherbed the entire venue. Evander also postponed all the meetings he had in the afternoon and rushed to the film set as quickly as possible. He entered the surveince room with a cold expression, exuding an intimidating aura that made everyone struggle to breathe. Lester weed him and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡¯ve looked at the surveince cameras at every corner. Thest ce Ms. Sorelle and Floretta were at before they disappeared was the lounge.¡± Evander¡¯s expression grew grim as a murderous look flitted across his eyes. ¡°Are you saying that they disappeared into thin air?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Useless piece of trash.¡± Evander shoved him away, went to theputers, and stared at the surveince monitors. He instructed, ¡°Rey all the footage at the fastest speed! Even at the expense of the entire film crew, you must find them for me!¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 The staff held the mouse tremblingly and fast-forwarded the surveince footage. The image on the screen was moving so swiftly that all one could see was a blur. ¡°Stop!¡± Evander stared at the surveince footage and ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Rewind to the fifth minute and twentieth-second mark.¡± The staff did as he was told and saw Angeline moving anxiously in the surveince footage. ¡°Mr. Golding, the room Ms. Sorelle went into appears to be the freezer room.¡± Freezer room? Evander¡¯s expression turned grim, and his heart sank. Why did Angeline go into the freezer room? Could it be because of Floretta? Evander then looked at his watch and realized how much time had passed. It was getting colder and colder in the freezer room. Slowly, Angeline was growing more and more tired, and her eyelids felt increasingly heavier. At the same time, she was losing hope. Am I really going to die here today? But I haven¡¯t had my revenge yet or gotten back Sorelle Group¡¯s shares. I can¡¯t just die like this. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Bam! Suddenly, she heard someone kicking down the door to the freezer room forcefully. ¡°Angeline!¡± someone shouted. Angeline tried to open her eyes, but she could barely see his face clearly. All she could do was raise her hand toward the voice and touch the person¡¯s face. A faint smile then appeared on her face. All of a sudden, she remembered the time when she was young and obsessed with romantic fantasies. Back then, I said that the person I love must be a knight in shining armor, and he had to be the strongest man in the world. He has to be the one whoes to my rescue when I¡¯m in danger. In reality, I¡¯ve really found myself a knight in shining armor. However, I never expected things to end up this way. After some time, she felt someone lifting her up. As she was gradually losing consciousness, she saw his handsome face through her blurry vision. After that, she heard a person shouting at the top of their lungs, ¡°Quick! Call an ambnce!¡± By the time Angeline regained consciousness again, it was already afternoon. She opened her eyes and swept a confused nce at the ward she was in. When she tried to sit up, however, she couldn¡¯t help but groan in pain as her body protested the movement. ¡°Hey! Stop it, will you? You¡¯re injured,¡± Nancy grumbled as she was pouring a ss of warm water. Handing the ss to Angeline, she went on, ¡°The doctor said that you should drink more warm water. Take the medicine on the table tonight, okay?¡± Angeline came to her senses when she heard those words, and her memory flooded back. ¡°Where¡¯s Floretta?¡± Angeline asked anxiously. ¡°How is she?¡± Nancy shook her head and sighed. ¡°She has a weak immune system, so she¡¯s still in the operating room now. I heard that Mr. Golding is worried sick.¡± ¡°I need to go and have a look.¡± With that, Angeline quickly put on her shoes. However, her knees went weak the moment she stood up. ¡°Are you able to walk?¡± Nancy quickly went up to hold her. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Angeline shot Nancy an assuring look before staggering out of the ward and toward the operating room on the third floor. At that moment, the surgery was still ongoing, and she saw Evander and Ss waiting outside the operating room. It was a horrifying sight. ¡°Mr. Golding, how is Floretta doing?¡± Evander¡¯s expression took a sharp change when he saw Angeline. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Angeline¡¯s head was hung low, so she didn¡¯t see the expression on Evander¡¯s face. ¡°I heard that Floretta isn¡¯t doing well, so I thought I shoulde and have a look.¡± ¡°You heard that?¡± Evander was already in a bad mood because of what happened to Floretta. When he heard what she said, his expression turned grimmer, and he questioned, ¡°How did you end up fainting in the freezer room along with Floretta? Additionally, it was right after I left. Exin yourself.¡± Angeline was mystified by his question. She couldn¡¯t help but argue, ¡°I find it weird as well, okay? When I arrived in the freezer room, Floretta was already lying on the floor. I couldn¡¯t open the door to head out either.¡± ¡°Who in the production team would dare to frame you?¡± Angeline went silent because she had the same question on her mind. The film crew has always been strict with their security. How did such a thing happen? Right then, the door to the operating room opened, and the doctor walked out. Evander walked up to the doctor and asked nervously, ¡°How did it go?¡± The doctor looked at him solemnly and answered, ¡°The external injuries Ms. Golding has suffered aren¡¯t troublesome. However, we found something weird in her body.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Evander was usually calm and collected, but at that moment, he was about to panic. The doctor whipped out a radiographic film and pointed at a spot that showed the presence of some liquid substance. ¡°When we were doing a full body check-up on Ms. Golding, we found an unknown substance in her stomach. Our preliminary conclusion is that she swallowed some glue.¡± Glue? Angeline frowned. When she saw Evander looking at her suspiciously, she knew what it meant, so she quickly exined, ¡°Mr. Golding, the food was checked by the film crew before they brought it over, so it can¡¯t be that.¡± Francesca wouldn¡¯t have done something like that either. Hence, everyone was baffled by what had happened to Floretta. Instead of questioning her further, Evander ordered Ss to get the doctor to examine the food Floretta had eaten recently. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you better pray that you¡¯re not the one who caused this!¡± Evander fumed. He was exuding a cold aura as he entered the operating room. Angeline gulped in fear and stumbled backward. She only managed to support herself once she had backed into a wall and leaned on it. Meanwhile, she could hear Floretta sobbing from the corridor. ¡°I don¡¯t want this, Daddy! Get the doctors to leave!¡± Hearing that, Angeline instinctively walked toward the entrance of the operating room and peeked inside through the window on the door. There, she saw Evander holding onto Floretta while she was getting treated by gastricvage. At the same time, a few nurses were holding her down. The pain of that medical procedure would have been unbearable even for an adult, let alone a five- year-old child. Angeline tensed up when she saw what Floretta was going through. Suddenly, the door to the operating room sprung open. Evander looked at her in annoyance and asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Floretta saw Angeline and cried weakly, ¡°Angel¡­ I want Angel to hold me.¡± She was refusing to cooperate with the nurses and reached out her arms toward Angeline. ¡°Mr. Golding, it seems like your daughter likes thisdy a lot. Perhaps you should let her try calming the child down,¡± one of the nurses advised. Evander furrowed his brows and went quiet as he stared at Floretta. Meanwhile, Angeline took the initiative to walk toward Floretta. She wiped the tears off Floretta¡¯s cheeks and consoled her gently, ¡°Be good, Floretta. Don¡¯t cry anymore, okay? I¡¯m here.¡± Her words worked like a charm to calm Floretta down. Floretta then opened her arms and pleaded softly, ¡°Hug me?¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t bear to turn her down. Worried, she turned toward Evander. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t going to stop her, she reached out her arms to bring Floretta into a hug. The moment Floretta was in Angeline¡¯s embrace, she instantly felt safe. Therefore, she wrapped her arms around Angeline¡¯s neck tightly, refusing to let go. Angeline¡¯s heart ached while she gently rubbed Floretta¡¯s back. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Angeline blushed as she pulled on the undergarments and dress. When she emerged from the bathroom, Angeline caught sight of Floretta¡¯s sleeping form on the bed. She could not help walking over to the little girl. Floretta¡¯s eyelids were twitching in her sleep. Angeline reached out to wrap the nket tight around the girl. Then, she ran her fingers along Floretta¡¯s forehead, smoothing down her hair and tucking stray strands behind her ears. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Angeline twisted on her heel and was about to leave quietly when Floretta¡¯s sleepy voice called out, ¡°Angel¡­¡± Angeline thought that she had woken up the girl and quickly swiveled back to check on her. However, Floretta¡¯s eyes were still tightly shut. She was tossing about the bed restlessly, her little arms waving about as if she was reaching out for something. ¡°Angel, don¡¯t go! Hug me¡­¡± Angeline¡¯s heart melted at the sight. She wondered whether she should climb into the bed next to the little girl. At that moment, a deep male voice said, ¡°Just sleep here tonight.¡± Angeline turned to look at Evander, who was walking slowly toward her from the door. Surprised by his words, she asked carefully, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I might do something to Floretta?¡± Evander slipped his hands into his pockets casually. He smelled faintly of tobo. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything under my watch,¡± Evander retorted arrogantly with a smirk. Angeline did not reply. She gently sat down on the bed and pulled Floretta into herp. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here,¡± she whispered to the girl, patting her shoulders lovingly. Floretta clung onto Angeline¡¯s shirt and buried her face in the woman¡¯s chest. She sniffled for a while before falling back into a deep, peaceful sleep. Angeline leaned back against the headboard. She let her eyelids slowly shut, but her hands never stopped patting the girl. After the eventful day, her exhaustion was finally catching up to her. In her sleepy state, she felt someone taking Floretta away from herp. Then, she felt a hand gingerly touching the wound on her thigh. The hand left behind an icy-cold sensation that brought relief to her pain. Angeline wanted more of the cooling feeling. She opened her eyes and was stunned to see Evander looking back at her. He was sitting ufortably close to her bare legs. The situation felt wrong no matter how Angeline tried to look at it. ¡°Mr. Golding, w-what are you doing?¡± ¡°Applying some medication. Sit still,¡± Evander replied simply, gesturing at the first aid kitying open next to him. Applying medication? Why is doing that for me himself? Angeline snapped out of her sleepy haze immediately. Her eyes widened in shock as she finally wrapped her mind around what was happening. ¡°Please don¡¯t trouble yourself, Mr. Golding. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°Stop moving. Just sit still,¡± Evandermanded in a low voice. His eyes, as always, were icy-cold and stern. Angeline bit her lip helplessly and willed herself to sit still. She watched as he rubbed a cotton bud in medicated cream and gently dabbed at the wound on her thigh with it. ¡°The doctor says this cream will ensure that no scar remains, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Evander exined as he smeared the cream on. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this because you saved Floretta. I don¡¯t like owing anyone favors. Besides, I know you really want to get out of jail.¡± Angeline¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°I can make sure that the charges against you are dropped. We can forget about what happened in the freezer room,¡± Evander replied casually. Angeline stared at Evander¡¯s indifferent expression. Her face paled. ¡°Mr. Golding, are you rich and powerful people always like this? Deciding on someone¡¯s fate at your whim and fancy?¡± Evander met Angeline¡¯s eyes with an icy stare of his own. He thought that she was ying games with him. After all, he had seen this sort of drama y out with plenty of other women. However, Angeline¡¯s face unexpectedly cracked into a smile. ¡°I really want to ept your help, but if we just pretend the freezer room fiasco didn¡¯t happen, you¡¯ll take away my ambassadorship, won¡¯t you?¡± Her straightforwardness took Evander by surprise. Well, she¡¯s right! How can I continue to allow Floretta to be around someone who might hurt her again? Angeline might not just lose her ambassadorship; her entire career in the entertainment industry might come to a premature end. ¡°That¡¯s why¡ª¡± Angeline pressed her hands into the bed and leaned toward Evander, her eyes staring earnestly into his, ¡°¡ªeven if you withdraw thiswsuit, I will still fight to the end for my innocence. I must clear my name!¡± Fight to the end¡­ Evander studied Angeline through narrowed eyes. Such bold words! I would call her brave if she actually had anything to back up those words, but she has nothing! Where does her courage to say those words evene from? After Evander was done applying the medicated cream, Angeline stretched luxuriously and squeezed in next to Floretta. Then, she wrapped her arms around the girl and fell asleep as if nothing had happened. Evander, on the other hand, was still wide awake. He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing into the distant mountains. His face, like the mountains, was draped in an icy mist. The mist seemed to be morphing as if something was growing beneath it. The man¡¯s eyes slowly shifted to the figure of the woman sleeping on the bed. Angeline had a very deep sleep that night. A tickling sensation on the tip of her nose disturbed her. She reached out and batted at the air with her hand. ¡°Go away, bug!¡± she shouted, still half-asleep. Then, she heard the sound of a stifled giggle. Just as Floretta was about to tickle Angeline¡¯s nose again, Angeline suddenly turned around and enveloped the girl in an embrace. ¡°Floretta, are you being naughty again? I¡¯ll show you what happens to naughty little girls!¡± ¡°Angel, please, don¡¯t tickle me! I¡¯m very ticklish! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Angeline wiggled her fingers in Floretta¡¯s armpits, inducing peals of involuntaryughter. The two of them rolled around the bed, wrestling and giggling. Evander had just returned from buying breakfast. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, bathing the room in warmth and light. It was a beautiful morning. However, when he caught sight of the tussle between the woman and the girl, his eyes darkened with disapproval. How is it possible for a grown woman to get into a fight with a child? ¡°It¡¯s time for breakfast.¡± Hismanding voice rang loudly through the room. Only then did Angeline notice Evander¡¯s presence. She quickly pulled Floretta upright, and the two of them immediately sat up primly. ¡°Let me help you,¡± Angeline offered, reaching out to grab the bags of food from Evander¡¯s hands. Evander, who was used to being waited on, did not protest and simply handed the food over to her. Then, he went to sit next to Floretta. He slung his arm casually along the back of the couch. ¡°How are you? Do you feel any pain anywhere on your body?¡± ¡°No,¡± Floretta replied, shaking her head. She turned to face her father, an excited sparkle in her eyes as she asked, ¡°Daddy, can I go to the park with Angelter?¡± Evander could not help ncing at Angeline after hearing his daughter¡¯s request. Angeline had also been looking at him, and their gazes met. Panic shed in her eyes before she quickly looked away. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°The money went through many hands, getting transferred around the ounts of the suspect¡¯s friends and family. That goes to show how much thought went into the devious scheme. We can also ascertain that the money didn¡¯te from the defendant¡¯s ount but from an ordinary, forty-something housewife who had contact with Ms. Sherrock recently,¡± the defense attorney said unhurriedly. He rested his piercing gaze on Olivine for a brief moment. A sullen look appeared on her delicate face. However, looking around and observing the many pairs of eyes on her, she forced herself to maintain herposure. ¡°I hope that the defendant¡¯s attorney minds his words. Everything has to be supported by evidence. If one merely makes baseless usations based on spection, what can that prove?¡± The defense attorney sneered. ¡°Justice will prevail. That¡¯s the end of my argument.¡± The court¡¯s final ruling was that Angeline was found not guilty and could be released immediately. Nancy hurried over and hugged Angeline. Thetter leaned her head against Nancy¡¯s shoulder, finally finding a release for the grievances she had suffered for many days. ¡°Thank you,¡± she choked out tearfully, her eyes reddened. Nancy could not help chuckling in her ear. ¡°The person you should thank isn¡¯t me.¡± Realization seemed to dawn on Angeline when she heard those words, and her expression gradually turned grim. Evander, Olivine, and Valerie walked over from where they had been sitting. He stared at Angeline deeply as he passed by her, his gaze clearly not as cold as before. Feeling a confidence boost after winning thewsuit, Angeline looked back at him calmly. Then, emphasizing every word clearly, she said, ¡°I told you I¡¯d surely win, Mr. Golding.¡± ¡°So, should I apologize?¡± Evander asked without responding to her remark, slowly walking toward her. He was so tall that he could easily loom over her. His naturally imposing aura still sparked fear in her heart. She swallowed hard, then replied evenly, ¡°I only wanted to ask that you refrain from using the threat of cklisting me to try and pressure me again next time.¡± She speaks in such an arrogant manner. Frankly, I don¡¯t think even Golding Group¡¯s higher-ups would dare take that tone with me. However, for some reason, Evander tolerated her disrespect. She¡¯s the most troublesome woman I¡¯ve met, yet everything always gets resolved in the most dramatic way, just like in a movie. ¡°I promise,¡± he answered in a maic voice. ¡°Huh?¡± Angeline was not expecting him to agree so readily. Valerie, who had been standing to one side without saying anything, was displeased. She could not help cautioning in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, although you¡¯ve won thewsuit, the Golding family will continue investigating thoroughly. You haven¡¯tpletely cleared your name yet.¡± With that, she left the courtroom while dragging Evander with her. Stunned, Angeline stood unmoving with a darkened expression. It seems that this elderlydy is not someone to be messed with. But then again, that¡¯s normal. I mean, how many people who¡¯re acquainted with Evander are not like that? As long as I know I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, I¡¯m fine. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Feeling smug, are we?¡± Olivine remarked, ring at her. Angeline shot her a frosty look and sneered, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Ms. Sherrock. I see that the judge and attorneys haven¡¯t left yet. If you have something to say, you¡¯re more than wee to request a retrial.¡± Rage surged through Olivine, and she wished she could tear Angeline to pieces. However, with so many people around, she could only grit her teeth and leave with a scowl. Outside the courthouse, the driver was waiting for them at the entrance. Evander helped Vrie into the car and instructed the driver to send her home first. Joy filled Olivine¡¯s heart when she walked out and saw Evander standing at the entrance. She quickly took a few steps toward him. However, the sight of his solemn expression caused her to feel a little scared, and the smile on her lips faded. She slowed her footsteps and asked hesitantly, ¡°Evander, what are you¡ª¡± ¡°This is my final warning to you. Don¡¯t use my grandmother as a crutch or even think aboutying a finger on my daughter. Otherwise, there won¡¯t be a single person who¡¯ll be able to protect Sherrock Group.¡± His cold and impassive voice rang in Olivine¡¯s ears for a long time. ¡°Evander, listen to me¡ª¡± Feeling wronged, she started to exin. However, Evander gave her no chance to do so as he got into his car and left immediately. She stood frozen to the spot, dumbfounded. I¡¯ve known Evander for years. Although he always avoids me, he has never spoken so harshly to me as how he just did today. She was also feeling a little regretful. Back then, I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Joseline and worked with her to get Angeline imprisoned. Look at what has happened now. I¡¯ve shot myself in the foot. After Evander got into the car, the driver in front turned around and asked respectfully, ¡°Are we going back to the office now, Mr. Golding?¡± Evander was about to respond when he spotted Angeline and Nancy walking out. The pair appeared to discuss something as they climbed into a white car. However, they did not head in the direction of the house or the office. Instead, it seemed as though they were driving toward the venue of Hanson and Joseline¡¯s wedding not too far away. ¡°Follow that white car in front,¡± Evander ordered, his lips curving into an unfathomable smile. Well, it looks like there¡¯ll be a good show today. The hotel Hanson and Joseline had chosen for their wedding was the tallest building in the city. A long, red carpet stretched from the hotel¡¯s entrance to the fountain, andvish decorations decked the lobby with ribbons and balloons everywhere. All the guests mingling around were either wealthy or powerful. Upon arriving, Angeline watched as the bride and groom stood at the entrance, weing every guest with bright smiles. What a picture of respectability. She could not help sneering inwardly as she held the gift Nancy had prepared for her. ¡°Congrattions, my dearest sister and brother-inw.¡± As she spoke, she deliberately drew out every syble. The smiles on the couple¡¯s faces froze when they heard her voice. Hanson was the first to speak. Frowning, he asked in a surprised tone, ¡°Angeline? Isn¡¯t your trial taking ce now? Why have you left?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯ve won thewsuit,¡± she replied nonchntly as though she were merely talking about a mundane family matter. Despite her answer, Hanson still could not believe his ears. How could she have won the court case just like that? Unless¡­ Evander didn¡¯t make his move. But how is that possible? ¡°Well, it¡¯s good news that you won. Since you¡¯re here, you should go in.¡± There was now a hint of guilt in his voice, and he looked at her with mixed emotions. He could not help feeling difited that Angeline would be attending their wedding. If all those things hadn¡¯t happened back then, we¡¯d probably be the ones getting married. Angeline continued maintaining a polite smile on her face. Gazing at Joseline¡¯s pale face, she pressed the gift into her sister¡¯s hand and said, ¡°May you have a long and blissful life together, Joseline.¡± Her wishes sounded perfectly normal, but if one listened carefully, her tone was enough to send shivers down one¡¯s spine. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Joseline¡¯s lips twitched into an uneasy smile as she tried to hide her difort. ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline¡¯s gaze then fell on Joseline¡¯s stomach. Feigning shock, Angeline said, ¡°It looksrger compared to thest time. You should be due this year, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that muchrger,¡± Joseline replied, her brows knitted together and her voice slightly irritated. ¡°I¡¯m just three and a half months along. There¡¯s still plenty of time before my due date.¡± The more irritable Joseline looked, the wider the smile on Angeline¡¯s face. Thetter even took the initiative to walk up to Joseline and caress her stomach. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s best to be cautious throughout the first few months. Isn¡¯t it risky for you to have your wedding so suddenly? What if you harm your child due to fatigue? Aren¡¯t you worried that idents might happen?¡± Angeline asked. The word ¡°idents¡± sparked something within Joseline. Her expression darkened as she snapped, ¡°You¡¯d better watch your words, Angeline!¡± Just then, a booming voice of a man was heard. ¡°I see you¡¯ve arrived.¡± It was Wilfred, who wore a bright red coat, walking out from the banquet hall. His hair was whiter than before, and he had a stern expression. His gaze darkened upon seeing Angeline. With an unimpressed tone, he said, ¡°You had better get in quickly since you¡¯re here. Stop making a fool of yourself and move along.¡± Angeline could not help but scoff inwardly after hearing Wilfred¡¯s words. She lost interest in staying there longer and made her way into the banquet hall. Joseline was infuriated by Angeline¡¯s attitude. She pulled onto Wilfred¡¯s shoulder and whined, ¡°Look at Angeline, Grandpa. She didn¡¯t even greet you when she saw you. It¡¯s clear that she does not respect you. The more I think about it, the angrier I get.¡± Wilfred only shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Let it go. You¡¯re someone who¡¯s about to be a mother. Thus, you should keep that temper of yours in check. Don¡¯t you know what day it is?¡± If it were not for Wilfred, Joseline would have argued with Angeline there and then, and it would have been a messy scene to handle had the argument happened. Hanson¡¯s brows were twisted into a frown as he looked at Joseline¡¯s appearance. Her figure was bound to change because of her pregnancy. As a result, she concentrated all of her efforts on her face, where she wore heavy makeup and a variety of essories. Hanson could not help but picture Angeline¡¯s sweet, beautiful face. She had just returned from court and had no makeup on. Aside from that, although she wore a in-looking dress, she nevertheless managed to stand out. Considering that she worked in the entertainment industry, Angeline took exceptional care of her skin. Hence, her bare face was still eye-catching among others. At that moment, the stark difference between the two sisters was immediately apparent. Hanson¡¯s heart still raced as he recalled the time he had hugged Angeline in the water. Joseline, who was in front of him, did not seem as appealing after that thought. Due to the Yiurk family¡¯s and the Sorelle family¡¯s extensive working rtionship in the entertainment industry, many connections had been made. Additionally, both families had arge spread of acquaintances and rtives throughout the globe, so with business in mind, they had thus nned a lavish wedding. Right then, the banquet hall was filled to the brim with guests. Each had a ss in hand and was busy chatting about business. The wives of the various businessmen, on the other hand, took notice of Angeline and began gossiping about her. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the celebrity Angeline? I heard that she was in jail. How is she here?¡± ¡°Did none of you see the news earlier? It was stated that she hired a skilledwyer and has already been acquitted of all counts by the court.¡± ¡°Gosh, doesn¡¯t this mean that she¡¯s still a criminal?¡± The word ¡°criminal¡± had hit a nerve within Angeline. She tipped her ss and drank everything inside before getting a new ss and going over to the group of women. ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder, were you all talking about me?¡± Angeline¡¯s lips were quirked into a faint smile as she saw how the women were frightened and backed up when she came near them. As if on cue, they even waved their hands in sync. ¡°No. You¡¯ve misheard us.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Angeline chuckled softly. ¡°I just stopped by to say hello. Please ask me whatever you want. I¡¯m happy to let you all in on my prison life.¡± Without even waiting for a reply, Angeline downed her ss of wine. The women were rendered speechless as they exchanged nces. Their arrogance from earlier disappeared in an instant. Who would want to listen about life in prison? Is she mad? Angeline saw how the women were avoiding her gaze and were silent. She set her ss down and then turned to leave. The women eventually recovered theirposure and stared at Angeline¡¯s eye-catching back with fear. ¡°This woman isn¡¯t someone we should mess with. Did you all see that look in her eyes earlier? It was terrifying!¡± ¡°I believe she is the Sorelle family¡¯s second daughter. I even heard that she dated Hanson five years ago, but Joseline snatched him away.¡± ¡°I finally get it after hearing your words! Angeline has a specific reason for being here today¡­ She¡¯s come to wreck the wedding!¡± ¡°I hate homewreckers!¡± Joseline¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing the discussions in the banquet hall. From time to time, she even heard words like ¡°homewrecker¡± being thrown around, making her angrier than before. I knew that the d*mned w*nch, Angeline, was here to make things difficult for me! Joseline pulled onto Hanson¡¯s shoulder and whined impatiently, ¡°Do something about it.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Hanson¡¯s expression turned grim as his long fingers massaged his temples. He called for his assistant and ordered, ¡°Tell the host that the wedding ceremony has been brought forward and will start now.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Yiurk,¡± replied the assistant. Shortly after, the host appeared on the stage with a microphone. ¡°Dear guests, please settle down. The wedding ceremony will now officially begin. I would first like to invite the bride and groom on stage.¡± Joseline was delighted upon hearing the host¡¯s words and immediately clung to Hanson¡¯s arm. Many pairs of eyes followed them as they walked across the banquet hall and finally to the center of the stage, standing next to the host. After teasing the couple, the host sessfully diverted everyone¡¯s attention away from Joseline¡¯s reputation as a homewrecker and turned the sounds of gossip into blessings. Angeline stood in the second row among the crowd. Her icy stare was directed at the couple standing on stage as her fingers dug deep into her palms. Hypocrites! After a while, the host invited the couple¡¯s family members to join them on stage. Hanson had been living with his mother, Wendy Langford, his whole life. Thus, she was his representative. Joseline¡¯s representative, on the other hand, was Wilfred. No one mentioned Angeline at all. The host passed the microphone to Wendy first before asking, ¡°How do you feel upon seeing your son marrying his wife?¡± Wendyughed. ¡°Of course, I feel excited. I¡¯ve been watching these two kids grow up together. I truly feel happy that they¡¯re finally getting married to each other.¡± Angeline could only clench her fists as tears welled up in her eyes. Meanwhile, the guests below the stage apuded upon hearing Wendy¡¯s words. The host then passed the microphone to Wilfred. Laughing, the host said, ¡°I already see the tears in your eyes, Old Mr. Sorelle. You must be experiencing a range of emotions knowing that your granddaughter is going to be married.¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Wilfred wiped away his tears and sighed. ¡°This reminds me of my son and my daughter-inw, who died young. I¡¯m sure they would be able to rest in peace after witnessing their daughter living happily ever after.¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t suppress her temper anymore. A feeling of rage surged up inside her upon the mention of her parents. She wanted nothing more than to rush up the stage and expose Joseline¡¯s true colors. She¡¯s not worthy! However, Angeline forced herself to calm down. Hang in there. Joseline will be forced to show her true colors soon. I just have to take things one step at a time, and I¡¯ll be able to turn the tables. The officiant then introduced the vows. ¡°Do you, Joseline, take Hanson to be yourwfully wedded husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him,fort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?¡± Joseline¡¯s heart was filled with joy as she hurriedly nodded. ¡°I do!¡± ¡°Do you, Hanson, take Joseline to be yourwfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her,fort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?¡± Hanson froze. His gaze swept over the audience andnded on Angeline. Painnced through his heart when he saw the utter indifference in her eyes. Does she¡­ really not care? For a moment there, Hanson did not reply. Joseline¡¯s face fell as she felt the gazes of bafflement from her guests. ¡°Hanson!¡± she whispered. It was only then that Hanson returned to his senses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Can you repeat that?¡± he apologized. This time around, Hanson replied without missing a beat after the officiant repeated the vows. ¡°I do.¡± Those two sybles were drawn-out and spoken without emotion. Nevertheless, Joseline did not care. All she wanted was to seal the deal and realize her dreams of marrying Hanson. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s time to exchange rings. Let¡¯s invite the flower girls on stage.¡± With that, two cute little flower girls came on stage and handed the bride and groom their rings. Meanwhile, their couple photos were disyed as a slideshow on the big screen. Even though most of the pictures were heavily edited, the yback speed was fast enough that no one noticed the edits. Hanson took the ring from the flower girl and was about to put it on Joseline¡¯s finger when the lights went out, and the music suddenly stopped. Stunned, Hanson paused and took in his surroundings in bewilderment. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± The wedding guests grew concerned. ¡°Yeah. Is this part of the show?¡± ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s dead?¡± Just then, Joseline¡¯s voice rang out from the big screen. ¡°Yes, Ms. Sorelle. Speaking of which, that employee has be the scapegoat, and he has no one to me but himself. He shouldn¡¯t have exposed the production issues.¡± Joseline sneered. She pondered for a moment before asking out of fear, ¡°What about the witnesses? Did you shut the workers¡¯ mouths?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sorelle.¡± As the voice recording ended with the pairughing menacingly, the banquet hall fell into chaos. Hanson¡¯s eyes were popping out of his sockets when the voice recording ended. It was obvious he had no idea what Joseline had done. ¡°I-Impossible,¡± Joseline shrieked. Her knees went weak as she stumbled backward. Meanwhile, the look of shock was written all over Wendy¡¯s and Wilfred¡¯s faces. They couldn¡¯t believe what they had just heard. ¡°What did you do behind my back?¡± Hanson grabbed her wrist hard, infuriated. Fear was written all over her face as pain shot through her wrist. ¡°Hanson, you¡¯ve got to believe me. That woman is not me. I¡¯m certain someone out there is trying to get me!¡± she rambled incoherently. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Do you think anyone would buy that?¡± Hanson¡¯s face was filled with anger. ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to do things out of your capacity. You¡¯ve crossed the line for the sake of money!¡± In other words, Hanson was telling her that she should have taken the secret to the grave. She should never have gotten caught; she should never have gotten herself exposed, especially on such asions. ¡°I¡­¡± Feeling humiliated and defeated, Joseline was at a loss for words. She tightened her grip on Hanson¡¯s arm as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Hanson, I¡¯ve realized my mistake. Please forgive m¡ª¡± p! Right then, Wendy stepped forward and gave Joseline a tight p. ¡°Forgiveness? Old Mr. Sorelle, please don¡¯t me me for not giving you face. But your granddaughter is a disgrace to the Yiurk family.¡± Wilfred lowered his head in embarrassment. He tightened his grip on his cane and thumped it on the ground. ¡°Deal with this yourselves! This is none of my business.¡± His assistant hurried over as he went into a coughing fit. The former fed him his medicine and led him out of the banquet hall. Joseline had lost the only person she could depend on. At the same time, Hanson had no qualms about showing his disdain for Joseline anymore as he shrugged her hand away. ¡°The wedding is canceled!¡± Canceled? Joseline was dumbfounded as she sank to the ground. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to raise her head as she could feel the looks of disgust people were giving her. Her wedding guests, mostly business elites, started admonishing her. ¡°Who would have thought that Ms. Joseline from Sorelle Group would do something like that? She doesn¡¯t seem like the kind at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She shouldn¡¯t have disregarded human life for the sake of money.¡± ¡°This is terrifying. And to think that I attended their wedding. What an embarrassment. Let¡¯s go!¡± With that, everyone got to their feet and was about to leave, everyone except Angeline. Angeline folded her arms and stared at Joseline expressionlessly. A sinister smile soon graced her lips. ¡°Karma.¡± Joseline read her lips as she mouthed those words to her. At that moment, everything clicked for Joseline. She red at Angeline with disdain. ¡°You! You ruined my wedding!¡± she exploded in rage. The next second, she picked herself up from the ground, grabbed a bottle of red wine from the table beside her, andunched herself at Angeline as if she had gone mad. It happened so fast that Angeline had no time to dodge. Her pupils constricted as she stared at the wine bottle Joseline was holding high up in the air. Am I going to get a concussion from getting hit with a wine bottle? Angeline gritted her teeth as she prepared herself to take the hit when she suddenly felt someone grabbing her by her waist and pulling her away from where she was standing. Bam! The sound of someone getting hit with a ss bottle cut through the air. Angeline squeezed her eyes shut, thinking she had gotten hit. However, the pain never came. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡°Ah!¡± Instead, it was Joseline who let out endless agonizing screams. What¡¯s going on? Angeline was taken aback and opened her eyes slowly. The cold, handsome face of Evander appeared in front of her eyes. ¡°Mr. Golding, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you retaliate? Aren¡¯t you usually very arrogant?¡± he mocked her with disdain. ¡°Nonsense! I just didn¡¯t react fast enough. That¡¯s all,¡± Angeline rambled on incoherently. Evander red at her in disbelief. Meanwhile, Angeline¡¯s attention had turned to the screaming Joseline. Angeline was supposed to be the target of the wine bottle. Right now, it had been smashed on Joseline¡¯s arm, and blood was gushing out. It was evident from Joseline¡¯s ashen face that she was in pain. Just then, Hanson spotted Evander and quickly got off the stage before going over. ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡¯m so sorry to have startled you.¡± ¡°Mr. Yiurk, your wife charged at me with a wine bottle. Is she trying to murder me?¡± said Evander icily with a hint of animosity. Hanson looked grim because the two men were alreadypeting for a project. Yet, at present, a few sentences from Evander were enough to humiliate him. ¡°No, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. You were not her target.¡± ¡°So, it was meant to hit Angeline?¡± questioned Evander as he ced his arm around Angeline¡¯s shoulders. His eyes darkened and he continued, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that she would hurt her own sister. A vicious woman like her will do anything! Looks like Golding Group would have to reconsider its coboration with the Sorelle family and the Yiurk family!¡± Evander¡¯s harsh words rendered everyone speechless. As Angeline looked at his hand that was on her shoulders, she was in shock. His cold words had made here to a realization. Is he standing up for me? Didn¡¯t hee to see me make a fool of myself? No matter how I think about it, the testimonies in court must have changed his mind. Evander believed that Angeline was not the person who had tried to harm Floretta! Hanson¡¯s face darkened when he saw the intimate scene between Evander and Angeline. At thest event, Evander did not seem to know Angeline very well. Since when did the two of them be so close? At that moment, Joseline knew she was in trouble, so she rolled her eyes and pretended to pass out. ¡°Mr. Golding, please don¡¯t be angry. A moment ago, Hanson said that he would cancel the wedding. Joseline is no longer rted to us!¡± Wendy rushed forward and begged, ¡°Furthermore, Yiurk Group will not be working with Sorelle Group anymore. I know you are upset with Sorelle Group, but please don¡¯t vent it out on Yiurk Group.¡± There would be no more coboration between Yiurk Group and Sorelle Group. That was what Angeline had been waiting to hear for so many years. Her eyes were filled with hatred as she stared at Joseline, who was lying on the floor at that moment. She had the urge to rush forward and tear that pretentious face of hers apart. In order to avoid the responsibility, Joseline could behave so shamelessly. Angeline wanted nothing more than to expose her sister¡¯s true colors! With that thought in mind, she strode toward Joseline. Just as she was within reach, someone grabbed her arm. ¡°It will make you look bad if you charge at her now,¡± Evander advised her. Angeline stiffened. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Why? She had been trying so hard to get her revenge. Finally, she got the opportunity. Angeline really wanted to seek justice for all the suffering that she had endured over the years. Just as she was thinking about getting her revenge, Evander dragged her out of there. The moment they left, the ballroom erupted into chaos. Some people were asking for help, while others were shouting in anger. There were also others who were crying. A grand wedding of such a magnitude was something that every girl would dream of. The bride should have been the center of attention and received well wishes. Yet, the entire event had turned into a terrible mess. It had be theughingstock of the whole of Jadeborough. Once they were out of the ballroom, Evander cast Angeline aside at the door before turning to leave. Angeline had mixed feelings when she scanned her surroundings and could not find Evander. Just as she was about to hail a taxi, a ck Maybach stopped in front of her. The window of the back seat rolled down, and Evander¡¯s exquisite face appeared. ¡°Get in!¡± It might be two simple words that he had uttered, but it certainly was not a request. Angeline frowned and pondered for a while before doing as she was told. The powerful aura exuding from Evander was too intimidating for Angeline, so she sat as far away as she could from him. Evander looked at her with those sharp eyes of his in annoyance. ¡°Move a little closer. What? Do you think I will eat you up?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Angeline was dumbfounded. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She thought Evander would be more repulsed by her after everything that had taken ce. Not wanting to displease him, Angeline had no choice but to inch closer to him. It was only then Evander eased up. Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere in the car became a little awkward. Angeline gulped and hesitated for a second before expressing her gratitude, ¡°Mr. Golding, thank you for your help earlier in the ballroom. God knows what would have happened to me if the bottle really landed on me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it. I didn¡¯t go there specially to save you,¡± said Evander quietly. ¡°I received the wedding invitation, so I was there to drop off my present.¡± Oh¡­ Angeline reorganized her thoughts before continuing, ¡°Whatever it is, you did save me, and I hope to return the favor. Although I can¡¯t be of any help right now, I will do my best should you require my help in the future.¡± ¡°Golding Group has given you your one and only chance,¡± reminded Evander in a deep voice. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. But, please believe me that one day, I shall return the favor to Golding Group,¡± said Angeline with utmost determination and seriousness. Evander nced at her and noticed her bright eyes when she made her promise. He knew that she had gone through a lot in life and certainly much more than most people. Yet, the innocence in her eyes was as clear as day and irreceable. Very soon, they arrived at Angeline¡¯s home. She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. Just as she was about to close the door, she seemed to remember something. She asked nicely, ¡°Mr. Golding, what about the endorsement of Starlight Jewelry?¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any changes,¡± replied Evander. ¡°But, I hope the same thing doesn¡¯t happen again. There¡¯s a limit to my patience.¡± His words calmed Angeline downpletely. ¡°Please rest assured. There won¡¯t be any more incidents before the shooting of the advertisement finishes,¡± Angeline gave her word. She sounded extremely confident. Angeline turned and was about to leave when Evander reminded her, ¡°If you want your revenge, then you must be ruthless. You will never be able to get back at Hanson if you behave the way you did earlier.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Angeline was at a loss for words. She felt chills running down her spine when she heard what he said. By the time she turned around, Evander¡¯s car was already driving away. Angeline stood still and watched his car disappear. She began to rx, and a warm smile appeared on her face. It seems that Mr. Golding isn¡¯t as heartless as he appears to be. However, his final words certainly made her think. Herst actions at the wedding were indeed embarrassing. Angeline was deep in her thoughts as she took the elevator. Just as she was about to reach her house, she suddenly saw a dark figure standing outside her door. For the past few days, she had been in prison and had not been paying any attention to things at home. The man was acting suspiciously, and she did not have a good feeling about him. Angeline gulped in fear and forced herself to be alert as she picked up the broom in the corner. She tiptoed toward the man, raised the broom, and hit him hard on the head! Bang! The broomnded urately on its target. The man groaned in pain. With a menacing face, Angeline warned him angrily, ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t move. I have already called the police.¡± ¡°Angeline, what are you? A tigress? You¡¯re so strong!¡± the man responded in annoyance. He turned around, and it was somebody she knew. ¡°Jonathan?¡± Angeline called out his name in surprise. She had not heard from him since theyst met at the caf¨¦. Jonathan was holding onto his head and frowning. It was obvious that his injury was quite serious. Angeline eyed him warily. He must have been very detailed in his investigation in order to find out where I was staying. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked. ¡°Is this how you treat your guest?¡± Angeline ignored him, but she did not open her door either. Instead, she turned and wanted to leave. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re walking away just like that. Don¡¯t you want to know what happened to the Yiurk and Sorelle families?¡± Jonathan asked. Angeline paused in her steps, and her grip on her bag tightened. She was right. Jonathan hade prepared. Since she was someone of value to him, she doubted that he would hurt her. With that thought in mind, Angeline returned to her house. He strode in after her as if it was his house and started to check out the furnishings. Angeline had taken the medical kit from her bedroom and ced it on the coffee table. After checking Jonathan¡¯s wound, she found that there was no bleeding. It was just a little swollen. She quickly took out the bottle of ointment and applied it to his wound. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°In the past, I used to sustain injuries during filming. This ointment is quite effective. It¡¯s going to hurt, so endure it.¡± Despite her warning, she still tried her best to control the amount of pressure she used to apply the ointment. Instead of feeling pain, Jonathan found the effect of the ointment to be quite cooling. He leaned back on the couch and smiled. ¡°Was the surprise at the wedding outrageous enough?¡± That would be an understatement. It was so outrageous that someone nearly died! Now that Jonathan had reminded her, Angeline realized that she had yet to recover from the excitement of the farce. She looked at Jonathan calmly and said, ¡°You expected that to happen, didn¡¯t you? You know all about the dirt I have on her, don¡¯t you?¡± Jonathan looked at her in approval. ¡°This is why I like to converse with intelligent people. They never beat around the bush.¡± Angeline gazed at him coldly and waited for what he would say next. He stretchedzily before continuing, ¡°Currently, Joseline is in the hospital. I heard that she nearly lost her baby. Wendy is arguing with Old Mr. Sorelle and insisting that the baby has nothing to do with the Yiurk family.¡± What! ¡°Of course, Old Mr. Sorelle feels sorry for his precious granddaughter. To top it off, the share prices of Sorelle Group have dropped drastically, so he has no choice but to force his granddaughter onto the Yiurk family,¡± sneered Jonathan. ¡°I heard it may be awsuit. It¡¯s going to be fun to watch.¡± Angeline¡¯s fingers that were holding a cotton ball stopped midair when she heard that. An icy glint shed across her eyes. Since they were young, Wilfred had always loved the gentleness and kindness of Joseline. Now that news of her viciousness came to light, Angeline wondered if he had any regrets. ¡°What about you?¡± Angeline shot him a question. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I¡¯m asking about your n for revenge. I may not know your reason for vengeance, but if I¡¯m guessing correctly, your target is Hanson. Am I right?¡± ¡°So, what if it¡¯s him?¡± Jonathan seemed to be in a good mood and said casually, ¡°Do you still have any lingering love for him?¡± ¡°What has that got to do with you?¡± Angeline evaded his question and became wary again. ¡°Mr. Green, although I agree to work with you, it¡¯s better for us not to ask about each other¡¯s personal affairs!¡± Most importantly, she had no idea if Jonathan was a friend or a foe. Therefore, she had to be cautious of her every move. Jonathan got up from the couch and looked down at her. ¡°That¡¯s up to you, but never forget your goal. Don¡¯t forget about your child whose life and death remain unknown.¡± Angeline stiffened at the mention of her child. It was definitely a warning and not a baseless one. She looked up at Jonathan with animosity. ¡°Is there any news about my child?¡± ¡°All I can tell you is that the child is still alive. If you want to know more, it will depend on your performance.¡± A wicked grin appeared on Jonathan¡¯s face. If one were to look closer, the coldness in his eyes was enough to make one tremble! Once Jonathan left her house, Angeline stared at the medical kit in a daze. There were agitation and pain in her eyes. My child¡­ is still alive. That knowledge would be her driving force for the days toe. Over the next few days, Angeline focused all her energy on the shooting of the Starlight Jewelry advertisement. Her diligence and seriousness had earned her praises from everyone. On the third day, the shooting waspleted before schedule! Gordon was very satisfied with the finished product, and he signaled to the crew. Angeline had just finished herst scene and was walking down the stage in her fishtail dress when she saw Gordon holding a huge bouquet of roses. ¡°Angeline, congrattions! Good job! You have worked so hard for the past few days.¡± Angeline epted the bouquet and bowed respectfully. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°By the way, the film crew will be having a celebration partyter on. If you have nothing on, join us.¡± Since Angeline had nothing to do at home, she was about to agree when a bodyguard came running toward her. ¡°Angie, someone is looking for you.¡± Who could it be? ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, Angeline handed the flowers to her assistant before walking out of the film set whilst holding her dress. All she saw were a few luxury cars. There was no one else around. Angeline stood there and felt as if she had been pranked. A hint of irritation appeared on her face. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Turning around, Angeline was about to leave when she felt a pair of chubby hands hugging her thigh. Shortly after, a little girl¡¯s giggles could be heard from behind. ¡°Angel, you couldn¡¯t find me just now, right?¡± Angeline gazed in the direction of the child¡¯s voice. Wearing a pink dress and sporting two pigtails, Floretta looked awfully cute. ¡°What brings you here, Floretta?¡± Angeline asked delightfully as she squatted down to talk to Floretta at eye level. ¡°Have you been discharged?¡± ¡°The nurse said I can be discharged, but I still have to take my medications on time.¡± Floretta blinked her dark,rge eyes as she continued in her melodious voice, ¡°Angel, I asked Daddy to bring me here to see you because I heard you finish filming today.¡± Angeline¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Your Daddy is here?¡± Pointing at a car nearby, Floretta replied obediently, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s right there.¡± They watched as the car door opened, and a pair of shiny leather shoesnded on the ground. Then, Evander emerged from the car in a ck suit. Although he was wearing a pair of sunsses that shielded half of his face, his exquisite jawline was exposed. As he steadily walked in Angeline¡¯s direction, she stared at him in a daze. She sighed,menting that although he was cold, his looks were enough to send girls fangirling over him. ¡°Angel, you have been staring at my daddy for a while now,¡± Floretta whispered in Angeline¡¯s ear as a reminder. Instantly, Angeline was brought back to reality. As she coughed awkwardly, her rosy cheeks turned a deep shade of red. ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring at him. I was looking at his¡­ cufflinks!¡± Chuckling nervously, she continued, ¡°They look nice. Where did you buy them?¡± Fearing that she might give away her thoughts, Angeline did not dare to look up and make eye contact with Evander. Instead, she fixated her gaze on his cufflinks. ¡°You like these?¡± Somewhat amused, Evander observed Angeline¡¯s expression but chose not to expose her. Smirking, he asked, ¡°Do you need Ss to send you the link to get these cufflinks?¡± ¡°Well¡­ There¡¯s no need to,¡± Angeline replied with her head hung low. She looked somewhat amusing while trying to conceal her embarrassment. Standing beside them was Floretta, who covered her face with her hands as she chuckled secretly. If this goes well, Angel will be my mom soon enough. Looks like they still need a little push from me. With that thought, she hugged Angeline¡¯s thighs as she asked, ¡°Angel, Daddy and I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Thest time you cooked for us, Daddy praised your culinary skills. Can we eat at your ce again?¡± ¡°Floretta!¡± Evander scowled, looking displeased. When have I ever praised Angeline in front of Floretta? Floretta stuck out her tongue at Evander triumphantly. Then, turning to Angeline, she pleaded, ¡°Can we, Angel?¡± As her heart softened from Floretta¡¯s cuteness, Angeline couldn¡¯t help caressing her head gently. Right then, Nancy and the driver pulled over beside them. Nancy was surprised to see Evander. ¡°You¡¯re here too, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Evander replied. ¡°Are you guys going somewhere?¡± ¡°The film crew is having a celebration dinnerter. I¡¯m here to fetch Angeline.¡± Evander¡¯s face clouded over. Pulling Floretta aside, he raised his voice deliberately, saying, ¡°You heard it. She¡¯s going to the celebration dinnerter. Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home!¡± Floretta pried Evander¡¯s hand off angrily and dashed toward Angeline¡¯s minivan. After climbing into the minivan, she sobbed out, ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever Angel goes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you throw a tantrum, Floretta! I¡¯ll give you three seconds to get out of the car!¡± Evander warned sternly. He looked scary when he was angry. How did I end up with such a useless daughter? We can¡¯t ask anyone aside from the Golding family for favors! Feeling aggrieved, Floretta stuck her butt out unwillingly. She was about to get out of the car when Angeline stepped in and carried Floretta because thetter couldn¡¯t stand it. As she caressed Floretta¡¯s head, she said to Evander, ¡°Mr. Golding, you should be more patient when educating a child. Floretta is an obedient kid. You¡¯re being too fierce to her,¡± Angeline said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a meal? I¡¯ll prepare dinner for her.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement upon hearing Angeline¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take you to the supermarketter,¡± Angeline replied with a smile. ncing at Evander, she pondered for a while before asking, ¡°Mr. Golding, would you like to join us?¡± ¡°Okay. Get into my car,¡± Evander replied indifferently. ¡°What? Oh¡­ All right. Please give me five minutes to change.¡± Angeline stared at Evander with a weird look because she only invited him out of courtesy. Why would someone of his status visit my house willingly? His actions had been getting more unprecedented recently. Nancy was overjoyed when she heard that Evander was going to Angeline¡¯s ce for dinner. Reading the situation, she immediately disappeared with the driver before texting Angeline to give her advice. She texted: Not bad, Angeline. Once you conquer Mr. Golding and sign a contract under Golding Group, you won¡¯t have to worry about getting endorsements anymore. Appalled, Angeline typed furiously: What are you talking about? I¡¯m just taking care of his daughter. Nancy texted back: You¡¯ll get closer to him the more you take care of his daughter. Good luck to you. I hope everything progresses faster. Given Mr. Golding¡¯s build, he must have been working out a lot. I bet he¡¯s good in bed too¡­ Angeline¡¯s face reddened when she saw the message. She felt ufortable sitting in the backseat of Evander¡¯s car. The longer she stared at Evander, who was focused on driving, the more she thought about what Nancy had said to her. Given Mr. Golding¡¯s build, he must have been working out a lot. I bet he¡¯s good in bed too¡­ ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Can we go to this supermarket?¡± Evander¡¯s cold voice suddenly rang in the car, bringing Angeline back to reality. Startled, she stared nkly at Evander¡¯s reflection in the rearview mirror, what he was thinking apparent on his delicate face. After a long silence, Angeline replied awkwardly, ¡°Yes, this is fine. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to park the car nearby.¡± Evander held onto the steering wheel tightly as he reversed the car into a parking space that he had just found. After getting out of the car first, he walked around the vehicle and carried Floretta out. Meanwhile, Angeline was still troubled by Nancy¡¯s message. D*mn it! Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, Angeline had seen all sorts of hot guys. Why am I swooning over him now? Worse still, she was thinking about how good he would be in bed. When she got out of the car, she failed to notice the steps below her. She almost fell onto the ground when arge hand grabbed her by her slender waist and pulled her into his arms. Angeline raised her head in shock. As she stared at Evander¡¯s handsome face, which was magnified by their proximity, she started speaking incoherently. ¡°Oh¡­ T-Thank you.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Frowning, Evander mocked, ¡°You can¡¯t even walk properly. Do you need me to send you back to kindergarten to learn how to walk?¡± Angeline¡¯s face turned crimson instantly. All of a sudden, she was at a loss for words. Most importantly, how should I reply? Tell him that I was thinking about him? That is going to sound suggestive. We aren¡¯t that close yet¡­ Angeline mustered her courage to gaze directly at Evander. However, her heart was racing, and she spoke unnaturally. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Golding. I was thinking about work just now. I didn¡¯t notice the stairs. Sorry that I troubled you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m reminding you to pay attention to the road when you¡¯re with Floretta.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evander¡¯s stern expression gradually dissipated because Angeline was apologetic. Shortly afterward, he pulled out a leather wallet from his pocket and took out a ck card from it. ¡°For the groceries.¡± He handed the card to Angeline. Shocked, Angeline stared at the card nkly because she didn¡¯t know if she should ept it. Look at the exquisite design. There must be a lot of money on the card! Right after, she immediately got rid of her thoughts and returned the card to Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, I can¡¯t ept your expensive card. Besides, I¡¯m just buying groceries. I don¡¯t need that much money.¡± Evander frowned as he listened to her. Since he had never given any woman a bank card before, he didn¡¯t know what to expect. However, he quickly realized that it was sudden and inappropriate for him to give Angeline a bank card. At the thought of it, Evander took his card back. Then, he opened his wallet and took out all the cash. Since he didn¡¯t know how much money Angeline needed for the groceries, despite her saying that it wasn¡¯t much, he decided to give all the money in his wallet to her. ¡°I don¡¯t need a woman to pay for me,¡± he exined in a serious tone. Angeline didn¡¯t know what to say. She was still troubled over how to decline the money when Floretta epted the cash with her chubby hands on her behalf. Smirking mischievously, Floretta said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to save my daddy¡¯s money, Angel. Let¡¯s go and buy some good food.¡± Before Angeline could think of what to say, Floretta took her hand and led her away. Remaining in his spot, Evander watched them enter the supermarket before getting back into his car. Upon checking his inbox, he noticed a new email that was sent by Ss five minutes ago. It was an email about a route that started from Epea. Eyes darkening, he dialed Ss¡¯ number. Ss must have been waiting for his phone call because he picked up almost immediately. ¡°Mr. Golding, what are your orders?¡± ¡°Is it confirmed?¡± Evander asked. ¡°I can¡¯t be too sure for now, but there¡¯s a seventy percent chance that she¡¯s Floretta¡¯s biological mother. After giving birth in a vige, she has been living abroad ever since. I¡¯ve sent you a few pictures for authentication.¡± It was then Evander noticed that there were a few pictures attached below the email after hearing Ss¡¯ report. Upon opening the file, a silhouette of a woman buying groceries popped up on his screen. Although she was wearing in clothes and no jewelry, she looked young. Evander erged the photo and tried to recall if he had seen her before, but he didn¡¯t recognize the silhouette at all. More importantly, he waspletely drunk that night. The woman was gone when he woke up the next day. It was five years ago. How was he able to remember the details? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After Evander went silent for a long while, Ss couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Golding, shall we continue the investigation?¡± ¡°Yes, continue until you find her,¡± Evander replied solemnly, ¡°If she is indeed Floretta¡¯s biological mother, bring her back to the country.¡± ¡°Mr. Golding, what are you nning to do?¡± Ss asked in a surprised tone. Although Evander did not reply, Ss was able to guess what he intended to do correctly. Floretta is in urgent need of a mother now. Who else would be a better option? The woman in the picture seemed ordinary. If she was indeed Floretta¡¯s biological mother, Ss didn¡¯t see how the arrangement would not work. At the same time, Evander would be able to get rid of Olivine. It was a good deal. ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding.¡± Ss hung up after epting his mission. Angeline and Floretta shopped for about half an hour before emerging from the supermarket with two bags of food. At the sight of them struggling to carry the bags, Evander alighted from his car and opened the trunk for them to put the groceries in. He opened the bags and peeked into them. As expected, the bags were filled with Floretta¡¯s favorite snacks. ¡°Here¡¯s the remaining money, Mr. Golding.¡± Panting, Angeline opened her palm, revealing the wrinkled banknotes. ¡°You can keep them.¡± A warm smile appeared on Evander¡¯s face upon seeing her actions. ¡°The bags are filled with Floretta¡¯s snacks. Since you apanied her for so long, you can keep the money as your reward.¡± Who doesn¡¯t want money? With that thought, Angeline kept the money in her bag without hesitation and carried Floretta into the car. Soon, they arrived at Angeline¡¯s home. Evander helped her carry the groceries. After taking the elevator and arriving at the doorstep, Angeline unlocked the door and gave Evander and Floretta a pair of slippers each. Angeline still found it hard to believe that Evander was visiting her house. ¡°My house is rather shabby, Mr. Golding. I¡¯m sorry that you have to put up with this.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Evander replied. ¡°It is very clean.¡± Is that a praise from him? Whatever. Angeline stopped thinking about it. After leading Evander and Floretta to the couch, she poured two sses of water for them. ¡°Please help yourself while I prepare dinner in the kitchen, Mr. Golding. Here¡¯s the remote control for the television and some board games for you and Floretta to y.¡± Angeline exined in detail as though worried that Evander might not feel weed. Once everything was in ce, Angeline gathered the ingredients and headed toward the kitchen. Floretta watched television attentively while clutching a packet of snacks. On the other hand, having nothing to do, Evander got up from the couch and paced around the living room. When he came across one of the cupboards, he noticed an ess pass with a picture of a man¡¯s face on it. Frowning, he lifted the card up with his slender fingers. The card belonged to a man named Jonathan Green, who was an administrative manager of Ocean Skye Group. Evander¡¯s face darkened as he scrutinized the handsome man in the photograph because he could tell that the man was crafty from his eyes. How does Angeline know him? Suddenly, a loud sound and a woman¡¯s scream came from the kitchen. ¡°Argh! There¡¯s so much water!¡± Hearing that, Evander ced the card back and strode to the kitchen quickly. The kitchen floor was a mess. Angeline was squatting by the faucet and fiddling with something. The kitchen was filled with an unpleasant stench. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Evander asked as he covered his nose and fanned away the stench in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m unclogging the pipe.¡± Angeline turned around and looked at him innocently. ¡°I forgot how this should be installed, and now there¡¯s water everywhere. Have I disturbed you?¡± ¡°How stupid are you?¡± Evander red at Angeline in frustration. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Angeline was already frustrated from spending so much time on the water pipe, so Evander¡¯s nagging made her more upset. In a fit of anger, Angeline stood up and waved the wrench in her hand at Evander. ¡°Well, all that talk isn¡¯t going to fix the problem. Why don¡¯t you try your hand at it? But I guess a rich and pampered person like you wouldn¡¯t know how to repair it, right?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Angeline let loose her frustrations and taunted Evander. All she wanted was to embarrass him for a bit, but little did she expect what he was going to do. At that moment, Evander took off his suit jacket and ced it on a chair nearby. He strode toward Angeline and took the wrench from her hand. ¡°Step aside.¡± He gestured to Angeline. Seeing Evander squatting in front of the water tank, Angeline was shocked. ¡°Are you sure about this? Why don¡¯t I call a plumber? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be here quickly, and it won¡¯t affect dinner¡­¡± ¡°Have you ever met a female artiste as long-winded as you? Just watch me,¡± Evander replied in a disdainful tone. While his slender fingers were deftly working on the pipe, he instructed in a deep voice, ¡°Pass me the pliers.¡± From the looks of it, it seemed like Evander knew a thing or two about repairing a leaking pipe. Angeline did not dare to say anything more. She hurriedly took the pliers from the toolbox and handed them over to Evander. Evander¡¯s hands seemed to work like magic; soon, the pipe stopped leaking. ¡°Whoa, it stopped leaking. Mr. Golding, you¡¯re amazing,¡± Angelineplimented with a huge smile. She hoped he would forget about her tactlessness earlier. Evander was secretly pleased to hear herpliment. He did not say anything more and turned on the tap to test the water flow. As Evander watched the water flow smoothly from the tap, a sudden thought crossed his mind. He asked Angeline coldly, ¡°You have a boyfriend?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Angeline was caught by surprise by his question. ¡°Mr. Golding, why are you suddenly asking me this?¡± ¡°I noticed an ess pass belonging to a man on the top of the cab when I came in just now. The name was Jonathan, I believe.¡± Evander gave Angeline a subtle nce and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not interested in your private life. But if news of you being in a romantic rtionship suddenly breaks out, I¡¯m concerned it will affect the sales of Starlight Jewelry.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Angeline replied with a solemn expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Golding. I¡¯m not in a rtionship; that man is only a friend. He identally left his ess pass behind when he came for dinner some time ago.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Evander turned on the tap again to wash his hands while looking nonchnt. ¡°Ocean Skye Group is my business partner, so I know their management pretty well. But I¡¯ve never heard of this person named Jonathan.¡± Angeline¡¯s face turned awkward; she did not know how to respond to Evander. She had no clue that Jonathan had fabricated his job. She also did not expect his ess pass would catch Evander¡¯s attention and raise his suspicion. Hence, she could only keep lying as she did not want to reveal her working rtionship with Jonathan. Angeline tried to hide her awkwardness by grabbing a rag to wipe the water puddles on the floor. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s new to thepany. I rarely meet him as we¡¯re both busy with our work.¡± There was a sharp glint in Evander¡¯s eyes as he looked at her. He sneered, ¡°You¡¯d better be careful. Don¡¯tnd yourself in trouble and jeopardize your revenge n.¡± Angeline slowed in her wiping upon hearing that. Evander has a point there. If it were in the past, I would never expect him to say these words. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding, for the advice. I will do my due diligence. Let me get you a ss of water.¡± Angeline stopped wiping the floor and headed toward the water dispenser. Due to her nervousness, she did not notice a water puddle on the floor. She stepped on it and slipped, her body about to fall t on the floor. ¡°Watch out!¡± Evander cautioned. Angeline looked at Evander, who was in front of her, stretching out his hand to help her. Without a second thought, she hurriedly grabbed his arm for support. She did not manage to gain a steady foothold. Instead, she tightened her grip on Evander, dragging him down. Both of them fell onto the floor simultaneously, producing a loud sound. Angeline furrowed her brows deeply; her back was in great pain from the impact of the fall. It felt as if her bones were cracked open. Fortunately, Evander managed to shield her head in time. Otherwise, there was a possibility she might suffer from a concussion! When she regained her senses, all she saw was a close-up of Evander¡¯s suave face. For a moment, she found it hard to breathe. It was not as if she had never been this close to an actor during her acting career. However, as she faced Evander, she felt like an eighteen-year-old girl in front of her crush. Her heart was beating fast, and her face was flushing from excitement. ¡°Angel, what happened?¡± Floretta, who had been watching television outside, heard themotion and became concerned. She opened the kitchen door to check on them. When Floretta saw the two adults on the floor holding each other, she eximed with her mouth wide open, ¡°Whoa! Daddy, Angel, are you both ying a game? Is it fun?¡± Angeline wished she could burrow into a hole upon hearing Floretta¡¯s innocent question. ¡°Floretta, listen to me. It¡¯s not what you think¡­¡± ¡°Angel, I want to join you and y together!¡± Floretta did not care less and began to run toward them excitedly with open arms. At that moment, Evander had already gotten up. But he could not stop Floretta in time and ended up falling onto the floor again together with her. It was aical scene as the trio intertwined with one another, unable to free themselves. Angeline could hardly move with the father and daughter pressing on top of her. She did a facepalm and looked helpless. Evander¡¯s face darkened. He warned in a deep voice, ¡°Floretta, stop it and get up right now!¡± Floretta, on the other hand, was enjoying herself thoroughly. One moment, she wriggled around in Evander¡¯s embrace. Next, she touched Angeline¡¯s face and said gleefully, ¡°This is so fun. I like hugging. I want to continue ying!¡± Angeline was speechless; she did not know how to react to that. Evander was at his wit¡¯s end as well. He had no idea how to stop Floretta. He was about to speak when he noticed Angeline¡¯s stained clothes. Her white tank top got wet when she was repairing the leaking pipe earlier. As Evander stared at her, Angeline felt embarrassed at her grubby appearance. She promptly used her arms to cover herself. She lowered her head and dared not look Evander in the eye. ¡°I need to cook dinner now. Please bring Floretta outside, as it can be dangerous.¡± Evander calmly turned his head around. Carrying Floretta up from the floor, he left the kitchen. If one had been observant, one would have noticed Evander¡¯s red ears. Angeline started cooking in the kitchen. Very soon, she whipped up a sumptuous meal in no time. Served on the dining table were celery sd, fried fish fillet, roasted vegetables, and vegetable beef soup. Meanwhile, Evander was ying video games with Floretta in the living room. It was a heartwarming sight. Angeline could not help but smile as she saw this scene. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready,¡± she called for them. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Upon hearing it was dinner time, Floretta hurriedly removed the headphones around her neck and took Evander¡¯s hand, bringing him to the dining room. ¡°Wow, everything looks so delicious. Thank you for your hard work, Angel,¡± Florettaplimented. She climbed onto a chair and happily gave a peck on Angeline¡¯s cheek. As she watched the adorable Floretta, Angeline¡¯s weariness was gone instantly. She delightfully rubbed Floretta¡¯s head and teased, ¡°What a glib tongue you have. I specially cooked these dishes for you and your father. Go ahead and dig in.¡± ¡°I shall eat to my heart¡¯s content!¡± Floretta sat on the chair obediently, staring at the food excitedly with a tiny spoon in her hand. Evander sat beside Floretta. From his position, he could see Angeline clearly, who was opposite him. He noticed that she had changed into a loose-fitting top. Yet, he could not stop thinking about her in her drenched tank top. It would not be an exaggeration to say he found her previous appearance provoking. ¡°Floretta, have some of my signature dish¡ªvegetable beef soup.¡± Angeline did not seem to notice anything odd with Evander¡¯s expression. She eagerly scooped a bowl of steaming hot soup for Floretta. Floretta drank a mouthful and immediately eximed, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so yummy. Daddy, you should try some too.¡± ¡°You help yourself. I¡¯m not drinking it,¡± Evander replied aloofly. He had not touched his food since he sat down. Angeline knitted her brows and probed cautiously, ¡°Mr. Golding, is the food not to your liking?¡± Angeline could not wrap her head around it as she looked at Evander¡¯s sullen expression. Something¡¯s not right. I purposely cooked a few dishes of varying tastes because I didn¡¯t know his preference. I¡¯m sure there must be at least one dish that he wouldn¡¯t mind! Floretta, on the other hand, seemed to know the reason. She cheerfully exined, ¡°Angel, if you don¡¯t mind, please help Daddy to scoop a bowl of soup!¡± Huh? What does she mean by that? Angeline was puzzled by Floretta¡¯s words, but she heeded her advice and scooped a bowl of soup for Evander. She politely said as she served the soup to him, ¡°Mr. Golding, I apologize if it doesn¡¯t suit your taste, but please try to have a few sips.¡± Evander merely hummed in response. However, the moment he lifted his fork, it was as if his appetite was activated. He downed the bowl of soup in a matter of minutes. He then handed the empty bowl back to Angeline. Although Evander did not say a single word, Angeline understood what he wanted, so she refilled his bowl with soup. Evander stirred the soup with a spoon to dissipate the heat and began to drink it slowly. Angeline watched him with a resigned look on her face. Why is he behaving like a kid at his age? The food must be served to him before he¡¯s willing to eat¡­ I don¡¯t understand him at all. With Evander¡¯s and Floretta¡¯s hungry stomachs, the food on the table was finished in no time. After finishing their dinner, the three of them yed some games for a while. In a blink of an eye, it was already half past ten at night. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Evander nced at his luxury watch to check the time. Noticing that it waste, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Floretta, it¡¯ste. We should be heading home.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home. I want to y.¡± Floretta pouted. She was enjoying herself and did not want to leave. ¡°No. You should be in bed already,¡± Evander replied firmly with a solemn face. Floretta tilted her head and blinked her eyes cutely. ¡°Daddy, I noticed a big guest room in Angel¡¯s house a while ago. We can sleep there tonight.¡± Evander was speechless. He could notprehend why his daughter was bbering nonsense like that. Right then, Angeline was feeling awkward because of Floretta¡¯s innocent remark. She could not decide whether to allow it or not. Having Floretta stay for the night was not an issue, but Evander was a grown man. Moreover, he had a fianc¨¦e. It would not be appropriate for him to spend the night at her ce. ¡°No. This is someone else¡¯s house. It¡¯s not for you to decide,¡± Evander denied Floretta tly. He took the game console away from her hand before carrying her into his arms and putting the jacket forcefully on her. Floretta resisted for a while before bursting into tears. She was likely to have been hurt by Evander during the struggle. ¡°I hate Daddy. Daddy is a bad person. It¡¯s so painful! Help me¡­¡± Floretta bawled in pain. Evander was usually heartless, but his heart immediately softened when he saw his daughter crying. He rubbed his forehead with his slender fingers, thinking of how to deal with the situation. Just then, Angeline stretched out her arms and carried Floretta over. ¡°Let me pacify her,¡± Angeline offered softly. Angeline¡¯s heart ached as she inspected Floretta¡¯s arm for any injuries. She gently asked, ¡°Where does it hurt? Shall I blow some kisses on it?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Floretta uttered tiredly. She stretched out her arm to let Angeline see while her other arm was wrapped around Angeline¡¯s neck. Angelineforted Floretta for a while before thetter finally toned down her crying. She buried herself into Angeline¡¯s embrace and whimpered softly. Seeing Floretta¡¯s pitiful look, Angeline could not bear to chase her away. She turned to Evander and suggested, ¡°Mr. Golding, why don¡¯t you let Floretta stay with me for the night?¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be too troublesome,¡± Evander responded coldly. ¡°Not at all. I have nothing scheduled tomorrow anyway, and Floretta looks like she¡¯s about to fall asleep soon,¡± Angeline said in hushed tones while ncing at Floretta affectionately. Seeing that Evander did not object, Angeline quickly carried Floretta to the bathroom and bathed her. After the bath, Angeline took Floretta to her bedroom. Floretta was exhausted after a long day; she soon fell into a deep sleep after Angeline patted her for a while. Before she fell asleep, Floretta tugged tightly at Angeline¡¯s clothes, refusing to let go. Angeline could not help but smile at how Floretta trusted her and grew increasingly attached to her. Perhaps, she could empathize since she also had a child of simr age as Floretta. Creak¡­ After a while, her bedroom door was suddenly pushed open. Evander stood by the door in his white shirt and trousers, his right hand casually holding a disposable cup at his waist. He looked like he was making himself at home. He did not move further and asked in a low voice, ¡°Did Floretta fall asleep?¡± ¡°Oh yes.¡± Angeline hastily got up from her bed and turned to him, looking stunned. ¡°You haven¡¯t left?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not right to leave Floretta at your ce. But she likes you, so unless she falls asleep, I won¡¯t be able to bring her home,¡± Evander exined softly. He walked to the side of Angeline¡¯s bed, and after putting down his cup, he carried Floretta into his arms. ¡°Mm.¡± Sensing something, Floretta instinctively rubbed her eyes. But a few secondster, she turned to her side in Evander¡¯s arms and continued to sleep. Angeline looked at them worriedly and asked, ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s already veryte. Are you sure you can handle her?¡± ¡°I know my daughter well. Once she¡¯s asleep, even thunder can¡¯t wake her up. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡± There was a mixed tone of resignation and affection in Evander¡¯s voice. With that, he carried Floretta out to the living room. Angeline helped put Floretta¡¯s jacket and hat on her, fearing she might catch a cold on this chilly night. ¡°Thanks for everything today,¡± Evander expressed his appreciation. Before he left, he turned around and spoke in a warmer tone. ¡°Golding Group recently invested in a new historical drama. The female lead has not been cast yet. I¡¯ll ask Ss to send the script to your manager.¡± Is he¡­ repaying me for what I¡¯ve done? Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ¡°Mr. Golding, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something. I¡¯m taking care of Floretta because I like her, not because I want to get resources from you,¡± Angeline hastily exined. ¡°I know,¡± Evander replied. He knows? Angeline froze at his words. Then why is he doing this? Golding Group has many female artists who are more talented than me. After changing his shoes at the door, Evander looked at her and exined, ¡°The new Starlight Jewelry product you endorsed will beunched soon. The sales will increase only when your reputation is established.¡± What I said was reasonable. So, Angeline has no reason to turn down my offer. ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t perform well, the film crew can always rece the actress.¡± With that, Evander left the ce with Floretta in his arms. Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Angeline watched them get into the car downstairs. Soon, the vehicle disappeared from her sight. Every show invested in by Golding Group would be a hit. It would be a lie for Angeline to say that she was not tempted by Evander¡¯s lucrative offer. However, she felt that getting the deal was too easy on her part. Angeline gently rubbed her temples with her long, slender fingers. Despite her exhaustion, she still decided to ept his offer. I can only challenge Hanson and Joseline when I¡¯m stronger. Only then could I get back the shares that belong to me! Three dayster, Nancy came to Angeline¡¯s house with the script. The former was noticeably in a good mood as she maintained a smile on her face. ¡°My dear Goddess of Fortune, you¡¯re doing a great job securing the role of the lead actress in such a star-studded drama like The Journey. Do you know how many female artists have their eyes on this golden opportunity?¡± Angeline was fidgeting with the remote control distractedly. She perked up at Nancy¡¯sment. ¡°Did you just say The Journey?¡± ¡°Yes. Take a look at the script.¡± Nancy took a sip of water. Angeline hurriedly picked up the script and went through the pages. The more she read, the more excited she became. The Journey was a period drama featuring a heroine. In that ancient era, women were at the mercy of others. Refusing to ept her fate, the main character, Alleria, escaped death multiple times during the war. In the end, she became the queen consort. ¡°Has the production team informed you of the shooting date?¡± Angeline probed excitedly. The Journey was a novel Angeline had read during junior high. She took a liking to Alleria¡¯s character back then. Nevertheless, she never thought she would have the opportunity of ying this role one day. ¡°It will start the day after tomorrow. The director said all of the main cast would be there. Also, you¡¯ll start shooting your first scene on that day.¡± Leaning against the couch, Nancy looked at Angeline with approval. She continued, ¡°Do your best. The company has decided to focus on promoting you in the second half of the year.¡± ¡°Understood, Ms. Yandell!¡± Angeline replied enthusiastically. ¡°I need to ask¡­¡± Nancy folded her arms and asked, deliberately drawing out every syble, ¡°Did you cast a spell on Mr. Golding or something? Why does he favor you so much?¡± Angeline nearly choked on her water when she heard the straightforward question. ¡°Hey, you shouldn¡¯t spout nonsense like that. There¡¯s nothing between Mr. Golding and me.¡± ¡°Why would he give you resources if there¡¯s nothing between the two of you?¡± Nancy asked, raising her eyebrows. ¡°I do feel that Mr. Golding is giving you special treatment. Could it be that he likes you?¡± He likes me? N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Angeline was stunned by that question. ¡°N-No way. Mr. Golding already has a fianc¨¦e. Let¡¯s not overthink this,¡± she gibbered. She immediately picked up a grape from the te and stuffed it into Nancy¡¯s mouth to prevent thetter from making more shockingments. ¡°Dear viewers, wee to the live broadcast of the press conference of Sorelle Group and Yiurk Group. As you can see, many people are here at the scene.¡± Right then, one particr piece of news caught Angeline¡¯s attention on the television. Frowning, she grabbed the remote control on the side and turned up the volume. The camera panned out to both Joseline and Hanson. Thetter was wearing a ck suit, clenching his fists with a gloomy expression. Without any makeup on, Joseline looked extremely pale in front of the camera. She wiped the tears off her face with a piece of tissue. Meanwhile, the reporters began to bombard the duo with questions. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, did you actually hire a hitman?¡± ¡°Mr. Yiurk, how do you feel after marrying such a vicious woman?¡± Nevertheless, their questions went unanswered. Hanson¡¯s face contorted into a hideous scowl. It was clear that he wanted to get up and leave the press conference. ¡°Everyone, I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding. Sorelle Group is a sessful business. I dare not do such a thing under public scrutiny.¡± Looking pitifully at the camera, Joseline defended herself, ¡°Someone deliberately set me up!¡± ¡°What?¡± The crowd plunged into chaos at her shocking statement. Right then, Joseline¡¯swyer came out with a sh drive in his hand. ¡°I think everyone has listened to that voice recording at the wedding. However, it¡¯s impossible to know what happened based on the voice alone.¡± Thewyer immediately inserted the sh drive into theputer. Soon, the big screen behind him showed a person wearing a wig sitting in a broadcast studio. ¡°This person is a famous cross-dresser. His name is Candy. He made a name for himself on the inte by impersonating different voices. Ms. Sorelle was framed by him!¡± thewyer eximed through gritted teeth. Then, he yed the video of Candy apologizing with his face blurred. Sure enough, the impersonator¡¯s voice sounded a lot like Joseline¡¯s. It was hard for the crowd not to be convinced when the evidence was right in front of them. ¡°They¡¯re trying to mislead people!¡± Angeline mmed her palm on the table, her chest heaving up and down in a rage. I can¡¯t believe Joseline would casually find a bottom-tier streamer to take the me for her. These people have no morals whatsoever! At that moment, Hanson, who had kept silent throughout the press conference, looked straight at the camera. ¡°No matter what happens, I believe in Joseline,¡± he uttered with conviction. Angeline could not help but sneer at his remark. That wasn¡¯t what he said at the weddingst time. Gosh, how lovey-dovey they are! I will never allow this nasty couple to get away with this! Angeline could not bear to watch any more of the broadcast. Just as she was about to turn off the television, a woman¡¯s shriek rang out. ¡°Joseline Sorelle, you shameless b*tch! Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting youreuppance?¡± The next moment, the crowd erupted into chaos. Several rural women ran to the front with baskets. They immediately grabbed the eggs from the baskets and hurled them toward Joseline and Hanson without saying a word. ¡°Ah! Where¡¯s security? Hurry up and call the police!¡± Joseline barked, looking extremely frightened. Soon, the two of them were covered with eggs, emanating a stinky odor. It was then that the security guards came over and seized the egg baskets from the women¡¯s hands. The women red at the duo in front of them with hatred writrge upon their faces. Hanson, who had never been in such a wretched state before, took off his suit jacket. His expression turned fierce as he roared, ¡°Take them to the police station for causing a ruckus!¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ¡°Fine. Go ahead and call the police. They will seek justice for ordinary people like us!¡± The leader of the group pped her thigh and sat down on the spot. She wailed, ¡°What a bunch of bullies! Sorelle Group killed my husband, yet they are still dying thepensation as well as the court case!¡± Immediately afterward, she took out some certificates from her bag and presented them in front of the media. ¡°Everyone, take a look at these. Myte husband¡¯s name was Craig Carter. He died in vain on the construction site just to take the me for Sorelle Group. In the past six months¡­¡± The woman angrilyined that she was left alone to take care of the two children after her husband¡¯s death. Furthermore, she had to look after her eighty-year-old mother. Because of all that, she was desperately in need of thepensation. Much to her dismay, Sorelle Group did nothing topensate for her loss. In an instant, the whole ce erupted into chaos once again. The reporters kept pushing their cameras in front of Joseline¡¯s and Hanson¡¯s faces as people continued to hurl insults at the duo. ¡°Enough! Stop filming me!¡± Hanson roared. He had never been humiliated like this before. Reaching out in a fit of anger, he shoved the camera away. Seeing Hanson¡¯s aggression, the reporters decided to add fuel to the fire. ¡°Look! The CEO of Yiurk Group is venting his anger on someone because of his guilty conscience!¡± Hanson¡¯s expression instantly darkened like a raging storm. Balling his hands into fists, he suppressed his rising anger and left the scene with Joseline one after another. Seeing that, Angeline turned off the television. Nancy was perplexed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you continue watching?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointless to do so,¡± Angeline replied in a deep voice. ¡°You must be feeling great seeing this pair of scoundrels suffer like this.¡± Nancy stretched her back and let out a chuckle. ¡°Since both Yiurk Group and Sorelle Group have suffered such a huge blow, you¡¯re one step closer to reiming your shares.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t the right time yet.¡± A smirk crept up Angeline¡¯s face as she got up from the couch. She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, fixing her contemptuous gaze at the neon lights not far away. You reap what you sow. Even Lady Luck is on my side. Everyone will now see Joseline¡¯s true colors. I wonder if Hanson still wants to marry her. Let¡¯s see if Grandpa can ept the fact that his most beloved granddaughter has such a vicious personality! Angeline could not help but feel pleased at the thought. Turning around, she leaned her back against the floor-to-ceiling window. Since the windows were not shut, a gentle breeze blew in through the gaps, making her feelfortable. Angeline took out her phone from her pocket and found Jonathan¡¯s number. She texted: Did you hire those women? Soon, he replied: No, I didn¡¯t hire them. They really have debts to collect from Joseline. His reply affirmed Angeline¡¯s suspicion. Jonathan was indeed behind this. However, the usations from those women were true. Joseline did break thew! Ayer of sweat covered her palm as she gripped the phone tightly. She began to realize just how terrifying Jonathan could be. How did he manage to get hold of so much information? Just how deep is his grudge against Hanson for him to do such a merciless thing? Meanwhile, Hanson had to shower repeatedly in the bathroom to get rid of the stench on his body. Then, he came out wearing a new set of clothes. The assistant walked over and exined solemnly, ¡°I have bad news, Mr. Yiurk. The stock prices of Yiurk Group have plummeted after the chaos earlier. Things aren¡¯t looking great at the moment.¡± Flipping through the sales performance report handed over by the assistant, Hanson gritted his teeth as his face contorted in anger. He was nning to use this month¡¯s performance to hype up the anniversary celebration while reiming the bid of Project Serenity from Evander¡¯s hands at the same time. However, the situation took a turn for the worse. All my efforts are now in vain! Hanson became more irritated at the thought. ¡°What¡¯s the point of hiring you guys if you¡¯re just waiting for me to deal with it? Contact the other major departments and tell everyone to work overtime tonight,¡± he ordered coldly. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± After the assistant had left, Hanson went to his desk and switched on hisputer to work. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door before entering the office. It was Joseline. ¡°Get out!¡± Hanson ordered coldly without sparing her a nce. Joseline shuddered at his thunderous voice. Biting her lip, she took a few steps forward and stood in front of his desk. ¡°Hanson, are you still mad at me? I know I did something wrong. However, I was left with no choice,¡± she uttered pitifully. ¡°You still insist on denying it, don¡¯t you?¡± Hanson took the sales performance report on the table and flung it at her. ¡°Look at the losses you¡¯ve caused just for that tiny profit!¡± Joseline did not dare to look at the report. Instead, she walked to Hanson¡¯s side and sat on hisp before he could say anything. ¡°Hanson, please give me another chance. Help me and Sorelle Group think of a way to solve this,¡± she pleaded. Joseline deliberately unbuttoned her clothes and rubbed her body against Hanson¡¯s arm from time to time. Nevertheless, her seduction failed miserably as he grabbed her arm and clenched it tightly. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. You¡¯d better be honest with me. If Yiurk Group suffers huge losses because of this matter, I¡¯ll publicly break off our engagement!¡± Joseline was startled by his threat as a trace of terror shed across her eyes. She had never seen Hanson this furious before. Worse, she could not stand it when he threatened to break off their engagement. ¡°No! We can¡¯t break off the engagement. Hanson, I¡¯m willing to use fifteen percent of Sorelle Group¡¯s shares to make up for your losses,¡± Joseline stated. Fifteen percent of the shares¡­ Hanson¡¯s ears perked up at those words. Since Joseline could not use the twenty percent shares jointly owned by both of them for the time being, she only had thirty percent of thepany¡¯s shares. If Joseline wanted to give up fifteen percent of her shares, it meant she was willing to sacrifice everything. However, she only cared about her designer handbags, and Sorelle Group was bound to be ruined in her hands sooner orter. If I can get her shares, I will have the capital topete for the tender of Project Serenity. Is there a reason for me not to ept her offer? Two dayster, the filming of the period drama, The Journey, officially started. The entire production team members began to arrive one by one. This show boasted a powerful lineup as the main and supporting characters were all yed by veteran actors. In contrast, Angeline had only burst onto the scene in recent years. Despite that, she directly secured the role of the lead actress. As a result, people began to discuss among themselves. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the investor chose Angeline as the lead actress for The Journey. She must have brought in a huge amount of start-up funds for the drama.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She hasn¡¯t been involved in that many shows before this. However, there are a lot of rumors about her on the inte.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯ve seen the movies she yed in. She¡¯s a capable actress.¡± Angeline nced around and greeted the director, Derek McKenna, and other actors. She handled the situation effortlessly. She was well aware of her current standing in the film crew. Instead of wasting time arguing with them, I should focus on ying my role well. Right then, a ck minivan pulled up in front of the set. The bodyguard opened the door as a young man in his early twenties got out of the vehicle. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sorry for runningte.¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Although he was young, his muscles were extra firm, probably because he had been working out diligently. Moreover, he looked extremely handsome too. When he came down from the car, he ordered his assistant to take out the drinks prepared from the car trunk to be distributed to everybody. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯ve prepared some cold beverages for you all. The weather is too hot, so I hope these will help to cool you down.¡± Since he was particrly good at handling matters and knew how to sweet talk, he was able to get acquainted quickly with the film crew and actors in the production team. Suddenly, Nancy came over and touched Angeline¡¯s shoulder. The former warned in a whisper, ¡°Did you see that? He is Jacob, the lead actor in The Journey. I heard he invested a lot of money into the production and had a strong backer. You should be careful when you¡¯re working together with him.¡± Upon hearing that, a hint of unfathomable emotion shed across Angeline¡¯s eyes as she stared at Jacob. It was verymon to invest in productions in the entertainment industry. While female artists targeted rich and influential men, male artists would sometimes get themselves backers as well. After thinking about it for a while, she felt it was such a pity for Jacob to have to do such things at such a prime age. ¡°Ms. Sorelle?¡± At that moment, a gentle voice of a man was heard. Before Angeline realized it, Jacob was already standing in front of her. His white teeth were showing as he smiled. ¡°I heard from Mr. McKenna that you¡¯re my co-star in the movie, so I came over to say hi.¡± As he said that, he passed the cold beverages in his hands over to Angeline and Nancy. ¡°Thank you. Please call me Angie.¡± Angeline took the drinks and inserted a straw while feeling guilty. They were gossiping about him just moments ago, after all. ¡°All right, Angie. I¡¯ll go and get changed first. Please join me for dinner tonight if you have time,¡± Jacob suggested with a smile. Hearing his words, Angeline was stunned for a while. She then quickly replied politely, ¡°That¡¯s not right. You¡¯re younger than me, so I should be the one treating you to a meal.¡± ¡°You can do that next time. I¡¯ve already made a reservation for tonight, so you muste,¡± Jacob said and left after being urged a few times by the director. Angeline was speechless. Meanwhile, Nancy came close to Angeline and whispered into her ear, ¡°Angeline, why do I feel that the guy¡¯s attitude toward you seemed odd? It was as though he came prepared?¡± Angeline looked at the beverage in her hand. The logo on it belonged to a high-end brand. Jacob¡¯s background was not to be underestimated, indeed. Meanwhile, Evander had just walked out of the conference room when he saw Olivine dressed morously, waiting for him outside his office. Evander looked at her with his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Olivine ignored his indifferent attitude. She held onto her Chanel bag, walked toward him in her three- inch heels, and embraced his shoulders while acting coquettishly. ¡°Evander, Old Mrs. Golding asked me to have dinner with you to discuss our wedding details.¡± After hearing that, Evander chuckled in his heart. Wedding? What makes her think there¡¯s still going to be a wedding? When Olivine saw his indifferent expression, she leaned her head against his shoulder. She acted vulnerable as she said coyly, ¡°Evander, I think there was a misunderstanding between us at the court the other day. Will you please give me some time to exin?¡± When Evander heard what she said, he mmed the document in his hands shut and passed it to Ss before saying, ¡°Go away.¡± He did not want to hear her exnation. Furthermore, he would not believe in Olivine¡¯s lies anymore. As a matter of fact, he wanted to revoke their engagement! Angeline finished her acting scenes in the afternoon. Since it was the first day of work, she had more time on her hands After cleaning up and changing, she saw Jacob¡¯s assistant waiting for her at the door. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, Mr. Zane has been waiting a long time for you in the car.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°All right.¡± Angeline nodded and informed Nancy that she would not need the driver to pick her up. Following that, she left the film set and went into Jacob¡¯s car. Initially, Angeline thought Jacob had also invited other actors, but she did not expect that he would be the only one in the car. After she got into the car, Jacob put the script in his hands down and said with a smile, ¡°Angie, you¡¯re here. Is it all right if we go for fine dining?¡± ¡°Yes, I have no problem with that.¡± Angeline sat beside him, feeling a little reserved. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± After saying that, Jacob told the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ten minutester, they stopped in front of a fine-dining restaurant. The waiters who had been waiting for the duo led them to their seats after greeting them, ¡°Wee.¡± Angeline swept her gaze across the surroundings, which were decorated in a ssic vintage style and looked exceptionally elegant. She had expected such a high-ss restaurant to be filled with people. However, when she looked again, there were no other guests except them. The waiter led them to the dining table in the middle of the restaurant. Many exquisite dishes were on the table, along with a few candle lights and a fragrant, fresh rose. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please enjoy your meal in peace. Mr. Zane has reserved the whole restaurant, so there will not be anyone disturbing you.¡± When Angeline heard what the waiter said, she was in shock. He even reserved the whole restaurant? Seems like this isn¡¯t a normal meal. Angeline finally realized that something was not right. She looked at Jacob cautiously. ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve met, but you¡¯ve arranged such an extravagant dinner. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little over the top?¡± Jacob showed an innocent expression and was a little discouraged. ¡°Angie, you don¡¯t like it? I thought ladies would enjoy these kinds of arrangements.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re here to pick up girls?¡± Angeline chuckled coldly as she took her bag and was about to leave. ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Zane. I¡¯m not that frivolous.¡± When he saw that she was about to leave, Jacob quickly called out to her, ¡°Don¡¯t, Angie. I just wanted to treat you to a meal. Plus, I have something I want to say!¡± Angeline stopped in her tracks when she heard him. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to tell you at the film set during the day. Actually, I particrly love seeing you act. In fact, I¡¯ve watched all of your movies, and I would say that I¡¯m your fan.¡± Angeline turned her head, but her gaze remained dark as she sneered, ¡°Mr. Zane, I find it hard to believe your words.¡± The entertainment industry itself was a war zone. Furthermore, she was not a veteran actor, so she was having a hard time with thepetition among the young actors. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Jacob exined anxiously. Seeing that she did not believe him, he quickly recited the movie titles she had filmed in her early days. He remembered them even more clearly than Angeline herself. Angeline frowned with a subtle change in her expression. However, it was not enough for her to let her guard down. ¡°So what? You could have gotten all these details easily through Google.¡± Jacob looked at her, his eyshes slowly moving downward with a disappointed look in his eyes. ¡°Do you really not remember me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Angeline was confused. Jacob quickly took a vintage photo out of his wallet and passed it to her. ¡°Do you remember this photo?¡± When she took over the photo, she covered her nose and mouth as a trace of shock shed across her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 The photo was of her when she was in junior high. She was hugging a little boy in the photo. Although the boy was still very young, she could still tell that the boy was Jacob from his facial features. As Jacob looked at her dazed expression, he gently smiled and exined, ¡°That year, you and I acted in a pce drama together. I identally broke the male lead¡¯s emerald ring. The director caught me and was about to beat me up, but you came to my rescue.¡± Angeline remained quiet. ¡°At that time, you were only acting as a pce maid in a few scenes in the movie, but you lost your only role by saving me.¡± Jacob was analyzing her expression and said cautiously, ¡°When you left, you didn¡¯t leave behind any words, but I¡¯ve been looking for you ever since.¡± When Angeline heard Jacob¡¯s story, the memories came flooding into her mind. That was her third year in junior high, and she had nothing to do during her summer break. Her friend had rmended that she take on the pce maid role. During that time, she only took it because she was bored, so she did not really care that she lost the role. Nevertheless, she did not expect that her small act of kindness would be remembered by the young boy for so many years. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that tonight¡¯s dinner was pre-nned by you long ago?¡± Angeline asked with a less hostile tone. ¡°Yes. Not just dinner but also the filming of the movie, The Journey. I had to beg my dad for a long time before he agreed to let me try,¡± Jacob answered earnestly. He then pulled out a chair for Angeline with a sincere look in his eyes and a refreshing smile. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Angeline got a little confused. ¡°Wait a minute. Who is your dad?¡± ¡°Michael Zane. He¡¯s a director,¡± Jacob exined to her patiently. After Jacob finished the introduction, Angeline¡¯s expression drastically changed as she staggered a few steps. Michael was one of the most famous directors in the entertainment industry. These days, he was also one of the most influential and beloved movie producers. He even came to supervise the production of The Journey personally. Gosh! He has such a powerful background! As she was processing the situation, Angeline could not help but shudder. She felt terrified just thinking about it. It was no wonder that there was no more news about the director after directing that pce drama that year, even though it was such a hit. ¡°Angie, I hope you can help me keep this a secret,¡± Jacob said helplessly. ¡°Can you eat peacefully now?¡± She nodded and quickly went back to her seat at the table. Her expression was apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about just now. Don¡¯t worry. I will keep my lips sealed and will not share your secret with anyone.¡± After clearing the misunderstanding, Angeline and Jacob¡¯s interaction became much more natural. Jacob was good at keeping the conversation going, and Angeline was having a good time. She regarded him like her younger brother. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? My dad is one of the shareholders of this restaurant. Why can¡¯t I eat here?¡± At that moment, a shrill woman¡¯s voice was heard from the entrance. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ms. Sherrock. You didn¡¯t make a reservation, and a gentleman has reserved the whole ce. Pleasee back tomorrow.¡± ¡°No, I want to eat here tonight.¡± The woman mmed the table loudly with an arrogant attitude. When Angeline heard the familiar voice of the woman, she stopped cutting her steak and looked in the direction of the reception. She then saw Olivine standing there with an angry look on her face while arguing with the waiter. At once, Angeline¡¯s expression darkened, and her lips curled up in a smirk. What a small world. Unable to handle Olivine, the waiter had no choice but to walk over to the both of them. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, Mr. Zane, may I ask if you have finished eating?¡± Jacob¡¯s gaze fell on Angeline. She then slowed down her action of cutting the steak and slowly put it into her mouth. In a cold tone, she said, ¡°Tell thedy over there that we won¡¯t be giving up our seats.¡± Angeline would not be putting the waiter in such a difficult spot if it were anyone else. However, the person was Olivine, the woman who tried her best to put Angeline in jail. The waiter could only revert Angeline¡¯s message to Olivine, causing thetter to be so infuriated that her face turned red. Sheined furiously, ¡°Such arrogance! I want to see who this person is!¡± At that moment, Evander walked through the door and saw Olivine causing a scene unreasonably. That deepened the disgust he felt for her. With a cold expression, he warned her in a low voice, ¡°Stop making a fuss. Let¡¯s go to another restaurant.¡± ¡°No, Evander. I can¡¯t swallow such grievance,¡± Olivine said aggrievedly. After that, she stomped her feet and walked toward Angeline¡¯s table. Only when she was halfway there did she see Angeline¡¯s face clearly. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Olivine was taken aback with her brows knitted together. Ignoring her, Angeline continued to cut a piece of steak and passed it to Jacob¡¯s te. Seeing how Angeline was ignoring her, Olivine¡¯s expression began to fill with resentment. She then mocked, ¡°I was wondering who would have such courage to do such a thing. So, it¡¯s you. Seems like you couldn¡¯t win Evander over, and now you¡¯ve be a sugar baby to a young fellow?¡± ¡°Madam, who are you? What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Jacob looked at her with disgust. ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± Olivine gritted her teeth when she heard how Jacob addressed her. She then snorted, ¡°I remember that you¡¯re quite the celebrity. Be careful of this woman. Don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance.¡± Once Olivine finished her sentence, Angeline mmed the fork in her hand onto the table. The sharp noise came as a shock to Olivine, and she could not help but tremble. ¡°You¡¯re having quite a night, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Without anyone noticing, Evander walked over with a slightly serious face. When Angeline saw him, she was surprised and subconsciously stood up from her chair. ¡°Mr. Golding, what brings you here?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re allowed to enjoy fine dining, but I¡¯m not?¡± Evander looked at Jacob and said mockingly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you would be hooking up with a little boy.¡± Silence ensued in the restaurant. ¡°Instead of focusing on your acting career, you reserved the whole restaurant and came here for a dinner date. How romantic.¡± Evander¡¯s voice was not loud, but he was aware that every word he spoke could be heard clearly. Angeline lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Jacob is the lead actor in this movie. We just came over for dinner after work, that¡¯s all.¡± After all, the only reason she couldnd the role was Evander¡¯s help. Therefore, she did not want him to misunderstand. Jacob looked at them with a puzzled expression. He then asked gently, ¡°Angie, are you going to introduce us?¡± Having regained her senses, she held onto Evander¡¯s arm and exined after giving some thought, ¡°This is the CEO of Golding Group, Evander Golding. You can also say that he is my boss.¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Mr. Golding. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Jacob showed a surprised look on his face as he stood up from the chair. He then extended his hand toward Evander with a smile. However, Evander maintained a solemn-looking expression and acknowledged him faintly in response. He was obviously not nning to shake Jacob¡¯s hand. Jacob retracted his hand awkwardly. Thankfully, he had a good temper. He quickly put on a big smile as he said, ¡°Since you¡¯re Angie¡¯s friend, you¡¯re not an outsider. Please have a seat and enjoy dinner with us.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Evander agreed. He then signaled to the waiter and said, ¡°Two more steaks, please.¡± After that, he resumed his cold expression and sat down next to Angeline calmly with his slender legs crossed. Evidently, he did not feel out of ce at all. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 ¡°Evander, just chase them out. Why must we eat together?¡± Olivine mumbled unwillingly as she yanked Evander¡¯s arm, trying to pull him up. ¡°Get out if you don¡¯t want to eat,¡± Evander warned dangerously with cold and malicious eyes. He didn¡¯t care about Olivine¡¯s pride at all. Seeing Evander was in a bad mood, Olivine didn¡¯t dare say anything else and sat down cautiously. The tiny and exquisite table that was only meant for two was suddenly crowded with people. Nevertheless, Jacob seemed pleased and conversed with Evander from time to time. Although he was constantly being rejected by thetter, he didn¡¯t mind it at all. Meanwhile, Angeline felt ufortable as she sat beside Evander. She massaged her aching temples, feeling like she was on the verge of breaking down. Goodness gracious! How am I supposed to continue eating my meal, especially with Olivine sitting beside me and ring at me viciously? It¡¯s already a miracle that I haven¡¯t puked. Thus, she got up from her seat and excused herself to go to the restroom, fleeing the area. After leaving the dining table, Angeline finally felt at ease. If I had known today¡¯s situation would happen, I would never have epted Jacob¡¯s invitation! Then, she took out her lipstick and freshened up her makeup. Just as she was about to exit the restroom, a tall figure appeared in front of her and blocked her view. A chilling air hit Angeline in the face, sending goosebumps all over her arms. She subconsciously tightened her grip on her purse when she saw Evander¡¯s face. After freezing in ce for a second, she spoke up. ¡°Mr. Golding, this is the women¡¯s restroom. The men¡¯s restroom is over there¡ª¡± Before Angeline could finish her sentence, Evander grabbed hold of her wrist, causing her to feel a burning pain. ¡°Do you really think I will believe what you said at the dining table just now when he invited you to a candlelit dinner and addressed you so intimately?¡± Evander said gloomily while inching toward her until she was leaning against the wall. Angeline knitted her brows slightly. I knew Evander wouldn¡¯t let me off the hook so easily. ¡°Mr. Golding, I didn¡¯t lie to you. Jacob and I are really just partners working on the same film.¡± Angeline shook his hand off her wrist and examined his expression while asking carefully, ¡°Besides, as long as I don¡¯t get into a scandal and hinder Starlight Jewelry¡¯s business, you don¡¯t have to be so agitated, right?¡± Hearing Angeline¡¯s retort, Evander was stunned. In an instant, he couldn¡¯t answer her question at all. At first, he genuinely despised Angeline as he assumed she had approached him with a hidden agenda. After knowing her for some time, he realized she wasn¡¯t what he had imagined her to be. She wasn¡¯t just someone who merely had tricks up her sleeve. On the contrary, she was someone who was capable and independent. Moreover, the woman was also passionate about her career. Therefore, Evander stopped hating her unknowingly. In fact, he even grew fond of her cooking. Gradually, he wanted to get closer to her. Now, he was oddly annoyed when he saw Jacob and Angeline being so close. Am I really frustrated because I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll affect my business? ¡°Mr. Golding.¡± Evander regained his senses when he heard Angeline¡¯s voice again. He maintained hisposure and hid away the strange emotions he was feeling, then said coldly, ¡°Stop being so delusional, Angeline.¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. What? How am I being delusional? ¡°Golding Group and Starlight Jewelry arepanies that sink or swim together. Since I¡¯m offering you a lucrative payment, you shall oblige to your responsibilities,¡± Evander reminded her in a deep voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t offer you the opportunity just for you to date someone in the film crew!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Angeline was embarrassed by his remarks. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath before defending herself in a t tone, ¡°Mr. Golding, you can stop worrying if that¡¯s your concern. I simply see Jacob as my brother. There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll date each other.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you know your ce,¡± Evander said slowly with his usual stony expression. However, he secretly felt relieved. Yet, Angeline bit her lip as a sense of uneasiness rose within her. She was merely having dinner with her colleague, but she was warned by Evander out of the blue. ¡°Mr. Golding, I will do my best to shoot The Journey and make it popr.¡± Angeline looked straight into Evander¡¯s eyes without fear. She then reminded him while enunciating every word clearly, ¡°But I merely agreed to act as Starlight Jewelry¡¯s brand ambassador. I didn¡¯t sign an indenture.¡± She didn¡¯t sign an indenture¡­ Is she indirectly saying I¡¯m interfering with her business? With that thought in mind, Evander¡¯s face fell immediately as he stared at Angeline dangerously. Angeline gulped in fear and avoided his gaze. She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. Oh gosh! Why did I be so daring all of a sudden? I can¡¯t believe I actually talked back to Evander! She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, yet she decided to swallow the words on the tip of her tongue. Lowering her head, she frantically walked past Evander to leave the ce. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Just then, he grabbed her arm with a gloomy expression and dragged her away from the restaurant forcefully. Meanwhile, at the dining table, Olivine and Jacob were both annoyed by each other. Hence, they didn¡¯t speak at all while waiting for Evander and Angeline to return. However, Evander and Angeline were nowhere to be seen after half an hour. Furrowing her brows, Olivine grew more and more impatient. She mmed her fork on the table before crossing her arms around her chest andining softly, ¡°What¡¯s going on with Evander? I thought he just went outside to smoke a cigarette. What¡¯s taking him so long?¡± Jacob looked at her and sneered, ¡°Do you really believe him?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Olivine red at him and retorted agitatedly. ¡°Evander will never abandon me like this!¡± Jacob didn¡¯t answer the woman and merely looked at her as if she was a clown. After receiving such a look from him, Olivine gradually lost her confidence. However, she still pretended to be calm. She took out her phone from her purse and called Evander. Yet, only a mechanical female voice sounded from the phone. ¡°Sorry. The number you have dialed is busy at the moment¡­¡± Olivine was unwilling to give up and continued to redial the phone number, but the oue of each call was the same. ¡°You can stop calling him now. They¡¯ve already left,¡± Jacob said casually before showing Olivine the message he had just received on his phone. It was a message from Angeline informing Jacob not to wait for her anymore, as Evander had already sent her home. After reading the message, Olivine¡¯s expression darkened. She clenched her fist so hard that her glittery and long nails dug into her palms. She would¡¯ve tossed the phone away if Jacob hadn¡¯t taken it back from her quick enough. This f*cking b*tch! Who does she think she is? How dare she seduce Evander like this? However, there wasn¡¯t a hint of surprise on Jacob¡¯s face. He simply picked up his fork and knife to continue eating his steak. From the second that Evander walked through the door, Jacob had already sensed something amiss, not to mention the former leaving with Angeline. Right then, Olivine suddenly spoke. ¡°You like Angeline, right?¡± Jacob stopped cutting the steak and nced up at her with an innocent smile. ¡°What do you mean, missy? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The look on Olivine¡¯s face changed drastically when she heard him address her as ¡°missy.¡± She picked up the ss of water on the table and took a huge gulp, trying to suppress the frustration within her. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 She forced a smile. ¡°Can you bear seeing Angeline with another man? It¡¯s half the battle won if we work together.¡± Jacob set down his cutlery and dabbed the corners of his lips. ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but I won¡¯t do anything to harm Angie.¡± I have spent many years searching for Angeline, besides doing everything I can to join the film crew to repay her kindness all those years ago. ¡°Please, Olivine. Have some self-respect,¡± he said with a heavy emphasis on the final two words while leaning forward, both hands bracing the table before him, to re at her. Olivine only regained herposure after Jacob left. I can¡¯t believe I was embarrassed by a kid like that! It was already toote when she thought of a rebuttal as Jacob had disappeared from her sight. Evander sent Angeline to her door and drove off after she exited the vehicle. He had scowled the entire way there without saying a word to her. Meanwhile, Angeline watched his car disappear with an innocent expression as she puzzled over the cause of his anger. I am only a humble artist. How would I dare to deduce the CEO¡¯s thoughts? Just as well. I didn¡¯t want to keep waiting in that restaurant, anyway. As Angeline entered her house, she was determined not to give the matter any more thought after she removed her shoes. Instead, she immersed herself in a scented bath. Exhausted after spending the entire day on set, she yearned for nothing more than a good night¡¯s sleep. Over the following fortnight, Angeline directed almost every ounce of her energy on set to shoot The Journey. Since it was already popr as a novel, the Inte became aze with spection when filming of its adaptation was announced tomence. However, public opinion on the matter was divided as many thought the cast was too young and inexperienced on screen. The reviews toward Angeline were even more malicious. They believed that she, who had attained fame via being the subject of tabloid gossip, would not be skilled enough to bring her character, Alleria, to life. Nevertheless, Angeline did not have thepany issue a statement. Instead, she kept her head down and worked hard on set. The film crew, however, edited a promotional teaser containing only Angeline and uploaded it. The trailer revealed a scene of her engaged in battle. d in a long white skirt adorned with flowers as vividly crimson as sshes of blood, the wind whipped her hair as she brandished a longsword. Every maneuver was crisp and deadly. Despite the indignity of her predicament, her gaze remained unyielding. That scene made the vivid portrayal of her character truly shine. The teaser was Twitter¡¯s most popr clip within just ten minutes of its release and had also gone viral. Theizens were impressed, to say the least. One conceded: I apologize for my derogatory remarks against Angeline from before. She is born to y Alleria. Another gushed: Wow, is that really Angeline? All my expectations of her had been indeed defied. I never knew she was such a talented actress. A third wrote: I can¡¯t even. Share this clip, everyone. She¡¯s a perfect match with my crush, Jacob. I can¡¯t choose! Angeline found the clip whilezing around after shooting the entire day, listlessly browsing Twitter. She wondered if the film crew had intentionally edited the promotional clip to make her and Jacob look like a couple. The female fans online branded them as a couple and, picturing themselves in her role, indulged in their fantasies. ¡°Here¡¯s some watermelon juice I blended myself, Angie. The weather has been sweltering.¡± Jacob appeared at that moment with a cup. He was still d in the gray armor of his role, which made his frame lookrge and imposing. Though solemn in character, his smile was radiant when the cameras stopped rolling. ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline received the juice and gazed fondly at him as if he was her younger brother. ¡°You should take it easy in this weather, too, instead of exerting yourself to do these things for me.¡± Jacob scratched his head and blushed abashedly. ¡°I¡¯m happy doing things for you, Angie. I¡¯m not tired at all.¡± ¡°How lucky of you, Angeline!¡± Nancy¡¯s voice suddenly sounded. She had an appointment to visit Angeline at work that day. Jacob did not wish to intrude when he saw Nancy arrive, so he excused himself. ¡°Hey, watch what you say! You¡¯re scaring him,¡± Angeline eximed in exasperation. She twisted open the lid and took a sip of watermelon juice. Though it was sweet, she ruminated upon the careless nature of men when she bit into several watermelon seeds. At the thought of Jacob¡¯s generosity, she was not worried about him being bothered by thements on the Inte as she was not nning on rifying matters. Why shouldn¡¯t I fan the mes of my poprity? After a brief rest, Angeline returned to the set, script in hand, and saw a woman approaching her. Denise! Angeline looked up from the script upon seeing the woman and snickered inwardly. What a small world! Denise was dressed in a brightly-colored outfit of antiquity which entuated her beauty. At that moment, she was strutting toward Angeline. ¡°Long time no see, Ms. Sorelle,¡± she greeted merrily after a nce at the crowd around them. It was not until she reached Angeline¡¯s side and inched closer to her ear that she employed her vicious provocations. ¡°You godd*mn vixen, Angeline. How many of them did you have to spend the night with to have earned this role? Do you think you deserve it?¡± Angeline chuckled at those words. Amused by Denise¡¯s jealous scowl, she repliedzily, ¡°You tter me, Ms. Campbell.¡± Then, she reached into the side pocket of Denise¡¯s robe and swiftly extracted a recording pen. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Angeline raised the device without a trace of surprise in her eyes. ¡°H-How did you know?¡± Denise demanded incoherently in her shock. Angeline¡¯s gaze turned grim; she had suspected it the moment Denise pushed open the door. Who would pick a fight immediately upon arrival? Good thing I discovered it in time, or our recorded conversation would be exposed the following day, and the relentless reporters would have something to write about if I said something wrong. Angeline dropped the recording device at that thought, and it cracked beneath the impact of her heel. Her tone conveyed undisguised contempt. ¡°You are indeed Joseline¡¯s bosom friend, Ms. Campbell. You learned her trick exactly as she would have done.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Flushed red with anger, Denise stomped her feet. Without another word, Angeline gave her onest disdainful nce before departing. Nancy caught up not long after and gaped in surprise at the defeated figure of Denise behind them. ¡°What did you say to her, Angeline?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m here to remind you that thepany cast Denise as Bedonna, which is a minor role, and she shares many scenes with you. Be on your guard.¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 ¡°A minor role? And she¡¯s willing to ept that? The Denise I know will never ept an offer like this. Apparently, she has no choice since her poprity has dropped significantly,¡± Angeline sneered after hearing that. Nevertheless, ¡°The Journey¡± is trending. Even a minor role can be the next big thing. Having that thought in mind, she flipped through the script and found that she would be ying a scene with Denise that day and even having an intense fight with her in the storyline. Back at the Golding residence, Evander was not upied that day, so he promised to bring Floretta to y in the children¡¯s amusement park in the morning. The little girl woke up excited. After breakfast, she requested Francesca to pick a beautiful dress for her in the bedroom. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Francesca first applied sunscreen to Floretta¡¯s body and gently admonished, ¡°Ms. Floretta, the amusement park is crowded. Remember to hold Mr. Golding¡¯s hand, and don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°Okay. Although I¡¯ve yet to attend school, I¡¯m not stupid.¡± Floretta winked at her, looking particrly adorable. She rummaged through the closet, took out a yellowce-trimmed maxi dress, and tried it in front of the mirror. ¡°Francesca, do I look good in this?¡± ¡°You look good in anything, Ms. Floretta.¡± Floretta shed Francesca a cheeky grin and put on the dress. Ding-dong! Right then, her phone notification sounded. She immediately flung herself onto the bed, not even bothering to zip up her dress. It was the custom ringtone she had set for Angeline¡¯s news alert. Ten minutes ago, Angeline deliberately tweeted the official promotional photo of The Journey with a caption: Mid-worldly homes and hearths, far from hills and rills we part. Jacob, on the other hand, retweeted her tweet with a reply: None of thee I behold, yet everywhere thou art. Theizens always thought the duo made a good match. Thus, the duo¡¯s tacit actions immediately became a hot topic on the inte. ¡°Stop ying with the phone, Ms. Floretta. Mr. Golding is already waiting for you,¡± Francesca reminded with Floretta¡¯s small backpack in her hands. Not bothering to reply, Floretta opened the publicity photo and saw the picture of Angeline and Jacob. Her eyes lit up, and her mouth widened in disbelief. ¡°Oh, my gosh! Angel is coborating with my prince charming. This is so cool!¡± At the end of her words, she left the bed and ran to the dining room downstairs with her phone in hand. Evander, dding in a white casual outfit, was focused on the newspaper at the dining table with a cup of hot coffee before him. ¡°Daddy, can we not go to the amusement park?¡± Floretta ran toward him barefooted. The zipper on her dress was still down. Evander frowned at the sight of the little girl. With a serious tone, he reprimanded, ¡°You¡¯re a girl, Floretta. Why did you leave your room without putting on your clothes properly?¡± After being scolded, Floretta gazed down at her toes, rubbing her little feet together. It was then that Francesca hurried over with Floretta¡¯s shoes and helped thetter zip up her dress. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Mr. Golding.¡± Fortunately, Evander didn¡¯t get angry and replied to Francesca, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let me do that.¡± He walked over and took the shoes from her hands. Then, he picked Floretta up and walked toward the couch in the living room. ¡°Tell me. Why do you suddenly not feel like going to the amusement park?¡± he inquired in a deep voice while patiently helping the little girl pat the dust off her feet. ¡°Daddy, could you please take me to Angel? Jac, my prince charming, is in the same film crew as her. I¡¯m dying to meet him!¡± Floretta shouted excitedly Evander was rendered speechless. Jac? Prince charming? What the heck¡­ Without hesitation, he rejected, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you, Daddy,¡± Floretta whined as she tugged at his cuff. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a big beautiful garden at their shooting location.¡± Evander helped her put on her shoes and responded indifferently, ¡°So? That¡¯s not your point of interest, anyway.¡± ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re so mean!¡± Floretta, feeling aggrieved, pursed her lips and got down from Evander¡¯sp. Knowing how unwavering her father was, she could only hang her head disappointedly. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m so upset that I can¡¯t watch the kissing scene between Angel and my prince charming.¡± Kissing? The word ¡°kissing¡± made Evander¡¯s temples throb, and his face instantly fell. How can a punk like Jacob shoot an intimate scene with Angeline? Won¡¯t the audience feel that it¡¯s incongruous? I bet it will affect the TV station¡¯s viewershipter. At that thought, he said, ¡°Come on. Adjust your clothes, and let¡¯s go.¡± A sly glint shed across Floretta¡¯s eyes when she heard that. She covered her mouth, feeling secretly happy. Daddy is still denying he cares about Angel. I can tell he¡¯s particrly concerned about her. Soon, it was already noon. The film crew in the filming location was grumbling under the hot sun. Especially Angeline, who wore multipleyered traditional clothes. At that moment, she was drenched in sweat. The makeup artist stayed by her side to touch up her makeup from time to time. After waiting for a while, it was finally her turn to shoot the scene with Denise. The scene was mainly about Alleria getting the emperor¡¯s attention after bing a pce maid. Bedonna was jealous of Alleria¡¯s beauty and had thetter arrested to her quarters. Denise had justined about the hot weather, yet she couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly at the thought of tormenting Angeline in the film shooting afterward. She made her way to the set with a bamboo fan in her hand. Soon, the first take of The Journey scene eight began. Denise was sitting on a chair when the guards dragged Angeline into her quarters. Looking at Denise in confusion, Angeline pretended to be calm and said in a trembling voice, ¡°What have I done to offend you, Your Grace? Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Denise directly flung the tea on Angeline¡¯s face and mmed the table, scolding angrily, ¡°Did I ask you to speak? How dare a lowly pce servant like you seduce His Majesty!¡± Somehow, Angeline looked extraordinarily beautiful, with her face and hair soaking wet from the tea. She bit her lip hard to hide the resentment in her eyes. Hanging her head, she pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Grace. Please forgive me.¡± Denise scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s not enough. I must give you a lesson today for acting willfully!¡± With that, she flung her long sleeves and walked toward Angeline. A menacing glint shed across her eyes as she raised her hand to p Angeline. When her palm was about to reach Angeline¡¯s face, thetter suddenly grabbed her arm. ¡°Please behave yourself, Your Grace,¡± Angeline warned grimly. The woman who had been obsequious looked up at Denise suddenly. The hostility in the former¡¯s eyes sent a chill down Denise¡¯s spine. ¡°You¡­¡± Words eluded Denise as she stared into Angeline¡¯s eyes. Immediately after, Angeline stood up from the ground and red at Denise. There was no hint of concession in her eyes as she sneered disdainfully, ¡°If His Majesty sees me leaving your quarters with wounds over my face, do you think he will doubt your generosity and kindness andbel you as a malicious person instead?¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°How dare you¡­¡± Denise forgot her lines as soon as she spoke, and under the pressure of Angeline¡¯s intimidating aura, her voice gradually grew smaller. It was obvious to everyone that Denise had lost in this showdown of acting skills. The director bellowed angrily, ¡°Stop! Denise, do you even know how to act? You should fight back when Angeline has bested you!¡± She¡¯s bested me¡­ Denise was stunned by the director¡¯s words. Meanwhile, Angeline took a ss of water from her assistant and regarded Denise with contempt. Staring at the woman with envy, Denise clenched her teeth, livid at what the director said. Denise¡¯s acting skill was on par with Angeline¡¯s back when the two of them entered thepany in the same year. At present, little did she expect she would be intimidated by Angeline¡¯s acting to the extent that she couldn¡¯t even utter her line. There was no way she could admit defeat just like that. ¡°This is unfair, Mr. McKenna. Angeline actedpletely off the script and affected my performance. I request a retake of the scene,¡± Denise said resentfully. ¡°Ms. Campbell, how could you say that?¡± Angeline responded calmly, ¡°Firstly, those were exactly my lines as stated in the script. Second, with Alleria¡¯s personality, she would never allow herself to be humiliated, even if she was in danger.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± Denise red at her angrily as if she wanted to devour thetter. ¡°Ms. Campbell, maybe you should go back and read the original novel. Let¡¯s talk after you get a better understanding of the character you y.¡± Angeline casually twisted the bottle cap in her hand and shed Denise a faint smile, appearing unbothered by thetter. She was clearly implying that Denise was unprofessional. Derek Mckenna, the director of The Journey, was notoriously strict in the industry. He was only concerned about the quality of his film and never gave a hoot about the status of the actors and actresses. As expected, his face immediately fell as he bellowed, ¡°Denise, what Angeline said is true. If you can¡¯t act, get lost immediately! Stop wasting my time!¡± Denise felt utterly humiliated after being reprimanded publicly and regarded with mocking gazes. Even so, she could only bite the bullet and apologize sincerely to Derek for her ipetence. On the contrary, Angeline wrapped up filming smoothly and headed outside the set. Taking a portable fan from her assistant, she turned it on, enjoying the cool breeze blowing on her face. At that moment, a bottle of strawberry-vored soda rolled to her feet. Since no one came to pick it up, she squatted down and grabbed it. When she saw the familiar brand on the bottle, a tender look surfaced in her eyes and a smile graced her face. ¡°How long do you n to hide, Floretta?¡± Following her words, a tiny head emerged from under a tree not far away. ¡°Aww, Angel, why did you expose me so soon?¡± Floretta pouted unhappily, seemingly disappointed that her antics were cut short. After telling her assistant a few things, Angeline walked up to Floretta with a smile. She then scooped her up and said worriedly, ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight. Have you not been eating regrly?¡± Floretta touched her own cheek and sighed. ¡°Daddy and I have had poor appetites ever since we ate your cooking.¡± Angeline was surprised when she heard that. Does that mean Evander loves my cooking too? No sooner had she pondered about that than puzzlement inundated her when an important problem urred to her. ¡°Whom did youe with?¡± ¡°Me.¡± A man¡¯s deep, cold voice rang out. She was bewildered to see Evander approaching them with his usual poker face. The surrounding temperature seemed to have dropped following his appearance. Because of what happened in the dining roomst time, Angeline felt somewhat awkward as she stared at him. ¡°Mr. Golding, are you here to visit the film crew?¡± Evander, however, was as calm as ever. He hummed in response before replying, ¡°It was Floretta. She wants toe and have a look.¡± Angeline didn¡¯t notice anything amiss and hurriedly said, ¡°I see. Let me inform Mr. McKenna so he can show you the shooting progress recently.¡± In actuality, she wanted to take the opportunity to avoid Evander. As she spoke, she turned around to leave. s, the man¡¯s deep voice rang out again before she could take her first step. ¡°There¡¯s no need to alert him. I¡¯ve already seen it just now.¡± His words stunned Angeline. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how long had Evander and Floretta been watching nearby. Thinking of that, she turned to look at the man and blurted, ¡°Mr. Golding, did I disappoint you with my performance?¡± ¡°Of course not, Angel.¡± Floretta chimed in, ¡°Daddy just praised you for your good acting skills. He even said this film will be a hit.¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened when he heard his daughter¡¯s words. Wait a minute. When did I say so? Angeline was dumbfounded for a moment before eximing excitedly, ¡°Really?¡± For some reason, when Evander saw her look of anticipation, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to refute that and encouraged, ¡°Yeah. Continue to do your best.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr. Golding. I will.¡± Although what Evander said was nothing special, Angeline¡¯s mood was instantly brightened, and she hugged Floretta gleefully. Putting both hands in his pockets, Evander¡¯s expression turned tender. As he regarded her, an inexplicable feeling began to surge within him. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. In truth, he would never lie. Angeline¡¯s performance earlier was indeed excellent. Judging from her current development in terms of acting skills, it would not take long until she earned herself a ce in the entertainment industry. Angeline didn¡¯t have any important scenes to shoot that afternoon. Since Floretta insisted on her joining them for lunch, the former couldn¡¯t bear to say no to the little girl. She got into Evander¡¯s car, and they headed to a nearby restaurant. With only the three of them in the private room, therge table somehow looked a little extravagant. Evander wasn¡¯t sure if Angeline was purposely distancing herself from him by sitting several seats away from him as she fed Floretta. His face was gloomy as he inquired in a deep voice, ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± Angeline didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes upon hearing that and smiled awkwardly. ¡°You misunderstood, Mr. Golding.¡± ¡°Then why are you sitting so far away from me? It¡¯s not like I¡¯d eat you.¡± Evander¡¯s tone was extremely frosty and tinged with a hint of dissatisfaction. Since it was a private room and the media wouldn¡¯t be able to take their pictures, he found Angeline¡¯s behavior way too suspicious. ¡°I-I just picked a random seat. I¡¯ll just move over with Floretta if you mind.¡± Angeline moved one seat closer to Evander while smiling sheepishly. Before she could sit down, Evander suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward his side. ¡°Sit properly,¡± he ordered in a domineering tone as he picked up the fork on the table and began eating. Angeline felt ufortable sitting beside him. In truth, she deliberately kept her distance from him after much consideration, for everyone knew he had a fianc¨¦e. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 That was precisely why Angeline had deliberately kept a distance from him. After all, she was a public figure. There was no telling what the unscrupulous media would write about them if photographs of them together were taken. However, Evander¡¯s behavior showed that he was seemingly unaware of the problem. After their meal, he even sent her back to the filming site. Before Angeline got down from the car, Floretta wore a dejected expression on her face as she tugged the hem of the woman¡¯s shirt and said reluctantly, ¡°Angel, now that you¡¯re so popr, will I see you less in the future?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Angeline bent down, took Floretta¡¯s hand, and said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busy recently and neglected you. Please wait a little longer, and I will have more time to apany you, okay?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes lit yup. ¡°Of course! To make it up to you, I will get Jacob¡¯s autographed photo for you after this. Okay?¡± Floretta had been telling Angeline excitedly about how Jacob was her Prince Charming during their meal in the restaurant. In the past, she wanted to attend Jacob¡¯s concerts, but Evander was too stingy to let Floretta buy tickets. Angeline was shocked to learn that children nowadays were too mature for their age. Back when she was five years old, all she knew was to y all day and make a mess. Nevertheless, appeasing the little girl was her top priority at that moment. ¡°Wow! You¡¯re amazing, Angel!¡± Floretta was over the moon as she swung Angeline¡¯s hands gleefully. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be able to meet Jac soon?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Angeline paused immediately as she nced at Evander, who wore a cold expression and remained silent throughout the conversation between her and Floretta. A hint of fear subconsciously arose within Angeline. Stroking Floretta¡¯s braids gently, she replied earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll require your daddy¡¯s consent.¡± Upon hearing that, Floretta turned around and threw herself at Evander, hugging his knees as her jet- ck eyes sparkled with anticipation. ¡°Please, Daddy?¡± ¡°Not a chance!¡± Evander picked her up and looked at her sternly. His tone was firm and resolute as he said, ¡°Floretta, you should behave yourself. At your age, you should be studying hard rather than fangirling over some celebrity with rocks for brains.¡± Floretta was speechless. ¡°From tomorrow onward, I¡¯m going to have Francesca hire a tutor for you.¡± With that, he ced Floretta in the car seat next to him and fastened her seat belt. ¡°No! Save me, Angel!¡± Floretta struggled as she wiped her tears, trying to wriggle her way out of her seat. It wasmon for children to detest studying. Afraid that the little girl might get hurt, Angeline got anxious. She couldn¡¯t help chiding angrily, ¡°Mr. Golding, why are you being so harsh with her? Can¡¯t you just let her have a happy childhood?¡± ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Evander answered with a question instead. Angeline felt embarrassed as she struggled to find her words. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve forgotten who you are. Considering that you are not my daughter¡¯s mother, why should I listen to your parenting advice?¡± Evander¡¯s tone was icy cold as he straightened the hem of his shirt with an indifferent expression. ¡°D-Do you think I give a d*mn about how you raise your child?¡± Angeline was angry and frustrated. How can a man have such erratic mood swings? ¡°Drive,¡± Evander ordered the driver in front of him. Soon, the luxury car¡¯s engine started and it drove away, gradually disappearing from Angeline¡¯s sight. As the sound of Floretta¡¯s crying faded away, the woman sighed and felt slightly worried. She rubbed her temples gently with her long, slender fingers while her expression gradually eased, but she was still furious deep down. Evander¡¯s warning was still echoing in her mind, jolting her out of her reverie. She wouldn¡¯t interfere so much with his affairs if it weren¡¯t for Floretta¡¯s sake. However, apart from their personal feud, what Evander said was also true. I¡¯m not rted to Floretta at all. It certainly seems like I¡¯ve been caring too much for her¡­ Even though Evander¡¯s car had already left the filming site for quite some time, Floretta was still weeping beside him. Seeing that, he snapped at Floretta, ¡°Is she really that good? Why do you listen to her when she¡¯s not even your mother?¡± Having been berated sternly by Evander, Floretta cried even louder until she was nearly out of breath. The driver said cautiously, ¡°Mr. Golding, Ms. Floretta¡¯s too young to know any better. You should try to console her¡­¡± Getting a headache from his daughter¡¯s sorrowful sobs, Evander was annoyed and felt sorry for her at the same time. He reached out to help her unfasten her seat belt and held her in his arms, consoling her softly, ¡°All right, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s not like I won¡¯t let you two meet again!¡± Upon hearing his words, Floretta gradually calmed down. She looked at Evander tearfully and asked between sobs, ¡°C-Can I meet Jac then?¡± ¡°No.¡± Evander¡¯s expression darkened. He couldn¡¯tprehend why Angeline and Floretta were fond of such a good-for-nothing pretty boy. Floretta was disappointed, but Angeline was still the person she cared about the most. She wouldn¡¯t mind anything else as long as she could continue to see Angeline in the future. Hence, she stopped crying and drifted off to sleep in his arms. When they were about to arrive home, Evander received a call from Ss. ¡°Mr. Golding, something happened to Angeline, but I am not sure if I should tell you about it.¡± ¡°Say it!¡± Evander ordered. ¡°News just broke out that Angeline had been pregnant out of wedlock. There were photos as evidence, and it seemed like the rumor was¡­ true.¡± Pregnant out of wedlock? Evander furrowed his eyebrows heavily. His expression was grim and dark. He then went on Twitter and checked the trending topics. As soon as he saw the topic concerning Angeline, he clicked on it and saw a photo of a pregnant Angeline. The background of the photo appeared to be a rustic house in the countryside. Angeline¡¯s face was bare from makeup while she gazed eagerly out of the window. Most importantly, she was cradling her slightly protruding tummy, seemingly in her third or fourth month of pregnancy. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not an edited photo?¡± Evander¡¯s tone was extremely serious. ¡°I¡¯ve already had the technical staff look into it, and they confirmed that it wasn¡¯t edited,¡± Ss replied. Evander¡¯s hands which were on hisp balled tightly into fists as his eyes were filled with disbelief and shock. It would have been hard to believe that Angeline was once pregnant if it weren¡¯t for the obvious evidence. No wonder she adores Floretta and she seems to know what she¡¯s doing whenever she takes care of her. She doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s inexperienced at all. She hasn¡¯t given herself away at all. Moreover, she¡¯s able to maintain her figure and appearance as if she¡¯s in her early twenties. If she had given birth before, why didn¡¯t I see that child when I went to her ce for dinner? Women with secrets were always charming. Moreover, Floretta loved hanging out with Angeline, and he wasn¡¯t going to allow his daughter to continue interacting with the woman without knowing about her background. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I want you to find out what happened and when Angeline became pregnant.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding!¡± For the time being, Evander would have to limit Floretta¡¯s interactions with Angeline. He wanted to prevent anything like what happened in the freezer room from urring again. When Angeline returned to the filming site, she found everyone staring at her strangely. Furthermore, those who normally greeted her didn¡¯t bother to greet her. Instead, they were discussing something among themselves. After noticing the strange atmosphere, Angeline deliberately slowed down and listened in on their conversation. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡°She¡¯s the one who¡¯s got her scandal featured on the news, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Absolutely. I could¡¯ve never imagined someone with such an innocent image to pull off a pregnancy out of wedlock behind closed doors.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard of the child¡¯s father, though? Don¡¯t tell me that woman has stooped to bing some tycoons¡¯ mistress and bore them an illegitimate child?¡± ¡°I think so!¡± Upon hearing those remarks, Angeline was thoroughly dumbfounded. Pregnancy out of wedlock? That was the most humiliating criticism she had ever received. What made matters worse was that the skeleton she had been keeping in the closet for so many years was exposed just like that right in front of everyone. ¡°Angeline!¡± Nancy flurried right over and dragged Angeline, who was puzzled in ce, to a corner out of the public eye. ¡°What happened exactly? Have you really had a premarital pregnancy?¡± probed Nancy. A tinge of anxiety crept over her. After being yelled at, Angeline eventually regained her senses, her face ghastly white. Realizing that she could no longer keep the secret under her hat, she shed Nancy a serious visage while pursing her lips and admitting, ¡°Yes.¡± The second Nancy verified the truth, she staggered a little, almost losing her bnce. ¡°H-Hold on¡­ You¡¯re kidding, right? Why did you keep me in the dark?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± responded Angeline as a wave of guilt washed over her. ¡°I hadn¡¯t debuted when it happened, which is why I had never made a public confession. Besides, it¡¯s not even something proud to be brought to light.¡± Listening to those words, Nancy pressed on the wall to support herself as she gradually calmed herself down. Momentster, she voiced, ¡°So, you really had given birth to a child? Who¡¯s the father, then?¡± Angeline¡¯s mien turned as grim as death at the mention of the child¡¯s father. Sheer disappointment deluged her as if her heart had plummeted to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to say anything.¡± Nancy hushed Angeline on that note. Since the former had been in charge of Angeline for so many years, she could tell what was on Angeline¡¯s mind solely by reading the expression on her face. Seeing Angeline¡¯s dejected look, Nancy could not bring herself to say any more harsh words. All Nancy did was walk up to her and give her a hug. ¡°This might actually do you some good. Well, at least you won¡¯t be getting so much attention from the media for a while. I¡¯ll talk to the higher-upster and have our public rtions department suppress the news before it continues to gain traction,¡± stated Nancy. Indignant, she sighed as she spoke beside Angeline¡¯s ear. ¡°To think that we don¡¯t even know who leaked this to the public! D*mn it!¡± A snort escaped from Angeline¡¯s mouth when she heard that. ¡°The culprit can only be the one who¡¯d benefit the most from this,¡± was her deduction. ¡°You mean Denise?¡± From Angeline¡¯s point of view, Denise could be the only one who would pull such a trick. Even so, Angeline had never disclosed her premarital pregnancy to anyone, so it would be impossible for Denise to even get wind of it. That was unless thetter had been tipped off by someone else. Joseline must be the one who ratted on me! Who else but she? Soon after, Nancy and Angeline stepped out together, and thetter decided to apologize to Derek and the management team of the film. Since the issue had already happened, she figured that she ought to think of a n to deal with it rather than grieving over it. At that point in time, the entire film crew had ceased filming altogether. Derek and the rest of the team were having a meeting in the lounge. On the other hand, Angeline stood outside the door, pressing her ear against the door and listening to the discussion going on inside. Sadly, Derek and the producer were not on the same page, and that brought about an ear-splitting heated argument. About more than ten minutester, the door to the lounge was flung open from the inside. Derek jumped in fright upon catching sight of Angeline right outside the door. ¡°How long have you been standing here? Did you hear everything?¡± he asked. ¡°Mm.¡± The look on Angeline¡¯s face grew solemn as she bowed deeply before Derek and the rest of the management team. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry. Due to my personal affair, I¡¯ve caused the film crew a huge loss. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to make amends,¡± she said apologetically. Taking note of her heartfelt apology, Derek did not reprimand her. The others, in turn, merely shook their heads and walked away. After the management team had left the ce, Derek nced at Angeline with aplicated look in his eyes and piped up, ¡°You¡¯re rmended by Mr. Golding, Angeline. Even if you¡¯re in the wrong, we¡¯ll still do you a favor on ount of Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline did not offer a reply to that. ¡°So, we¡¯ve reached a conclusion during the meeting where we¡¯ll be postponing your schedule first. However, if the news doesn¡¯t die down after three days, we¡¯ll have no choice but to have you reced,¡± added Derek, wearing a stern countenance the whole time. ¡°Thank you, Mr. McKenna.¡± A smile finally touched Angeline¡¯s lips. Given that The Journey was one of the biggest productions, every dy in the shooting would spell a massive loss in revenue. Taking that into ount, Derek was already kind enough in making such a call. After parting ways with the film crew, Nancy sent Angeline home while she herself attended a meeting back at thepany to see how the matter at hand would y out. That would be logical, for the current state was quite a challenging one for Angeline. On top of that, it was not appropriate for her to make an appearance at thepany, not just yet. Once Angeline reached home, she fished out her phone to dial Joseline¡¯s number. Yet, Joseline did not answer after several attempts. It was as clear as day that Joseline was trying to prevail over Angeline. By not picking up the calls, she sessfully made Angeline lose herself in an anxiety spiral, constantly looking over her own shoulder. In fact, Joseline had more than just a photo to y as her trump card. When the time came, she would definitely put more of Angeline¡¯s dark past under the media spotlight. As Angeline¡¯s train of thought arrived there, her emotions became a jumbled mess. She slumped onto the couch and curled herself into a ball. Embracing the pink rabbit pillow on the couch, she buried her head into it. I¡¯ve worked so hard to get my hands on that role. I haven¡¯t even shot my first scene, and here I am, running into a disaster. I can¡¯t ept this! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d allow myself to be a sitting duck. I¡¯ll have toe up with a solution as soon as I can. I¡¯d really be a fool if I were to stay idle like this and wait for thepany to put out the fire! With that, Angeline immersed herself in collecting more information on the inte throughout the evening. Night soon arrived. She wanted to head into the kitchen to make herself some pasta for dinner. However, the doorbell suddenly rang at that very juncture. It¡¯s already sote¡­ Who could it be? A pucker formed between her eyebrows as she made her way to the door and answered it. A figure decked in a ck outfit from head to toe was standing right in front of her. Witnessing that person¡¯s appearance, Angeline could not help but be assailed by panic. She instinctively shut the door on a whim. Nevertheless, the man in ck grabbed her hand right away. A familiar male voice then rang out. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s me, Angie! Don¡¯t shut me out.¡± The man in ck eventually took off his hat and sunsses as he spoke. He gazed at the woman, grinning from ear to ear. The smile from the man seemed as pure as the driven snow, and not a tinge of insincerity could be found. As soon as Angeline recognized that face of his, she covered her mouth in shock. ¡°Jacob! How do you know where I stay?¡± With a sheepish look, Jacob ruffled his hair and answered, ¡°I ran a background check on you, Angie. Don¡¯t worry, though. I was only afraid that I might¡¯ve gotten the wrong person. I swear I don¡¯t have any other motives.¡± Knowing where Jacob wasing from, Angeline had no intention of reproaching him. Had he wished to put her in harm¡¯s way, he would never havee knocking on her door at a time like that. In addition, should his visit be discovered by the media, the whole act would then be nothing but a pyrrhic victory for him. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Oh, by the way, Angie, I heard you¡¯ve been suspended from work. I¡¯m afraid that you might be in trouble, so I came over to see you. Look! I even got you groceries,¡± said Jacob enthusiastically. He even waggled the shopping bags in his hands as he spoke. His sincere demeanor sent a warm sensation through Angeline¡¯s heart. Immediately, she invited the man into the house. ¡°Come in and take a seat.¡± Jacob epted her invitation and set foot inside before sweeping a nce at the interior of the house. ¡°Such a clean ce you have, Angie,¡± he praised, satisfied. ¡°It is but a simple home. Do make yourself at home.¡± Angeline poured him a ss of water. Following that, she checked out the shopping bags he brought. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 ¡°What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not picky. I like whatever you make.¡± Jacob took a sip of water from his ss and shed Angeline a bright smile. He was a sight for sore eyes, lifting Angeline¡¯s spirits. If she were still in high school, she would have fallen for him like Floretta did. However, at present, she could only view Jacob as a younger brother. Angeline carried the bags to the kitchen and started washing the pots, cleaning the vegetables, and boiling some water. After a while, Jacob followed her into the kitchen, grabbed an apron from the cab, and deftly tied it around his waist. ¡°Angie, it¡¯s kind of boring sitting there and doing nothing, so I¡¯ll give you a hand.¡± Angeline took him up on his offer, pointing to the vegetables in the basin and instructing, ¡°You can help me pluck the vegetables.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Jacob agreed readily. He rolled up his sleeves and skillfully plucked the vegetables as if he had done it countless times before. Ding dong! The sound of the doorbell abruptly shattered the harmonious ambiance. Angeline had gloves on because she was tending to the fish, so Jacob opened the door instead. He was astonished to see who was standing outside the door. ¡°Mr. Golding?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Evander stood outside, holding Floretta¡¯s hand. The man had forgotten to take away his daughter¡¯s phone after getting off work, so the girl ended up seeing news about Angeline when she woke up. As such, she wouldn¡¯t stop yammering abouting to visit Angeline. Evander had no choice but to bring her over. However, he did not expect Jacob to be at Angeline¡¯s ce at such ate hour. His expression immediately darkened. Are they not concerned that the paparazzi might take photos of them? Jacob and Evander harbored different thoughts upon seeing each other. Immediately, the air was heavy with silence and awkwardness. Floretta, on the other hand, did not think much about it. She was delighted when she saw Jacob and eximed excitedly, ¡°Wow! It¡¯s Jac! Am I not seeing things?¡± As she spoke, she could not keep her emotions under control and pounced on Jacob. Subconsciously, Jacob reached out to catch the little girl while wearing a look of puzzlement. He didn¡¯t know why she was so enthusiastic. ¡°You like me?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve listened to a lot of your albums, and I¡¯m a loyal fan! I finally get to see you in person!¡± Floretta caressed Jacob¡¯s face and ruffled his hair as if she couldn¡¯t believe he was real. The girl¡¯s words elicited a bright smile from Jacob. Plus, it was hard for him to not fall in love with Floretta, who looked as adorable as a doll. Evander¡¯s expression became grim when he saw how attached his daughter was to Jacob. He ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Floretta, get off him!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to, Daddy! Let me y with Jacob for a while!¡± Floretta wrapped her arms around Jacob¡¯s neck, refusing to let go. Despite the gloomy look on his face, he did not reprimand her any further since they were at someone else¡¯s ce. As he stepped in and closed the door behind him, he saw Angeline in the kitchen. She was chopping a fish with a knife. Right after cutting the fish open, she removed its guts and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± When she raised her head and saw Evander, she was startled. What¡¯s the special asion today? It¡¯s surprising enough that Jacob came to visit, but why is Evander here too? ¡°Angel, you¡¯re the best! You said you¡¯d let me see Jacob earlier today, and you already fulfilled your promise!¡± Floretta, who was in the living room, waved joyfully at Angeline. She was sitting on the floor, ying chess with Jacob. ¡°Enjoy yourselves.¡± Angeline chuckled sheepishly as she put the knife down. She dared not meet Evander¡¯s eyes. Earlier that day, she had just had an argument with him about Jacob. I¡¯m basically embarrassing myself by letting Floretta meet Jacob now! She offered, ¡°Mr. Golding, Floretta must have bugged you toe here, right? If you don¡¯t mind, you can stay here for dinner.¡± ¡°Are you sure we can stay? Won¡¯t we interrupt your date with your boyfriend?¡± Evander replied as he cast aplicated nce at Jacob. Angeline froze momentarily in puzzlement. ¡°Do you mean Jacob? He simply stopped by to see me as a friend.¡± Evander merely nced at her and scoffed coldly. ¡°But he chose to visit you at night?¡± ¡°Mr. Golding, please stop jumping to conclusions.¡± Angeline stared at him and said with exasperation, ¡°You can leave the kitchen first. I¡¯m going to start cooking now, and it¡¯ll get rather smoky here.¡± After finishing her sentence, she began washing the fish before seasoning it with some spices and condiments. Jacob was eavesdropping on their conversation the whole time. His expression turned sour when he heard Angeline refer to him as a friend. Why? Aside from my age, what do Ick? Just as he was about to interrupt their conversation, he saw Evander step into the kitchen. Thetter then rummaged through the shopping bags and took out a cucumber. Angeline jumped when she turned around and saw him. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping you, or we¡¯ll only get to eat dinner at midnight.¡± With that, Evander turned on the tap and started washing the cucumber. When Jacob saw that, he stood up in the living room and rushed into the kitchen. ¡°Let me help out too. Before you came along, I was helping Angie,¡± he said, reluctant to let Evander help. ¡°There¡¯s no ce for you here,¡± Evander replied coldly with a tinge of disdain in his eyes. The ce Angeline rented was a two-bedroom apartment, and the kitchen was somewhat small. Therefore, it was rather packed with three adults standing in it. ¡°Jacob, you can go out and rest. Floretta really likes you, so you should go and y with her,¡± Angeline reminded him as she shook the water off her hands. Jacob was disappointed upon hearing that, and he cast a nce at Evander, saying unhappily ¡°Are you going to let him stay in the kitchen? Won¡¯t he just make a mess? I don¡¯t think a busy CEO like him can cook.¡± Angeline felt bad for letting Evander help when she heard what Jacob said. Thus, she hurriedly walked over to Evander and took the cucumber from his hands, saying apologetically, ¡°Mr. Golding, let me wash it. You should leave too.¡± Jacob folded his arms and smirked when he heard that. I thought Evander had a special ce in Angeline¡¯s heart, but now it seems like he¡¯s not that special after all. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I spend too little time with Floretta?¡± ¡°What?¡± Evander wore an apathetic expression and remarked calmly, ¡°Floretta likes the dishes you make. If I learn from you, I¡¯ll be able to cook for her and spend more time with her.¡± When Angeline heard that, she was surprised. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re going to learn now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She was taken aback by his affirmation. He wasn¡¯t nearly as proactive when I was teaching him how to make a cake at the Golding residence. Why is he suddenly so eager to learn how to cook? However, she was pleased that Evander was making an effort for Floretta. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll teach you how to make some simple dishes that Floretta likes.¡± Angeline had no reason to reject him, so she started teaching him on the spot. Evander walked over to Jacob while wearing a calm expression. ¡°Give me the apron.¡± His intention to unt was tant from his tone. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Jacob¡¯s face contorted in anger as his breathing turned heavy. Subsequently, he cursed under his breath and reluctantly took off his apron. Floretta was lying on her stomach on the carpet in the living room. Cradling her chin with her palms, she was secretly giggling while watching the drama unfold. At that moment, she understood the situation. Daddy and Angel are both shy people. If I want Angel to be my mommy, Jacob and I must do something to push them. With that thought in mind, she let out a long sigh. Jeez, it¡¯s all Daddy¡¯s fault for not knowing how to pursue a woman he likes. I¡¯m only five years old, and it¡¯s not easy for me to find myself a mommy. In the kitchen, Angeline was teaching Evander how to make the first dish¡ªprawn sd. She held a spat in one hand and a te of prawns in another. Once the oil was hot, she poured all the prawns into the pan. She was in a hurry as it was gettingte, so she didn¡¯t even wait until the water in the pan had dried up. A sizzling sound could be heard as soon as the prawns were poured into the pan, and a few droplets of scalding oilnded on her arm. The burning pain caused her to shudder. Crack! At that moment, a cluster of mes sprang up from the pan, causing Angeline to jump a step back in shock. Evander, who was standing behind her, immediately wrapped his arms around her. Nervousness was written all over that handsome face of his. ¡°Watch out!¡± Before Angeline could say anything, he immediately dragged her out of the kitchen. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Angeline asked anxiously as she stomped her feet in irritation. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous in the kitchen.¡± Evander¡¯s face was grim as he looked her up and down. After making sure that she was not injured, he ordered her, ¡°I¡¯m going to turn off the gas. Be good and wait here for me.¡± Seeing that he was about to enter the kitchen, Angeline quickly grabbed his arm and said, ¡°It¡¯s not on fire. Have you never seen your housekeeper cook before? That¡¯s a normal urrence!¡± After saying that, a charred scent wafted into Angeline¡¯s nostrils. She held her forehead as despair inundated her. ¡°D*mn it. My prawns!¡± She then ran into the kitchen and filled a bowl with some water before pouring it into the pan. Without a doubt, the whole pan of prawns was overcooked and had all turned yellowish. After realizing that it was all just a misunderstanding, Evander stood rooted to the spot with awkwardness lining his face. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say. In the living room, Jacobughed his heart out and rolled all over the carpet while cuddling Floretta, tears almost streaming down his face. ¡°See? I was right! Angie, you should¡¯ve let me help you instead!¡± Floretta narrowed her eyes adorably and did not hesitate to mock her father. ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret. Daddy once cooked something for me on a whim. The eggs were all ck, and it was so hard that my teeth hurt.¡± Upon hearing that, Jacobughed even harder. He caressed Floretta¡¯s cheek and said sympathetically, ¡°You poor kid! Did you turn into a tiny yellow chick after eating a mouthful of eggshells?¡± Evander¡¯s expression turned increasingly grim as the temperature dropped drastically. It seemed as though a thunderstorm was brewing. Angeline was the only one who regarded him with sympathy. As a sessful and influential businessman, he probably didn¡¯t expect to beughed at because of his cooking skills. Besides, he reacted like that because he was worried about my safety. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. Stopughing,¡± Angeline said as she tried to ease the tension in the air. ¡°When I first started cooking, I even threw the pan away because I was scared of the oil.¡± She approached Evander and helped him take off his apron as she patiently said, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you to cook next time. It¡¯ste today. Go outside for a while, and the food will be ready soon.¡± Upon hearing Angeline¡¯s tone, Jacob immediately got jealous andined like a little child, ¡°Angie, that¡¯s not fair. You¡¯ve never used such a gentle tone when you talk to me!¡± Angeline shook her head with exasperation. What is wrong with these two today? Why are they being sopetitive? Not wanting to get involved in their childish feud, she ignored them and shut the kitchen door as she cleaned up the mess herself. Evander¡¯s mood instantly improved when he saw how Angeline didn¡¯t give Jacob any special treatment. The anger he felt when they wereughing at him instantly dissipated. At that moment, he himself was surprised to notice the fluctuations in his emotions that were rted to Angeline. Why am I so bothered by Angeline and Jacob¡¯s rtionship? Was Floretta¡¯s tantrums the only reason I came to visit Angeline today? An hourter, steaming hot dishes were served. There were scrambled eggs, buffalo wings, pork stew, and a pot of vegetable soup. The tasty aroma was irresistible. Jacob eagerly grabbed his fork and tasted every single dish beforeplimenting, ¡°Wow, these are delicious! Angie, you¡¯re such a catch! You¡¯re pretty and your cooking also tastes amazing!¡± Angeline smiled from ear to ear upon hearing his praise. ¡°Have some more if you like.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯d even lick the te clean,¡± Jacob said as he dug in. He kept throwingpliments as he ate. Every woman loved to be praised, and Angeline was no exception. She felt bad for Jacob upon seeing the way he wolfed the food down as if he had been starving, so he scooped him a bowl of soup. ¡°Slow down. There¡¯s more in the kitchen.¡± At that moment, Floretta looked up from her bowl and blinked before she innocently asked, ¡°Jac, since you¡¯re so supportive, would you eat the burnt prawns, too?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Jacob hesitated when he thought of the charred scent that wafted into the living room a moment ago. Angeline shook her head with a wry smile and served Floretta some soup, too. ¡°He¡¯s just joking.¡± ¡°Who said so? Angie, I¡¯m a die-hard fan of yours. I¡¯m willing to eat anything you make, including the burnt prawns,¡± said Jacob stubbornly, biting the bullet. After all, Angeline is a kind person. She won¡¯t make me eat it for real! However, Jacob seemed to have forgotten about Evander¡¯s existence. Thetter ced his fork down and headed to the kitchen before returning with a te of ckish prawns. ng! He set the dish in front of Jacob. Jacob almost spat the food out of his mouth when he saw the dish. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Evander?¡± he asked angrily. ¡°This is nothing. You don¡¯t need to thank me for bringing the dish to you.¡± Jacob was rendered speechless by Evander¡¯s nonchnt reply. Floretta pped her hands in excitement as she stared at Angeline with envy. Her voice wasced with admiration as she said, ¡°Angel, you¡¯re so lucky! Jac is willing to eat burnt prawns for you. I can¡¯t wait to see the look on his face!¡± Words eluded Jacob. Is this a prank? Jacob didn¡¯t know how to react, but as a young man in his twenties, he was stubborn and unyielding. Having lost to Evander once, he couldn¡¯t admit defeat just like that. Thus, he snorted and said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll eat it!¡± Subsequently, he picked up the te of prawns and stuffed them into his mouth. After chewing on them for a few seconds, his face scrunched up and he immediately rushed into the bathroom to throw up. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Angeline quickly poured a ss of water and went to the bathroom to hand it to Jacob so he could rinse his mouth. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked in concern. ¡°D*mn it!¡± He felt so nauseous that he emptied all the contents in his stomach. As he vomited, he smacked the toilet bowl in fury. What am I doing? I¡¯m going to extreme lengths for the sake of love, yet Evander is sitting there and enjoying the show as if I¡¯m a joke. How sly and cunning! As his train of thought ended there, he became increasingly concerned. Angie is going to fall for Evander¡¯s schemes one day if she continues hanging out with him! Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Jacob rinsed his mouth several times by the toilet bowl until the weird taste in his mouth was finally washed away. When he returned to the dining table, he no longer had any appetite as he looked at the tasty dishes. Angeline discarded the burnt prawns and felt bad upon seeing Jacob¡¯s pale face. She served him another bowl of soup and said, ¡°You just vomited all the food you ate. Have some soup to replenish your energy.¡± As soon as the bowl was ced in front of him, Jacob retched and said with a troubled expression, ¡°Angie, I don¡¯t think I can eat anymore.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline quickly took the bowl away from him and remarked, ¡°Then, you should go and rest on the couch.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you, Angie,¡± he said apologetically. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint Angeline, but he felt terrible at that moment and didn¡¯t have the energy. With that thought in mind, he turned around and shot daggers at Evander. I¡¯m here suffering, yet he and Floretta are savoring the dishes. How outrageous! The mere sight of Evander enjoying Angeline¡¯s cooking caused fury to swell in Jacob¡¯s heart, and he spun on his heels to leave the dining room. This is unbelievable! I will get my revenge sooner orter! After dinner, Floretta insisted on helping Angeline to wash the dishes. Failing to dissuade the stubborn little girl, Angeline gave in upon seeing that Evander wasn¡¯t against it. She brought Floretta to the kitchen and helped her roll up her sleeves before teaching her how to scrub the dishes step by step. Floretta was a smart little girl, and she mastered the skills quickly. It was already past ten at night when they finished cleaning up. Considering that Jacob still had to work early the next morning, Angeline stepped out of the kitchen and offered, ¡°Go on home. The next time youe, I¡¯ll make some more delicacies topensate you.¡± Jacob¡¯s mood was lifted when he heard Angeline¡¯s words. The next moment, he looked at Evander, who was sitting on the couch with the remote control in hand, showing no intention of leaving. He asked directly, ¡°What about him? It¡¯s gettingte. Is he staying over?¡± Angeline¡¯s face turned bright red at that. ¡°Nonsense! Mr. Golding has a fianc¨¦e. Don¡¯t make jokes like that.¡± Jacob straightened his back and said smugly to Evander, ¡°Did you hear that? You have a fianc¨¦e!¡± Evander leisurely picked up the ss of water in front of him. ¡°Mr. Zane, when I leave is none of your business.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jacob panicked. ¡°This is Angie¡¯s ce. Who says you can stay here and be a nuisance to her?¡± ¡°Floretta hasn¡¯t had enough fun.¡± Evander¡¯s gaze fell on the little girl who was ying with toy blocks in front of the television. His lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°She said it¡¯s been a long time since she saw Angeline, so she wants to y with her a little longer.¡± Jacob didn¡¯t know how to refute Evander¡¯s exnation. D*mn it! You¡¯re just using your child as an advantage! As a result, the two men refused to give in to each other and continued sitting on the couch, not willing to leave. They remained in a stalemate until another hour passed. Evander nced at his watch to check the time before picking Floretta up and saying in a deep voice, ¡°We should go. It¡¯s time for you to sleep.¡± Tuckered out, the little girl yawned and leaned against her father, allowing him and Angeline to help her put on her coat. ¡°Be careful on your way back,¡± Angeline said worriedly as she walked them to the door. ¡°Bye, Angel. Bye, Jac,¡± Floretta said in a soft voice as she waved them goodbye. Evander put on his shoes and stood at the entrance while his cold and stern gaze fell onto Jacob, seemingly sending thetter a silent warning. Evander¡¯s re caused a chill to run down Jacob¡¯s spine. Nheless, he couldn¡¯t care less about that since his greatest threat was leaving. He put on his coat and prepared to leave as well. Angeline took her keys and was about to walk them to the exit of the residential area, but just as she pushed the door open, she saw Evander walking back with Floretta in his arms. As soon as Jacob saw him, he had his guard up and nervously asked, ¡°Mr. Golding, what are you doing back here?¡± Evander ignored him and looked at Angeline, saying solemnly, ¡°There are a lot of reporters waiting at the entrance of the residential area.¡± Angeline fell silent, and her expression turned grim. Biting her lip, her hands balled into fists. I should¡¯ve seen thising. Since Joseline exposed me, I should¡¯ve known that she would also leak my current address. I, as a famous female celebrity, was exposed for being pregnant out of wedlock. Most importantly, I was never involved in any scandals before this. Naturally, such an incident will attract the public¡¯s attention. Whichever media outlet manages to take a picture of me in my current predicament will definitely be popr. Jacob did not seem convinced as he scrutinized Evander inquisitively. ¡°So, we should believe you since you said there are reporters out there? Who knows? Maybe you¡¯re trying to make up an excuse to stay the night at Angie¡¯s house.¡± Evander eyed him with disdain and scoffed, ¡°Do you think those reporters would leave tomorrow morning after waiting here for the whole night? They¡¯re obviously prepared for a long battle. A new batch of reporters will rece them the next morning.¡± Upon hearing what he said, Jacob started panicking. He could not help but curse, ¡°F*ck. I still have a movie to shoot early tomorrow morning. If something were to happen, the director would yell at me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Angeline¡¯s head ached from their constant arguing. As she pondered about it, she said, ¡°We need to come up with a n.¡± She couldn¡¯t possibly hide in the house just to avoid the reporters for the following days. While she was at her wit¡¯s end, Evander piped up calmly, ¡°There¡¯s a way to distract the reporters.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes lit up as she quickly approached him and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Evander nced at Jacob and suggested in a deep voice, ¡°Let him go out there and distract the reporters. Ss will pick him up at the entrance and bring him to a safe ce.¡± Angeline mulled it over and thought that it was a great idea. Then again, why would Jacob be willing to sacrifice himself for me? We¡¯re not that well acquainted anyway. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s for the sake of Angie, but why do I feel like you have other intentions?¡± Jacob asked, ncing at Evander skeptically. Something¡¯s clearly off. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. Angeline will be in danger if you don¡¯t leave,¡± Evander replied. That aloof and unapproachable aura of his gave him an air of chivalry. For Angeline¡¯s sake, Jacob made up his mind and took off his cap and sunsses. He only had his ck mask on, so it would not be hard for the reporters to identify him. After saying goodbye to Angeline, he quickly got into the elevator. When he reached the ground floor, he walked toward the residential area¡¯s entrance alone. Guilt and uneasiness inundated Angeline as she watched him leave. She then hurried toward the balcony to keep an eye on him. I hope he¡¯ll be all right! Chapter 82 Chapter 82 The moment Jacob stepped out of the residential area, reporters swarmed out from the van and from behind the flower beds to chase him with their cameras. Evander¡¯s n had seeded. However, Angeline was concerned for Jacob¡¯s safety. She was even more worried about affecting Jacob¡¯s career. Traces of concern lined her face as she turned to look at Evander. ¡°Are you sure Ss will pick him up?¡± ¡°Of course. Do you not trust my subordinate?¡± Evander replied with a question. A hint of iciness could be detected in his tone. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Who could possibly do something better than you when you¡¯re personally in charge of it?¡± The corners of Angeline¡¯s lips curved upward in gratitude. ¡°Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience caused.¡± With that said, she peered out the window and looked down at Jacob. A man in a suit escorted him into a car and drove him out of the residential area through the back entrance. ¡°Thank goodness! We¡¯re saved!¡± eximed Angeline. Joy was written all over her face. Evander, on the other hand stared at her side profile in a daze. Angeline was wearing a casual outfit at present. Compared to her stunning look in front of the camera, she looked a lot more approachable at that moment. Her hair was tied into a messy bun, and the light makeup she had put on entuated the tenderness of her features. After a short moment of observing her, Evander shifted his gaze to look away. ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate just yet. More troubles are waiting.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Angeline turned to look at him, confused. ¡°Do you really think the reporters wouldn¡¯te back the moment they realized that they couldn¡¯t get any scoop from Jacob?¡± Evander reminded her in a t tone. ¡°You¡¯re way too na?ve!¡± Evander¡¯s words were like a punch to Angeline¡¯s gut, causing her to feel tense and anxious again. pping her forehead in exasperation, she had no idea what to do. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go pack my stuff and stay in a hotel for the time being.¡± Evander regarded her and shot that idea down ruthlessly. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work. Do you think the reporters are idiots?¡± That¡¯s right! All of the high-ss hotels will be flooded with reporters by now! Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Frustrated and on the brink of losing her mind, Angeline hated Joseline so much that she wished the latter were dead. Just then, Evandermanded, ¡°What are you still waiting for? Go pack your things.¡± Angeline turned to him with a troubled look on her face. ¡°But I¡¯ve got nowhere to go for the time being.¡± Evander kept his gaze on her. ¡°We¡¯re going to my ce.¡± Worried that Angeline might mishear him, he even intentionally enunciated every single word loudly and clearly. Taken aback by Evander¡¯s suggestion, Angeline froze and couldn¡¯t find the words to reply. On the other hand, Floretta jumped out of Evander¡¯s arms in excitement and rushed forward to hug Angeline¡¯s legs. Her eyes shone in anticipation as she raised her head to look at Angeline. ¡°That¡¯s great, Angel! We can finally be together every day!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡± Retaining her rationale, Angeline waved her hands to decline the offer. ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to stay at your ce. Your fianc¨¦e won¡¯t be happy if she finds out.¡± Angeline did not want to elicit any animosity from Olivine when issues regarding the rumor were still not yet resolved. In response, Floretta ran toward Evander and tugged the corner of his shirt. Her pleading eyes were filled with hope. Evander gazed at his daughter and sighed, exining resignedly, ¡°There are a lot of guest bedrooms in the Golding residence. Your presence won¡¯t cause too much of a problem. Since Floretta likes your cooking, take this as an opportunity to teach Francesca your recipes.¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. Even though Evander¡¯s exnation had left her no room to refuse, she was still a bit hesitant. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Angel. Come on! I¡¯ll help you pack your things.¡± Floretta took Angeline¡¯s hand and pulled thetter toward the bedroom. After ten minutes, Angeline was dressed and ready to leave. Her luggage was packed as well. Since Ss had been tasked to send Jacob to a safe ce, Angeline had no choice but to take her car from the garage and drive the father-daughter pair to their ce. When they arrived at the Golding residence, Angeline took in the familiar garden and the three-story mansion. To her surprise, she no longer felt uneasy. In fact, her uneasiness had been reced with a sense of warmth and familiarity. Francesca had been waiting for them in the living room. When she heard that Angeline would be staying over, she was overjoyed and had been smiling from ear to ear. ¡°This is great, Ms. Sorelle! Ms. Floretta is over the moon about your stay!¡± As expected, Floretta was twirling happily around Angeline, dancing in excitement. She had even made ns about what to do with Angeline during her stay. Evander was the only one who remained calm and collected. Removing his coat, he nced at Francesca coldly. ¡°Show her to the guest room.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding!¡± Following his order, Francesca quickly helped Angeline with her luggage and headed upstairs. Her movements were so swift that Angeline could not help even if she wanted to. Francesca pushed the door open, revealing a luxurious room. A king-size bed, a gigantic wardrobe, and a built-in bathroom were only some of its features. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I have prepared toiletries in advance. If you need anything else, please feel free to let me know.¡± ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s enough for now,¡± Angeline quickly replied. She could not help but gasp in awe at the spacious room. It must be nice to be rich. This room itself is bigger than my living room! ¡°Oh, one more thing, Ms. Sorelle. Your room is right across from Ms. Floretta¡¯s. I know that the two of you are close. This will make it easier for you to take care of her.¡± Francesca smiled politely and respectfully. ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you.¡± As she thanked Francesca, Angeline walked toward the bedside drawer and picked up a framed photograph. In the photograph was a picture of Floretta when she was a month old. Angeline assumed that Francesca had ced the picture there so she would feel less alone in the room. A sense of warmth bubbled up in her chest at that thought. Her slender fingers traced Floretta¡¯s outline in the picture. When her fingertips reached the baby¡¯s stubby neck in the picture, she noticed a mole. She froze momentarily, focusing on the mole. Agitated, her grip on the photograph tightened. Her daughter had a mole at that exact position as well. Just then, Floretta came out of her room, holding a pink stuffed bunny in her arms. ¡°Angel.¡± She ran forward and threw herself at Angeline with a huge grin. ¡°This is my favorite doll. It can keep youpany here.¡± ¡°Thank you, Floretta. You¡¯re too kind.¡± Angeline bent down and nted a kiss on the girl¡¯s cheek, smiling. At the same time, she swiftly undid the button of Floretta¡¯s cor without the little girl noticing. As expected, there was a mole on Floretta¡¯s neck. At that moment, it felt like she had been struck by lightning, and she froze on the spot. How can there be such a huge coincidence in this world? The same position¡­ A mole of simr size¡­ She was lost in her thoughts as she brought Floretta into thetter¡¯s bathroom for a bath. Not paying attention to her surroundings, she ran into a stone-hard chest. ¡°Ow! That hurts!¡± Instinctively, Angeline touched her nose with a grimace. Whew. It¡¯s not broken. ¡°You can still feel pain, huh?¡± Evander¡¯s deep voice sounded displeased. In the next second, he grabbed the back of Angeline¡¯s head with his huge hand and ordered, ¡°Lift your head. Let me see.¡± Angeline, who was still in a daze, did as she was told. ¡°You¡¯re not bleeding.¡± Evander¡¯s voice snapped her out of her trance. The corner of his lips curled upward into a smirk as he mocked, ¡°You¡¯re thinking so hard about Jacob that you can¡¯t even pay attention to your surroundings, huh?¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Aggrieved, Angeline stubbornly retorted, ¡°The floor in your house is too slippery.¡± Evander scoffed, clearly not buying her exnation. He then shoved his hands into his pockets and stated dully, ¡°Ss had sent Jacob to a safe ce, and his assistant hade to pick him up. The reporters didn¡¯t manage to take any substantial photos of the incident, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to write any nonsense.¡± Upon hearing his words, Angeline finally heaved a sigh of relief. Angeline looked at Evander gratefully and said with sincerity, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding. I won¡¯t bother you for too long. Once this all blows over, I¡¯ll move out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not living here for free. Floretta shall be under your care for the time you¡¯re here. She likes ying with you, so I hope that you can keep her happy.¡± Evander¡¯s voice was monotonous. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. When Angeline heard that, she no longer felt as stressed as she was before. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of Floretta.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Staring at Angeline, Evander¡¯s response was curt asplex emotions swirled discreetly in his eyes. In the end, however, he decided against speaking and turned around to head to his study. Gazing at his tall silhouette, Angeline exhaled. The more she spent time with him, the more she realized that he was not as cold as he appeared to be. For example, just a second ago, it was obvious that he had wanted to ask her if she truly got pregnant before marriage, but he chose to remain silent and protect her dignity instead. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯ve gotten everything ready for Ms. Floretta¡¯s bath. Would you like me to help?¡± Francesca emerged from the storeroom holding a pink basin as well as body wash and shampoo of the highest quality for Floretta. Snapping out of her daze, Angeline nodded. ¡°That would be great. Thanks!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m usually the one who would give Ms. Floretta a bath.¡± Francesca chuckled as she led Angeline into Floretta¡¯s small bathroom. When they headed inside, Floretta was already sitting in the bathtub, yawning. Angeline quickly removed the girl¡¯s clothes and bathed her with warm water. Just as she was helping the girl put on her pajamas, she remembered something. ¡°Francesca, there¡¯s a small mole on Floretta¡¯s neck. Was she born with it?¡± Angeline inquired. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Francesca, who was wiping the basin with a towel, paused in her tracks as a tender smile appeared on her face. ¡°I noticed the mole the moment Ms. Floretta was brought home. I remember thinking to myself that Mr. Golding did not have a mole when he was younger. I wonder who she got it from.¡± When Angeline heard that, her expression shifted. Strange emotions flooded her heart as she looked at Floretta, but she did not dare to continue that train of thought. It can¡¯t be Evander. Perhaps the mole is just a coincidence. Maybe Floretta and I were fated to meet each other! With that thought in mind, Angeline¡¯s expression eased. Once she had gotten Floretta into her pajamas, she carried the girl to bed. ¡°Angel, can you sleep with me tonight?¡± Just as she was about to leave, Floretta grabbed her arm and pleaded. Unable to say no to the adorable little girl, Angeline caressed her hair and smiled affectionately. ¡°Sure. How about a bedtime story?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta was so excited that she didn¡¯t feel as sleepy anymore. As such, Angeline took off her shoes and tucked herself into bed next to Floretta, allowing the little girl to nestle in her arms as she told her a story. Francesca stepped out of the bathroom after she was done cleaning. The moment she saw such a heartwarming scene, tears welled in her eyes, and a smile yed on her lips. Angeline¡¯s presence made the dull and boring residence a lot more lively than usual. How nice would it be if she can always stay in the Golding residence! The next morning, when Evander rose from bed, a joyful atmosphere greeted him when he entered the dining room. Angeline had gotten up early and was feeding Floretta breakfast. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± Angeline greeted him immediately with a smile upon noticing him. ¡°I¡¯ve made breakfast. Come have some.¡± When Evander heard that, he arched a brow in surprise as he stared at the food on the table. There were fresh buns, hot meat stew, waffles, and puffs. It was quite a fancy spread of breakfast. ¡°You made all of these?¡± The sound of a chair scraping the floor could be heard, and Evander was seated at the table in no time. ¡°Mm-hmm. I woke up early, probably because I¡¯m not used to the new environment yet. Since I couldn¡¯t sleep, I decided to prepare some breakfast. Have a taste. If you don¡¯t like it, I can make something else tomorrow.¡± As she spoke, she filled a bowl with stew and served it to Evander. What time did she wake up to be able to make all of this so early in the morning? At that thought, traces of warmth lined Evander¡¯s usually cold expression. He began tasting the food, and a pucker gradually appeared between his eyebrows. The stew melted in his mouth, its vor delicious and bnced. To his surprise, he thought that Angeline¡¯s cooking was far better than that of a five-star professional chef. ¡°How is it?¡± Angeline asked out of curiosity, She tried guessing his thoughts by reading his expression but to no avail. ¡°You can sleep in. You don¡¯t have to get up so early and prepare breakfast.¡± Evander¡¯s tone was as indifferent as always. There was no telling what he thought about the food while he continued eating the stew. Angeline felt dejected upon hearing his response. Disappointment inundated her. ¡°Okay.¡± With that said, she stood from her chair and reached for the bowl of stew in front of Evander to take it away. Since he doesn¡¯t seem to like it, I might as well get it out of his sight. However, Evander thought otherwise. When she was about to take the bowl away from him, he immediately reached out to grab it. s, he was one step toote, and his abrupt action caused some of the stew to spill onto his suit pants. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Evander bellowed, his tone grim as he gazed down at his pants with disgust. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Angeline quickly apologized as she tried cleaning his pants with tissues. To her horror, the harder she tried to wipe it clean, the dirtier it got. ¡°All right. That¡¯s enough.¡± Evander shoved her hand aside and left the dining room, his expression frosty as he headed upstairs. After he left, Angeline lowered her head and fiddled with the tissue in her hands. How could I have been so careless? I¡¯m living under his roof. It has only been the first day and I¡¯ve already caused trouble. I can¡¯t believe myself! As she berated herself and pondered over whether or not she should move out and stop causing trouble for others, she felt a tug. Looking down, she saw Floretta grabbing the hem of her shirt. Her cheeks were stuffed with buns, causing her to look like an adorable chipmunk. ¡°Angel, you¡¯re so stupid. It¡¯s obvious that Daddy likes your cooking.¡± When she heard that, Angeline frowned. ¡°Why do you say so?¡± ¡°Daddy is very particr about food. If he doesn¡¯t like it, he will definitely ask Francesca to discard it, but instead, he was clearly enjoying the stew you made.¡± Only then did Angeline realize that she had misunderstood. Nevertheless, it was not like she had spent time with Evander on a daily basis before that. Thus, there was no way she could have known. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Angeline felt guilty when she thought about what had happened earlier. So, she had Francesca pack some food into a lunchbox before heading upstairs with it. The door to Evander¡¯s room was half open. Angeline lifted her hand and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she pushed the door wide open and entered the room. The interior of the room was of a minimalistic style with a gray color scheme. Apart from a few necessary pieces of furniture, the room wasn¡¯t furnished or decorated with anything else. Angeline looked around the room, and her gaze eventuallynded on the bed. Then, she saw a figure standing in front of the window from the corner of her eye. She gasped sharply and quickly covered her eyes. ¡°Ahh! You scoundrel!¡± Evander, who was about to throw on an undershirt, paused when he heard Angeline¡¯s scream. When he saw her panicking, he pulled the shirt over his head with a slight smirk ying on his lips. ¡°Why are you screaming?¡± he asked in a husky voice. Angeline had her back to him, her face burning from embarrassment. ¡°W-Why didn¡¯t you c-close the door when y-you were c-changing?¡± she stammered incoherently. She heard Evander¡¯s soft footsteps against the carpet as he walked toward her slowly. His cold yet teasing voice was right next to her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need permission from you when I want to change my clothes. In addition, you were the one who barged into my room. Were you trying to do something to me?¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. I can¡¯t believe he just twisted the truth so tantly! Angeline¡¯s ears were tinged pink with embarrassment. ¡°Please don¡¯t get me wrong, Mr. Golding. I don¡¯t harbor any special feelings toward you at all.¡± For some reason, when Evander heard her words, anger bubbled within him and instantly burst into raging mes. He looked at her with an icy glint in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± With that, he grabbed the zer that was hanging on the chair and headed outside, sulking. ¡°Hold on. I packed up some breakfast for you. Have some on your way to work.¡± Angeline followed after him, shoved the bag into his hands, and backed away several steps to keep some distance from him. Seeing how she was avoiding him like the gue, he got even more enraged. He grabbed her arm and yanked her toward himself. The sudden pain in Angeline¡¯s shoulder caused her to snap back to her senses. Yelping in surprise, she stumbled and was pinned to the wall by Evander. With their faces merely inches away from each other, he said in a cold voice, ¡°You say you don¡¯t have any special feelings for me, but you prepared breakfast for me. Are you ying hard to get?¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline frowned as she stared back at him with shock. ¡°I just feel bad because I¡¯m staying in your house and even soiled your pants,¡± she hurriedly exined. ¡°I don¡¯t really believe that.¡± Evander grabbed her chin and scoffed coldly. ¡°If you think you can gain my attention by pulling tricks, here¡¯s some advice for you. Give it up because it¡¯s never going to work on me.¡± Angeline¡¯s face was deathly pale, and all she felt was the extreme paining from her chin, which was almost crushed by his grip. At that instance, her heart brimmed with aggrievement. ¡°If my actions have caused you to misunderstand me, I will leave right away. Sorry!¡± Evander frowned and loosened his grip on her chin. Why did I get so upset just now? Meanwhile, Angeline seized the opportunity to push him away and dashed out of his room. As he watched her escape from his room in a panic, he somehow felt dejected. Subsequently, his gaze fell upon the lunchbox that was packed full of delicious food, and it was a long while before he snapped back to his senses. Angeline ran back to her room, closed the door, and leaned against it, panting heavily with distress. It took her a long time to calm down. However, the fury in her heart had yet to be extinguished, and she gritted her teeth in anger. I knew it. Living under someone else¡¯s roof sucks. I have to find another ce and move out as soon as possible. Just then, the phone in her pocket rang. When she pulled it out, she saw that it was a call from Wilfred and let out a scoff. He never calls me on a normal day, but herees his call when I¡¯m currently in a crisis. His intention is as clear as day. She swiped the answer button and put the phone a little distance away from her ear. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. To her surprise, she heard Wilfred¡¯s hoarse voice traveling from the other end of the line when she was fully prepared to be reprimanded. ¡°Come to the house before noon today.¡± Right after getting that sentence out, he went into a coughing fit. It seemed that his health was deteriorating. Angeline furrowed her brows. What¡¯s going on? Is his beloved granddaughter Joseline not taking care of him? ¡°You¡ª¡± Before she could say anything, Wilfred ended the call. Angeline tightened her grip on the phone before slowly putting her hand down. A frosty look surfaced in her eyes. What was I hoping for? He has never thought of me as his granddaughter. He¡¯s just summoning me back home to ridicule me. I wouldn¡¯t go back at any other time, but this time¡­ She suddenly remembered that her parents had transferred the ownership of a mansion in Willowbank to her while they were still alive. However, she had left the Sorelle residence in disgrace back then, so she forgot to take the title deed with her. At that thought, Angeline¡¯s eyes lit up. If she could get that mansion back, she would have a ce to stay. When she finally left her room, Evander had already left for work. She felt a lot more at ease without him around. Floretta was seated in the dining room after finishing her breakfast, obediently drinking the milk that Francesca had heated up for her. When she noticed Angeline, she tossed the milk bottle aside, climbed down the chair, and threw herself at the woman. ¡°Angel, the weather is so nice today. Can we y on the swings in the courtyard?¡± Angeline squatted down to look Floretta in the eye as she said apologetically, ¡°Floretta, I¡¯ll be busy this morning. I¡¯ll y with you once I get back, all right?¡± Floretta pouted, her eyes gleaming with tears of reluctance. However, she stared back at Angeline and nodded. ¡°Okay. Bye, Angel.¡± Surprised by how sensible Floretta was behaving, Angeline¡¯s gloomy mood immediately improved. She patted Floretta¡¯s head and asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Why are you such a good girl today, Floretta?¡± ¡°Daddy said that I can¡¯t disturb you if you have serious matters to attend to. Otherwise, you will be upset. I want you to be happy every day, Angel.¡± Evander told her all that? Angeline¡¯s expression darkened, and a hint of confusion shed across her eyes. How did he know that I have serious matters to attend to? Angeline left the house and arrived at a residential area half an hourter. She parked her car in front of a mansion that was located halfway up the mountain. The butler standing at the front door was still the same butler years ago, and he recognized her right away. ¡°You¡¯ve returned, Ms. Angeline.¡± The butler, Edwin Ziegler, approached her, gazing at her affectionately. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a few years, and you¡¯ve be even prettier. If your mother was still with us, I¡¯m sure she would be very pleased to see how you¡¯ve turned out.¡± As he spoke, he wiped the tears streaming down his face. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Angeline quickly reached out to support him, her voice hoarse as she spoke. ¡°Please don¡¯t be like this, Mr. Ziegler. You¡¯re my elder.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Edwin had been her father¡¯s right-hand man when her father was alive. The former watched her grow up since she was young, and she remembered how kind he was to her. After that, Edwin led her into the mansion. Along the way, he excitedly described the changes in the household to Angeline. As she looked at the familiar mansion before her, the look in her eyes darkened and mixed feelings surged in her heart. I¡¯m finally home. However, the ce she grew up in seemed painfully unfamiliar to her now. When they reached the entrance, Edwin looked at her with worry as he reminded her, ¡°Ms. Joseline and Mr. Yiurk are here, Ms. Angeline. I¡¯m afraid you¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Angeline smiled slightly andforted, ¡°Mr. Ziegler, don¡¯t worry. I am no longer the vulnerable little girl who needed protection. I know how to act ordingly.¡± Upon hearing that, Edwin bobbed his head and opened the door for her. As he watched her step in calmly, tears rolled down his cheeks again. Angeline¡¯s current demeanor made Edwin¡¯s heart clench, but above all, he was gratified. She finally set foot in the Sorelle residence again after so many years. After keeping her emotions in check, Angeline peered in and saw a man in his sixties in the living room. Despite his old age, he was still standing tall and straight, exuding an august air. ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± Wilfred turned around to look at her. The dullness in his voice was evident, and he didn¡¯t sound as excited as the first time they met. ¡°Yes.¡± Angeline walked over. Before she sat on the couch, she straightened her skirt. ¡°I¡¯ve asked the housekeepers to prepare your favorite snacks and drink. Do enjoy,¡± said Wilfred with a deep voice, gesturing at the table before him. He seemed listless, and the skin beneath his eyes was sunken, showing traces of exhaustion. Angeline stared at the te of fruits with an inexplicable look in her eyes. After moments of silence, she replied indifferently, ¡°Thank you. Please just get to the point.¡± Noticing her aloof attitude, Wilfred flew into a rage and mmed his cane on the marble floor. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re all that? I can¡¯t even get you toe back home for a meal!¡± In response, Angeline looked up at Wilfred mockingly. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t you remember what happened in this living room in the past? Don¡¯t you remember how you ruthlessly drove me out of the Sorelle residence?¡± Wilfred stiffened upon hearing that. Back then, when he found out that Angeline had gotten pregnant out of wedlock and tarnished the Sorelle family¡¯s reputation, he lost control of himself and punished her with a whip right in front of the entire family and the housekeepers. After that, he sent Angeline, who was covered in injuries, to the countryside where medical resources were scarce. He took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on Angeline. ¡°I know you¡¯ve resented me for all these years, but I only did what I had to for the sake of the Sorelle family.¡± Angeline sneered inwardly. I knew it. He¡¯ll never realize his mistakes, so it won¡¯t make a difference no matter what I say. After all, the purpose of her visit was merely to retrieve her stuff. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, please excuse me.¡± With that, Angeline got up from the couch and went up to the second floor. She reached the room in the corner and turned the door knob. With a click, the door creaked open. A strong musty scent wafted out of the room coupled with a lot of dust. A coughing fit assailed her as she waved her hand to fan the air before her. After a while, she carefully observed the room. Everything remained unchanged apart from the thick dust that settled after the room wasn¡¯t cleaned for a long time. Angeline rejoiced deep down and grabbed adder before climbing up to reach the inconspicuous gypsum board hidden above the wardrobe. Using a hammer, she smashed it open, and a rolled-up object fell to the floor along with the broken gypsum. Subsequently, she climbed down from thedder and bent over to pick the object up. After unrolling it, she saw that it was indeed the title deed of the mansion at Willowbank. That was the gift Angeline¡¯s mother had prepared for her eighteenth birthday. ¡°Angel, you must keep this in a safe ce and remember not to transfer it to others. When you get married, I¡¯ll prepare a more generous dowry for you. Happy birthday, sweetheart!¡± Her mother¡¯s affectionate tone echoed in her mind. Angeline took a deep breath in an attempt to repress her sorrow. After tidying up the ce, she put the title deed in her bag and took it with her along with the trinkets her mother gifted her, for she never wanted to return to the residence anymore. Moreover, she was determined to regain the shares of Sorelle Group that her parents had left for her which were misappropriated by Joseline. After walking down the stairs, she walked straight to the door without even greeting Wilfred. Wilfred bellowed, ¡°Stop right there! Have you forgotten everything we¡¯ve taught you? How can you leave without saying goodbye? Where are your manners?¡± Angeline stopped in her tracks and turned around to regard the old man with disdain. ¡°From the moment I was kicked out of the Sorelle residence, this ce is no longer my home.¡± The atmosphere became tense all of a sudden. ¡°You¡ª¡± Wilfred was so infuriated that his face contorted. He clutched his chest and coughed severely. Angeline looked at him and knitted her brows. She knew that Wilfred was suffering from pneumonia, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be so severe. Subconsciously, she approached to support Wilfred and stroked his chest to help him breathe. ¡°Somebody, help!¡± she yelled. Not long after, a young housekeeper rushed over to help Wilfred take his medicine. The old man¡¯s symptoms eased after he swallowed the pill. Silently, Angeline took a ss of water from the table and handed it to him. Wilfred took a sip of water and felt much better. Looking at Angeline, he fell into a daze. Back when Angeline was a teenager, she took care of him in the same way. She would pour him a ss of warm water every day at mealtime and even learned to massage for his sake. If that incident from five years ago hadn¡¯t happened, he wouldn¡¯t have treated Angeline so unkindly. As his train of thought ended there, Wilfred sighed. His tone softened as he said, ¡°Angeline, I¡¯ve heard about your scandals. It¡¯s not safe for you to live outside. You should move back here.¡± Angeline remained silent, waiting for what he was about to say next. ¡°However, judging from the current situation, you are not qualified to hold the position of director in the company. You should transfer your shares to Joseline, and she¡¯ll manage thepany well,¡± Wilfred persuaded. His indifferent words stung Angeline, causing the slightest bit of tenderness in her heart to dissipate. She knew Wilfred had a hidden agenda to summon her back all of a sudden. What a joke! ¡°No way!¡± Angeline refused without hesitation, her tone frosty. ¡°Did you forget that Joseline was exposed to be involved in a murder case at the wedding?¡± Wilfred¡¯s expression turned gloomier when he heard that. ¡°Josie exined that she got set up.¡± ¡°You must have gotten foolish as you age.¡± Angeline snorted derisively. Everything Joseline said is the truth to him! ¡°Why are you here?¡± At that moment, the overbearing voice of a female rang out, and Angeline recognized it almost immediately. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Joseline stood above the stairs, cing her hand on the railing. Her protruding belly indicated she was seven or eight months into her pregnancy. However, she seemed to have been taking good care of herself and was in pretty good shape. Angeline picked up the cup of coffee on the table and responded calmly, ¡°Is there a problem for me to return to my own home?¡± ¡°Stop putting on an act in front of Grandpa. You didn¡¯te home to visit after returning to the country for such a long time. Do you even think of this ce as your home? Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of your motive foring here.¡± Joseline looked at Angeline warily, clenching her fists. Ever since Angeline stirred trouble at her wedding previously, she finally realized how vicious the woman could be. She dared not underestimate Angeline, for fear that she would once again fall into the latter¡¯s trap. ¡°Joseline, stop yelling at Angeline!¡± Just then, Hanson exited the room. For a moment, he was in a daze when he saw Angeline¡¯s delicate appearance. ¡°How can you side with her, Hanson?¡± Joseline stomped her feet angrily. Pregnant women tended to be exceptionally sensitive, and Hanson¡¯s attitude toward Angeline only served to make Joseline more uneasy. Hanson got even more irritated upon seeing Joseline throwing a tantrum. Raising his voice, he snapped, ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Angeline, on the other hand, ignored their dispute and maintained herposure while sipping her coffee. ¡°Oh? What motive do I have? Pray tell.¡± ¡°You¡¯re back for the shares Dad and Mom left behind, of course. I¡¯ll never give them to you!¡± Joseline roared angrily as she stormed down the stairs, her high heels clicking imposingly on the steps. ¡°Leave! Now! I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± The sight of Angeline reminded her of the humiliation she suffered during the wedding. Agitated, Joseline didn¡¯t even bother to look at Wilfred, who was sitting on the couch, as she stepped forward to grab Angeline¡¯s arm. Thump! A crisp noise echoed as Angeline mmed the cup in her hand on the table. A few droplets of hot liquid sshed out of the cup from the impact. Startled by the sudden sound, Joseline paused as her face paled. Standing up from the couch, Angeline stared straight into the other woman¡¯s eyes with contempt. ¡°What¡¯s with your brazen attitude? Are you sure thepany¡¯s shares are yours?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Joseline couldn¡¯t find the words to refute, and she dug her sharp nails deep into her palms. She¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been managing thepany for years, and all this while I¡¯ve been wary of Angeline, but I¡¯ve forgotten that Dad and Mom had never mentioned transferring the shares to me before they passed away. Her expression changed, then she nced at Wilfred before pointing at Angeline. ¡°I knew you were up to no good when you came back this time. Grandpa is old. Have you no respect for your elder? Must you make him mad?¡± Angeline crossed her arms and said apathetically, ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject. You desire to seize the shares because you¡¯re worried you¡¯d be kicked out of thepany if another scandal broke out, right?¡± Her straightforward words pierced deeply into Joseline¡¯s heart. Even Wilfred regarded her suspiciously upon hearing that. Infuriated, Joseline lifted her trembling hand and attempted to give Angeline a p across the cheek. ¡°Stop!¡± Hanson grabbed her arm in time with a grim expression. ¡°Stop messing around, will you?¡± ¡°Messing around?¡± Joseline struggled to break free from his grip. Aggrieved, she said, ¡°Hanson, I¡¯m pregnant with your child. Is this how you treat us?¡± At the mention of the child, Hanson tamped down his anger. ncing at Angeline in distress, he then reminded Joseline, ¡°Joseline, Grandpa isn¡¯t feeling too welltely. We should let him rest. Let¡¯s go home.¡± The mention of Wilfred reminded her that she still had her grandpa as support. Stomping her foot, she turned toward the old man and hugged his arm affectionately. ¡°Grandpa, please say something. You told me previously that I will be taking over thepany.¡± ¡°Enough of that.¡± Wilfred furrowed his brows as a look of fatigue lined his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back to my room to rest. Go ahead and have lunch without me.¡± With that, he coughed into his fist for a few times before heading back to his room with the help of a housekeeper. Since Wilfred had left, Angeline didn¡¯t want to waste any more time lingering around. She grabbed her bag from the couch and walked out of the Sorelle residence without looking back. Hanson watched her leave and subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to follow her. ¡°Don¡¯t go after her.¡± At that moment, Joseline gripped his sleeve and bit her lip in distress. Hanson shot her an icy look and shook off her hand, insisting on leaving. Joseline clutched the corner of her shirt as jealousy inundated her. Why? Am I not nice enough to him? I even transferred my shares for the sake of his career. But he¡¯s always distracted whenever he sees Angeline! ¡°Ah! My stomach hurts¡ª¡± Suddenly, Joseline screamed in pain while holding her stomach. Then, she slowly squatted on the ground. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. When Hanson returned to her side upon hearing her cries of pain, she was relieved. Luckily, he still cares for me and the child. This child is my final bargaining chip for now! Angeline drove out of the Sorelle residence. After leaving the residential area, she turned around and drove toward the direction of Willowbank. She remembered that her mother used to tell her that an elderly man was guarding the house and that she would be allowed to move in after she showed him the title deed. Wishing to leave the Golding residence as soon as possible, she headed to the new house in a hurry, hoping to get everything settled as soon as possible. Half an hourter, she arrived at her destination. After finding a ce to park her car, she found her way to a quaint, small mansion by following the number tes. The mansion was a two-story building, and there was a small garden at the entrance full of her favorite pink lilies. The rxing fragrance lifted Angeline¡¯s mood as she took a deep breath. In the past, she was carefree and rich, so she couldn¡¯t care less about the house. She didn¡¯t even bother toe and take a look at it after its ownership was transferred to her. As she looked around, she suddenly saw some men¡¯s apparel hanging in the garden. The style of the apparel looked like it belonged to a young man. Isn¡¯t an elderly man guarding this ce? Knitting her brows, she made her way to the door and rang the doorbell. Soon, the door was pushed open, and a handsome man came out yawning. He didn¡¯t recognize Angeline since she was wearing a cap and mask, so he asked curiously, ¡°Who are you?¡± Angeline, on the contrary, recognized him at first nce. He was Stuart Chance, a rising star in the entertainment industry. As the lead dancer of MX Band, his charming looks earned him plenty of female fans. ¡°Are you mute? Speak up, or I¡¯m shutting the door.¡± Stuart sounded impatient as he couldn¡¯t stop yawning. ¡°Why are you living in this house?¡± Angeline asked solemnly. ¡°What kind of question is that? This is my house. I have the right to live here.¡± Stuart stared straight at her. He found something strange, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Without thinking much, he mmed the door shut before Angeline could speak. Angeline was still in shock. Who gave him the right to stay here? When did this house be his? ¡°Hello, miss. May I know who you are looking for?¡± Just then, a man in his sixties with gray hair approached her with a basket in his hand, regarding her curiously. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Angeline quickened her pace when she saw the old man. ¡°Are you the man in charge of watching over this house?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Arthur was puzzled as he had not seen her before. ¡°Not many know of my identity, young lady. Who might you be?¡± Angeline was just about to tell him but suddenly recalled the myriad of suspicious circumstances surrounding the house and swallowed the words she was about to utter. After a moment¡¯s thought, she answered, ¡°I am a good friend of the owner. She promised to sublet this ce to me, but I can¡¯t help but notice it¡¯s already upied.¡± Arthur appeared confused at her words. It was in that he was unaware of the finer details of that arrangement. ¡°Oh, Ms. Sorelle has never mentioned this to me. I¡¯ll ask for you when she next drops by.¡± Ms. Sorelle. Angeline¡¯s gaze turned grim. Though her fists were clenched, she politely asked, ¡°Might you be referring to Ms. Joseline Sorelle?¡± The old man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ms. Sorelle would drop by twice a week to visit her boyfriend.¡± Boyfriend? Angeline examined the clothes on the rack and recalled seeing Stuart emerge, disheveled, from the mansion. With shock shing across her eyes, she understood. As Arthur was elderly, it would not be unusual for him to be unacquainted with news surrounding the entertainment industry. I can¡¯t believe Joseline would stow her lover away in my mansion. Angeline sneered at that thought. Despite Joseline¡¯s apparent devotion to Hanson and their appearance as a loving couple, she turned out to be an adulteress after all. If that¡¯s the case, the child in Joseline¡¯s belly is likely not Hanson¡¯s. Angeline became excited. She fished her phone from her pocket and scrolled down to Nancy¡¯s number. As Joseline has no regard for me, I won¡¯t mind reciprocating the favor. The news of her having an affair with a celebrity will definitely overshadow mine of having a child out of wedlock. She was about to make the call when Nancy called her instead. Angeline hastened to answer. ¡°I have something to tell you, Nancy.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hold that thought, and let me go first. I have to hand it to you for finding that Photoshop artist who somehow edited the photograph of you being pregnant into another woman. That woman even issued a public apology to rify that she, instead of you, was the one who was pregnant.¡± ¡°What?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Has the gossip of my having a child out of wedlock been resolved? ¡°Wasn¡¯t it your doing?¡± Nancy¡¯s voice shook with excitement. ¡°Forget it. The matter is in the past anyway. The director of The Journey, Mr. McKenna, asked me to tell you toe on set tomorrow.¡± Angeline did not respond. ¡°I¡¯ve got to run to take care of things for you. Chatter.¡± Nancy hung up without offering any more details. Despite the short call, Angeline gained a rough understanding of the situation. Aside from Evander, not many people would have the ability to find a double for me and suppress the rumors. She clutched her phone with aplicated look in her eyes, feeling guilty upon recalling her churlish retort against him earlier that morning. ¡°I must insist that you stay for a meal, youngdy, seeing as you are a good friend of Ms. Sorelle¡¯s,¡± Arthur offered. ¡°No, thank you. I have matters to attend to.¡± Angeline smiled and pped her hand, deciding not to give anything away. ¡°Please don¡¯t mention my dropping by to Joseline, will you? I¡¯m concerned about burdening her.¡± ¡°Rest assured, I understand,¡± Arthur promised with a kindly gaze. ¡°For some reason, miss, you remind me of my employer.¡± Angeline¡¯s heart twinged at his words, and she instantly thought of her mother. People used toment on our remarkable likeness when I went out with Mom, who would brag childishly about her age. Without further ado, she concocted an excuse and departed the estate. Angeline stepped on the gas instinctively once on the road and felt the cold wind whoosh by her ear through the open window. She clutched the steering wheel with both hands. Looking back at herself five years ago, she felt foolish. I failed to take back thepany¡¯s shares, and Joseline has taken over the only house Mom left me. I have to take back everything from her! ¡°I have handled the matters you asked of me, Mr. Golding. The press will no longer publicize the news regarding Ms. Sorelle anymore. She can now shoot her scenes in peace.¡± That night, after getting into the car and shutting the door, Ss handed a folder to Evander, who was seated in the back seat. ¡°As long as you¡¯ve taken care of it.¡± Evander tossed the folder aside before asking distractedly, ¡°How goes the investigation regarding Jonathan?¡± It was only after the mention that Ss recalled he had been so busy he forgot about it. ¡°Hanson had temporarily lost his vision in an altercation during his second year of university, and it pertains to Jonathan,¡± he said at once. Evander frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I contacted their ssmates to ask about that, and they told me Jonathan had just transferred there during his second year and became acquainted with Hanson. They yed basketball together, and it was due to Jonathan¡¯s arrival to dethrone Hanson as the best yer that they formed a grudge. However, Jonathan did not spend much time there as he was expelled by the next semester through the Yiurk family¡¯s connections.¡± Evander was dumbstruck. ¡°From then on, nopany that relied on the patronage of the Yiurk family would hire Jonathan. You were right, Mr. Golding. Jonathan has been trying to approach Ms. Sorelle. Or, more urately, Jonathan has been trying to get revenge on Hanson through Ms. Sorelle.¡± Pursing his lips, Evanderpsed into thoughtful silence following the other¡¯s words. Surely it isn¡¯t that simple. Jonathan would not hold a grudge over the years and, through so much effort, manufacture a false identity just to pay Hanson back over basketball. There must be something else to it. ¡°Should we assign some men to guard Ms. Sorelle, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Evander stubbed the cigarette in the ashtray and wound down the window to let out the smoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± The matter is a personal grudge between Jonathan and Hanson. No matter the former¡¯s motive for using Angeline, his end goal is Hanson. Besides, that cruel woman won¡¯t reciprocate my feelings anyway. ¡°About the dinner appointment with Mr. Halls, Mr. Golding¡­¡± ¡°Reschedule it.¡± Evander leaned back against his seat and shut his eyes. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 ¡°All right,¡± Ss replied respectfully as he started the car engine. Suspicion rose in his heart as he peered at Evander¡¯s expression from the rearview mirror. Previously, when Evander did not have to attend any social events after work, he would stay at the company for an extra two hours. However, he was heading home early today. This behavior was unprecedented. Is it because Dno isn¡¯t important, or is it because Ms. Sorelle is at his ce? He¡¯s also been paying extra attention to her. Even if it was because of Starlight Jewelry¡¯s sales, it¡¯s just way too much! Ss came back to his senses at the thought. If I get sacked one day, it¡¯ll be because of my loudmouth! The ck luxury car slid into the mansion¡¯s driveway smoothly. The mansion was brightly lit. Standing at the entrance, one could hear the sounds of chattering from the living room. It had been a long time since the Golding residence was this lively. Standing at the entrance, the warm lights bathed the side of Evander¡¯s face, softening his angr jaw a tad. His expression became slightly dazed as he heard the sound of Angeline¡¯sughter. ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯re back!¡± Francesca hurried over when she spotted Evander opening the doors to the mansion. ¡°Yeah,¡± Evander replied faintly. He took off his grey coat and hung it on the clothes rack. Inside the living room, Angeline sat with Floretta on the carpet on the floor. They were currently ying chess. When Angeline saw Evandere in, she hurriedly got to her feet and gripped the edges of her clothes awkwardly. Finally, she spoke up when she saw hime over and pat Floretta¡¯s head. ¡°Mr. Golding, may I have a moment of your time? I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Prepare a cup of coffee and bring it to my study on the second floor,¡± Evander ordered coldly. His tone was as bone-chilling as the winds that blew during the winter months. Having said that, he headed upstairs. Angeline frowned. Did I do something to set him off? What¡¯s with the sudden change in attitude? However, since he had taken care of the matter of her scandal, Angeline did as she was told. She went into the kitchen and requested Francesca¡¯s help in preparing Evander¡¯s coffee ording to his tastes. Carefully, she opened the door and entered the study with the coffee in hand. Evander sat at the desk working on some documents. When he saw here in, the fingers that had been tapping away at the keyboard halted. ¡°Mr. Golding, I hope the coffee is to your taste. If you don¡¯t like it, I can prepare a fresh cup,¡± Angeline said warmly as she ced the cup before him. Evander picked up the cup and gently blew on it before bringing it to his lips. It¡¯s surprisingly good. Just as he was about to take a second sip, Angeline peered at him and carefully asked, ¡°Mr. Golding, does it taste good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline¡¯s lips curled. She had learned from the morning¡¯s experience. If he dered it ¡°all right,¡± that meant he was quite pleased with it. Evander set down the cup with a ck and stared at her with unfathomably deep eyes. ¡°Is this what you wished to tell me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Wearing an unusually serious expression, Angeline got straight to the point. ¡°Mr. Golding, I know you were the one who took care of my scandal. Thank you. I owe you one.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Evander leaned back against his seat and replied in a deep voice, ¡°I did it for Starlight Jewelry.¡± When Angeline saw that Evander had no intention of turning the matter into a big issue, she inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. Her tense expression lightened. She stared at Evander for a moment. Mustering her courage, she gripped her fists tightly and said, ¡°Mr. Golding, I know you don¡¯t feelfortable asking me, but I will tell you the truth. I indeed had a child before.¡± Evander fell silent. Although he was not surprised by Angeline¡¯s words, he frowned a little when he heard her speak with such candor. ¡°Where is the child now?¡± ¡°I lost it. Mr. Golding, I don¡¯t wish to go into the details.¡± Angeline¡¯s voice trembled a little as she spoke, her expression pained. ¡°However, you don¡¯t have to worry. The child¡¯s father and I have nothing to do with each other. This matter won¡¯t affect your interests.¡± What does she mean by having nothing to do with each other? From her words, it sounds like he¡¯s someone she¡¯s not very familiar with. Was it a one-night stand? At that, an unbidden thought rose in Evander¡¯s mind. He recalled the incident from five years ago when a woman took advantage of his drunken state and climbed into bed with him. The grip on the pen that he was holding tightened abruptly. With a cracking sound, the pen broke into pieces. Evander stared at Angeline¡¯s features and suddenly saw the image of the woman superimposed on her. ¡°Mr. Golding, are you all right?¡± Angeline felt uneasy when she saw the way he was looking at her. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. What if he thinks I¡¯m a promiscuous woman? What if he removes me from my role in ¡°The Journey?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± Having returned to his senses, Evander uttered the words impatiently. Angeline hurriedly answered, ¡°All right. Please get some rest.¡± After saying that, she walked to the door. The door frame made a soft noise as it shut behind her. Evander appeared to be deep in thought as he stared in the direction Angeline had vanished in. It was unlikely that Angeline and the woman were the same person. Five years ago, the woman had gone overseas after she gave birth. In fact, Ss even sent me recent pictures of the woman abroad. At that time, Angeline had been on set shooting ¡°The Journey.¡± Surely there can¡¯t be such a coincidence. Knock, knock, knock! Just then, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Francesca came into the room carrying a white porcin bowl in her hands. ¡°Mr. Golding, here¡¯s some vegetable beef soup.¡± Francesca smiled respectfully. ¡°Ms. Angeline made this for you.¡± A look of surprise shed across Evander¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°Angeline made this?¡± ¡°Yes. The soup contains a lot of nourishing ingredients. The process was quiteplicated, so she put in a lot of effort to make this,¡± Francesca replied carefully. ¡°Leave it,¡± Evander ordered calmly. His tone was indecipherable. After Francesca set down the bowl, Evander opened the lid. A fragrant scent wafted out. Bits of vegetables floated amidst the creamy-looking soup, looking extremely appetizing. The soup went down easy and was not greasy at all. I didn¡¯t expect a pampered girl like her to be able to make so many dishes. She must¡¯ve learned to make these while thinking of her lost child. Francesca smiled dly when she saw Evander gulp down the soup withoutints. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. He had been a picky eater since he was a child. He disliked most vegetables and was picky even when it came to beef. Floretta had taken after him in that aspect. However, Angeline had been able to gradually change the father¡¯s and daughter¡¯s habits. Cheerfully, Francesca took away the empty bowl and exited the study after Evander was done. The next day, Angeline prepared to pack up her things after making breakfast. Since the scandal had blown over, she saw no reason to trouble Evander any longer. Standing at the door, Floretta tugged at Evander¡¯s clothing. Tears welled up in her eyes as she shouted anxiously, ¡°Daddy, do something! I want Angel to stay with us!¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Evander was defenseless against Floretta¡¯s begging. Helplessly, he quirked his lips and watched as Angeline continued to pack up her things. He called out to her just as thetter came out of the room carrying some boxes. ¡°Although the scandal has passed, the reporters won¡¯t let you go so easily. I reckon you should continue to stay here. We have plenty of room at the Golding residence anyway.¡± ¡°Mr. Golding, thank you for your concern, but the director has made arrangements for me to stay at a hotel nearby the film set. It¡¯s quite safe there.¡± Angeline smiled faintly, her tone distant. Evander wrinkled his brows imperceptibly. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t stop you if that¡¯s what you¡¯ve decided.¡± Stealing a nce at the anxious Floretta, Angeline pulled Evander to the side. ¡°Mr. Golding, I know you¡¯re usually busy with work, but Floretta is already six years old, yet the only person shees in contact with regrly is Francesca. She needspanions her age. Why not send her to a kindergarten?¡± Her words caused Evander¡¯s face to darken. Angeline hurriedly added, ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about the ruckus that will ensue if Floretta¡¯s identity is revealed. However, you can¡¯t keep her caged forever.¡± ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Having said that, Evander shoved his hand into his pocket and went downstairs. Pouting, Angeline stared after his retreating figure. If it wasn¡¯t for Floretta¡¯s sake, I wouldn¡¯t even bother saying this to you! Just then, she felt a weight on her leg. Floretta hadtched onto her leg and refused to let go. ¡°Angel, won¡¯t you stay? Daddy already agreed to it. You promised to teach me how to make a pretty dress for my doll. Are you going to break that promise?¡± Angeline caressed Floretta¡¯s head softly and felt her heart aching as she looked at the girl¡¯s red- rimmed eyes. She squatted down and took out an exquisite handmade doll with an embroidered purple orchid on its head from her bag. ¡°Floretta, I know you want for nothing. I made this doll myself. I hope you¡¯ll be like the doll and be happy always.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Floretta eximed as she set aside the toy she had been holding and epted the doll. Her eyes were filled with surprise. ¡°Angel, you¡¯re amazing! You can do anything!¡± She then turned around and immediately ran downstairs to show off her new doll to Francesca, who was currently tidying up the living room. Francesca watched the excited little girl a little helplessly. ¡°Be careful not to trip! The floor is slippery.¡± Not heeding her words, Floretta jumped higher and stepped onto a wet patch. Her foot slipped before her entire body tipped forward. Just then, Evander managed to grab Floretta¡¯s arm. With a heave of his shoulders, he cradled Floretta in his arms. Ignoring Evander¡¯s expression, Floretta smiled brilliantly as she showed off her doll. ¡°Daddy, look at my cute doll! What shall I name it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ugly.¡± Evander¡¯s face was filled with distaste. He had no idea why the little girl was so overjoyed. She has a pile of dolls gathering dust in a corner that I¡¯ve never seen her y with. What¡¯s so special about this one? ¡°Silly Daddy, you don¡¯t get it!¡± Floretta yelled. She scrambled out of his arms and silently went to the couch. Angeline had seen the entire scene y out from the second floor. Although she smiled warmly, she could not help the twinge of worry that surged in her heart. Floretta immediately grew attached to the doll because she doesn¡¯t have a sense of security. Moreover, she doesn¡¯t get to y with other kids her age. Thus, she¡¯ll grow attached to anyone who shows her the slightest bit of affection. It¡¯s good for a child to be innocent, but it¡¯s not good for them to be so unguarded. Angeline¡¯s right eyelid started twitching at the thought, and a sense of foreboding rose. I hope I¡¯m overthinking it. As it was gettingte, Angeline could only steel her heart and bid Floretta goodbye. She exited the Golding residence to see the driver Nancy had sent waiting at the entrance. The driver briskly got out of the car and opened the door for Angeline. Soon, the car started, and they drove out of the mansion and headed toward the location of the film set. Just then, the phone in Angeline¡¯s bag rang. She took it out and saw that the caller was Jonathan. After a moment of thought, she answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Did you see Joseline¡¯s man when you visited Willowbank?¡± Jonathan¡¯s wicked voice sounded from the other end of the line. He had probably just woken up, for his voice waszy. ¡°How did you know?¡± Angeline was surprised. Though, I guess it won¡¯t be out of character for Jonathan to send someone to investigate. ¡°What do you n to do about it?¡± Jonathan asked. Angeline¡¯s eyes darkened at his words. Her hand, which had been resting on her thigh, clenched into a fist. ¡°Do you actually need my opinion on this? I¡¯m assuming you already have something in mind since you¡¯re calling me.¡± She could hear Jonathan¡¯sughter from the phone. ¡°You¡¯re a smart one,¡± he said. Following that, his tone shifted, and his low voice carried an eerie coldness. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s more exciting if we let Joseline give birth, only for Hanson to find outter that the woman he tolerated for months had given birth to someone else¡¯s child?¡± That¡¯s an understatement. It won¡¯t just be exciting; someone may even get killed! Hanson absolutely hates traitors. Angeline¡¯s heart thudded heavily. Gulping, she asked, ¡°What if the child in Joseline¡¯s belly belongs to Hanson?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Jonathan¡¯s tone was confident. After saying that, he hung up the phone. Angeline¡¯s face had gone pale, and a sheen of sweat had formed on the hand that was holding the phone. She was well aware of Jonathan¡¯s methods. Each and every step was precise and meticulous. It was as if everything happened ording to his n. How deep is his hatred of Hanson to do such a thing? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Ding dong! Suddenly, the message tone sounded from Angeline¡¯s phone. Angeline realized that her hand was trembling as she tapped on the message from Jonathan. His text message read: Since you helped me, I have a present for you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find it useful. Following that, she received several photos from Jonathan that showed a scantily d woman in a bar. She was serving a group of older men. Zooming in, Angeline spotted several bigshots from the film industry. In one of the photos, an older man had his pudgy hand stretched out toward the woman, who was none other than Denise! Angeline¡¯s eyes grew cold as she took in the details in the photo. Smiling contemptuously, she forwarded the pictures to Nancy. There were countless women who crawled into the higher-up¡¯s beds in the entertainment industry, and the person who held evidence of such affairs wielded the power to influence things. Soon, Angeline arrived at the film set for The Journey. The director and his assistant, who were waiting for her at the entrance of the hotel, brought her to the prepared room upon her arrival. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 The luxurious room was just asfortable as her own home. Even the washroom was well-equipped with essential toiletries. She found the service of the hotel to be very attentive. Angeline was happy with her living condition and nodded with satisfaction. She could finally stay there andplete the shooting of the film in peace. After putting her luggage away, Angeline did not even lie down for a rest. Instead, she returned to the set. ¡°Angeline!¡± Derek was watching a bunch of monitors when he spotted her and quickly greeted her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you rest in your room for a while more? I¡¯ve already arranged for your scenes to be pushed back. It¡¯s all right if we shoot tomorrow too!¡± Upon hearing Derek, Angeline looked apologetic. His words sent a warm feeling through her. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ve already caused a dy in the shooting for the past few days, and I feel very bad about it. I¡¯ll try my best to make up for the dy.¡± Angeline gave Derek a bow. After all, it was too kind for a huge film crew such as that to push back the filming because of her. Derek helped her up and said patiently, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. You should thank Mr. Golding instead. He¡¯s the one who promised topensate the film crew for the dy.¡± Angeline was surprised. Evander? Why would he do something unnecessary like this? This isn¡¯t his style. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Since Angeline wanted to start filming, Derek was more than happy to oblige and immediately arranged for her scene to be set up. Originally, the current filming slot was meant for Denise. Now that it had been taken by Angeline, Denise¡¯s slot would have to be pushed back to the afternoon. The sun was shining brightly. One could imagine how torturous it would be to wait so long in that condition. When Denise received the news, she stomped her feet in anger. Since she dared not question Derek, she decided to direct all of her frustration to Angeline instead. D*mn it! I thought she was supposed to stop filming? How can her scandal be squashed so soon? Angeline was getting her makeup done in the dressing room. She was holding her script in one hand and a ss of water in the other. The moment Denise walked in and saw that leisurely look on Angeline¡¯s face, it made her even more furious. She picked up the makeup remover and poured the whole bottle into Angeline¡¯s ss. The hot water started bubbling before a few drops sshed onto Angeline¡¯s hand. Angeline winced in pain and turned to re at Denise. Sensing the impending war, the makeup artist excused himself and left the dressing room. When Denise saw that she was alone with Angeline, she became bolder. ¡°What are you staring at? Angeline, you¡¯re really capable, aren¡¯t you? Even when you know that the next filming slot is mine, you still snatched it away from me!¡± Denise was infuriated. She had been keeping a lid on her anger for so long. Not only had Angeline stolen the endorsement deal from her, but she had also caused Denise to be a supporting role in the movie. There was not a single day when Denise did not hate her. ¡°Is it? I really had no idea.¡± Angeline sounded extremely nonchnt. She nced coldly at Denise. ¡°Lucky for me then. I just love to steal your things!¡± ¡°You wh*re! I wonder how many times you¡¯ve slept with Mr. McKenna for him to be so biased toward you. How disgusting can you get!¡± Denise was so enraged by what Angeline had said that she raised her hand and was about to give Angeline a p. At that critical moment, Angeline picked up the ss of water and threw it on Denise¡¯s face. ¡°Ah! It hurts!¡± Denise groaned in pain as she covered her eyes. The makeup remover stung her eyes badly. For a moment, she was unable to find any tissue, so she used her loosely-fitted costume to wipe her eyes. As a result, she smudged her heavy makeup and looked frightening. In a way, she suffered the consequences of her own action. Angeline decided to ignore her and took out a tube of lipstick from her bag. As she looked into the mirror to touch up her makeup, she warned Denise, ¡°Ms. Campbell, I suggest you watch what you say. There are so many surveince cameras pointing at us. If you get sued for defamation, you may not be able to continue working in the entertainment industry.¡± Upon hearing her warning, Denise appeared guilty. She looked up at the ceiling and said, ¡°What? You¡¯re a shameless homewrecker, so why can¡¯t I say it? Mr. McKenna should get a good look at your true colors. Let me remind you that his wife isn¡¯t a pushover. If she finds out that you¡¯re seducing her husband, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± Click. Angeline closed her lipstick and began to walk toward Denise with a grim expression all of a sudden. ¡°You can¡¯t do your job well, but you are certainly the best at spreading rumors.¡± ¡°Am I wrong? Otherwise, why would Mr. McKenna allow the film crew to stop shooting because of you? If you haven¡¯t slept¡ª¡± Bang! Before Denise could finish her sentence, Derek barged into the dressing room with a grim face. ¡°Is that right? Then, howe I know nothing about it? Why don¡¯t you exin it to me?¡± Denise was stunned to see Derek. ¡°Mr. McKenna, I wasn¡¯t targeting you. It¡¯s all because Angeline is a shameless woman¡ª¡± ¡°I think you are the shameless one!¡± With that, Derek threw a newspaper at her face. Denise took a look at the headline and saw photos of herself working as a bar hostess. Her heart sank. ¡°You did this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Denise red at Angeline with utmost hatred. Her hand that was holding the newspaper was trembling. It looked as if she was about to charge at Angeline. Derek grabbed her and pushed her to the ground. ¡°B*tch! Get out of the set right now. I will get someone else to y Bedonna. You aren¡¯t the only person who knows how to act.¡± With that, Derek stomped out of the dressing room. Angeline looked at Denise, who was sitting on the floor with a dumbfounded expression, and frowned. Despite that, she did not feel an ounce of sympathy. Everything that happened is her own doing. If it weren¡¯t because of her, I wouldn¡¯t have so many problems. However, now that Denise had be the scapegoat, her online scandal of her getting pregnant out of wedlock could finally be squashedpletely. That way, she could concentrate on the filming of the movie. The filming in the afternoon waspleted without a hitch. It was as if Angeline understood Alleria¡¯s character and style much more clearly. In fact, she finished all her scenes in one take. Meanwhile, at the beauty salon, Joseline was lying down with her face covered with a facial mask. She was enjoying a massage from the beautician. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, your tummy looks so huge. It must be twins, right?¡± Upon hearing that, Joseline could not help but smile. ¡°I won¡¯t dare to ask for that. As long as it¡¯s a boy, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be.¡± When the beautician massaged the acupoints on her shoulders, she moaned with pleasure. Knock! Knock! Just then, someone knocked on the door. Joseline¡¯s assistant walked in and informed her, ¡°Ms. Campbell is waiting for you at the reception area. She insists on seeing you today.¡± Joseline frowned with disdain when she heard Denise was looking for her. ¡°Get rid of her. I don¡¯t want her to appear in front of me.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Her assistant then shut the door. An icy glint shed across Joseline¡¯s eyes. She had finally seen what Denise was made of. After providing her with umpteen dirt on Angeline, including the recent pregnant-out-of-wedlock scandal, Denise could have turned the table on Angeline. Instead, she messed it up again. Denise was just a useless piece of crap. There was no need for Joseline to waste any more of her energy on her. With that thought in mind, Joseline reached out to cradle her tummy. Her baby would be due in a month¡¯s time. She definitely did not want anything to go wrong. Once she had given birth, she would have all the time in the world to deal with Angeline! For the next two weeks, everything went on very smoothly with the filming for Angeline. The film gained much attention due to the frequent Twitter posts uploaded by the film crew. In the meantime, Evander had just returned from his business trip. When he disembarked from the ne, he saw Ss waiting for him at the airport entrance. Ss took Evander¡¯s luggage from him before opening the car door. ¡°Mr. Golding, wee back.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Evander sat in the backseat and proceeded to undo his tie before taking in some fresh air. It was only then he felt better. Next, he shifted his attention to the stack of information regarding various kindergartens. He reached for them and began to look through. Once Ss put away the luggage, he got into the car. ¡°Mr. Golding, you asked me to check out some of the kindergartens that Ms. Floretta may want to attend. ording to the principals, Ms. Floretta will be one of the older students because of her age. The locations of these kindergartens are pretty secluded, and all of them have top-notch facilities.¡± Evander was deep in his perusal and only put the report down when they were about to arrive home. From the rearview mirror, Ss could see that Evander had finished reading his report, yet thetter said nothing. Ss said, ¡°Mr. Golding, have you chosen a kindergarten for Ms. Floretta? If so, I can go ahead and get her registered.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hurry,¡± replied Evander in a clear voice. He gently massaged the area between his brows with his slender fingers and closed his eyes to conceal the exhaustion within. Although he had listened to Angeline¡¯s suggestion, he had yet to decide if he wanted to send Floretta to school. Evander stood on the front porch with his luggage in hand. The lights in the living room were turned on, but he did not hear the sound of Angeline¡¯sughter. He furrowed his brows as a wave of loneliness washed over him.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. When he pushed the door open, Evander saw the small figure curled up on the couch, but Francesca was nowhere in sight. He put his luggage down and changed his footwear before walking to the couch. ¡°Floretta,¡± he called out softly as he looked adoringly at Floretta, who was ying with her doll. The strange thing was Floretta did not throw herself at him and yell ¡°Daddy¡± as she did in the past. Instead, she was absorbed in arranging the doll¡¯s clothes. It was as if she did not hear him. Guilt showed up on Evander¡¯s face because he thought that his daughter was unhappy with his long trip. He sat down next to her and embraced her. ¡°Floretta, it¡¯s my fault. Something urgent suddenly cropped up overseas. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯te back on time.¡± However, Floretta remained quiet and did not show any emotion. Just as he came into contact with Floretta, she wriggled out of his grip and distanced herself from him before she continued to y with her doll. Evander noticed that the doll was the one gifted by Angeline. He also realized that Floretta¡¯s eyes looked hollow. His usually active daughter had never been so quiet in her life! ¡°Francesca!¡± he shouted. Soon, Francesca came running from the kitchen while holding an onion in her hand. ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Did anything happen to Floretta recently?¡± questioned Evander coldly with an annoyed expression. ¡°I did everything as per your instructions. I didn¡¯t take her to see Ms. Sorelle. As of this morning, her temperature is normal too.¡± That¡¯s impossible. He knew his own daughter very well. She had to be unwell for her to behave in that manner. Half an hourter, the doctor he had summoned arrived at the Golding residence. The doctor did a full body checkup for Floretta and told the truth. ¡°Mr. Golding, Ms. Floretta is in good health. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her.¡± Evander was worried and heartbroken when he saw Floretta lying obediently on the bed and staring nkly at the ceiling with her hands clutching onto the doll. Most importantly, Floretta had yet to utter a single word since he returned home. When the doctor saw the way Floretta was behaving, he asked Francesca to bring over the fairy tales that Floretta had read recently. Next, he tried to take away the doll from Floretta, but she screamed as though he was her enemy. ¡°Go away, baddie!¡± The doctor¡¯s face fell when he saw her reaction. ¡°Mr. Golding, I think Ms. Floretta¡¯s issue is psychological. Judging from the books that she has been reading, she must be longing for thepany of friends.¡± Evander was dumbfounded. The doctor continued, ¡°My suggestion is to send her to kindergarten as soon as possible. Interaction with other children will help with her development.¡± Despite the doctor¡¯s advice, Evander was still heartbroken. Floretta used to be so lively. Now, she became so quiet and treated the doll that Angeline had given her with utmost importance. He felt very guilty indeed. It was his first time being a father, so he did not know much about childrearing. Right now, it dawned on him that being overly protective was not necessarily a good thing for children! The next day, Angeline had just finished memorizing her script and was walking out of the waiting room. The shoot that day was an intimate scene with Jacob that involved kissing. Jacob was full of energy and looking very pleased. Angeline, on the other hand, could not help but feel awkward as she observed him. After all, she now treated Jacob as a brother after such a long period of filming together. ¡°Action!¡± Derek¡¯s voice brought Angeline back to her senses, and she devoted all of her attention to her acting. The gist of the scene talked about how Alleria had been ndered by Bedonna. As a result, Alleria was being hunted by soldiers. In her desperation, she was forced to hide and work in a brothel. Jacob was ying the role of a prince who had found out about her true identity. However, he was contemting whether to arrest Alleria because of his feelings for her. Before he could decide, she tied him to a chair and began to seduce him. Despite being tied to the chair, Jacob appeared calm. ¡°Alleria, do you know the consequences of your actions? Are you tired of living?¡± ¡°You must be joking.¡± Angeline was wearing a sheer dress, and she was running her hands from his back all the way to his shoulders in a seductive manner. ¡°Since I got into the pce, my life has lost its value. I might as well enjoy myself and die for love.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Jacob¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You are well aware of how daring I am, aren¡¯t you?¡± uttered Angeline as she nibbled on his earlobes and ran her hands all over his body. Meanwhile, that steamy scene was fully witnessed by someone standing nearby! Chapter 92 Chapter 92 The man¡¯s expression was wintry as he stared down at Floretta, whose hand he was holding. Her face was lined with anxiety as she shook his arm in hopes that he¡¯de up with a solution soon. The man released Floretta and patted her head. ¡°Remember not to wander too far off.¡± She nodded as a hint of slyness shed in her eyes. Angeline and Jacob were still busy filming on set. Angeline¡¯s acting skills in creating romantic tension were so convincing that even the director and staff were on the edge of their seats. Jacob was blushing all the way to the tips of his ears as he thoroughly enjoyed the feel of Angeline¡¯s hand on his chest. Their kissing scene was next, and his nerves were as taut as a drawn bowstring. At the thought, Jacob was filled with even more anticipation for the scene. With a flex of his powerful arms, he broke free from the ropes tying him down. ¡°You¡ª¡± Angeline was so shocked that she took several steps back and covered her mouth. Jacob¡¯s handsome face was carved in stone as he scoffed and kept walking toward Angeline until she was backed up against the wall. ¡°Do you think a flimsy coil of rope will be enough to subdue me?¡± His grip on her chin was firm as he gazed into her eyes derisively. ¡°General, please behave yourself!¡± Angeline uttered uneasily. Just then, she was distracted by the sight of a little girl in a yellow dress chasing after a butterfly in the garden behind Jacob. Floretta? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Why is she here? Have I been missing her so badly that I¡¯m having hallucinations? Angeline couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Cut! Angeline, what are you daydreaming about? You have to look into the eyes of the male lead, not the space behind him. Otherwise, how would you expect to evoke any emotion in your audience?¡± Derek interrupted. Angeline came to and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. McKenna. I must be too exhausted.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Take a break. We¡¯ll reshoot this scene in the afternoon instead!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. McKenna.¡± Angeline bowed gleefully and rushed straight in the direction of the garden without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Hey!¡± Jacob¡¯s call fell on deaf ears as he stared at the staff who were wrapping up. His face was thunderous as he went into a fit of rage. There goes the kissing scene I¡¯ve been looking forward to all night! The set was at a scenic location that resembled the historical setting depicted in the original work. The garden was surrounded by faux hillocks and a profusion of blooming flowers. A long stream cut through the area, but the water level wasn¡¯t deep. Even so, Angeline was still full of concern. Her eyes circled the perimeter, but Floretta was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Floretta, is it you?¡± Angeline opened her cherry lips and cooed. Angeline¡¯s face fell as the only response she received was utter silence. Was she truly seeing things after being overworked? She was about to turn back when she felt a pressure on her waist and heard the tinklingughter of Floretta. ¡°Floretta, it really is you! How did you get here? Did you sneak out again?¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t imagine how a mere child managed to travel overseas and appear before her very eyes. Floretta¡¯s eyes were wide as she waved her arms at the woman. Angeline¡¯s brows furrowed. She was not ustomed to Floretta¡¯s silence as the little girl used to be such a chatterbox whenever they met. ¡°Is your father here with you?¡± Angeline inquired gently. Floretta nodded. Angeline surveyed her surroundings but did not catch sight of Evander. Therefore, she whipped out her phone to call him, but it went unanswered. She had no choice but to hang up for the time being. As she stared at Floretta, Angeline¡¯s heart ached for her. ¡°What happened to your father? How could he abandon you here all alone?¡± Floretta pouted and gave Angeline puppy eyes. Angeline felt even more ill at ease as she observed Floretta. She could sense that something was off with the child this time round. She brought Floretta back to her break room and saw that her lunch was already set up on the table by her assistant. Angeline noticed Floretta was visibly more rxed now that there was more privacy in the room. ¡°Floretta, you must be hungry. Why don¡¯t I make you something to eat?¡± Angeline carefully led her to the side of the table. ¡°Okay,¡± Floretta responded. Despite the brief reply, Angeline was relieved. Floretta must have just been too overwhelmed with her feelings to have spoken and isn¡¯t autistic. Angeline prepared a savory bowl of quinoa mixed with scrambled eggs, vegetables, and beef. She fed it to Floretta, who gobbled the meal down hungrily as if she¡¯d been starved for several days. ¡°Slow down. We¡¯re not in a hurry,¡± Angeline assured as she used a napkin to wipe Floretta¡¯s lips. Why is she so famished? Francesca wouldn¡¯t abuse Floretta, so she must have neglected Floretta¡¯s diet instead. A knock sounded on the door, pulling Angeline from her reverie. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me while I answer the door, Floretta.¡± Evander¡¯s ice-cold, chiseled countenance greeted Angeline as she looked out of the peephole. She opened the door and questioned furiously, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Is Floretta here with you?¡± Evander¡¯s tone was measured and showed no sign of surprise. ¡°Can¡¯t you even take care of your own daughter without bothering me?¡± ¡°If Floretta goes missing in your territory, you will be held responsible as well,¡± he reminded. Angeline was livid. ¡°It might not be my ce, Mr. Golding, but how could you call yourself a father when you leave your daughter alone in a garden to catch butterflies? What if she fell into the stream and drowned? Besides, she looks as if she¡¯s been starved for a few days. Have you been feeding her at all?¡± Evander¡¯s face fell. ¡°Let me have a look at her.¡± ¡°That you must.¡± Angeline tilted her body to make way for his passage. Floretta was swinging her chubby little legs as she savored her food while holding the bowl possessively. Evander sat before her and frowned. ¡°How do you find the food?¡± Floretta harrumphed and turned away from him. Her mouth was still stuffed with food as she remarked between chews, ¡°It tastes so much better than what we have at home.¡± Evander was rendered speechless at the fact that Floretta only started speaking in the presence of Angeline. He suspected the brat had been pretending to be sick all this while. Taking in the dishes arranged on the table, he was at a loss. Why did Floretta take such a liking to such ordinary food? Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Angeline returned to her seat again and continued to feed Floretta. Meanwhile, thetter was notably well-behaved and ate two tes full, causing her to have a bloated stomach. ¡°Mr. Golding, I hope you won¡¯t leave Floretta alone in an unfamiliar ce next time. Since she¡¯s your daughter, I wish you could be more responsible for her.¡± Knock, knock. At that moment, someone knocked on the door again. Angeline hurried over to open the door to see a young woman holding three cups of drinks. ¡°Ms. Angeline, a man ordered these for you from our shop just now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline took the drinks over before turning around to look at Evander while narrowing her eyes. ¡°You ordered these?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Evander¡¯s gaze darkened as he nced at Angeline. ¡°It was when I was ordering the drinks that Floretta went to look for you.¡± His remark left Angeline speechless, and she allowed an apologetic look to cross her face. It seems I¡¯ve misunderstood Evander. However, Floretta rolled her eyes as she heard Evander lying right through his teeth. She then picked up her favorite strawberry yogurt drink and walked toward the television to y games. Angeline finally simmered down when she noticed Floretta had a good appetite. But then¡­ it seems my worries since I left the Golding family weren¡¯t unfounded. At that thought, Angeline cleared her throat with a stern expression. ¡°Mr. Golding, I believe you¡¯ve perceived Floretta¡¯s mental state as well, so I hope you can change your parenting style¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I want you to apany Floretta to the kindergarten.¡± Evander wore a frosty expression, seemingly not bothered by her criticism at all. Angeline was surprised by his response. ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve selected the advanced education kindergarten in Hallsbay. It¡¯s a subsidiary of Golding Group.¡± Evander calmly shot her a nce. Angeline felt happy for Floretta because she had faith in the choice of kindergarten Evander personally made. ¡°The day after tomorrow is Floretta¡¯s first day of school. I¡¯m worried that she won¡¯t feelfortable.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline agreed without a second thought, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll apply for leave from Mr. McKenna.¡± Evander¡¯s eyes darkened even more as he fixed his gaze on her. As Angeline recalled her overly proactive reaction earlier, she felt so awkward that her heart seemed to have leaped into her throat. ¡°I¡¯m doing it for Floretta. I¡¯ll surely lend a hand as long as she needs help,¡± she hurriedly exined. ¡°Mhm.¡± Evander¡¯s expression remained cold as always. However, without Angeline knowing, a sly glint shed past a certain someone¡¯s eyes when thetter heard her reply. After Angeline yed some games with Floretta for a while, Angeline¡¯s assistant informed her to return to the set for filming. When she heard that, she apologetically stroked Floretta¡¯s braids. ¡°Floretta, I need to get back to work now. You can y with your daddy first. I¡¯ll finish my job as soon as possible. Then, I¡¯lle and y with you, okay?¡± Floretta held Angeline¡¯s hand before anxiously reminding her, ¡°I want to watch you filming.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Hearing that, Angeline appeared concerned. She looked at Evander, hoping he would talk some sense into Floretta. ¡°Since Floretta wants to watch you at work, let¡¯s go to the set together then,¡± Evander uttered in a deep voice. Angeline put her hand to her forehead. I have no objections if it¡¯s regr scenes, but I¡¯m shooting kissing scenester. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for a kid to witness that¡­ When they arrived at the set, Jacob was already waiting for Angeline. ¡°Angie, I¡¯ve prepared some hot chocte for you. It¡¯s good for your health,¡± he excitedly uttered as he approached with a thermos sk in his hand. Jacob had been preparing different food and drinks for her daily recently, so she had already grown used to it. But this time, she hesitantly turned to look behind her. Jacob followed her gaze. When he caught sight of Evander, he flew into a rage and demanded, ¡°Evander, why are you here? Do you always have nothing to do at Golding Group?¡± Shooting a nce at him, Evander replied coldly, ¡°It¡¯s also my duty to visit the film crew.¡± Jacob was at a loss for words. What¡¯s so great about being an investor? My dad is even the producer of this film! Evander added, ¡°As an actor, you¡¯re trying to flirt with women instead of focusing on your job. I bet any other male actor is more professional than you. Perhaps the male lead needs to be changed.¡± Jacob¡¯s expression changed drastically at Evander¡¯s words, and he nearly blew a fuse. ¡°Evander, don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Jacob, stop arguing.¡± Angeline felt her head aching and returned the thermos sk to him before she suggested, ¡°As I¡¯ve told you before, you don¡¯t have to send me food in the future. I don¡¯t want anything, but I appreciate your kind gesture.¡± Jacob pursed his lips, looking even more pitiful. It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll be shooting kissing scenes with Angie soon. Just you wait, Evander! At that thought, Jacob gained more confidence and swaggered into the studio. Suddenly, Derek walked over. ¡°Just to let you guys know, the screenwriter altered the script earlier as he thinks that the romance part of the storyline proceeds too fast. Therefore, the kissing scenes have been removed.¡± Angeline was bbergasted when she heard that. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, she felt less pressured. Jacob was instantly dumbfounded. ¡°What?¡± He anxiously asked, ¡°How could you guys simply change the script? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a problem with it.¡± His question made Derek feel guilty. Thetter turned his gaze to Evander awkwardly, and his heart skipped a beat. It¡¯s not like I wanted to change it. This noon, Evander specifically ordered me to prohibit all the kissing scenes with Angeline as it might have a bad influence on the targeted audiences of ¡°The Journey¡± because they are young. D*mn it! I can¡¯t imagine how much viewership I¡¯m losing because of that! As Jacob pondered about it, he felt that matter must have something to do with Evander. In an instant, his handsome face filled with rage. Right as he was about to go and ask Evander about it, he saw Floretta abruptly run over to hug his thigh. She looked at him with admiration shining in her jewel-like eyes before she uttered, ¡°Woah! Jac, you look so cool in a traditional costume!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jacob picked her up from the ground and tapped her nose. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet talker.¡± Floretta¡¯s words instantly made Jacob beam with delight. He then raised his head to look at Evander before he snorted smugly. I knew it! Even though I¡¯m no match for him in terms of scheming, we¡¯re comparably attractive. Meanwhile, the corners of Evander¡¯s lips twitched. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever met someone like Jacob. I guess his intelligence is simr to a five-year-old girl. Meanwhile, Olivine was enjoying the sunshine and having high tea in a cafe when she saw a scar- faced man enter and sit opposite her. ¡°Ms. Sherrock, here are the documents that you asked for.¡± Olivine reached for the documents and began to look through them. In the meantime, the scar-faced man rested his arm on the armrest and triumphantly exined, ¡°You were right. Angeline was kicked out of the Golding family five years ago, after which she was locked up in a wooden hut in a vige to deliver her baby. However, we¡¯ll only know whether the baby is Floretta by finding and asking the nurse that took away the baby at that time.¡± ¡°Look for the nurse then! Do you need to consult me for such a trivial matter?¡± Olivine threw the documents on the table. Her face was grim, and her hands were covered with sweat. I have a bad feeling that Floretta is Angeline¡¯s biological daughter! Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Olivine became unsettled at the thought of that. Evander has always disliked me. If Angeline truly is Floretta¡¯s mother, Evander will probably marry her! ¡°Ms. Sherrock, the money you paid me isn¡¯t enough. If you want me to investigate further, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll need to pay me another one million.¡± When Olivine heard that, her expression took a sharp change. ¡°That¡¯s highway robbery!¡± ¡°I believe that amount of money is nothing to you, Ms. Sherrock.¡± The scar-faced man¡¯s voice sounded rxed. He then took her cup of coffee from the table and drank it. ¡°Of course, you can choose not to make the payment. When the timees, I¡¯ll reveal this information to Evander. I believe he¡¯s more than happy to figure out who was the woman that had a one-night stand with him back then.¡± His brazen words ignited the rage within Olivine, and she gritted her teeth in hatred. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll pay you. But you¡¯ll have to do another task for me since you¡¯re getting paid.¡± The next moment, she cautiously looked around before she leaned forward to whisper something into the scar-faced man¡¯s ear. On Floretta¡¯s first day of kindergarten, Angeline purposely applied for a half-day leave from Derek and asked the driver to bring her to the location ording to the address Evander sent her. She spotted a familiar ck car when she arrived at the kindergarten entrance. Meanwhile, Evander was having a conversation with the female principal. Upon getting out of the car, Angeline saw the ck car¡¯s door open, and Floretta hopped out of it with a pink backpack. ¡°Angel!¡± Floretta jumped into Angeline¡¯s arms. The former¡¯s eyes were brimming with excitement. She was dressed in a pale blue uniform and wore a pink bunny-shaped hat. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, and her overall appearance was absolutely adorable. Angeline stroke Floretta¡¯s cheeks gently before asking with a smile, ¡°Floretta, today is your first day of school. Are you happy?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very happy!¡± Floretta vigorously nodded and blinked as anticipation shone in her eyes. Angeline couldn¡¯t help but feel happy for Floretta. She¡¯ll only grow up when she gets the chance to interact with her peers. I believe Evander must have spent a long time mentally convincing himself to make such a decision. Right then, a familiar female voice was hearding from not far away. ¡°Didn¡¯t I remind you to be good and wait for your dad in the car, Floretta?¡± All Angeline saw was the ck car¡¯s door opening again, and an alluring woman stepped out of it. She had a sun hat on her head to avoid the sunshine. When Angeline caught sight of that woman, she was at a loss for words, and her eyes were full of bewilderment. Olivine? Why didn¡¯t Evander tell me that Olivine would be here too? Then again, that¡¯s normal. After all, the two of them are getting engaged soon, and Floretta will be her daughter by then. At that thought, she lowered her eyes to hide the awkwardness in them. Meanwhile, Olivine pulled Floretta into her arms and nced at Angeline. In a disdainful tone, she pointed out, ¡°Floretta, don¡¯t interact with just anyone because some people will do anything to obtain fame.¡± Being no fool, Angeline understood what the former was trying to say, given how apparent the insult was. The look on her face turned gloomy, and she imed with a hint of anger, ¡°Ms. Sherrock, I don¡¯t think twisting the truth in front of a kid is appropriate.¡± ¡°Floretta is basically my daughter. Why do you care how I educate her?¡± Olivine replied coldly. Instinctively, she hugged Floretta tightly and put on a stern look. ¡°Also, we¡¯re here as a family to attend the first day of kindergarten with Floretta, so why are you here? Why should an outsider like you be involved?¡± Angeline had no retort to offer because it did seem that she was the one who was sticking her nose in other people¡¯s business. Angeline was both angry and frustrated. After throwing Floretta a nce, she turned around. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Evander¡¯s maic voice rang out behind her. With her head turned toward him, Angeline pursed her lips and snapped, ¡°What¡¯s the point of me staying here? As your fianc¨¦e said, I¡¯m getting in her way of spending time with her family.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Evander shot a cold and reproachful nce at Olivine. Soon after, he uttered in a deep voice, ¡°Floretta¡¯s registration procedures are done. The teacher said we could head inside to have a look at the kindergarten¡¯s environment together.¡± Just as Angeline was hesitating, Floretta rushed over and held the former¡¯s hand tightly before she muttered pitifully, ¡°I want you toe with me, Angel.¡± Warmth filled Angeline¡¯s chest when she heard Floretta¡¯s words. Seeing Floretta¡¯s expectant gaze, Angeline instantly gave in and walked into the kindergarten with the girl. When Olivine caught sight of that, she hitched up her skirt and moved to enter the kindergarten too. However, the teacher at the entrance looked at them with a conflicted expression. ¡°Mr. Golding, ording to the kindergarten¡¯s regtions, only two parents from each family can enter at once.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evander appeared unruffled as he turned back to look at Olivine before casually ordering, ¡°You may leave first.¡± Olivine pulled a long face when she heard his remark, an indignant look shing in her eyes. ¡°Evander, we¡¯re going to marry real soon¡­¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. However, before she could finish her sentence, Evander and Angeline had already entered the kindergarten while holding Floretta¡¯s hands. The trio was paying attention to the teacher, who was exining the details of the kindergarten. The ce was surrounded by greenery. Floretta was skipping as she followed the duo, full of joy. It¡¯s almost as if they¡¯re a family instead. At the sight of the scene, Olivine flushed crimson in fury. The sharp re she pinned on Angeline was as though she wanted to pierce through thetter¡¯s body. If it weren¡¯t for Francesca reporting the news about Floretta going to kindergarten to Valerie, Olivine wouldn¡¯t have known about it. Her title was Mrs. Golding of the Golding family, but the truth was, Evander had never taken the initiative to find her nor discuss anything with her either. Azure Castle Kindergarten was an upscale school in the city center. It was a scenic ce with various facilities avable. Despite that, Evander was not satisfied with it. He shifted his gaze onto a nearby slide, which some boys the same age as Floretta were ying on, and furrowed his brows. ¡°How many times does the school disinfect the ce daily?¡± ¡°Mr. Golding, we sanitize the ce twice a day.¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened at the response. ¡°In the future, disinfect the ce one more time before ytime.¡± There was a hint of disdain in his voice. ¡°Huh? Mr. Golding, ytime is only half an hour, and every child in the kindergarten has a different constitution. Some are allergic to disinfectants, so they won¡¯t be able to y the slides if that¡¯s the case.¡± Evander deepened his voice and ordered firmly, ¡°Change the ytime duration, then!¡± Upon hearing his words, a troubled look appeared on the teacher¡¯s face. Even Angeline couldn¡¯t tolerate his behavior and petntly asserted, ¡°You might as well build a new slide for Floretta in the kindergarten!¡± Although Evander didn¡¯t reply, he appeared deep in thought, seemingly considering her suggestion. Angeline put her hand to her forehead in exasperation. Oh my goodness! I underestimated Evander¡¯s germaphobia. If he builds a new slide for Floretta, how would the other students think about her? What¡¯s the point of her attending kindergarten, then? As they spoke, they had already arrived at the academic building. The teacher led them to the administrative office to sign the documents and collect learning books and materials. Shortly after, the teacher brought them to the junior ssroom. They could hear children reciting ssical poems as they walked down the corridor. Moreover, there were children¡¯s drawings pasted on the walls. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 After breaking away from them, Floretta looked around with eyes full of curiosity. When they came to the ssroom, the teacher knocked on the door and sent Floretta in. She left after exchanging words with the people inside. They stood at the door for a while to observe Floretta, who was a little shy when she introduced herself in the beginning. However, the apuse from her ssmates gradually helped her to rx. Seeing this, the teacher smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Mr. Golding, Floretta is very adaptable. I¡¯m sure she will be able to get along well with her ssmates soon.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Evander nodded and stared at Floretta, still worried. At that moment, Floretta suddenly looked over, blinked, and shed them a bright smile. Obviously, she loved the vibe of the kindergarten. Angeline hurriedly waved her hand at the girl before pumping her fist to encourage thetter. Floretta imitated the ssmate next to her and took a book and a pencil case from her school bag. With her hands behind her back, she started reading the content aloud. Seeing that Floretta was gradually brightening up, Angeline smiled faintly and could not help but look at Evander. He still wore the same cold expression on his face, but there was an unconcealed look of concern and fondness in his eyes. It tugged at Angeline¡¯s heartstrings, so she said with a much gentler tone, ¡°Mr. Golding, children¡¯s immunity is not that weak, so you don¡¯t have to worry. Just let Floretta adapt to it first and observe how she¡¯s doing.¡± As she spoke, Evander looked away with an indiscernible emotion in his eyes. Immediately afterward, he looked at the teacher and said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll leave Floretta in your care, then.¡± ¡°No problem, Mr. Golding. We¡¯ll definitely keep Ms. Floretta safe.¡± Seeing that Floretta was so enthusiastic about studying, Evander did not take her with him. He merely asked Francesca toe and pick her up in the evening. When they walked out of the kindergarten, Olivine, who was still wearing the sun hat, was pacing back and forth uneasily under a big tree. ¡°Evander!¡± Seeing them, Olivine was overjoyed. She hurried over and shoved past Angeline to hold Evander¡¯s arm. ¡°How¡¯s Floretta handling things? Does she like it here?¡± After being shoved away by Olivine, Angeline staggered backward and nearly fell. She red at Olivine, feeling inexplicably annoyed. Does she think I like being with Evander? I wouldn¡¯t havee if it weren¡¯t for Floretta. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± The pungent smell of Olivine¡¯s perfume made Evander frown in dissatisfaction. He broke free from her grip and moved a little further away from her. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you. I came to keep youpany at Old Mrs. Golding¡¯s behest, so it¡¯s not like I could have left first.¡± Olivine pouted with grievance written all over her face. She refused to believe that Evander would still embarrass her after she mentioned Valerie. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this in the future,¡± said Evander in a solemn voice, his tone distant. Clenching her fists, Olivine suppressed the displeasure in her heart and said in a gentle voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Evander.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Evander. Turning around to nce at Angeline, he added with a much softer voice, ¡°Come on in. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± Angeline looked at the middle of the road and said in a cold tone, ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ve asked my driver toe over. Thanks for the offer, Mr. Golding.¡± The sudden change in Angeline¡¯s attitude caused Evander to purse his lips in puzzlement. After a while, Angeline¡¯s driver drove the car over. She got in the vehicle and left without even saying goodbye. Seeing this, Evander knitted his brows in displeasure. What¡¯s wrong with Angeline? Her attitude changes so quickly!¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Floretta, who got to attend kindergarten as she wished, found her mood getting better every day. She also learned to draw, and her first drawing in school was for Angeline. That day, Angeline finished workte and was exhausted when she returned to her hotel room. She slumped on the sofa and checked her WhatsApp on her phone. At seven o¡¯clock, Floretta had texted her an abstract drawing, which showed two adults walking around a park holding a child¡¯s hand. It was a heartwarming drawing. Floretta even thoughtfully sent her a voice message that captioned her drawing. ¡°Angel, this is Daddy, you, and me. Our family of three will always be together happily.¡± After listening to it, Angeline almost spat out the water she had just drunk. How did we be a family of three? Angeline shuddered as she involuntarily thought of the scene of taking Floretta to the kindergarten with Evander. I don¡¯t want to form a family with Evander. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine! With that thought in mind, Angeline quickly texted: Floretta, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. If your daddy finds out, he¡¯ll spank you. After sending the message, she threw her phone on the couch and headed to the bathroom to take a bath. Floretta, who had had fun for an entire day in the kindergarten, had already fallen asleep with her doll in her arms. Evander tucked her in and turned off the deskmp. Before he was about to leave her room, he saw the screen of her phone that was on the bedside table light up. When he saw Angeline¡¯s text, his face turned gloomy in an instant. Do I look that fierce? What drawing is it that caused such a reaction from her? Evander unlocked Floretta¡¯s phone. When he saw her drawing, he was instantly bereft of speech. Immediately afterward, he deleted Angeline¡¯s reply and caressed Floretta¡¯s cheeks. The warm yellow light illuminated his profile, making him look gentler. Floretta really liked Angeline so much that she genuinely regarded thetter as her mother. Maybe I should be more proactive. When he came out from Floretta¡¯s room, he closed the door gently and saw that Ss was still downstairs and had not left. He regained his grim expression, walked down the stairs, and sat on the couch in the living room. ¡°What is it?¡± After pouring him a cup of coffee, Ss handed him an invitation card gilded with gold trimming. ¡°Mr. Golding, this is the invitation card for the banquet. It¡¯s confirmed that the main cast of The Journey will walk down the red carpet. The production team asked me to ask if you want to attend.¡± While sipping his cup of coffee, Evander nced at the cover of the invitation card. It was the cartoon characters of Angeline and Jacob in traditional costumes. The sight left Evander displeased. The Journey had taken the inte by storm. As long as one was popr, there would be no shortage of investors. Those businessmen did everything in their power to attract the attention of the audience by making cartoonish versions of the cast and printing them on fans, bookmarks, and so on. Angeline and Jacob were considered to be a perfect match by theizens. ¡°Get a suit ready,¡± Evander instructed. He then threw the invitation card aside in disgust, unable to understand what the audience was thinking. Angeline and Jacob are quite a few years apart in age, so how can they be a perfect match? What he was unaware of was the jealousy burning in him when he thought of the question. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Soon came the day of the banquet. The film crew of The Journey was only there to walk the red carpet to boost their poprity, so only Derek, Angeline, Jacob, the supporting actress, Madelyn Sullivan, and the supporting actor Julian Collins were present. Before the banquet started at half past seven, there were already rows of expensive luxury cars parked in front of the hotel. All the guests were either wealthy or influential. When getting off the car, Angeline looked at the fans who were holding signs not far away and shouting frantically. Although there were bodyguards around, she was still frightened. She had been filming with the film crew recently and did not read the news, so she had no idea that she and Jacob were so popr. ¡°Angie, drink some water.¡± Jacob, who was in the same car as her, had a worried expression on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll handle the media¡¯s questionster while you just smile.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline chuckled, feeling much more rxed because of his words. She looked at the swarming media. This is such a major event. I guess Evander will be here too. Angeline was taken aback by the thought. Why do I always think of Evander involuntarily now? Before she could dwell on it, it was their turn to walk the red carpet. Jacob, who had gotten off the car first, opened the door for Angeline and chivalrously stretched out his hand to her. As soon as Angeline exited the vehicle, she attracted the attention of the crowd in front of the hotel. She was wearing a dark gold dress with an off-shoulder neckline that revealed her sexy corbones. Her wavy hair was hanging freely down her back, while the small silver earrings added to her charm. As soon as they appeared, the fans went crazy and started shouting. ¡°My goddess, Angeline, I love you!¡± ¡°Jacob, you¡¯re the best!¡± Holding Jacob¡¯s arm, Angeline nodded and smiled at the fans in the distance. Then, she hitched up her dress and walked to the signature board with a graceful demeanor. After signing their names, they were interviewed together with the crew of The Journey. The media started filming them and bombarding them with questions. ¡°Mr. McKenna, how confident are you about the ratings of The Journey?¡± Derek smiled faintly and said righteously, ¡°I always believe that you get back what you give. I have witnessed the efforts of these young actors and am proud of them. It¡¯s enough as long as they can bring a wonderful performance to the audience.¡± ¡°Angeline, Jacob, I heard that theizens are happy to see the both of you ying as a couple. Have either of you developed feelings for the other during filming?¡± Jacob took the microphone and answered jokingly, ¡°That¡¯s a tough question. Of course, I have. After all, Ms. Sorelle is such an outstanding actress.¡± Hearing his reply, the media and Derek eximed in excitement and started teasing them. The interview was brought to a climax in an instant. Angeline took the microphone calmly, looked straight at the camera, and said with a dramatic sigh, ¡°Jacob usually acts like a little boy on the set and is always asking us for snacks. Everyone, including Derek, likes him. Jacob¡¯s fans, watch out!¡± Her humorous response resolved the misunderstanding Jacob had caused with his reply earlier while also being mindful of the fans¡¯ feelings. After all, she did not want to be attacked by the fans even though she wanted to be popr. After the interview, the crew of The Journey walked into the hotel. A ck car had stopped in front of the hotel not long ago. The air in the car was so tense and chilly that Ss had goosebumps all over his arms. ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s our turn to walk the red carpet.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Evander replied. There was a deep frown on his cold, gloomy face. He did not forget the earnestness in Jacob¡¯s eyes when thetter said he had feelings for Angeline. It showed that Jacob had meant what he said. At the same time, Angeline would often do something unexpected, so Evander did not know what she would do this time. Ss opened the car door, allowing Evander to get off the car. As soon as he appeared, all the noise at the scene seemed to have been silenced as the crowd quietly made way for him. The well-tailored handmade suit entuated his tall and upright figure. With one hand in his pocket, he walked down the red carpet calmly, exuding a gracious and elegant air. Everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to him in unison, and some even gasped. Compared with Jacob¡¯s good looks, Evander exuded the unique charm of a sessful man, making him look sophisticated. ¡°Wee, Mr. Golding. We¡¯re honored to be blessed with your presence.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Even the coordinator of the banquet was ttered and hurried over to greet Evander. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Evander said politely. He shook hands with the coordinator and took a photo with him. It was a spectacr scene. ¡°Old man!¡± Jacob snorted in disdain when he saw the scene outside from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel lobby. He¡¯s just a sessful businessman. Why are there so many people buttering him up? Although Angeline appeared calm and emotionally unaffected, she still tightened her grip around the wine ss in her hand. I didn¡¯t expect Evander would reallye to the banquet. Recalling how she had parted on less than pleasant terms with him at the kindergarten the other day, she did not know how to face him at that moment. Just as she was absorbed in her thoughts, Evander walked into the lobby surrounded by the crowd. When he passed by Angeline, thetter could not help but hold her breath and sh him a nervous smile, but he ignored her and did not spare her a single nce. Angeline¡¯s heart instantly sank. Although no one noticed, she was still extremely embarrassed. After thinking about it, she realized that it was normal as they were not even friends. The only times they interacted with each other were when they dealt with matters rted to Floretta. Now that Floretta has thepany of her friends at the kindergarten, I probably won¡¯t be needed anymore, and I won¡¯t cross paths with Evander again in the future¡­ Angeline looked at the man who was socializing not far away with all eyes on him. For some reason, her heart ached as if it was being pricked by a needle. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, would you like a drink?¡± A waiter came over with a tray of red wine sses. Without hesitation, Angeline took a wine ss and emptied the content. After that, Angeline regained her senses, clenched her fists, and inwardly reminded herself, Stop thinking too much, Angeline. You and Evander are from two different worlds. Don¡¯t have any thoughts you¡¯re not supposed to have! The alcohol content in the red wine was high. After a while, Angeline felt a little dizzy. She informed the film crew and Derek before walking to the restroom. As she was about to wash her face at the sink, the waiter from earlier suddenly appeared behind her. The scar on his face made him look even more vicious. Astonished, Angeline was about to shout when her mouth and nose were covered by the man¡¯s hand. She tried to push the man away, but she could not exert any strength. Her dizziness grew in intensity until she eventually passed out. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Looking at Angeline, the man curled his lips into a smug smile. Secondster, he texted: Done. You may call the reporters now. Remember to transfer the bnce to my bank ount! Meanwhile, on the second floor, Evander sat on a fancy couch after exchanging pleasantries. Sitting with his long legs crossed and his ck jacket draped on his shoulder, he naturally exuded an authoritative aura. ¡°You must be tired, Mr. Golding.¡± Ss poured Evander a cup of coffee and handed it to him politely. Evander took the cup and looked toward where Angeline was. Unexpectedly, thetter was nowhere to be seen. He only saw the rest of the production team members downstairs. ¡°Where¡¯s Angeline?¡± Ss, too, looked around in puzzlement. ¡°This is strange. She was right there just now!¡± Evander mmed the cup down on the table heavily. As his expression darkened, he gave off an intimidating aura. ¡°I told you to keep an eye on her, yet you failed to do so! Head to the surveince room to check the surveince footage. Be sure to keep it discreet!¡± In one of the hotel rooms on the second floor, Angeline was thrown onto the bed. At that moment, she looked like a fish out of water as she gasped for breath. This feels familiar¡­ It feels the same as five years ago¡­ on my birthday¡­ Angeline wriggled ufortably. She wanted to get out of bed, but her body refused to obey her. Could it be¡­ Damn it! Have I been drugged? Again? ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally awake. It¡¯s always better to sleep with a fully conscious person.¡± When an unpleasant man¡¯s voice sounded, Angeline raised her head with difficulty and saw a man standing by the bed. He was taking off his clothes, piece by piece. Once he was done, he bent down and pressed his body against Angeline¡¯s. ¡°Hey! What do you want to do? Go away!¡± Angeline screamed as she swung her fists, trying hard to resist. While struggling to break free from him, she scratched the man¡¯s face, leaving a bloody mark on his cheek. Hissing at the pain, the man grew furious. Even his expression turned malicious. ¡°You b*tch!¡± The man raised his hand andnded a p on Angeline¡¯s face. Instantly, her cheek became swollen and red. As tears of pain began to well up in her eyes, she gripped the bedspread tightly while remaining silent. Fortunately, the wave of pain made her regain her senses. With all her might, she shoved the man away and got up from the bed. Nheless, before she could run away, the man grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. As the man seized her chin with his slender fingers, he gazed at her pretty face and gulped subconsciously. ¡°D*mmit! Rumors have it that you¡¯ve always been aloof in the entertainment circle. I wonder how you¡¯ll reactter!¡± As he spoke, he lowered his head, wanting to give Angeline a peck on her cheek with his stinky mouth. ¡°Scram! I¡¯m warning you! Otherwise, I¡¯ll call the police!¡± ¡°Hah! You can go ahead and call the police. Let¡¯s see if anyone will step in!¡± Angeline struggled desperately to free herself. Unfortunately, her strength was iparable to the man. At that moment, she fellpletely into despair, exactly like five years ago. Bang! Right then, the room door was kicked open. A tall figure pushed open the door and came in. His appearance seemed to have lowered the surrounding temperature. Immediately after, he strode forward, grabbed the shoulder of the man on the bed, and pushed him away mercilessly. ¡°F*ck! Who is it? Do have a death wish? How dare you spoil my fun!¡± the man on the bed growled. Nevertheless, he was dumbfounded when he caught sight of the two people in front of him. ¡°M-Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline looked immensely pitiful as she curled up into a ball on the bed. The look in Evander¡¯s eyes grew cold when he noticed that her clothes were disheveled. The next moment, he punched the man in the face, sending him to the ground. ¡°Call the police, Ss.¡± With that said, Evander pulled the bedspread and wrapped it around Angeline¡¯s body. Then, he picked her up and left the room. ¡°Right away!¡± Ss replied. He, too, detested the man so much that he rushed forward and threw a few punches at the man, who was still holding his head in pain. ¡°Trash! How dare you target her? I bet you have a death wish!¡± Ss snapped. After that, he tied the man up in a chair and went to the balcony to make a call. ¡°Is this room the one?¡± ¡°Yes. The informant told us very clearly, no? Who would¡¯ve thought Angeline was leading such a messy private life? She looks like a pretty decent woman on the outside.¡± ¡°I must feature an exclusive on her to expose her immoral behavior!¡± When Ss heard the sound of footstepsing from outside the room, he grew wary and frowned. After hanging up the call, he immediately hid away. Bang! Shortly after, the room door was kicked open. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Several reporters from different mediapanies came rushing into the room while holding cameras and camcorders. All the cameras clicked away as soon as the reporters entered the room. Noticing that the happenings in the room were different from what they had imagined, all the reporters were dumbfounded. There was only a man sobbing in anguish. Didn¡¯t the informant say Angeline¡¯s here? What about the scandal that can hit the headlines? Concurrently, Evander was in the room next door. When he heard themotion outside, he appeared totally unsurprised and snorted coldly. Such meticulous nning¡­ Luckily, I came in the nick of time. Otherwise, even if nothing happened, the reporters would surely take photos of Angeline and make up some stories. I¡¯m sure everyone will believe the fake news by then. As he turned around to look at the unwitting woman lying on the bed, he heaved a sigh of relief silently. Angeline, who was hugging the bedspread on the bed, was squirming ufortably. Evander went up to her and touched her forehead, only to realize that her temperature was shockingly high. ¡°Have you been drugged?¡± Evander¡¯s expression turned extremely gloomy. It was also then that he figured out the course of events. She looks like a sensible sort of person. Why wasn¡¯t she more on her guard against such a thing? At that moment, Angeline grabbed his arm and pleaded, ¡°Please¡­ Please help me. It hurts so much.¡± Even her face contorted with her suffering. As Evander looked at the disheveled woman, his breathing instantly sped up. Her delicate fair skin was flushed a rosy pink under the light, making her look even more alluring. Although he had always been chaste, he was still an ordinary man. As he mulled it over, Angeline could not resist the urge to inch closer to him and caress his body. Perhaps the man¡¯s body was cool enough to soothe the heat rising from her own as she pressed her entire body against his. ¡°Mm¡­ It feels so good.¡± ¡°Angeline Sorelle! Do you know what you¡¯re saying right now?¡± Evander grabbed her arms tightly and looked straight at her unfocused eyes. ¡°Look into my eyes. Tell me. Who am I?¡± he asked in a deep voice. Angeline simply continued staring at him in a daze. As she was getting impatient, she reached out to rip the man¡¯s shirt apart. Her hand left a zing trail anywhere she touched, as though it possessed a magical feature. Indeed, she¡¯s out of her senses. Right before Evander lost his rationality, he grabbed Angeline¡¯s hand and halted her in her tracks. With a darkened expression, he carried her to the bathroom. After cing her in the bathtub, he turned on the tap and drenched her with cold water. ¡°Stay there and wake up!¡± he uttered coldly in a slightly hoarse voice. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 ¡°S-So cold¡­¡± Angeline kept shivering after the cold shower, but it was definitely effective in helping her regain her senses. Evander, however, was triggered by the alluring scene before his eyes. Angeline¡¯s clothes were close to non-existent. Whatever fabric remained was stuck to her body after getting wet and was pretty much transparent. Under the dim warm light, her skin seemed slightly flushed. Evander gulped at that sight, and his breathing gradually got heavier. What a troublesome woman! Even though it was difficult to withhold his urges, he would not take advantage of her in this situation. There was no need for him to stoop to that level. Angeline eventually broke free from the effects of the drug. Nevertheless, all her energy had been zapped from her body, so she lost consciousness right after. By then, Ss had returned with a doctor. He was trying to eavesdrop outside the door, but he heard nothing. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Did Mr. Golding get sexually assaulted by Angeline Sorelle? Ss kept pacing back and forth with sweat dripping down his face. Just when he was contemting whether to disrupt the session on the other side of the door, Evander bellowed, ¡°Come in!¡± Ss nearly lost his soul from the shock of hearing that roar. He hastily pushed open the door. ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡¯ve brought the doctor here.¡± He took a nce around and did not see the intimate scene he was expecting to see. All Ss saw was Evander in a drenched shirt that highlighted thetter¡¯s beautifully sculpted back muscles. There were also water droplets on Evander¡¯s hair, putting him in a rather pathetic state, a state that he had never been in before. Angeline seemed to be in a worse state. She was lying in a puddle of water, unsure whether dead or alive. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that, Ss walked forward anxiously after grabbing a towel. ¡°Mr. Golding, are you okay?¡± he asked in a concerned tone. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± With a darkened expression, Evander took the towel and wrapped Angeline¡¯s wet body with it. He then carried her out from the bathtub and gently ced her on the bed. He shot a nce toward the doctor and ordered, ¡°Give her a thorough checkup, especially her brain¡ª see if it¡¯s damaged.¡± She¡¯s not exactly smart to begin with, so she shouldn¡¯t get any dumber. ¡°Understood, Mr. Golding.¡± The doctor calmly walked over, checked Angeline¡¯s body with a stethoscope, and exined, ¡°Mr. Golding, thisdy was indeed drugged but the effects are under control now. She will probably be awake soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯re all wet too. Do you need a checkup as well?¡± asked the doctor. ¡°No need. I¡¯m not that fragile. You can all leave now.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After prescribing some medicine, the doctor was escorted out by Ss. He did not dare to utter anything else. Silence fell upon the room. As he squeezed the water from his shirt, a thought suddenly shed across Evander¡¯s mind. His gaze fell on Angeline¡¯s wet clothes. Soon after, he grabbed his car key from the table and left. When Angeline finally woke up, she felt as though her body had been knocked over by a car. She was also suffering from an unbearable headache. The unsightly mess on the floor caused her to space out as she sat on the side of the bed. What¡­ happened? Wasn¡¯t I attending a banquet? How did I end up in a hotel room? Angeline looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and tried her best to recall what had happened. Slowly, images of a server handing her a ss of wine started shing before her eyes. Something¡¯s wrong with that wine! Instantly, Angeline managed to put all the pieces together. The man who nearly sexually assaulted her was in cahoots with the server. It was all a vicious scheme. Angeline grabbed the bedsheet tightly while wearing a bitter expression and gasping for air. Who is it? Who set me up? Right then, someone turned the doorknob. Feeling fearful, Angeline instinctively hid under the covers. Evander walked in after opening the door, carrying multiple bags. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± He was surprised to see her awake. Angeline furrowed her brows, shocked as well. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me, you would have been ravaged!¡± Upon hearing his reply, Angeline realized Evander was the one who had saved her. This memory was long forgotten after she was drugged. She said softly, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding.¡± She was still clenching the covers, and she did not have the courage to look him in the eye. Evander passed a bag to her and reprimanded, ¡°You call yourself a top celebrity? Don¡¯t you have any sense of vignce? Would you just drink anything given by anyone?¡± Angeline was embarrassed, so she lowered her head and mumbled, ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t think that a bad guy would disguise himself as a server. I thought he was just a hotel employee.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be this lucky every time. Go change into some clean clothes. The doctor has prescribed some medicine for you. If you don¡¯t want to take it, just dump it into the trash can,¡± said Evander while pointing toward the bedside table. Angeline was taken aback by what he had just said. She opened the bag and found a brand-new dress, along with some undergarments. So he left just now to buy me new clothes? A strange feeling welled up within her heart. Before she could dive deeper into that thought, she entered the bathroom with the new clothes. After changing, she got out and identally saw Evander who was changing his shirt. She saw his perfectly toned arms and eight-pack abs. She hastily covered her eyes with her hands, her face red. ¡°Y-You! Why didn¡¯t you say you were changing?¡± ¡°Do I need your permission to change?¡± Evander replied calmly while quickly putting on his shirt. He raised his eyes and saw Angeline. The white chiffon dress fitted her slender figure nicely. Without heavy makeup, she looked even more lovable. ¡°Not bad,¡± he remarked. Evander hade across all kinds of women, and even he had to admit that Angeline was a beauty. She had unique features that could easily capture one¡¯s attention. That was her advantage in the entertainment industry. Angeline¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief. Never in a million years had she expected to get a compliment from Evander. ¡°It¡¯s because you chose well. This suits me perfectly,¡± she said incoherently, feeling nervous. However, she was not lying. Everything fitted her so well, even the undergarments. Angeline felt apologetic as she looked at Evander. She honestly did not expect to be saved by him at such a critical moment. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡± After saying that, Evander turned around and was about to leave. Staring at his back, Angeline felt a sense of awkwardness and sadness. She had not yet recovered from the traumatic incident, so she had an irrational fear of being in a hotel. If Evander left just like that, she did not know how she could muster the courage to leave by herself. Suddenly, she heard him asking, ¡°Why are you still standing there?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Angeline was stunned. ¡°Do you want to be swamped by all the media reporters downstairs?¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Angeline frantically shook her head. When the meaning of Evander¡¯s words sunk in, she hurriedly packed her things and followed him downstairs. He had probably contacted the manager in advance so that there wouldn¡¯t be any press waiting for them at the private elevator. As soon as Angeline got out of the elevator, she felt the biting chill through her clothes. She involuntarily shivered and even coughed a few times. After they got into the car, Evander switched the heater on. The interior of the car got warmer and warmer, and Angeline eventually stopped feeling cold. While her gaze was fixated on the view outside the window, Angeline suddenly felt a bottle of water land on her. ¡°Take the medicine or get out of my car,¡± he ordered in a cold voice. She was rendered speechless. Is he going to let me off here? Isn¡¯t that the same as throwing me to the wolves? Angeline was not that foolish. She hurriedly took the medicine out of her bag and swallowed it with a sip of water. Not long after, drowsiness started to hit her. She leaned back against the headrest and gazed at the view outside the window. It was then that she noticed they were not heading toward the film set. She parted her lips, wanting to ask something, but she was unable to gather the strength to even mutter a word. Yet, for some reason, she trusted Evander and believed that he wouldn¡¯t hurt her. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything. After holding out for a few minutes, she fell into a deep sleep. Half an hourter, Evander pulled into the entrance of the Golding residence. He gazed at Angeline, who was fast asleep, and smirked in resignation. In the next moment, he opened the door and carried Angeline out of the car. His arms were wrapped around her waist in the gentlest embrace as if he was afraid that he would hurt her. Floretta was stacking toy blocks on top of each other in the living room when she heard the door open. Without even turning her head, she heard Francesca¡¯s voice from behind her. ¡°Mr. Golding, what brings Ms. Sorelle here?¡± Angel? When Floretta heard Angeline¡¯s name, a look of joy appeared on her face. She immediately threw the toy block in her hand and ran toward Evander. ¡°Angel¡­¡± Floretta called out to her happily, but Evander put a finger to his lips, gesturing for her to stay quiet. She immediately shut her mouth, not daring to say a word, and followed Evander upstairs in silence. Angeline was fast asleep because of the medicine and didn¡¯t even stir given the loud noise. As she was very light, Evander didn¡¯t break a sweat from carrying her. He ced Angeline on the guestroom bed and tucked her in. Floretta went up to the bed and stared at her in confusion. ¡°What happened to Angel, Daddy?¡± ¡°She took some fever medicine,¡± Evander replied briefly. When she heard that, Floretta nodded her head in a daze. I always sleep for a long time after taking medicine. And I don¡¯t feel very good when I¡¯m sick! Evander pulled Floretta to his side. ¡°Stay away from her, or you might get infected.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared. I want to stay here and take care of Angel!¡± Floretta said stubbornly. Tears sprang to her eyes as her heart ached for Angeline. Evander was speechless. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll also take care of me like this if I¡¯m ill. He called Francesca up to take care of Angeline and picked his daughter up. Without caring about how much she was struggling, he said in a low voice, ¡°You better think this through, Floretta. If you fall sick, you can¡¯t go to kindergarten.¡± Floretta pursed her lips and stopped thrashing around. She believed that Francesca would take excellent care of Angeline. After making sure Angeline was settled in, Evander returned to his room and took a cold shower. He stood under the water for a long time, and the water eventually cooled the fire that was burning within him. He took a towel off the rack and wrapped it around his waist. When he lifted his gaze, his eyesnded on the lipstick stain on his suit. His mind instinctively went to Angeline¡¯s slender body that was wrapped around his. He swallowed thickly, and desire burned in his cold eyes. Meanwhile, Olivine was on the phone at her house. ¡°What did you say? How did you fail? Are you that useless? She was right in front of you, and you couldn¡¯t even get her!¡± After she was informed of what had happened, she grabbed the vase atop the coffee table and threw it on the ground. ¡°How f*cking dare you say that? Are you trying to do me in? I was in the middle of doing it when Evander suddenly burst in. If not for my men in the police force, I would have spent the rest of my life behind bars.¡± The man on the other end of the line was also speaking in a nasty tone. ¡°What did you just say? Evander was the one who rescued Angeline?¡± ¡°Yes, I had a good look at him. Who the f*ck would dare to touch Evander¡¯s woman? I¡¯m warning you. You better take this sum of money aspensation for the trauma I¡¯ve suffered. I will not return a single cent to you.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Olivine was angry and anxious at the same time. But before she could say anything else, the man had already hung up. ¡°Why is this happening?¡± she mumbled to herself. Her knees buckled underneath her, and she fell onto the couch. She dug her nails into the couch, leaving long marks on it. When she thought of Angeline and Evander being together, she gritted her teeth in jealousy. It was not difficult to imagine what Angeline would do with Evander after she was drugged. Although he was someone with lots of self-control, no man could hold back in that kind of situation. Olivine was filled with regret. She had wanted to ruin Angeline¡¯s reputation, but it hadpletely backfired. Angeline, you little b*tch! I will remember everything you¡¯ve done to me and make sure you pay for it! The sun was already high up in the sky when Angeline woke up the next day. She rubbed her eyes, still feeling sleepy. When she saw how bright it was outside, realization dawned on her. What time is it? She immediately sat up in bed,pletely wide awake now. She grabbed her phone and looked at the time. It was already ten in the morning. Oh no! Angeline ruffled her hair, on the verge of a breakdown. Usually, she would already be halfway into the workday at this hour. But now, she had skipped work without even a word to anyone. Derek was bound to go off on her. At that thought, she quickly threw on the clothes that were lying next to the bed. Just as she was about to head to the bathroom, she realized that something was amiss. Wait. This isn¡¯t my house! Angeline slipped on a pair of slippers, opened the door, and peeped downstairs at the top of the stairs. Evander was in the middle of breakfast in the dining room. He was flipping the newspaper in one hand and holding a coffee mug in the other. When he heard movement, he lifted his head to look at her. ¡°Why are you so frantic?¡± he frowned, sounding a little upset. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I¡­ Sorry, may I know why you brought me to your housest night?¡± ¡°It was troublesome otherwise,¡± he replied briefly as he sipped on his coffee. Troublesome? Angeline was stunned. I don¡¯t understand. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for him to just send me to the hotel the film crew had booked? Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ms. Sorelle.¡± At that moment, Francesca walked out of the kitchen with a te of dinner rolls. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic. Mr. Golding told me to take care of youst night. I was by your bedside all night, taking your temperature every hour. I was confused to see that you were still unconscious even though you didn¡¯t have a fever.¡± As soon as she said that, Evander mmed the mug onto the table and cast her a reproachful look. Francesca didn¡¯t dare to say another word and ced the dinner rolls next to him. However, warmth washed over Angeline. No wonder I felt someone by my side while I was sleeping. It¡¯s pretty unexpected of him to get someone to take care of me. ¡°I owe you one, Mr. Golding¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Evander¡¯s tone was extremely cold. As he applied some chocte spread to the borders of a piece of toast, he reminded her, ¡°But please make sure you¡¯re properly dressed before youe out, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Angeline lowered her head and looked at her slippers. Her pale toes curled against the floor as embarrassment crept into her expression. She ran back to the room, onlying back down after she had washed up. The dining table had a wide spread of food that Francesca had prepared for breakfast. Angeline pulled out a chair next to Evander and sat down. Taking a sip of milk, she tried to look for something to talk about. ¡°Is Floretta getting used to kindergarten?¡± Evander nced at her before answering tly, ¡°Yes. She loves it there.¡± Angeline thought about how she had not seen Floretta recently and said a little guiltily, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ve been busy, so I haven¡¯t been able to see her. But I do send her messages on WhatsApp every day. I¡¯ve been busy because I¡¯m working on producing and releasing a great movie.¡± She rested her chin on her hand and shot him an ingratiating smile. ¡°As long as The Journey gets good ratings, you¡¯ll be able to get a huge profit from your investment, right?¡± ¡°Eat your food!¡± Evander red at her, stopping her from rambling further. The best ability she possessed was that as long as she had enough time, she could twist the truth entirely. ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline instantly obeyed and shut her mouth. She picked up the mug on the table and took a sip of milk. A few droplets of milk stained the corners of her lips, and she instinctively licked it up. It was hard for Evander not to have his imagination run wild when he saw that suggestive movement. The memory ofst night¡¯s events came back into his mind, and his body started burning again. He downed the coffee in one go and lifted the newspaper to hide the heated look in his eyes. Damn it! I must not interact with this woman for no reason anymore. After finishing breakfast, Ss drove Evander to the office. However, since it was on the way, he also sent Angeline to the film set. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She got out of the car and was about to close the door when she hesitated and said, ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Golding.¡± Evander hummed deeply in response. He was still looking as frosty as ever, seemingly unwilling to talk to her more than necessary. Angeline had no intention of making a fool of herself. She turned around and was about to head toward the film set when she heard his deep voice from behind her. ¡°Remember to take your medicine.¡± She was stunned when she heard that. Was that my imagination? I think I heard a hint of tenderness in his voice. When she turned around, the car was already long gone. The corners of her lips curled into a small smile. It looks like the great Mr. Golding isn¡¯t as cold as the rumors make him out to be. It¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t care about anyone! ¡°Angie!¡± Jacob was hanging from a wire with the help of the crew when he saw Angeline walk in. He immediately detached himself from the wire and ran up to her. ¡°Are you okay? I suddenly lost you at the partyst night, and it scared me to death. Are you still in one piece?¡± He squeezed her shoulder as he looked her up and down in concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I suddenly got tiredst night and went home early.¡± Angeline backed away from him. ¡°We¡¯ll be doomed if someone takes a picture of us.¡± ¡°Who would dare to do that? I¡¯ll beat him to a pulp!¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t hold back herughter when she heard that. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll be trending tomorrow? You¡¯re a famous actor, yet you¡¯re cussing. Wouldn¡¯t that ruin your image?¡± ¡°All right, then. I¡¯m not mentally strong enough to tolerate the attacks from haters.¡± Jacob rolled his eyes. He quickly followed behind her and said, ¡°Angie, you must let me know if you ever find yourself in such a situation again. You have no idea how long I have been looking for you¡­¡± All of a sudden, they ran into Derek. Angeline went pale. ¡°Mr. McKenna, I¡¯m sorry for beingte today. I will make up for all the scenes later¡­¡± she said, sounding extremely apologetic. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know.¡± Unexpectedly, Derek didn¡¯t blow up at her. A teasing glint shed across his eyes as he looked at her and cleared his throat. ¡°The film is about to wrap up, so this is the busiest time for us. I hope you will exercise self-control and¡­ refrain from doing certain things.¡± When Angeline heard that, her face turned beet red. Even a fool could understand what Derek meant by ¡°certain things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, Mr. McKenna¡­¡± Derek waved a hand at her and gave her a look that indicated he knew everything. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Go and get your makeup done. Don¡¯t waste any more time.¡± He smirked and shook his head as he walked away. Angeline put her hand to her forehead,pletely speechless. It¡¯s all Evander¡¯s fault! He always brings Floretta here to visit me, and he was the one who personally rmended me for the role. It¡¯s easy for anyone to misunderstand! ¡°Angie, what did Mr. McKenna mean by that?¡± Jacob asked, confusion in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Children like you shouldn¡¯t overthink things. Get back to your work.¡± Angeline let out a heavy sigh. She patted his head and left. In the makeup room, Angeline sent Nancy a text detailing what had happened at the party. She told Nancy about her being drugged and asked for help in finding the mastermind. There definitely is someone scheming against me. I will not let that person off so easily. I must find the true mastermind! Half a monthter, Jacob had finished all his scenes. As soon as Derek shouted ¡°cut¡± for thest time, the film crew came over with a cake and a bouquet of flowers. With Derek in the lead, everyone cheered for Jacob and celebrated the end of his work. ¡°Since it¡¯s Jacob¡¯sst day on set, why don¡¯t we all go for dinner together as a way to rx?¡± Derek suggested. ¡°Yeah!¡± everyone cheered. Jacob was the only one who had a conflicted expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have ns today, so I won¡¯t be able to join you guys for the celebration. Please have fun on my behalf. It¡¯ll be my treat!¡± he said, a little embarrassed. Although everyone was a little disappointed to hear that, no one verbalized theirints as they would be getting a free meal. After the celebration ended, everyone went on their own way. Jacob approached Angeline and shot her an enthusiastic smile. ¡°Angie, you still owe me a meal. Why don¡¯t you treat me to dinner tonight?¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you had ns?¡± Angeline asked in confusion. ¡°This is my n. I¡¯d rather be alone with you than have dinner with everyone else¡­¡± ¡°Angel!¡± The blissful expression on Jacob¡¯s face from imagining his romantic alone time with Angeline was broken by a young girl¡¯s voice. Angeline whipped her head around and saw Floretta standing there. She was carrying a duck-shaped backpack and had her hair braided into two pigtails. Angeline broke into a wide grin. ¡°Did youe here by yourself, Floretta?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Angeline forgot about Jacob instantly and ran over to hug Floretta, caressing her little face gently. ¡°No. I missed you so much, so I begged Daddy to send me here.¡± When she heard that, Angeline stiffened up. She looked around but didn¡¯t see Evander. ¡°Where¡¯s your daddy?¡± ¡°He left as soon as I got here. He said he still has work to do and Francesca will pick me upter,¡± Floretta replied obediently. Angeline¡¯s expression darkened. He¡¯s probably unwilling toe because of what happened at the party. Although it had been over half a month, it still felt awkward whenever she thought about it. ¡°Jac, I know you finished your scenes today, so I got you a present,¡± Floretta said excitedly. As soon as she stepped onto the film set, her eyes never left Jacob. ¡°What did you get me?¡± he asked gently. ¡°Tada!¡± She pulled out a cartoon figurine of Jacob from her bag. ¡°Is it cute?¡± ¡°It¡¯s adorable.¡± Jacob couldn¡¯t stop the smile from spreading on his face. He patted her head as he gazed at her affectionately. ¡°I love it. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Floretta waved a hand at him. Excitement shining in her eyes, she asked eagerly, ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so happy! Can you give me an autograph, Jac?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Affection filled Jacob¡¯s heart as he watched her. Evander always had a cold expression on his face and wasn¡¯t very likable at all. However, his daughter was a lovable and adorable little girl. After Jacob gave Floretta his autograph, Angeline walked up to him. ¡°All right, Jacob. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner.¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°Really? I¡¯ll go pack my things right now!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline used this as an excuse and pulled Floretta to her side. Evander disliked Jacob, so it was better for Floretta not to interact with him too much. As the two of them had been rather poprtely, they found a seafood buffet restaurant in an obscure location. There weren¡¯t many diners around, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about being recognized. Right after they entered the restaurant, Floretta looked around in curiosity. She stered her face against the tank and stared at the king crabs in it. ¡°Wow! The crabs are so big! I¡¯ve never seen such big crabs before,¡± she eximed in awe. A slightly pained expression appeared on Jacob¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but criticize Evander, ¡°Your daddy earns hundreds of millions in a day. Why is he so stingy toward his own daughter?¡± Floretta tilted her head at him, not quite understanding what he meant. Seeing that, Angeline quickly stood in front of Floretta and red at Jacob. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense. If anyone were to overhear you, the consequences would be bad.¡± Jacob shrugged nonchntly. He looked at Floretta and said generously, ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal today. You can eat as much as you want!¡± She pped her hands happily and eximed, ¡°Really? Yay!¡± She grabbed Jacob¡¯s hand excitedly and went to look at the lobsters. Angeline had intended to let Floretta eat some simple dishes. However, when she saw how excited Floretta was, she couldn¡¯t bear to be a wet nket. After picking out the seafood they wanted, they handed it to the chef to prepare the food. Almost half an hourter, the scrumptious-looking seafood dishes were served. The delectable scent of the food was practically irresistible. Jacob unceremoniously grabbed a crab leg, broke the shell with his teeth, and popped the meat into his mouth. He sighed contentedly and said, ¡°Oh, wow. That¡¯s hot. And it¡¯s delicious!¡± Floretta put her hand over her mouth and sniggered. Angeline shook her head in exasperation. She removed the shell of the crab with a pair of pliers, took out the tender meat, and put it in Floretta¡¯s bowl. Before she got all the meat out, Floretta couldn¡¯t wait any longer and took a bite. Just like Jacob, she smiled happily as she shook her head and eximed, ¡°It¡¯s so good! I¡¯ve never eaten this before. I want some more, Angel.¡± ¡°All right. Slow down a bit, okay? There¡¯s no need to hurry,¡± Angeline patiently coaxed her. She poured Floretta a ss of water and continued removing the shell of the crab. Then a hint of confusion shed across her eyes. Floretta is almost six years old, yet she has never had crabs before. Isn¡¯t that kind of weird? Angeline was upied with feeding Floretta and wasn¡¯t able to eat much herself. When Jacob saw how much special attention she was showering Floretta with, jealousy bloomed in his heart. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. I want you to feed me too, Angie.¡± Angeline rolled her eyes at him. She picked up a spoon and tapped him on the head with it. ¡°Are you a child? Or are you unable to take care of yourself?¡± ¡°I¡­ You¡¯re so fierce, Angie.¡± A bitter expression appeared on his face, and he munched on the crayfish in his hands angrily. As he gazed at Floretta, who was happily eating her food, realization dawned on him. This is part of Evander¡¯s n, isn¡¯t it? He knew it was myst day on set and I would ask Angeline out, so he arranged for Floretta to disturb us! After btedly realizing that fact, Jacob was so furious that his face was turning red. Evander, you cunning old fox. You¡¯re even willing to use your own daughter like this! Angeline stared at Jacob in resignation. Since he had finally wrapped up his filming, it wouldn¡¯t be right for her to be too harsh on him. She removed the shell of a crayfish for him and put it in his bowl. All of a sudden, there was a loud bang, and all the dishes fell to the floor with a crash. Floretta¡¯s face was strangely flushed. She was hugging herself, curled up into a tight ball, as she screamed in pain, ¡°Angel, I¡¯m so cold! It itches¡­¡± Angeline¡¯s expression changed drastically after she heard that. She was scared out of her wits. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Jacob, call an ambnce now!¡± Floretta was just fine earlier. Why is her body itching all of a sudden? Angeline seemed to have thought of something. She pulled Floretta¡¯s cor open, and just as she thought, there were rashes all over her neck. Her back was covered in them too. Floretta was sent to the hospital and wheeled into the emergency room. In order not to attract any attention, Jacob did not follow her to the hospital. After contacting Evander, Angeline paced up and down the corridor anxiously. Half an hourter, steady yet anxious footsteps echoed in the corridor. Angeline was squatting on the floor. When she slowly lifted her head, she saw a pair of shiny leather shoes. The frigid light reflected off of the shoes was like a knife being held at her throat. ¡°What happened?¡± Evander¡¯s voice was colder than usual. Angeline instinctively shuddered. She slowly stood up and kept her head lowered, not daring to look at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Golding. I failed to take good care of Floretta¡­¡± she sobbed. Just as she was drowning in remorse, the doors of the emergency room were pushed open, and the doctor walked out. Evander immediately approached him. ¡°How is my daughter?¡± he asked nervously. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 The doctor slowly took off his face mask and said solemnly, ¡°Ms. Floretta fainted due to an allergic reaction. May I know what she had for her dinner?¡± Evander grimaced. Sensing his icy gaze on her, Angeline felt as if someone was pressing a dagger against her throat. ¡°I brought Floretta to a seafood buffet to celebrate thepletion of Jacob¡¯s filming tonight. She has never seen a crab, so I let her eat some¡­¡± Her voice gradually grew softer as she spoke. She stared at the floor, not daring to meet Evander¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you know why Floretta has never seen a crab?¡± Evander¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s allergic to crab meat. Who allowed you to bring her to that ce of your own ord?¡± Angeline didn¡¯t respond. She shuddered in fear and shrank herself as a look of devastation spread across her face. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? I must have lost my senses at that time! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Golding. I didn¡¯t know about Floretta¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°Why do you think you were born with a pair of hands? Don¡¯t you know how to make a phone call?¡± Evander questioned her harshly while fixating his gaze on her, capturing every detailed change in her countenance that reflected her emotions. ¡°It was my fault. I failed to rify the situation. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Angeline uttered apologetically. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she looked as if she could cry in the next second. Evander¡¯s wrath gradually dissipated as he took in her reddened eyes. He didn¡¯t say anything else afterward. Shortly after, the nurse exited the room while pushing a stretcher. Floretta had drifted off to sleep. Her hand was attached to an IV drip, and her fair, petite face was tear-stained. The little girl appeared extremely pitiful in that state. Evander followed the nurse into the ward. Angeline stood rooted to her spot for some time before she silently trailed behind them and headed toward the ward. However, recalling how Evander had reprimanded her, she didn¡¯t dare to enter the room. She stood in the corridor and looked at the environment inside the room through the door and windows, nning to leave the ce without worry once Floretta regained consciousness. ¡°Are you Angeline?¡± At that moment, a frosty, feminine voice sounded from behind her. She turned around and saw an old woman in her mid-sixties. Thetter was wearing a dark-colored gown, and her hair was white. Despite her age, the old woman¡¯s temperament was as impressive as ever. Angeline couldn¡¯t help but gulp because the old woman didn¡¯t regard her with a friendly expression. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. You are¡ª¡± ¡°I am Evander¡¯s grandmother. I heard of you a long time ago, but I haven¡¯t been able to instruct my subordinate to invite you over to have a chat because of the Golding family¡¯s reputation.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression changed drastically. She¡¯s trying to intimidate me right after we meet face-to-face for the first time. As expected of a woman from the Golding family. She carries herself differently. Nevertheless, Angeline wasn¡¯t a timid person. She recollected herself instantly, curved her lips lightly, and revealed a polite smile. ¡°Old Mrs. Golding, I¡¯m undeserving of your personal invitation. If I had known you wanted to meet me, I would¡¯ve visited you at your residence.¡± Her reply prompted a hint of surprise to sh across Valerie¡¯s eyes. Subsequently, Valerie spoke in a less severe tone. ¡°You¡¯re quite eloquent. I heard that Floretta adores you, and you even stayed in the Golding residence not long ago. Aren¡¯t you aware that Evander has a fianc¨¦e?¡± Angeline knitted her brows and borated, ¡°Nothing happened between Evander and me.¡± ¡°Why would Evander allow you to stay in the Golding residence if nothing happened between you two? Even Olivine has never stayed there.¡± Valerie sneered and began revealing her true colors. ¡°As the heir of Golding Group, it is only normal for Evander to satisfy his needs with other women. However, he will need to return to his family ultimately. You¡¯re still young, Ms. Sorelle, so I suggest you not sully yourself.¡± Angeline clenched her fists in a rage. The heel of her high heels identally hit a trash can with a thump. ¡°You really think too highly of your grandson. In my opinion, he¡¯s just a tyrant with a bad temper. Sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯m not at all interested in him.¡± She couldn¡¯t stop herself from uttering those words in a fit of anger. Why is this happening? I didn¡¯t do anything, yet she¡¯s using me groundlessly. ¡°You!¡± Enraged, Valerie forcefully mmed the walking stick in her hand against the floor.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Grandma.¡± At that moment, the door to the ward was pushed open, and Evander walked out. ¡°Quit arguing. You¡¯re disturbing Floretta¡¯s rest.¡± ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just suffering from a mild allergic reaction, but her condition has stabilized,¡± he said while staring coldly at Angeline, evidently more repulsed by her presence than before. Angeline lowered her head guiltily and utterly regretted her impulsive speech. It seems that he heard every word I said just now. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s good, then. Get Francesca toe over and take good care of her. You should hurry up and return to the office to deal with your work,¡± Valerie said. Immediately afterward, she nced at Angeline in absolute dissatisfaction. ¡°And chase this ill-mannered woman away!¡± With that, Valerie entered the ward. An awkward silence lingered in the air as Evander and Angeline were left alone in the corridor. ¡°Mr. Golding, I¡ª¡± Angeline was about to exin further, but Evander didn¡¯t give her a chance to do so. ¡°Floretta is fine. You may leave now, Ms. Sorelle,¡± he said unemotionally before returning to the ward. Slighted and left alone in the corridor, Angeline felt deste. She pursed her lips as tears filled her eyes once again. Still, she med herself because she knew she didn¡¯t have the right to resent anyone else. The next day, Angeline deliberately woke up early in the morning and borrowed a mini cooker from one of the film crew members. She used four hours to prepare a pot of nutritious soup for Floretta. Seizing the period before the shooting began, Angeline hastily brought the soup and drove to the hospital. When she arrived near the door to the ward, she slowed down, feeling a little nervous. I wonder if Evander is still inside. If he knows I¡¯m here, I reckon he will kick me out of the room and tell me to take this soup away with me. At that thought, she couldn¡¯t help but stop in her tracks and lean against the cold wall. She waited for some time until she calmed down before walking forward again. I don¡¯t care anymore. I¡¯ll endure his scolding for Floretta¡¯s sake! Unexpectedly, right after she reached the entrance of the ward, she heard a gentle, feminine voice coming from inside the room. ¡°Evander, you look exhausted. Did you stay up all night to take care of Floretta?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Evander responded. Then, he strode up to Floretta¡¯s bedside, touched her forehead, and asked concernedly, ¡°The fever has subsided. Are you feeling ufortable elsewhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little itchy,¡± the little girl answered piteously with a slightly hoarse voice. Heart aching, Evander coaxed her tenderly, ¡°The nurse will be here to apply medication for youter. Bear with this for another three days, and you¡¯ll recover.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Floretta. I know you¡¯re not feeling well, so you must remember this lesson and stay away from those indecent women,¡± Olivine advised the little girl sincerely and earnestly. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Immediately after that, she picked up the thermal container from the table and said with a smile, ¡°I specifically instructed the housekeeper to prepare mushroom soup. Since you haven¡¯t eaten yet, Evander,e and have some.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Evander responded, his tone a little less icy than before. Evander helped her get a few small bowls from the cupboard and filled them with soup. Not only were they very much in sync with one another, but they also looked great together and made a perfect match. The scene in the ward made Angeline¡¯s eyes hurt. She looked away, stared at the thermal food jar in her hands, andughed at herself mockingly. They¡¯re a family, whereas you merely apanied Floretta for a little longer. Do you really believe your status has changed? Feeling somewhat dejected, Angeline left the ward. She dumped the pork stew into the trash can after spotting it nearby. In the future, I¡¯ll heed Evander¡¯s earlier warning and stay away from Floretta and the Goldings! The atmosphere in the ward became less cordial after she left. Floretta, looking aggrieved, was seated on the hospital bed, her right hand attached to an IV drip and her other hand clutching a pillow. Evander could not do anything about her and was about to feed her when Olivine took a bowl of mushroom soup and gently reminded him, ¡°Don¡¯t pressure her to eat. Let me try.¡± With that, she carried the bowl of soup and approached Floretta¡¯s bed before lifting the spoon to her lips and blowing on it. ¡°Floretta, your body won¡¯t have immunity if you don¡¯t eat. I¡¯ll take you to the amusement park when you get better, okay?¡± Olivine coaxed. The aroma of the soup made Floretta, who was already hungry, brighten up. She could not think about anything else and turned her head to take a sip of soup from the spoon in Olivine¡¯s hand. Thetter raised her brows and smirked when she saw that. However, the next second, Floretta spat out everything after merely tasting it. ¡°It tastes awful.¡± Her face contorted into a look of disgust, and she started crying after letting out a few whimpers. ¡°It tastes far worse than Angel¡¯s soup. I want to see her. Otherwise, I won¡¯t eat.¡± Olivine frowned and clenched her fists when she saw the little girl making a fuss. This little brat! She¡¯s embarrassing me on purpose! ¡°Since you don¡¯t wish to eat, you can skip dinner as well, then,¡± Evander said coldly, displeasure evident in his tone. Floretta was shocked by his words, and so was Olivine. After all, it was the first time in all the years she had known him that he had disregarded his daughter and taken her side. Following that, she observed as Evander walked over to the hospital bed, his expression serious, and instructed in a deep voice, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to see Angeline again starting today. She has already put you in danger many times.¡± It was apparent that Floretta was startled by his words as her shoulders trembled a few times and she sobbed even louder. ¡°Daddy, I hate you! How could you change your attitude so suddenly? I don¡¯t want a new mommy! I only want Angel!¡± While crying and whining, she grabbed the pillow and all that was within her reach on the table and threw them all on the floor. In an instant, she had wreaked havoc on the entire ward. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Evander merely stood aside and looked on coldly with no intention of budging, allowing her to smash as she pleased. I¡¯ve been spoiling her far too much. It¡¯s time I get rid of that awful temper of hers! Just then, the nosy Olivine bent over to pick up the pillow. ¡°Be good, Floretta. Stop smashing¡ª¡± Before she could finish speaking, Floretta grabbed a ss nearby and hurled it toward the ground. For some reason, Olivine leaned forward, and the ss shattered on her skull. ¡°Ow! It hurts!¡± Olivine cried out with a pained expression. When Floretta heard that, she flinched and grabbed the quilt on the bed, covering her body so that only her big eyes were visible. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. It¡¯s your fault for being nosy and picking things up, Ms. Sherrock!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Evander snapped, looking at his daughter with a stern expression that he had never shown her before. ¡°Stay in the room and reflect on yourself! Look what you¡¯ve be now. It¡¯s time to hire a teacher to teach you proper etiquette.¡± With that, he reached out and pulled Olivine up from the ground before leading her to the Neurology Department. Olivine secretly smiled with smug satisfaction. She put most of her weight on Evander and clutched her forehead while saying feebly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Evander. You shouldn¡¯t have reprimanded Floretta so harshly just now. She¡¯s still a child¡ª¡± ¡°Save your breath!¡± he cut her off impatiently with a grim look. Just as they reached the corner of the corridor, Evander stopped momentarily, and his eyes fell on the thermal food jar on the lid of the trash can not far away. He could not help but take a couple more nces at the sticker with the three bears on the food jar because he thought it looked familiar. ¡°What are you thinking, Evander?¡± Olivine inquired, her eyes wide with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Evander assumed his usual frosty expression as he led her away as if nothing had happened. If I¡¯m not mistaken, I recall seeing this thermal food jar in Angeline¡¯s kitchen. Was she here this morning? Why didn¡¯t shee in? At that thought, Evander frowned as he recalled what he had said to Angeline the day before. At that time, she was in a fit of rage, and my words were indeed rather harsh. She must be furious. But¡­ it¡¯s also good that we didn¡¯t meet. Otherwise, Floretta will be reluctant to part with her again. On the hospital bed, Floretta was even more furious upon realizing that throwing a tantrum was useless and seeing her father lead the person she detested the most out of the ward. She angrily rubbed her face against the pillow she was hugging. It seems that Daddy and Angel¡¯s situation is already quite bad¡­ Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up as she suddenly had a n. She grabbed the phone on the bedside table, opened the Google search engine, and typed in: How to make your girlfriend happy? Soon, a variety of answers appeared below. As Floretta could not read many words, she could only recognize one word¡ªrose. The doctor took Olivine for a series of brain CT scans, and the results revealed that she was fine and that the bruise on her forehead would heal with time. She staggered out of the Neurology Department, looking as if she could fall at any second, and said weakly, ¡°I told you that I¡¯m fine, Evander, but you overreacted. Let¡¯s hurry back to Floretta to prevent anything from happening again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Floretta. You need to rest. I¡¯ll get Ss to send you home,¡± Evander uttered in a cold, unapproachable manner. Olivine bit her lip indignantly as she stared at his broad back. Unable to contain herself, she suggested, ¡°Let me go to the Golding residence to take care of Floretta after she¡¯s discharged from the hospital. That¡¯ll eliminate the opportunity for that crafty Angeline to act. Besides, our wedding date is approaching, so it¡¯s a good chance for us to strengthen our mother-daughter rtionship.¡± Evander frowned, and a touch of displeasure surfaced in his steely gaze as soon as she mentioned Angeline. Even though I also once doubted Angeline¡¯s motives for getting close to Floretta, I¡­ still don¡¯t wish to hear anyone calling her crafty. ¡°No need.¡± Evander did not hesitate to reject her. ¡°Floretta has Francesca to take care of her.¡± As he spoke, he left Ss behind, turned, and disappeared at the end of the corridor. Ding! Evander¡¯s phone chimed, alerting him to a purchase made from the bank card he had given Floretta for emergencies, but there was no indication of the source. He did not give it much thought since the little girl typically used that card to buy toys for herself. It¡¯s fine as long as she¡¯s happy. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 On the set of The Journey, Angeline turned all the dissatisfaction she had witnessed in the hospital into her motivation for filming. She fought with a sharp sword in her hand while suspended in midair by wires under the direction of the stunt coordinator in the zing sun. Because of the troublesome multipleyered traditional clothes she was wearing, she was covered in sweat after a while. The makeup artist had to follow her to constantly touch up her makeup. However, Angeline never voiced a singleint, which led Derek to look at her with admiration and approval. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s take a break.¡± In the end, the director had to call for them to stop. ¡°We¡¯re about to wrap up filming, so there¡¯s no need to go all out.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. McKenna.¡± Angeline panted. It was only until she saw the props being put away at the set that she was willing to take off the heavy armor on her body to get some air. ¡°Excuse me, is Ms. Angeline Sorelle here?¡± Just then, she noticed a courier standing at the entrance of the film set. ¡°That would be me.¡± Angeline frowned. ¡°Can I help you?¡± The courier took out a bouquet of brightly colored roses from the back seat of his motorcycle and handed it to her. ¡°Mr. Golding told me to deliver it to you.¡± After saying that, the courier rode away on his motorcycle. Angeline could only swallow the query she was going to utter. Then, as if something had suddenly dawned on her, bewilderment could be seen in her eyes. Mr. Golding¡­ Evander? Isn¡¯t he being all lovey-dovey with his fianc¨¦e? Why would he send me flowers? She had no choice but to carry the bouquet of roses to the lounge first. As she was heading there, many of the actresses from the film noticed it and eximed in awe. ¡°Wow! Who sent you these flowers, Angie? They¡¯re so pretty!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so envious, but it¡¯s perfectly normal for someone like you to receive flowers, Angie.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to be like you¡­¡± Angeline blushed from the teasing and praises of the young girls, and a smile crept up her face. She was no different from the majority of women who enjoyed receivingpliments. After returning to the lounge, she specifically found a vase for the flowers, and while she was misting them, she unexpectedly found a card tucked inside. When she opened the card, which still had a pleasant flowery scent to it, she found that it was vigorously scrawled with the following words: Apologies for being too impulsivest time. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Angeline was even more certain it was from Evander after reading it. She pursed her lips as she felt something warm seep into her heart, taking away the frustrations and fatigue of the day. Over the next few days, Angeline never visited Floretta in the hospital but chatted with her on WhatsApp. On the day Floretta was discharged from the hospital, both Evander and Olivine came to pick her up. Although the little girl spent a long time scanning the entrance, there was no sign of the familiar figure. Disappointed, she got into the car and returned to the Golding residence. As soon as Francesca opened the door to wee them, Floretta noticed a tiny mound of gifts stacked up in the living room. ¡°Congrattions on getting discharged from the hospital, Floretta.¡± Olivine took her by the hand and led her to the gifts. She picked up a doll and said with a warm smile, ¡°These are the toys I bought for you, and there are many more. See if there¡¯s anything you like.¡± Floretta looked at the pile of toys, and instead of showing any interest, she put on a look of disgust on her face. ¡°I¡¯m no longer a three-year-old child, Ms. Sherrock. I¡¯ve long stopped ying with these toys.¡± Embarrassment was written all over Olivine¡¯s face. Damn it! This brat is so hard to please. ¡°Watch your manners, Floretta,¡± Evander admonished in a low voice, his expression somewhat stern. Floretta tilted her head and looked at him innocently. ¡°But the kindergarten teacher taught us that children should be honest. If I don¡¯t call her Ms. Sherrock, should I call her Mdm. Sherrock instead?¡± Francesca chuckled under her breath when she heard that from where she stood at the side. On the other hand, Olivine¡¯s face turned red in anger. She forced out a stiff smile and uttered graciously, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s merely a form of address.¡± You¡¯ll be sorry, brat, when I marry into the Golding family! Ding dong! Just then, the doorbell rang. Francesca hurriedly ran over to open the door. ¡°Excuse me, is this Floretta¡¯s home?¡± A pleasant female voice rang out. Floretta turned to look at the visitor and broke into a joyful smile as she ran toward the woman with her arms wide open. ¡°What brings you here, Ms. Nancy? Did Angel tell you toe?¡± ¡°How are you so smart, Floretta?¡± Nancy smiled and tapped the little girl¡¯s nose before taking out a thermal food jar from behind her. ¡°Your Angel got up early this morning to make you a nutritious meal and some pastries. Go and try them.¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up. She ran to the kitchen with the food jar in her arms after letting out an exmation of excitement. Only after the little girl had left did Nancy rose to her feet. Her expression gradually became serious as she stared at Evander and Olivine standing behind him. After giving him a nod, she said to Evander, ¡°Mr. Golding, Angeline has been busy with filming recently, so she asked me to deliver it on her behalf.¡± Evander looked at Floretta¡¯s jubnt figure in the dining room and did not stop her. Instead, he approached Nancy, looked down at her, and asked, ¡°She made it herself?¡± ¡°Yes. She¡¯s been so busy filming these days that she doesn¡¯t even have time to rest. If I hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would¡¯vee to pick up Floretta,¡± Nancy said truthfully as she stretched out her hand and fanned the hot air in front of her eyes. Evander was momentarily stunned when he heard that, and an iprehensible emotion filled his dark eyes. I assumed Angeline would be upset about what I¡¯d said previously in the hospital. I didn¡¯t expect that she didn¡¯t care much about this and would still be deeply concerned about Floretta. His expression gradually softened, and there was no longer any repulsion in his tone. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll get my assistant to send you back in a while.¡± ¡°No need for that. I came with my driver.¡± Nancy hurriedly waved her hand, ttered by his gesture. Before leaving, she stared intently at Evander and said solemnly, ¡°I know I have no right to intervene, Mr. Golding, but I wish to say a few words for Angeline.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I have been with Angeline for so many years, and I know her character very well. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t attend any social event I arranged for her with the producer or the boss, let alone hurt Floretta, whom she adores so much, to win you over. You truly misunderstood her this time.¡± Hearing Nancy¡¯s words, Evander furrowed his brows slightly. His heart instantly felt empty, as he realized he might have truly misunderstood something. The assumption he had in his mind wavered once more. Although I feel sorry for my daughter¡­ was I truly too harsh on Angeline? After Nancy left, Evander went to the dining room to see Floretta. Francesca helped her get a small bowl, and she clutched the spoon tightly as she slurped the oatmeal and ate the green vegetables she had always refused to eat in the past. When Evander saw that, he curled his lips upward helplessly before walking up to Floretta. The little girl snorted at him and held the bowl close to her chest, fearing that he would steal her food. Evander sat down on the chair beside her, patted her head, and asked gently, ¡°Do you like Angeline¡¯s food so much, Floretta, that it can¡¯t bepared to toys?¡± ¡°This is different.¡± The look Floretta gave him was filled with seriousness as she exined word by word, ¡°Toys are cold, but Angel¡¯s food is prepared with love. Daddy, you can¡¯t hate her anymore. I was the one who insisted on having the crab. It¡¯s not that she intentionally wanted to harm me. If you bully her again, I¡¯ll pack my bags and move into her house!¡± Evander was rendered speechless, feeling slightly taken aback. He had never imagined his daughter to say such things. Thinking back to the anxious and distressed look on Angeline¡¯s face when Floretta got into a dangerous situation, Evander fell silent for a long time. Olivine overheard the conversation between the father and daughter in the dining room from outside the door. Her slender fingers gripped the door frame tightly as jealousy flooded her gaze. She finally understood that despite her best efforts, Floretta would never be won over in the slightest because she only had Angeline in her heart. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 The only way she could sessfully marry into the Golding family was to get rid of the girl. That way, noplications would arise. After two busy weeks, Angeline finished herst scene, and ¡°The Journey¡± officially wrapped up. That night, Derek held arge celebration party and booked two floors in a hotel. All of the cast members and staff members gathered together for the asion. s, Jacob had something else on, so he could not join them. The table was filled with scrumptious dishes, and there was even fondue in the middle. Everything smelled fragrant. Derek was first to raise his ss, and as he inclined his head at the others, a rare smile crept onto his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a tough few months for everyone, but the audience has noticed your hard work. ¡°The Journey¡± has yet to air, but it has already trended on the inte six times, and the video that the official Twitter ount uploaded has reached three hundred million view counts.¡± The crowd was joyous to hear that the show was already receiving such a great response from the public, even though it had yet to be released. ¡°Although Jacob can¡¯t be here today, we have to acknowledge how Angeline has pushed aside her other jobs to focus on the filming. So, let us toast to her and thank her for her hard work too!¡± Just as those words were out of Derek¡¯s mouth, the fellow actors and actresses all lifted their sses and looked at Angeline kindly. All of them sang her praises politely. Angeline nodded humbly and expressed her gratitude. ¡°Frankly, it¡¯s all thanks to the film crew that I¡¯ve achieved these results today. Let me give Mr. McKenna and everyone else a toast as well.¡± It was only then Derek realized that he had made a mistake with his speech, and he shook his head weakly. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s not talk about those anymore. What we need to do today is to enjoy ourselves.¡± With that, the people raised their sses and clinked them with each other. After drinking, everyone began digging into the food. In the middle of their merry celebration, someone suddenly said, ¡°Mr. Golding is here!¡± ¡°Mr. Golding¡ª¡± The others thought that the one who spoke was only joking, but when they heard the steady footsteps behind them, they turned around. Then, when their gazesnded on the domineering man, looks of shock appeared on their faces. Derek was the first to respond to that, and he quickly hurried over to Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, why didn¡¯t you tell us that you wereing? We started the party without you.¡± The film¡¯srgest investor was Evander Golding, and they had invited him to the film wrap party. However, they were sure that he would not bother showing up to a casual celebration like that. Yet, to their surprise, he showed up. Evander muttered, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was in the area for a business talk, and I heard from my assistant that you were wrapping up the show today, so I came over.¡± As he spoke, his eyes drifted toward Angeline. In a lower voice, he said, ¡°I heard praises about your acting, Ms. Sorelle. I hope we¡¯ll be able to continue working together in the future.¡± Instantly, the others cast envious looks at Angeline. It was a dream for many to receive Evander¡¯s approval. Angeline froze for a second. When she thought about the bouquet of roses she received, strange feelings rose in her chest. Did Evander really send them? Nevertheless, she rposed herself in mere seconds and politely responded, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Golding. I hope I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Right then, Derek stood up and said, ¡°Mr. Golding, since our film wrap party has just started, why don¡¯t you take a seat and join us for a while?¡± Evander did not even want to socialize most of the time, let alone attend events like this. To Angeline¡¯s knowledge, this party was not something he would join in on. However, he uttered, ¡°It¡¯s been tough for you all. Please order anything you like. I¡¯ll foot the bill.¡± Simr looks of shock crossed the people¡¯s faces. A beatter, they cheered noisily. Evander was definitely going to be generous if he offered to foot the bill. Angeline was the only one with a pale face. She kept her head hung as she stabbed the fork down on her te. Why did he suddenly appear here? What is he trying to do? ¡°Well, there¡¯s a seat beside Angeline,¡± Derek deliberately pointed out. Evander made no words of protest as he walked past the crowd to sit down on the spot beside Angeline. Promptly, Angeline felt goosebumps all over her body, and a chill even ran down her spine. However, she had the director and the producer sitting across her, so she could not bring herself to reject him. For the rest of the party, she kept her head hanging low. Furthermore, the food tasted like wax in her mouth throughout the meal. On the other hand, Evander¡¯s side was lively. Many actresses hade to him to toast with him, and they even pulled the cors of their dresses lower. They were a minute away from outright sitting on his lap. Evander did not reject any of them as he drank one ss after another. A wave of frustration swelled in Angeline¡¯s chest as she breathed in the sharp scent of their perfumes, and she tossed the spoon in her hand into the soup bowl. The resulting noise startled Evander, and he turned to look at her. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, is the food not to your liking?¡± After saying that, he lifted his ss and elegantly took a sip of his red wine. Angeline¡¯s fury only grew when she registered his look of enjoyment. ¡°No!¡± Despite her reply, Angeline instinctively shifted to the side. He¡¯s a father, but he¡¯s still not considerate of Floretta. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s still trying to flirt as if he¡¯s an irresponsible young man. Evander shot Angeline a look, but he did not speak and continued to drink his wine. Nevertheless, there was a sh of indiscernible look in his eyes. After the party finally ended, and just as Angeline was about to leave, she heard an actor from the film crew suggest, ¡°It¡¯s still early, so why don¡¯t we y a game?¡± ¡°Sure! I don¡¯t mind!¡± The others were quick to agree with him. What was most important was that Evander was around. Who would not want to take the opportunity to get closer to him? Angeline stood up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone, but I have something to do, so I¡¯ll have to leave first.¡± With that, she picked up her bag on the table. Right then, the man who suggested the game said, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, the slight dy won¡¯t matter much, right? You¡¯ll be killing the mood if you leave.¡± A look of displeasure appeared on Derek¡¯s face as well, and he gestured for the server to fill Angeline¡¯s ss. ¡°That¡¯s right. What could be more important than to keep Mr. Goldingpany?¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. When she noticed that Evander seemed indifferent and was not nning to help her out, she took in a deep breath to tamp down her anger and sat down. The rules of the game were simple. The participants were going to take a card, and the one with the largest number would have to receive punishment as dictated by the others. At the start, Evander went to take a conference call thatsted half an hour, so the others went wild with their requests. Some had to kiss a pir for a whole minute, and some had to pole dance in front of the server. The unruly atmosphere made Angeline furrow her brows as fear crawled into her heart. ¡°Sorry for my long absence.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Evander had returned, but something seemed to have happened, for his expression was grim. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mr. Golding. We¡¯re ying a game. Why don¡¯t you join us?¡± said an actor who was sitting by his side. ¡°Sure, how do I y this?¡± Again, the people were surprised at Evander¡¯s agreement, and they stiffened. The one giving out the cards was first to return to his senses, and he let Evander draw the first card. When Angeline drew her card, her face fell. It was the King of Hearts. Furthermore, Evander had gotten the same card as her. What kind of luck is this? No one dared to say anything too audacious when they saw Evander¡¯s expressionless face. Finally, a bold person suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t the two of you intertwine arms and drink?¡± Hearing that, Angeline stered an awkward expression on her face. Without a doubt, Evander¡¯s going to reject that! Chapter 106 Chapter 106 To avoid embarrassing herself when he rejected the request, Angeline quickly said, ¡°No, since we¡¯ve both drawn the same card, this shouldn¡¯t count. Why don¡¯t we restart the round?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Are you afraid, Ms. Sorelle?¡± came Evander¡¯s teasing voice. Upon turning her head and seeing his icy gaze, Angeline fumed. In the end, she gritted out, ¡°Who¡¯s afraid? I¡¯ll drink it!¡± Isn¡¯t it just a drink? Who¡¯s afraid now? At that, she stood up and grabbed a ss from the table before turning toward Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, a ss for you. Thank you for your care all this while. It¡¯ll be great if I get to work with you again.¡± Only Evander could understand the sarcasm in Angeline¡¯s words. Evander raised his ss as well. Yet, at that moment, Angeline leaned forward to wrap her arm around his neck and held the ss behind him. ¡°Wow!¡± the crowd cheered. When Evander smelled the pungent scent of alcohol wafting off her, he frowned and said, ¡°Drink lesser.¡± His words made tears well up in his eyes, and a self-deprecating curl appeared on her lips. ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯re so sweet with your fianc¨¦e, but you still have the heart to care about others?¡± Evander¡¯s furrowed brows rxed when he heard Angeline¡¯s response. Even his lips curled. He finally figured out why Angeline had a scowl the entire night. When he thought about the sk in the trash can, a knot that had been in Evander¡¯s mind came undone. Meanwhile, Angeline downed the wine and sat back on her seat before angrily wiping the remnant wine off the corner of her lips. Seriously? Why did I have to say those things earlier? What does Evander¡¯s matter have anything to do with me? After that, Angeline seemed to have gotten a streak of bad luck. She kept losing in the game, but she learned her lesson. She would rather drink than take another dare. A few sses of wer, Angeline began to find the world spinning around her. She even stumbled when she rose to her feet. ¡°You¡¯ve had one ss too many,¡± came the familiar voice by her ear. In the next instance, arge hand steadily held her thin waist, and Angeline fell into his warm arms. Her eyes were bloodshot when she looked at him. ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern.¡± She struggled, but perhaps she was a little too drunk, for her words of anger sounded more like she wanted his attention. Evander grabbed her arm again, and without giving her a chance to struggle anymore, he aggressively wrapped his arms around her. ¡°My apologies. I¡¯ll send Angeline back to the hotel first,¡± Evander said, his tone t. The directors and the actors were all dumbfounded by Evander¡¯s actions, but none dared to stop him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to¡ª¡± The words that nearly went past Angeline¡¯s lips were forced back down her throat. Evander then took her bag from the chair and dragged the drunkard out of the hotel. Is he out of his mind? There are already rumors about us being in a rtionship, and won¡¯t his actions tonight affirm those rumors? Angeline half-stumbled and was half-towed out of the hotel. Before she coulde back to her senses, she was thrown in the car. ¡°Ow, that hurts¡­¡± ¡°So you still feel pain, huh?¡± Evander¡¯s expression was frigid as he hunched over his towering figure and grabbed one of her fidgeting hands. ¡°Weren¡¯t you enjoying yourself when you were drinking with those actors earlier?¡± His questioning tone tightened Angeline¡¯s throat. After a long while, she finally found her voice again. ¡°So what? I have my freedom even since I¡¯m single. Also, this is after work hours. This shouldn¡¯t be your business, right?¡± Her aggressive words made Evander¡¯s expression darken even further. ¡°Do you not know how to have some self-control as an actress?¡± Anger boiled in Angeline when she heard that. Did you just say I have no self-control? What kind of person do you think I am? The alcohol running in her veins boosted her courage, and the aggrieved feelings in her grew. He¡¯s the one who sent flowers and apologized, but he¡¯s also the one who¡¯s making it seem like those things never happened. What in the world is he trying to do? At that, the sadness Angeline had been feeling for hours rose to her throat, and she snapped, ¡°Mr. Golding, I don¡¯t think my matters require your concern. You were the one who stopped me from interacting with Floretta. I have no right to be around someone as high and mighty as you, so I¡¯m keeping my distance now. What else do you want from me?¡± Evander was bereft of words from her angry outburst, but the irritation in him only turned even more intense. ¡°Is this the way you should be speaking to me?¡± As he said that, he gripped Angeline¡¯s chin and leaned closer to her intimidatingly. The pain was so great that Angeline could not speak. Her back was pressed hard against the seat, and she dared not move at all. By then, hot tears had welled up in her eyes. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Somehow, Evander found his heart hurting from the sight of the misery in her eyes. He frowned. D*mn it. Why can¡¯t I bear to see Angeline¡¯s tears at all? I resent her, but I can¡¯t bring myself to keep attacking her anymore. All I want is to embrace her tightly. Angeline sensed Evander¡¯s breathing bingborious. All of a sudden, her lips were sealed by a pair of cold lips. Her eyes widened, and she stared at his face in disbelief. Just as she ced her hands on the man¡¯s chest to push him away, the man pried her mouth open, invaded her senses, and cut off the noises she made. The kiss came so suddenly Angeline¡¯s face flushed bright red. The scent of alcohol in the car was strong. Even her mind felt as if it had gotten drunk. She did not know why the kiss somehow made her calm down. Honk¡ª Right then, the sounds of car honking came from behind. Angeline snapped back to her senses and stopped Evander¡¯s wandering hands. After shoving him away, she pped him, her embarrassment having turned into wrath. Smack! It was a forceful p. Evander¡¯s expression darkened as a red handprint manifested on his cheek. Even the temperature in the car plummeted. ¡°Mr. Golding, you have a fianc¨¦e! Please have some self-respect!¡± she shouted at him. Evander¡¯s status was the least of her concerns at that moment. All she wanted was to get justice for herself. Why¡­ Why is he treating me like I¡¯m an easy woman? Angeline¡¯s eyes turned red as she shoved his chest again and got out of the car. Silence returned to the car following her departure. After calming down, the heat in Evander dissipated a little. As he massaged the bridge of his nose, a look of remorse appeared in his eyes. He was a man who exercised great self-restraint¡ªhe was not someone who would be impulsive just because of some words from others. Yet, it felt as if one of the ropes holding him back had torn. Indeed, he had grown feelings for Angeline. That was why he was trying to get close to her despite himself. That feeling was the same as the one he felt when he first saw Floretta. The desire to have her by his side was not one dictated by his rationality. It was alreadyte in the night, and it was exceptionally cold in the streets. Angeline only wore a thin dress, so she had to hug herself to keep herself a little warmer. No taxis came to her even though she tried to hail one for a very long time. The further Angeline went down the street, the angrier she became. As she bit down hard on her lower lip, she took off the painful heels and threw them onto the ground. Evander did not even bothering after her. It was clear that he had to have realized his actions earlier were fueled by nothing but a moment of rashness. So he¡¯s allowed to be a bully just because he¡¯s rich and powerful? Just as Angeline vented her discontentment, a ck car stopped beside Angeline. Then, the door slowly opened, and Ss stepped out of the vehicle. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯vee to take you back to the hotel,¡± Ss said before hunching over to pick up Angeline¡¯s heels from the ground. ¡°Where¡¯s your boss?¡± ¡°Mr. Golding said he knows you don¡¯t want to see him right now, so he has left,¡± Ss reported as he passed her the heels. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please put on your heels first. The ground is freezing.¡± Angeline quietly took the shoes and cast a grateful look at Ss. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 The weather was indeed freezing outside. Angeline stopped acting temperamental, put on her shoes, and got into Ss¡¯ car. Soon, the car arrived at the hotel. ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline spoke softly. She reached out to grab the door handle but felt slightly ufortable because she was drunk from drinking alcohol. Seeing that, Ss got out of the car, walked around the vehicle, and helped her open the door to the backseat. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, this is the medication to help you sober up that Mr. Golding asked me to buy for you.¡± After assisting her to get out of the car, Ss handed Angeline a bag of medications. ¡°I don¡¯t want it,¡± she refused. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you¡¯re making things difficult for me.¡± Instead of retracting his arm, he regarded her with a troubled look. ¡°Actually, Mr. Golding genuinely cares about you.¡± ¡°He cares about me? Isn¡¯t he about to get married to his fianc¨¦e? I don¡¯t think what he¡¯s doing is at all appropriate!¡± ¡°Are you talking about Ms. Sherrock?¡± Brows furrowed, Ss asked strangely, ¡°Mr. Golding said he¡¯s calling off their engagement. Hasn¡¯t he executed the n?¡± He¡¯s calling off their engagement? Angeline was stunned after she heard him. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t divulge that information,¡± Ss replied grimly. He stayed tight-lipped subsequently. No matter how she pestered him, he wouldn¡¯t answer her. After handing her the pack of medication, he swiftly left in his car. Staring at the back of his car, which gradually grew smaller and finally disappeared from her vision, Angeline clenched her fists. She also became significantly sober at that moment. She gazed up at the starry night sky and took a deep breath, feeling much more ted. Meanwhile, at the Golding residence, Evander wore a grimace since he entered the house, seemingly in a bad mood. Francesca carefully served him his supper. While he sipped on his bowl of soup in the dining room, he saw Floretta, dressed in pajamas, approach him. Her curly hair draped over her shoulders like a porcin doll. She held her sunny doll in one hand while rubbing her groggy eyes with the other hand. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His grimace gradually dissipated when he saw her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Upon hearing that, Floretta hastily jogged up to him and climbed up hisp in one swift motion. Then, she sat properly and said, ¡°I was waiting for you toe home.¡± Evander could figure out her intention instantaneously. He stretched out his hand to poke her nose. ¡°Tell me. What toys do you want to buy now?¡± Floretta appeared exceptionally adorable as she chuckled with her round eyes shining. ¡°I don¡¯t want to buy a toy. Daddy, the Labor Day holiday ising soon. There won¡¯t be any sses at the kindergarten that day, so can I go out to y?¡± Hearing that, Evander frowned. Only then did he realize how busy he had been with work. He didn¡¯t even notice May was around the corner in the blink of an eye, Unfortunately, he had arranged to go for outstation work the day after tomorrow, and he would be gone for an entire week. At that thought, he shed an apologetic look, held Floretta tightly in his arms, and uttered gently, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to free up some time to apany you and bring you out to have fun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. My teacher told us our parents are working very hard to earn money, so, as their children, we should learn to be more considerate,¡± Floretta responded earnestly while patting her chest. A hint of contentment glinted in his eyes as Evander looked at her daughter. She didn¡¯t attend kindergarten for naught, after all. ¡°You can do your work, Daddy. Someone will bring me out to y.¡± Evander assumed Floretta meant Francesca by ¡°someone.¡± Hence, he didn¡¯t stop her. He reminded her in a deep voice, ¡°You can go out as long as you¡¯ll stay safe.¡± ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best, Daddy!¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes lit up as she reacted in an unusually exhrating manner. She hugged his neck and pecked his cheek. Evander embraced his daughter. A tender smile spread across his face. It seems like Angeline is right. Since Floretta went to kindergarten, she has be more cheerful. She no longer badgers me with requests to meet with Angeline and has grown more independent. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t be too overprotective toward her as before too. I should asionally bring her out and spend time with her to strengthen our bond. Evander¡¯s anger, triggered by the p to his face, melted away as the thought surfaced in his mind. Although Angeline is always causing trouble, I cannot deny that Floretta has changed a lot because of her. If I let her be Floretta¡¯s mommy¡­ ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Daddy, have you met with Angel recently?¡± Floretta lifted her head and regarded her father withrge, gleaming eyes. ¡°Yes. She asked you to behave and said she¡¯lle and visit you when she¡¯s free,¡± Evander lied without hesitation. Taking in his faint smile, Floretta felt delighted. This is so great! Daddy and Angel¡¯s rtionship is showing progress. I¡¯ll have to work harder to make her my stepmom. Upon attaining her goal, Floretta said good night to Evander and ran back to her room joyfully while hugging her doll. Without her usual rm to wake her up, Angeline slept until the afternoon. She still felt dizzy when she woke up, as if a car had run over her. She sat up on the bed topose herself before picking up her phone on the bedside table. A few film crew members, such as the director and some actors, greeted her concernedly. She briefly replied to all of them before finally reading thetest message Nancy sent to her. As the filming for ¡°The Journey¡± had officially wrapped up, Nancy drafted an updated uing schedule for Angeline. Aside from a few minor advertisements, Nancy also epted a job for her to participate in a variety show called ¡°Move It, Baby.¡± That variety show featured celebrity guests bringing an unfamiliar child to explore ces all over the country and aplish missions. And the male celebrity coborating with Angeline was none other than Jacob. While Angeline was reading the rules for the missions, Nancy called her via WhatsApp. She immediately swiped the screen to answer the call. Nancy uttered solemnly, ¡°Have you seen my messages? You can seize this opportunity to rest for a few days for the shooting of this variety show since you¡¯ve just finished filming for ¡°The Journey.¡± We¡¯ll be departing to Summerbank in the afternoon of the day after tomorrow for the making of this variety show.¡± Angeline furrowed her brows after hearing that, as she couldn¡¯t fathom the rationale behind Nancy¡¯s arrangements. ¡°I understand why I have to coborate with Jacob, but why does it have to be a children-themed variety show?¡± ¡°I calcted the statistics and found out most of your fans adore you as part of a couple. Therefore, we must grasp this opportunity to let the public see how you and Jacob care for a child. That¡¯ll be so interesting, and the remuneration will be handsome!¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. She was impressed by Nancy¡¯s money-oriented personality. Still, she was d to ept the offer since the job paid well, could assist her in garnering fame, and also allowed her to go on vacation. Coincidentally, Angeline had been feeling quite moodytely, so she needed to take a breather. She finished shootings for all the local advertisements in two days. Then, she packed her luggage and went to the airport. However, Angeline was instantly dumbfounded when she saw the man and child sitting in the lounge. This is impossible. Why is Floretta here at the airport? Angeline thought her eyes were ying tricks on her. She blinked and opened her eyes again, but the scene remained the same. What¡¯s going on? Amidst her confusion, cameramen emerged from all directions and surrounded her. The producer shouted, ¡°Hurry! Capture Angeline¡¯s first reaction when she meets the child.¡± The next second, shlights from the cameras blinded her as the cameramen took pictures and videos of her face. Taken by surprise, Angeline raised her arms to cover her eyes from the dazzling lights. ¡°Angel!¡± At that moment, Jacob, holding Floretta¡¯s hand, got up from their seats. Both of them were dressed in casual, vacation-style outfits. They walked toward her while dragging arge and small suitcase, respectively. Their outstanding good looks instantly attracted the attention of the passengers at the airport. The passers-by took out their phones and secretly took photos of them. ¡°It¡¯s really you?¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 When Angeline realized the girl was Floretta, she questioned Jacob with an anxious look on her face, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± With a hand in his pocket, Jacob exined flippantly, ¡°The director mentioned that we still need a young kid who isn¡¯t a celebrity, so I nominated Floretta because she¡¯s both smart and pretty!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll overlook Floretta¡¯s part because she doesn¡¯t know right from wrong, but how could you mess around like this?¡± Given how protective Evander was over Floretta, he must have had no idea that Jacob and Floretta had joined the program. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed Floretta to tag along. Angeline couldn¡¯tment on it due to them being filmed by cameras around them. All the while, the director was ushering them to board the ne. She didn¡¯t feel safe leaving Floretta at the airport alone. Out of options, she could only bring Floretta along. The cameraman followed Angeline as she dragged her luggage behind while on her way to board the ne. Unused to being filmed while not acting, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. At that moment, Jacob approached her and took her luggage with a smug grin on his face. ¡°This must be your first time on a variety show, Angie. Calm down. I¡¯m here for you.¡± ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Angeline reminded him in slight exasperation, still angry at him. Jacob would be in trouble if Evander knew Jacob had signed Floretta up for the show without his consent. ¡°I¡¯m not scared of him. Everything will already be decided when he finds out about this.¡± Jacob huffed and used all his might to stash all the luggage into the container. Angeline didn¡¯t bother with a reply. You¡¯re still too young. The folly of youth! While she regretted what happened, what was done was done, so she could only text their whereabouts to Evander before their flight took off. He seemed busy somehow, for Angeline didn¡¯t get a reply from him even after waiting for ten or so minutes. As the ne picked up speed, Angeline¡¯s ears buzzed with the sounds of gears turning. The ufortable sensation made her switch off her phone earlier. With how things were, she could only go with the flow. Evander had just finished a meeting about several decisions regarding international trading with his coborator in Spaunia, Bryce Watson. It was almost midnight when they exited the conference room. Bryce invited him over for dinner in a hotel with zest despite the quirky Chanaean he spoke. Evander epted his invitation. While on their way to the restaurant, Ss hurried over and whispered into Evander¡¯s ear, ¡°Things are bad, Mr. Golding. Francesca just called to inform me that Ms. Floretta had snuck out again.¡± Evander stopped in his tracks with a solemn expression upon hearing that. ¡°Why did you only inform me now, given the graveness of the matter?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you since you seemed to be busy. However, you have nothing to worry about. Ms. Floretta left with Mr. Zane, so she¡¯s in safe hands.¡± Evander frowned in frustration when he heard Jacob¡¯s name being mentioned. He felt even less assured upon hearing Jacob¡¯s name, for thetter was undependable, and Floretta might get into trouble while following him around. Evander took out his phone from his pocket and saw the messages Angeline had sent him after switching it on. Upon getting a grasp on what had happened and of Floretta¡¯s whereabouts, he stopped frowning. To his surprise, he had begun trusting Angeline a lot, which was a realization that elicited a frown from him. ¡°Mr. Golding, do you need a flight ticket to Summerbank booked to fetch Floretta back home?¡± Ss carefully inquired, for he had a hard time reading Evander¡¯s mood from the impassive look he wore. Evander¡¯s face fell as he heard Ss¡¯ inquiry. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Given Floretta¡¯s personality, he was aware that she might get angry at him if he barged in and dragged her back home. Besides, they would likely already havended at Summerbank Airport, so he might exhaust Floretta if his arrival caused even more of an upheaval. ¡°Would you like to have dinner together, Mr. Golding?¡± asked Bryce, who was next to him. He couldn¡¯t understand Chanaean much, so he was filled with curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Evander had an apologetic look as he briefed Bryce about the situation. After that, he dyed all his work abroad and dialed a number after taking out his phone. Angeline and the rest finallynded at Summerbank after a lengthy flight of more than ten hours. She handed her luggage to the staff and left the airport holding Floretta¡¯s hand. As soon as they stepped out of the airport, they noticed flowers blooming by the road. The air smelled of the ocean, but it wasn¡¯t gross at all. Floretta hadn¡¯t slept and had chatted away with Jacob instead while on her way there, so she was feeling drowsy after getting off the ne. She yawned with bleary eyes as shey on Angeline¡¯sp. ¡°Angel, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± She was still looking forward to her meal despite feeling exhausted. Angeline couldn¡¯t bring herself to chide Floretta upon taking in her adorable face. While caressing her head, Angeline coaxed gently, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m taking you to where we¡¯ll be staying for a meal now. Lean on me and take a nap.¡± As she spoke, she lifted Floretta from the ground and into the car while the cameras filmed her. At the same time, Jacob was taken aback by how well-received he was overseas. He had just gotten rid of his fans and told the driver to leave the airport immediately after he got into the car. Their lodging wasn¡¯t far from the airport. The crew rented a three-story guesthouse, which they¡¯ll be sharing with two other groups. They arrived first, so they got to pick where they would be staying at. Angeline chose the room on the second floor near the window and had Floretta stay with her. Jacob helped carry Floretta off the car upon their arrival at the guesthouse. As they entered the room, he watched Angeline in amusement. ¡°Angie, you settled into your role as a mother unexpectedly fast.¡± ¡°Cut the nonsense.¡± Angeline glowered at him, obviously showing more restraint in her movements. She was doing so for Jacob¡¯s sake, worried that Evander mightsh out at him after rushing his way to them. Upon entering the room, Jacob tucked Floretta in and put their luggage down before reminding Angeline thoughtfully, ¡°Filming starts tomorrow. Get plenty of rest tonight. I¡¯ll inform the director of our arrival.¡± Angeline felt warmth course through her heart. Noticing the sweat on Jacob¡¯s forehead, she handed him some tissue. ¡°Thanks for your hard work. You should get some rest too.¡± ted, Jacob stared at her with an excited smile on his face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite with me, Angie. You helped me out before, so I can protect you now that I¡¯ve grown up.¡± Angeline pursed her lips while checking him out with aplex look in her eyes. Jacob was good in the sense that he was straightforward. However, he had been keeping close contact with her. While it was understandable when they were filming together, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if, by nning and taking both Floretta and her to Summerbank, he was merely trying to repay her kindness. After Jacob left, Angeline nced around at the cameras set up in every corner of the house. There was another cameraman in a small tent trying his best to hide his presence. She couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand to rub between her brows in exhaustion. She figured she had done her best by keeping her sanity while under constant scrutiny. Fortunately, the footage would undergo postproduction editing, so she figured she could have Nancy inform the film crew to keep Floretta¡¯s identity a secret. The little girl slept soundly in bed. Angeline walked up to her and draped a small nket over her before strolling to the balcony. The setting sun dyed the sky crimson. From where she stood at the guesthouse, she could see that it was located halfway up the mountain. Underneath her was a running river, while the rolling hills spread out afar, seemingly without an end. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Angeline raised her head and inhaled deeply while looking at the sky. Throughout the years, she had been busy seeking revenge and searching for her children. It had been a while since she got time to rx. Although Angeline liked the environment there, she wouldn¡¯t stay for long because she knew better than anybody else that she shouldn¡¯t be distracted by the beauty before her. She had toplete a far more important mission. Ding! Her phone in her pocket rang at that moment. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Angeline checked her phone and saw a reply from Evander: Okay¡­ Please take care of Floretta. Angeline wondered if that was all he had to say. She waited for another half a day, but Evander still did not say anything more than just that short reply, making her perplexed. Is that it? I thought he would be furious and question me. Evander¡¯s reaction confused her, but when Angeline recalled how she pped him back in the car and how he would usually behave, she was certain that he was still upset. Resigned, she went to the bedside and caressed Floretta¡¯s head with a tinge of sadness in her heart. He should not have just left Floretta alone, even if he is angry with me. Floretta woke up halfway through her sleep, so Angeline gave her some food that she happened to keep for Floretta earlier, and the two went to bed together after that. The next day, all the guests in the production team had to finish some tasks in order to get breakfast. Given Jacob¡¯s unattentiveness, it did not ur to him that Floretta needed anything more than just a few sets of clothes to be well-equipped for the scorching sun in Summerbank. Smiling in resignation, Angeline put on sunscreen on Floretta¡¯s body, tied her hair, and helped her put on the light blue uniform the film crew distributed yesterday before buttoning up her clothes. ¡°Angel, did Daddy call?¡± Floretta asked, rubbing her tired eyes and looking at her. Angeline was caught in a difficult situation by the girl¡¯s abrupt question. However, after a brief contemtion, she figured she should not worry the girl, so she replied gently, ¡°Of course. He was happy to know you¡¯re safe and even asked me to take good care of you so you can enjoy your holiday.¡± ¡°Really? He allowed me toe? He is not punishing me for it?¡± Seeing Floretta¡¯s jaw drop in surprise, Angeline shook her head speechlessly as she finished off the last button. ¡°Actually, your dad is strict with you only because he loves you. He will understand if you talk to him nicely, so don¡¯t run away secretly again, all right?¡± Angeline advised patiently, rubbing the girl¡¯s nose with her long fingers. Exhrated, Floretta smiled so widely that her eyes curved into crescent shapes. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do as you say, Angel.¡± ¡°Well, well. Did I miss anything? You look like you¡¯re over cloud nine.¡± As the duo trailed the charming male voice, Jacob was spotted leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed before his chest. When Floretta saw him, she skipped over to him and clung to his leg, chuckling. ¡°Jac, you¡¯re so clever. Daddy really didn¡¯t punish me. He agreed to let me participate in the production and even asked me to have fun here.¡± ¡°Did he?¡± Jacob pursed his lips with a gleeful look on his face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that old fox has finallye around.¡± Well, I¡¯m disappointed Evander¡¯s men did not storm into the set. What a bummer. ¡°All right. They might not be filming this morning, but you will still need to be careful what you say,¡± Angeline reminded, shooting a cautionary re at Jacob. Then, Angeline, Jacob, and Floretta walked out of their hostel, wearing the same team uniform. The photographer, who had been standing by at the door since the morning, managed to capture that heartwarming picture on camera. When the three arrived at the beach facing their hostel, there were already propsid out at the beach for the gameter. There was also a table full of a wide variety of food for breakfast. Not long after they reached the beach, members of another two teams also arrived for the shooting that day. Dressed in floral beach pants, the host stood in front of everyone with a broad smile as he exined the game rules. ¡°You guys will have to win this game to get breakfast this morning. Each team will send a male representative, who needs to break the foam core with his face and then jump over the vaulting box. The first person to reach and hug the mother and child wins and gets to pick what they want for breakfast.¡± ¡°Go, Jac! You¡¯re the best! I love you!¡± Floretta¡¯s cheers rang loud as she jumped around excitedly at the beach as if she could not wait to get in the game with Jacob. She was so hyped up and thrilled her behavior formed a stark contrast with the children on other teams, who just stood there quietly. Looking at her, Jacob raised his hand in a fist to let her know he would do his best. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will make sure you get a scrumptious breakfast.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Jac! I love you!¡± Floretta eximed with love brimming in her eyes, disying the art of fangirling at its finest. Her action sparked peals ofughter among the guests, but Angeline quickly lugged the girl back with her face flushed. Gosh. I hope this doesn¡¯t get recorded. Evander would be so mad if he were to see this. At that moment, the host blew his whistle, and all the male representatives picked up the foam cores. Among the amusing contestants trying to break through the boards with their faces, Jacob turned out to be thest to break his foam core. Still, he was athletically inclined enough to jump over the vaulting box with just a single attempt before he dashed over to Angeline and Floretta and pulled them into his embrace, panting heavily. Undoubtedly, Jacob emerged as the winner and earned the right to choose what he wanted for breakfast, which aroused everyone¡¯s envy. Overjoyed, Floretta pulled him and Angeline to the table and chose a few cakes. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Just as Angeline took up a food tray, she spotted a familiar person at the hotel beside where they stayed when she looked up. Her heart skipped a bit as she took a few steps forward to look at the man with his back against her. He was sitting on a chair in the garden. Is that Evander? Angeline was taken aback by her own outrageous thought. This cannot be. Why would he be here? He is on a business trip in Spaunia. Even if he wants to take Floretta back, he can just send his assistant here. ¡°What is it, Angie?¡± Jacob¡¯s voice called her back to reality. ¡°Ah. It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try this cake? I heard it¡¯s Summerbank¡¯s local delicacy. It¡¯s pretty good,¡± Jacob said tenderly as he put a piece of cake on a small te before giving it to her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline took the te from him and dismissed the random thought she had had earlier. I must be seeing things because I didn¡¯t sleep well in a new environment yesterday. After the first day of filming at Summerbank ended, the crew served avish meal for the guests, and everyone yelled ¡°cut¡± around the table. Since Floretta had been overactive the whole day, she felt so drained at night that Angeline had to carry her to the bathroom to shower. After that, she went to bed and drifted off the moment she hit the hay. When Angeline saw the girl sleeping with her limbs outstretched, she shook her head helplessly. She had juste out from the shower and had a facial mask on. Since there were a lot of mosquitoes because of the hot weather in Summerbank, Angeline got some mosquito repellent from her bag and sprayed it all over Floretta. Once she had tucked the girl in, Angeline hugged her andyfortably in bed. With the curtains apart, the star-filled sky was left essible in its entirety as a gentle breeze blew through the cracks of the full-length window, freshening up the air in the cozy room. Feeling an ache in her back after standing for a whole day, Angeline dozed off into a slumber not long after she started reading a book she had ced by the bedside. Unbeknownst to her, a strapping figure had been waiting on the balcony. When she had fallen asleep, the man pushed the window open quietly and entered the room. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Uponing in, the man locked the window, thinking Angeline was too careless to leave it open. Then, he made his way to the bed gingerly to pull the nket over Floretta and close the book Angeline left open on her waist. For a long time, he stared at Angeline¡¯s features until his cold gaze turnedplicated. To him, there were times when Angeline was like a prickly cat that, although detestable, had a certain charm that never failed to captivate him. Evander lowered his head, locking his gaze on her lips. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed subconsciously as a gush of heat rushed through his body as he looked at her irresistibly fair and exquisite corbones exposed under the nket. His eyes darkened, and he leaned down toward her but recalling how Angeline had pped him in the carst time, Evander subdued the burning urge within his body. Evander felt his heart was a mess. His deep and quiet gaze showed that he had never experienced something like that before, yet he knew deep down that he had fallen for her. It was then that he realized that her attraction toward him was way stronger than his suspicion toward her. It¡¯s okay. There is still a long way to go. Thinking, he took another intent look at the sleeping woman, and his eyes became gentle. Then, he got up from the bed and left. Over at the corridor, Jacob had just opened his door and was walking toward the living room with his tired eyes half-opened. He had gotten up to look for food, for he had barely had anything during dinner since he was busy keeping Floretta entertained. Yawning and stretching, he walked down the dimly-lit corridor, but as he looked up, he caught a glimpse of Evander not far away. Wait. Did he juste out of Angeline¡¯s room? Is he here in Summerbank? Jacob was instantly shaken awake. He blinked his eyes hard, but silence had resumed in the corridor, and Evander was already nowhere to be seen. ¡°This is weird,¡± he mumbled, darting his confused gaze down the corridor. Am I seeing things because I¡¯m not fully awake? Early the following day, Angeline brought Floretta downstairs for a buffet breakfast. She was feeling recharged and energized after a good night of rest, but Jacob looked disturbed. For the whole night, he had been thinking about the person he saw in the corridor and could no longer keep it to himself when he finally asked, ¡°Angie, did you close your window yesterday? Did you see anyone suspicious around?¡± ¡°Huh? No.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Angeline took up a toast and spread a thickyer of jam over it as she looked at Jacob, bewildered. ¡°What¡¯s with you this morning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m still in the process of waking up.¡± Telling himself to stop overthinking, Jacob ruffled his hair in frustration and got up to get breakfast. A pensive look spread across Angeline¡¯s face as soon as he left. She peeled some of her toast and munched away with her thought distracted. Actually, she had realized something was amiss when she woke up, for she clearly remembered she did not close the window the night before. On top of that, not only was the book on her body closed and returned to the bedside table but the page she was reading was also folded into a triangle on the edge. That¡¯s not what I would usually do, but there¡¯s no way a thief came in. The hostel is guarded. ¡°Attention! Dear parents and children, the film crew has just given all of you a new task.¡± Suddenly, the program host went forward, pping his hands as a few photographers appeared with him. As he spoke, the facilitators at the set started handing out cards to everyone. ¡°You guys will have to figure out lunch on your own today. We have hidden some ingredients and cooking tools in the nearby forest, so the three teams will need to look for those things on their own,¡± the host exined with a smile. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s so exciting!¡± Floretta cried out with her eyes filled with curiosity and pped enthusiastically. ¡°But the forest is vast, so we will need an experienced guide to help us. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in putting our hands together to wee our special guest for today!¡± Angeline, who had been disinterested thus far, suddenly raised her brows. A special guest? I don¡¯t remember the director mentioning a special guest. Like Angeline, all the other guests were surprised as well. As they turned, a tall and attractive man appeared at the entrance. With a set of white casual apparel on his well-toned body, the man looked as if he had just finished his morning run. His every move exuded masculine strength as tiny drops of sweat dripped down his neck. As the morning sun bathed him, a halo formed around his body, and the crowd could not help but marvel at him. ¡°Gosh! This man is so handsome!¡± the guests eximed. Among everyone, Angeline¡¯s team was the only one who was shocked by what they saw. The spoon in Angeline¡¯s hand almost slipped back into her cup when she beheld that man, and her mind froze. By contrast, the man of the moment looked calm andposed as he took his time to walk toward the host. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Evander Golding. I will be your guide today,¡± he announced in a deep and mellow voice. Angeline held her forehead as she tried to process what was happening. I knew it! The person I saw yesterday was him. I was right! What is he doing here? I thought he was on a business trip. Why is he our guide all of a sudden? Meanwhile, Jacob fumed in anger when he saw Evander. Having helped Angeline escape Evander¡¯s control, he had nned on winning her over, but Evander¡¯s appearance had messed up his n. ¡°This is unfair!¡± he seethed. Yet, those from the other two teams were delighted to see Evander, whom they regarded as a blessing from heaven. ¡°Hi, Mr. Golding,¡± they greeted politely, each standing up from their seats. Jacob felt even angrier when he saw this. This bunch of spineless people. I will never give in. At the thought of that, he mmed the table and proposed a challenge. ¡°This forest is huge. Our lives would be at risk if anything were to happen out there. Did you guys seriously arrange an unlicensed guide for us? How are we supposed to trust him?¡± The host smiled at Jacob and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Zane. We are not done introducing our guide yet. Mr. Golding obtained a rock-climbing certification when he studied abroad.¡± Jacob was stumped for words. ¡°Besides, he is one of the first climbers to conquer the twenty-six-foot Mount Olmi, who made it to the headlines.¡± Impressed, the guests gazed at one another, and a roar of cheer ensued. Angeline¡¯s brows stitched in a subtle frown as she recalled the news she read. Back then, it took the world by storm, not because it was Evander¡¯s first attempt to climb that mountain but because he was the youngest mountaineer. His perseverance in the face of danger was what earned him the world¡¯s respect. ¡°Do you have any more questions, Mr. Zane?¡± the host asked with a wide smile. Jacob scoffed and swallowed his disgruntlement in silence as he took a big and hard bite of his toast. This is so unfair! His achievement is overhyped simply because he is in a position of power. What is his motive foring here, by the way? It¡¯s not like he needs to do this for money. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Angeline¡¯s team aside, no one else doubted Evander¡¯s credentials, so everyone proceeded to get on the open-air gonds parked at the hostel entrance. Since Evander chose to sit with Angeline¡¯s team, the vehicle felt more crowded than usual. As the gonds moved into the dense forest, a cool breeze brushed against everyone¡¯s cheeks, putting everyone in a rxed mood. Seeing no one was shooting in their gond, Evander red at Angeline with Floretta in her embrace and questioned, ¡°So, are you really not exining anything? You talk a lot usually, don¡¯t you?¡± Angeline felt nervous at his interrogation. ¡°I thought I shouldn¡¯t leave Floretta alone at the airport. Besides, I did send you a text before that,¡± she replied softly. ¡°What about you?¡± Evander glowered at Floretta, who gradually showed her face from Angeline¡¯sp like a duckling. ¡°Daddy, I asked for your permission before as well. You promised you would bring me out on Labor Day,¡± she answered, smiling sheepishly. Evander was left speechless at her reply because he knew he had fallen for her trap for his own carelessness. Despite being just five years old, his daughter was clever and scheming. Jacob pouted in dissatisfaction when he saw how frightened Angeline and Floretta were. ¡°Just so you know, we¡¯re at Summerbank now. This is not your turf anymore, so stop scaring them like that.¡± Evander¡¯s face gloomed the moment Jacob spoke, making the ambiance in the car tense and cold suddenly. ¡°I can always make them leave. You know that, right?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Jacob gazed up and met Evander¡¯s eyes. Feeling the deterrence from Evander¡¯s re, which sent a chill down his spine, Jacob did not utter the rest of his sentence. As I said, he is exactly like an old fox. It was true that Jacob was no match for Evander, who had experienced and seen many things in life. ¡°Carry me, Daddy.¡± Just as things were escting, Floretta suddenly went over to Evander and sat on hisp with her arms circling his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with us, Daddy. Jac has kept my identity a secret since the show started. Also, they pay a lot to get us on set, so I¡¯m helping you earn money in a way.¡± Her words appeased Evander, who then fixed his gaze on her as he reminded her, ¡°Floretta, you¡¯re still young. I don¡¯t need you to earn money.¡± ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Angeline weighed in with a frown. ¡°Mr. Golding, I think this is good training for Floretta. You shouldn¡¯t always be so strict on her,¡± she continued. ¡°Yeah. I agree with Angel. I really like the exploring they make us do,¡± Floretta added readily, raising her two hands in agreement. When Evander saw the two working together toe up with excuses for what Jacob did, he had no choice but topromise. Looking deeply at Angeline, he told himself he should just let it slide that once. After all, he had not been spending time with Floretta due to his busy schedule, so he figured he might as well make full use of that opportunity to make it up to her. I suppose Angeline won¡¯t use me of being an irresponsible father now. It did not ur to Evander that he had changed, for in the past, he would not have gone easy on Jacob after what he did, but that time, he decided to let him off the hook because he considered Angeline¡¯s feelings. Despite their little digression in the gond, the group met their shooting destination very soon. The forest was so thick and vast that they could not see the end of it. The tree branches blocked off the sun, and little butterflies flew around, catching the children¡¯s attention. Once Evander got down, the other two teams quickly pulled him over, trying to get his attention. ¡°Mr. Golding, am I tying this knot correctly?¡± ¡°Hold on, Mr. Golding. Which direction should we go? What should we do if the children get a heatstroke?¡± Angelineughed heartily when she saw Evander trying to conceal his anger as the people poured in around him. I bet he didn¡¯t expect himself to be answering simple questions like that when he signed up to be our mountain guide. ¡°Floretta, make sure you stick around, all right? I don¡¯t want you going missing.¡± Despite having fun watching Evander caught in a conundrum, Angeline still took Floretta¡¯s safety seriously when she tied the rope around Floretta. Having learned her lesson, Angeline even tied a red string around her and Floretta¡¯s wrists. ¡°All right.¡± Floretta blinked her eyes in eagerness as she waited for their adventure to begin. Once the host blew his whistle, everyone set out, with Evander being pulled to another team. Although Angeline did not feel good about it, she still held on to Floretta¡¯s hand as they went deeper into the forest. As for Jacob, he felt relieved that Evander was elsewhere and followed behind Angeline chirpily with his small bucket, reminding them constantly to be careful. ¡°Slowly, guys. Both of you just need to look pretty for the cameras. Let me do all the digging.¡± ¡°Haha. I can do it too,¡± Floretta volunteered happily in her floral dress as she ran around in the bush. Since she was more intelligent than her peers, to begin with, it did not take her long before she found a pan used for cooking and some vegetables and meat. Behind her, Jacob had been catching up, carrying all their belongings. It did not take long before he was soaked in sweat and panting. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°Hold up. I need a rest,¡± he cried out, stopping where he was. Yet, energetic as she was, Floretta showed no sign of stopping when she dug even more furiously. Afraid that she would lose the girl, Angeline gave her bottle of water to Jacob and said, ¡°You rest here. I will go after her ande back for youter.¡± Since Jacob was spent, he could only go with Angeline¡¯s n despite his disapproval. Feeling sorry for Angeline, he gazed at her pitifully and whined, ¡°All right, then. Sorry for the trouble, Angie.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Angeline assured before hurrying over to Floretta. Angeline realized there were fewer ingredients as they went further into the forest. From her calction, they would need at least salt and chicken stock if they wanted to make a decent meal. Navigating with the map they had, the two soon reached a river, where the host had been waiting for them on a rock, wearing his bamboo hat. ¡°Congrattions. You guys are the first family to reach here, but this is not the end of the game yet,¡± he informed with a smile. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Angeline asked. Here, the man pointed at the middle of the river, where three bundles attached to red gs could be seen. ¡°The adults will need to finish thest part. The winner will be the first person to swim to the bundles and remove the gs. They can even request other ingredients they do not have from the production team.¡± Now, this is tempting, but¡­ Angeline nced at the gurgling water in the river as she swallowed hard. Although she could swim a little, she was aquaphobic. When Floretta saw how pale Angeline was, she pulled her hand and said nervously, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Angel. We can just wait for Jac toe.¡± Just as she finished her sentence, another team was spotteding in their direction. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 If I wait for Jacob, we will be left behind. There¡¯s no pointpeting anymore. We can¡¯t prepare lunch without any condiments. With that thought in mind, Angeline clenched her jaw and shrugged off her jacket. She then put on the life jacket prepared by the film crew. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Seeing that, the host shed her an encouraging look. ¡°Okay. We will cheer for you!¡± With that, Angeline took a deep breath and strode toward the water resolutely. When the icy sensation of the water hit her skin, she grew nervous. Cold sweat beaded her brows. Fear overwhelmed her when she recalled how she nearly drowned to her death previously in another variety show. Fortunately, the stream wasn¡¯t that deep, and she was still able to keep herposure. Angeline inched slowly forward, wasting a lot of time. Soon, she heard the other team leaping into the stream. As the other participants were going to catch up to Angeline, Floretta started hopping and waving her hands frantically. ¡°Go, Angel! Don¡¯t be scared!¡± she cheered. Hearing that, Angeline summoned her courage to quicken her pace. The finishing line was right before her eyes. Angeline happened to look down and noticed that the water had reached her waist. At once, her heart leaped to her throat. Her breathing grew heavy, and she could no longer hear anything. At the same time, she felt her vision turning blurry. Her body swayed, and she was on the verge of cking out when a pair ofrge hands reached out all of a sudden to support her back. ¡°Wake up, Angeline. Are you all right?¡± Angeline heard a man¡¯s voice beside her ear. His cool palm patted her cheek until she slowly regained her senses. She opened her eyes abruptly to see Evander gazing at her worriedly. Her cheeks turned pink at the realization. As she seemed fine, Evander rxed slightly. He held her arm and ordered, ¡°Come ashore with me.¡± ¡°No! The game is not over yet.¡± The bundle was right before her eyes, and the other two teams were about to catch up to her. She pointed at the bundle and yelled frantically, ¡°Hurry, take off the red g for me. We can¡¯t lose!¡± Unable to swim anymore, she could only cast Evander a pleading look. A hint of fury lined Evander¡¯s expression. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was so adamant about winning that she even disregarded her own safety. However, he still ced a hand on Angeline¡¯s back and swam toward the bundle while supporting her. With Evander¡¯s help and guidance, Angeline was much calmer. She gradually picked up her pace and rushed forward to snag the red g. Following that, the host blew his whistle and announced, ¡°Congrattions to the blue team for winning first ce with the instructor¡¯s help!¡± Instantly, Angeline¡¯s gloomy expression was reced with delight. ¡°Wow, we won!¡± Still standing in the water, she flung her arms around Evander, overwhelmed with emotions. Something tugged at the man¡¯s heartstrings as she leaped into his arms, her soft body pressing up against him. Soon, the corners of his eyes crinkled up in joy as he reciprocated the hug. His voice was low as he uttered, ¡°Congrattions.¡± Though his reply was curt and simple, it contained tenderness and affection that was unbeknownst to anyone but him. Aftering ashore, Angeline got the condiments shecked from the film crew. She then found an empty spot and started preparing the tools to cook. Jacob rushed over after getting some rest and saw Evander in the middle of building a fire while Angeline was teaching Floretta how to pick fresh vegetables. It was a surprisingly harmonious sight. ¡°Wow, I know how to pick vegetables now! I¡¯m so happy!¡± Floretta pped in delight. Filled with excitement, she hugged Angeline and jumped on Evander¡¯s back. Together, they looked like a happy family of three. With the heavy ingredients in his hands, Jacob stormed over and dered, ¡°How could you start cooking without waiting for me? I¡¯m a member of the team!¡± Everyone turned over their shoulders to look at him. Angeline felt embarrassed as Jacob had been helping them carry the ingredients for the whole morning. She didn¡¯t want to be too hard on him, so she suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you gather some firewood? That¡¯s easy enough, right?¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll do that right now!¡± Jacob agreed as his lips curved into a pleased grin. He quickly tossed the ingredients to the ground and ran off to gather firewood as though he was afraid someone else would steal the job from him. A whileter, he suddenly realized something wasn¡¯t right. Here I am, working hard to gather firewood, but at the same time, I¡¯m giving Evander and Angeline a chance to spend time alone! He turned over his shoulder to see Angeline wiping dirt off Evander¡¯s cheek with a wet tissue. The sight caused him to tremble in fury. Oh, I¡¯m such a fool! s, the cameras were still filming, so he couldn¡¯t call it quits. Thus, he had to tamp down his frustration and continue gathering firewood. After having lunch, the three teams yed a few games in the forest before returning to the guesthouse. Filming for the day officially ended. As the clips needed some editing, the variety show¡¯s official ount only posted a few photos of Evander, Angeline, and Floretta interacting with each other on Twitter. No one knew that the photos would cause a stir online. Evander was the CEO of an entertainmentpany with plenty of celebrities working under them. However, he only appeared asionally during important events and usually kept a low profile. Hence, his first appearance on a variety show caught the attention of many. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Thements flooded in, mostly full of admiration for him. Oh, Mr. Golding is so hot. He¡¯s the embodiment of all CEOs I¡¯ve imagined when I read romance novels. Oh, I love this. He, Angeline, and Floretta are the perfect family of three. Sorry, Jacob. I¡¯m going to ship them. Meanwhile, in a cafe¡¯s private room, Olivine was slumpingzily in her chair, d in a red long dress. Her long nails decorated with sparkles were tapping on her phone screen. However, a scowl crept up her face when she saw the sudden trending news about Evander and the netizens¡¯ments. She raised her phone and hurled it at the door. Bang! The phone hit the doorframe and smashed onto the floor, shattering upon impact. Even so, Olivine was still smoking in anger. Tossing away her phone did nothing to appease her fury. Jealousy soon filled her eyes. Why is this happening? Evander likes keeping a low profile. Why did he join the show with Floretta and show himself to the public? This isn¡¯t his style. That b*tch Angeline must¡¯ve done something to make him do this! She was deep in thought when the door was pushed open to reveal the scarred man from before. He bent down and picked up Olivine¡¯s broken phone. The scar on his face twitched as he grinned, making him look extremely scary. ¡°Ms. Sherrock, why are you mad? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d faint after hearing what I have to say.¡± Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Olivine¡¯s entire being trembled at the sight of him. It was as if a bucket of cold water was poured over her head, drenching her from head to toe. ¡°Are the results out?¡± she asked, her voice raspy. ¡°Yes. I told you, right? There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do,¡± the scarred man replied with a smug grin. He sat across from Olivine and drank from her ss. After soothing his throat, he put on a solemn expression and began to reveal the results of his investigation. ¡°The nurse who delivered Angeline¡¯s baby said she gave the baby to a man named Mr. Miller. She was paid five hundred thousand to keep this a secret.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t resorted to special means to dig up the truth, the fact that Floretta Golding¡¯s birth mother is Angeline Sorelle will forever remain a secret!¡± Floretta¡¯s birth mother is Angeline? Olivine slumped in her seat in shock before she could wipe the tears away from her face. She gripped the tablecloth so tightly that her body started shivering. How can this be? What right does Angeline have to be connected to Evander this way? ¡°Ms. Sherrock, since we¡¯ve coborated previously, I shall help you deal with this,¡± the scarred man offered casually as his gaze turned dark. ¡°Kill the nurse so she won¡¯t tell anyone the truth!¡± Olivinemanded as her chest heaved. She mmed the table as jealousy eroded her rationality. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you one million if you can get this done!¡± I cannot let Evander find out that Angeline is Floretta¡¯s birth mother. Otherwise, I will never stand a chance against her. ¡°Deal!¡± After the scarred man left, Olivine¡¯s jealousy intensified. She knew that with her current state, she couldn¡¯t defeat Angeline alone and needed someone else to help her. Thus, she pulled her phone out to contact Sherrock Group¡¯s PR department. She ordered them to inform all subsidiaries of Sherrock Group to withdraw their investment from Sorelle Group. That very day, Sorelle Group suffered a huge blow. As a result of the withdrawal of investment, they couldn¡¯t continue with theirtest bidding project today. Being forced to pause work for one day meant they lost a considerable sum ofbor costs. Joseline¡¯s due date was three dayster. She was resting at the hospital and nearly had a miscarriage after hearing the news. Without hesitation, she rushed to thepany to conduct an emergency meeting. The PR department¡¯s manager and other employees hung their heads in silence as she reprimanded them. ¡°Why did this happen? What did I hire you guys for? What is the cause of all this?¡± The manager felt a chill go down his spine. Carefully, he looked at her and replied, ¡°Calm down. Ms. Sorelle. You don¡¯t want to affect your baby, right? ording to our investigation, Sherrock Group was the one behind this.¡± Sherrock Group? Joseline arched a brow in confusion. ¡°We have never been enemies with Sherrock Group. You should at least think things through before you lie to me!¡± ¡°Perhaps you offended her in private and dragged thepany into your feud,¡± the manager comined. Realization struck Joseline after she heard the manager¡¯sint. She promptly dismissed everyone from the PR department and called someone. When the call was connected, Joseline quickly changed her attitude and tone. ¡°Ms. Sherrock, I am Joseline Sorelle. It¡¯s been a while since we met for coffee, right?¡± ¡°Cut to the chase,¡± Olivine responded coolly. Despite her dissatisfaction with Olivine¡¯s attitude, Joseline had no choice but to tamp her feelings down and ventured, ¡°I¡¯m calling about the withdrawal of investment. Did Angeline offend you recently and made you upset? Our family has cut off ties with her, but you can let me know. Perhaps I might be able to help you.¡± ¡°You can ask her about it,¡± Olivine snapped and hung up. Stunned by the other woman¡¯s hostility, Joseline got so upset that her belly started wrenching in pain. A scowl marred her face. She decided to vent her hatred for Olivine on Angeline. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. B*tch! She¡¯s still causing trouble for me even after she left! After cursing Angeline, she ordered herpany¡¯s PR department to investigate Angeline¡¯s motive. When she learned that Angeline had been searching for her child in secret, a vicious glint appeared in her eyes. She decided to take this to her advantage. In the meantime, Evander and Angeline were in Summerbank and had no idea what happened back home. They were oblivious to the new incident that cropped up. Angeline had been feeling unwell since the gamemenced in the morning. After taking a few bites of her food, she asked the director for a leave of absence and went back to her room to get some rest. Concerned, Evander headed to Angeline¡¯s room to take a look at her a few minutester. Angeline was curled up in her bed, unconscious while hugging the covers. Evander reached out to touch her forehead and was shocked to feel the scalding temperature. When he realized she was running a fever, his expression turned grim. A regretful look surfaced in his icy gaze. I should¡¯ve brought Angeline back ashore when I learned she was afraid of water. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be running a fever now. Fishing his phone out, he called the doctor arranged by the guesthouse and was about to go and get her a ss of water. However, as soon as he spun on his heels, Angeline grabbed his arm without warning. She was muttering, ¡°D-Don¡¯t kick me out. Mom, I was framed. Please believe me¡­¡± Evander turned over his shoulder and noticed the pained expression on Angeline¡¯s face. She seemed to be having a nightmare as she was trembling all over in fear. ¡°My baby. Don¡¯t throw my baby away. I want you. Why, Hanson? The person who betrayed me was Joseline.¡± Tears streamed down Angeline¡¯s face as she mumbled under her breath, venting the agony that she had been struggling to repress. A slight pucker appeared between Evander¡¯s brows. Feeling sorry for her, he reached out to wipe her tears away. He couldn¡¯t really experience the pain that Angeline was experiencing, but after bing Floretta¡¯s father, he could empathize with her torture. How much had she suffered in the past that made her feign nonchnce to show that people don¡¯t get to her? ¡°Mr. Golding.¡± The doctor had arrived. Evander regained hisposure and was back to his usual indifferent self. When the doctor came in, he ordered, ¡°Take a look at her.¡± The doctor nodded and came over to Angeline with the medical kit. After checking Angeline¡¯s condition, he hooked her to an IV drip. ¡°Mr. Golding, don¡¯t worry. Ms. Sorelle caught a fever, that¡¯s all. Fortunately, it was discovered in time. She¡¯ll recover tomorrow morning after IV therapy and a good night¡¯s rest.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Evander grunted in response and rxed slightly. He then saw the doctor out of the room. As the doctor walked away, Evander was about to return to the room when he received a call from Ss. It was past midnight in Spaunia, so something urgent must¡¯ve cropped up for Ss to call him at that hour. Evander answered the call to hear Ss¡¯ grim voice. ¡°Mr. Golding, do you remember the nurse who brought Ms. Floretta back from the hospital back then? The one we had a deal with? She drowned in the sea at seven tonight.¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Hearing Ss¡¯ report, Evander frowned as his gaze turned dark. ¡°Was it a coincidence?¡± Back then, he told Ss to pay the nurse a huge sum of money so she would keep it a secret. He also sent his men to keep an eye on her regrly. It was normal for idents to happen, but the nurse happened to die when he began investigating Floretta¡¯s birth mother. Hence, it felt like there was more to things than met the eye. ¡°Mr. Golding, I sent our men to investigate the matter and discovered the nurse drank alcohol before she died. Besides, her car¡¯s brakes weren¡¯t working. It seemed like a murder.¡± Hearing that, Evander ordered sternly, ¡°Carry on with the investigation.¡± He knew trouble would ensue once someone revealed Floretta¡¯s identity on purpose. Besides, if the nurse was murdered, it meant there was something amiss about Floretta¡¯s birth mother¡¯s identity, too. It was clear that the matter wasn¡¯t as simple as he thought it was. After the call ended, Evander took a long time to calm down. Leaning against the wall, he lit up a cigarette. ¡°It¡¯s hot¡­¡± Right then, Angeline started sobbing inside the room. Hearing her sobs, Evander tossed away the remainder of his cigarette and stomped on it with his leather shoe. He then opened the door and went into the room. Angeline was still lying on the bed, but her posture was different from before. She had kicked away her nket due to her high body temperature. Evander, who was standing in the doorway, frowned as he remembered something. He recalled Angeline mentioning she hated the smell of cigarettes. Thus, he went to the bathroom and took a shower to wash away the smell that lingered on his body. Only after making sure his body was clean and no longer reeked of smoke did he exit the bathroom. Angeline was frowning in bed, seemingly disturbed in her sleep. The light yellow sheets made her look extra tender, unlike her usual self. Evander sat beside the bed and gazed at her face. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She often wears a suit of armor to protect herself. However, she¡¯s fragile at heart. I want nothing but to protect her. Evander recalled her expression when she was probing about the spokesperson contract and what happened afterward. A trace of warmth flitted across his eyes. Oh, how time flies. Angeline barged into my life without warning and settled deep in my heart without me realizing it. Angeline felt like she had been sleeping for over a century. Her body was thrown around helplessly, and she struggled to breathe as though she had fallen into the ocean. Despite her efforts to get ashore, she would be swept back into the sea when the shore was mere inches away from her. In a daze, she sensed someone taking her temperature and tucking her in. The sensation of someone caring for her felt warm, but she was still gued by countless nightmares. ¡°Dad, Mom, don¡¯t leave me,¡± she cried. She had a shback of the rainy night five years ago before she gave birth. Held captive in the vige, she broke down after learning that her parents were involved in a car ident. There wasn¡¯t any car in the vige, so she had to walk all the way to the hospital in the city while holding her bulging stomach. As the lightning shed and thunder boomed, she couldn¡¯t hold on to her umbre. It flew away, and she was drenched in the rain. Overwhelmed by grief, she passed out on the streets. Fortunately, an elderly man saved her and brought her to the hospital, so her child was safe. s, she didn¡¯t get to see her parents for onest time. When she regained consciousness, they had already been buried. She rushed to the funeral, but Joseline refused to show her their parents¡¯ autopsy report or tell her about the details of the car ident. Instead, the Sorelle family called her a jinx. Later, she nearly suffered from depression and moved to the countryside until she went intobor. She had a difficult delivery that day, and she remembered sweating buckets from the anguish. Amidst the excruciating pain, she grabbed the nurse¡¯s arm and pleaded, ¡°Please save my child.¡± Soon, she finally gave birth to her baby. Hearing the baby¡¯s cries, she felt as though a burden was lifted from her shoulders. She thought life was full of hope once again. s, she had no idea the nurse would take away her baby when she didn¡¯t even get to see her face. ¡°N-No! Don¡¯t take away my baby!¡± she yelled in despair, iling her arms about to grab the nket that was used to wrap her baby in. However, she caught nothing but air. It was a devastating feeling. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and woke up from her nightmare. The noise from her nightmare faded away as she observed the room and gasped for air. Slowly, she regained her senses and btedly realized something. I was so engrossed in finding my baby¡¯s whereabouts that I forgot about my parents¡¯ cause of death. Did they really die in a car ident? As that thought struck her, Angeline felt her heart racing as cold sweat drenched her back. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She was lost in her thoughts when a man¡¯s deep voice rang out behind her. Whipping her body around, she saw Evander in her bed. Scared out of her wits, she parted her lips and screamed out loud as her eyes turned as wide as saucers. ¡°Why are you yelling?¡± Evander knitted his brows in displeasure. ¡°W-Why are you sleeping in my bed?¡± Angeline demanded as she gripped her nket in fear. Evander found her nervous reaction funny. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a b*stard. Look at your clothes. They are still intact, right?¡± Hearing that, Angeline calmed down and threw her nket aside to see that she was still d in the long dress she changed into after recording the show. No one had touched it. She exhaled and rxed. ¡°What happened to me?¡± She massaged her aching head as difort red up within her body. Evander got out of bed and got her a ss of water. ¡°You caught a fever and held my hand the whole night while talking in your sleep. Did you forget what you did?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes went wide in confusion. All I remember is feeling ufortable after jumping into the stream. I asked the director for a leave of absence and came back to my room to rest. Then, I fell asleep and slept for a long time. I had no idea Evander was the one who took care of me. Angeline¡¯s cheeks turned as red as a tomato. She wanted nothing more than the ground to open up and swallow her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Mr. Golding. I owe you a favor. I know you don¡¯t need anything, but if Golding Group needs me, I can shoot an advertisement for yourpany for free.¡± She didn¡¯t have much to offer and could only do her best to make it up to him. ¡°Are you in such a hurry to distance yourself from me?¡± Evander questioned in a deep voice. His gaze was dark, and he seemed upset. Angeline felt aggrieved to hear his using tone. Pursing her lips, she said sarcastically, ¡°Mr. Golding, didn¡¯t you remind me to stay away from the Golding family earlier? Have you changed your mind?¡± Evander¡¯s sharp gazended on her as he replied without hesitation, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± Angeline gaped incredulously. She couldn¡¯t wrap her mind around his answer. ¡°I said, I take that back,¡± Evander exined patiently. He then bent over to wrap her in his embrace. Angeline stared at him in astonishment as her body stiffened. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 A pin-drop silence descended upon the room as the two figures pressed their chests against each other, their hearts beating furiously. In the darkness of the night, the sensuous atmosphere made it hard for them to breathe. ¡°If you still don¡¯t understand, I don¡¯t mind exining it to you with actions.¡± As Evander¡¯s deep voice echoed in her ear, he ran the tip of his finger across her lip. The suggestive gesture seemed to have drawn Angeline¡¯s soul out of her body, and she plummeted into a daze. ¡°Mr. Golding, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too flirty with me?¡± ¡°You were more flirty when you held my hand and refused to let me leave.¡± When Evander¡¯s maic voice reverberated in her ear, Angeline swallowed the words that were about to roll off her tongue. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The next second, his kiss fell upon her without warning. As her ears felt a tingling sensation when bathed by his breath, his kisses traveled from her forehead down to her neck. Inside the quiet room, a faint click of a button being opened could be heard. With the top of her shirt undone, her porcin-white corbone was revealed. Jolted back to her senses by the stinging chill, Angeline gasped as she frantically pushed him away. ¡°Mr. Golding, please mind yourself! I have no intention of being a home-wrecking mistress!¡± she eximed in bashful anger. With her hand sping her shirt tightly, she attempted to jump off the bed. Evander was nonplussed when he heard that. Instead of being angered by her impudence, amusement and tion were what he felt. Now I know what¡¯s bothering her. The moment she responded to me, did I detect a hint of her interest in me? With that thought in mind, Evander grabbed Angeline¡¯s wrist to stop her from getting off. ¡°You¡¯re not feeling well, so don¡¯t move around. I¡¯ll leave.¡± With her lips tightly pursed, the blushing Angeline didn¡¯t dare make eye contact. Nheless, her moral threshold caused her to retract her hand still. Upon getting off the bed, Evander adjusted his tie with his slender fingers. Right before leaving, he informed her matter-of-factly, ¡°I¡¯ll be annulling my engagement with Olivine.¡± Stumped by his words, Angeline felt her heart skip a beat as she stared at him in shock. Why is he telling me something like this? Before she could make sense of what was going on, Evander was already gone. Staring in the direction he went, Angeline couldn¡¯t help breaking into a smile as if a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders. Upon his departure, Evander whipped out his phone and gave Ss a call. He ordered, ¡°Draft an agreement to annul the engagement.¡± His instruction stunned Ss. ¡°Mr. Golding, are you sure? Old Mrs. Golding is going to be upset.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm, just do as I say.¡± It was evident from Evander¡¯s firm tone that he had made this decision a long time ago. The initial rationale for their marriage was to find Floretta a mother. Now that it was clear thetter resented Olivine and he had found an ideal candidate for his wife, there was no need for this sham of a marriage to continue. Consequently, he hoped that his decision would allow Angeline to gain a better understanding of his feelings. After getting a good night¡¯s rest, Angeline felt much better. Aside from a lingering mild cold, she felt refreshed. The moment she went downstairs to the dining room, she was greeted by the sight of Floretta¡ªwho had reserved a seat for her¡ªwaving excitedly and calling out, ¡°Angel, over here!¡± In response, Angeline hurried over and carried Floretta onto herp. In a gentle voice, she asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you eaten yet? How long have you been waiting?¡± ¡°Just a short while. Daddy said that you were sick and needed more sleep, so he didn¡¯t allow me to disturb you.¡± After exining obediently, Floretta served Angeline a piece of cake. Giggling, she added, ¡°This is myfort food whenever I¡¯m sick. I woke up early just to get one for you. Hurry up and try it!¡± Staring at the cake, Angeline could see that the surrounding cream had been shaved off by Floretta, leaving only the most delicious part. It was obvious that Floretta loved the cake but resisted the temptation of finishing it so that Angeline could have it. ¡°Thank you, Floretta.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. As her eyes reddened, Angeline felt a warm sensation fill her heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t able to y with you yesterday.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± Floretta shook her head and looked at Angeline earnestly. ¡°You were very brave, and I had a lot of fun.¡± Her reassuring words diminished the guilt Angeline harbored. Eyes glistening with affection, thetter gave Floretta¡¯s hair a gentle tousle. For some inexplicable reason, she felt the urge to spoil Floretta, as if thetter were her very own child. While she was lost in her thoughts, she soon saw the cheerful Jacob approach, holding a big te of food in his hand. ¡°Angie, you¡¯re awake. Has your fever gone down?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m feeling much better,¡± Angeline replied with a smile. Upon hearing her words, Jacob hurried up behind her to hold her shoulders as he scrutinized her exposed skin. ¡°There are no scars. That¡¯s good. Be honest with me, did that old pervert outrage your modestyst night?¡± His words triggered Angeline¡¯s memory of the kiss, causing her to blush in embarrassment. Her ensuing silence elicited a nervous expression from Jacob, who responded with seething anger. ¡°F*ck, I knew he was up to no good. I should have gone along to take care of you. Tell me, what did he do to you? I¡¯ll hold him ountable for his actions!¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Pulling him back, Angeline broke into a helpless smile. ¡°He didn¡¯t take advantage of me. Instead, I¡¯m grateful to him for watching over me the entire night.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jacob asked skeptically while giving her a probing stare. Feeling awkward under his gaze, Angeline picked up a small spoon and began digging into the cake to hide her panic. With her mouth full, she mumbled, ¡°Of course.¡± Furthermore, she didn¡¯t consider herself to be lying, for she didn¡¯t resist the kissst night. The inexplicable sexual tension simply confounded her. After breakfast, they had to film a new episode of the show, and the destination this time was the seaside. As Angeline was feeling under the weather, she only participated in the games on the beach, while Floretta was left in Jacob¡¯s care. Laying down on a rocking chair under the shade of a giant umbre, Angeline sipped from the coconut in her hands while enjoying the delightful view Summerbank had to offer. That was the reason why she enjoyed filming this variety show. Not only would she get paid handsomely, but she also got to travel. To her, it was simply a dreame true. Soon, she could hear someone walking steadily in the sand, causing her rocking chair to creak as it sank. A frantic expression descended upon her face. Without even looking, she could easily guess that it was Evander, for no one else had footsteps that carried such gravitas. ¡°The wind is strong outside here. Given that you have just recovered, it¡¯s better that you go back.¡± Evander¡¯s maic voice rang out, carrying a hint of concern. As her grip on the coconut tightened, she took a moment to calm herself before replying, ¡°Okay, Mr. Golding. I¡¯ll be mindful of it. Thank you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to feel any pressure.¡± Arms folded, Evander leaned his back onto the rocking chair as he threw an icy gaze toward the horizon. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 ¡°It¡¯s not my style to force anyone into doing something they don¡¯t want to. You can pretend that I never said what I saidst night.¡± No sooner had he spoken than a chilly breeze blew past, causing Angeline to shudder. Rubbing her arms to keep herself warm, she lowered her eyes to hide the disappointment in them. ¡°Okay. I never took it seriously anyway.¡± Given that those words were uttered under such amorous circumstances, she didn¡¯t dare put too much hope in them. She took it as if she was rehearsing for a role. After all, she was extremely adept at acting out such scenes. Ding Dong¡­ It was then that her phone suddenly rang. When Angeline picked it up and saw the caller ID showing Jonathan¡¯s name, a grim expression descended upon her face. It had been a long while since shest contacted him. Before she even had time to take leave from Evander, she dropped the coconut she was holding and hurriedly wore her slippers before rushing off to a secluded corner. Once the coast was clear, she called Jonathan back and asked in a deep voice, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Why have you be so cold just because we haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time? Do all pretty girls behave that way?¡± Jonathan teased over the phone. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Feeling annoyed, Angeline lowered her voice as she reminded him, ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of filming. Whatever it is, make it quick.¡± It was understandable for her to be harsh, as their coboration was considered top secret, where a single error was enough to cause them to fall into a trap. At her cue, Jonathan stopped joking and spoke in a serious tone instead. ¡°What I¡¯m going to tell you is shocking. You had better prepare yourself.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± As if something dawned upon her, Angeline¡¯s throat bobbed minutely while her grip on her chiffon dress tightened. ¡°I found thedy who adopted your child back then.¡± He broke the news slowly on purpose. The revtion blew Angeline¡¯s mind, causing blood to rush into her brain as a sense of breathlessness descended upon her. She questioned anxiously, ¡°You found her? Where?¡± ¡°My subordinate reported that she goes by the surname Green. Over thest five years, they moved quite a number of times before settling reclusively in a small vige near Gerton. Also, I heard that the family is poor.¡± ¡°A small vige?¡± Angeline¡¯s expression drastically changed. The blood that was boiling within her seemed to instantly freeze. How much has my child suffered over thest few years? The thought caused Angeline¡¯s heart to ache as if it was being squeezed by arge pair of hands. Consequently, she didn¡¯t dare let her imagination run any further. ¡°Can I¡­ see the child now?¡± Jonathan inquired, ¡°Are you inside the country now? I can arrange for you to see her, but we have to be careful not to alert them.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll return on the next avable flight,¡± she agreed without hesitation. At that moment, Angeline was so overwhelmed by her emotions that her feet simply froze. They refused to budge despite how she willed them to. When she finally struggled to get back on her feet, she rushed back to her room to pack. Thereafter, she quietly slipped out of the guesthouse with her luggage in tow. She told no one of her ns for fear of causing any problems. Just before she boarded her flight, she gave Nancy a call and informed thetter about her departure without revealing too much. Thepensation for reneging on the contract at thest minute was twice the normal fee. Despite Nancy¡¯s furious screams over the phone, Angeline was too preupied to do anything about it. In fact, her hand was even trembling while holding a cup of water. All the money she had painstakingly made over thest five years had only a single purpose¡ªfinding her child. All this while, she had been blindly looking for her child regardless of how much it cost. Now that she had the child¡¯s location, uncontroble emotions swamped her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to inform everyone that Angeline has a family emergency she needs to deal with. In spite of that, we¡¯ll continue filming the show.¡± The host¡¯s report brought a drastic change to Evander¡¯s expression. She¡¯s gone home? Why didn¡¯t she say a word? ¡°Why is this happening? Did something happen to Angie? Is it bad? Does she need our help?¡± ¡°Mr. Zane, I¡¯m not at liberty to divulge the personal affairs of our stars.¡± Nheless, Jacob was persistent as ever and continued to follow the host, demanding to know what happened. It¡¯s evident that Angeline¡¯s departure was so sudden that even Jacob wasn¡¯t told of it. Evander frowned upon the realization. When he saw Angeline¡¯s disappearing silhouette at the beach in the afternoon, he sensed something amiss with her mood. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t give it much thought. What in the world happened to have caused the usually calm Angeline to fly back home without telling anyone? ¡°Daddy.¡± At that moment, he felt someone tugging his sleeve. He looked down at Floretta, whose eyes were brimming with concern. A single nce between them was enough for Evander to read her mind as if they were telepathically connected. Holding her hand, he led her away from the beach. ¡°Mr. Golding, where are you going?¡± the show¡¯s director called out, noticing that something was wrong. ¡°Home,¡± Evander replied concisely. His words ignited the anxiety within Jacob. If Evander and Angeline were to be together, wouldn¡¯t she be letting the fox into the hen house? The thought caused him to remove the microphone attached to his shirt as he ordered his assistant, ¡°I quit filming too. Book me a flight home.¡± ¡°My dear, don¡¯t be hasty. Thepensation you have to pay for breaking the contract is twofold Angeline¡¯s. Also, Mr. Golding is an investor in the show.¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± the enraged Jacob cursed, losing hisposure on the spot. Why does Evander seem to own everything? Regardless of how principled Angeline is, there¡¯s no way she can resist such temptation. As Jacob¡¯s contract was held by his father, his pay was only enough for his living expenses despite his poprity in the entertainment industry. After a seven-hour flight, Angeline arrived at Gerton airport at three in the morning. Upon emerging from the airport terminal looking exhausted, she was greeted by the sight of Jonathan leaning against a ck sedan while smoking. At that moment, the first light of dawn illuminated the nearby buildings. As she approached with her luggage in tow, she could see that Jonathan was wearing the same ck shirt from their first meeting. With his chin covered in stubble, he looked more haggard than before. Given that they hadn¡¯t met often, Angeline¡ªunable to fully trust him¡ªspoke in a wary yet cordial tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that my case kept you up the whole night. I do appreciate what you have done.¡± After loading her bag into the trunk, Jonathan shed a casual smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I never fail to make a profit in my deals.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression turned frosty following his words, for she had almost forgotten that her rtionship with Jonathan was transactional. She knew he had something to gain from spending so much effort looking for her child and sharing with her thetter¡¯s location. Nevertheless, she still couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. Once they got into the car, Jonathan instructed her to fasten her seatbelt before they sped out of the airport. ¡°It¡¯s a five-hour journey from here to the vige. To save time, I won¡¯t be taking you to a hotel to rest. If you¡¯re tired, you can just sleep in the back.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not tired.¡± Upon forcing out a smile, she leaned back into her seat and stared out the window at the dark night. It was as though a heavy rock was weighing on her heart, making it difficult to breathe. I¡¯m about to see my child soon. I wonder if he is doing well¡­ And what if, he refuses to acknowledge me? With that thought in mind, there was no way she could sleep in peace. After an uneventful six-hour journey, they finally arrived at a small fishing vige. The vige was located at the foot of a hill, whereas the narrow path that approached it was nked on both sides by ponds. Despite the fact that the sky was still dark, one could see many fishermen busying themselves by the ponds with their fishing rods hanging off their shoulders. The moment the car entered the vige, a pungent fishy smell instantly stung their senses. Knitting her brows, Angeline covered her nose by reflex as she observed the environment her child grew up in. ¡°We¡¯re here. Let¡¯s get out of the car.¡± Just when she was lost in a daze, Jonathan stopped their car in front of a hut. The hut was small, while its surroundings were dirty. At the main gate, they could see a goat pen built from rocks. A dog, tied to a barn where corn was stored, began to bark fiercely at them. Overwhelmed by the environment, the frightened Angeline hid behind Jonathan¡¯s back. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid.¡± He picked up a rock and threw it at the dog, and it quickly stopped barking out of fear. However, when the rock struck the corn barn, the loud bang that ensued alerted the hut¡¯s owner. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Subsequently, a dim yellow light lit up in one of the rooms. From outside the windows, they could see the silhouette of ady getting dressed frantically. Thedy yelled loudly in the local dialect, ¡°Which of you kids did it? Has your mother not taught you any manners?¡± Soon, she emerged from the door and gave Angeline and Jonathan a curious look before asking, ¡°What are you doing here? Is there something you want?¡± The sight of thedy¡¯s wrinkled face caused the emotions within Angeline to rage. If it weren¡¯t for the lady, she wouldn¡¯t have been separated from her child for so many years. Unable to hold herself back any longer, she attempted to speak. ¡°May I know if you¡¯re Azura Green?¡± As Jonathan¡¯s voice preempted her, she felt him grab her arm and pull her back. Jolted back to her senses by his gesture, Angeline clenched her fists in seething anger. That¡¯s right. Acting hastily isn¡¯t going to solve anything. I have to face the situation calmly. ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Azura was shocked, her mouth agape. Nodding in acknowledgment, Jonathan shed a gentle smile at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I know who you are because I¡¯m a distant rtive of yours. Since we have lost contact for many years, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t even remember me.¡± In response, Azura gave him a skeptical look. ¡°Is that so? I really don¡¯t recognize you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Why don¡¯t we go in and have a chat?¡± Jonathan suggested with a smile as he shifted his gaze to the living room as a hint. No sooner had he spoken than Azura clutched her sleeves with a grim expression on her face. ¡°Um¡­ that¡¯s not a good idea. Whatever you have to say, you can just say it here.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s fine then. Here, I¡¯ve bought you some gifts. Please take them.¡± With that, Jonathan returned to the trunk and brought out some health supplements along with toys for a five-year-old child. His meticulousness warmed Angeline¡¯s heart, for even she didn¡¯t think of something like that. As it wasmon for vigers tock exposure to the outside world, Azura¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the gifts. ¡°T-These gifts are really expensive. You really shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Overwhelmed by excitement, she reached out to receive them with a shy chuckle. Unexpectedly, Jonathan pulled the gifts out of her reach before casually suggesting, ¡°Hold on. I heard my mom mention that your child is turning five soon. Since I have not seen him before and brought him some toys, I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t too much for him toe out and greet me?¡± Azura responded with a scowl as she replied in a frosty tone, ¡°What are you babbling about? Since when do I have a child?¡± ¡°But I heard your neighbor mention that you brought a child to the tuck shop just the day before. He even said that it was a boy.¡± Jonathan¡¯s nonchnt voice carried with it a haunting tone, causing Azura to stagger back reflexively. Giving him a wary and resentful stare, Azura bellowed, ¡°Stop that nonsense of yours. What child are you talking about? I have never given birth before. You must have gotten the wrong person, so off you go now.¡± She was so agitated that the gifts didn¡¯t interest her anymore. Instead, all she wanted now was for them to leave. Meanwhile, when Angeline¡ªwho was silent throughout the exchange¡ªlooked up, she clearly saw the laundry of a child hanging on the drying rack. Moreover, there was a worn-out toy car left at the main door, and the rope inside was clearly used to tie a child. From the many visible clues, it was evident that there was a child in Azura¡¯s home. Why is she denying it? Is it because she abused her son? As her imagination began to run wild, she felt a chill shoot through her body as an indescribable pain filled her heart. If her rational mind hadn¡¯t held her back, she would have lunged forward and ripped Azura apart. Having lost herposure, she screamed, ¡°You¡¯re lying! Do you know that child trafficking is a crime in this country that is punishable by at least ten years of prison?¡± Jonathan had wanted to stop Angeline but he was already toote. Angeline¡¯s words had clearly struck a nerve with Azura as thetter grabbed a broom and thrust it in Angeline¡¯s direction. ¡°Get lost! Don¡¯t you dare scare me! Just because I¡¯m from a small vige doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t see through your tricks!¡± Angeline froze on the spot. If Jonathan hadn¡¯t pulled her back in time, she would have borne the brunt of the strike. At that moment, a man¡¯s bellow came from inside the house. ¡°B*tch! What are you shouting for? Quit embarrassing yourself ande back in here!¡± Terrified, Azura dropped the broom she was holding. Finally, she shot them a re before hurrying back into the house. The sudden change of events threw Angeline and Jonathan¡¯s ns into disarray, for they hadn¡¯t expected to be undermined this way. Through the house window, Angeline could see a man, beer bottle in hand, grabbing Angeline¡¯s hair and smashing her against the wall. ¡°You b*tch! It¡¯s all your fault for bringing us this little burden. He¡¯s the reason why I lost in cards again!¡± As Azura¡¯s agonized screams rang out amidst the beating, the outraged Angeline took a step forward. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Jonathan held her back. ¡°I¡¯m going in. She might be killed at the rate this is going.¡± ¡°No. She would¡¯ve long been dead if that was going to happen. You wouldn¡¯t even have the opportunity to interfere.¡± Wearing a sullen expression, Jonathan exined, ¡°I learned from the vigers that Azura¡¯s husband is a gambling addict who turns to violence whenever he loses money. He¡¯s capable of anything once his temper res. Hence, it would be best for us to leave for now.¡± His words caused tears of desperation to well up in Angeline¡¯s eyes. ¡°I refuse to go back. I want to stay here.¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Angeline wanted to wait until Azura was willing to bring the child out to meet her. When she thought about how the child was trapped in such a dangerous family, her anxiety red up, especially when she still hadn¡¯t heard a single peep from the child despite standing there for so long already. ¡°Calm down. I heard from the vige chief that the child is well-protected. People are sent to check on him on a regr basis. The man was just grumbling. I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t do anything to the child,¡± Jonathanforted. Seeing that she didn¡¯t reply, he continued advising while wearing a calm andposed expression. ¡°Only more danger awaits if you remain here. You should return ande up with a n. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll be able to meet the child.¡± In response, Angeline clenched her fists as she struggled to make a decision. At that moment, her mind was a jumbled mess. While she couldn¡¯t think straight, she could still tell Jonathan said that for her own good. He¡¯s right. Rather than staying here pointlessly, I should return ande up with a solution. As the sun rose and illuminated the entire vige, a few vigers carrying hoes stepped out of their homes and nced at the duo, bbergasted. They should leave as quickly as possible if they didn¡¯t want to alert the vigers and draw attention to themselves. Unwilling to give up, Angeline continued fixing her gaze on the door, trying to find any traces of the child. However, she was dragged forcefully into the car by Jonathan. Meanwhile, Evander and Floretta had arrived at Hallsbay¡¯s airport. Before they could even return home to deposit their luggage, Evander asked Ss to drive them to Angeline¡¯s ce. The father-daughter duo stood at the door and rang the doorbell repeatedly. s, no one responded even after a long time. A grim expression appeared on their faces. Evander lowered his head and nced at the disappointed Floretta. As his heart ached, he tightened his grip on her tiny hand and suggested softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go home, okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I want to wait here for Angel.¡± As she stood with arms akimbo, she stared at her father begrudgingly and pouted, ¡°I bet you pissed Angel off again, which is why she¡¯s not here! I want you to apologize to her, Daddy.¡± Upon hearing that, a troubled expression formed on his face as he bent down and patted her head. ¡°Angeline has only been in your life for a few months while I¡¯ve been by your side for five years, Floretta. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little unfair for you to say something like that?¡± Only then did Floretta stifle her anger and lowered her eyes apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy.¡± However, in the next second, she raised her head again and uttered in a serious tone, ¡°Although, I thought being in love with someone means that you have to take the initiative and reach out. Do you really not want to have a romantic rtionship with Angel?¡± Evander was stunned by the girl¡¯s words. When Angeline¡¯s smile shed past his mind, the look in his eyes turned tender. His slender finger traced along Floretta¡¯s nose bridge as he stared at her with amusement. ¡°Who taught you this?¡± He didn¡¯t deny it! This means I¡¯m right! Floretta¡¯s big eyes were filled with anticipation as she grabbed his arm and smiled sweetly. ¡°Since you like her, you should buy a diamond ring and propose to her quickly. Angel is very popr. What if she was lured away and ended up bing someone else¡¯s mommy?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Jonathan frowned in response. When he thought about the amount of care Jacob showed Angeline in Summerbank, dissatisfaction lined his charming face. To him, the only w about Angeline was that she was surrounded by too many men, which wasn¡¯t a good sign. As the father-daughter pair were chatting about getting a diamond ring, Jonathan was driving Angeline back home from the countryside. Due to a severeck of sleep, Angeline looked haggard and listless. Her face seemed pale as well. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he informed. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied with a hoarse voice. She unbuckled her seatbelt, and before she got off the car, she turned her sight to Jonathan and asked hesitantly, ¡°Can you help me investigate another thing?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± He removed a cigarette from his pocket, tilted his head, and lit it with a lighter. She stared at the sparks on the tip of his lit cigarette and coughed a few times before saying seriously, ¡°It¡¯s about my parents. I don¡¯t think they died due to an ident.¡± Jonathan sneered, ¡°I thought you won¡¯t suspect anything about that.¡± Taking in his calm expression, Angeline¡¯s drowsiness dissipated as she widened her eyes. ¡°Do you know something about it?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t think of the possibility earlier. Considering the fact that Jonathan knows so much about my child, there¡¯s no doubt he knows a thing or two about my parents¡¯ death. Gazing back at her, he asked in a deep voice, ¡°Consider this. Who¡¯ll benefit the most from your parents¡¯ passing?¡± Angeline froze as she contemted his question. Then, a shiver ran down her spine when realization dawned on her. Through gritted teeth, she shouted, ¡°Joseline!¡± Less than a month after her parents¡¯ passing, Joseline misappropriated the shares. Moreover, Wilfred stepped down from thepany¡¯s helm when his health deteriorated due to his inability to ept that tragedy. Thus, Joseline became the CEO and was proudly in charge of the entirepany. Angeline frowned deeply as a puzzled look appeared in her eyes. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. Sure, Joseline¡¯s a schemer, but she¡¯s still a member of the Sorelle family. Why would she harm her own parents?¡± The smell of smoke in the vehicle dispersed after Jonathan rolled down the window. He rested one of his hands on the steering wheelzily as he sneered, ¡°Still don¡¯t get it? There¡¯s a chance that Joseline isn¡¯t a member of the Sorelle family.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes widened again. In an instant, she felt as though the blood in her body was rushing into her brain, so much so that she found it difficult to breathe. The amount of information she learned over the course of the past two days was a little too overwhelming for her. Joseline¡¯s not a member of the Sorelle family? I never would¡¯ve thought about that if Jonathan didn¡¯t point it out. Ever since we were children, my parents treated us equally. In fact, they treated her better. Whenever we were fighting over something, I had to be the one to back off. However, if she already knew she wasn¡¯t part of the family, then it¡¯s very likely that she killed my parents to silence them. When Angeline¡¯s train of thought ended there, she felt a chill running down her spine. It took a while before she found her voice again. ¡°Why should I trust you? Do you have any evidence?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. The truth will show itself sooner orter,¡± Jonathan answered coldly. The rearview mirror reflected his smirk and his icy gaze. ¡°One more thing. Joseline also sent someone to the vige three days ago for an investigation. It¡¯s possible she had already tampered with this matter regarding the child.¡± Shock and resentment filled Angeline¡¯s eyes. Joseline¡¯s such a vicious woman! As Angeline was temporarily consumed by her thoughts, a thick fur coat suddenlynded on her body. She could feel Jonathan¡¯s presence closing in on her. Just as she was about to move away, Jonathan pressed her shoulder and whispered next to her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t move! Someone¡¯s here.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline got herself together and stared out the window. She saw Evander holding Floretta¡¯s hand under the streemp while staring at her and Jonathan with a frigid look. Angeline was bewildered. Why did they return to the country, too? They didn¡¯t hear what Jonathan and I were talking about, did they? We were pretty far away from them, so they probably didn¡¯t hear us, right? Chapter 119 Chapter 119 With that thought in mind, Angeline felt her blood run cold out of nervousness. That was when Jonathan exited the vehicle calmly and greeted, ¡°Greetings, Mr. Golding. I¡¯ve heard plenty about you. You definitely live up to your name.¡± Evander approached the car with Floretta as he gazed imposingly at Angeline. ¡°Is he the reason you returned to Summerbank?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Pressured by his overbearing aura, Angeline stepped out of the car upon steeling herself, momentarily unsure of how to exin her situation. ¡°As the most prominent investor of The Journey, shouldn¡¯t I know about your rtionship with him?¡± Evander questioned with slight fury. His anger wasn¡¯t unjustified. Angeline¡¯s sudden departure did negatively affect the filming, after all. He bought ne tickets and followed her back without hesitation because he was worried about her safety. Yet, when he came to visit her without even bothering to deposit his luggage at home, all he saw was a scene of her getting intimate with another man. ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood, Mr. Golding. Angeline has been doing things for you,¡± Jonathan exined inly. Then he grabbed a folder from the back of his car and handed it to Evander. ¡°She knew you spent an entire year fighting for Project Serenity against Hanson, so she asked me to analyze the advantages Hanson possesses.¡± Evander¡¯s eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly when he heard that. After he opened the folder and perused the content within, the expression on his face changed drastically. Jonathan continued his exnation calmly, ¡°In reality, there was no way Hanson could¡¯ve bested you. The only reason he hadn¡¯t given up was that Joseline transferred fifteen percent of the shares to him and had bribed someone to be a spy in Golding Group.¡± Evander¡¯s expression was exceptionally frosty as he questioned, ¡°Who leaked this intel to you?¡± His indifferent voice brought with it a hint of restrained viciousness. Angeline, who was standing at the side, shuddered slightly in trepidation. The look in her eyes as she stared at Jonathan becameplicated. Golding Group was a powerfulpany. Hence, they usually kept a pretty tight lid on confidential information. Therefore, the moment a spy appeared, it would no doubt cause a great stir. With both his hands in his pockets, Jonathan still behaved as nonchntly as ever. ¡°I work as a hacker for an IT department, Mr. Golding. Once I managed to infiltrate the spy¡¯s bank ount, it was easy for me to investigate who they had been dealing with for the recent year. I must stress that I did this because Angeline asked me to. If someone else had asked me to do the same, I would¡¯ve ignored them.¡± In the end, he didn¡¯t forget to exonerate Angeline. ¡°Is what he said true?¡± Evander¡¯s icy gaze fell on Angeline. Angeline was so spooked by him that she shuddered. With no other choice under immense pressure, she went along with Jonathan¡¯s story. ¡°Yeah! Hanson is truly despicable. I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you defeat him.¡± Evander¡¯s frigid stare shifted back to Jonathan before he stuffed the files back into the folder. ¡°Well, since I¡¯ve handed over the folder, my mission here isplete. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Jonathan promptly turned around and entered the car as he waved goodbye to them. After he left, Angeline was forced to face Evander alone. She didn¡¯t have the nerve to raise her head and look at his frosty mug. Instead, she bent down and patted the yawning Floretta. ¡°Why are you so tired? Are you hungry? Do you want me to make some pasta for you?¡± ¡°Sure. I want some pasta,¡± Floretta replied sleepily and smiled with her half-opened eyes. ¡°Come on in, then. You should join us, Mr. Golding,¡± Angeline invited. Before Evander could reply, she took Floretta¡¯s hand and brought the little girl into her house. She was extremely mindful of her walking speed, for fear that Evander would notice her guilt. Once the three of them were inside, Angeline told them to make themselves at home before heading to the fridge in the kitchen and pulling out a pack of pasta. As the water in the pot was being boiled, she put the pasta in. She gradually spaced out as she stared ahead. The past few days have been so busy that I forgot to settle the score with Joseline. However, considering the current situation, I think I should properly investigate Joseline¡¯s motive first. ording to the information Jonathan provided, it seems very likely that Azura disallowed me to meet with the child because of Joseline¡¯s order. And my parents¡ª Pain and hatred surfaced in her eyes when she thought about that. If my parents¡¯ deaths are really caused by Joseline, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make her pay. ¡°Be careful! It¡¯s boiling!¡± It was then that Evander¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts. Shortly after that, pain shot up her arm. She staggered backward, snapping out of her trance. Bubbles were spilling out of the pot as the water reached the boiling point. If she hadn¡¯t dodged in time, her arm would¡¯ve been burned. Before she could react to the situation, the stove was turned off. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Angeline had no idea when Evander showed up next to her, though she could see the worry in his eyes as he stared at her. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asked. ¡°No. I was just thinking about something earlier, so I forgot about keeping an eye on the pot,¡± Angeline replied. While she wasn¡¯t hurt, she was pretty shaken by that little incident. Evander¡¯s expression darkened. His icy gaze met hers as he questioned, ¡°Do you miss Jonathan that much?¡± ¡°We¡¯re just normal friends.¡± She blinked innocently. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem as simple as his appearance suggests.¡± Rolling up his sleeve, Evander started helping her wash the vegetables. ¡°Even if he¡¯s a hacker, no ordinary person can conduct such a detailed investigation and find out about that information.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline looked away guiltily. Naturally, she was aware of what Evander was trying to warn her. Jonathan was a pretty mysterious figure whom she couldn¡¯t fathom. However, since they were helping each other out, she decided to turn a blind eye to his identity and hidden agendas. At that moment, she had a much more important mission to fulfill. ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood him, Mr. Golding. Jonathan¡¯s just a normal employee in a smallpany. He might excel atputers, but his skills aren¡¯t good enough to be showcased.¡± Angeline smiled and tried to ease the tension, all the while pretending everything was fine. ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s nothing wrong with him?¡± Grabbing her arm, Evander pushed her backward and pinned her to the wall. His slender fingers held her chin as he continued, ¡°If he¡¯s not a problem, does this mean you are? Why are you investigating Golding Group? Why do you want to know what¡¯s going on?¡± His terrifying re caused Angeline to gulp guiltily. I don¡¯t me him for being angry. I¡¯m just an actress, after all. It¡¯s only logical for him to be suspicious of me when I suddenly got involved in the deceitful battles in the world of business. I recall him misunderstanding me the first time I met him. He thought I approached him because I wanted to snatch the Sorelle family¡¯s shares. It seems like he¡¯s still suspicious of that matter. I need to dispel this notion of his. Gritting her teeth, Angeline exined, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. I have a personal grudge against Hanson, too.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 ¡°You¡¯ve probably investigated this before, but five years ago, if not for Joseline¡¯s intervention, I would¡¯ve gotten engaged with Hanson. Even though many years have passed, I¡¯m still vexed by it. So, I thought of doing this as revenge on a whim,¡± Angeline answered. Upon hearing that, the edges of Evander¡¯s lips curved upward mockingly. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had made some effort to understand her, he would¡¯ve been fooled by her exnation. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Ayer of sweat covered her palm as she gritted her teeth anxiously and continued, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s also because I want to take my revenge on Joseline. I suspect she¡¯s not a member of the Sorelle family and that she¡¯s the reason for my parents¡¯ deaths.¡± Genuine agony shed past her eyes when she said that. Evander¡¯s gaze darkened as he gradually let go of her chin. Feuds between prominent families are a common sight. It¡¯s not impossible for immoral acts to bemitted during those feuds. I¡¯m used to this kind of lifestyle, but Angeline isn¡¯t. After staying silent for a while, Evander piped up, ¡°You cane to me for help.¡± Angeline lifted her head and stared at him in shock. Is he offering me aid? But he¡¯s a CEO. Why would he want to help me deal with my matters? For some reason, she blurted without choosing her words, ¡°Are you expecting something in return for helping me, Mr. Golding?¡± The moment she ended her sentence, the expression on Evander¡¯s face darkened. The surrounding temperature rapidly decreased as well. Instead of saying another word, he turned and left the kitchen. Staring at his back, Angeline wasn¡¯t sure how to apologize. She pped her forehead with remorse, wishing she could just bite off her tongue. Why did I have to say that? His influence is vast. If he¡¯s willing to help me out, then the risk of danger I may face will be lesser than if I¡¯m still working with Jonathan. Besides, what can Evander gain from me when I¡¯m in this situation? After toiling away in the kitchen for a while, Angeline served three tes of steaming hot pasta in the dining room. She turned to the father and daughter sitting on the couch and shouted, ¡°Pasta¡¯s ready! Come and eat!¡± Floretta, who was battling against her drowsiness, immediately widened her eyes and hopped into the kitchen. Then she put on the small bib Angeline bought for her. There were many things she learned in kindergarten, including how to eat by herself. Although she still wasn¡¯t great at twirling pasta with a fork yet, she had shown significant improvement. As she slurped the pasta, she praised, ¡°This is so good! Everything you make is tasty, Angel.¡± ted to hear that, Angeline beamed. ¡°You should eat more, then. Do eat the egg I poached for you. It¡¯ll help you grow taller.¡± The girl stared at the poached egg on her te and furrowed her eyebrows with disdain. However, she stillplied with Angeline¡¯s advice and forced herself to eat it. The taste pleasantly surprised her. Whoa! What did Angel add to this egg? It tastes the same as beef and is super delicious! Angeline ced thergest te in front of Evander upon seeing him take a seat by the table. ¡°You must be hungry, Mr. Golding. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you with my matters.¡± Suspicion shed past his eyes when he heard that, but when he saw her fawning smile, he understood the meaning behind her actions. Instead of exposing her, he looked down at his serving of pasta that was covered in numerous slices of beef before digging in. ¡°Well? How does it taste?¡± Angeline fixed her gaze on him with anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Evander replied inly as though the pasta tasted average. However, the way he ate the pasta mouthful after mouthful betrayed him. Cradling her chin with her palm, she grinned ingratiatingly. ¡°I¡¯ll do better next time. I¡¯m sorry for offending you earlier. You¡¯re not mad anymore, are you?¡± s, he intentionally ignored her question and continued eating the pasta expressionlessly. Angeline got anxious when she didn¡¯t get a response, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she simply enjoyed her pasta with the other two. An unprecedented silence filled the dining room. Floretta was so drowsy that she couldn¡¯t stop bobbing her head while still holding the spoon. If it weren¡¯t for Evander¡¯s fast reflexes, she would¡¯ve face-nted on her te. Seeing how tuckered out she was, Angeline suggested, ¡°How about you let Floretta stay here tonight?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Without hesitation, he carried the girl into the bedroom. Following them, Angeline helped Floretta remove her bib and clothes. Since the girl was sleeping soundly, she turned off the lights. After stepping out of the bedroom, Angeline grabbed her phone to check the time. It was already past ten at night. Then, she turned to Evander, who was leaning against the door frame with crossed arms, looking completely rxed as though this was his home. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about her, you can stay, Mr. Golding. There¡¯s still one more room here that you can stay in,¡± Angeline offered. ¡°No thanks. I still need to head to the airport tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll be on a business trip for around a week,¡± he exined in a deep voice. Due to the unexpected situation previously, he abandoned his work at Spaunia and flew back to Summerbank. Hence, he still needed to return to finish dealing with it. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°Is it okay if I ask you to take care of Floretta while I¡¯m gone?¡± Angeline was still processing the fact that he would be on a business trip the next day when she heard that. bbergasted, she questioned, ¡°You¡¯re asking me to take care of Floretta? I thought you were still angry about how I caused Floretta¡¯s allergy.¡± ¡°She exined the situation to me. Aside from Francesca and I, no one knows about her allergy. So, I can¡¯t me you for it.¡± Evander¡¯s tone sounded cid. As he approached her with one of his hands in his pocket, he stared down at her. ¡°I acted too rashly last time. I shouldn¡¯t have lost my temper at you.¡± It feels so surreal to hear him apologize to me. Angeline swallowed her tears and shook her head, pretending as though she didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Actually, I wasn¡¯t angry anymore the moment I received your roses. Besides, I even med myself when Floretta got hurt back then.¡± Arching an eyebrow, Evander inquired, ¡°Roses?¡± She blushed as she lowered her eyes shyly. ¡°Yeah. I saw the card you wrote on the roses. I wouldn¡¯t have found it if I wasn¡¯t looking for it carefully.¡± When Evander heard that, he realized something was off. After mulling over the facts, he nced at Floretta¡¯s room. I recall someone using my bank card after my argument with Angeline at the hospital. I even asked Ss to check the transaction history of the card. With how intelligent Floretta is, I knew she wouldn¡¯t be interested in some toy that¡¯s worth a couple of hundred. She¡¯s such an impish girl. But, I don¡¯t think this is a bad thing at all. In fact, it can be considered a blessing in disguise. When his train of thought ended there, he went along with the story and took credit for the girl¡¯s effort. The look in his eyes softened as he said, ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± Evander and Angeline discussed a couple more things about Floretta before thetter realized it was almost eleven. Thinking that he might want to head home to rest, she proposed, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should return home and rest as soon as you can. You can count on me to take care of Floretta!¡± ¡°All right.¡± He stood and nodded. Upon sending him to the door, she picked up his suit from the hanger and handed it to him. Then, she even helped him smoothen his tie. She was wholly unaware of how intimate her actions seemed. ¡°Do you like me, Angeline?¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 It was as though a bomb had gone off in Angeline¡¯s mind when she heard what Evander said. Her heart was racing as she gulped. At that moment, she felt as if someone had discovered the hole in her heart and filled it up. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand what you mean by that, Mr. Golding. What prompted you toe to that conclusion?¡± His darkened eyes gradually burned with passion as he stared at the woman who was hanging her head. Then, he grabbed Angeline¡¯s arm and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Raise your head and look at me.¡± There was a tinge of suppressed eagerness in his cold voice. Frightened by his tone, she slowly lifted her head and met the unfathomable gaze in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Golding¡­¡± ¡°Call me Evander,¡± Evander said teasingly with his deep voice as though a budding me hade to life in the darkest of nights. In response, she blushed so hard that her ears turned red. ncing away, she responded, ¡°No matter what, I care for Floretta. I simply hope she¡¯ll grow up healthy and happy with no personal feelings involved.¡± ¡°Why are you so eager to exin yourself? Are you afraid I¡¯ll do something to you?¡± He continued fixing his gaze on her. Obviously, Angeline was unable to resist his teasing. Her mind was scrambling with chaos. She never expected someone as solemn as Evander to be so good at teasing people. ¡°Look at you. Are you ying hard to get? It sure does seem like it to me.¡± Once again, he took one step closer to her, his expression unchanging. Panicking, she retreated backward until her leg identally hit a nearby cab. That caused her to lose her bnce, and as a result, she fell backward. She reflexively stretched out her hand and grabbed the closest thing to her to break her fall. When Angeline saw it was Evander¡¯s cor that she was holding, her eyes widened. In response, she let go of his cor when she copsed. However, he managed to catch her in time and covered the back of her head with his palm. A dull thud was heard as they both fell to the floor. Angeline didn¡¯t get hurt because shended in his embrace and was protected by him, but she was still visibly shaken. ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question,¡± he said, his dark eyes filled with worry. Staring into his eyes, Angeline forgot to let go of his cor and uttered incoherently, ¡°I¡ª¡± Before she could say another word, Evander¡¯s cold lips sealed hers. Their heaving chests that housed their racing hearts were practically pressed up against each other. The night was dark and quiet, and as time passed, their intimacy only made it harder for them to breathe. Evander could smell the fresh fragranceing from the woman. The scent was as delightful as a drug, causing him to develop an addiction. Whenever he was close to her, he would find himself unable to control his actions or his words. Angeline immersed herself in his kiss. She was so hopelessly overwhelmed by it that she melted into his embrace, forgetting to push him away. It would be a lie to say she didn¡¯t have feelings for Evander. However, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate or wise for them to start dating with how things were currently going. Her desire to search for her child and seek revenge triumphed over her desire to start a romantic rtionship. Despite that, her undefined and unfathomable emotions was causing her distress. At that moment, the sound of someone turning the doorknob was heard. In response to that, Angeline widened her eyes and shoved Evander away in a panic. A secondter, the door to the bedroom was opened, and Floretta stepped out of the room while rubbing her sleepy eyes. ¡°I want to pee, Angel.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you to the restroom right away.¡± Angeline¡¯s hoarse voice sounded somewhat awkward. Swiftly, she pulled away from Evander¡¯s embrace. Tilting her head, Floretta stared at them curiously and inquired innocently, ¡°Are you ying games with Angel again, Daddy?¡± Evander¡¯s expression was still terrifyingly grim when his business was interrupted despite the fact that Floretta was his daughter. Still, I managed to get an answer from Angeline, and I wasn¡¯t disappointed. Angeline smiled at the girl, took her hand, and brought her to the restroom. When they exited the restroom, Evander was already gone. The tense atmosphere from earlier had disappeared, allowing Angeline to heave a sigh of relief. However, when she thought about the scene from earlier, her face reddened like a tomato. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t push him away! Thanks to my subconscious act, now I know how I truly felt about him. Angeline¡¯s mind was still preupied with the cause of her parents¡¯ deaths. Hence, on thest day of the holidays, she thought of returning to the Sorelle residence to see if she could find any clues. Since no one could take care of Floretta, she brought the little girl with her. Upon arriving at the Sorelle residence, she rang the doorbell several times before the door finally opened. A housekeeper in her thirties came to get the door and stared at her with confusion. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± I¡¯ve never seen her in the Sorelle residence before. With a deep voice, Angeline exined, ¡°My name¡¯s Angeline Sorelle. Where¡¯s Mr. Ziegler?¡± ¡°He was fired by Ms. Joseline a week ago.¡± The housekeeper¡¯s tone abruptly turned hostile especially when she heard Angeline¡¯s name. She scowled as she continued, ¡°I know you. Ms. Joseline specially ordered me to forbid you from entering this building.¡± In response, Angeline sneered. I can¡¯t believe Joseline had gotten so full of herself when I¡¯ve only been away for a few days. ¡°This olddy is scary, Angel,¡± Floretta timidly expressed as she clutched the corner of Angeline¡¯s shirt tightly. Worried that the little girl would be traumatized, Angeline took her hand and was about to leave. ¡°Let her in.¡± A raspy old voice was heard from the living room. At that moment, Angeline saw Wilfred standing in the middle of the living room with a walking stick. Even though it had only been a few months since shest saw him, he seemed to have grown much older. His back was hunched, and his increased white hair was impossible to ignore. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. The housekeeper frowned. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, Ms. Joseline said¡ª¡± ¡°Tell her I ordered you to do so.¡± His tone was solemn as he staggered forward, fumbling to support himself using the walking stick he propped on the marble floor. Angeline stared at him in bewilderment and realized his gaze was unfocused. Is he¡­ blind? Throughout the process, Wilfred¡¯s leg hit the coffee table multiple times, but the housekeeper simply stood at the side and stared at him coldly with no intention of helping him out. Angeline couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore and stepped forward with Floretta, helping the old man make his way to the couch. The girl carefully held onto Wilfred¡¯s arm as she reminded solemnly, ¡°You need to walk slowly, or you¡¯re going to get hurt.¡± An amicable smile yed on Wilfred¡¯s lips when he heard that. ¡°Are you not afraid of me, little girl?¡± he asked, his tone tender. ¡°Why should I be afraid? You¡¯re kind, and my teachers have always taught us to respect the elderly!¡± The old man was delighted to hear that. He chuckled and asked, ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s your name?¡± Patting her chest, Floretta responded, ¡°My name is Floretta Golding! I¡¯m almost six years old.¡± Aplicated expression surfaced on Wilfred¡¯s face as he turned to look at Angeline, deliberately reminding her, ¡°Six years old¡­ She¡¯s about as old as that child¡­¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Angeline paled in response as she helped Wilfred sit down on the couch. Then, she picked up the coffeepot on the table. ¡°Floretta is Evander¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s not her.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wilfred replied indifferently without saying anything further. Instead of feeling shy, Floretta sat down next to the old man and chatted with him as though they were old friends. She told him about everything she experienced in kindergarten. At first, Angeline thought Wilfred would get annoyed, but to her surprise, he was actually paying attention to the girl and would even reply to her childish remarks. I didn¡¯t expect him to change so much. He no longer treated me harshly, and he¡¯s even much more patient with a child. Angeline poured the old man a cup of coffee, only to realize it had gone cold. When Mr. Ziegler was still here, he wouldn¡¯t allow something like this to happen. She smashed the pot on the table and angrily questioned the housekeeper, ¡°Is this how you do things every day?¡± Fearlessly, the housekeeper crossed her arms and spoke nonchntly. ¡°Ms. Joseline¡¯s the one paying me. You don¡¯t have the right to criticize me.¡± Angeline was livid upon hearing that. I¡¯ve never seen a housekeeper as arrogant as her! ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just let her be.¡± Wilfred sighed heavily. ¡°Why did you suddenlye home?¡± Hearing that, Angeline ignored the rude housekeeper and turned to look at Wilfred. ¡°The anniversary of my parents¡¯ deaths is right around the corner, so I¡¯m here to ask if anything¡¯s nned this year.¡± Holding his walking stick, he responded grimly, ¡°Josie¡¯s usually the one taking care of this matter. However, there is still no news from her about it. She¡¯s probably too busy preparing for childbirth.¡± ¡°I see,¡± she replied. She disliked the way Joseline held a grand ceremony for the anniversary of her parents¡¯ deaths. Hence, she decided to only bring a flower when revisiting their graves in a few days. Subsequently, she turned to meet Wilfred¡¯s unfocused, lifeless eyes which looked like two dried wells obscured from sunlight. ¡°Your eyes¡­¡± Wilfred smiled somewhat sorrowfully and uttered in a raspy voice, ¡°I can¡¯t see anymore. When we age, our bodies break down. That¡¯s just how things are. The doctor diagnosed me withte-stage lung cancer. I don¡¯t have much time left to live.¡± Bewildered, Angeline gazed at him with disbelief. ¡°You were still healthyst year. How did things turn out like this?¡± Wilfred wore a calm expression, as though he had already epted his condition. His tone even sounded rxed as he rted, ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s an illness that was developed over the years. As I grew older, my body struggled to keep up. And now¡­¡± Right then, Floretta carefully approached him while holding a ss of water. ¡°I brought you some water from the kitchen, Old Mr. Sorelle.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He took the ss of warm water and caressed the girl¡¯s braids with delight. He then recounted earnestly, ¡°This little girl is as thoughtful as you when you were young, Angeline. However, you aren¡¯t as smart as her. One time, when you brought me a ss of water into my study, you ended up spilling it all over my documents.¡± ¡°You still remember that?¡± Angeline was slightly surprised. ¡°Of course I do. How could I forget?¡± As though reminiscing the past, the old man stared at the void before him with his unfocused eyes while his voice sounded world-weary. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about a lot of things during the past few days. I¡¯m d you came. It saved me the hassle of going to you.¡± Angeline didn¡¯t say anything in response. Instead, she merely sat there silently, for she knew what he was about to say. ¡°Five years ago, when you brought shame to the Sorelle family, I treated you harshly. I did many things to hurt you. Now that I look back at what I did, I must admit that I¡¯ve gone way too overboard. I apologize for what I did, and I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± Wilfred lowered his head regretfully. Seeing that, she hastily held his arm. ¡°Please don¡¯t. I¡¯ve never med you.¡± For some reason, she felt distressed, and she didn¡¯t know what to say. In reality, after being driven out of the family and treated unkindly by her grandpa, Angeline was so disappointed that the bond she shared with Wilfred was basically reduced to nothing by that point. She used to hate him, of course, but at that moment, she was probably ready to let go of her hatred against the Sorelle family. Furthermore, Wilfred was dying fromte-stage lung cancer. He was heroic and proud throughout his life, yet he was reduced to such a sickly, bony state thanks to cancer. As a result, he no longer possessed the overbearing aura that he did in the past. That kind of emotional torture was much more insufferable than any physical agony. Following that conversation, the atmosphere eased. Wilfred was extremely fond of Floretta, so he invited them to stay for a meal, to which they happily agreed. The housekeeper had gone somewhere else, so Angeline put on an apron and prepared a meal in the kitchen. By the time she exited the kitchen, Floretta had already be good friends with Wilfred. The duo chatted away happily. Throughout their meal, Wilfred cuddled the little girl fondly and was all smiles as he listened to the stories she made up. Angeline served the old man some food and said, ¡°That¡¯s just how she is. She talks a lot. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Of course not. I really like this girl.¡± Carefully, Wilfred ced Floretta on the chair next to him and smiled lovingly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since the Sorelle residence has been this lively.¡± His tone reflected the distress he was trying very hard to hide. Frowning, Angeline felt sorry for him and asked, ¡°Does Joseline not visit you?¡± ¡°Sometimes, but she¡¯s about to give birth soon. It¡¯s a hassle for her to travel back and forth.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Though his tone was casual, Angeline¡¯s heart wrenched. If my parents were still alive, the Sorelle residence would be much livelier. When her train of thought ended there, Angeline recalled why she visited the residence. She chose her words carefully before questioning, ¡°Do you still have the examination report of my parents¡¯ deaths?¡± Wilfred thought about it for a while before answering in a deep voice, ¡°When your parents passed, I was too sick to handle anything. So, Josie took care of matters in my ce. She has the report.¡± Angeline frowned with frustration. Things are a lot moreplicated if the report¡¯s in Joseline¡¯s hands. I still remember the reminder Jonathan gave me about how she may have done something to the car. Perhaps¡­ ¡°Then¡­ Do you still remember the license te of the car Mom and Dad drove during the ident?¡± she asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t remember, but Mr. Ziegler has a copy of it back then. I can¡¯t help you since I¡¯m blind now. However, if you really need that te number, I can give you his contact number.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± replied Angeline somewhat nervously as happiness inundated her. Finally, a lead! After their meal, Angeline and Floretta kept Wilfredpany for a while longer. As night fell, they got ready to leave. Before Angeline left, she gained Wilfred¡¯s permission and took a piece of each medicine he was required to take daily so she could run a test at the hospital¡¯sb. For some reason, she thought it was weird that he would fall ill out of the blue. The Sorelle family¡¯s daily meals had to undergo strict inspection. Moreover, the old man had been taking good care of his health, so it seemed unlikely to her that his lung cancer was developed over the years. If Joseline were the one who killed her parents, then it wouldn¡¯t be too far-fetched to assume that her next target was Wilfred, considering how greedy she was for profits. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Angeline¡¯s heart trembled as an ominous feeling grew in her heart. Not long after, the driver arrived at the Sorelle residence¡¯s entrance. Before Angeline and Floretta left, Wilfred insisted on seeing them out. Since Angeline was worried about Wilfred¡¯s health, she let Floretta bid him goodbye in the living room. Floretta wrapped her arms around Wilfred¡¯s neck and rubbed her cheek against his affectionately. She then spoke in a soft and sweet voice. ¡°You must eat well, Old Mr. Sorelle. I wille to visit you often, and I¡¯ll bring you to y at Peppa Pig¡¯s home when I grow up!¡± Hearing Floretta¡¯s innocent remarks, Wilfred teared up and chuckled. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Angeline held Floretta¡¯s hand and looked at Wilfred¡¯s hollow-cheeked face worriedly. ¡°I suggest you hire a new housekeeper to take care of you.¡± Wilfred lowered his head and heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°Josie said I shouldn¡¯t hire someone new in the meantime because the current housekeeper knows how to massage.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± Angeline said nothing else. However, her gaze gradually became colder. From the very beginning, Joseline had tried so hard not to let Angeline enter the Sorelle residence. Then, she arranged such azy housekeeper to look after Wilfred. Her actions were getting more and more suspicious. After leaving the Sorelle residence, Angeline ordered the driver to head to the hospital. Upon arriving at the destination, she entrusted the driver to look after Floretta, as it would ease her operation. Subsequently, she put on a hat and a pair of sunsses before sneaking into the hospital. She was worried that she would be stalked by someone, so she deliberately made a few turns through the corridors before reaching Liam Kingsley¡¯sboratory. Thergeboratory was a hermetically sealed room. As soon as Angeline stepped into theboratory, a pungent smell of medicine wafted into her nose. There were various medicine bottles arranged on the shelves. Liam led her to a seat in front of a table and asked gently, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, how can I help you today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Back then, when Angeline first began her career in the entertainment industry, she was constantly bullied. Whenever she couldn¡¯t handle the pressure anymore, she would get Liam to prescribe some antidepressants for her. Liam was a prestigious medicalboratory scientist. The medicines he developed had little to no side effects. It was all thanks to him that Angeline could recover from her illness. Therefore, Angeline trusted him and would look for him whenever she needed help. ¡°Dr. Kingsley, I need your help to dpose the elements in these tablets. They werebeled as medicine to treat pneumonia.¡± With a solemn expression, Angeline took out a ball of paper from her purse and carefully retrieved the tablets she got from the Sorelle residence. Seeing that, Liam cracked small pieces from the tablets and pinched them with his fingers. He moved them closer to his nose and sniffed them before snickering. ¡°These don¡¯t smell like medicine to treat pneumonia at all. If you¡¯re not in a hurry, I can run these into reports for you.¡± ¡°All right. Thank you so much.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression darkened drastically as she gripped the edge of her skirt. Looks like my suspicions were right! There really is something going on with Joseline! She even dares to harm Grandpa¡ªwho has always doted on her! I will make this cruel woman pay for her sins! After informing Liam that this operation must be kept secret, Angeline left the hospital. In the car, Floretta was dozing off in the back seat. Angeline didn¡¯t stay any longer and instructed the driver to send both of them back home. Since the holiday was over, Floretta had to go back to school the next day. Thus, Francesca sent Floretta¡¯s bag to Angeline¡¯s house. After Angeline helped Floretta organize thetter¡¯s books in her bag, she brought thetter to the bathroom to wash up. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Ding! Just as Angeline was done helping Floretta wash up, the phone she had ced in the living room suddenly rang. After picking up a towel to dry Floretta¡¯s hands, Angeline couldn¡¯t be bothered to freshen up as she hurriedly ran out of the bathroom. As soon as Angeline saw the name ¡°Mr. Golding¡± disyed on the screen via WhatsApp video call, she became nervous subconsciously. She recalled the suggestive scenest night and felt her palms getting sweaty. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t know how to handle the situation. Shortly after, she beckoned Floretta over with her finger and urged thetter. ¡°Floretta, it¡¯s a video call from your dad. You can answer it. If he asks where I am, you can tell him I went to the garage to retrieve something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Floretta didn¡¯t seem to understand everything, but she still nodded in response. ¡°Good girl.¡± Angeline patted Floretta¡¯s head dly and across from her. Then, Angeline picked up a ss of water from the coffee table and took a sip to calm herself down. Floretta swiped the button with her chubby finger to ept the video call. After seeing Evander¡¯s face appear on the phone screen, she smiled, showing her cute dimples. ¡°Daddy!¡± she eximed sweetly. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Evander¡¯s icy voice sounded from the phone. ¡°Are you feelingfortable staying there?¡± ¡°Angel is treating me so well! She brought me along to meet a kind, old man. We had a delicious lunch, and I told the old man many stories!¡± Floretta began telling Evander everything she did on that day while waving her hand around excitedly. Evander listened quietly before asking in a deep voice, ¡°Where¡¯s Angeline?¡± Upon hearing her name being mentioned, Angeline couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to the conversation. To her surprise, Floretta sold her out instantly. ¡°Angel is so smart to have guessed what you¡¯d ask! She instructed me to tell you that she went to get something from the underground garage if you were to ask about her,¡± said Floretta. Hearing that, Angeline almost spat out the water in her mouth. Choking on the water, she coughed incessantly. ¡°Are you all right, Angel?¡± Floretta asked as she tilted her head and blinked her big, innocent eyes. Angeline looked at Floretta helplessly. She couldn¡¯t tell if thetter did it on purpose. At that point, she had no choice but to appear in front of the camera. Angeline hid behind Floretta andughed dryly. ¡°Mr. Golding, why do you have time to call us? Aren¡¯t you busy tonight?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as busy as you. You came back from the garage quite quickly, huh?¡± Evander stood in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, and his background was filled with tall and majestic buildings. Dressed in a light gray robe, he held a ss of water in his hand. It was rare to see his rxed side. Facing his sarcastic remarks, Angeline had no choice but to answer, ¡°I realized I had nothing to retrieve as soon as I reached the door.¡± Evander merely nced at her and changed the subject swiftly. ¡°You brought Floretta with you to visit the Sorelle residence today?¡± Angeline didn¡¯t expect him to guess the truth urately. Since she didn¡¯t have to exin any further, she nodded in response. ¡°Yes. I wanted to go there and find some clues regarding my parents¡¯ death. I was worried about letting Floretta stay home by herself, so I brought her along with me. But I didn¡¯t bring her anywhere else,¡± she exined frantically, as she feared Evander would get angry. On the phone screen, Evander looked calm and expressionless. Just then, Floretta yelled in her innocent voice again, ¡°Stop joking around, Angel! We also went to the hospital!¡± Angeline was feeling extremely helpless, and she was on the verge of breaking down. This cheeky girl is purposely trying to expose me! ¡°I need an exnation.¡± Evander¡¯s voice sounded heavy and solemn. Hearing that, Angeline knew she couldn¡¯t hide the matters happening in the Sorelle family from Evander any longer. Hence, she decided to go all out and tell him the truth. ¡°Floretta, I have something to discuss with your dad. Be a good girl and go to bed first,¡± Angeline coaxed Floretta gently. Judging from her performance that night, Angeline thought she would have to spend some time to persuade the girl. Unexpectedly, Floretta nodded immediately and sprinted back to her bedroom. Winking at Angeline, she said, ¡°Have a pleasant discussion with Daddy!¡± Angeline put her hand to her forehead. She¡¯s such a cheeky little girl! At the moment, she was the only person left in the living room. She sat up straight and spoke her mind. ¡°I went to a doctor that works in aboratory and discovered that there¡¯s something wrong with the medicine given to Grandpa by Joseline.¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Evander¡¯s expression remained calm. It seemed as if everything that happened was within his expectation. ¡°Go on.¡± Sitting on the couch, Angeline curled up into a ball¡ªa posture with a great sense of security to suppress the resentment within her. ¡°Since Joseline could make a move against Grandpa, I believe my parents¡¯ death was also rted to her. I want to collect evidence and bring her to justice!¡± Hearing that, Evander took a sip of coffee and reminded, ¡°Since your parents¡¯ autopsy reports are now in Joseline¡¯s hands, I believe you have already asked Old Mr. Sorelle for the license te number of the car involved in the ident back then, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. T-That¡¯s right,¡± Angeline stuttered, staring at him with a look of surprise. She couldn¡¯t believe he was able to guess her approach correctly. ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡± ¡°Even if you know the license te number, it will only dy your investigation progress. Why don¡¯t you visit the police station? Your parents¡¯ case had caused a great stir back then. I believe they still keep what was left of the car until today.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Angeline got anxious at his words. Since Joseline is the culprit, she would definitely be cautious and build a good rapport with the police. It¡¯d be hard for me to enter the police station to investigate. While she was at her wit¡¯s end, Evander replied leisurely in the video call, ¡°I¡¯ll get Ss to contact the police. The rest is up to you.¡± Angeline was taken aback for a moment. Then, she stared at the man apologetically and said, ¡°Mr. Golding, I can take care of it myself. I¡¯ve already owed you too much.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re aware?¡± Evander raised his brows and smiled cynically. ¡°Anyway, there are already too many favors that you can never repay me, so I don¡¯t mind doing you another one.¡± He ended the video call promptly after that. The look in Angeline¡¯s eyes turned gloomy as she stared at his handsome face, which gradually faded to a ck screen. At the same time, she felt a touch of warmth in her heart. The feeling of being protected by someone is so good. Meanwhile, Joseline couldn¡¯t sleep at the hospital. Gazing at the night sky outside the window, she paced back and forth in the deluxe ward restlessly. Her due date was only a few days away, yet there were still no signs ofbor. Being forced to stay in the ward, she could do nothing besides waiting for the news. Anxiousness and uneasiness overwhelmed her. Especially after she learned from the maid that Angeline had gone back to the Sorelle residence earlier that day and gotten along well with Wilfred, she finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. She had encountered Angeline many times and found that the woman would always catch her by surprise. Immediately after, she walked to the door and locked it carefully. She fished out her phone and quickly pressed a series of numbers on the screen. A male voice rang out from the other end of the line before long. ¡°Babe, why are you calling sote? Do you miss me?¡± ¡°Stop your nonsense.¡± Joseline walked to the balcony and scanned the surroundings to ensure no one was around before she whispered, ¡°I have some questions for you. There should be no problem with the drugs you gave to the old man, right? Are you sure no one will find out about it?¡± The man sneered in disdain when he heard the questions. ¡°Those are slow-acting poisons, and the medicine jar was reced long ago; even the old man can¡¯t differentiate it. Don¡¯t worry. No one will suspect anything.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Joseline felt slightly relieved at his words. As something suddenly shed across her mind, she said in a trembling voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been having nightmarestely. In the nightmare, the Sorelles wrapped their hands tightly around my throat and shouted in rage that I was not their biological daughter. They even asked me to pay with my life. Do you think¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing will happen!¡± The man¡¯s voice was wicked and menacing as he spoke. ¡°You are under immense stress beforebor. Just calm down and focus on delivering our baby smoothly. Even if something happens, I don¡¯t mind taking another life.¡± Another life¡­ Joseline shivered when she heard that. Well, three Sorelles¡¯ already died in my hands. I shouldn¡¯t be bothered about the consequences anymore. The most important thing is to reach my goal! Joseline squeezed her phone at that thought. Her eyes were filled with maliciousness as she ordered coldly, ¡°Remember, it¡¯s Hanson¡¯s baby. I¡¯ll ensure you won¡¯t get anything if you dare to leak the truth!¡± I¡¯ve been plotting this scheme for so long and will eventually get my hands on Sorelle Group once the old man draws hisst breath. I can¡¯t let anything go wrong at a time like this! The following day, Angeline drove Floretta to the kindergarten. To avoid attracting attention, she stayed inside the vehicle and kept her gaze on Floretta, who took her friend¡¯s hand and finally walked into the building behind the teacher. It was then she noticed Nancy had sent her a few advertising notices early that morning. She clicked on the voice message. ¡°Angie, the marketing campaign of The Journey is sessful. Mr. McKenna wants to arrange more activities for you and Jacob before the film¡¯s release. I¡¯ve checked for you, and the pay is considerable. Do you want to drop by thepany today to have a look?¡± After listening to the message, she leaned against the seat and tapped on the steering wheel. I¡¯ll need a hefty sum in the search for my child. Besides, I don¡¯t know if my child is safe. If something happens, I¡¯ll need more money for the treatment. No matter how exhausting it is, I must grab every opportunity to make more money! She pondered for a while and typed a few words in reply: Do as you see fit. But I¡¯m not avable today. In fact, she had a more important thing to deal with that day. After telling Nancy a few things, Angeline turned on the GPS, entered the address sent by Evander the day before, and headed toward the police station. Half an hour¡¯s driveter, she turned toward the foot of a mountainside and finally arrived at the police station. The surrounding was sparsely popted, with only a few residential buildings. She got out of the vehicle and called an officer named Jasper Lacroix. Shortly after, a young man in a police uniform exited the building and approached her with a friendly smile. ¡°Are you Evander¡¯s girlfriend?¡± Angeline didn¡¯t expect Evander would regard her that way and nearly lost her footing. It would be much easier for her to execute things as his girlfriend, though. For some reason, she didn¡¯t even try to exin and held out her hand instinctively. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve heard about you from Evander. Sorry to trouble you this time.¡± Jasper reached out to shake hands with her in response. With an excited smile, he spoke magnanimously. ¡°No problem. I already had a general idea about your parents¡¯ case yesterday and retrieved all the documentsst night. Pleasee to my office.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline was overjoyed when she heard that and hurriedly followed behind Jasper. When they arrived at the office, Jasper signaled her to have a seat and poured her a ss of hot water. ¡°There may be a lot of pictures that you may feel ufortable looking at in these documents. I hope you can be mentally prepared for it.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Angeline clutched the corners of her shirt with an inexplicable sense of nervousness. Only after getting her consent did Jasper hand her the documents. She nearly passed out when she flipped open the papers and saw the first picture. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 On the old A4 paper were several forensic photos. After the car crash, Angeline¡¯s parents were turned into a mass of bleeding flesh, lying in a pool of blood. There were a few wide shots that showed many passersby with umbres surrounding the scene. The sight made Angeline¡¯s heart wrenched. She bit her lip hard, and tears began escaping her eyes. Mom had always cared about appearances when she was still alive. Every time she apanied Dad to an event, she would always ensure she looked the best in front of the cameras. Even if she only had afternoon tea in the garden, she would also make sure she looked decent. Yet, her face had be hideously bloody after the car crash. She must have been heartbroken to see so many people surrounding her when she was still on the brink of her death. ¡°Ms. Sorelle,¡± Jasper, lightly tapping the table with his finger, called out to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, but the dead can¡¯t be resurrected. Please take a sip of water and calm down.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline lowered her gaze to hide her pain. Her hands holding the ss trembled, and several drops of hot water sshed on the back of her hands. Staring at her, Jasper felt sorry and sighed. ¡°Originally, these archives were not supposed to be disclosed to outsiders. But since you are the person Mr. Golding entrusted, we have made the exception for you.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll investigate this matter discreetly and not get you into trouble.¡± Angeline was much calmer after taking a sip of water. She took a deep breath and continued to go through the documents. The car ident happened at Okolow Bridge in Hallsbay. Her parents were in a Maybach when a truck crashed into them. Due to the limited space on the bridge, the truck mmed directly into the sea after the collision. The bo of her parents¡¯ Maybach was severely damaged from the impact. From a photo of the car mirror shards, Angeline was surprised when she saw that the man knocked unconscious in the driver¡¯s seat was not her father. Noticing something was off, she quickly looked up and asked, ¡°Officer, was there a third person in my parents¡¯ car?¡± Jasper frowned as he gave her question some thought before answering, ¡°I think so. I didn¡¯t go to collect evidence at the scene back then, but my colleagues did mention that only the driver survived the ident. I heard that he fell into aa after the ident and has yet to regain consciousness.¡± His words made Angeline clutch the corners of her shirt dejectedly. Once again, the hope that had rekindled in her heart died down. Still, she requested Jasper to take her to herte parents¡¯ Maybach to collect evidence. Evander is right. The car ident caused a great stir back then, and everything rted to it was well- preserved. Enduring the grief, Angeline followed Jasper to the warehouse. Besides a burned car covered with rust and soot, nothing else could be seen. Angeline stood in front of the car, looking frail and meek as though the wind could blow her away. Such a sight would make one¡¯s heart wrench in pain. ¡°By the way, Ms. Sorelle, we found your mother¡¯s belonging on her body back then while handling the bodies and informed your sister about it. She told us to dispose of it, but we kept it anyway,¡± Jasper solemnly said as he approached her with a tray wrapped in red cloth. His words managed to bring Angeline back to her senses. She reached out and carefully unwrapped the red cloth, revealing a ne with an emerald pendant. This was Mom¡¯s favorite jewelry when she was still alive! Never had I expected that it was not turned into ashes by the raging fire. Angeline, trembling, covered her mouth and nose and burst into tears when she saw the ne. Since her parents¡¯ death, she felt sad and regretful every day for not being able to see them onest time. Is this ne sce from Mom? In a choked voice, she said, ¡°Thank you. This ne is very important to me.¡± She wrapped the ne and put it into her backpack. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It was originally yours anyway.¡± Jasper patted her shoulder with an apologetic smile. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I couldn¡¯t help you much.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯ve given me a lot of information.¡± At that, Angeline¡¯s eyes gleamed as she thought of the driver¡ªthe only survivor of the car ident. Although the driver is in a vegetative state, it¡¯s still possible for him to regain consciousness. His family may have some reliable information, too. Who knows? ¡°Officer Lacroix, I need your help with one more thing¡­¡± Angeline briefly exined what she needed to Jasper. He immediately dialed a number and gave her the address of the hospital where the driver was staying.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Back then, the cost of the driver¡¯s follow-up treatments was all handled by Joseline, and he had been receiving treatment in the best hospital in Hallsbay during the first year. When people began to digress from the news, he was transferred to a small hospital in the county. It was apparent how hypocritical Joseline was. After Angeline got the address, she immediately left the police station and headed to the hospital. Since she might not be able to make it back in time, she called Francesca to pick up Floretta that evening. About five hourster, when the sky turned dark, she finally arrived at an old building¡ªthe county hospital. Angeline got out of the car and thought it would be inappropriate to be empty-handed. Thus, she went to the nearby supermarket and bought a fruit basket before walking into the inpatient department. There weren¡¯t many people in the hallway. The nurse on duty cradled her chin in her palm, yawning in boredom. At the sight of Angeline, who had most of her body and face covered up, she red at the former and said in a somewhat harsh tone, ¡°Hold it right there, miss. May I know who you¡¯re looking for?¡± Left with no choice, Angeline walked to the reception desk and inquired in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Delroy Quast. Could you please tell me which ward he¡¯s in?¡± The rude nurse let out a derisive snort and rolled her eyes impatiently. ¡°Sorry. We have to protect the privacy of our patients. You look suspicious. I can¡¯t let you in.¡± Angeline didn¡¯t expect to be questioned due to her appearance. She rubbed her temples in frustration. She scanned the surroundings to confirm not many people were around before slowly removing her sunsses and mask. ¡°Are you relieved now?¡± she asked in a serious voice. When the nurse saw her face, the former was so shocked that she struggled to speak. ¡°Aren¡¯t¡­ Aren¡¯t you Angeline Sorelle? I¡¯ve watched so many of your dramas. Gosh! Are my eyes ying tricks on me?¡± Upon hearing the loud voice of the nurse, Angeline promptly made a shushing gesture and said gently, ¡°I¡¯m here to see a friend today, and I don¡¯t want to attract any attention. Could you please tell me which ward Delroy is staying in?¡± ¡°I understand. Well, Delroy has caused a great stir in our hospital. I¡¯ll personally take you to him,¡± the nurse excitedly exined before leaving the reception desk. Walking beside Angeline, she got increasingly ted and said, ¡°Angeline, I¡¯m looking forward to your new film, The Journey.¡± Angeline, replying from time to time, followed the nurse to the third floor and arrived at Ward 306. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 ¡°This is the ward that Delroy Quast is in.¡± Angeline looked through the window to study the environment of the bare ward. Delroy was lying on a single bed with a venttor and a wooden table beside him. Angeline became ill at ease, and she frowned. ¡°Does he not have anyone taking care of him?¡± The nurse carefully scanned her surroundings to make sure no one was around before whispering, ¡°Delroy has been in our hospital for four years. I heard he used to be a driver for a rich couple, but unfortunately, he was dragged into a strange car ident. The family he had worked for did not n to pay his medical bills, so Delroy¡¯s family gave up on the thought of saving him.¡± After hearing the nurse¡¯s exnation, Angeline tightened her fists as fury manifested on her face. How can Joseline do something like this? Is she even human? Right then, a world-weary woman¡¯s voice sounded out behind them. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Then, they saw a plump woman with a headscarf and patched clothes with a sk in her hands standing a distance away, watching them coldly. When the nurse saw her, she shuddered and uttered, ¡°Mrs. Quast, you¡¯re here.¡± The woman then walked over to her and studied their expressions. In a nervous tone, she asked, ¡°Is my Delroy in a bad state again?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not. Don¡¯t worry. However, this miss wants to have a talk with you,¡± the nurse gently told the plump woman. At that, the plump woman turned to Angeline warily, confused by Angeline¡¯s presence. Reading the room, the nurse excused herself. Before she left, she whispered to Angeline, ¡°She¡¯s Delroy¡¯s wife, and she¡¯s a feisty one. Please have patience with her.¡± ¡°I got it. Thank you,¡± Angeline said with a smile, a wave of warmth seeping into her heart. She then watched the nurse take an elevator down. There were few wards on the third floor, and there were few people around too. In fact, Angeline and Darlene were the only ones standing in the corridor, and the air between them was tense. At the sight of Darlene¡¯s wary gaze, Angeline passed her the fruit basket in her hands with a friendly smile. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Quast. I¡¯m here to visit Mr. Quast. I bought some fruits on my way here, and I hope you won¡¯t mind it.¡± Nheless, Darlene did not take it right away as she stared at Angeline, baffled. ¡°What kind of rtionship do you have with Delroy?¡± Angeline was silent for a moment before solemnly answering, ¡°I¡¯m Angeline Sorelle, the second daughter of the Sorelles.¡± Upon hearing the second half of Angeline¡¯s speech, the middle-aged woman scowled and snarled, ¡°How are you shameless enough toe all the way here? Do you think that the Sorelles haven¡¯t hurt our family enough? Are you here to rub salt into our wounds?¡± Angeline could understand her fury. After all, her family was ruined because of the ident, and Delroy was sent to a shabby hospital like this. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Hence, Angeline patiently exined, ¡°Mrs. Quast, I think you¡¯ve mistaken something. I¡¯m not Joseline¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! All of you Sorelles are the same! You all have wicked hearts!¡± Darlene shrieked. She then grabbed the broom by the doorway and swung it at Angeline. ¡°Shoo! Why are you still here trying to pretend to be some good fellow? Get out!¡± Angeline never thought that she would be beaten up before she could even tell the other party the aim of her visit. As her arm turned red, she groaned in pain. Right as Darlene was about to hit her with the broom again, Angeline caught the weapon in time. No longer holding herself back, she snapped, ¡°I know you¡¯re angry because your man¡¯s hurt, but will your fuss do anything? Can¡¯t we sit down and have a proper talk instead?¡± Darlene¡¯s eyes reddened, and the fats on her face trembled in her rage. In the next second, she bellowed, ¡°Have you Sorelles ever bothered to have a proper talk with me when I came to your ce to ask for the medicalpensation? I know that your family and its business are prominent, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can be a bully! How can you have me go down on my knees to eat dog food? You never treated me like a human!¡± Darlene was manic, but there was nothing Angeline could say about the things the Sorelle family made Darlene suffer through. Guilt welled up in Angeline¡¯s eyes. What Joseline had done was inhumane, and she had brought the Sorelle family¡¯s reputation to ruins. Yet, for the sake of bringing justice to her deceased parents, Angeline had no choice but to steel herself and clean up Joseline¡¯s mess. She swore she was going to settle the score with Joseline for all these things. Once the plump woman was done cursing at Angeline, she fell to the ground weakly. She covered her face with both her hands and began bawling. It was as if she was trying to release all the humiliation she had to suffer throughout the years through her tears. Her cries attracted the attention of the people nearby, and the patients in the wards came out to see what was happening. With Darlene¡¯s usations, more and more people appeared and began berating Angeline. ¡°She looks like a normal person, but how can she do something as immoral as this? I knew it. The richer a person is, the less humane they are. How terrible. They¡¯d deserve it even if a car runs into them.¡± Angeline tolerated the first speaker¡¯s usations, but the second half of her sentence made a cold look form in Angeline¡¯s eyes. Whipping her head toward the woman with cruel words, Angeline darkened her expression and grimly asked, ¡°Miss, did you see what happened, or were you involved in this? How dare you speak of nonsense here? If I really am a rich person, aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll bring you to court for defamation?¡± The people around her only dared to spit curses and judgment; none dared to actually go up against Angeline. The moment they heard her words, they trembled and quickly took steps back in silence. Nevertheless, something more challenging presented itself. A clear voice of a youth sounded out. ¡°Mother. Mother, why are you on the floor? Are you okay?¡± In the next second, a youth in a blue and white school uniform came upstairs with a few local police officers. After helping Darlene to her feet, he stretched out his arm to shield his mother as if they were up against a monster. ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t have be a vegetable if he hadn¡¯t listened to you Sorelles. Are you now here to hurt my mother too?¡± Angeline stared at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± the boy started, but Darlene grabbed his arm. With a pale face, she chided, ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense, my son. Officers, please take this woman away quickly. She¡¯s been causing trouble here.¡± With that, the police officers stepped forward and cuffed Angeline. ¡°Miss, pleasee to the station with us.¡± Angeline could not move after that. An anxious look crept onto her face, and she turned to look at the youth¡¯s panicking eyes. The sight of that made her even more certain that the driver was involved in the ident. Furthermore, with the expression the youth wore, it seemed like the youth knew something that went behind the scenes too. Certain possibilities had popped into Angeline¡¯s head, and all she needed to do now was to verify them. When Angeline was taken away, she deliberately paused in her tracks beside the youth and said in a low voice, ¡°The loss of that ident back then had been major, and the police are currently opening the case again. If you turn out to be innocent in this, I¡¯ll give you twice the medicalpensation the Sorelle family owed you.¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 ¡°Of course, if you still want to cover up for the culprit, then even if Mr. Quast is a vegetable, someone in your family would still have to bear his responsibility for him. If that happens, then that responsibility will fall to his son. Do you understand?¡± All colors drained from Darlene¡¯s face at once. Even the youth turned gloomy. The look in his eyes was one of a helpless child as he tugged his mother¡¯s arm. After saying that, Angeline left the hospital with the police without sparing the Quasts another nce. How unlucky I am. I wanted to find out the truth of this matter, but I ended up sending myself to the station. Fortunately, the local police officers were reasonable individuals. After taking off her sunsses and mask to authenticate her identity, Angeline exined to them what had happened. Moreover, Darlene and her family did note to the station to continue kicking up a fuss, so Angeline was mostly fine. After the officer asked her to sign the agreement, he shook his head in exasperation. ¡°I never thought a big star like you woulde to a small county seat for a fight instead of filming. All right. Make a call to your family so that they cane and bail you out.¡± Angeline then used the station¡¯s phone to call Nancy and tell her about her situation. She also asked Nancy to bail her out before the next morning. Nancy had just wrapped up her work when she received Angeline¡¯s call. Upon hearing Angeline¡¯s request, she angrily and anxiously cried out, ¡°My sweet child, here I was so d you finally stopped for a few days, but you¡¯re at it again! Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to a county seat? You didn¡¯t even bring an assistant along. How are you going to exin this to thepany if someone were to recognize you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Angeline pursed her lips and wrung the hem of her shirt helplessly as she listened to Nancy¡¯s scolding. She knew that her identity did not let her do such things. Angeline had wrapped herself up in so manyyers she was dying from the heat, but if someone were to recognize her, she would have many troubles to resolve. Nevertheless, it was still something she had to do. If she could not bring justice to her parents, she doubted she could continue to live her life in peace. Despite Nancy¡¯s scolding, sheter softened her tone and said, ¡°Okay. Stay in the station and don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯lle to bail you out with the driver.¡± With that, Nancy ended the call. She felt frustrated. After switching off theputer and just as she was about to put on her coat, a handsome face appeared in her mind. Right. There has always been a romantic tension between Angeline and Evander. It¡¯s clear that the two of them have feelings for each other, but both are too shy to take the first step toward the other. Isn¡¯t this the perfect chance to matchmake them? If Angeline bes his wife, we wouldn¡¯t need to worry about anyck of resources for Angeline. Moreover, I¡¯ll make it big too. In the meantime, on the other side, after Evander alighted the ne, Ss followed him out of Hallsbay¡¯s airport with two ck suitcases behind him. The driver that Golding Group had sent was waiting for them at the airport entrance. When he saw them, he bowed and opened the car door for them. ¡°Wee back, Mr. Golding.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Evander mumbled before getting into the car. After Ss ced the suitcases in the back, he entered the car as well. With a happy look on his face, he said, ¡°Mr. Golding, you were so impressive! You obtained the project that we thought would take a week in two days! Even James was stunned and kept talking about how smart Chanaeans were.¡± No one would be able to suppress the delight they felt about the extraordinary achievement. Evander was calm as he tugged his cor with his slender fingers and stared out the window at the bustling city. Nevertheless, the slight curl of his lips showed the good mood he was in. ¡°We¡¯ll pick up Floretta.¡± Hearing that, Ss said, ¡°Mr. Golding, Francesca messaged just as we exited the ne. She said that she had taken Ms. Floretta back to the Golding residence.¡± Evander furrowed his brows slightly in response. Angeline sent Floretta back to the Golding residence? ¡°Where¡¯s Angeline?¡± Right as he said that, Ss¡¯ phone rang, and he picked up the call. After exchanging a few words with the person on the other end of the line, Ss ended the call. ¡°Mr. Golding, it was Ms. Sorelle¡¯s manager. She said that Ms. Sorelle was in a fight with someone at a county seat, and apparently, she was even injured.¡± Evander¡¯s face paled, and he snapped his head upward. ¡°She¡¯s injured? Did she go to a doctor right away?¡± Ss was startled by Evander¡¯s reaction, and he stammered, ¡°I-I don¡¯t think so, but Ms. Sorelle is locked up at the station right now. She¡¯s mostly fine, but she needs someone to bail her out. Her manager said she¡¯s too busy to do that right now, so she¡¯s asking if you¡¯d mind doing it for her instead.¡± Evander then let out a sigh at that, but his expression was still grim. Haven¡¯t I prepared everything for her already? All she needed was to show up, but how did she end up getting herself locked up in the station? Is she a troublemaker by nature? ¡°Which station is she at?¡± ¡°Huh? Mr. Golding, are you going there personally?¡± Ss froze for a moment when he heard Evander¡¯s question. However, when he saw Evander¡¯s icy look, he shuddered and quickly told the driver the address of the station. It was already evening, and the county seat was three hundred kilometers away from Hallsbay. Evander traveled all the way there without stopping and finally arrived at the station at eleven at night. Just as he pushed open the door to the station, he saw Angeline quietly sitting in the lobby. She had pulled her legs up and curled into a small ball, looking pitiful. She seemed lost in her thoughts, for she did not even notice the sound of the door opening. Evander walked closer to her. He then saw her resting her chin on the back of her hand, her fringe ccid against her forehead and covering her delicate features. She seemed gloomy. ¡°Are you nning to stay here overnight?¡± the man uttered in a maic voice, breaking the silence of the lobby. Angeline snapped back to her senses. Her eyes widened, and she stiffly turned to look at Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding? Why are you here?¡± What? Didn¡¯t I tell Nancy to pick me up? Also, isn¡¯t he supposed to be overseas right now? How did he suddenly end up in a small county seat like this? Just as she was overwhelmed by her confusion, a powerful gloved hand pulled her over to the side. His sudden action caught her by surprise, and Angeline stumbled toward the tall man who was a head taller than her. When she finally regained her bnce beside the suited man, she became aware of how she was like a clown beside him. Hence, she kept her head lowered as she looked to the side. Yet, Evander held her head up and forced her to look at his eyes. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asked, concerncing his voice. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Is he not going to me me for messing this up and ending up in a cell? Chapter 128 Chapter 128 As Angeline listened to his words, for some reason, she suddenly felt a lump in her throat, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°I am not,¡± Angeline denied stubbornly. She turned her head away and wiped away her tears with her sleeve. Seeing the confrontational look on Evander, she took a deep breath before exining faintly, ¡°Officer Lacroix has shown me all the information. I found that Delroy Quast was also a victim of the car ident back then. No, scratch that. There¡¯s a possibility that he was the perpetrator¡­¡± She suddenly remembered that when she left the hospital, she inadvertently saw Darlene and Acacius Quast acting suspiciously, so she was certain that they knew something. ¡°So you went all out at the considerable risk of hurting yourself? Don¡¯t you find this kind of action foolish?¡± Evander questioned. His extremely blunt words made Angeline bow her head as mixed feelings surged within her. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Delroy¡¯s wife to be so aggressive. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯de as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the spokesperson of Starlight Jewelry. It was right for me toe and take a look to avoid you getting yourself into another issue. Luck won¡¯t be on your side all the time,¡± Evander said matter-of- factly, as though it was the whole truth. But Angeline was no longer a newbie in the entertainment industry. She knew that this kind of matter was usually handled by the public rtions of an artist¡¯spany. There was no way Evander should be involved in this. I guess he is truly worried about me since he came all the way here. What Evander had done warmed Angeline¡¯s heart. After calming herself down, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. I didn¡¯t expose my identity, and I won¡¯t cause scandals that affect the viewership¡­¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± After saying that, Evander went to the policeman on duty and signed the paper before taking her by the arm, nning to head to the exit. Angeline widened her eyes in surprise and stopped in her tracks. ¡°Wait. Are you taking me home?¡± she asked in a hushed tone. ¡°Duh. Are you nning to stay here?¡± Evander replied curtly, pointing out her intention. Having been exposed, Angeline scratched her head and let out a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Yes, I want to stay and wait for Delroy¡¯s family¡¯s reply. I have a hunch that they will definitelye to me. I can¡¯t just go back empty-handed.¡± Evander¡¯s expression darkened considerably. ¡°You can stay, but I hope you¡¯ll take responsibility for your own actions.¡± With that, he turned on his heel, ready to leave. Confusion shed across Angeline¡¯s eyes as she stared at his back, wondering why he was upset again. Just as he was about to take a step away, she called out unthinkingly, ¡°Mr. Golding, it¡¯s dangerous to travel on mountain roads at night, and I heard that there would be heavy rain tonight as well. Why don¡¯t you stay for one night?¡± ¡°Where can I stay?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a small inn in the county seat. It¡¯s not as great as the ones in the cities, though.¡± ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll ask Ss to book it,¡± Evander agreed without hesitation. Angeline was stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe those words came from Evander. Shouldn¡¯t he think about it for a longer time before agreeing to it? After that, Ss drove them to find a lodging establishment not far away from the hospital with the cleanest environment. When they reached there, there was only one staff member at the door. ¡°I¡¯d like to have four rooms, please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Because it¡¯s now the peak tourist season, almost all the rooms are upied. There are only two VIP suites now.¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Angeline frowned, feeling a little caught off guard by the situation. After all, she was the one who proposed that Evander should stay at the hotel. Now that the staff member had told them that there were not enough rooms, she mumbled to herself, not knowing what to say. While Angeline was panicking, Ss remained calm. He took the keycards and said to Evander, ¡°Mr. Golding, you and Ms. Sorelle can have a room each, and I¡¯ll stay with the driver in the car.¡± Angeline shook her hands frantically. ¡°No, we¡¯re at the foot of the mountain. If it rains, the temperature outside will drop, and you might catch a cold.¡± She didn¡¯t want them to get sick because of her. But at the same time, she didn¡¯t know how to arrange amodation for them with the current situation. I can¡¯t share a room with a group of men. There¡¯s no way Evander will want to stay with Ss and the driver, either. While she was racking her brain to find a solution, Evander took a keycard from Ss and ordered expressionlessly, ¡°You two share a room.¡± With that, he took Angeline¡¯s arm and strode toward the elevator. Due to the sudden tug, Angeline staggered forward, and she finally snapped back to her senses only when the elevator doors closed. She hurriedly rejected, ¡°Mr. Golding, I don¡¯t think this is appropriate. Why don¡¯t I go out and find another hotel?¡± When the elevator doors opened again with a ding, her first reaction was to reach out and press the button to go down. Just then, arge handnded on her arm, stopping her. Without saying a word, Evander pulled her toward the room. The moment Angeline heard the sound of the door opening, her nervousness went through the roof as her heart thumped violently. It goes without saying what a man and a woman will do in a hotel room. She felt as though she had fallen into a tiger¡¯s den. The lights in the room hadn¡¯t been turned on, so it was pitch ck. Evander pressed her against the wall and trapped her in his arms. ¡°The first rule of Golding Group is to be responsible for every employee,¡± Evander stated in a righteous tone. He leaned down, and soon, a husky voice rang beside her ear. ¡°Or are you afraid?¡± With that, the atmosphere turned amorous, causing Angeline to blush fiercely. ¡°I-I¡¯m not.¡± As soon as she said that, the lights in the room were turned on. Temporarily blinded by the sudden light, she turned her face away as her eyes narrowed involuntarily. Evander pinched her chin tightly with his slender fingers and looked at her rosy cheeks with a teasing look on his face. ¡°Oh, are you not? Why are you blushing, then?¡± he drawled. Stumped by his questioning, Angeline kept mum and broke free from his embrace to distance herself from him. After she opened the window to let in some fresh air, the oppressive atmosphere in the room was gradually dispelled. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°It¡¯s so stuffy inside. I can¡¯t handle the heat. You should go take a shower since you have to go back to Hallsbay early tomorrow morning,¡± Angeline said. Fortunately, Evander stopped teasing her and entered the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. The bathroom door was made of frosted ss, so Evander¡¯s attractive body could be vaguely seen. As Angeline waited for him toe out, she sat on the bed and fiddled with the corner of her clothes, feeling nervous for no reason. She had no clue what Evander would do next, nor did she know how to handle it. After sitting there for twenty minutes, she heard the door to the bathroom open, and Evander stepped out with a towel wrapped around his lower body. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 He looked exactly like a model with perfect eight-pack abs and muscr biceps. ¡°Why are you sitting here? What are you waiting for?¡± Evander was drying his hair with a towel. A drop of water rolled from his cheek to his corbone. The scene in front of Angeline made her gulp, and she looked away. ¡°Nothing. You go ahead and sleep first. I will take my bath.¡± With that, she picked up the extra nket and pillow from the bed andid them out neatly on the couch. Even though it might rain that night and it would be cold to sleep on the couch, it was still better than sharing the same bed with Evander. After making her bed, Angeline walked into the bathroom. She deliberately soaked in the bathtub longer than usual before getting dressed. She went out of the bathroom nervously and nced at the bed, but there was no one! What¡¯s going on? Angeline frowned in puzzlement before turning toward the couch. It was only then she noticed that Evander was sound asleep on the couch. She felt sorry for him when she saw how the tall man had snuggled himself into the small couch. Didn¡¯t we agree that I will sleep on the couch? Angeline pursed her red lips. She wanted to wake him up but could not bear to do so when she saw how exhausted he was. Before, she had seen Ss taking their luggage out of the car. By the looks of it, he must have rushed there the moment their nended. After the long-haul flight and a long car ride, Evander must be very tired. That thought warmed the cockles of Angeline¡¯s heart. The soft amber light fell on his defined face and made him look less cold. She got down on her knees and caressed his gorgeous face with her fair fingers. Looking closely at his facial features, she realized that he looked wless. Angeline might have acted with several dashing young men in the entertainment industry before, but they were nothingpared to Evander. Seeing that Evander was deep in his slumber, Angeline wondered if it would be all right for her to give him a peck. She had no idea where her courage came from. In any case, she could not control herself and kissed Evander on his lips. Feeling his cold lips, Angeline began to rx and felt an electric current running through her body. It emboldened her in an instant. Angeline¡¯s lips stayed on his for a while longer before moving away. She stared at that calm face of Evander and felt her own cheeks burning. Her breathing became erratic when she realized what she had done. ¡°Angeline, you must be sick and tired of living,¡± she mumbled to herself. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. That was when she got frightened. She quickly returned to the bed and turned off the bedsidemp. Just then, the man on the couch opened his eyes slowly and stared at the figure on the bed. No one had ever seen such a gentle smile on his face. He was not in the mood for sleep anymore. Initially, he thought that his feelings for her were one-sided. That was why he took great care not to cross the line so as not to make her feel ufortable. However, that kiss from her just now made Evander realize that Angeline was hiding her true feelings. Her reluctance to express her feelings resembled him a lot. Gradually, he understood that he had to make a move. If not, their rtionship would always be ambiguous. He¡­ could not wait any longer. The storm came abruptly that night, and Angeline found it hard to fall asleep. It was not until early morning that she began to doze off. Just as she was about to fall asleeppletely, her phone that was on the bed rang. The sudden disturbance irritated her. She fumbled for her phone and answered the call. ¡°Hello? What is it?¡± ¡°Hi, Ms. Sorelle. I¡¯m the police officer who brought you to the police station yesterday. There has been an urgent incident. Ms. Darlene Henderson is trying to jump off a building. We suspect it has something to do with you. Can you pleasee over?¡± Angeline frowned. ¡°But, I don¡¯t know anybody named Darlene.¡± The police paused before saying, ¡°It¡¯s Mrs. Quast.¡± What? Mrs. Quast wants to take her own life? Angeline opened her eyes abruptly and was stunned for a couple of seconds before sitting upright on the bed. She questioned the caller in disbelief, ¡°When did this start to happen? Where is the ce?¡± ¡°Not too long ago. She¡¯s at the top floor of the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle over right now.¡± With that, Angeline ended the phone call in a hurry. The call had taken away all her desire for sleep. She did not even wash her face. After putting on her shoes, sunsses, and face mask, she removed her coat from the clothes rack. By the time she reached the door, she had noticed that the nket on the couch had been folded neatly, and Evander was nowhere in sight. Perhaps, he has gone back to Hallsbay with Ss and the driver? But why didn¡¯t he even inform me? Although Angeline was perplexed, she had no time to think too much. After grabbing her bag, she ran out of the hotel to hail a taxi. In the hotel restaurant, Evander saw Angeline leaving in a hurry with his own eyes, and he was not pleased. Where is that woman going? Why didn¡¯t she inform me? Just then, Ss walked over with a te of breakfast and asked in surprise, ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that Ms. Sorelle? It¡¯s still so early. Where is she going to? Mr. Golding, do you want me to get the driver to follow her?¡± Evander shot him a re and said unhappily, ¡°What has she got to do with you?¡± Ss got such a fright that he began to stuff the croissant into his mouth and said nothing. However, in his heart, he was grumbling. Wasn¡¯t he the one who rushed me toe here and fetch Ms. Sorelle yesterday? Judging from his worried expression, I think he has feelings for Angeline. ¡°Let me get you a cup of coffee.¡± Ss turned and walked away. By the time he returned with the coffee, Evander was nowhere to be seen. The hospital was in chaos when Angeline arrived. On the top floor, Darlene could be seen standing outside the rusty railing. The ground was still very wet from the rain earlier, and the strong gust of wind looked as if it could blow Darlene away at any moment. ¡°Stop right where you are. My husband is about to die. My family has no wish to carry on living anymore.¡± ¡°Madam, if you have any problems, just tell us so that we can help you. Please don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡± The hospital was now surrounded by tons of people, and all of them looked at Darlene nervously. The police were cordoning the area off to maintain some order amidst the chaos. If Darlene really jumped off the building, it would undoubtedly cause a huge stir. ¡°Please excuse me.¡± Once Angeline got out of the taxi, she pushed her way through the crowd and came to the front. When she saw the state that Darlene was in, she was so afraid that her face turned pale. Although Angeline had encountered life-and-death scenes in her job, those were fake. Right now, what was taking ce in front of her was real. Suddenly, it made her realize that life was so insignificant. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you aren¡¯t allowed to enter.¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 ¡°I¡¯m Angeline.¡± The moment the officer heard that, his face turned grim before letting her pass through the cordoned- off area. Once Angeline got in, she did not say much. Instead, she ran all the way up to the top floor. After running up more than ten flights of stairs, Angeline held on to her knees and was panting heavily when she reached her destination. She forced herself to calm down before trying tofort Darlene. ¡°Mrs. Quast, it¡¯s me. Please calm down. Why don¡¯t youe down first? Then, we can talk about your problems.¡± The moment Darlene saw Angeline, her tears flowed uncontrobly, and she started yelling at Angeline, ¡°You¡¯re a murderer! If it weren¡¯t for the Sorelle family, my husband wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Now that our savings have been depleted, how do you expect us to carry on living?¡± Angeline felt sad as she listened to Darlene¡¯sint. She took a deep breath before saying, ¡°I know you feel a lot of hatred right now. I can pay for the medical fees¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Darlene was so agitated when she moved that the mud on the balcony started falling. It was a harrowing scene. She pointed at Angeline and looked like she could not wait to kill her. ¡°All of you are just lying to me in front of the cameras. After that, no one will be held ountable. This time around, I will never let this go!¡± Angeline¡¯s face darkened. Joseline must have lied to Darlene. That was why Darlene lost her confidence. The existence of Joseline made Angeline realize that humans could be extremely nasty. Angeline pursed her lips before bowing at Darlene apologetically. ¡°I know that you have suffered for many years. But, I¡¯m not representing the Sorelle family when I apologize to you and your family. As for Mr. Quast¡¯s medical fees and his mental traumapensation, I will pay thepensation in full. However, I need to know the truth behind what happened all those years ago.¡± Darlene looked better when she heard Angeline¡¯s assurance. Nheless, she still had a look of despair. ¡°So what? My husband will never be a normal person again. If he were not threatened back then, he would have never tampered with the car¡­¡± Darlene was talking very softly. It was likely that the police standing nearby could not hear her, but Angeline heard every word. ¡°What did you say?¡± Her expression turned gloomy. As for Darlene, she realized that she should not have said what she just did. In her state of panic, she trembled violently and lost her footing. The very next moment, she fell off the top floor of the hospital. Darlene¡¯s scream pierced through the air. ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Ah! Help!¡± Following the resounding scream, Angeline was the first to react. She quickly reached out to grab Darlene¡¯s hand. Soon, Darlene¡¯s body was swaying in midair. She cried out in fear, ¡°Save me. Please save me.¡± There was no way Angeline could withstand her weight. Angeline felt as if her arm was about to rip, and Darlene was slipping away inch by inch. Angeline gritted her teeth and used all her might to hang on to Darlene¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t give up! Make sure you hold tight.¡± Tears were pouring down Darlene¡¯s face in torrents that she could not even speak. She was close to passing out from fright. Angeline was in such pain that her face had turned pale, and her arm felt as heavy as lead. Her arm was on the verge of giving way with every second that passed by. Just as she could not hold on any longer, a group of police officers rushed up to help to pull Darlene to safety. Angeline lost her bnce and fell to the floor. It was as if all of her strength had been depleted. She stared into the sky from fright and took a long while before she returned to her senses. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± All of a sudden, she heard a deep, maic voice of a man. Angeline was startled. Beads of water were falling from her fringe down to her eyes, obscuring her sight. She could, however, still see that handsome face of Evander. He held on tightly to her shoulders and asked anxiously, ¡°Angeline, say something!¡± Evander sounded like his usual self, but that did not frighten Angeline. Instead, she looked pitiful as she reached out to hug him. In that instant, time seemed to have stopped. It felt as if there was no one else in the world but the two of them. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Angeline burrowed into his embrace. The whiff of his scent calmed her down considerably. ¡°I was so scared¡­¡± she muttered like a child who wanted her sweets. Evander frowned slightly and was heartbroken. He held on tightly to Angeline¡¯s shoulders and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Can you stand up?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Angeline attempted to get up on her feet. However, she found herself floating in the air. It turned out that Evander had carried her before walking down the stairs. The sun shone on him and made him appearrger than usual. Angeline was about to say something, but she stopped herself. She hooked her arms around Evander¡¯s neck and sneaked a peek at his expression before smiling to herself. With Evander around to greet the police, no one dared to detain Angeline. He drove both of them back to the lodging. After taking the elevator up and going back to their room, he ced her on the couch. Next, Evander took out the medical kit from his luggage. He then sprayed a bottle of medication on Angeline¡¯s swollen arm. Looking at that gloomy face of his, Angeline hissed as she feigned feeling pain. ¡°Be gentle. It hurts.¡± ¡°So you do feel pain.¡± Evander looked up at her and teased, ¡°You were very brave just now when you saved thedy. Where has your courage gone to?¡± Angeline bowed her head in embarrassment. ¡°At the time, my mind went nk. You can¡¯t expect me to sit back and watch a human being die.¡± Now that she had recalled the incident, she was starting to feel fear. They were on the tenth floor. If they had fallen, they would most certainly die on the spot. Nheless, Angeline did not think too much back then. All she knew was that she could not let Darlene die. Otherwise, the hard work that she had put into her investigation would be in vain. Most importantly, if Delroy¡¯s family is torn apart, how am I going to answer to myte parents? ¡°Angeline, listen carefully. From today onward, your life is no longer your own!¡± After Evander finished applying the medicine, he stood up and ced a hand on the back of her head before ring at her in anger. Angeline was taken aback by his reaction. ¡°Mr. Golding, I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean¡­¡± ¡°What I mean is, did the thought of your missing child and Floretta cross your mind when you nearly fell just now?¡± When Angeline heard that, she was upset with herself. She bit her lip and said, ¡°I know I was too impulsive just now¡ª¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes widened in shock when she heard Evander¡¯sst sentence. She nced at his serious face, and he looked as though he had lost his senses. ¡°Mr. Golding, don¡¯t look so serious. You look like you are confessing to me.¡± ¡°I left my work toe all the way here to fetch you. Do you really think I¡¯m that free?¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Angeline¡¯s heart clenched at Evander¡¯s words. She dared not even raise her head to look at him. Internally, she was iling as though she was desperately trying to escape a trap. She stammered, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± She hoped changing the topic would deter Evander from his original line of questioning. More importantly, she could not put a name to her feelings toward Evander. That being said, Angeline admitted that her heart fluttered when she was around Evander. However, she was simply not ready to enter a rtionship. Angeline got to her feet, attempting to leave. However, Evander promptly foiled her attempt. He grabbed her elbow and swiveled on the couch, pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Oof!¡± A muffled grunt escaped Angeline¡¯s lips. Evander stared intently into her eyes, and she fumbled under the heat of his gaze. He dered, ¡°I¡¯m a businessman, Angeline. I don¡¯t waste my time on frivolous matters.¡± Even a fool would understand his intentions. s, Angeline had no choice but to respond. ¡°Why¡­ and that person is me?¡± She thought she must be dreaming. After all, Evander could have any wealthy and elegant socialite he wanted with a mere hook of his finger. Still not breaking eye contact with her, Evander dered firmly, ¡°No particr reason. I just want you.¡± I just want you¡­ His short reply held so much conviction and crumbled Angeline¡¯s defensespletely. He was clearly determined to dispel her doubts about his sincerity. The room abruptly fell into silence. Angeline could only hear the furious pounding of her heart. Her vision began to blur as tears pricked her eyes. All these years, she had suffered from humiliation alone and trusted no one. As such, she never imagined meeting a man who would protect and treasure her. Evander¡¯s lips suddenly closed over hers without warning. His kiss was tender and reassuring without a hint of its usual aggressiveness. Angeline subconsciously linked her arms behind his neck, tilting her head up to deepen their kiss. At that moment, she no longer wished to conceal her feelings. Knock! Knock! They had been kissing for an indeterminate amount of time when someone suddenly knocked on the door. Then, it opened with a click, and in walked Ss. The noise startled Angeline, who immediately broke free from the kiss and leaned away from Evander. Meanwhile, Ss almost wanted to blind himself for his actions. He stumbled over his words while apologizing, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Golding. I came in after noticing that the door wasn¡¯t closed. I didn¡¯t know¡­ Erm¡­ I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± How could I stupidly disturb Mr. Golding¡¯s romantic gesture? He¡¯s going to dock my pay, for sure! To no one¡¯s surprise, Evander¡¯s expression darkened at the interruption. He demanded, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ss exined, ¡°One of the employees sent an e-mail saying that there have been some new developments on the tender for Project Serenity, Mr. Golding. Your assistance is required in the matter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evander instructed sternly, ¡°Ask the driver to prepare the car.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding.¡± Ss left after acknowledging his orders. Angeline scrunched her brows, her gaze turning thoughtful. She did not im to be a business expert, but she had heard from Jonathan that Evander and Hanson werepeting in the Project Serenity tender. Hanson had done a number of despicable tactics to improve his odds of winning the project. ¡°Are you upset?¡± Evander¡¯sment startled Angeline out of her thoughts. She only understood Evander¡¯s implied meaning some timeter. Her gaze darkened as she replied bitterly, ¡°Why would I be? My rtionship with Hanson is a thing of the past.¡± Plus, he was now Joseline¡¯s fianc¨¦, which added to Angeline¡¯s disgust. Her answer greatly improved Evander¡¯s countenance. He stared at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for your reply.¡± Angeline pursed her lips, realizing she could no longer escape his question. After taking a deep breath, she returned his gaze and uttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Golding. You know my current situation. I haven¡¯t found my child, and Joseline still hasn¡¯t been brought to justice. I can¡¯t throw myself wholeheartedly into a new rtionship.¡± She would not forgive herself if she carelessly agreed to Evander¡¯s request. Maybe she was timid or even in foolish, but she could not allow herself to love another without considering the consequences like an innocent young woman in her twenties. Angeline sensed that Evander¡¯s expression cooled instantly. He settled her on the other end of the couch before turning away to pack his things. Conflicting emotions warred in her chest as her gaze eventuallynded on the boxes of medicine on the coffee table. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. I can¡¯t say his reaction is unexpected. After all, Evander must be used to getting things his way. My refusal definitely upset him. Angeline thought she could sympathize with Evander. Just before he left the hotel room, she grabbed the medicines off the table and chased after him. Silently, she stuffed the boxes into his luggage. ¡°I can wait for you.¡± His attractive baritone rang out, and Angeline¡¯s hand froze. She raised her head and shot him a stunned look. Did he just say he would wait for me? ¡°But don¡¯t let me wait too long.¡± He turned and left the hotel room after leaving her with those parting words. Angeline stepped closer to the door and clenched her fingers around the door frame. Her emotional gaze was locked onto Evander¡¯s back. An inexplicable emptiness assailed her soul, almost as though she had just lost the most important thing in her life. In any case, Angeline could not return to Hallsbay for the foreseeable future. Regrettably, she would miss all the advertisement shoots Nancy had lined up for her. She called Nancy, instructing thetter to cancel her shoots and apologize to the brand sponsors on her behalf. She had mentally prepared herself for an earful from Nancy criticizing her hopelessness. To her utter amazement, Nancy beganforting her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll settle everything here in Hallsbay. Focus on your affairs there. Call me if you need anything.¡± Angeline muttered in disbelief, ¡°What the heck happened to you?¡± Over the phone, she heard Nancy taking a bite of cucumber. Her manager teased, ¡°You¡¯re the future Mrs. Golding. With Mr. Golding around, we¡¯ll never be short on resources. I was wrong to say you were married to your work. Turns out you were biding your time for the perfect opportunity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a load of nonsense.¡± Angeline hastily denied Nancy¡¯s ims, fearful that her misguided manager would try some funny stunt. She continued exining, ¡°Mr. Golding and I are just friends. There¡¯s no Mrs. Golding in the picture.¡± ¡°Fine, I get it. Everyone gets it. Mr. Golding has a massive crush on you.¡± Her exnation went over Nancy¡¯s head, and thetter thought Angeline was being bashful over the whole situation and teased, ¡°Time to put up the best performance of your life! Give me the deets when you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Nancy hung up before Angeline could protest further. Angeline gripped her phone tightly while listening to the disconnect tone. A wry smile curved her lips. I can¡¯t dig myself out of this hole now. Still, is it really so obvious that Evander likes me? Does everyone really know about it? Am I the only blockhead who hasn¡¯t realized? Meanwhile, Darlene had fainted from shock after her rescue from the hospital roof. Angeline was in her hotel room till five in the evening before receiving a call from an unknown number. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 ¡°Hello, miss. I got your number from the police. I¡¯m Delroy¡¯s son, and I¡¯d like to meet up with you in person.¡± As Angeline listened to the juvenile voice over the phone, her eyes were brimming with emotions. Oh, angels took pity on me! I¡¯m d that my efforts to wait in the county haven¡¯t gone to waste. ¡°Sure. Tell me where we should meet.¡± Angeline intentionally kept her tone on a tight leash to sound as calm as she could be. Moments after she hung up the phone, Delroy¡¯s son texted her the address of their rendezvous¡ªa small cafe around the neighborhood. Angeline quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes before making a beeline for the garage downstairs. Never in a million years would she expect to bump into Ss in the living room. Thetter was wielding a spoon, delightfully enjoying a piece of cake at his leisure. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, why did youe down?¡± He licked the mousse at the corner of his lips when he caught sight of Angeline. bbergasted, Angeline gaped at the man in shock. Concurrently, she scrutinized the surroundings but found no trace of Evander¡¯s presence. Puzzlement inundated her. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to follow him back to Hallsbay, too?¡± she probed. ¡°Mr. Golding has asked me to stay behind and ensure your safety. Are you going somewhere? I¡¯ll drive you there.¡± Ss¡¯ words sent a warm feeling through Angeline¡¯s heart. I would¡¯ve never anticipated Evander to order his right-hand man to stay by my side. It seems like he very much approved of my mission this time around. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m simply meeting up with a friend. You should stay here and rest,¡± was Angeline¡¯s comment. As persistent as Ss had always been, heid down the cake in his hands before treading on the woman¡¯s heels. ¡°Mr. Golding has specifically instructed me to keep an eye on you at all times. If I let you step out alone, I¡¯ll have to answer to him. I¡¯ll just observe from afar, and I promise not to intrude.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ All right.¡± Left with no choice, Angeline could onlyply with his wish. At first, she had hoped for the negotiation to remain private, and the fewer people in the know of it, the better. Be that as it might, since Evander meant well, she did not want to turn him down. With that, Ss drove Angeline¡¯s car and dropped her off at a small cafe in the county. Through the windows, Angeline could already see a young man inside looking rather ill at ease in his seat. Ss then pulled over on the opposite side of the road. From there, he could get a clear view of the entire scene where Angeline was at. In the interim, Angeline had already set foot in the cafe. She approached the young man, shing him a benevolent smile before piping up, ¡°I heard from your mom that you¡¯re ¡®Cas,¡¯ right?¡± The young man blushed at her words. Immediately, he leaped up from his seat while rubbing his palms, seemingly a little nervous. ¡°Yes, my mom nicknamed me that. My name is Acacius Quast.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s a nice, down-to-earth name. Your dad must hope that you¡¯ll always be a pure and innocent person.¡± Angeline sang his praises on the spot and did away with the formality. Taking her seat, she summoned a waiter over and ordered a ss of water. Just when Acacius heard the mention of his father, a hint of pain flickered in those clear, bright eyes of his, and he gripped the hem of his shirt with his slender fingers. He kept silent for a while before eventually posing an inquiry. ¡°Did you mean it when you said you¡¯re willing to pay my dad¡¯s medical bills?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a woman of my word.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be deceiving us the way Ms. Joseline did, would you?¡± Acacius shot Angeline a hopeful look and went on, ¡°The doctor said my dad¡¯s condition is going south, so he could really use the surgery as soon as possible.¡± Upon hearing that statement, Angeline unwittingly clenched the ss of water with her fair fingers. Her gaze was as deep as a bottomless pit. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to lie. But, Cas, you¡¯re a clever boy, so since you have the courage to look me up for negotiation, I suppose your mom must¡¯ve asked this of you. You do have something else you¡¯d like to tell me, don¡¯t you?¡± Acacius was bbergasted on that note. Her guesses are spot on! I can¡¯t believe it! As he took a deep breath, he managed to tamp down the swelling anxiety within him. ¡°Three days prior to that ident five years ago, my dad dide back to the county during his break. He told my mom that he was in dire need of a handsome sum of cash to save my grandma¡¯s life,¡± he voiced. Angeline kept her lips buttoned and listened to that young man. Thetter then added, ¡°Coincidentally, there was a stranger, a man, who came to my dad and offered him one million as long as he agreed to tamper with the brake of the car belonging to the Sorelles to induce a fake road ident on their way to the jewelry press conference, thus preventing the Sorelles from signing the contract.¡± ¡°So, you all epted the money?¡± hissed Angeline through gritted teeth. Her visage was as grim as death. The young man was shocked by her reaction. He stammered, ¡°B-Because my grandma was in grave condition, and my dad¡­ H-He couldn¡¯t just stand idly by. Besides, we thought that it¡¯d only be causing a vehicle breakdown. We didn¡¯t know it¡¯d be that serious¡­¡± ¡°Have you all damaged your brains? Why did you ept the money? Didn¡¯t you realize that you¡¯re also the aplices in the murder?¡± bellowed Angeline hysterically, mming her palm on the table. Her eyes were bloodshot in an instant. s, hatred inundated her. Yet, the pent-up resentment within her could find no way out. Had they not colluded with one another to set up a trap like that, my parents wouldn¡¯t have gone with the wind at such a tender age! Were my parents¡¯ lives that insignificant? How could they only care about their own loved ones? Noticing the seething bitterness in Angeline¡¯s gaze, Acacius was so terrified that his face paled to a ghastly white. He hastily cowered behind the chair, shivering the whole time with his head hung low. Right then, Ss stepped in from outside, handing Angeline a ss of water. ¡°Please calm down, Ms. Sorelle,¡± heforted. Angeline took the ss over with her trembling hand and gulped down a mouthful of water. Only then did she manage to calm down a little. ¡°Thank you.¡± With that said, Angeline was no longer ring daggers at Acacius. Even so, the animosity she felt toward thetter did not diminish in the slightest. Acacius, in turn, tightened his grip on the chair legs while sizing the woman up with a fearful gaze. He took a moment before parting his lips and cautiously putting forward a question. ¡°Miss, I apologize to you on behalf of my dad. You wouldn¡¯t take legal action against my family, would you?¡± ¡°This case will be reopened, and the court will return the verdict should there be any legal consequences!¡±mented Angeline in a deep voice. She grabbed her purse from the table and was all ready to leave. Nevertheless, before taking her leave, she still tilted her head to peek at the already devastated Acacius, uttering sternly, ¡°I¡¯ll still keep my promise to you. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to assist with your dad¡¯s transfer and make sure he has ess to the best health facilities.¡± As soon as she dropped the sentence, she departed from the cafe without hesitation. Deep down, she knew that her decision to save Delroy¡¯s life would serve as a form of sce to her deceased parents in heaven. Besides, if her parents were still alive, she believed that they would also wish for nothing less than that. On the journey back, the pin-drop silence in the car only served to enmesh Angeline in the memory of her past. Tears began to well up in her eyes as misery assailed her heart. However, she endured the grief, never allowing a single drop of tears to escape from her eyes. Seeing the situation she was in, Ss pressed a button on the dashboard to y some feel-good music. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, the dead can¡¯t be resurrected. Look on the bright side of life,¡± came Ss¡¯ advice. ¡°Mm. Thank you.¡± Like a charm, Angeline¡¯s attention was indeed diverted by the pleasant melody. With a tad of deliberation, she queried, ¡°Can you help me with something?¡± ¡°Is it about transferring Mr. Quast to another hospital? Don¡¯t worry. Mr. Golding has long sent someone to arrange for a ward. We¡¯ll send Mr. Quast back to Hallsbay tonight,¡± reported Ss. Angeline was bereft of speech upon hearing his words. She pursed her red lips as a surge of warmth rushed to her heart. Evander can really tell what¡¯s on my mind all the time, and he¡¯s always one step ahead of me in making those arrangements. With him around, I really do feel at ease. She fished out her phone and sent Evander a message on WhatsApp to express her appreciation. Right after the text was delivered, a news article abruptly popped up on the screen. It was written on the headline: Breaking news! The daughter-inw of Yiurk Group gives birth to a son in Hallsbay Central Hospital today! Joseline Sorelle bes a mother while the Yiurk family wees their very own baby boy! Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Angeline instinctively clicked on the news article, and a family photo right at the center immediately caught her eye. Joseline was holding a newborn baby boy, while Hanson put his hand over her shoulders as he looked at the camera. Standing behind them was the matriarch of the Yiurk family, Monica Yiurk, Hanson¡¯s aunt and uncle, as well as his older brother. It was a very sweet family photo. Angeline narrowed her eyes and snickered to herself. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the Yiurk family would still be as happy when they knew what Joseline had done. Her phone rang while she was deep in her thoughts. When she noticed that it was Jonathan, her expression turned grim. After Angeline picked up the call, she stole a nce at Ss before lowering her voice to ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jonathan¡¯s sinister voice could be heard from the other end. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. I¡¯ve already sent the photos of Joseline secretly dating a male model to Hanson under your name.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you discuss it with me first before sending them?¡± Angeline furrowed her brows, exasperated at Jonathan¡¯s reckless actions. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re working together. You should be well aware that this is what you¡¯re supposed to do after I¡¯ve helped you find the child,¡± Jonathan rebuked. He didn¡¯t sound pleased, as if someone owed him millions. Jonathan hung up right after saying that. The disconnect tone frustrated Angeline to no end. What a ridiculous man! How can he change his stance that quickly? Even if he wants revenge on Hanson, he shouldn¡¯t throw me under the bus. Given what Jonathan was capable of, he could well have used a pseudonym to send the photos. However, seeing as he chose to put down Angeline¡¯s name, it was obvious that he was trying to stoke an already burning fire between her and Hanson. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, do you need my help?¡± Ss, who was in front of her, noticed her odd demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression turned grim as she ordered, ¡°We¡¯re going back to Hallsbay tonight.¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t prove that Joseline was behind it all, Angeline had gotten her hands on the information she needed. Many years had passed by since the case. Hence, she knew that the court would never consider a retrial, even if she were to verbally appeal for it. In the meantime, she could only wait for Delroy to regain consciousness. Angeline reckoned that she might have a chance at bringing Joseline to justice. With the thought in mind, she massaged her temples with her slender fingers as she closed her eyes. There was a hint of exhaustion on her face. Most importantly, tomorrow would be the anniversary of her parent¡¯s death. She had prepared for today to be herst day in Hallsbay. If there was no further progress, she decided that she would get back home tonight no matter what. Her emotions were in turmoil at the thought. All of a sudden, she just wanted to listen to Evander¡¯s voice. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Meanwhile, ever since the baby was born, Monica, who seldom got out of the house, went to the hospital every day to visit her grandchild. On the contrary, Hanson only went to the hospital twice. The first time was when the baby was born, and this was his second time at the hospital. He looked at Joseline, who was feeding the baby on the hospital bed. His voice was tender, and yet his tone was impassive. ¡°The doctor said you need to take a good rest. Since you¡¯re not willing to hire extra help to take care of the baby, do let the butler know if you need anything. He¡¯ll make sure your needs are taken care of,¡± Hanson said. ¡°I¡¯m not a three-year-old child. I can take care of this,¡± Joseline replied. She looked at Hanson with a gentle, loving expression. Then, she reached out to tug at the hem of his shirt. ¡°Hanson, you¡¯ve never held the baby once after he was born. You¡¯re his dad. Why don¡¯t you try feeding him?¡± Joseline suggested. Hanson frowned in response. However, his gaze softened when he looked at the baby, who was happily having milk. Before he said yes, Joseline had already passed him the baby. Hanson was left with no other choice but to reach out and take the baby. The little boy felt soft in his embrace. It was as if he could break the baby if he so much as squeezed him. His thoughts traveled down memoryne as he carefully studied the baby¡¯s features. Hanson suddenly recalled memories from his university days, the times when he would fetch Angeline on his bike as they headed home together. The gentle breeze would carry the scent of the fresh grass, and Angeline would put her hands around his waist, her eyes filled with hope and anticipation. ¡°Hanson, let¡¯s have a baby together after I graduate, okay?¡± Angeline asked sweetly. ¡°Just one? We¡¯re going to make babies every day after we graduate,¡± Hanson teased. Angeline¡¯s face turned beet red as she hit him on his shoulders gently. ¡°You¡¯re such a pervert! Forget it!¡± For reasons unbeknownst to himself, Hanson found himself quite fond of reminiscing the past nowadays. Times were different now. He had not fulfilled his promise back then. As for Angeline, Hanson couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the things that she had been through all these years, which caused her to turn into a cold and heartless woman. However, he did find her to be much more attractive than when they were still students. ¡°Hanson, what are you thinking about?¡± Joseline¡¯s question pulled him back into the present. ¡°Nothing.¡± His expression turned grim as he changed the subject, ¡°The baby looks so much like you.¡± ¡°Of course. He¡¯s our baby. He has your nose,¡± Joseline said. She beamed happily. Then, she repositioned herself and passed the milk bottle to Hanson. He did not take over the bottle. Instead, he nced at the baby. Hanson didn¡¯t think that the child resembled him in any way, and he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to adore the baby either. ¡°I still have pending matters at the office. Get a good rest. I have to go back now,¡± Hanson said in a rather clipped tone. He passed the baby back to her and turned around to leave the ward. Joseline did not pester him to stay. Though feeling indignant, she merely watched him leave as she clutched on tightly to her bedsheets. She knew that Hanson had never looked forward to the baby being born. However, it didn¡¯t matter anymore, as she was already Mrs. Yiurk. Nobody could take that away from her. Meanwhile, after Hanson got back to his office, he dived into work right away after removing his coat. Knock! Knock! Someone knocked on his door right then, and his assistant entered his office. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, there is a document pending your approval.¡± ¡°Hand it over,¡± Hanson said. The assistant approached him respectfully and ced the file in front of Hanson for him to review. Hanson opened the file, only to discover that it actually contained a few photos. After taking a look at them, his expression darkened. In the photo, Joseline opened the door of the mansion and was intertwined in a passionate kiss with a young man. There were several other photos that showed much more intimate interactions between the two as well. Bang! Outraged, Hanson mmed the photos on his desk and swept everything to the floor, smashing the mug that was on his desk. He couldn¡¯t believe that Joseline would do something so shameless behind his back. He was simply repulsed at the thought of her pretending to care about him, acting all innocent while doing so. If that was the case, there was a high possibility that the child that Joseline just had might not be his at all. There was another note inside the file that slipped out. Hanson ordered his assistant to pick it up. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Hanson¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he recognized the handwriting on the note. It belonged to Angeline. The note read: Mr. Yiurk, congrattions on your newborn son. Are you happy with my gift? Am I happy with the gift? Hanson¡¯s eyes darkened as he crumpled the note in his fist and mmed it on his desk angrily. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Is this how Angeline exacts her revenge? If so, it¡¯s a resounding sess! Even though Hanson did not love Joseline, someone as proud as him could never ept being betrayed or having raised another man¡¯s child for so long. Hanson then rose from his seat and grabbed his jacket, ready to settle the score with Joseline. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Bad news, Mr. Yiurk!¡± Suddenly, Charles Burton of the public rtion department barged in. ¡°Golding Group is signing the contract today for acquiring Project Serenity.¡± ¡°What?¡± The anger Hanson suppressed inside him finally exploded when he heard the news. ¡°What happened to the promise you made me? How about Mr. Quill of Golding Group?¡± Charles shivered so much that he could barely talk properly. ¡°I heard he got kicked out of the shareholders¡¯ meetingst night because thepany found out that he was working with us. He kept saying he wanted to settle the score with you since he couldn¡¯t even get his shares back.¡± Sensing the severity of his situation, Hanson propped his hands on the table with a hardened face. He had thepany focused on Project Serenity for more than half a year because he was convinced it would pay off. However, he never expected that Evander¡¯s drastic action would bring such damage to him. After all, he was sure nobody knew about his cooperation with Jason Quill. Someone must¡¯ve talked! Could Angeline be responsible for this too? What exactly is she thinking? ¡­ On the other side, Angeline took a nap in the car because she was so busy in the past few days that she did not sleep well. When she opened her eyes, she had already reached Hallsbay. Angeline then rubbed her sleepy eyes to check her strange surrounding and realized that she was not in the residential area of her home, so she turned to Ss at the front and inquired puzzledly, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sorelle. This is the Golding residence. Mr. Golding asked me to take you here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Even though Angeline patted her chest, she could not seem to calm herself down. What the heck is Evander nning? Why does he want me at the Golding residence? I don¡¯t have time for this for I still have some business to tend to with Nancy! ¡°Angel!¡± The soft voice of a young girl cried out suddenly, which was enough for Angeline to know that it was Floretta calling to her. Having not seen Floretta for so many days, Angeline missed the girl dearly, so she hurriedly opened the car door and saw Nancy walking over with Floretta in hand. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much, Angel.¡± Floretta came running with her arms open and threw herself at Angeline. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. I¡¯m sorry for not attending to you in the past few days,¡± apologized Angeline as she hugged Floretta and stroked the girl¡¯s braids. Nancy shook her head helplessly while looking at the two. ¡°Floretta understands more than you think. Heck, she¡¯s basically your lucky charm!¡± ¡°Mr. Golding asked you toe?¡± inquired Angeline in a deep voice, surprised to see Nancy. In response, Nancy shrugged to show that she had no choice. ¡°Yeah. I was baffled too, but he wanted me to wee you when you arrived. There¡¯s another guest in the house.¡± Having decided to y along since Evander had gone through the trouble for the arrangement, Angeline took Floretta¡¯s hand along with Nancy and entered the house. ¡°Come on. Put moremb in there, Evander. Someone as wealthy as you shouldn¡¯t be stingy!¡± Angeline had just reached the door, but she could already hear theining of a maning from inside. Then, she saw a long table in the living room, and on it was a steaming copper pot surrounded by various meat slices, vegetables, and other ingredients. Evander was in casual wear when he lifted his head to look at Angeline while holding a te of raw lamb. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± eximed the man beside Evander before Angeline could say anything. ¡°You must be Evander¡¯s future wife!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re Angeline, right? I¡¯ve seen your movies. They were great! I¡¯ve already told Evander that you should join Golding Entertainment.¡± Wearing a mboyant pink suit, the man approached Angeline with great enthusiasm as if he was greeting the president. He then winked at Angeline and shook her hand without even considering if she wanted to shake his. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Golding. I¡¯m Evander¡¯s childhood friend and the poor guy he sent to Astoria for a month, Roger Jantz. You have to help me get justice.¡± Angeline could not help but get a headache when he looked at Roger, who had not stopped talking from the moment she entered the house. She found it hard to believe that someone as taciturn as Evander would have such a talkative friend. ¡°Let go!¡± A cold voice suddenly disrupted the harmonious atmosphere. Evander, who seemed to have appeared beside Roger and Angeline out of nowhere, stared at Roger¡¯s hand holding Angeline¡¯s so fiercely that his eyes looked as if they were going to shootser beams. After letting go of Angeline, Roger rolled his eyes and uttered jokingly, ¡°You¡¯re as jealous as a cat, and I¡¯m going to have Mrs. Golding here teach you some manners.¡± With that, he turned to Floretta and spoke in an alluring tone. ¡°Come here, Floretta. I have some scrumptious meat slices for you if you stay with me.¡± ¡°Childish!¡± Nancy insulted Roger indifferently, causing him to give her a displeased look. ¡°Who do you think you are, witch? How I talk is none of your business!¡± ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a pervert,¡± retorted Nancy while scrutinizing Roger, for she was not one to go down without a fight. ¡°Talk to us when you learn how to dress like a normal human being. Floretta is only five, so I won¡¯t allow her to be tainted by the likes of you.¡± With that, she snorted at Roger before walking in with Floretta. Staring at Nancy¡¯s back, Roger got so furious that he wanted nothing more than to curse at the woman then. With the two¡¯s bickering, the usually solemn atmosphere at the Golding residence suddenly turned lively. Angeline began to blush since Roger kept calling her Mrs. Golding, so she turned to Evander. ¡°Could you tell Roger to stop calling me that? Our rtionship hasn¡¯t reached that phase yet.¡± ¡°Sooner orter, you¡¯ll be mine anyway. I don¡¯t see why I shouldn¡¯t im my right sooner,¡± voiced Evander in a dignified manner as he reached out to pull Angeline into his arm before heading to the dining table. Evasion did not even cross Angeline¡¯s mind as she nested in Evander¡¯s warm embrace and gazed nkly at the man who did not think his action was inappropriate in any way. Just like that, Evander kept Angeline in his arm while he stood before the table and addressed everyone. ¡°Today is a family gathering, so you can be at ease and make yourselves at home.¡± Even though the gathering consisted of only five people, including Francesca, Evander¡¯s words seemed to have elevated the barbeque dinner to a grand feast. The way Evander held Angeline in front of everyone obviously showed that he was announcing her as his future wife. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 That was countless women¡¯s dream. ¡°Bravo, Evander!¡± Roger pped his hands, cheered, and whistled before joking, ¡°I have a request. Can we kick this shrew out?¡± ¡°You can leave if you want,¡± responded Evander coldly with a deadpan expression. When Nancy heard Evander, she broke into a grin so wide that her eyes could barely stay open. ¡°Don¡¯t let the door hit you on your way out, Mr. Jantz,¡± ridiculed Nancy while waving her hand. Upset by his friend¡¯s response, Roger hardened his face as he started shoving a small piece ofmb into his mouth. I used to be the one who valued women more than my friends. I never expected Evander to be so protective of his future wife. The man is practically a different person! I have to eat more to fill the void in my heart. Angeline froze like a statue after listening to Evander because she felt somewhat awkward. I don¡¯t understand. Why is Evander acting as though I never turned him down in Hallsbay? He seems completely unfazed by what happened there. When everyone was about to sit down, Angeline quickly made up an excuse to sit farther away from Evander by saying that she needed to feed Floretta. However, she had no way of knowing if the man had figured out her intention since he was enjoying his dinner as if nothing had happened. After dinner, Nancy and Roger bade their farewells and left the Golding residence. Angeline, too, was ready to go after ying with Floretta for a while, but the girl held on tightly to her leg and gazed at her with a pair of puppy-dog eyes. ¡°Tomorrow is the weekend, Angel. Why don¡¯t you stay for the night?¡± pleaded Floretta. Angeline was heartbroken when she saw how pitiful Floretta was, so she patted the girl on the head and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Floretta, but I have something important to do tomorrow. I¡¯ll see you another day.¡± ¡°No!¡± Floretta then clung to Angeline¡¯s leg with her arms and legs like a ko bear. Helpless against the girl, Angeline had no choice but to turn to the man reading the newspaper on the couch for help. After setting the newspaper aside, Evander casually picked up his teacup from the table with his slender legs crossed. ¡°Do tell.¡± Angeline¡¯s face immediately turned grim when she heard that. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t wish to talk about it. Since Floretta doesn¡¯t want me to leave, I¡¯ll stay for the night and leave by eight tomorrow morning,¡± responded Angeline, trying to sound collected. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. With that said, she picked up Floretta and went upstairs. That cold night, a nket of mist covered the mountain behind the mansion as though it was a bridal veil. Only Evander noticed something off about Angeline because of how down she seemed, so he picked up his phone and called Ss. ¡°What did Angeline do in Hallsbay after I left?¡± Ss then told Evander everything about Angeline¡¯s meeting with Acacius. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the conversation between the two, but Ms. Sorelle was quite riled up. She probably asked me to send her back in such a hurry because she got the information she wanted.¡± ¡°I see,¡± uttered Evander in his deep voice while slightly furrowing his eyebrows. Angeline looked fine when she entered the house, but as soon as Evander brought up the topic, she started to seem off. Suddenly realizing something, Evander hurriedly ordered Ss, ¡°Find out the anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Sorelle¡¯s death.¡± Ss only took a few minutes to finish the task he was given before reporting back to Evander. ¡°It¡¯s tomorrow, the twentieth of May.¡± No wonder she looked so sad. She probably nned to visit her parents¡¯ grave tomorrow morning. With that thought in mind, Evander lifted his head to look at the guest room on the second floor. He could vaguely hear Floretta humming a nursery rhyme in the bathroom, but he did not hear Angeline¡¯s voice. Heartbroken for the woman, Evander frowned with worry in his eyes. Compared to Angeline¡¯s unfortune, Evander was more concerned that she would have nightmares that night due to her stress. After bathing Floretta, Angeline went to bed with the girl in her arms, and as expected, she had nightmares the whole night because of her bad day. She got so scared that she broke out in cold sweat. Then, Angeline could vaguely sense someone entering the room to cover her with the nket she kicked away. As hard as Angeline tried to wake up from her nightmares, she could not do so because her eyes felt as though they had been welded shut. The next day, Angeline woke up when her rm went off at six o¡¯clock. After kissing Floretta, who was still sound asleep, she went downstairs to prepare breakfast. It was a little past seven o¡¯clock when Angeline was finally done. However, since she did not have the appetite, Angeline got changed before driving to the supermarket to get fresh flowers and some snacks her parents used to enjoy. She would always visit their grave early in the morning on the anniversary of their deaths because Joseline would arrive at nine with arge group of reporters. Joseline wanted the entire world to know what a good daughter she was. At almost eight-thirty, Angeline got out of her car parked outside the graveyard with the things she bought. Her parents were buried next to each other ording to their wishes, and in front of their tombstone, well taken care of as always, was a fresh bouquet. When Angeline saw that, she clenched her fists as guilt filled her eyes. Is he¡­ still unwilling to meet? The sweet smell of osmanthuses filled the air when a breeze blew up the hem of Angeline¡¯s shirt. After setting her bouquet before the tombstone, Angeline knelt on the cold floor to present the pastries she had bought. ¡°Mom, I know how much you used to enjoy exquisite pastries. I wonder if these are to your liking.¡± Even though Angeline was smiling, tears welled up in her eyes. Then, she pulled out a bottle of wine from a box and poured it into two sses before cing one before the tombstone. ¡°Dad, you always tried to get me to drink with you by saying that I should learn to hold my alcohol to avoid being taken advantage of, and Mom would always scold you for it. Today, we¡¯ll drink to your heart¡¯s content,¡± uttered Angeline in a broken voice before downing her ss of wine. She could not help butugh out loud when she felt the burning sensation in her throat. However, it did not take long for herughter to turn into weeping because of how much she missed her mother¡¯s nagging. ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t disappoint you because I found the murderer. Still, I can¡¯t imagine how terrible you¡¯d feel if you knew it was Joseline.¡± Setting her ss aside, Angeline extended her slender fingers to touch the portrait of her parents¡¯ younger selves. She felt both happy and sad then. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let Joseline get away with it. I¡¯ll make sure she begs forgiveness in front of your grave!¡± After talking to herself before her parents¡¯ grave for a while, Angeline was finally relieved of the emotions she had suppressed over the past few days. Angeline pressed her forehead against the tombstone as she wanted to stay with her parents a little longer, but suddenly, another bouquet appeared before her. She was still stunned when someone gave her a warm hug from behind, causing her to break into tears once again. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ¡°Angel, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m here with you.¡± From behind, a little girl¡¯s clear and crisp voice could be heard. The voice was able to calm down Angeline¡¯s restlessness. She slowly raised her head and looked at Evander standing in front of her. He nced at her parents¡¯ tombstone before kneeling to pay his respects. He pursed his lips. His usually cold eyes had a hint of respect in them. He then waved a hand toward Floretta and gently held her shoulders as he said in a low voice, ¡°Say hello to Granddad and Granny.¡± Floretta cocked her head to one side as she stared at the tombstone. At a young age, she did not quite understand the meaning of life and death. She could only stare at the tombstone and let out a sound of admiration. ¡°Wow! Granny is so pretty. She looks like Angel. But why is she living in the ground? And why did she make Angel so sad?¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline¡¯s eyes drooped to hide the sadness in them. Evander felt bitter as he watched her. His heart clenched in pain. ¡°This is Granddad and Granny¡¯s home. They are very happy staying here. In a few decades, Angel and I will live here too.¡± It was the first time Floretta had heard of such a thing. Her eyes lit up, and her mouth turned into an ¡°O¡± shape as she eximed in awe, ¡°Is the house inside as big as a castle?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s magnificent,¡± Evander replied. Normally, this kind of little white lie would nevere out of a person as stern as him. However, he said it to ensure that Angeline would feel less guilty. As she thought of all that, Angeline felt warmth spread over her body as she stood up and looked at Evander. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°I choose not to speak,¡± Evander replied with zero expressions. It was simr to the way she had answered him the night before. Angeline pouted, and in her heart, she scolded him for being petty. However, his answer was not that important anymore. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Just then, a man¡¯s old but stern voice could be heard. A man about sixty years old stood at the top of the stairs not far from them. He wore a loose white shirt and yed with the rosary beads in his hand. They looked to have been used for years and were well polished. ¡°Be careful, sir.¡± Behind the old man stood a younger man in a military suit holding out an umbre for him. When Angeline¡¯s gaze fell upon the old man, her expression changed, and she clenched her teeth, not saying a word. On the other hand, as he was well-connected, Evander immediately recognized the old man. He walked over and held out a hand to greet him. ¡°Long time no see, Old Mr. Chandler.¡± Old Mr. Chandler was also surprised to see Evander as he shook thetter¡¯s hand. ¡°Mr. Golding? Are you here to pay respects too?¡± ¡°I apanied her here.¡± His reply did not justify his rtionship with Angeline, but Old Mr. Chandler could guess it as his expression darkened. He slowly made his way toward Angeline and stared at her with a stern look as he criticized her in a low voice, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you making your mom proud? You don¡¯t greet me when you see me. You¡¯ve even be a mistress by sleeping with the rich.¡± Old Mr. Chandler had always been straightforward. He did not even mind the presence of Evander when he said that. Angeline¡¯s face turned red from the mockery as she balled her hands into fists before greeting the old man, ¡°Granddad.¡± The way she greeted him sounded distant and awkward. Upon hearing her greeting, Evander frowned, and a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes. He had met the Sorelle family a few times, but the Golding family was more active in the business sector. However, the Chandler family was a prestigious family with a military background, so there were hardly any interactions between them. However, he had never expected Angeline¡¯s family from her mother¡¯s side to have such a solid background. A military-based family was very particr about reputation. This one thing would make them leave the Sorelle family in the dust. Old Mr. Chandler had two sons and a daughter. As his daughter was born prematurely, he doted on her the most and gave her the name Cynthia. She was Angeline¡¯s mother. Back then, Cynthia lowered her status and married down into the Sorelle family. Her marriage ended poorly. However, from what Evander could notice, Angeline had a distant rtionship with the Chandler family. She did not even defend herself when she was mistaken as a mistress by er grandfather. The atmosphere was quiet and tense before Floretta popped out from behind Angeline. She looked upward with those obsidian ck eyes of hers. Her dimples deepened as a wide smile appeared on her face. ¡°Wow. Angel, did this handsome grandpae here to look for you?¡± Her words piqued Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s interest as he stared at her curiously. He held out a hand to call her over. ¡°Come here, little girl.¡± Floretta was never afraid of strangers. She obeyed him and skipped over. ¡°Little girl, what is your rtionship with the two of them?¡± Upon hearing Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s question, Floretta looked proud as she replied loudly, ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re so silly. Only a family would go out together. They¡¯re my daddy and mommy, of course.¡± Daddy and Mommy¡­ Floretta¡¯s words justified Angeline¡¯s identity as a mistress even further. Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s face darkened as he red at Angeline. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin yourself?¡± Angeline¡¯s lips pulled into a tight and cold smile. ¡°For so many years, you¡¯ve broken off your rtionship with Mother and never nned to meet me. When did you ever regard me as a family?¡± Old Mr. Chandler frowned. The hand holding onto the rosary beads tightened its hold on them as his tone of voice became more stern. ¡°What a great daughter you turned out to be. You¡¯ve wasted your mother¡¯s efforts in raising you!¡± Angeline was reluctant to admit defeat as she stared at him. ¡°I remember you have already chased my mom out of the Chandler family.¡± Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s face was filled with anger as he heard what Angeline had said. Seeing the conflict was about to explode into mes, Evander quickly stopped them. ¡°Old Mr. Chandler, there¡¯s a cafe up front. I¡¯d like to have a chat with you.¡± Old Mr. Chandler had to show Evander some respect, so he nodded and followed thetter to the cafe. Before they left, Evander did not mention what he would be talking about with Old Mr. Chandler. Angeline held Floretta and pursed her lips. Her eyes filled with worry as she stared at Evander. Although she did not interact much with this grandfather of hers, she had heard many things about him from her mother. Old Mr. Chandler went to the battlefield when he was young and spent most of his time here, so his temper was as solid as a rock. Back then, Angeline¡¯s mother did not take Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s advice to heart and was willing to break off their rtionship to marry into the Sorelle family. From then on, Old Mr. Chandler stopped being fond of her. Therefore, Angeline rarely saw him ever since she was born. And that was why she would never speak of him and the family. With such a cold-blooded old man, she was afraid that Evander might not be able to escape this difficult situation. There were a few people in the cafe. The light and the happy tune ying in the background were rather rxing. Evander snapped his fingers to call the waiter over. He ordered an iced coffee before pushing the menu toward Old Mr. Chandler. ¡°Please order what you like.¡± ¡°I just want some water.¡± Old Mr. Chandler yed with the rosary beads and looked Evander up and down in curiosity. His tone was not as polite. ¡°Mr. Golding, may I know if Angeline has ever mentioned the Chandler family to you?¡± His straightforwardness took Evander by surprise, but he was quick to regain hisposure. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Evander leaned against the chair and met Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s gaze. He was not in a hurry as he said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you should be clear by now. I¡¯m sure you understand the situation of the Chandler family. Although we can¡¯tpete with the Golding family, we¡¯re not that far off.¡± Old Mr. Chandler frowned, and his voice turned deep and cold. ¡°Angeline is my granddaughter. Although I¡¯ve neglected on disciplining her all these years which resulted in her doing such a reckless thing, the Chandler family will not allow her to be someone¡¯s mistress. Hence, I hope you¡¯ll leave her. If you think the existence of her daughter is bothering you, I¡¯ll take up the responsibility of raising her.¡± Evander was silent as he listened to what Old Mr. Chandler had to say. He then frowned and replied, ¡°I think you must be mistaken. Angeline is not my mistress, and Floretta is not her daughter.¡± A hint of surprise appeared on Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s face, but his gaze was still cold and sharp. ¡°You want my granddaughter to be your child¡¯s stepmother? Are you looking down on the Chandler family?¡± Following his questions, the atmosphere in the cafe became tense. The waiter brought the coffee and a jug of water at that moment. Evander was quick to read the room and poured the water into a ss for Old Mr. Chandler. ¡°If that dayes, I¡¯ll make my rtionship with Angeline publicly known and make her my wife.¡± ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Old Mr. Chandler huffed. He narrowed his eyes, and a sly glint shed past them. ¡°There are many grudges among the prestigious families. I know my granddaughter well. Her personality is not suitable for a prestigious family. Even if the two of you get married, there is a possibility that you¡¯ll get divorced.¡± Upon hearing that, Evander¡¯s grip on his cup tightened. He, indeed, had not considered the problem Old Mr. Chandler mentioned. However, from the moment he chose Angeline, his decision was firm. Since he had decided to be with her, he would never let go. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°If ites down to that, I will draw up a contract beforehand and transfer all my properties to her to ensure that she¡¯ll live without worry.¡± Old Mr. Chandler was shocked to hear what Evander said. His words sounded like a casual remark. However, with his reputation in the business world, it would be impossible for him to make an empty promise. Old Mr. Chandler took a sip of water before sighing as though he had given in. ¡°Not only do they look alike, but her personality is simr to my daughter¡¯s. Once they¡¯ve set their heart on something, they must see it to the end.¡± He paused for a moment before he continued, ¡°Back then, I threw a tantrum and refused to stay in contact with my daughter. That caused her to be framed, resulting in a car ident. I didn¡¯t even get to see her for thest time!¡± As Old Mr. Chandler said that, his emotions became unstable, and he shifted his gaze away. His eyes were filled with sadness, and it looked like he had aged another ten years instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve failed Cynthia. That is why I don¡¯t dare to face Angeline for all these years. However, I want to make her stronger, so she won¡¯t have a life as short as her mother¡¯s.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that. For a child, nothing is more important than family.¡± Evander¡¯s tone wasced with a hint of grievance. He stared at the regretful look on Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s face and could not understand why thetter was so harsh on Angeline. It could have been because he lost his parents when he was younger, but at least he had his grandfather to care for him. On the other hand, Angeline had to defend herself against the various schemes of the Sorelle family all alone. He remembered when they first met. He had mistaken her for purposely getting close to him to steal the shares of Sorelle Group. Now that he thought about it, he felt his heart ache for her. In the end, Old Mr. Chandler did not reply to him. The two of them left the cafe and saw Angeline holding onto Floretta¡¯s hand as they walked out of the graveyard and waited in front of the car. Angeline stared at Old Mr. Chandler warily before turning to look at Evander. The two had peaceful expressions as though no argument had happened. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s voice was not as cold as before, but he kept his sentences brief. ¡°If you¡¯re free, come and visit the family. Your mother left something for you with me.¡± After saying that, he stared at Angeline. His assistant opened the car door, and he got in. Angeline was shocked as she stayed rooted to the ground. She could not believe that Old Mr. Chandler would say such a thing to her. What in the world did they talk about in the cafe? Seeing that Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s had started up and they were ready to leave, Angeline hurried over and said, ¡°Be careful on your way back.¡± That was the first time she talked to Old Mr. Chandler without arguing with him. He looked at Angeline¡¯s face outside the window and suddenly thought of something. He saw a younger version of Cynthia in her. He could see the younger Cynthia sitting on the rocking chair and singing the song she had learned at school for him. At that time, the two of them were inseparable. As he thought of that, tears brimmed his eyes. He held up a wrinkled hand to wipe them away. Outsiders could never understand the love that he had for his daughter. Unfortunately, there was no cure for regret. He now understood that reputation and a person¡¯s roots were not so important. People could only clearly see the most important thing when they were on their deathbeds. ¡°Cynthia, I¡¯ll take good care of your daughter.¡± Old Mr. Chandler shifted his gaze and let out a heavy sigh. As Old Mr. Chandler¡¯s car went further out of her sight, Angeline finally looked away and got into Evander¡¯s car with Floretta. The silence in the car made Angeline think of many things. She looked at Evander, who was driving, and could not help but ask, ¡°What did you say to my grandfather?¡± Evander skillfully turned the steering wheel. He teased, ¡°To let me marry you.¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. Her eyes went wide as she was dumbfounded by what he had just said. On the other hand, Floretta got what she wished for. She pped her hands excitedly and cheered happily, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing! Daddy, did you already prepare a diamond ring? Can I call Angel my mommy now?¡± Evander did not say a word. He looked at Angeline from the rearview mirror and noticed her cheeks were tinted red. The corners of his lips curled into a teasing smile. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense, Floretta.¡± Angeline hurriedly covered Floretta¡¯s mouth. She was afraid the young girl would call her ¡°Mommy¡± next. Floretta¡¯s eyes squinted because of how big her smile was. It made her look extremely cute. She looked like she was looking forward to the day that she could call Angeline ¡°Mommy.¡± Evander brought them to eat Jetroinian food. After that, he did not send Angeline immediately. Instead, he took a different road. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Angeline asked as she looked at her surroundings. ¡°We¡¯re going to the mall. I booked three movie tickets,¡± Evander said briefly. Upon hearing that, Angeline frowned. She unenthusiastically replied, ¡°Mr. Golding, I don¡¯t want to go elsewhere today. Please pull over.¡± Evander seemed to have guessed that Angeline would say that. His gaze turned serious as he consoled her, ¡°If I drop you off, you¡¯ll start overthinking. Life needs to continue. You need to learn to come out of the past, and the best way to do that is to divert your attention elsewhere.¡± Angeline was speechless. His words made it difficult for her toe up with a response. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Evander had already filled up her schedule for the day, as he knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse him. After arriving at the mall, Evander parked the car and opened the door for them. Floretta hadn¡¯t gone out with Evander and Angeline in a long time, so she was feeling really happy and excited. She grabbed them by the hands and hopped and skipped all the way. Because it was a weekday afternoon, there weren¡¯t a lot of people at the mall. Even so, Angeline still tilted the brim of her hat down and kept ncing about for fear of being recognized. After riding the elevator to the top floor where the movie theater was located, Evander scanned their surroundings and said, ¡°Wait for me.¡± He then made his way over to the concession stand and told the staff something. A few minutester, he returned with two buckets of popcorn and some drinks. ¡°You girls say snacks are a must when watching movies, so I got us some. Is this enough?¡± he asked with an expressionless look on his face, but his gentle gaze melted Angeline¡¯s heart instantly. ¡°Yes, this is enough,¡± Angeline replied as she took the popcorn over and handed some of it to Floretta, who had been eyeing it the whole time. One of the staff approached them and said respectfully, ¡°Wee, Mr. Golding. We have finished preparing the movie theater.¡± ¡°All right, lead the way,¡± Evander replied. The staff nodded in response and politely ushered them into the movie theater. Angeline had a confused look on her face as she followed behind them. The staff then opened the door, revealing a private VIP theater with a projector, three recliners, nkets, and tes of fruits on the side. ¡°There¡¯s no one else around, so you can take your hat off,¡± Evander said as he made his way into the VIP theater. ¡°Thank you,¡± Angeline replied gratefully as she took in the isted yet cozy environment around her. I didn¡¯t think a busy man like him would take the time to watch a movie with us, let alone make all these arrangements on such short notice! Evander knew Angeline couldn¡¯t rx in crowded areas, so he decided to book an entire theater. On top of that, he also chose a lightheartededy film in hopes of relieving Angeline¡¯s stress with the characters¡¯ goofy expressions and jokes. Sure enough, Angeline was feeling a lot better by the time they exited the movie theater. As the sky got dark, Hallsbay became brightly lit with colorful neon lights that illuminated the entire city. Angeline and Floretta both had leftover popcorn in their buckets when they left the mall with Evander. The three of them had just stepped out of the entrance when Angeline picked up a sweet scent in the air. She swallowed in anticipation when she saw that it wasing from a stall selling roasted chestnuts. ¡°Do you want some?¡± Evander asked when he noticed her response. Angeline lowered her gaze as she replied, ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to risk getting recognized, as it would cause you a lot of problems.¡± Despite what she said, the smell of the roasted chestnuts got her drooling a little. It was her favorite snack, after all. She liked it so much that she would always have her assistant buy her some whenever she was filming on set. While Angeline was trying hard to resist the temptation, she heard Evander saying in a deep voice, ¡°Wait here.¡± The next thing she knew, he was making his way toward the stall. What? Evander, who would only show up at high-end ces, is now queuing up at a roasted chestnut stall for me? There were lots of girls in their twenties queuing up at the stall. Each of them gasped in shock when they saw how handsome Evander was and began taking pictures of him on their phones. ¡°He¡¯s so handsome! Is he some kind of celebrity?¡± ¡°Nonsense! Judging by his style, I¡¯d say he¡¯s more of a host for some television show or something!¡± ¡°Hey, handsome! Can I have your number?¡± The look on Evander¡¯s face turned extremely gloomy when he saw them surrounding him and gossiping about him. Angeline felt so amused by his expression that she burst outughing while holding Floretta in her arms. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Not wanting to let such a hrious moment go to waste, she whipped out her phone and took a picture of Evander¡¯s expression. She even went as far as making it into a WhatsApp sticker with the caption ¡°You dare cross me?¡± and sent it to Nancy. A few secondster, she received a reply from Nancy in the form of a voice message. Angeline tapped on the message and heard Nancy cackling before saying, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re done for, Angeline! I bet Mr. Golding will get so mad that he¡¯ll ban you from the entertainment industry!¡± Angeline replied confidently: Nah, he wouldn¡¯t! As Evander was always protecting her, Angeline had grown increasingly bold without even realizing it. Because of how much he spoiled her, Angeline no longer had to be so cautious in everything she did. Angeline held her phone against her chest and broke into a gentle smile at the thought of that. Ding! She returned to her senses when she heard the sound of her phone ringing. Angeline¡¯s face clouded over when she nced at the screen and saw that it was a call from Hanson. She wasn¡¯t all that surprised as she knew he would contact her. In fact, his call actually came a littleter than she had expected. After taking a deep breath, Angeline answered the call and held the phone up to her ear. To her surprise, she heard really loud music sting in the background when Hanson asked, ¡°Angeline? Is that you?¡± Why does he sound like he¡¯s a little excited to speak to me? Angeline frowned as she responded with a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of getting a call from you at this hour, Mr. Yiurk?¡± Hanson fell silent for quite a while after hearing that. Unable to stand the loud music in the background, Angeline was about to hang up when Hanson spoke up again. ¡°I need to see you, Angeline.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need for us to see each other. Just say whatever it is you have to say over the phone,¡± Angeline replied coldly. ¡°It¡¯s about that child¡¯s whereabouts. Do you really think I can tell you that over the phone?¡± Angeline shuddered when she heard what Hanson said. She tightened her grip on her phone, and her voice trembled slightly as she asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Meet me at Charming Temptation. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in private room number five,¡± Hanson replied, avoiding her questionpletely. ¡°Remember toe alone, or you can forget about getting any information on that child¡¯s whereabouts,¡± he reminded her after a brief pause and hung up the phone immediately after. Angeline began to panic after getting off the phone. Hanson has been with Joseline for so many years now. I bet he must¡¯ve heard about what happened back then. He might just have the information I¡¯m looking for! Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Angeline was snapped out of her train of thought when Evander returned from the stall with the roasted chestnuts in hand. ¡°Here you go,¡± he said in a somewhat annoyed tone. I would never have queued up in such a noisy crowd if it weren¡¯t for her! A taxi happened to pull up beside them at the time. Angeline gged that taxi down and said with an apologetic look on her face, ¡°Sorry, but I have something urgent to take care of. You two can go on home without me.¡± She then turned around, hopped into the taxi, and sped off before Evander could even respond. The look in Evander¡¯s eyes grew cold as he watched the taxi disappear from sight. Floretta tugged on his arm and said worriedly, ¡°Daddy, Angel left because she got a call from a guy. She might be in danger. We should go after her!¡± Evander frowned slightly upon hearing that. His tone sounded a little impatient as he said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. She has to take responsibility for her own actions. Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡± Although Angeline didn¡¯t say where she was going, Evander could tell from her panicked expression that it had something to do with Hanson. So, she¡¯s going to meet Hanson, huh? Why would she be in such a hurry to meet him thiste at night? No, this won¡¯t do. I can¡¯t just sit around and do nothing while the two of them get together! Noticing the worried look in Floretta¡¯s eyes, Evander held her hand and headed toward the underground parking lot. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Angeline had just gotten out of the taxi in front of Charming Temptation. There were rows upon rows of fancy cars parked nearby, and she could hear the deafeningly loud music from outside the entrance. It was the most luxurious bar in all of Hallsbay. Angeline had been there a couple of times when she first entered the entertainment industry, but she stopped going there because she hated the shady environment. Colorful lights were shining all over the dance floor as young men and women danced the night away. It was so disorienting that Angeline struggled just to find her way around. After asking a few of the staff, she finally found the private room that Hanson was in. The stench of alcohol flooded her nose the moment she opened the door. It was so nauseating that Angeline coughed a few times while entering the room. She shuddered instinctively when her gaze fell upon Hanson, who waspletely drunk on the couch. Empty wine bottles were lying all over the table and floor. Hanson has always been a sophisticated gentleman. I¡¯ve never seen him let himself go like this. Just how much has he been drinking? Due to the dim lighting inside the private room, Angeline couldn¡¯t see very well and knocked a ss bottle over while making her way toward him. Hanson woke up and sat bolt upright when he heard the loud clink of the ss bottle. There was a dazed look in his eyes as he nced at Angeline. ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± he eximed in surprise. Angeline maintained a cold expression as she stared him down. ¡°Yeah.¡± Since he was already awake, there was no need for her to wake him up. Angeline then set aside the bottle she had knocked over and sat in front of Hanson. ¡°Go on, then. Tell me what you know. I¡¯m all ears,¡± she said calmly. Hanson¡¯s face was flushed as he had been drinking a lot. There was a longing look in his eyes when he stared at her. ¡°When did you get here? What would you like to drink?¡± he asked nervously while rubbing his palms. Hanson was about to summon a waiter when Angeline stopped him and said with an impatient frown, ¡°I don¡¯t drink. I still have some business to take care of, so just tell me what I want to know.¡± Hanson lowered his gaze and took a moment to regain hisposure. He then whipped out a ring from his pocket and ced it in front of her. The ring was ck and golden. ¡°I overheard Joseline talking about this ring on the phone. She said she found it in the room where that incident happened five years ago. I believe it has something to do with that man you¡¯re looking for.¡± Angeline quickly picked up the ring and examined it closely. Although it didn¡¯t remind her of anything, in particr, there was a brand name engraved on the inside of the ring. She figured she would be able to track its owner down if she brought it to the store. ¡°Thanks,¡± Angeline said coldly. Finally, some actually useful information! I¡¯ve been searching for my child all this while, but to no avail. Oh, well¡­ I suppose finding the man who got me pregnant would be the next best thing. I suffered so much for so many years because of him, so I have to sue him for what he did to me! Hanson¡¯s lips curled into a wry smile when he saw how distant Angeline was. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me, Angeline. Do you still remember how close we used to be back in university?¡± Angeline tightened her grip on the strap of her handbag when she heard that. ¡°You¡¯ve had too much to drink. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to discuss anything today.¡± She then put the ring into her handbag and made her way toward the door. Hanson has always been so busy with his career and his family that he never brought up our past. If anything, he acts as though we areplete strangers, so I have no obligation to reminisce about the past with him now. With that in mind, Angeline maintained an icy-cold expression as she reached for the door handle. There was a hint of sadness in Hanson¡¯s eyes when he saw how cold she was being. He then ran up to her and grabbed her by the arm as he said, ¡°Angeline, I know you still hate me for what I did back then, but I¡¯ve been conducting my own investigation throughout the past few years. Joseline used you of some really shameless acts, but I don¡¯t believe her!¡± ¡°Hanson!¡± Angeline looked up at him and let out a wry chuckle as she continued, ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ve been with Joseline for a few years just to help find out the truth?¡± Hanson¡¯s expression tensed up slightly when he heard that. ¡°Angeline¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say my name!¡± Angeline shouted coldly. As the two of them were very close to each other, Hanson was able to get a good look into Angeline¡¯s eyes. She looked a lot different from the pure and innocent girl she used to be. Hanson found himself getting attracted by the person that Angeline had be. ¡°I¡¯ve never given up on you, Angeline.¡± Angeline¡¯s lips curled into a sarcastic smile after she heard that. She ced her hands against his chest and shoved him off with all her might. ¡°Forget it, Mr. Yiurk!¡± Not only did Angeline feel no affection toward Hanson whatsoever, but she also regretted falling for his sweet lies back then. Not wanting to waste another second with him, Angeline reached for the door again. This time, Hanson grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms above her head. ¡°Hey! Let go of me!¡± Angeline screamed in pain and panic. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 As Hanson used to be a really gentlemanly person, Angeline wasn¡¯t expecting him toy his hands on her. However, Hanson had been drinking a lot before she came, so he wasn¡¯t exactly in the right state of mind at the time. ¡°You ruined my marriage and destroyed my business, Angeline! Did you really think I¡¯d just let you walk out of here like that?¡± Hanson yelled angrily while staring deep into her eyes. Angeline felt her body aching from his rough handling. She tried struggling with all her might to get him off, but his grip on her wrists remained firm. Her face grew pale as she realized the vulnerable position she was in. ¡°Have you lost your mind? You should be confronting your wife about issues with your marriage! Don¡¯t take it out on me! I¡¯ll call the police if you don¡¯t let go of me!¡± ¡°Go ahead! No one¡¯sing to save you!¡± Hanson yelled as he threw Angeline onto the couch. As Angeline was wearing a thin and short dress at the time, all that struggling caused it to ride up her legs and expose her silky thighs. The colorful lighting in the room made her seem all the more alluring, and the look of fear on her face only turned Hanson on even more. There was a hint of lust in his eyes as he swallowed hard and tugged at his shirt cor. That was when he recalled the news of Angeline and Evander having dinner together, and the image of them hugging each other filled his heart with jealousy. Angeline may belong to someone else in the future, but I¡¯ll have fun with her first!Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. With that in mind, Hanson got on top of her and pinned her down with his body. As he leaned in close and caught a whiff of her feminine fragrance, he started breathing heavily and tore the cor of her dress open. ¡°Ah!¡± Angeline shuddered when she felt the cold air on her chest. ¡°Stop it, Hanson! You need to let go of me, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡± she screamed while pushing against him. Hanson¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile as he lifted his head to look her in the eye. ¡°There is nothing I regret more than letting go of you five years ago.¡± I used to think that I was smart. It wasn¡¯t until I found out about Joseline¡¯s lies that I realized how much of a fool I was. Hanson then bombarded Angeline¡¯s body with a barrage of kisses. Angeline had never been more disappointed in Hanson in her entire life. As she desperately nced about, her gaze fell upon a wine bottle lying nearby. The look in her eyes grew icy-cold as she grabbed the bottle and smashed it against Hanson¡¯s head. Pieces of the shattered wine bottle fell all over the floor. ¡°Ugh!¡± Hanson groaned in pain and stopped his assault instantly. He then slowly raised his head and stared at Angeline in shock and disbelief. Blood was dripping from the ends of his hair. Noticing her opportunity, Angeline quickly shoved him toward the other end of the couch. Bam! A tall figure kicked the door open and charged into the private room all of a sudden. He had a gloomy look in his eyes as he grabbed Hanson by the cor and punched him hard across the face. ¡°You b*stard!¡± That punch was so powerful that Hanson bled from the corner of his lips as hey motionless on the couch. The man was about to throw another punch at Hanson, but Angeline rushed forward and stopped him. ¡°Stop it, Mr. Golding!¡± The frown on Evander¡¯s face eased up slightly after hearing her voice. As he turned to look at Angeline, there was a brief spark of lust in his eyes when he saw her exposed chest. ¡°Here, put this on!¡± he shouted while draping his coat over her shoulders. ¡°Thanks,¡± Angeline mumbled as she covered herself up. With a disdainful look on his face, Evander grabbed Hanson by the cor and asked, ¡°Do you enjoy forcing yourself on others like this, Mr. Yiurk? What do you think will happen to your career if this heinous act of yours gets published in the newspapers tomorrow?¡± Hanson went pale the moment he heard that. He was still furious at Evander for taking Project Serenity away from him, so he lost his temper after Evander hit him. Hanson gritted his teeth and red vengefully at Evander as he yelled, ¡°Quit acting all high and mighty, Evander! Why are you pestering Angeline when you¡¯ve already got a fianc¨¦e, huh? Is Angeline just a side chick to you?¡± Angeline lowered her head in shame when she heard that. She knew exactly what her rtionship with Evander was, but hearing someone call her a side chick still made her feel incredibly ufortable. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Evander said as he whipped out his phone and yed a series of voice messages. ¡°Ss, I want you to contact the PR department tonight and call off my engagement with Olivine.¡± ¡°But Old Mrs. Golding might have a fit if you do that. Perhaps you should reconsider your actions.¡± ¡°Just do as I say.¡± Evander¡¯s voice sounded firm and resolute in the voice messages. It was as though no one could possibly change his mind about his decision. Hanson¡¯s eyes were filled with a burning hatred as he protested, ¡°You can¡¯t just decide that yourself! You need to get Angeline¡¯s approval to make it count!¡± Those words had barely left his mouth when Angeline stepped forward and spoke up. ¡°I agree to it.¡± She wrapped her arm around Evander¡¯s as she continued, ¡°Mr. Golding is a handsome, wealthy, and powerful man. I don¡¯t think there exists a single woman out there who wouldn¡¯t fall for him.¡± Hanson froze in pain and disbelief when he heard that. He was excellent in every aspect but would always lose to Evander no matter what. Evander then put his phone away and red coldly at Hanson as he said, ¡°Given your extreme disy of love and passion toward Angeline earlier, I can¡¯t help but wonder¡­ Are you also willing to call off your engagement for her sake?¡± Hanson fell silent as a feeling of inferiority swept across him. He didn¡¯t have a powerful family background as Evander did, so he didn¡¯t n on leaving Joseline even though he knew her baby wasn¡¯t his. He knew that Yiurk Group would most likely go bankrupt without the support of Sorelle Group. The fear of failure was what kept him from doing as he wished. The next thing he knew, Evander and Angeline were leaving the private room together. Evander had his arm around Angeline¡¯s shoulder while she leaned against his chest. Seeing the two of them acting all lovey-dovey hurt Hanson¡¯s heart so much that he sobered up instantly. His heart filled with regret as he recalled what he had done to Angeline earlier. As Angeline was still shivering after getting into Evander¡¯s car, he turned on the heater to help warm her up a little. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Evander sped up a little when they made it onto the highway, but he didn¡¯t tell her where they were going. Still feeling depressed after what happened earlier, Angeline didn¡¯t bother asking and simply leaned against her seat. Neither of them said a word until Evander parked the car inside the garage at the Golding residence. ¡°Why would you bring me here?¡± Angeline asked in confusion when she saw the familiar-looking courtyard around her. Evander simply made his way toward her side and carried her out of the car. Angeline let out a surprised yelp as she was caught off guard and nearly lost her bnce. Not wanting to fall, she instinctively wrapped her arms around Evander¡¯s neck. He then carried Angeline into the Golding residence and went straight to his bedroom upstairs. He didn¡¯t even bother turning on the lights. Angeline began to panic when she realized he wasn¡¯t heading toward the guest room. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she eximed while giving him a pat on the arm. ¡°You¡¯ll wake Floretta and Francesca up if you keep talking so loudly,¡± Evander said, his tone as cold as ice. Angeline arched an eyebrow at him in response but decided to keep quiet anyway. Evander then kicked his bedroom door open and threw her onto his bed. ¡°Hey! Can¡¯t you be a little gentler?¡± Angeline protested even though she didn¡¯t feel any pain when landing on Evander¡¯s soft bed. This is the second time I¡¯ve been tossed around! Why am I so unlucky today? Evander shot her an icy-cold gaze while taking his coat off. He then got on top of her and held her head with both hands. With a gloomy look on his face, he forcefully rubbed her lips as he asked, ¡°Where did he touch you? He must¡¯ve kissed you on the lips, right?¡± ¡°Ow!¡± Angeline winced from the pain and looked the other way. Realizing that Evander was being jealous, she wrapped her arms around his neck and shed him a mischievous smile. ¡°What if I told you that Hanson really did kiss me?¡± There was a vicious glint in Evander¡¯s eyes as he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll stitch his mouth up.¡± Angeline shuddered when she heard what he said. Knowing Evander, I have no doubt that he would actually go through with that. Given the amount of power he holds, doing so would be a piece of cake. With that in mind, Angeline stopped joking and put on a serious expression as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; he didn¡¯t get to do anything to me. The wound on his head is the best proof of that.¡± Evander¡¯s frown eased up a little after he heard that, much to Angeline¡¯s relief. ¡°Still, thanks foring to my rescue in the nick of time. I don¡¯t know if I would¡¯ve been able to walk out of that bar if it weren¡¯t for you.¡± Evander let out a gleeful snort in response. ¡°Is that all I get for saving you?¡± ¡°What else do you want?¡± Those words had barely left Angeline¡¯s mouth when Evander carried her to the bathroom. ¡°Fill the bathtub up,¡± he ordered. Angeline wasn¡¯t sure what he had in mind, but she did as told anyway. Because the bathroom was rather small, it only took a few minutes for the steam to fill up the entire space inside. ¡°The bath is ready,¡± Angeline said while turning toward Evander, only to see him taking his shirt off. The warm lighting in the bathroom made his muscr body appear all the more masculine. ¡°Eek! Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to take your clothes off?¡± she eximed in shock and covered her eyes with her hands. ¡°Because I am going to take a bath, duh! What, do you expect me to do that with clothes on?¡± Evander retorted. ¡°You should have at least informed me beforehand so I could prepare myself mentally!¡± Angeline mumbled as she turned around and headed toward the bathroom door. She had just taken a few steps forward when Evander grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the bathtub. ¡°If you¡¯re going to thank me, then you¡¯ll have to do so through your actions.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I want you to give me a bath,¡± Evander replied while lyingfortably in the bathtub with his eyes closed. What? I¡¯m the one who needs a bath here! Although reluctant, Angeline had no choice but to do as she was told. She rolled up her sleeves and began scrubbing at his shoulders. Evander kept his eyes closed and tried to enjoy the service he was receiving. As the two of them were very close to each other, Angeline was able to get a good look at his facial features. Wow, I didn¡¯t know he had such wless skin! I don¡¯t see any beauty masks or cosmetic products in here, though. Life sure is unfair! While admiring hisplexion, Angeline recalled what he had said earlier and asked, ¡°Did you really call off your engagement with Olivine?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why? She¡¯s from a wealthy family, isn¡¯t she? You two are perfect for each other!¡± As Angeline was massaging his shoulders with just the right amount of force, Evander¡¯s lips curled into afortable smile. ¡°Because you¡¯re my woman now.¡± Angeline blushed and quickly exined herself, ¡°Cut it out, will you? I only said all that to get away from Hanson at the bar! Don¡¯t take it seriously!¡± Evander frowned in displeasure when he heard that. Realizing that Angeline was about to run away again, he quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him. Angeline lost her bnce and fell into the bathtub. The water sshing into her mouth caused her to cough and sputter as she struggled in panic. It wasn¡¯t until Evander yanked her out of the bathtub that she was able to calm down a little. Noticing that her shirt was all drenched, she shot him a furious re while panting heavily. ¡°Are you crazy, Evander? These are the only clothes I have on me right now! Also, don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m afraid of water?¡± she snapped at him like an angry kitten. Instead of getting offended, Evander simply let out a chuckle as he asked, ¡°You¡¯re finally willing to address me by name, huh?¡± Annoyed and confused, Angeline yelled, ¡°Okay, you¡¯re definitely crazy!¡± She was about toe out of the bathtub when Evander grabbed her by the wrist. He then squeezed her chin and turned her head toward him as he said, ¡°But I did take it seriously, and I know you have feelings for me too.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes darted around nervously after he exposed her secret. ¡°Why would you bring up such a heavy topic all of a sudden? Oh, I know! You must be hungry, right? I¡¯ll go make you some pasta or something!¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Answer me, Angeline.¡± Evander stared deeply into her eyes as he continued in an authoritative tone, ¡°Look at me and answer my question.¡± As he pulled her even closer, Angeline found herself breathing even more heavily than before. She really didn¡¯t want to admit it, but her responses had already exposed her true feelings. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Angeline knew there was no way out of it. Hence, she gritted her teeth and bit the bullet. ¡°Yes, I do like you.¡± Evander¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy upon her words. He brushed her cheeks with his long slender fingers. I can finally protect Angeline as her boyfriend. To him, it felt better than signing a million-dor contract. This feels magical. However, Angeline frowned and turned away to avoid his touch. ¡°Mr. Golding, I know where I stand. So what if I like you? Have you ever thought of our future?¡± she sneered. ¡°I will make our rtionship publicly known if you¡¯ve thought this through.¡± Evander enunciated as if this was the only way to show his sincerity. ¡°If you make our rtionship public and your grandma objects, just like Ss had said, are you going to turn your back on your family for my sake?¡± Angeline¡¯s tone was dead serious. She couldn¡¯t tell if Evander really liked her or if he simply found a sense of novelty in her. What would I do if Evander lost interest in me one day and wanted to get out of my life? She thought Evander would pull away after hearing her out, but instead, he cradled her face between his hands and locked eyes with her. ¡°Angeline, you¡¯ve got to have more self-confidence. You have a great family background.¡± Instead of making empty promises to protect her, he gave her gentle words of encouragement and reminded her that she would be perfectly fine even if she were alone. This was the answer Angeline needed to hear. Her walls came crumbling down as she pursed her lips and stared at the love and tenderness in Evander¡¯s eyes. Angeline wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoes, and nted a kiss on his lips. ¡°Thank you.¡± For your understanding and your words of encouragement. Suddenly, he pressed his body against hers, pinned her against the bathtub, and slowly unbuttoned her blouse. Her kiss had ignited his lust. ¡°Do you know what happens to those who try to seduce me?¡± His voice was hoarse, and his breath was short and raspy. Angeline submitted as shey under him. She looked mesmerizing with her blouse fully unbuttoned and brown curly hair scattered over her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯d love to try.¡± Her voice was soft and alluring. The next day, Angeline slept in till noon. Her body was aching all over by the time she woke up. Frowning, she rubbed her eyes groggily and instinctively reached out for her phone. It¡¯s eleven thirty already? She shrieked when she saw the time on her phone screen and scrambled out of bed. Realization dawned on her as the cold air hit her skin. She quickly lifted the covers to check on herself and was instantly filled with regret when she saw the two hickeys on her neck. My gosh! I¡¯ve miscalcted. I should have held backst night instead of letting Evander have his way with me. Angeline wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow her whole as she recalled the intense sex they had hadst night. She took in her surroundings and gritted her teeth when she noticed Evander was nowhere to be found. How could he go to work as if nothing had happened after that intense sex? It¡¯s not fair. After washing up in the bathroom, she put on her shoes and headed toward the living room. She spotted Francescaing out of the kitchen with some dishes on her way there. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Yes, sorry for sleeping in. I¡¯ll help you out.¡± Angeline blushed. She hurried over to help Francesca with the dishes to avoid being awkward. ¡°No need. I can handle this myself. It¡¯s perfectly normal for you youngsters to sleep in.¡± Francesca chuckled and gave her a meaningful look. Even though Angeline had spent the night in the Golding residence before, this was her first time coming out from Evander¡¯s room. Moreover, Evander had instructed her not to disturb Angeline¡¯s slumber early in the morning. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that they had been going at it all night. Angeline turned beet red as Francesca gave her a knowing look. This is embarrassing. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please head to the dining room. It¡¯s almost time for lunch. Mr. Golding is waiting for you.¡± Evander? He didn¡¯t go to work today? Feeling puzzled, Angeline quickly followed Francesca into the dining room. And, lo and behold, Evander, dressed in a casual white top, was sitting at the head of the table meddling with his phone with his legs crossed. He raised his head when he heard her enter the room and gave her a meaningful look. ¡°You¡¯re awake. I thought you would sleep in until Florettaes home from school.¡± Angeline looked at him coyly. ¡°Jeez. Why didn¡¯t you get Francesca to wake me up?¡± she said begrudgingly. ¡°Couldn¡¯t bear to.¡± Evander crossed his arms and scrutinized the hickey on her neck. ¡°After all, you¡¯ve endured a lot yesterday,¡± he teased. ¡°Shut up. This is¡­ embarrassing.¡± Angeline quickly reached out and covered her hickeys with one hand and gave Francesca, who was busying herself with some household chores, a nervous nce. She was still shy and reserved about her sex life even though she wasn¡¯t eighteen anymore. ¡°What are you afraid of? There are no outsiders here.¡± Angeline fumed as she stared at his nonchnt attitude. ¡°Just look at what you did. Can you be any more shameless?¡± Evander picked up a ss of water from the table and took a sip. He looked at her innocently and shrugged upon her words. ¡°This is totally out of my control. Moreover, you showed even more enthusiasm than mest night.¡± With that, Evander tugged at his cor and pretended to scratch his corbones. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Angeline inhaled sharply as she caught sight of the hickeys on his body. D*mn it, he has two more hickeys than me. Is this really my doing? Angelineughed awkwardly, pulled the chair in front of her out, and sat down. p! She then put her hands together and pretended she was having the time of her life. ¡°My, my, this smells delicious. I feel so hungry after sleeping in.¡± With that, she picked up the cutleries and dug in before the remaining dishes were served. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Evander could not help but smile when he saw her concealing her emotions. Hence, he gracefully cut a piece of his steak and ced it in front of her. As if on purpose, he said, ¡°Eat more and replenish your energy. We¡¯ll continue tonight.¡± Khaff! Khaff! Angeline choked on her food, and her face flushed red. Evander was frightfully skilled at flirting. She would have turned weak at his words if she had not been good at keeping herselfposed. I¡¯d better visit the Golding residence less in the future. Otherwise, I¡¯d be taken advantage of without even realizing it. After lunch, Evander had to return to the office for a meeting. Not wanting to stay at the Golding residence, Angeline went upstairs to get her bag so she could leave with his car. Before leaving, she applied severalyers of liquid foundation on her neck. Still, the hickey was still visible. Seeing Evander waiting for her by the room door brought her anger to new heights. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done. I¡¯m going to make you pay next time.¡± Angeline was stunned when she heard the words that slipped out of her mouth. She realized she was behaving bolder in front of him. Just as she was thinking about that, a stern female voice rang out. ¡°I¡¯d like to see what you¡¯ll do to make my grandson pay.¡± Angeline frowned as she realized the sudden change in atmosphere. Meanwhile, Francesca stood beside the couch downstairs, looking as if she was ready to confront a formidable enemy. Without any hesitation, Angeline went downstairs with Evander. Sitting on the living room couch was Valerie. Although all her hair had turned white, she still looked energetic, and her eyes were sharp as ever, as if they could see through a person¡¯s heart. ¡°Hello, Grandma. Why are you here?¡± asked Evander in a deep voice, clearly surprised by her visit. Valerie gave a derisive snort. ¡°How could I note over when you made such a major decision behind my back?¡± When Evander heard that, his expression darkened. Fixing his gaze on the coffee cup on the table, he uttered firmly, ¡°If you¡¯re here to change my mind, then I¡¯d advise you to give up on the idea. I won¡¯t marry Olivine.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± His response infuriated Valerie. She pointed at Angeline, questioning, ¡°Are you nning to cut ties with me over this mannerless youngdy?¡± Valerie¡¯s voice was so loud that it gave Francesca a fright. Thetter shuddered and fell to her knees. Nheless, Evander remained silent and indifferent, despite being threatened by Valerie. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room became tense. Seeing that, Angeline could not help but voice out, ¡°Grandma, perhaps we can talk this out¡ª¡± Before she could even finish her words, Valerie red at her and mmed her walking stick hard onto the ground, yelling fiercely, ¡°Get onto your knees!¡± It annoyed Angeline to hear those words. Although Valerie was of high status, she had no right to make Angeline get to her knees when they were not rted by blood. Hence, Angeline stood still without budging an inch while she thought of a suitable response. Seeing Angeline not doing as told, Valerie mocked furiously, ¡°Take a good look, Evander. This is the woman you¡¯ve chosen. She didn¡¯t even greet me. Hmph. How could she not know such simple manners? Besides, I heard this woman did something humiliating five years ago. She¡¯s an unwanted daughter of the Sorelle family. How great can a woman from the entertainment industry be? She¡¯s not even worth beingpared with Olivine.¡± Every word that came from Valerie¡¯s mouth was like a sharp dagger that stabbed into Angeline¡¯s heart. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Especially when Valeriepared Angeline to Olivine. For a moment, Angeline felt as if she was absolutely worthless. Suddenly, she brushed her fringe aside and said calmly, ¡°So, you think I seduced Evander? Well, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re wrong about that. He was the one who pursued me first. I didn¡¯t even want to ept him back then.¡± She was clearly saying that to humiliate the Golding family. When Valerie heard that, her gaze darkened, and she scoffed, ¡°Are you feeling proud of yourself, Ms. Sorelle? You¡¯re just a new toy for him.¡± ¡°I trust Evander,¡± Angeline responded determinedly, fixing her gaze on Evander¡¯s face. Turning to Valerie, she retorted, ¡°You, on the other hand, keep saying you love your grandson, but you always use him as a tool for marriage connections. You¡¯re even willing to coerce him just to bring benefits to the company. Have you ever thought about his feelings?¡± Hearing that, Evander smiled and gave Angeline a look of approval. He had been keeping quiet because he wanted to witness Angeline¡¯s capabilities. After all, she was going to be the future daughter-inw of the Golding family, and looks were not all that mattered. So far, she had not let him down. The way Angeline talked back upset Valerie even more, and thetter warned, ¡°Listen here, Evander. I¡¯m never letting this woman marry into our family as long as I¡¯m alive. Ugh! How insolent!¡± Knowing he had to make things clear that day, Evander approached Valerie and advised calmly, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not good to be angry all the time when you¡¯re at such an age.¡± Immediately after that, he leaned closer and whispered something into her ear. Suddenly, Valerie¡¯s expression rxed, and she nced at Angeline in shock, asking, ¡°Really? She¡¯s the granddaughter of Jeffery Chandler?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Evander answered calmly. This time, Valerie finally calmed down. She then got to her feet with the help of her walking stick and scrutinized Angeline with a conflicted expression. After a moment of silence, Valerie let out a heavy sigh and left the house in silence with the housekeeper, who had been standing by the door. Meanwhile, Angeline watched them leave, looking utterly confused. Although she was Jeffery¡¯s granddaughter, they barely interacted with each other. However, the look on Valerie¡¯s face seemed to say she had known Jeffery for many years. What kind of rtionship do they have that made her change her attitude suddenly? At that thought, Angeline¡¯s inquisitive gaze fell on Evander. He must know something. Hurriedly, Angeline sat on the couch with curiosity written all over her face. ¡°What did you say to your grandma just now? What rtionship does my granddad have with your family?¡± Evander pulled her into his embrace and stroked her brows, saying with a deep voice, ¡°The Golding family has no rtionship with your granddad. It¡¯s just that I heard my grandpa saying he was in the same troop as your granddad when he was younger. As for the details, I¡¯m not too sure.¡± Angeline¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she finally understood the situation. So, they¡¯re old friends. They seem to have a deep rtionship, but why haven¡¯t they met up in so many years? Regardless, that was the end of the conversation. In the afternoon, Evander needed to go to thepany to attend a meeting, so he dropped Angeline off at a high-end mall nearby. Instead of asking her objective for going there, he pulled a ck and gold card out of his wallet and handed it to her. ¡°The money in here should be enough for you to buy the entire mall,¡± he remarked. The sight of the card shocked Angeline, and she hurriedly waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°No way. I can¡¯t ept such an expensive gift.¡± Evander scowled at her reaction. ¡°Take it. It¡¯ll make things easier when you take Floretta out in the future. That rascal wants everything she sees.¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 ¡°I have money. It¡¯s enough for us to spend.¡± Angeline chuckled and ced the card in the car before shutting the door and waving Evander goodbye. The man did not bother wasting his breath arguing over it. Hence, he nodded at her and drove away. Angeline¡¯s lips were pursed tightly as she watched his car disappear from her sight. No matter how desperate she was, she would never ept Evander¡¯s card. After all, she was always misunderstood for approaching Evander because of money. If she epted the card, it would make things difficult for her when they broke up. With that, she stepped into the building and took the elevator to go to the third floor. That was where all the luxury brands¡¯ stores were. Soon, she arrived at a jewelry store. After reading the signboard and making sure she was at the right store, she strode into the area. Just then, the staff who was standing at the door approached and greeted respectfully, ¡°Wee!¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Angeline smiled. With that, she scanned every piece of jewelry behind the ss disy but did not find what she wanted. Noticing Angeline¡¯s furrowed brows, the staff hurriedly reminded, ¡°Miss, you can also tell me what kind of jewelry you¡¯re looking for, so I can rmend some to you.¡± Thus, Angeline took out the men¡¯s ring given by Hanson and handed it to the staff. ¡°This is from your store, isn¡¯t it? Is there a ring of the same design?¡± The staff took the ring and discussed it with a few colleagues before answering her politely, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, miss. This is a limited edition ring from six years ago. Back then, ourpany invited a famous designer from Marsingfill to design three special pieces of jewelry for ourpany. There was only one piece for each design. Perhaps you can take a look at the others in our store.¡± Angeline was delighted to hear that. If there were only one piece of jewelry for each design, then her chances of looking for the person would be greater. ¡°I see. Could you look up the owner of this ring? I found it on the road, and I¡¯m worried the owner might panic.¡± The staff hurriedly nodded, gazing at her with admiration. ¡°Of course, but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll take some time because I¡¯ll have to send the ring back to our headquarters to get it checked.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Time is not a problem.¡± Angeline pursed her lips as hatred shed past her eyes. Indeed, time was not a problem. Finding out who the monster was from back then was the only thing that mattered. Angeline had no assistants by her side when she exited the jewelry store. Hence, she left the building right away to avoid attracting attention. After finding a deserted spot, she pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Ms. Yandell, would you care for a meal with your artist? Are there any jobs these days? Bing popr isn¡¯t important. Anything¡¯s fine as long as I get to earn some money.¡± Nancy teased, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re finally contacting me. I thought you were busy dating these days.¡± ¡°Tsk. Nonsense. Men aren¡¯t as important as money.¡± Nancy rolled her eyes and purposely raised her voice when she said, ¡°Don¡¯t be such a showoff. Your man isn¡¯t an ordinary person, anyway. Then again, if you want to earn an ie with your capabilities, there is apany that recently invited you to help with their livemerce.¡± Hearing that, Angeline frowned. ¡°A live stream?¡± ¡°Yes. The eleven-eleven sale is in three days. Since it¡¯s a national online shopping day, so all the major companies are looking for hosts to hold their livemerce. It¡¯s a little degrading, but the job pays an eight-figure sry. It can even increase your work performance.¡± In the inte age, live streams had be a form of entertainment for the elderly. On top of that, the live streaming and entertainment industries were slowly integrating. Many major celebrities often appeared on official live-streaming tforms to help out with their livemerce. However, the offer seemed a little too good to be true. ¡°But¡­¡± Nancy drawled, sounding hesitant. ¡°Thepany that invited us to host the livemerce is Hanson¡¯s branchpany. Considering your rtionship with him, I don¡¯t mind declining it if you don¡¯t want to go.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression turned grim when she heard that, and she could not help but wonder what Hanson was up to. Has he forgotten the lesson Evander taught him yesterday? ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can just forget about it. I¡¯ll call them to decline the offer.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll take it,¡± said Angeline. Though she did not know what Hanson¡¯s motive was, there was no reason for her to reject a job worth eight figures. All she needed to do was talk. I won¡¯t necessarily bump into him during the job, anyway. Besides, I heard Joseline is still resting from giving birth. I can¡¯t miss the opportunity of infuriating her if I meet him. With that, Angeline asked Nancy to get her a driver to send her home. Meanwhile, a heated argument had broken out among the Yiurk family over the eleven-eleven sale contract. Joseline stood in the living room while gripping the contract Hanson had just taken out of his bag. Her entire body was shaking with rage as she questioned, ¡°Hanson, don¡¯t you know Forrester Group is established by the Yiurk and the Sorelle family? Besides, you know Angeline has been eyeing the company¡¯s shares. Hasn¡¯t it crossed your mind that this contract is basically giving her a chance to infiltrate ourpany?¡± With a calm expression, Hanson sat on the couch and took a sip of his coffee before asking inly, ¡°You were the one managing Forrester Group back then, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there something wrong?¡± Joseline felt panic rise in her heart at the sudden question. ng! Hanson suddenly mmed the coffee cup on the table. His expression turned as dark as thunder, and he chided, ¡°I¡¯ve asked Shay to check the sales performance report, and it seems that Forrester Group has been facing losses for the past few years. Even Yiurk Group has lost several million, too. What have you been doing?¡± Joseline shuddered at his words, and guilt shed past her eyes. Suddenly, an idea came to her. She feigned an innocent expression and went to Hanson¡¯s back to give him a shoulder massage while saying piteously, ¡°Hanson, I¡¯ve been busy for the past few years. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t have time to manage Forrester Group. You can¡¯t hire Angeline just to vent your anger¡ª¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve underestimated Angeline¡¯s influence. She¡¯s the most suitable candidate for this event. Have you been faking your friendship with her all this time?¡± Hanson grabbed her arm and pulled her forward violently, casting her a mocking nce. ¡°I-I¡­¡± His stares made Joseline panic. Thus, she knitted her brows and gazed at him in disbelief. ¡°Hanson, we¡¯re a married couple, and our son was born not long ago. How could you doubt me already?¡± At the mention of their son, Hanson¡¯s face contorted with rage. His gaze became even more piercing, as if he wanted to tear Joseline¡¯s pretentious mask apart. ¡°From today onward, Forrester Group will be managed by Yiurk Group. If you¡¯re not happy about it, you can withdraw your shares!¡± With that, Hanson shoved Joseline aside, stuffed the contract into his bag, and stormed off without bothering to see if she was fine. At the same time, the sound of the baby crying came from upstairs. However, it only made Hanson find the situation more ironic. He clenched his fists and furrowed his brows in frustration. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Since Joseline did not care about the old rtionships, Hanson figured he did not have to spare her dignity. Joseline, who was pushed by Hanson, had knocked into a shelf, almost causing the wound on her belly to open up again. She frowned and held her belly, breathing sharply from the pain. When the nanny witnessed the scene, she hurried downstairs with the child in her arms and reached out to help Joseline up, asking with concern, ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, are you all right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Joseline shoved the nanny aside, venting all her anger for Hanson onto thetter. ¡°What¡¯s the point of hiring you when you can¡¯t even take good care of the child? You¡¯re fired!¡± she yelled. ¡°Please don¡¯t get rid of me, Mrs. Yiurk¡­¡± the nanny pleaded pathetically while kneeling on the ground. At the same time, the child in her arms cried louder. Nheless, Joseline merely cast the child an icy stare with no intention of taking thetter into her arms and soothing him. After all, her original intention of giving birth to the child was to make Hanson stay by her side and stabilize her position in the Yiurk family. Unfortunately, Hanson only treated her colder. In the past, he would still goe every day. But now, he would stay out all night. Joseline felt as if she had be transparent to Hanson. Suddenly, she ced her arms on her waist and pondered carefully. Why is there such a huge change in Hanson¡¯s attitude? Could he have discovered something? At that thought, she ordered the nanny to bring the child upstairs before walking over to the full-length windows. She took out her phone, scrolled through her contact list, and finally dialed a number. It did not take long for a gentle female voice to ring out over the line. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Yiurk. How may I help you?¡± ¡°I want to know where Hanson¡¯s has been these days. Who has he met?¡± Joseline asked nervously. Long ago, she had already bribed Hanson¡¯s assistant, Lillian Hennessey. It was all thanks to Lillian¡¯s tip-off that Joseline had been able to remain by Hanson¡¯s side for many years. Meanwhile, Lillian found an empty area and lowered her voice as she informed, ¡°Apart from the social gatherings, Mr. Yiurk has been busy dealing with the eleven-eleven sale¡¯s goods. He practically sleeps in the office. Hold on¡­ He went outst night and returned drunk in the middle of the night.¡± When Joseline heard that, she felt as if someone had hit her on the head. She asked grimly, ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°I heard Mr. Yiurk¡¯s bodyguards talking about him going to a hotel. He even got into a lengthy argument with a woman. Apparently, he got injured on the back of his head.¡± ¡°Do you know who that woman is?¡± Joseline¡¯s voice was trembling, for she had a bad feeling. ¡°She was covered from head to toe, so I didn¡¯t really see who she was. But based on her voice, I think it¡¯s Angeline, the celebrity.¡± Joseline was stunned by her words, and it took her a long time to snap out of it. She had been too nervous earlier that she did not notice Hanson¡¯s wound. Come to think of it. I think there was a wound on his scalp. What made her even more furious was that Hanson had secretly met up with Angeline. Joseline pursed her lips and clenched her fists as jealousy shed across her eyes. Fine. Since Hanson never cared about our rtionship as a married couple, then he¡¯d better not me me for being heartless. I¡¯m going to make them suffer, even if it means hurting myself. A few days before the eleven-eleven sale, the major buildings in the center of Hallsbay were brightly lit, and the staff could be seen working hard through the windows. Everyone was awaiting the midnight of the event to put up the goods. Meanwhile, Golding Group was no exception to the frenzy as well. When Evander had finished signing a series of documents, he leaned against his chair and nced at the clock. It was already past eleven o¡¯clock at night. Knock! Knock! Just then, Ss entered the office with Evander¡¯s supper. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Golding, please have some mushroom soup and go home to get some rest. All the staff downstairs have left,¡¯ Ss informed. ¡°Okay.¡± Evander eyed the thermal container in a daze. ¡°Who brought this?¡± ¡°I bought it from the restaurant downstairs.¡± Upon hearing that, Evander lowered his gaze to conceal the disappointment in his eyes. For a split second, he thought Angeline had specially made mushroom soup for him. Reading the room, Ss poured some of the soup out and gave it to Evander. However, thetter frowned after taking a spoonful. Ugh. This is not as great as Angeline¡¯s. With that thought in mind, Evander put down his spoon unenthusiastically and pulled out his phone to give Angeline a call. He did not realize howte it was until he nced at the time. She must be sleeping already. In the end, he dismissed the idea of calling her. Instead, he tapped on a picture of her and admired it for some time. Seeing Evander was in a fairly good mood, Ss handed the former a document and asked, ¡°Mr. Golding, this is the list of candidates for the host of the eleven-eleven sale. I¡¯ve picked a few well- known female artists. Could you nce through and see who you¡¯d like to hire?¡± As apany that ran a big business, Golding Group always offered payments many times higher than otherpanies. On top of that, not all female artists could secure a deal with them, no matter how many connections they had. Naturally, the artists would not miss out on an opportunity like that. ¡°It¡¯s a small matter. You can handle it on your own without asking me,¡± instructed Evander. With that, he put on his coat and grabbed his keys from the table. The moment he arrived at the door, a thought came to him, and he halted in his tracks. Fixing his gaze on Ss, Evander said, ¡°Book Angeline.¡± Ss carefully studied Evander¡¯s expression before informing helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t do. Ms. Sorelle has already agreed to work with Yiurk Group for the event.¡± Hanson? Evander scowled at the mere thought of that name, and his gaze turned so cold that it could make anyone shudder. In fact, even the atmosphere in the office took a dip. Ss gulped fearfully, and he stuttered, ¡°M-Mr. Golding, I-I¡¯ll talk to Ms. Sorelle about this. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll change her mind and pick us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Evander rejected icily. The event was not the main point, after all. On top of that, Angeline would never get back to Hanson after what happened during the previous incident. Evander was eager to find out what Angeline was up to this time. Two nights before the event, all the majorpanies were busy getting ready for the live streaming and putting up the new goods while awaiting the next day¡¯s midnight. Meanwhile, Angeline arrived at Forrester Group under Nancy¡¯s lead the next day in the afternoon. Standing by the door was a bodyguard who had been waiting for them. As soon as he spotted Angeline and Nancy, he hurried over and greeted, ¡°Wee, Ms. Sorelle.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± responded Angeline indifferently, removing her sunsses as she exited the car. The truth was, the Yiurk and the Sorelle family were close, and they had coborated to establish Forrester Group when she was three years old to strengthen the bond. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Most importantly, her father had transferred all of Forrester Group¡¯s shares to her mother as a birthday present back then. Hence, logically, Angeline owned some of the shares, too. She scrutinized thepany building with a dark gaze. It was a three-story mansion with white walls stained with dust. At the same time, the greenery around the building was infested by weeds. There was no telling when was thest time someone managed it. As she walked into the building, over ten staff greeted her in an extremelyzy manner. Angeline¡¯s expression instantly turned grim; she was extremely displeased. ¡°Has no one been managing thispany? The staff behaves like they haven¡¯t eaten their breakfast. I wouldn¡¯t havee if I knew things were like that.¡± Her reaction shocked the bodyguard. He never expected a harmless and weak woman like Angeline to be so strict. However, when he thought of the higher-ups¡¯ orders to give Angeline a proper wee, he had no choice but to swallow his anger and exin with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right. There was no one managing the company in the past. Naturally, they became a littlezy. Nheless, we¡¯ve received news from the higher-ups that they¡¯re going to reorganize thepany.¡± He then turned to the staff and barked, ¡°Greet her again!¡± Hearing that, the staff hurriedly stood up straight and greeted at the top of their lungs, ¡°Wee, Ms. Sorelle!¡± This time, they sounded more energetic. Regardless, disdain was written all over their faces. One of the elderly men even cleaned his eyes on the spot. It was a disrespectful sight. Once she saw that, her expression turned cold, which gave her the vibe of an unapproachable person. Only she knew how exasperated she felt at that moment. Her mother graduated from a fashion school. She had practically poured all her heart and soul onto Forrester Group. In fact, all her designs turned out to be the hottest item on sale every season. She¡¯ll be so disappointed if she finds out what Forrester Group has turned into. Soon, Angeline arrived at the live-streaming room on the third floor under the bodyguard¡¯s guidance. The equipment was fixed, and several racks were ced around the room with rows of clothes from that season disyed on them. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, the live stream starts at ten o¡¯clock and willst for two hours. You¡¯ll need to show the unique points of the outfits to the audience. You don¡¯t have to worry about it. A co-host will be arriving later to exin them.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± After Angeline scanned the outfits on the racks, a look of disappointment appeared on her face again. There was nothing unique about them; they looked no different from the ones avable in the current market. Forrester Group specialized in making high-end clothing back then. Clearly, the standards of the company have fallen. Just as she was deep in her thoughts, a few makeup artists entered the room and began dolling her up. It was already nine o¡¯clock at night by the time everything was ready. The time of the live stream was approaching. Worried Angeline would be hungry during the stream, Nancy asked, ¡°Do you want to eat anything? I can go out and get it for you.¡± The mention of food made Angeline¡¯s stomach growl. Just as she was thinking of what to eat, she suddenly heard an employee greeting, ¡°Good evening, Mr. Yiurk!¡± ¡°Hello. Don¡¯t mind me. Carry on with your work,¡± Hanson ordered in a formal tone. Following that, he pushed the door and entered the live-streaming room. He wore a dark gray custom-made suit, which made his warm face look more friendly. Meanwhile, standing behind him were a few assistants who were carrying packets of food in various sizes. Hanson scanned the staff in the live-streaming room with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Here is some food for all of you. Please take some.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Hearing that, the staff cheered and hurried over while uttering words of thanks. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yiurk!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. All the best tonight. It¡¯s going to be a long one,¡± Hanson said with a chuckle, his gaze flooded with gentleness. Nheless, Angeline¡¯s expression turned frosty when she watched the scene. There was no denying that Hanson was an extremely pretentious man. If not for the years of acquaintance with him, she could never imagine him the same person who had gone mad at the bar previously. Just then, Hanson walked over with a packet of food, beaming. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± s, Angeline did not even bother looking at him. Instead, she picked up the liquid foundation and touched up her makeup. The fact that she was ignoring him in front of so many people embarrassed Hanson. It put him in an awkward position. Thankfully, Nancy noted the situation and piped up to break the awkward atmosphere, ¡°We arrived quite some time ago, and we¡¯re still getting ready. Anyway, have you ended your work for the day already?¡± Hanson¡¯s gaze was still fixated on Angeline as he grunted a reply. ¡°I had nothing much to do in my office, so I decided toe here and check on things.¡± He then ced the packet of food on the table and reminded gently, ¡°Please eat something before the event.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yiurk,¡± Nancy thanked with a grin. It was at that moment she realized their containers were more premium than the others, not to mention the contents. Just as Nancy was about to take them, Angeline gently tapped her finger on the table. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Mr. Yiurk, but I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m paid to do. There¡¯s no need for you to be so thoughtful,¡± she uttered, barely moving her lips. She was tantly declining Hanson¡¯s acts of kindness. ¡°Stop making a fuss, Angeline.¡± His tone was gentle as usual, but the exasperation on his face made him look as if he was coaxing an angry child. Right then, Angeline snatched the container from Nancy¡¯s hands and handed it to him while ring at him icily. ¡°Give this to the others. We¡¯re not hungry.¡± Her rejection made Hanson¡¯s expression change drastically. Yet, she feigned ignorance. After all, she was always great at acting ordingly. And with her disgust for Hanson¡¯s pretentiousness, she could not be bothered to put up with his act. Nheless, Hanson could not continue pestering her, for they were under the watchful eyes of many staff. In the end, he had no choice but to share out the food with the others with a gloomy expression. Angeline was not feeling hungry anymore by the time the live stream was about to start. Hence, she recollected herself and walked over to the stage. Everyone else, except for Angeline and her co-host, had gone backstage to manage the live stream. Still, both parties could see each other clearly through the soundproof-transparent ss. As soon as the live-stream camera was turned on, a clear view of Angeline¡¯s and the co-host¡¯s faces appeared on theputer screen. At the same time, the number of viewers in the left corner of the screen shot up. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Beany, your host for today. I¡¯m sure all of you must¡¯ve been waiting for a long time. Anyway, we have a special guest today. She¡¯s Angeline, the actress who yed Alleria¡¯s role in ¡°The Journey.¡± Let¡¯s invite her to introduce herself.¡± Soon, the overhead camera shifted to focus on Angeline¡¯s face. She put on a polite smile and waved at the camera, greeting, ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Angeline. I¡¯m really d to have this opportunity to work with Forrester Group.¡± Right after she finished speaking, the audience bombarded thements section, saying they would support her in whatever she did. It did not take long forments like that to fill the entire section. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Many fans clicked on the link and ced orders for the clothes right after she finished introducing herself. It was apparent how influential a celebrity could be. Immediately afterward, Angeline went into the dressing room to change her clothes. Her duty was to preen herself and showcase the outfits. Meanwhile, the co-host was in charge of describing the clothes¡¯ attributes and showering the products with all kinds ofpliments. Due to Angeline¡¯s presence, her followers contributed another tens of thousands of orders. As time passed, while Angeline and the co-host kept up their excellent sales performance, the employees backstage started showing signs of fatigue. Hanson gazed intently at hisputer when. His assistant, Lilian, poured a ss of water and ced it beside his hand. Then, she uttered gently, ¡°Mr. Yiurk, why don¡¯t you take a break? I¡¯ll help you keep an eye on things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not needed. I¡¯m not tired,¡± he refused her offer. Hanson had always been serious and meticulous in dealing with his work. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, Ms. Sorelle¡¯s impact on our live-stream sale is phenomenal. It¡¯s been more than five years since Forrester Group achieved such an impressive sales record. We¡¯re even experiencing a staffing shortage in packing the parcels inside the storage room.¡± He frowned upon hearing that. He had indeed overlooked the manpower issue as he didn¡¯t anticipate Forrester Group would flourish with Joseline¡¯s support. At that thought, he hastily ordered her, ¡°Go back to the headquarters now and allocate more workforce here. Also, arrange some technical staff here. I noticed all the technical staff here are sozy and inattentive. We¡¯ll suffer a huge loss if any error happens.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Yiurk.¡± She nodded politely, closed the door behind her, and left. Hanson pursed his lips and took a sip of the water. Then, he looked up at Angeline, who was inside the broadcast studio. With her stature, she merely had to change into three different featured outfits. After that, she sat on the chair and chatted with the co-host, allowing the other models tried on the rest of the clothes. But even then, Angeline still managed to steal the limelight effortlessly with her existence alone. Hanson clenched his fists and propped up his chin. The usual tender gaze he regarded Angeline with on normal days was now reced by an unfathomable look filled with intense possessiveness. He admitted that he harbored an ulterior motive when he decided to risk losing his capital by using a large amount of money to hire Angeline. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s going to be midnight soon. Everyone can click on the cart below, and the items listed will be sold at the lowest price¡­¡± Hanson gradually regained his senses as he listened to the co-host¡¯s words. He shifted his gaze onto the total sales figure on hisputer screen. As the clock struck midnight, the sales amount surged crazily upward and achieved the first million transactions of the night in no time. All the discounted items were sold out in a split second. ¡°Wow!¡± The employees, who had yet to get off work, eximed joyfully when they witnessed the astounding sales record. Hanson pursed his lips and stared at Angeline in admiration. However, at that moment, someone knocked on the door to the backstage room. Then, one of the employees stumbled into the room in a panic. ¡°Bad news, Mr. Yiurk. The technical department made an error in price tagging because theputers they are using are too old.¡± Hearing that, Hanson leaped to his feet, looking tense. ¡°What was the tagged price?¡± ¡°The price tag for every clothes wasbeled with one less zero¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with all of you? Did you all fall asleep during work?¡± Hanson snapped at them. He panted heavily as burning rage churned within him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Unfortunately, any amount of apologies wouldn¡¯t help turn the situation around. Immediately afterward, Hanson picked up themunicator beside him and barked at Angeline and the others inside the broadcast studio to put everything on hold. He had also switched off all the cameras in advance. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Angeline walked over in bafflement. Hanson gave her a meaningful look and exined the whole incident to her. She didn¡¯t expect such an ident to happen to the live stream sale that was performing so well. After contemting briefly, she asked, ¡°What is the estimated volume for the erroneous transactions?¡± The head of the technical department roughly calcted the numbers before replying grimly, ¡°The conservative estimate is around six hundred thousand.¡± Six hundred thousand¡­ Hearing thatrge transaction volume, even Angeline, who had always been calm and collected, was taken aback. Now that so many people had ced the orders, they couldn¡¯t negotiate with each customer to amend the price. Moreover, any form of exnation would also affect the clothing brand¡¯s reputation. With the price tag for every clothes beingbeled with one less zero, the average selling price would be fifty a piece. Hanson¡¯s ashen facial expression clearly indicated they were facing at least a few million in financial loss. The employees downstairs were swamped while the head of the technical department was anxious to the verge of breaking down in tears. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, Ms. Sorelle, what should we do now?¡± Angeline shed an annoyed look and couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°What should we do? Why did we hire all of you if all you do is shrink from responsibilities whenever trouble arises?¡± She had been holding back her dissatisfaction for a long time. Since she entered the ce, Angeline had found the employees there ipetent andcked professionalism. Following the mistake during the live stream, not only did hermission for the sales go down the drain, but the error also directly and negatively impacted Forrester Group. Hanson¡¯s expression turned grim. He mmed hisptop shut and uttered in a sheer cold voice, ¡°ording to the rules, thepany has to bear the employees¡¯ mistakes. We¡¯ll have to sell Forrester Group to make payments.¡± The staff at the scene became fearful and unsettled after listening to his statement. ¡°No!¡± Angeline was the first to oppose his suggestion. Her expression was grim, but her eyes shone with determination. ¡°We cannot sell Forrester Group.¡± Hanson gazed at her. Sorrow rose within him as he fathomed her qualms. ¡°Angeline, this error is not to be taken lightly.¡± After all, Forrester Group was not a mere empty shell. They were hoping to make aeback during that shopping festival. Unfortunately, not only did they fail to make money, but they even lost their principal. Yiurk Group would never invest so much money in an insignificantpany with an unknown prospect in such a short period. ¡°I¡¯ll think of a solution. Give me three days.¡± Angeline gritted her teeth. She steeled her resolution and braced herself to ept the responsibility of handling that mess. Nancy, standing at one side, waspletely dumbfounded. She even had the urge to hit Angeline with the lunchbox in her hand to clear thetter¡¯s mind. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± She tugged forcefully at the hem of Angeline¡¯s clothes and red at her. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re just an actress!¡± ¡°I know, but I must do this.¡± Staring at Nancy¡¯s face, Angeline felt guilty. After all, Nancy had groomed and assisted her in rising to stardom, yet she wasn¡¯t focused on her career now. Hanson was also surprised by her reply. He arched a brow and regarded her with uncertainty. ¡°This is a hot potato. I suggest you think this through.¡± ¡°Be patient, Mr. Yiurk. I haven¡¯t finished speaking.¡± Angeline gazed at him with all seriousness. Since she could make up her mind to help resolve the problem, undoubtedly, she had her condition. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°Talk.¡± Hanson sat up straight and stared at Angeline with his grim eyes. Angeline didn¡¯t care there were outsiders present and spoke directly. ¡°First of all, since I¡¯m taking over this matter, I¡¯ll being to thepany frequently in the future. I hope you will inform your employees ordingly, Mr. Yiurk. I need them to cooperate with me,¡± she said. ¡°Sure. No problem,¡± Hanson agreed to it right away as he wasn¡¯t surprised by her request. ¡°Secondly, the Yiurk family and the Sorelle family found Forrester Group when both families were at their peak. Since no otherpanies have invested in it, I think it¡¯s rather easy to split the shares.¡± Hanson frowned and asked, ¡°How much do you want?¡± Angeline shed a smile in response. At that moment, everyone was on edge, but she was as cool as a cucumber. While sitting casually in her seat, she answered, ¡°When my mother was still alive, I think she held at least sixty percent shares of thepany.¡± Hanson¡¯s expression turned solemn when he heard that. In a deep voice, he replied, ¡°That¡¯s hardly doable.¡± With a mocking smile on her face, Angeline held her chin with one hand while tapping the desk asionally with the other. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, please give me a definitive answer. Forrester Group has been making a loss all this while. Not only am I helping you save thepany, but I¡¯m also helping you make more money. At the end of the day, you won¡¯t lose out on anything.¡± Hanson kept mum and stared at Angeline in response. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t tell what Angeline was hiding behind that smile of hers. She has truly changed. Back then, during the school anniversary event, she would feel uneasy the moment she saw a crowd. Now, she¡¯s handling herself perfectly. What gives her the confidence to negotiate with me in such a manner? Angeline¡¯s patience was wearing thin because Hanson was still holding his tongue. With a frown, she uttered in a frustrated tone, ¡°Mr. Yiurk, I don¡¯t mind waiting for your answer, but I¡¯m afraid Forrester Group doesn¡¯t have the luxury. Judging by how capable you are, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re able to convince your wife.¡± ¡°Okay. I promise you,¡± Hanson responded in a deep voice. There was a hint of reluctance in his voice when he added, ¡°If you find the situation hard to deal with, you may leave anytime you want. I won¡¯t hold you ountable.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Upon getting the response she wanted, Angeline grabbed her bag and left the broadcast studio. She then took the elevator and went down to the second floor to visit the IT department. Nancy was following closely behind when she praised, ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Angeline! You came for a broadcast session, but you ended up taking over apany! Even Mr. Yiurk had trouble handling you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking what¡¯s mine,¡± Angeline answered softly. At that moment, a hint of hatred shed across her eyes. Before this, I never made a move because Joseline was a part of the Sorelle family. Now that I know the truth, I¡¯m going to take back everything the Sorelle family owns! Forrester Group is just the beginning. Upon arriving at the IT department, they saw three youngsters sitting in front of theirputers and trying to figure out what went wrong. Meanwhile, the older employees had coffee and rested. This department¡¯s carelessness caused the enormous loss suffered by thepany. Yet, they¡¯re acting as if they¡¯ve done nothing wrong! Angeline¡¯s expression darkened, and she said sternly, ¡°Please stop whatever you¡¯re doing and gather here.¡± Although the younger employees were confused when they heard that, they still approached her. On the other hand, the rest of the employees remained seated and looked at her mockingly. ¡°You¡¯re Angeline, aren¡¯t you? I know you like to boss people around because you¡¯re a celebrity. However, this isn¡¯t the entertainment industry. You don¡¯t have a say here!¡± one of themined. Nancy was having none of it, and she fumed, ¡°What has the entertainment industry done to you? Sir, did you find out who are the owners of thepany before you applied to work here? From today onward, Angeline will be temporarily in charge of Forrester Group.¡± The man froze momentarily before rolling his eyes in response. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How could she?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± a man answered. Momentster, Hanson and Lillian were seen walking in. Hanson had a stern expression when he asked in a serious tone, ¡°I¡¯ll announce it on her behalf. Are you satisfied?¡± The man shuddered when he heard that. Along with the other older employees, they quickly sprung to their feet and trotted toward Hanson and Angeline. With an ingratiating smile on his face, the man said, ¡°Hi, Mr. Yiurk. I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sorelle. I was an ignorant fool.¡± Hanson ignored the man and turned toward Angeline to give her a list of personnel. With a hint of concern in his eyes, he said, ¡°The employees and IT professionals I¡¯ve transferred from the headquarters will arrive at Forrester Group tomorrow. I¡¯ve already informed them ordingly, so please command them as you please.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline took the list and flipped through the employees¡¯ files. Hanson seems professional. He¡¯s very particr about how he selects these employees. This actually helps me a lot. Hanson nced at her and hesitated before uttering, ¡°Angeline, about what happened thest time around¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s the progress in rectifying the error that happened during the event?¡± Angeline was sizing up the employees at the scene, and they were all already busy with their work. This time around, no one dared to undermine her anymore. A young employee approached her and answered, ¡°We¡¯ve already rectified the error and changed the prices. However, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to recoup our losses.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline expected that to happen. Upon closing the documents in her hands, she nced at those cunning and older employees. In an icy tone, she said, ¡°Tomorrow, go to the finance department to receive the wages and pensions that are owed to you guys. After that, you guys will no longer have toe to work.¡± Upon hearing that, the older employees were stumped, and they were overwhelmed with regret. They didn¡¯t expect Angeline to act so decisively, despite her tender age. ¡°Could someone bring me to my office?¡± Angeline asked. Although she wasn¡¯t nning to go there often, she still needed to ce to work. While staring at Angeline solemnly, Lillian took the initiative and stepped forward. ¡°This way, please, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay. Thank you,¡± Angeline answered. She followed Lillian into a huge private office withplete office supplies. ¡°This is where Mrs. Sorelle used to work. After she passed away, Ms. Joseline woulde once in a while. Other than that, this room hasn¡¯t been used,¡± Lillian said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline was checking out the equipment in the office, and conflicting emotions warred in her chest as her gaze eventuallynded on the photos on the wall. Those were the photos herte mother had taken with several renowned designers. Herte mother was a famous designer as well. When Angeline arrived in front of the desk, she ran her fair fingers across the desk and noticed how dusty it was. When was thest time someone cleaned this ce? Angeline then found a lot of thepany¡¯s documents in one of the folders in the office. Upon flipping through them, she found one that recorded the projects Forrester Group had taken part in over the past few years. The losses Forrester Group incurred have been recorded here. Besides, I can even see where the problems lie. If I want to resurrect Forrester Group, I need to get to the root of the problem. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Angeline kept the rted documents aside and told all the employees, apart from the ones from the IT department, to go home. After all, they needed to rest to work efficiently. By two in the early morning, the driver was waiting for Angeline and Nancy in the garage. Once they had gotten into the car, the driver started driving toward Angeline¡¯s house. A tense silence filled the car when they were on the way there. Angeline looked dog-tired after a busy night¡¯s work. However, she could tell that Nancy wasn¡¯t happy. Arching a brow, Angeline held Nancy¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m so mad at you.¡± Nancy red at Angeline and grumbled, ¡°With your current poprity in the entertainment industry, you can get into all sorts of good deals. Yet, you ended up choosing to clean up someone¡¯s mess. Even Mr. Yiurk had failed to fix the problem. Do you really think you¡¯re up for it?¡± ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Angeline looked out the window emotionally and uttered in a somber tone, ¡°The rtionships between my family members are tooplicated, and I won¡¯t be able to exin them to you. However, Forrester Group was everything to my mother. I absolutely can¡¯t let someone call it anything but that.¡± Nancy realized how much Angeline had on her shoulders and heaved a sigh heartbrokenly. ¡°Be that as it may, you¡¯re not happy. Are you willing to sacrifice your bright future in the entertainment industry for that?¡± Angeline lowered her head andughed bitterly to herself. ¡°Didn¡¯t I enter the entertainment industry so that I could strengthen myself and regain the shares that belong to me?¡± Nancy didn¡¯t know what to say in response when she saw how determined Angeline was. That¡¯s right. The moment I got her to sign the contract, she told me what she was truly after. However, she had been so carefree over the years, and she had never mentioned her past anymore. I thought she had already moved on, but she never did. All her hard work was preparations for taking back her shares and her child. With that in mind, Nancy felt bad for Angeline, who had to persevere and tolerate others over the past few years. Nancy then reached out her arm and put it over Angeline¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Okay. Do what you have to do. If you ever wish toe back, I¡¯ll surely make you great again,¡± Nancy consoled. Angeline felt a tinge of warmth in her heart when she heard those words. All these years, Nancy has been my ally and my friend. Nothing¡¯s ever going to separate us. While they were conversing, they arrived at Angeline¡¯s house. Upon bidding them farewell, Angeline walked back home. Since she was already home, she could finally rx. Feeling exhausted, she unlocked her door with her key. Before switching on the lights in the living room, she saw that her bedroom lights were on, and she could faintly see the lights shining through the crack of the door. What¡¯s going on? Before I left, I made sure I switched off all the lights. Baffled, Angeline walked toward the bedroom. As soon as she pushed the bedroom door open, she saw a tall man lying in her bed. ¡°Ah!¡± she shouted in fear. After that, she quickly picked up a bat she kept near the entrance and shielded herself with it. Shortly after, the man in her bed woke up and sat up straight. With a grim look on his face, he asked, ¡°Angeline, you still know your way home, huh?¡± ¡°E-Evander?¡± Angeline recognized him, and she was even more shocked to see him therepared to if she were to see thieves. The bat in her hands fell to the ground, and she kept staring at him in disbelief. ¡°When did you arrive here? No¡­ How did you get in?¡± Evander wore the house slippers and ambled toward her with his hands in his pockets. While looking down at her, he said, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t simply give away your spare keys.¡± Angeline froze momentarily before realizing what was going on. Seeing that his eyes were filled with helplessness, she exined, ¡°I gave the keys to Floretta in case of emergency. What kind of father are you? Why did you go through your daughter¡¯s stuff?¡± Evander snorted in response. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember how much that little girl wants us to get together?¡± When Floretta got the keys, she gave them to Evander almost immediately. Evander took the keys from her as if it was the right thing to do. Upon hearing that, Angeline held her forehead and felt a gush of regret. I shouldn¡¯t have given the keys to that girl. ¡°Still¡­ Why did youe and find me all of a sudden?¡± Angeline asked curiously. ¡°I heard how capable you are.¡± Evander walked up to her while staring at her with his sharp gaze. In an indifferent tone, he voiced, ¡°Not only did your coboration with Hanson work out fine, but you¡¯ve also decided to clean up the mess in Forrester Group. Am I right?¡± Angeline was stunned when she heard that. ¡°Did you spy on me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have to.¡± Angeline merely twitched her lips helplessly in response. Evander is too good at collecting information. It hasn¡¯t even been five hours, and yet, he has already found out about everything I¡¯ve done tonight. As the thought crossed her mind, Angeline felt a chill running down her spine. Only then did she realize how scary Evander was. Suddenly, Evander grabbed her arm and pressed her against the wall. With his tense gaze, he asked, ¡°Angeline, stop beating around the bush. Why did you see your ex-fianc¨¦? Are you trying to get back together with him?¡± Undeniably, those words were harsh. Angeline couldn¡¯t help but frown because he was hurting her arm. ¡°Have you missed me so dearly, Evander?¡± she asked. Evander shed a grin before whipping out his phone from his pocket and showing her something on his phone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin yourself?¡± he asked. Angeline was infuriated when she saw the photo he showed her. The photo showed the scene where Hanson was giving her a packed meal. However, the photographer had an ulterior motive, so he took the photo at an angle that made it look like Hanson was hugging Angeline. ¡°This is so hical! How is this necessary?¡± she roared. Angeline was so angry that she wanted to snatch the phone from Evander to take a closer look at the photo. In response, he suddenly retreated. Angeline lost her bnce and fell into Evander¡¯s embrace. While squeezing Angeline¡¯s chin, Evander stared at her sullenly and mocked, ¡°Are you feeling guilty?¡± ¡°Why should I? The photo is making something out of nothing. I was merely at work¡­¡± ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± The more she tried to exin herself, the angrier Evander became. Hence, the words that came out of his mouth were getting harsher. ¡°You¡¯re a celebrity! Why are you discrediting yourself? Not only are you working with your ex-fianc¨¦, but you¡¯ve also been photographed being intimate with him! The photos are now on the inte!¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t utter a word in response. ¡°Angeline, I¡¯ve underestimated your resilience. I thought you would¡¯ve already learned your lesson after going through what happened at the bar.¡± Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Of all things, why did he have to bring up what happened in the bar? Angeline¡¯s expression darkened. Her eyes fixed on Evander turned even colder. ¡°So you see me as some sort of promiscuousdy who would go and hook up with any guy?¡± Evander didn¡¯t reply to her, but the way he looked at her had told her his answer. At that instant, it was as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on her; she could no longer feel any trace of warmth. ¡°Since you don¡¯t trust me so much, what¡¯s the point of looking for me then? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to pretend like nothing had happened that night?¡± ¡°Say it again,¡± he enunciated, tightening his grip on her arm all of a sudden. Breaking out into a cold sweat, Angeline eximed in pain as if she had been clipped by a pair of pliers. ¡°Angeline, stop ying tricks in front of me.¡± His voice was so cold that every word he said stung her eardrums. Angeline gritted her teeth, trying her best to suppress the humiliation deep down inside her. Shoving Evander away, she turned around and walked out of the room. Bang! With a loud thud, Angeline left the house. Staring at her receding figure, Evander was a bit worried. After regaining hisposure, he couldn¡¯t help but start reflecting on his behavior earlier. Indeed, he went overboard. However, whenever he thought of the scene where Angeline and Hanson were together, he just couldn¡¯t control his emotions. Angeline ran out, driven by anger. But she somehow regretted her action as soon as she came out. It was close to three in the morning. Though there were streetmps in the residential area, there was barely anyone strolling around in the middle of the night. On top of that, asional swishes from the grasses were increasing the surrounding creepiness. Angeline wanted to back-pedal. She would nce to the back every time after walking several steps. However, she saw nothing but disappointment. At the sight of that, Angeline crossed her arms over her chest, feeling wronged. A wave of soreness surged up in her heart. What a heartless man! Is he not worried at all that I ran out alone? Angeline came out in a rush. She didn¡¯t have the time to change her footwear. She was still wearing the slippers where her toes were exposed. Every time the wind brushed past her, her toes would flush from the coldness. Walking along the road, she passed by a twenty-four-hour convenience store. The aromatic smell of hot food wafted to her nose. As she sniffed with force, her stomach started to growl. In truth, she had been feeling hungry for a long time tonight. But because she was too busy, she forgot to fill up her stomach. Hence, it wasn¡¯t surprising for her stomach to respond to the presence of food. However, she didn¡¯t bring her bag along when she left the house. Her phone was inside. Rummaging through her pocket, she realized the money with her wasn¡¯t even enough to buy a skewer! Because of the chill lingering in the night as well as her hunger level, Angeline, who had always been a collected person, finally lost herposure at that moment. Layers of fury welled up in her heart. She was so angry that she kicked the stone barrier beside her. ¡°Ouch!¡± she screamed. Crouching down, she cupped her aching foot. It was so painful that her eyes misted over. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. How can I forget that I¡¯m still wearing my slippers? Angeline sat on the road. Thankfully, not many people were around in the dead of night. Otherwise, things might get troublesome if they recognized her. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she became. That¡¯s my ce, after all. Why did I run out and let Evander sleep there? At the thought of this, Angeline immediately regained her fighting spirit. Collecting herself, she stood back up and limped toward her house. Walking along the side of the road, she felt even more dested as she listened to the whistles of the wind and ear-piercing vrooms of the cars. When she was near the park, she inadvertently turned her head around and saw a drunk, staggering man. The unamiability on him sent shudders down her spine. Angeline sped up her pace. Staring at theke located in the park that wasn¡¯t far away, Angeline had an uneasy feeling. Perhaps she was overthinking things. She remembered the downstairs olddy telling her that the corpse of a woman, who was murdered after being sexually assaulted, was dragged out from thatke not long ago. The drunken man at the back suddenly raised his voice and asked, ¡°Huh? Why do I feel that you look a lot like that celebrity¡­ Angeline Sorelle?¡± The moment Angeline heard her name, she was scared out of her wits that color drained from her face. Even her heart was hammering wildly against her chest. She gradually quickened her pace. But because of the increasing uneasiness in her, she started to run instead. ¡°Hey, stop! Why are you running?¡± The man began to run too. Soon, he was close behind her. ¡°Help!¡± Angeline shouted. Right then, the man knew it was her. ¡°Oh, my! It¡¯s really that celebrity. Don¡¯t run!¡± His voice was filled with excitement. Panting, Angeline was slowly losing her physical strength. Just when she thought she had reached a dead end, she ran into a tough and strong chest. ¡°Ah!¡± Feeling dizzy after the sudden impact, Angeline outstretched her hand and rubbed her nose. All of a sudden, someone caught her body. Angeline sensed danger and aggressively resisted the force. ¡°Let me go¡­¡± ¡°Angeline, it¡¯s me. Calm down.¡± The deep, maic male voice rang in her ears, gradually easing her anxiety. When Angeline lifted her head and saw the concerned expression on Evander¡¯s face, tears pooled in her eyes. She spilled out all the grievances in her heart. ¡°Why did you leave me out here alone? I don¡¯t even have my phone with me. Aren¡¯t you afraid that something bad might happen to me?¡± she scolded. Angeline was emotional. Stretching out her hand, she hit his chest hard. She was too nervous earlier. Now that she finally found a ce to vent, she didn¡¯t realize how spoiled she was acting. Evander let her have her way. Holding her face, he rubbed away her tracks of tears with his slender fingers. In his eyes, she was all he could see. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault.¡± After she heard his reply, tears once again welled up in her eyes. Right then, she thought of something and parted her lips in a hurry. ¡°Oh, ya! There¡¯s a drunken man. He kept chasing after me just now.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Impossible. He¡¯s right behind¡­¡± When Angeline turned her head around, she realized the man was gone. It was as if whatever happened just now was nothing but a hallucination. At that instant, she once again felt goosebumps all over her body. Tugging at Evander¡¯s sleeve, she said anxiously, ¡°No. There was someone just now¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± He stroked her stray strands of fringe and uttered in a gentle voice, ¡°I saw it. That was a drunkard. He fled the moment he saw someoneing.¡± Angeline let out a sigh of relief after listening to what he said. Pressing her hands on her knees, she could feel her heart leaping into her throat. At that moment, Evander draped the coat he brought over her body and held her hand tightly. Sensing the warmth at the back of his hand, Angeline raised her head. Under the neon light, she saw the distinct features of his facial contour. Wrapping her icy hand with his, he gazed deeply into her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Interlocking his fingers with hers, he slowly locked them tight. When Angeline looked up at him, her eyes turned red, glistening the tears seeping in from the corners. ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 The road back home was so quiet that even the sound of a pin falling on the ground could be heard. After entering the building, Evander released his grip on Angeline¡¯s hand and directly pressed for the elevator to reach her ce. ¡°Someone from the legal department of Golding Group will go to your currentpany tomorrow to deal with the rest of your contract.¡± ¡°What?¡± Angeline was stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll be the artist of Golding Group,¡± Evander continued. Having an unprecedented solemn expression on his face, he put his hands in his pockets. He didn¡¯t look like he was joking. Angeline was shocked after hearing what he said. She clenched her fists tight. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± The feeling of being informed all of a sudden aroused a sense of repulsion in her. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good. Golding Group promises you a better future than your current company. You don¡¯t even have to do all those unnecessary live streams.¡± After Angeline heard that,yers ofplicated emotions overcame her. It was only after a long while did she finally understood what Evander meant by that. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a self-deprecating chuckle. ¡°Thanks for that, Mr. Golding. But I hope you don¡¯t force your thoughts on me. I have my own ns.¡± If it were in the past, she would¡¯ve been more than d to receive such an opportunity. After all, Golding Group was the top entertainmentpany in the country. Many artists still failed to secure themselves an offer despite their best efforts. However, for him to do so at that moment, it was obvious that all he wanted was to keep track of her. She couldn¡¯t ept such a domineering and impudent method. Evander didn¡¯t say anything more until they entered her ce. He was about to leave after making sure that Angeline was all right. Looking at how indifferent he was, she felt ridiculous. How can he change his attitude so quickly? Heid the me on me out of nowhere. Isn¡¯t it supposed to be me who gets angry? ¡°Mr. Golding,¡± Angeline called, suppressing the grievances in her heart. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me. But I still think that I should exin to you.¡± Evander paused his steps and turned to look at Angeline. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Staring at his cold eyes, Angeline felt disappointed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why did you get so angry tonight. But I can guarantee you that I¡¯ll never make thepany suffer any losses because of my negative behavior,¡± she said firmly. Evander frowned. Looking at her alienated expression, he began to waver. ¡°It¡¯s a fact that you¡¯ve cooperated with Hanson. As for the pictures, are you going to tell me that they were edited?¡± Angeline didn¡¯t like how he was questioning her. Calming herself down, she said in a deep voice, ¡°I cooperated with him because Forrester Group was my mother¡¯s most precious possession when she was still alive. I had to win it over. As for the rtionship between Hanson and me, you can rest assured. I¡¯ll never be with him.¡± Hearing that, Evander rxed his furrowed brows. His stare on her was still dark, but its earlier sullenness had dissipated. When Evander felt that he was relieved, he was slightly taken aback. Only then did it strike his mind that Angeline could already affect his emotions to such a great extent. After clearing up the misunderstanding, Angeline let out a sigh of relief too. She was about to ask Evander to go home and rest early when she realized he had stepped into the bedroom. Soon, she saw him walking over with a first aid kit. He didn¡¯t say anything. Moving her hand away, he looked at her skinny leg and saw the bruise underneath the nail of her swollen right big toe. ¡°Why are you so careless?¡± he asked with a hint of concern. She didn¡¯t expect him to notice her wound. As she furrowed her brows, her tone was a little aggrieved. ¡°I hit it identally.¡± Opening the kit, Evander took out the cotton bud and coated it with some antiseptic solution. He gently rubbed it against her big toe. Aside from the cooling sensation, she didn¡¯t feel any pain. After the disinfection, Evander applied the ointment to her wound. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get in contact with water these few days. If it¡¯s still swollen, go to the hospital and have it checked.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Angeline pursed her lips. Another wave of warmth streaked through her. There was no longer any hostility in her eyes when she looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do anything to your contract, nor would I force you to follow my thoughts.¡± Angeline was at a loss for words. A pang of guilt aroused in her as she stared at him. She was slightly regretful for being a little harsh to him just now. Indeed, regarding the cooperation matter with Hanson, not only did she act without Evander¡¯s permission, but she also didn¡¯t consider his feelings. Angeline was lost in thought when her stomach started to rumble all of a sudden, breaking the silence in the living room. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Her cheeks flushed. At that instant, she wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow her whole. This is too embarrassing. ¡°Wait here for a while,¡± Evander said in a low voice. After that, he turned around and walked toward the kitchen. Is he¡­ going to cook for me personally? At the thought of that, Angeline stared at his tall figure with astonishment in her eyes. She wondered about the types of food that he could make. Instead of stopping him, Angeline grabbed the orange on the table and started peeling it to feed her stomach for the time being. While waiting, she put the documents she brought back from Forrester Group on herp and studied them carefully. After flipping through a few pages, she saw a bill fall out of the documents. It seemed that an unknown cosmeticpany had owed Forrester Group fifty million when Forrester Group was at the peak of its glory. But she didn¡¯t know why the money wasn¡¯t paid back. When she thought about that, she quickly took her phone and googled about the cosmeticpany. It turned out that thepany had gone into bankruptcy a year ago. It was probably because of that that the payment wasn¡¯t settled. As for the exact reason, she needed to wait until tomorrow to ask the employees in her current company about it. ¡°Come over and eat.¡± She was still going through the documents when the deep voice from the dining room drifted to her ears. Right then, Angeline¡¯s eyes lit up. She put away her work in a hurry and walked over. When Evander saw the way she looked at the food, he was apologetic. Putting his fist over his mouth, he coughed slightly. ¡°Bear with this first. I don¡¯t know how to cook anything else,¡± he said awkwardly. As he spoke, he slowly revealed to her the food he had prepared. The moment Angeline saw the bowl of instant noodles, a hint of helplessness shed across her face. It took her a while toe back to herself. So, he got himself busy for almost half an hour in the kitchen just to cook the instant noodles? When Evander saw Angeline wasn¡¯t saying anything, he frowned slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s pretty appetizing. You even added an extra egg inside.¡± Angeline deliberately let out a chuckle for fear that herments would dampen his spirit. Sitting on the chair, she picked up the fork and took a bite of the egg. She wondered how many eggshells were mixed in it as she heard the cracks in her mouth. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 She had ordered a simple dish, thinking that it would be hard for anything to go wrong. However, it seemed that she had overestimated Evander¡¯s abilities. ¡°Is it good?¡± Evander asked in a deep voice. Even though he sounded casual, he was staring intently at Angeline. The woman smiled awkwardly, wondering if it was all right to tell him that it tasted awful. Evander was never required to do any housework himself, yet he had personally cooked for her. In fact, there was no need for him to do that. The thought of that sent a warm feeling through Angeline¡¯s heart. Trying her best to conceal her emotions, the woman gave a contented smile and replied, ¡°The pasta is delicious. Thank you.¡± ¡°Eat more if you like it.¡± Although it did not show on his face, inwardly, Evander was dancing with joy. He looked at Angeline expectantly as his lips curled into a faint smile. Angeline chuckled dryly when she heard that. However, as she was famished, she was not picky with her food. She slurped down the entire te of pasta. The woman had lost count of the number of eggshells she had consumed. After dinner, Angeline volunteered to wash the dishes. Once she was done with that, she nced at the time and realized that it was already four in the morning. Angeline had never pulled an all-nighter before, apart from those times when she needed to film through the night.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She headed to the bathroom to wash up and changed into her pajamas. When she returned to her bedroom, she saw Evander lying on her bed. The man maintained his usual elegance even in his sleep. Hearing his steady breathing, Angeline walked closer to him as she could not help but feel drawn toward him. Under the illumination of a dim night light, she could see the man¡¯s high nose bridge and perfectly sculpted side profile. It was easy for Angeline to remember Evander¡¯s wless face even with her eyes closed. A man like him was undoubtedly hard for any woman to resist. Angeline froze at that thought. When she regained her senses after a while, a hint of helplessness appeared in her eyes as she stared at Evander. Because of her grandfather, Angeline might be consideredpatible with Evander in terms of their backgrounds. However, she was not receptive to the idea of starting a new rtionship because of her personal experiences and the unknown fate of her child. Given her current situation, love was thest thing on her mind. Angeline turned her back toward the man and left the bedroom. As shey on her bed upon entering the guest room, her growing feelings for the man suddenly dissipated. The woman slept soundly throughout the night, and when she woke up, it was already three in the afternoon. Evander was already nowhere to be seen. Angeline felt her head throbbing and massaged her temples. After her headache subsided, she got out of her bed and headed to the living room. She was currently filled with regrets about throwing a tantrum at Evander and leaving home the night before. If she had not done that, she would not have woken up thatte. After pouring herself a ss of warm water, she spotted a note on the table with some words written on it: I¡¯ve left your breakfast in the thermal container. Remember to eat it when you wake up. Don¡¯t eat any junk food. Upon reading the note, Angeline was reminded of the eggshell pasta prepared by Evander the previous night, and the corners of her lips curled into a smile. She was amazed that the man, who was a respectable CEO, had prepared breakfast for her. She could not help but feel lucky. Angeline finished her brunch, then headed upstairs to change. Going for a more professional look, she wore a three-quarter-sleeve white zer. After grabbing some documents, she drove toward Forrester Group. Thepany was bustling with activity, unlike the chilled atmosphere the day before. The employees sent by Hanson had also started arriving, and among them was Lillian. She was in the midst of briefing some employees when she spotted Angeline. Smiling warmly, Lillian greeted, ¡°Good afternoon, Ms. Sorelle. It must be really tiring for you to take time out of your busy schedule toe to the office.¡± With a crease between her brows, Angeline looked at the woman and asked in confusion, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Mr. Yiurk sent me here to assist you for the next few days. He was worried that you might not be familiar with Forrester Group¡¯s business operations. Don¡¯t worry. I will only be taking instructions from you and won¡¯t be involved in any decision-making.¡± Would Hanson be so kind? Angeline felt that Lillian was acting somewhat strangely, but it was true that she needed someone who could help her familiarize herself with thepany¡¯s business operations. ¡°Follow me,¡± Angeline asked Lillian to follow her into her office and sat down after shutting the door. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, is there anything I can do for you?¡± Angeline decided not to beat about the bush. She took out the outstanding bills owed by the cosmetic company and ced them in front of Lillian. ¡°What happened to these bad debts?¡± Angeline asked. Lillian picked up the bills and took a closer look at them before exining, ¡°I was indeed involved in this project, but all I knew was that thepany had gone bankrupt before they were able to clear their outstanding debts with us. All they left us was a warehouse full of beauty devices.¡± When Angeline heard that, her expression turned grim. ¡°Have we tried sending anyone to recover the payments?¡± There was a hint of displeasure in the woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Of course. However, the legal representative of that cosmeticpany was already sentenced to jail. It¡¯s impossible to get anything back from them. There is simply nothing we can do.¡± ¡°You mentioned they left us a warehouse full of beauty devices, right? How many are there in total?¡± ¡°There should be more than a hundred thousand of them. However, the product wasn¡¯t selling well previously, so I doubt sales would be any better now. Besides, we know nothing about beauty devices. Forrester Group is still a fashion apparelpany after all.¡± As Lillian spoke, she opened the drawer under the table and took out one of those beauty devices. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one here, but it¡¯s quite dusty, as it¡¯s been left untouched for quite a while.¡± Angeline wiped the device with a few pieces of tissues before scrutinizing it. It did not appear to have any additional functionspared to simr beauty devices that were currently on the market. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, do you need me to give you an introduction to the product?¡± Lillian asked politely. ¡°You can spare the details. I just want to know what colors the producte in.¡± Lillian did not know what Angeline was driving at and looked at her in confusion. Despite that, she answered truthfully, ¡°Ites in two colors, pink and blue.¡± With that piece of information, Angeline continued to examine the device, and suddenly, an idea struck her. ¡°Lillian, can I trouble you to get some employees to package the beauty devices in pairsprising one color each? Let¡¯s market it as a matching set for couples. I will pay for the new packaging. Also, make arrangements for a live stream within the next few days.¡± ¡°Understand, Ms. Sorelle. I will see to it soon.¡± Lillian paused and stared at Angeline hesitantly. ¡°But¡­ Ms. Sorelle, this device is already outdated. Are you sure we will be able to sell them?¡± ¡°Well, we have to try no matter what,¡± Angeline replied through gritted teeth. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Given the current situation, she could only bite the bullet and try to recover the money through other means. Judging by the number of followers she had, Angeline was confident that she would be able to sell at least tens of thousands of those devices. After settling work-rted matters, Angeline headed to the IT department with Lillian, where she asked to see those who were involved in the live stream the previous evening individually in her office. The issue that urred during the live stream the night before was just too suspicious. It was unlikely that the error in price tagging happened merely because theputers were too old. The exnation was simply too far-fetched. Thest person who was questioned was a young man with an honest-looking face. He was already shaking nervously when he saw Angeline, and it took him a while topose himself before he started speaking. ¡°All of us were staring at theputer screen when midnight arrivedst night. However, the screen suddenly turned ck for a few seconds. When it came back on again, the error had already happened.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it your job to make sure that theputers were running fine? Why didn¡¯t you guys do a proper check before the live stream started?¡± Angeline asked sternly. ¡°We did. When we checked, everything was running smoothly. None of us knew what went wrong.¡± That got Angeline thinking, and it quickly dawned upon her that someone might have intentionally caused that error. An ominous feeling immediately filled her heart. ¡°Was everyone from the IT department present yesterday?¡± Since the ident happened in the IT department, it made sense to start the investigation there. ¡°No. Jayden left early to spend time with his family.¡± The young man let out a helpless sigh. ¡°Jayden has the best technical skills among us. If he had been around, the error probably wouldn¡¯t have caused thepany such huge losses.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression darkened. Fixing her gaze on the cup on the table, the woman fell into deep thought. Logically, Jayden is the prime suspect. Besides, given his impressive technical skills, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for him to control theputer remotely. With that thought, Angeline felt even more certain of her suspicion and decided to investigate further into the matter. However, she did not share her intentions with the young man. She dismissed him after telling him that it was just a simple inquiry. After a short while, Angeline stood up from her chair and headed toward the warehouse where the beauty devices were stored. Lillian, who was following behind the woman, could not help but ask out of curiosity, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, how are you intending to deal with Jayden?¡± ¡°I need to think about that. You can go on with your work. I¡¯ll take a look at the warehouse myself.¡± Angeline chose not to share too much, as she would usually keep her decisions to herself. ¡°Sure, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Lillian had no choice but to stop in her tracks. The gentleness in her eyes vanished immediately after Angeline disappeared into the corridor. The next instant, she took out her phone and dialed a familiar string of numbers. ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, Angeline has started to suspect that the pricing error was caused intentionally, but she didn¡¯t tell me what she¡¯s nning to do next. What should we do?¡± Right after the assistant finished speaking, Joseline¡¯s furious voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°I knew that b*tch wouldn¡¯t let it slide easily. I¡¯ve experienced it too well myself. Did she give you any work to do?¡± Lillian shared Angeline¡¯s ns for the beauty device with Joseline. ¡°Live steam?¡± Joseline bellowed in a sharp voice that contained a hint of jealousy. ¡°She can keep dreaming! I will not let her get her way!¡± Joseline¡¯s reaction sent shivers down Lillian¡¯s spine. Looking terrified, Lillian asked in a shaky voice, ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, what are your ns?¡± ¡°I need you to help me with one more thing¡­¡± When Angeline arrived at the warehouse, she realized that there were way more beauty devices than she had expected. Only a handful of employees were sent to do the repackaging. Given theck of manpower, it would take them forever to finish the work. Angeline knew that the live stream had to be impressive enough to attract consumers¡¯ attention if she wanted to sell the devices quickly. As she would not be able to do that alone, she would have to engage the help of other celebrities. She would have to spend a huge amount of money on manpower as well as remuneration for the celebrities. Angeline¡¯s head began to hurt. She let out a helpless sigh and started massaging her temples. Even though the woman had made a small fortune from her entertainment career, she had spent most of it on her search for her child. As such, she knew that she had to find an investor if she did not want to bear all the marketing costs herself. Evander was the only person Angeline could think of who was both smart and generous. After leaving Forrester Group, Angeline passed a shopping list to her driver and instructed him to buy all the ingredients listed on the paper from the nearby supermarket. When that was done, Angeline rang Francesca to inform her that the driver would be sending her to the Golding residence. Ding dong! Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Angeline had just rung the doorbell when the door opened and she saw Floretta. The girl, whose top of her head barely reached Angeline¡¯s thigh, was beaming happily as she ran into the woman¡¯s arms. ¡°Angel, you¡¯re here! I missed you so much!¡± Floretta was dressed in a puffyce dress and had her hair braided into two pigtails. Angeline could feel her heart melting as she gazed at the girl who looked just like a doll. She picked Floretta up and said, ¡°Yup. I¡¯m here to see you and make you some yummy food!¡± When Floretta heard that, she pped excitedly and eximed, ¡°Yay! I get to taste Angel¡¯s cooking again! I¡¯ll call Daddy now. He loves your cooking.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call him. Your daddy is probably busy working now.¡± Angeline stopped the girl at once. However, a hint of delight shed in her eyes when she heard Floretta¡¯s words. If Evander liked her cooking, it would be much easier for her to carry out her n. Angeline took her grocery bags to the kitchen and greeted Francesca with a smile on her face. Francesca, who was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, said, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you didn¡¯t have to buy all these ingredients. We have everything here.¡± ¡°I know, but I wanted to make stew for Mr. Golding. There are some ingredients I need that are not commonly found at home, so I decided to get them since it was on the way,¡± Angeline replied before taking out a piece of beef brisket from a bag. Then, navigating the kitchen like it was her own, she took out a te from the cab and started washing the beef brisket. Impressed by Angeline¡¯s skills in the kitchen, Francesca praised Angeline with a satisfied smile on her face, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, Mr. Golding will be overjoyed to find out that you came here especially to make him stew.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Angeline pursed her lips as a blush crept across her cheeks. Angeline prepared a few dishes with Francesca¡¯s help, including Floretta¡¯s favorite buffalo wings. However, more time was needed to prepare the beef stew to ensure that the meat was soft and tender. While the stew was being cooked on a small fire on the gas stove, Angeline would taste it intermittently to ensure that the vor was just right. ¡°What brings you here today?¡± Evander¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in the kitchen. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 That made Angeline jumped out of her skin and choke on the stew she had just slurped into her mouth. Turning around to look at Evander, she shed him a guilty smile. ¡°You¡¯re back? Why did you enter the kitchen without saying anything? You startled me.¡± Evander leaned against the wall with his arms across his chest. A smirk yed around his lips. ¡°This is my house. I am, however, confused to see you here.¡± Angeline cleared her throat awkwardly, then said in a servile tone, ¡°I thought you were busy with work, so I didn¡¯t tell you in advance. Wash your hand. The meal is ready.¡± Upon hearing her words, Evander raised his brows. ¡°You made these?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Golding.¡± Before Angeline could respond, Francesca entered the kitchen and beat her to it. ¡°Ms. Sorelle has been here since afternoon and busying herself until now. She wants to make beef stew for you.¡± Evander¡¯s stern expression eased up as he stared at the steaming hot pot on the stove. He gulped as if there were a lump in his throat. There was no denying that Angeline¡¯s cooking skills were even more professional than that of five-star chefs. He had been missing it for a long time because of this reason. The man had thought that the woman focused only on Forrester Group. He didn¡¯t expect her to have time toe here and prepare him a meal. Is she up to something? ¡°Okay. Be careful!¡± Evander gave her a reminder. After that, he turned around and walked out of the kitchen without saying anything harsh. Angeline stared at his wide back, clutching the apron nervously and pacing back and forth in a state of panic. Unable to figure out what Evander was feeling that day, Angeline was afraid that she might get into his bad books. She wondered how she should bring the matter up in front of himter. After simmering the beef stew for a while, Angeline turned off the stove and carried the pot to the dining room right away. ¡°The stew is ready.¡± With a bib on, Floretta was holding a Buffalo wing in one hand. When she heard Angeline, she couldn¡¯t help but think about the stew in the pot again. ¡°It smells so good. Let Daddy have the first mouth,¡± she said in a cute voice, shing a sweet smile at Evander, who was reading the newspaper at that moment. Two huge dimples appeared on her face. Obviously, those words were taught by Francesca. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have said that herself. ¡°Good girl, Floretta.¡± Angeline gave the girl a thumbs-up. Following that, she scooped a bowl of stew and cast a nce at Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, try this beef stew. It¡¯s good for the digestive system.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Evander took the stew from her and took a sip gracefully. ¡°It tastes good,¡± he praised unreservedly. Angeline grinned happily. ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it. There¡¯s still more in the pot. Please have some more.¡± Floretta, who was chowing down the Buffalo wing, drooled at the sight. She tugged at Angeline¡¯s apron with her greasy hand and mumbled anxiously, ¡°Angel, this is unfair. You only served the stew for Daddy. I-I want it, too.¡± She pouted, looking upset. ¡°You¡¯ll get it, too, little glutton.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Angeline pinched the girl¡¯s nose, then served her a bowl of stew. The bitterness Floretta felt earlier was all gone the moment she received the yummy food. Seeing that Evander had emptied the bowl, Angeline uttered cautiously, ¡°Mr. Golding, let me serve you another bowl.¡± Evander nodded, handed the bowl over, and took a nce at her. ¡°What¡¯s with the good mood today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the breakfast you prepared. That¡¯s so considerate of you. How can I be mad at you?¡± ¡°Have you gotten over it? Or is it because you need my help?¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. She couldn¡¯t help but admire Evander¡¯s perceptiveness. It was indeed extraordinary. He could read her like a book. She nced at Francesca who was feeding Floretta and mulled over it for a while. In the end, she just cleared her throat and smiled at him sheepishly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we discuss it in detail in your study after you finish eating?¡± Evander fell silent and focused on the stew he was relishing. There was not a single hint of sullenness on his expression, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Seeing that, Angeline could only sit down and eat with them. From time to time, she would study Evander¡¯s expression while having her meal absent-mindedly. What are you thinking, Evander? For some reason, she thought there was no big deal about asking him to be an investor. After gulping down the stew, Evander slowly drew a piece of tissue to wipe the corners of his mouth. He cast a nce at the unsettled Angeline and curled his lips into a smirk. How can you be thinking about bing the person in charge of a corporation if you can¡¯t even brace yourself in this situation? No matter how sessful Angeline was in the entertainment industry, it was different from the business world. There was still a lot for her to learn. ¡°Pour me a cup of coffee and bring it to the study.¡± Hearing that, Angeline was stunned. She watched Evander leave the dining room. It was after quite a while that she finally regained her senses. ¡°Sure. Right away.¡± Evander¡¯s consent cheered Angeline up. She pressed her lips into a thin line, stifling herughter. My hard work didn¡¯t go down the drain! As the old saying goes, cooking food for a man is a great way to win his affection. Come to think of it, that truly makes sense. Angeline asked Francesca about the type of coffee he usually drank. After brewing the coffee, she carefully carried it to the study on the second floor. Knock! Knock! She took a deep breath topose herself before knocking on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± When Angeline heard the deep voiceing from inside, she pushed open the door. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Evander as soon as her gazended on him. He was working diligently at his desk. A man like him was undoubtedly hard for any woman to resist. ¡°What are you thinking at the door?¡± Evander shot her a nce. Angeline was so nervous that she swallowed a lump in her throat. She stepped forward and headed in Evander¡¯s direction. ¡°Just put it here.¡± Evander gave her a look, signaling her to put it on the desk. ¡°All right. The coffee is freshly brewed. It¡¯s still hot. You can drink it in a while.¡± Angeline spoke with great concern. After putting down the coffee, she remained in her spot and had no intention of leaving. ¡°Just tell me what you want. I don¡¯t like people beating around the bush.¡± Angeline froze. Her hand clutching the apron stopped moving. Since he was so direct, Angeline figured she didn¡¯t have to speak in riddles. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a trivial matter to you. Just so you know, I took over Forrester Group, which is currently a mess, and got into a little trouble.¡± As Angeline spoke, she held up her fingers, making a gesture to indicate that it was as small as a seed. Evander couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing inwardly, impressed by the tricks she had up her sleeves. He calmly picked up the cup without even looking up as if having small talk with her. ¡°All this time Forrester Group has been operating under an independent marketing model. Now that it¡¯s at a loss, it¡¯s nothing but an empty shell at the moment. You want to get an investor to help you bear the expenses.¡± Angeline fell silent. She stared at him incredulously, wondering how he managed to guess everything. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 ¡°As expected of you, Mr. Golding. That¡¯s exactly what I thought. I¡¯ve looked at the ount statements after taking over Forrester Group and found a shipment that hasn¡¯t been written off,¡± Angeline replied immodestly. ¡°I want to use that to recover the costs spent, but we¡¯re still short on the expenses.¡± ¡°What then?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Angeline was startled by his nonchnce. ¡°I was thinking of asking if you would like to try your hand at a fashion brand, given your vast experience investing in enterprises.¡± Evander rose from the chair. He arrived before her, set the cup of coffee on the desk, and asked calmly, ¡°Why should I invest in Forrester Group?¡± ¡°There are many benefits,¡± Angeline said as she sat up straighter, alerted by his technical questions. ¡°With my reputation, we could entice celebrities with discounted prices to support us. I guarantee we will not make a loss. Furthermore¡­¡± Angeline met Evander¡¯s eyes. Though there were traces of glee in them, they were not as irritating as before. ¡°If I win, I will give you twenty percent of the Forrester Group shares promised to me by Hanson. You lose nothing.¡± That¡¯s a generous offer. Evander¡¯s gaze at her deepened. Perhaps it was the sheer amount of hypocrisy he was ustomed to in the business world, Angeline¡¯s hungry ambition, scarcely concealed, made him feel much more at ease. ¡°Is this how you ask for help, Angeline?¡± Suddenly, Evander took a step closer and shortened the safe distance between them. Angeline looked up at him and found that her forehead almost brushed his chin. She did not dare move. The new gap made her ufortable. Instinctively, she stepped backward, and her waist collided against the window partially concealed by the balcony. ¡°Ah!¡± The emptiness behind Angeline rmed her. Her upper body leaned precariously out the window. Right then, a calloused palm held her steady by the waist. Evander lifted her chin and gazed down at her exquisite face. Her chestnut curls were done up in a careless bun behind her head, but several loose strands framed her cheeks in a charminglynguid fashion. She had a natural pair of fox-like eyes, and her startled gaze enticed him effortlessly. Angeline¡¯s hair stood on end from the way he stared at her. ¡°Mr. Golding¡­¡± she said, her voice quavering, her palms pressed against his chest. ¡°What did you call me?¡± Angeline frowned. The grip on her chin suddenly tightened as she pondered the meaning of his words. Then Evander drew closer and bit her lip. His lips were thin and had a faint smell of coffee. This kiss was gentler than before as if he was savoring a fine bottle of wine. Angeline¡¯s mind was a complete nk at that moment. ¡°Remember to correct how you address me, no matter the asion.¡± ¡°What should I address you as, then?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this.¡± Angeline¡¯s breathing quickened. Was it Evander? It¡¯s ufortable to call him that! Suddenly, she was swept off her feet and ced gently on the balcony. Caught unawares, she clutched his shoulders with her slim fingers. ¡°Put me down, Evander!¡± she squealed nervously. Evander smiled, this time of mischief, at her timely correction. ¡°I suggest you stop wriggling if you don¡¯t want to fall.¡± Frightened into silence, Angeline did not dare to move a muscle. Quickly, the man sealed her lips again, stopping her from uttering the words she was about to say. The sound of his belt being undone sounded especially vulgar. The tormentsted deep into the night. Angeline was exhausted. As her sudden drowsiness prevented her from remaining on her feet, she slumped over Evander and allowed him to carry her into the bathroom to bathe. In there, Evander grabbed her for another round. When it was over, Angeline was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. After drying her, Evander carried her to bed and tucked her in. Angeline was restless in her sleep. asionally, she would put her leg on him and, before long, hold him in her tangle of limbs like an octopus and refuse to let go. As Evander was a light sleeper, her embrace kept him wide awake. Atst, he rose from the bed to have a cigarette on the balcony in his bedroom slippers and found Angeline upying his side of the bed when he returned. He studied Angeline¡¯s exquisite features, and a warm smile appeared on his lips. His gaze became dreamy. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Although Golding Group was in the business of investment, they dealt exclusively withrge enterprises. He had never bet on a smallpany with an uncertain future. At the thought of Angeline¡¯s interest in Forrester Group as a means of taking back her mother¡¯s estate, his heart twinge with pity for her ordeal. Besides, Ss had mentioned earlier that day that Hanson was determined to help Angeline one way or another and repair their rtionship. I¡¯m not going to let Hanson¡¯s n seed. Angeline slept soundly. Although she had no memory of how Evander had tucked her into bed, she remembered from her dreams a warm embrace holding her tightly from behind. When she awoke the following day, Evander was nowhere to be seen. Throwing open the quilt, she saw a collection of unevenly sized hickeys on her chest, remnants of the good time from the night before. There was nothing to be done. Running her fingers through her hair in panic, Angeline cursed her own stupidity. I¡¯ve allowed Evander to take advantage of me before even convincing him to invest and negotiating the terms. However, it was no use crying over spilled milk. Angeline scoured the bedroom but found no note he might have left. She assumed he did not ept her offer. She sighed heavily, feeling the overwhelming disappointment wash over her. Looks like I have toe up with something else. Upon arriving at Forrester Group after breakfast, Angeline decided to get hold of an employee to ask for a uniform before heading off to set up the live venue. Since she could not secure an investor, her only other option would be to minimize costs. Angeline noticed the buzz of anxious discussion among the staff in the hall when she entered the building, apanied by the asional smash of something breaking from the second floor. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± she asked. The chatter died down at once. The employees dispersed and, in a sh, returned to their seats and busied themselves with work. Puzzled by their antics, Angeline quickened her pace up to the second floor, determined to find out for herself. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Just as Angeline regained her bnce, a vase flew straight at her. Bang! Fortunately, she could react quickly and avoid being hit. The vase shattered into pieces on the ground. ¡°This is my office. Don¡¯t put other people¡¯s belongings here without my permission from now on!¡± From the office, an arrogant female voice could be heard, and Angeline was very familiar with the voice. She took a few steps forward and saw that the office was in a mess. Lillian was helplessly picking up items from the ground. This woman¡¯s willpower is far weaker than I have expected. Momentster, Angeline regained herposure, squatted down, and snickered as she picked up the documents on the ground. ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, you¡¯re still in confinement. You shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with Forrester Group¡¯s affairs.¡± As Angeline spoke, Joseline fixed her gaze on her, wishing she could stab a hole through her. She approached Angeline in her high heels and stated, ¡°This is mypany. I¡¯m free to smash whatever I want. It has nothing to do with you.¡± She crossed her arms before her chest and looked at Angeline condescendingly. ¡°Joseline, we¡¯re sisters. You don¡¯t need to sound so irritated.¡± Angeline spoke in an innocent manner. She appeared to bepletely baffled by what Joseline had said, as shown by the confusion in her crystal-clear eyes. ¡°Stop pretending!¡± yelled Joseline, her eyes filled with resentment. Angeline gave her a mocking nce and retorted, ¡°This is how pretentious you were back then. Why? You don¡¯t like it anymore?¡± Needless to say, her words embarrassed Joseline, who clenched her fists and wished she could tear Angeline¡¯s face apart. The conflict had progressed to the point where she could no longer keep Hanson by her side. Naturally, she was no longer in the mood to act cordially toward Angeline. In a fit of rage, she stormed down the stairs, looked at the employees who were busy working on the first floor, and pped her hands. She raised her voice andmanded, ¡°Stop what you¡¯re doing. Why are you carrying out Angeline¡¯s instructions? Keep in mind whose employee you are!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, all the employees exchanged looks of confusion, halted their work, and wondered who they should listen to. Joseline started talking about how Angeline had managed to stay in Forrester Group, painting Angeline as a mistress who had seduced her husband. A lively discussion broke out among the employees as she spoke passionately. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please think of a solution. We may not be able to work today if this keeps up,¡± Lilian reminded Angeline anxiously. Angeline stood in front of the stairs with a contemptuous grin on her face as she stared at Joseline¡¯s figure calmly. It was said that women who had given birth were very sensitive. As expected, Joseline had be increasingly impulsive, and it disgusted people. ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, Mr. Yiurk gave his approval for me to remain in Yiurk Group. Instead ofining to me, you should do so to him,¡± said Angeline in a cold voice. She slowly descended the stairs. Her pace was just right¡ªneither too fast nor too slow. ¡°Hanson wouldn¡¯t have given his consent if you hadn¡¯t been babbling nonsense to him!¡± Joseline sneered as she turned to face Angeline. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s impossible for a nameless celebrity who hasn¡¯t even graduated from university, like you, to achieve sess in the business world. You¡¯re biting off more than you can chew!¡± The moment she said that, the employees downstairs began to gossip among themselves, saying that Angeline had no business telling them what to do since she had not even graduated from university. When Angeline heard those harsh words, her face turned pale, and a glint of antipathy shed across her eyes. If Joseline had not set her up and sent her to a man¡¯s bed back then, she would not have had to give up on her studies in her final year of university. Despite the fact that she did not graduate, she attended many sses at a university abroad. She was no worse than any other graduate. All shecked was a degree certificate, and it became the reason for Joseline to ridicule her. ¡°Do you think Golding Group will be enough to back you up, Ms. Sorelle?¡± At that moment, a man dressed in a suit walked in. ¡°Ss?¡± Angeline was taken aback when she saw him. She turned to look at the door, but Evander was not there. With a document tucked under his arm and an air of formality, Ss greeted Angeline with respect, ¡°Greetings, Ms. Sorelle.¡± As soon as Joseline saw Ss, she began to panic and shouted furiously, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Evander Golding will never invest in apany this small. Where are the security guards? Hurry up and get this man out of here!¡± ¡°Calm down, Mrs. Yiurk. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t trust me, but the seal of Golding Group on the contract can¡¯t be forged.¡± Immediately afterward, Ss flipped open the document, deliberately showed it to Joseline, and said with a solemn expression, ¡°Mr. Golding has just decided to ept Ms. Sorelle¡¯s proposal for coboration. Besides that, we¡¯ll send a team of qualified employees and make a financial investment to assist Forrester Group in getting back on track.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline was delighted. She could not help but chuckle lightly, revealing her dimples. ¡°Really? Did he say that?¡± Ss nodded with deference. ¡°Mr. Golding mentioned that he believes in your ability and looks forward to working with you.¡± Angeline¡¯s brows arched as sheughed aloud. He should¡¯ve just told mest night that he agreed to it. Jeez, he made me worry about nothing all morning! However, she was in no position toin at that time. Evander¡¯s support was her greatest strength.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°So what? Thispany doesn¡¯t belong to you. You¡¯ll never be happy as long as I don¡¯t consent to the transfer of the shares,¡± said Joseline. Despite her best efforts to sound lofty and mighty, her face was already distorted with jealousy. She had no idea that Angeline could convince Evander to invest such a significant sum of money in her. ¡°Be patient, Mrs. Yiurk. I¡¯ll get to that now. Mr. Golding has predicted that you¡¯ll ask this question, so I¡¯ll respond on his behalf.¡± Closing the document in his hand, Ss looked at Joseline coldly. ¡°Since Mr. and Mrs. Sorelle passed away due to an ident, it was reasonable that the shares of Sorelle Group were automatically transferred to Old Mr. Sorelle. However, Forrester Group was owned privately by Mrs. Sorelle prior to her passing. You don¡¯t have any rights to inherit it because she didn¡¯t leave behind a will, which meant that it wasn¡¯t part of the inheritance.¡± Ss¡¯ logical analysis made Joseline feel guilty, but she gritted her teeth and refused to admit it. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t believe him. He¡¯s trying to divert your attention. I¡¯m their daughter. Why am I not qualified to inherit thepany?¡± ¡°Oh? Why don¡¯t we conduct a paternity test first, Ms. Sorelle, before we talk about these things?¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 A paternity test¡­ Joseline went pale. When she noticed the curious faces around her, her eyes brimmed with nervousness. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Stop defaming me, Angeline! I have been Mom and Dad¡¯s daughter for more than twenty years. A paternity test? Aren¡¯t you afraid of peopleughing at you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. Why are you so agitated? Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s really something fishy going on?¡± Angeline retorted with a hint of disdain shing across her eyes. However, as Angeline clenched her fists, her breath grew heavier. No one knew how hard it was for her to suppress her hatred toward Joseline. Despite being the daughter of the Sorelle family for more than two decades, Joseline didn¡¯t be less ruthless. That was the reason Angeline had the impulse to destroy her. One will have feelings for another after all these years. How can she be so heartless? ¡°Who said I¡¯m agitated? I¡¯m just teaching my sister not to joke around with made-up stories!¡± Joseline fumbled to exin herself. As soon as she realized that she had fallen for Angeline¡¯s trap, she became flustered and angry. Fearing that people would notice something amiss, she hurried upstairs to grab her stuff and leave. Before leaving, she shot Angeline a warning re resentfully. ¡°We shall see each other in court,¡± Joseline spat. As Angeline watched Joseline leave in a hurry, she found it amusing that Joseline thought that she was in a position to threaten her. ¡°Get a cleaner to tidy up the office, Lillian, and send someone to walk Mrs. Yiurk out so that people won¡¯t mistake Forrester Group for bullying her.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Angeline watched Lillian chase after Joseline with a solemn expression on her face. Atst, themotion was over. Staring at the surrounding employees, Angeline put on a serious face and asked grimly, ¡°Why are you still standing here? Have you got nothing to do? Or do you wish to retire early?¡± Upon hearing that, the staff dispersed like a flock of frightened birds, with those who previously looked down on Angeline having their expressions reced with intimidation. After the incident, the employees concluded that the newly appointed Ms. Sorelle wasn¡¯t as simple as she looked. She must be capable to an extent to be able to get Golding Group to invest in Forrester Group. Previously a smallpany that could barely afford to pay the employees¡¯ sries, Forrester Group had transformed into apany with prospects. The good news was enough to spark the employees¡¯ working spirit. ¡°Thank you for today, Ss. Do you want a cup of coffee upstairs?¡± Angeline smiled friendly at the man in a suit in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I need to head back to work after rying Mr. Golding¡¯s message to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± At the exit, Angeline watched Ss get in his car. After hesitating for a while, she asked, ¡°By the way, did Mr. Golding tell you anything else?¡± ¡°No. It seems that Mr. Golding has made the decision a long time ago. All he did was inform me about it.¡± At the sight of Angeline¡¯s troubled gaze, Ss pondered for a while before giving her a hint. ¡°Well, Mr. Golding enjoys your stew. If you have time, you can drop by the Golding residence to teach the housekeeper your secret recipe.¡± Ss said nothing more. He closed the car door and drove away, leaving Angeline on the spot, who understood his subtle hint. At the thought of Evander having two bowls of beef stew the previous night, Angeline felt less guilty toward him. For the time being, the only thing that she could do to repay Evander was to prepare stew for him. It would be nice if she could repay him with her cooking skills because she didn¡¯t want to feel as if she was taking advantage of him. Meanwhile, Lillian caught up with Joseline. After exchanging nces with each other, they got in Joseline¡¯s car, which was parked by the roadside. Lillian only dared tofort Joseline after closing the car door. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be angry, Mrs. Yiurk. Our n is meticulous. Angeline will never achieve what she wants.¡± Joseline hit the back of the seat furiously. Breathing heavily, she spat, ¡°Look at how haughty she was just now! I have to put her in her ce. Have you bought the medicine?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± Joseline rxed slightly upon hearing that. ¡°All right, then. You have to think of a way to make her drink it before the live stream,¡± she said wickedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is a simple task.¡± Taking Joseline¡¯s side, Lillian chimed in, ¡°To be frank, I have been sick of her all this time! ¡°I can¡¯t stay here for long, Mrs. Yiurk, but don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll make sure everything is done perfectly.¡± After acknowledging Joseline¡¯s orders, Lillian looked around to make sure no one would see her before getting out of the car quickly. As Joseline watched Lillian walk into thepany, she grabbed the steering wheel tightly and stared ahead of her in fear. In truth, the paternity test that Angeline had mentioned in front of everyone in thepany would affect her the most. The fact that she wasn¡¯t the biological daughter of the Sorelles was only known by a few because she had been hiding it well. But why is Angeline suspecting me? What does she know? A chill went down Joseline¡¯s spine. She felt as if a hand was gripping her throat tightly and suffocating her. No. I have to get to the bottom of this. If all of her malicious deeds were discovered, she would have to spend the rest of her life in prison. In the afternoon, after Evander¡¯s workers arrived, Angeline assigned work to them in the warehouse. Half of the workers were in charge of sending packages with clothes that suffered from losses during thest live stream, while the other half of them were in charge of packaging matching beauty devices for couples. It was easy to forget about the time when one was busy. Soon, night arrived. Having packed her things in advance, Angeline left the office and drove to the Golding residence. The traffic on the highway was congested because it was close to the peak hours. When she was waiting for the traffic lights to turn green in her car, her phone suddenly rang. Once she saw the caller¡¯s name, a teasing smile appeared on her face. She put on her Bluetooth earpieces and said, ¡°How may I help you, Ms. Yandell? It¡¯s been a few days, and you¡¯re already missing me?¡± ¡°Stop your nonsense! Don¡¯t disgust me,¡± Nancy retorted candidly. It was impossible to tell if she was joking because she sounded serious. ¡°I can understand if you decline a job for Forrester Group, but what about yourtest movie, which is about to be released? Are you going to ditch it too?¡± Smiling, Angeline asked, ¡°Is The Journey going to be released? I thought Mr. McKenna said we have to wait for quite a long time before it can be released.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but the press conference is going to be held tomorrow night. You have to attend it as the female lead of the movie. If not, you¡¯ll put me in a tight spot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be there on time,¡± Angeline hurriedly promised. Having worked in the entertainment industry for so many years, she was aware of the rules. Besides, the poprity that she would garner at the press conference would be beneficial to Forrester Group¡¯s uing live stream. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 After hanging up, Angeline yed music in her car. As she was in a good mood, she started humming to the songs without realizing it. Angeline realized that she was quite lucky. Evander was there to help right when she needed investments, and a press conference for The Journey was held when she needed public exposure. She had to make good use of the chance to avoid being insulted by Evander. Meanwhile, at Golding Group, Evander had just walked out of the conference room after having a meeting thatsted the whole afternoon. Exhausted, he handed his documents to Ss, who was following him. On the way back to his office, Evander loosened his necktie, revealing his fair corbones. Once he sat in his office chair, he shut his eyes and took a short rest. The sound of disputes among the shareholders still reverberated in his mind. At the sight of Evander resting, Ss poured him a cup of coffee out of habit. Handing the coffee to Evander, he began, ¡°Mr. Golding, Ms. Sorelle¡¯s matters have been handled. Everything is proceeding smoothly. Also, the press conference for The Journey will be held officially tomorrow night after your assistance.¡± ¡°All right. You can go now.¡± Evander¡¯s furrowed brows eased. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was gentler. Angeline must be happy now. After the previous argument with Angeline about Hanson, Evander finally made it up by helping her, clearing any possibility of her having any dirt on him. Evander looked more rxed than ever. Even a few cups of coffee wouldn¡¯t have that effect on him. Upon seeing the change in his expression, Ss sighed, thinking that Angeline must be extraordinary. After all, he had been working for Evander for so many years; it was the first time he had seen him generously invest arge sum of money in apany just for a woman. ¡°You should go home earlier today, Mr. Golding. Ms. Sorelle said she will prepare stew for you.¡± ¡°She said that herself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ss nodded in reply. Having developed an eye for discerning people¡¯s expressions, he knew exactly what Angeline would do from just one look. ¡°Okay, you can leave now. I still have some work to finish.¡± Evander looked calm as he spun a pen skillfully with his slender fingers. He looked as though he didn¡¯t care at all, which made Ss confused. Ss couldn¡¯t help but doubt himself. Have I guessed his wishes wrongly? However, Evander was already gone when he entered the office with some documents an hourter. Back at the Golding residence, Angeline was busy preparing pork stew in the kitchen. The aroma was pleasant and tantalizing. At the same time, fearing that she might not have the time to cook for Evander and Floretta in the future, Angeline taught Francesca her secret recipe. Floretta, who was ying with toy blocks in the living room, ran into the kitchen after smelling the aroma of the stew. After carrying a small chair into the kitchen, she stepped on it to look into the pot. Angeline had just finished washing her hands when she saw Floretta drooling over the stew in the kitchen. After carrying Floretta down, Angeline, who was rarely stern, reprimanded, ¡°Don¡¯t do that again, Floretta. What if the stew spills out? You can be scalded. It¡¯s very dangerous.¡± Floretta shrugged and stuck out her tongue mischievously. ¡°It¡¯s because your stew smells too good, Angel. My tummy is attracted to it. I can¡¯t wait to eat it!¡± Angeline was very pleased by Floretta¡¯s sweet talk. Pinching her nose yfully, she said, ¡°You and your sweet tongue. You¡¯re so unlike your father!¡± At the mention of it, Angeline realized that Floretta¡¯s bubbly personality was the opposite of Evander¡¯s. She must have gotten her personality from her mother¡­ Her mother must be an exceptional woman to be able to impress Evander and give birth to such a cute child. Angeline truly believed that. If Floretta¡¯s mother showed up, she would back out of Evander¡¯s and Floretta¡¯s livespletely. Angeline felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of the woman that she had never met. The woman had already done everything by Evander¡¯s side. She couldn¡¯t bear to think about it anymore. Just then, a boiling sound came from the pot in the kitchen. Angeline instantly recovered from her daze. After turning off the stove, she lifted off the lid to check on the stew. Upon seeing the milky broth, she smiled with satisfaction. Next, she opened the cab to get the final spice ingredient for the stew. However, she couldn¡¯t find it despite searching thoroughly a few times. Floretta tilted her head curiously as she looked at Angeline. ¡°Angel, is something missing?¡± ¡°Yes. The stew will lose its distinct taste without this spice. Wait for me at home while I go to the supermarket, Floretta,¡± Angeline said anxiously. Before she could take off her apron, Floretta grabbed her hand and winked mysteriously at her. ¡°Come with me, Angel.¡± Floretta led Angeline toward the mansion¡¯s backyard. When she opened the door, a garden was revealed. Angeline followed Floretta closely as it was the first time she had been in the backyard of the Golding residence. She was surprised that there was a ce like that in the Golding residence. She observed the garden curiously. Every patch seemed like it was carefully taken care of because there wasn¡¯t any weed to be seen. Besides vegetables and spices that weremonly used for cooking, there were various exotic flowers that she couldn¡¯t recognize. She couldn¡¯t even recall seeing those flowers on encyclopedias before. ¡°Angel, do you see the spice that you want here?¡± Floretta asked Angeline with her clear voice. Angeline looked around the garden. Finally, her gazended on a patch of onions in the corner of the garden. Smiling, she replied, ¡°There is, but the soil will make your feet dirty. Wait for me here, Floretta.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta followed Angeline¡¯s instructions obediently. Squatting down, she let loose a yellow rubber duck in a pool as she hummed a nursery rhyme. Stepping over the soil, Angeline picked the spice that she wanted. As her gaze fell upon a bush of blue roses, her curiosity was sparked. What type of flower is this? How is there no fragrance when it is so beautiful? Angeline couldn¡¯t help but reach out for the flower. She was about to pluck it when a man¡¯s cold voice suddenly rang beside her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± Startled, she immediately retracted her hand but was pricked by the sharp thorn in the process. ¡°Ow!¡± Angeline¡¯s face twisted in a grimace of pain as she hurriedly covered her pricked finger. Then Evander walked up to her and grabbed her hand. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Evander asked anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a prick on my finger. It¡¯s no big deal,¡± Angeline replied. Then, shooting Evander a begrudging look, she added, ¡°Why were you so flustered? You scared me.¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened the moment she said that. ¡°This ce is forbidden. Never barge in here without any reason next time!¡± Evander said irritably. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Angeline was confused, but Evander didn¡¯t have the time to exin to her. Grabbing Angeline¡¯s hand and leading her out of the backyard, he then carried Floretta with another hand and brought them back into the house. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Upon reaching home, Evander whipped out his phone and made a call. Due to the distance, she could not hear what he was saying. The only thing she made out was him asking about treatment for her injured hand. Puckering her lips while seated on the sofa, Angelineined softly to Floretta, who was busy ying with blocks. ¡°Isn¡¯t your daddy overreacting? All I did was pluck a flower of his. Is all this fuss really necessary?¡± Floretta giggled and looked up at Angeline, her eyes gleaming brightly. ¡°That¡¯s because the flower you plucked belongs to Mr. Roger. The entire garden is like a precious baby to him!¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What? You¡¯re saying that Roger nted everything there?¡± ¡°Yes. Hees every week to weed and even dered that I¡¯ll inherit the garden once he¡¯s old. But I have no interest in doing his work for him!¡± Angeline began to feel guilty upon learning the truth. If she had known that it was Roger¡¯s private property, she wouldn¡¯t have plucked it, for doing so without permission was the equivalent of stealing. No wonder Evander was so angry just now. Lost in thought, she suddenly saw Evander end his call ande into the room with a piece of aloe vera. Kneeling by her side, Evander lifted her injured finger with a frown and asked in concern, ¡°Does it hurt? Do you feel all right?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. I don¡¯t feel anything in fact.¡± His words only served to intensify Angeline¡¯s guilt. Clearing her throat, she exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to collect some spice. I didn¡¯t expect it to belong to Roger and to almost pluck a flower of his.¡± Evander cut open the aloe vera with scissors before scooping out its white sap with a spoon. Then he applied it to her wound with a cotton bud. ¡°Don¡¯t go there next time. The nts in there aren¡¯t yours to touch.¡± Hisment dampened the atmosphere in the room. Thinking that he was criticizing her for behaving too liberally in the Golding residence, Angeline felt a little dejected. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay. You can rest assured I won¡¯t go anywhere I¡¯m not supposed to.¡± After applying the medication, Evander wrapped her finger with gauze. It wasn¡¯t until they were done that both of them came to the dining room for dinner. As there was one spice missing, the pork stew tasted iplete. Nheless, both father and daughter enjoyed it greatly. It was clear that they couldn¡¯t tell. Relieved by their reaction, Angeline could finally have her dinner in peace. After the meal, she prepared a cup of coffee and some fruits for Evander. When she brought them up to the study and saw him reading on the couch, she took the liberty to enter, having assumed that he wasn¡¯t busy. She ced the fruits on the coffee table. ¡°Stop reading all the time. Have some fruit while you rest your eyes.¡± Evander put his book down on hisp and stabbed his fork at a piece of strawberry. The first bite he took was so sour that he frowned in reflex. He put down his fork and refrained from having another. ¡°Are you here to im credit?¡± The candidness of his words took Angeline by surprise. With a frantic wave of her hand, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve barely done anything. What credit is there to im? I just came here to thank you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I suggest that you focus your energy on your work so that I can get my cut as soon as possible.¡± Angeline forced an awkward smile as her perception of Evander was once again changed. He truly is a ruthless businessman. One¡¯s rtionship with him doesn¡¯t matter when ites to doing a deal. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll definitely not lose money on this. Anyway, it¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s time for me to go.¡± With that, Angeline got to her feet and, with a swift twist of her heel, headed for the door. Just before she closed it behind her, Evander¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. ¡°You have to be careful. The higher you climb, the bigger the target you be.¡± His words stopped Angeline in her tracks. With her expression freezing momentarily, she felt as if there was something profound about Evander¡¯s warning and that something must have triggered it. The next afternoon, Nancy drove her to the movieunch of The Journey. Two hours before the event, members of the press gradually arrived at the venue. On stage, there was a big screen disying the promotional poster of The Journey that looked exceptionally grand. Angeline had arrived backstage and was doing her makeup. At the same time, Nancy had prepared a gown for her. It had a long pink train that matched the tenderness of her face. Furthermore, her swan- like neck was entuated by the pearl ne that was hung on her corbone. By the time her makeup was done, the press conference was about to begin. The moment Angeline emerged from the changing room, Nancy eximed in awe. ¡°Angeline, with your charming face, it would be a shame for you not to be an actress. Why do you insist on running some randompany?¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Stop exaggerating. Besides, I didn¡¯t quit acting. All I¡¯m doing is keeping a low profile for the time being. I¡¯ll still make aeback in the future.¡± Her words elicited a sigh of relief from Nancy. Subsequently, both of them bantered as they walked out of the dressing room. No sooner had they arrived at the entrance than they ran into Jacobing from the opposite direction. He was wearing a torn pair of hip-hop-styled jeans and a matching ck jacket,pleted by a ck bucket hat that covered half his face. ¡°Angie!¡± If he hadn¡¯t called out to her, Angeline wouldn¡¯t have recognized him. ¡°Jacob?¡± Visibly shocked, Angeline scrutinized his outfit and inquired curiously, ¡°The press conference is about to begin. Why have you only just arrived?¡± After taking off his hat to reveal his exquisite-looking face, he gave Angeline a look of delight and beganining, ¡°Let¡¯s not go there. I just rushed back from my concert overseas. The moment I got off the ne, I was surrounded by fans, and they were such a pain.¡± Angeline shook her head and couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take your blessings for granted. You¡¯re now the most popr young male artiste. I don¡¯t mind you giving me some of your fans if you think they¡¯re too much.¡± ¡°Sure. Whatever floats your boat.¡± At that moment, Jacob¡¯s manager pestered him to get changed. He was forced to leave before he could say anything further. Watching as Jacob got busy, Angeline chuckled in resignation beforementing to Nancy, ¡°He seems to be more popr now than when he was just acting.¡± Nancy rolled her eyes. ¡°He naturally isn¡¯t as detached from the world as you are. During your trip to Summerbank where all of you filmed the reality show, he managed to create a public persona that takes good care of kids. His poprity skyrocketed after that, in contrast to your nosediving fame.¡± Sick of hearing Nancy nag, Angeline held the former¡¯s arm and replied with a smile, ¡°All right now, Ms. Yandell. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner once we¡¯re done!¡± ¡°It has to be something expensive. Otherwise, I¡¯m not epting it!¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 By the time both of them arrived, all the other members of the cast were already waiting for the director toe on stage. Through the curtains on the stage, Angeline could see the venue being filled to the brim. Many fans were holding cards in support while screaming their names fervently. The atmosphere inside was simply electrifying. Cowed by the crowd¡¯s reaction, Angeline became a bundle of nerves as she took a deep breath while leaning against the wall. At that moment, Derek came over to remind her, ¡°Angeline, remember to stay calm and try to have more interaction with Jacob. After all, you¡¯re the couple in the movie, and everyone loves to watch the two of you together.¡± ¡°I got it, Mr. McKenna. Thank you.¡± Nevertheless, Derek was still concerned and requested a member of the crew to bring him a bottle of water. He then passed it to Angeline. ¡°Drink more water. It¡¯ll help you calm your nerves.¡± Coincidentally, Angeline was thirsty from talking the whole evening. After taking the bottle in her hand, she began to gulp the water down. The moment she tasted the water, she detected a faint saltiness but didn¡¯t think much of it. The next moment, she was greeted by the sight of Jacob walking over after getting changed. He was wearing a suit that had a simr hue to her gown and had his hairbed back perfectly. Standing side by side, both of them looked as if they were wearing matching outfits. Breaking into a helpless smile, Angeline could only turn a blind eye to such coincidences. After all, it was all in the name of increasing publicity for their movie. Ten minutester, the curtains were drawn back to herald the start of the press conference. The host kicked off the event by interacting with the audience before announcing in an excited voice, ¡°All right now. I¡¯m sure all of you can¡¯t bear to wait any longer. Without further ado, let us now wee the directors and cast of The Journey on stage with a round of apuse!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Derek led the cast onto the stage one by one. Strutting around in four- inch heels, Angeline made an effort to walk carefully after tripping herself a couple of times. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Once she managed to get herself on stage, a gentle smile emerged across her face as she waved to the audience. However, the moment her eyes fell upon the first row¡ªreserved for the investor of the film¡ªher gaze and smile froze immediately. The seated man was dressed in a sharp ck suit. He exuded an imposing aura on top of his mesmerizing features and the profound look in his eyes. Evander! I¡¯m surprised to see him attend the event as it isn¡¯t befitting of his station. Just as she was dumbfounded, the person behind her couldn¡¯t stop in time and bumped into her. Losing her bnce, Angeline began to stumble forward. ¡°Angie, watch out!¡± Right before she crashed to the ground, Jacob grabbed her. What started out as a simple catch looked like a romantic rescue from the perspective of the audience as Angeline leaned slightly against Jacob¡¯s body. A momentter, an uproar erupted from the audience. All of them were screaming and waving their cards in support. ¡°Ah! Go on and be together! We¡¯ll be your loyal fans for eternity!¡± ¡°Jacob! My heart is broken, but I still wish you all the best!¡± ¡°Be together! Be together!¡± Listening to the crowd¡¯s wild cheers, Angeline paled. When she snuck a nce at Evander, she could see the drastic change in his expression. The icy glint in his eye didn¡¯t escape her notice. He looked as though he was going to swallow her right then. Angeline gulped in fear as a sudden sense of dread crept into her. After a frantic struggle to free her hand, she uttered a distant ¡°thank you.¡± Apprehensive of the look on Evander¡¯s face, she steeled herself and continued walking up the stage, maintaining an obvious distance from Jacob. Attributing it to her anxiety, she felt a tingling yet itchy sensation in her spine as if there were countless insects crawling up her back. Nheless, under the watchful eyes of the audience and cameras, she didn¡¯t dare scratch the itch, for it would be inelegant to do so. All she could do was brace herself to endure the difort. Even though she pretended as if nothing happened, her presence of mind had long drifted away. Not only did she sound distracted when answering the media¡¯s questions, but she also failed to create the chemistry with Jacob that Derek wanted. Noticing that she was looking out of sorts, Jacob leaned in and inquired softly, ¡°Angie, are you all right? What¡¯s with that ufortable look on your face?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.¡± However, she had barely finished when her itch spread from her back. At that moment, even her arms and thighs had begun to itch like crazy. Unlike an ordinary itch, the sensation she felt was simr to countless ants entering her body and chewing upon her bones. The feeling was so terrible that she felt the urge to roll on the ground. Soon, Angeline quickly noticed that rashes were appearing on the hand that was holding the microphone. Her expression turned sullen when she realized that there was something wrong with her body. Fortunately, members of the production crew picked up on the strange atmosphere and quickly ended the event. Thereafter, the cast began to take turns leaving the stage. By the time she arrived backstage, Angeline could barely walk properly. She settled down on a chair and began to scratch the rashes on her arms. Derek, who was about to lose his temper at Angeline, was shocked by the sight of her face. ¡°Angeline, what happened to you?¡± Angeline gave him a helpless look. She was so overwhelmed by difort that she was on the brink of tears. Everyone else, upon hearing Derek¡¯s question, turned their attention to her and was so shocked by the rashes on her face that they stepped back. ¡°Oh my goodness, that¡¯s so scary!¡± ¡°What happened? Wasn¡¯t she doing fine just now? Is it contagious?¡± ¡°Jacob, don¡¯t go near her.¡± Despite the widespread panic, the fearless Jacob approached her with a concerned look on his face. ¡°Angie, what happened to your face? Did you eat something bad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just as clueless as you are,¡± Angeline responded weakly as desperation swelled within her. Itching all over, she could barely focus, as all she could think of was scratching her body. ¡°Don¡¯t scratch it, Angeline. Now that we still don¡¯t know what it is, you might risk disfiguring yourself.¡± When Nancy walked over upon hearing themotion, she, too, was taken aback by the sight. Despite that, she still had her wits about her. After swiftly taking off her jacket, she covered Angeline¡¯s face with it while helping her up from the chair. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Bear with it while I take you to the hospital.¡± Angeline left with Nancy, enduring the urge to scratch despite the overpowering itch. Even though she didn¡¯t say a word, her anxiety was obvious from how she was gripping Nancy¡¯s hand. Why did something like this happen so close to the Forrester Group¡¯s live stream? Even though acting skills were important for an actress, her looks were equally crucial. If she somehow ended up being disfigured, her career in the entertainment industry would naturallye to an end. Amid the chaos, Jacob somehow found his way into Angeline¡¯s car and traveled with them to the hospital. Upon their arrival half an hourter, Angeline was immediately examined by a skin specialist, as Nancy had called ahead of time. However, the grim look on the doctor¡¯s face exuded nothing but pessimism. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with Angie? Say something!¡± Jacob questioned anxiously while grabbing the doctor¡¯s arm. At that moment, he could not care less about his image. It feels dreadful enough to be tickled, so I know what it feels like to suffer from itchiness. Besides, Angeline¡¯s rashes became more severe throughout the journey from the press conference to the hospital. Who can predict how bad it can get? ¡°Sir, please calm down.¡± The doctor shoved Jacob¡¯s hand away, adjusted his sses, and checked the medical report. ¡°After going through the blood test report, I realize the result is normal. Your condition isn¡¯t some kind of infection. Did you eat something that you¡¯re allergic to?¡± Hearing that, Angeline furrowed her brows. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve only drank a bottle of water Mr. McKenna handed me today. There¡¯s no way water would cause an allergic reaction.¡± ¡°I suggest you bring that bottle of water here for a test. Other than an allergic reaction, it might be a fungal infection, given your condition.¡± Nancy¡¯s expression turned grim when she heard that. ¡°I¡¯ll call the staff of the press conference right away.¡± As she spoke, she gave Angeline a reassuring look before she left with her phone in hand. The doctor let out a sigh. The next second, he filled out a slip and passed it to Angeline. ¡°Get a microscopic examination first.¡± Angeline frowned deeply as she could not help scratching her skin. ¡°Can you please prescribe an antipruritic for me first? I feel awful,¡± she choked out. Seeing that, the doctor hurriedly stopped Angeline from scratching and exined solemnly, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, we haven¡¯t identified the cause of your condition, so I can¡¯t thoughtlessly prescribe medicine for you. Please bear with it for a while. I¡¯ll give you treatment as soon as we find out the cause of your illness.¡± Hearing the doctor¡¯s remark, exasperation inundated Angeline. Left with no choice, she could only go for an examination while enduring extreme difort. Half an hourter, Angeline went to the doctor again with the report. At that point, she was already suffering from an uncontroble itch all over her body, and she could barely stand while propping her hands on the desk, let alone sit down. In fact, as soon as her bottom came in contact with the chair, overwhelming itchiness would re up as though thousands of ants were crawling all over her body. The doctor¡¯s face fell after he read her report. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a fungal infection indeed. It¡¯s probably from wild herbs or fungus. I¡¯ve only encountered such a rare medical case twice in my life.¡± When Angeline heard the word ¡°rare,¡± an ominous feeling bubbled up within her heart, and she got so anxious that she was on the verge of tears. ¡°Please just cut to the chase.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better brace yourself, Ms. Sorelle. Although the previous patient who got the same infection was cured, pus discharged from her rashes and resulted in widespread disfigurement all over the body.¡± The doctor¡¯s words left Angeline speechless. Her face turned ashen when she heard that, and she was so terrified that she could not find the words. What the h*ll is going on? I was fine just a moment ago! Any ordinarydy would feel devastated when faced with such a disaster, not to mention Angeline, whose upation was a celebrity. Meanwhile, Jacob, too, wore a look of utter despair when he heard the doctor¡¯s statement. Worried that Angeline might lose her mind, he hastilyforted her, ¡°Angie, don¡¯t be sad. That¡¯s not necessarily the case. Let¡¯s see a proper dermatologist. You¡¯ll definitely be cured.¡± ¡°What should I do¡­¡± Angeline covered her face with her hands, bent down, and began sobbing. No matter how tough she usually was, she was still assailed by an emotional breakdown as she didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a situation. ¡°Doctor, please give her an antipruritic shot.¡± Jacob, who was standing aside, panicked upon seeing her reaction. Shortly after, the doctor prepared some antipruritic for Angeline. Then, he rolled up her sleeve and injected the medicine into her arm. The itchiness was finally alleviated after the injection. Angeline felt as if she had been reborn and could breathe better. Since Angeline¡¯s condition was an umon medical case that attracted the doctors¡¯ attention, they came to a conclusion after some discussion that her infection was likely to spread. Therefore, they suggested keeping Angeline in a quarantine ward for the time being for follow-up observation. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. That shocking decision struck Angeline like a bolt of lightning, and it was too much for her to bear. Under the supervision of the nurse, she was forced to enter the ward. The ward was filled with inanimate medical equipment without a single nt that provided a sense of life and vigor. Angeline found it hard to even breathe amidst the barren atmosphere despite only being in there for a few minutes. As if that wasn¡¯t worse enough, the doctor only allowed people to visit her twice daily, and the visitation duration was limited to an hour. That was driving Angeline crazy. While everyone tried their best to avoid her, Nancy was the only person who begged the doctor for a long time and finally got to enter the ward to talk to the former. ¡°Angeline, I have to keep it as brief as possible. Indeed, the test result shows that the bottle of water contains the bacteria the doctor mentioned.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline¡¯s expression turned grim, and she got slightly agitated. ¡°But Mr. McKenna has no reason to do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯ll affect the whole series if anything happens to you, so it¡¯s impossible for Mr. McKenna to do that. Did you recently offend someone again, Angeline?¡± It was only after Nancy¡¯s reminder that Angeline gradually realized something. Apart from Joseline, who would try so hard to set me up? I can¡¯t believe she would resort to such despicable methods just to win Hanson¡¯s heart. She must be insane! However, Angeline didn¡¯t have time to think about revenge as she just wanted to leave the ward as soon as possible. She looked at Nancy and said anxiously, ¡°Nancy, talk to the doctor and see whether they can allow me to return home. I still have a lot of matters regarding Forrester Group to attend to.¡± ¡°I know. Calm down first.¡± Nancy held Angeline¡¯s hand tightly and gazed at thetter solemnly. After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally added, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve already contacted Mr. Golding. He¡¯s on his way here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Angeline¡¯s expression instantly changed. Appearing slightly emotional, she turned away. ¡°Why did you summon him? I don¡¯t want him to see me in this state.¡± ¡°Angeline, I understand how you feel, but why do you still care so much at this point? Mr. Golding is the only one who can save you.¡± Angeline froze when she heard that. That¡¯s true. Evander is the only person who can take me out of the hospital. At that precise moment, Jacob¡¯s furious roar rang out from the corridor outside the ward. ¡°What are you doing here, Evander? Are you here to make fun of Angie?¡± Evander¡¯s deep, domineering voice was heard talking. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± His dictatorial tone made Angeline shudder. ¡°I¡¯ll go out and take a look.¡± As Angeline watched Nancy leave, she grew increasingly restless. After scanning the surroundings, she wrapped her head with a nket. After all, any woman would be reluctant to let their loved ones witness them in such a hideous state. The mere thought of how horrible she looked right then made her feel as though she had fallen into the icy depths of despair. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Nobody knew what Nancy had told Jacob, but in less than ten minutes, the door to Angeline¡¯s ward opened with a click. Then, the steady sound of leather shoes cking on the marble floor echoed in the silent room. It was obviously Evander, for no one else¡¯s footsteps could sound as calm andposed as his. Evander strode toward the bed and was about to lift the covers when Angeline stopped him with a shrill cry, ¡°Stay away!¡± Angeline covered her face with her hands, and when she sensed Evander pausing in his tracks, she lifted her head to steal a quick nce at him before pivoting and running away. I look awful right now. Will Evander be spooked when he sees me in this state? Despite preparing herself mentally, she was still overwhelmed by embarrassment when they really met. Angeline ran and hid behind the curtain, whimpering as she pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯te near me. Please go away.¡± Unfortunately, Evander caught a glimpse of her face in that split second when she lifted her head just now and noticed the red rashes that marred her countenance. He was shocked to see such a severe case of allergy, but he wasn¡¯t at all frightened or disgusted by the sight. ¡°Angeline, how long do you intend to hide from me? Do you not want your face to be treated?¡± He approached her and grabbed the curtain, attempting to yank it open, but as soon as he touched the curtain, she began trembling violently. Her voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Leave right now if you have respect for me!¡± She would feel inferior whenever she faced Evander. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. After all, she had always been a meticulous and sensitive person. From the start, she dared not ept Evander¡¯s courtship due to her troubled past, and now that she had been disfigured, she didn¡¯t know how to face him. ¡°Okay, okay. I won¡¯t touch you. Please calm down.¡± He sighed upon seeing how anxious she was. Taking a few steps back, he regarded her with concern. Jacob witnessed Angeline¡¯s reaction through a soundproof ss from outside the ward and growled, ¡°Evander must be bullying Angie! I told you not to let him in, and look what happened! I¡¯ll go in and drag him out!¡± Nancy held him back just in time and reminded him, ¡°Why are you getting so worked up? Don¡¯t me me for telling the truth, but Angeline is in love with Mr. Golding despite herints about him. And now, he¡¯s the only one who can help her get through this.¡± Upon hearing that, Jacob felt as if a bomb had gone off in his head, and his face went pale. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible.¡± Angeline is such a wonderfuldy. Why is she attracted to that cunning, scheming old fox? Seeing how he still wouldn¡¯t believe her, Nancy didn¡¯t bother to exin further. Instead, she grabbed the phone that was used to monitor the patient¡¯s condition in the ward and handed it to Jacob. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to look at me because I know I¡¯m hideous.¡± Her tone was filled with fear and self-loathing, and it was evident that she did not wee Evander¡¯s arrival. So that¡¯s why she¡¯s hiding from me? Evander fixed his gaze on her and said, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll leave this instant. Please calm down.¡± His deep voice was tinged with warmth and tenderness as if he was trying to console a frightened child. Probably because of the sincerity in his voice, Angeline¡¯s anxiety eased. Slowly, she sank to the ground, and her tensed shoulders rxed. Evander stealthily inched closer to her until she was within arm¡¯s reach. Subsequently, he pulled the curtains apart abruptly and pulled the trembling woman into his embrace. Her body felt cold,pletely devoid of warmth. ¡°Evander, let me go!¡± Angeline panicked when he approached and struggled hard to break free from his embrace. To her dismay, Evander tightened his grip on her and refused to let go. ¡°Angeline, I thought you were braver than this! But why are you defeated by such a trivial matter? Where is your courage when you took over Forrester Group? Haven¡¯t you weathered all those incidents in the Sorelle family? Why are you giving up now?¡± Evander¡¯s clear words traveled into her ears and calmed her heart. ¡°Get away from me! The doctor said that I had a fungal infection. You might get infected, too¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of something like that.¡± Evander cradled Angeline¡¯s cheeks with his hand and slowly lifted her face when she didn¡¯t resist his touch. He couldn¡¯t help frowning upon seeing the rashes on her face, which was more severe than he expected. Angeline felt extremely ufortable getting stared at like that. He didn¡¯t say anything while staring at me. Does he hate me? Is he disgusted by me? Will he run away from me like how those nurses did? At that thought, Angeline frantically turned her head away and spoke nervously. ¡°Stop looking at me. I must have scared you with my ugly face.¡± Evander¡¯s heart ached when he heard her self-deprecating remark. In response, he soothed her with a gentle voice. ¡°Not at all. Now, let¡¯s pack up ande home with me, all right?¡± Angeline was stunned upon hearing his words. She didn¡¯t understand what he was trying to say. ¡°What are you talking about? Are you joking? The doctor said I can¡¯t leave the hospital.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the doctor also said you¡¯ll have a low chance of recovering. And even if you are healed, you¡¯ll end up having scars all over your body. Am I right?¡± Angeline fell silent. He was right. ¡°Listen to me. You know that every doctor has different capabilities, yeah? You can¡¯t follow the advice of a single doctor. Come with me. Let me take you to other doctors. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Evander¡¯s soft voice and the warmth in his palm eventually calmed Angeline down and made her feel secure. She lowered her eyes as tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. The Angeline I know isn¡¯t that weak,¡± Evander consoled her and carefully wiped her tears away. Then, he lifted her in his arms and brought her out of the ward. Angeline¡¯s tears were a sign that she was willing to face the difficulties. Evander knew something was wrong the moment he noticed the weird look on her face at the press conference. He then went backstage and asked around, only to find out Angeline had been sent to the hospital. Instantly, he was beside himself with worry. He had never felt this fearful in his life. Sometimeter, Nancy called and told him about Angeline¡¯s horrible condition. Without a second thought, he drove to the hospital, overtaking countless cars along the way. During the ten or so minutes he took to reach the hospital, he deeply regretted how harshly he had treated Angeline all this time. He was willing to offer anything in exchange for her safety, and he was willing to just watch over her from afar if she refused to ept him for the rest of his life. After reaching the hospital, he sighed in relief when he saw that Angeline was merely suffering from an allergy. To him, that was not a big deal. Why does she think I¡¯d abandon her because of this? To her, am I just a shallow person who only pays attention to a person¡¯s appearance? Upon exiting the ward, Angeline didn¡¯t know where he was taking her, but she felt an inexplicable sense of trust toward him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and listened to the loud thumping of his heart, feeling at ease. When they reached the door, Jacob got in their way. ¡°Hey, you cunning old fox! Where are you taking Angie?¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission to leave.¡± Evander, who was already irritated enough, shot Jacob a cold re as his tone reeked with harshness. ¡°For your information, Angeline is my woman!¡± Following his words, Jacob froze in ce. He then looked at Angeline in disbelief and asked in a daze, ¡°Angie, is what he said true?¡± Her expression changed when she heard his question, and a trace of guilt appeared in her eyes. ¡°Jacob, thank you for looking after me today. I¡¯m very grateful for your help, but I only see you as a friend and a younger brother.¡± Her tone was particrly solemn, making her stance clear. Before this, she didn¡¯t spell things out clearly because she assumed that Jacob¡¯s infatuation for her was only temporary and that the young man only thought of her as a breath of fresh air. However, at present, she realized that she had underestimated the feelings Jacob had for her. Furthermore, she was able toprehend Evander¡¯s feelings for her following the current incident. He didn¡¯t only think of her as a mere pastime. Instead, he genuinely cared for her. When his tender, soothing voiceforted her, her heart opened up to him, and she gradually epted him. Evander would be her one and only choice if she were to ever get married one day. The man¡¯s lips curved to form a faint smile when he heard Angeline¡¯s response. She didn¡¯t deny our rtionship like she usually would, and that¡¯s a big step. All the troubles I¡¯ve gone through are worth it. Subsequently, he carried Angeline out of the hospital and brought her to his car before giving Roger a call. A confused expression descended on Angeline¡¯s face as she sat in the passenger seat. I¡¯m not close to Roger, so why would Evander tell him about the allergy? As though he had noticed the puzzlement on her face, Evander reached out to envelope Angeline¡¯s cold hand in his palm as he drove out of the parking lot. With a tone more gentle than ever, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± Hearing his words of assurance, Angeline tactfully kept silent instead of asking any more questions. Evander adjusted the air conditioner in the car to a suitable temperature and helped her recline her seat so she could restfortably, but still, her thoughts were a tangled mess. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the possibility of disfigurement. Evander drove as fast as he could, and they arrived at the Golding family in no time. As soon as they entered the residence, they heard Roger¡¯s panicked screaming from the backyard of the mansion, echoing across the living room. ¡°My goodness! Who came into my garden and plucked all my flowers?¡± Frightened by the sudden scream, Angeline instinctively hid behind Evander and looked toward the direction of the garden anxiously. Not long after, they saw Roger approaching in a huff, stomping his muddy boots while d in his work attire. As he walked, he bellowed, ¡°Francesca!¡± ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss about?¡± Evander chimed in with a dissatisfied look. ¡°I¡¯llpensate for your loss.¡± Hearing that, Roger looked at Evander gleefully. ¡°Evander, even if you have money, you won¡¯t be able to buy those flowers as they are rare herbs.¡± Herbs? Angeline caught the important message in his words, but she furrowed her brows as she was not sure what he meant. Roger approached them, and when he saw Angeline¡¯s face, he clicked his tongue. ¡°D*mn! What happened to your face, Mrs. Golding?¡± Feeling embarrassed, Angeline quickly lowered her head and covered her face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The doctor said it was a fungal infection. Don¡¯t look at my face. I¡¯m heading up first.¡± As a rare sense of inferiority surfaced in her eyes, she prepared to head upstairs. However, Evander grabbed her arm and stopped her from leaving before ring at Roger impatiently. ¡°Stop your nonsense. See if there¡¯s any way you can help her.¡± Roger was momentarily at a loss for words before heined with a tone of resignation, ¡°How am I supposed to check her out when she¡¯s standing so far away from me?¡± Hearing that, Evander produced the doctor¡¯s report that was prepared by the hospital and threw it over to Roger. ¡°Have a good look. I know you¡¯ll be able to deal with it.¡± Roger flipped through the report, and a look of surprise gradually emerged on his face. ¡°Mrs. Golding, how did you get infected by such a disease? You¡¯re a rich celebrity, so why did you resort to eating wild vegetables?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Does that mean someone else sabotaged you? Who did something like this? The nerve of them to harm Evander¡¯s woman! That person has a death wish!¡± Roger fumed indignantly as if he was the one who had an allergic reaction. Evander tried to tamp down his anger as he asked the only question he was concerned about, ¡°Is there any solution to this?¡± As Angeline listened to their conversation, she realized something and began seeing Roger in a new light. I didn¡¯t expect him to know medical skills. But isn¡¯t he the vice president of Golding Group? Evander brought me over to see him straight away, so does that mean he is more skillful than the doctors in the hospital? ¡°Is there anything you can do, Mr. Jantz?¡± Angeline looked at Roger hopefully. However, the look on Roger¡¯s face was solemn as he brooded for about a minute before he looked toward her with his captivating eyes. He said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. There¡¯s a way we can try, but I can¡¯t guarantee full recovery. There¡¯s probably a seventy-percent chance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a low probability.¡± Evander was not pleased with what he heard. He looked doubtfully at Roger.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Roger rolled his eyes and defended himself indignantly, ¡°The culprit who harmed Mrs. Golding was dead set on ruining her life, so they showed no mercy at all. If she were left in the hospital¡¯s care, she would¡¯ve already been disfigured.¡± Roger¡¯s words hit the sore spot in Angeline¡¯s heart. She clenched her fists tightly in resentment and bit the bullet. ¡°Mr. Jantz, I¡¯m willing to believe in you.¡± It didn¡¯t matter even though there was only a seventy percent chance of full recovery. The odds were good enough for Angeline. As long as there was a tiny trace of hope, she was willing to give it a go. Angeline¡¯s words were pleasing to Roger¡¯s ears. His lips curled into a smile as he said happily, ¡°Good. Wait for me here. I¡¯ll go upstairs and get ready. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done.¡± Subsequently, he got up from the couch and headed upstairs. Angeline looked at Roger¡¯s leaving figure, and her heart was still filled with doubt. Despite knowing it was not the right time to voice her doubts, she still asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t Roger the vice president of thepany?¡± Evander held her hand and led her over to the couch before pouring her a ss of warm water and passing it to her. Then, he slowly exined, ¡°Roger was the only son, so his parents really hoped that he could take over thepany. However, Roger was obsessed with medicine ever since he was young. Thus, he only held a titr position in Golding Group and seldom involved himself with the matters of the company.¡± After hearing Evander¡¯s exnation, she slowly understood the situation. She couldn¡¯t help mumbling, ¡°I assumed Roger was a rich heir who knew nothing but to enjoy life. I didn¡¯t know he had such a backstory.¡± ¡°Those who don¡¯t know him well will usually think that way.¡± Evander took a sip of his coffee as his expression gradually morphed into a serious one. ¡°Those flowers in the backyard are not just ordinary nts. They are very rare herbs, and each type consists of different poisons.¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Angeline remained silent. She knew Evander was simply exining why he was so nervous when she had only suffered a minor cut on her hand before this. No wonder I¡¯ve never seen such unusual-looking nts before. Turns out those are medicinal herbs. At that thought, Angeline was confused. ¡°But why are they nted in your house?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just some nonsensical logic from Roger, iming that my backyard is an auspicious ce in terms of geomancy.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly as she spoke wryly. ¡°I suppose he chose your backyard because your house is rtively safe.¡± She was smart enough to guess it right away. Evander¡¯s mood improved significantly when he saw her smile. He then leaned against the couch and exined in a low voice, ¡°Yes. Roger¡¯s father raided a lot of the medicinal herbs developed by Roger and confiscated them all. Thus, it¡¯s safest to leave the herbs with me.¡± Evander, of course, would never engage in any business that would result in a loss. Roger¡¯s medical skills were exceptional. He had treated many people acquainted with Evander that suffered from unusual andplex conditions throughout the years. All of a sudden, a thinyer of cold sweat beaded Angeline¡¯s forehead, and terror shed across her eyes. If Evander hadn¡¯t stopped her in time previously, she would¡¯ve been poisoned. As the two of them were chatting, Roger¡¯s solemn voice was heard from upstairs. ¡°Could you bring Mrs. Golding upstairs now, Evander?¡± Roger was dressed in a ck protective suit and gloves, but they had no idea what he had been up to upstairs. A strong aroma of medicinal herbs wafted from the room. Evander took Angeline up to the third floor. It was originally a small rooftop but had since been turned into aboratory by Roger. There were rows of cabs lined up in therge space. They were either filled with books or different kinds of rare and precious medicinal herbs. Even though Angeline had prepared herself for the unexpected, she was still taken aback by what she saw in front of her. She couldn¡¯t believe that there was a ce like that in the Golding residence, for Evander and the others had never mentioned it before. An enormous wooden tub filled with ck liquid was ced in the center of theboratory. For some unknown reason, the liquid in the tub was bubbling. Roger walked over and poured a bottle of greenish liquid into the tub. Immediately, a foul and pungent smell permeated the room. Angeline hastily covered her nose, but she was still nauseated by the stench. ¡°You want her to bathe in this?¡± Evander frowned, disgust evident in his expression. ¡°Yes. Mrs. Golding is experiencing an allergic reaction all over her body. The application of ointment will have a slow effect. In contrast, this refined concoction will help increase her chances of recovery.¡± As he spoke, Roger had already mixed the medicinal liquid and was looking at Angeline with a solemn expression. ¡°Take off your clothes and get inside the tub, Mrs. Golding. Evander and I will go outter. Remember, don¡¯te out for at least half an hour. We¡¯ll remind you when the time is up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline nodded. Her face turned slightly pale as she stared at the wooden tub. However, she had no other choice but to hope for the best. It was better for her to endure the pungent stench than to live with the terrible consequences of disfigurement. Even though Evander had been dragged out of the room by Roger, he was still concerned for Angeline as he lingered outside the door. ¡°Are you sure this concoction won¡¯t cause any side effects?¡± Feeling doubtful, Evander couldn¡¯t help but question Roger. ¡°Evander, are you so concerned about Angeline that you don¡¯t even trust my medical skills?¡± Roger said bluntly with a darkened expression. There was nothing much Evander could say upon hearing Roger¡¯s words. His steely cold gaze was tinged with worry as he remained silent. Roger sighed in disbelief as he gazed at Evander. As Evander¡¯s old friend, Roger knew him to be a relentless and decisive person. He simply couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the fact that Evander would care so much for a woman. He then produced a cigarette from his pocket and offered it to Evander while patting thetter¡¯s shoulder, reminding him in a low voice, ¡°Evander, if you truly care for Angeline, you¡¯d better find the culprit who harmed her.¡± Upon hearing those words, a cold glint appeared in Evander¡¯s eyes. Lighting up the cigarette with a lighter, he puffed out a cloud of smoke before replying, ¡°I know what to do.¡± He didn¡¯t need to guess to know who was the culprit. Once Angeline became disfigured and her career was destroyed, the person who would benefit the most from that was, of course, Joseline. In the past, Evander and the Sorelle family had always stayed out of each other¡¯s way. As long as his interests were not affected, he would never take the initiative to harm anyone. But now, for Angeline¡¯s sake, he would have to make an exception. Anyone who hurt Angeline, be it someone from the Sorelle family or the Yiurk family, I swear I¡¯ll never let them off! He then turned to look in the direction where Angeline was, concerned about her current condition. Furthermore, having to soak inside the wooden tub would be an unpleasant experience. Initially, when Angeline removed her clothing and stepped into the wooden tub, the water had a cooling sensation. However, the longer she stayed inside the water, the higher the temperature rose. In the end, it got so hot that she was almost out of breath, and her cheeks were burning. Despite that, Angeline remembered what Roger had said to her. No matter how ufortable she was, she had to endure every moment of it. Half an hourter, Angeline finally emerged from the wooden tub. Upon undergoing treatment, she felt unusually relieved as if she had been reborn. The rashes on her arms also reduced visibly. Having changed into a fresh set of clothes, Angeline came out of the guest room to see both men sitting in the living room, sipping coffee with smiles on their faces. Evander noticed her presence, and tenderness soon filled his deep, abyss-like eyes. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± ¡°Much better. I don¡¯t feel as terrible as before. What kind of herbs did you mix into the concoction, Roger? It¡¯s really amazing!¡± Roger sipped his coffee slowly and spoke in a gleeful tone. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s top secret. You wouldn¡¯t even know what they are even if I told you about them. However, based on yourplexion, you should have a high possibility of recovering, Mrs. Golding.¡± This is great news! An undisguised look of joy emerged in Angeline¡¯s eyes. She was incredibly impressed with Roger. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be sessful if he opens a clinic! Also, she was moved by Roger¡¯s dedication to researching the things he loved without seeking fame or fortune. Shortly after, Roger advised her of several precautions, telling her that it was safe for her to go outside. However, it was important for her to stay away from dusty ces. He then handed her some ointment that he had created so that she could apply it to her body several times a day. Angeline felt ashamed by how often she had misunderstood Roger previously as she listened to his meticulous and caring words. She couldn¡¯t help but say to him, ¡°Thank you so much for your help, Roger. I don¡¯t even know how to repay you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Mrs. Golding.¡± Roger waved his hand nonchntly as he raised his brows at her and smirked. ¡°As for my repayment, I won¡¯t be asking for money from you. However, I remember how much Evander enjoys your cooking, and Floretta won¡¯t stop talking about the yummy dishes you made. I¡¯d really like to try¡­¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline quickly agreed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit here and wait for a bit? I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to whip up something for the both of you.¡± After all, it would be insensitive of her to deny Roger¡¯s only request. Only upon entering the kitchen did she realize Francesca was nowhere to be seen. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 The sky had darkened, and normally, Francesca would¡¯ve returned home with Floretta at this hour. However, it was unusually quiet in the house that day. Neither of them was anywhere to be found. Angeline grew concerned when she noticed their absence. With a worried look in her eyes, she asked Evander, ¡°Where¡¯s Francesca and Floretta? Why haven¡¯t they returned?¡± ¡°Rx. Let me exin,¡± Evander replied calmly. ¡°I told Francesca to bring Floretta to the other mansion. It¡¯s just nearby. In the meantime, you can stay here and focus on recuperating.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Relieved, Angeline went to the doorway and stared at the mansion across from theirs. The usually dark mansion was lit that day, confirming Evander¡¯s statement to be true. He¡¯s so wealthy, so it¡¯s not a surprise that he owns more than one mansion. Moreover, I¡¯m currently experiencing an allergic reaction. Adults have better immunity, but it¡¯s not the same case with children. I understand the need to distance myself from Floretta. Since Francesca had her hands full with Floretta, the task of taking care of Evander¡¯s daily life naturally fell on Angeline¡¯s shoulders. That night, Angeline whipped up a simple beef stew that garnered an endless stream of praises from Roger. Hispliments rendered Evander¡¯s expression thunderous. Fortunately, Roger, being a tactful person, left the Golding residence immediately after dinner. Before his departure, he gave them a meaningful lecture. ¡°As your good friend, it is my duty to remind you that it would be better if you don¡¯t share a room while Mrs. Golding hasn¡¯t recovered¡ª¡± Evander shoved Roger out of the doorway before thetter couldplete his sentence and mmed the door shut. Blushing, Angeline gazed at Evander bashfully. Without waiting for him to speak, she muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll go and sleep in the guest room. You should rest early too.¡± With that said, she made her way upstairs. Evander stared at her retreating figure, a resigned look surfacing in his eyes. However, an affectionate smile hung on his lips. He could tell Angeline had feelings for him and was just not used to living with him. Just as he was about to head to the study, he saw Angeline walking back toward him. She stopped in front of the man and stared at him for a few seconds before standing on tiptoes and nting a soft kiss on his lips. ¡°Goodnight,¡± she murmured. Her voice was uncharacteristically gentle and low. It felt as if a feather had gently caressed his heart. After saying that, she left in a haste. Unable to hide her coy expression, she behaved like a mischievous child who was caught sneaking candy. Evander stood there unmoving and watched as she disappeared from sight. The aloof expression he usually wore was soon reced by a warm and tender one. That was the first time Angeline mustered her courage to kiss him on her own initiative. Does this mean she¡¯s finally acknowledging our rtionship? Well, it¡¯s fine. The results don¡¯t matter. As long as she¡¯s safe and sound by my side, I don¡¯t mind if we have to take things slow. In fact, this ambiguous distance between us is a good thing. Rushing into things will only cause disaster. The next day, Angeline prepared breakfast in advance and was cing two sses of milk on the table when Evander came out of the bedroom. He was d in a brown suit, and his hair was meticulouslybed. It seemed like he had an important meeting to attend. Evander walked into the dining room, picked up a piece of toast, and thered jam on it. He said, ¡°I have work in the morning. If you feel bored, you can call Francesca and get her toe over and keep youpany.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ncing at Evander, Angeline hesitated for a moment before adding, ¡°Actually, I invited Jacob over today.¡± She was worried Evander might get upset, so she had been putting off telling him. As expected, his face immediately clouded over like the gloomy sky before a thunderstorm. ¡°Why?¡± he asked brusquely. Sipping her milk, she liked the milk mustache off the corners of her lips and exined solemnly, ¡°I need his help to go live and promote beauty kits. He¡¯s currently the most popr up-anding celebrity in the entertainment industry. His fans would definitely snap up the items as long as he makes an appearance.¡± At present, she was not in a state suitable for live streaming. Hence, she could only rely on others to help her build up hype for her sales. Jacob was the best fit for the job. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already made your decision, why are you asking for my opinion?¡± Evander¡¯s voice still sounded gloomy. Angeline¡¯s exnation did not lift his mood in the slightest. Afraid that he would misunderstand her intention, Angeline continued exining, ¡°I know there¡¯s some misunderstanding between you and Jacob, but he¡¯s a kind and sincere man. He¡¯s not a bad person¡ª¡± Before she could even finish speaking, Evander mmed the ss of milk in his hand on the table, his expression as cold as ice. ¡°Do as you please. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± Evander got up and left without another word. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. Watching him leave, Angeline was inundated with puzzlement. She didn¡¯t understand why Evander hated Jacob so much when thetter hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. The mere mention of Jacob¡¯s name would set him off. Unfortunately, the sumptuous breakfast she had gotten up early to prepare was barely touched. Overwhelmed with aggrievement, she lost her appetite. She then cleaned the table and went back to her room. Meanwhile, at the Yiurk residence, Lilian informed Joseline of the information she had found out. ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, everything is sorted out. Even the doctors said that there is no cure. Angeline is done for.¡± Joseline was barely able to conceal her glee when she received the good news from Lillian early that morning. She stood up and went to open the windows, taking in the fresh air. An indescribable feeling of relief rose within her heart. Angeline will not be able tomand Hanson¡¯s attention now that her face is ruined! ¡°Mr. Yiurk, where are you going this early in the morning? Are you not staying for breakfast?¡± The housekeeper¡¯s anxious voice sounded from the living room. Frowning, Joseline hurried downstairs, and she promptly lostposure when she saw Hanson towing his suitcase without looking back. ¡°Are you really leaving? We haven¡¯t even had the weing party for our child yet!¡± Hanson turned around and regarded her coldly as if he were looking at a stranger. ¡°There are plenty of people who can take care of you. You don¡¯t need me to be here.¡± He waspletely unfazed by the mention of their child. Joseline staggered when she heard his emotionless words. She gripped the railing tightly with a look of utter destion in her eyes. I don¡¯t understand. Why does he continue to treat me so coldly? From the moment the child was born, he has never paid attention to the baby. He doesn¡¯t seem happy to be a father at all. Nor did he show the slightest hint of concern for me. Only then did Joseline realize emotional abuse brought so much more despair than a divorce. ¡°Hanson, I know you still have feelings for Angeline and you¡¯re still hoping to get back together with her. But do you know that she¡¯s been disfigured? Would you still love her when she has red rashes all over her face?¡± Joseline shouted at Hanson, losing control over her emotions. Her face contorted with hatred, and she could no longer remain calm. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Hanson¡¯s expression went taut. At that sight, Joseline was overwhelmed with desperation. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Despair clouded Joseline¡¯s face as she curled her lips into a bitter grin. ¡°As expected, you¡¯d only react when her name is mentioned. Hanson, I¡¯ve been by your side for over ten years. Yet, I still can¡¯t compare to her, huh?¡± While she spoke, Hanson suddenly tossed his luggage away and turned around to go upstairs. He grasped her arms and looked at her gloomily. ¡°How was she disfigured? Are you the one who did it?¡± ¡°Am I that kind of person in your eyes?¡± Joseline sneered and didn¡¯t hide the disappointment on her face at all. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what kind of person you are.¡± He looked at her with an expression of ridicule. Shortly after, he grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the study. Joseline was flustered when she saw Hanson¡¯s stance, as it seemed like he had discovered something. With a panicked look on her face, she tried to break free from his grip. ¡°Stop pulling me! Where are you bringing me, Hanson?¡± However, she was no match for Hanson¡¯s strength. He dragged her over with all his might and opened the drawer under the desk, then took out a stack of photographs from it. ¡°Look at how promiscuous you are!¡± Hanson threw the photographs at Joseline¡¯s face. She forgot to dodge, and the pain caused her to inhale sharply. Staring down at the photographs right in front of her¡ªwhich exposed her ying around with other men¡ªshe was thoroughly stunned. Without realizing it, she stumbled back slightly in response. She couldn¡¯t believe how Hanson had found out about these matters, and she didn¡¯t understand how her pictures were secretly taken when she had done a superb job of keeping everything confidential. Yet, she soon regained herposure and hurriedly grabbed Hanson¡¯s arm. With an aggrieved look, she pleaded, ¡°Hanson, listen to me. It¡¯s not what you think¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what I think? What else do you have to say, then?¡± Hanson retorted coldly. In that instant, he reached his hands out to grab Joseline¡¯s neck, wanting to vent his hatred for her. ¡°I thought you were just a difficult woman to deal with, but it looks like I¡¯ve underestimated you. You¡¯re truly bad to the core!¡± His eyes were filled with iciness as he red at Joseline in disgust. Then, he warned, ¡°I will never let you off the hook if something happens to Angeline!¡± With that, he turned around and left. His tall and sturdy figure appeared extremely distant. Joseline was utterly dumbfounded and copsed onto the ground. She gripped the corners of her shirt with her slender fingers and shouted hysterically, ¡°Hanson Yiurk! I will never divorce you! Never!¡± Yet, there was no response from him at all. She was so agitated that her entire body trembled uncontrobly. As she broke down, she let out a shriek. No matter how hard she had tried to hold their marriage together, she understood clearly that it was only a trick to deceive herself. I¡¯m doomed. My marriage with Hanson will never return to the way it was! With that thought in mind, a hint of hatred flickered in Joseline¡¯s eyes, and the aura surrounding her was filled with murderous intent. Since Hanson had no regard for her, she would resort to despicable strategies. Ever since she had made a move on the old Sorelle couple when she wanted to get her hands on Sorelle Group, she had already dirtied her hands to the point of no return. Hence, there was no point in holding back anymore as there was no turning back. Meanwhile, in the cafe, Angeline sat in a private room that was properly sealed. After waiting for a short while, an energetic young man arrived. ¡°Are you all right, Angie? I left my work behind as soon as I received your text message.¡± Jacob looked at Angeline with concern. She was hiding her face behind a veil, so he couldn¡¯t see her injuries clearly, causing him to worry. ¡°My face is still a little sensitive, but the doctor assured me that there most likely won¡¯t be scars. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Angeline exined gently. She was touched when she saw how worried Jacob was for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made you worry.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Hearing her exnation, Jacob let out a sigh of relief. He then sat down on the couch casually and chuckled. ¡°What are you talking about, Angie? I¡¯ll definitely help you as long as you call me whenever you¡¯re in need!¡± Upon hearing that, a guilty look appeared on Angeline¡¯s face. In truth, she really did need Jacob¡¯s help. This morning, she upset Evander by speaking of this matter, and she had thought about giving up. However, Forrester Group needed immediate help. The stock was piling up every day, and they were constantly losing capital from their unprofitable sales and from paying huge amounts of wages. Thus, she couldn¡¯t hinder serious matters just because of her selfish reasons. With that thought in mind, Angeline strengthened her resolve and called the waiter over. ¡°What would you like to order?¡± asked the waiter. Angeline asked for a menu from the waiter and handed it to Jacob. Then, she said in an unusually gentle voice, ¡°What would you like to eat? It¡¯ll be my treat.¡± ¡°Angie, why are you being so nice today? I¡¯m not used to seeing you like this.¡± Jacob scratched the back of his head awkwardly. However, he didn¡¯t hold back and ordered something off the menu. Jacob¡¯s childlike bashfulness caused Angeline to chortle uncontrobly as if she was looking at a younger sibling. ¡°Why not? Can¡¯t I treat you to a meal when there aren¡¯t any asions? Are we that distant?¡± ¡°Of course not. I couldn¡¯t be happier.¡± A look of surprise appeared on Jacob¡¯s face. Yet, he still looked at Angeline with a strange expression and asked, ¡°But you just told me yesterday¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things, Jacob.¡± Angeline looked at him with a serious expression. ¡°What I told you yesterday was all true. I just see you as my younger brother.¡± Following her statement, Jacob lowered his eyes. Although he wasn¡¯t as agitated as yesterday, he still seemed disappointed. ¡°Mm-hmm. I¡¯ve always known you only see me as your brother. But I really like you, Angie, so I can¡¯t help but preserve a little bit of hope.¡± Angeline was speechless for a moment as she couldn¡¯t bear watching others feel sad because of her. She couldn¡¯t help but say apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Jacob¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me, Angie. You did nothing wrong.¡± Jacob raised his head again, revealing that his eyes were clear. He smiled at her cheerfully and said, ¡°I used to hate Evander. However, after I saw him carrying you out of the ward without hesitation yesterday and treating your illness sessfully when even the doctors couldn¡¯t do it, I understood he was the one who could truly protect you.¡± Hearing Jacob¡¯s words, Angeline was stunned. If it wasn¡¯t for his reminder, she would¡¯ve forgotten about what Evander had done for her yesterday. Knock! Knock! Just then, the waiter served them their coffee. Angeline gripped the cup with her slender fingers and stared at the creamyyer of milk before speaking hesitantly. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re not in a rtionship yet.¡± ¡°But you like him a lot, don¡¯t you?¡± Jacob¡¯s remark was so straightforward that it caused her heart to skip a beat. She wanted to exin herself, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say the words on the tip of her tongue. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Indeed, even Angeline had not realized that she was hopelessly in love with Evander. Seeing Angeline¡¯s tacit acquiescence, Jacob felt an indescribable tightness in his chest. He immediately grabbed his cup of coffee and finished it in one gulp. Only then did he graduallye to his senses. ¡°Angie, stop lying to yourself. If you like him, why don¡¯t you get together with him? I guess that sly old fox has a lot of female admirers around him. Are you not afraid that he¡¯ll fall in love with someone else?¡± probed Jacob. Am I not afraid that he¡¯ll fall in love with someone else? Realization dawned upon Angeline when she heard Jacob¡¯s question. That thought caused her heart to ache as if it was being gripped tightly. Indeed, she was afraid. She was very afraid that Evander might fall for another woman. At that moment, Jacob¡¯s words seemed to have awakened Angeline. It was then she made an unprecedented decision. ¡°Thank you, Jacob.¡± With that, Angeline hurriedly got up from her seat. As she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered the reason for her meeting with Jacob. She stood rooted to the spot and hesitated for a long time. In the end, Angeline finally spoke up. ¡°Actually, I came to you today to ask for a favor. It¡¯s a very complicated process. Can you spare me a night and help me to promote beauty devices in a livestream?¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± Angeline pursed her lips nervously, fearing that Jacob would turn her down. Clutching the corners of her shirt, she informed, ¡°Well, you only need to show your face. Just name your price, and I¡¯ll pay you.¡± ¡°Angie, you¡¯re still too kind to me.¡± Jacob also got up from his seat, looking at Angeline with a smile. ¡°Tell me when you¡¯ve set a date, and I¡¯ll be there. Also, you don¡¯t have to pay me.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Angeline uttered gratefully. Her eyes were filled with emotions. She was at a loss for words, as though there was a lump in her throat. All this while, Angeline had always treated Jacob like a child. She never thought he would do something like this for her. In contrast, it seemed that she had never done anything for him. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She could not help but feel guilty at the thought. After leaving the caf¨¦, Angeline whipped out her phone and called Evander without hesitation. Unexpectedly, she only heard the beeping of the phone as the call went unanswered. Is he in a meeting? If it was any other day, Angeline would have waited for Evander. However, she could not wait to see him at that moment. Therefore, she decided to call Ss instead. It did not take long for him to answer her call. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Sorry to bother you, Ss. Is Evander with you?¡± she asked. ¡°Mr. Golding must have boarded the ne already. I just went to the restroom. The ne will take off soon,¡± Ss exined. Hearing that, Angeline furrowed her brows. ¡°On the ne? Where are you going?¡± she asked in confusion. ¡°We¡¯re heading to Gronga. Mr. Golding has to go on an impromptu business trip. Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Angeline was at a loss for words. She had not received a call from Evander, which made her feel somewhat disappointed. Angeline instinctively took out her phone and scrolled through the messages. She suddenly realized that Evander had informed her of his trip an hour ago. In the text message, Evander exined that he could not refuse it as it was an urgent business trip. Moreover, he reminded Angeline to take care of herself. After reading the message, Angeline felt a touch of warmth fill her heart. She could not help but think she was being petty. She nced at the ne ticket and realized that Evander¡¯s flight had only just taken off. The next avable flight was scheduled for eleven o¡¯clock at night. Jacob¡¯s advice once again came to her mind at that moment. She did not want to wait until Evander was gone. It would be toote for her to regret not cherishing him by then. With that thought in mind, Angeline decided to book the next flight to Gronga. By the time shended, it was already one o¡¯clock in the afternoon the following day. Angeline did not sleep for the entire day. On the ne, other passengers around her shot her weird looks because she was wearing a veil. The rashes on her body seemed to have worsened due to her exhaustion. However, all her troubles would vanish instantly at the sight of Evander. The moment Angeline got off the ne, she immediately contacted Ss to find out the location of the hotel they were staying at. As she was not interested in wandering around in an unfamiliar country like Gronga, she decided to head straight to the hotel. At first, she wanted to book a room at the hotel and wait for Evander to return from work. To her surprise, she saw Evander and several foreigners walking out of the hotel when she was unloading her suitcase. They were discussing something with serious expressions. Angeline was exasperated when she saw them. She subconsciously scanned the surroundings, trying to find a ce to hide from them while she still could. D*mn it! Why didn¡¯t Ss tell me that they were still at the hotel? Just as she was about to hide around a corner, she heard Evander¡¯s low, puzzled voice behind her. ¡°Angeline?¡± There was a trace of uncertainty in his tone. Angeline¡¯s expression changed drastically when she heard Evander calling her name. Left with no other escape route, she simply walked out and replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Hearing that, Evander strode toward Angeline. Frowning, he nced down at her and probed, ¡°When did youe here?¡± Angeline felt weak standing in front of him. Clutching the suitcase handle, she exined slowly, ¡°I just reached here, and I already informed Ss about it. However, I think he didn¡¯t have time to tell you because you were too busy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evander naturally took the suitcase from her hands and replied in a deep voice, ¡°We have a lot of matters to deal with in Gronga. Ss went to the construction site early this morning while I have been negotiating the contract with James, so I didn¡¯t have time to check my phone.¡± Angeline instinctively looked up at him, only to see the exhaustion on his handsome face. Not only did he have dark circles under his eyes, but he was also sporting stubble. At that sight, Angeline¡¯s heart ached for him. He must be exhausted. I wonder when was thest time he slept. ¡°Mr. Golding?¡± At that moment, Evander¡¯s foreign friends walked toward them. The man at the head of the group was about fifty years old, looking energetic despite his age. That man was probably James. ¡°W-Who¡¯s thisdy? Are you going to introduce her?¡± James struggled to speak in Chanaean. A trace of curiosity shed across his eyes as he looked at the veiled Angeline. Nevertheless, there was no hint of disgust in his gaze. If anything, it was the kindest look Angeline had ever received on this journey. This made her feel less distanced. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to introduce herself. Suddenly, Evander fiercely grabbed her shoulders. With a slight tug, he pulled Angeline into his arms. ¡°This is my girlfriend, Angeline Sorelle.¡± Despite the calmness in his tone, the statement Evander had just made was serious, without a hint of a joke. Angeline stood frozen on the spot as she looked up at Evander¡¯s defined jawline incredulously. Her heart beat faster in nervousness and anxiety. Evander has never been an impulsive person, so why did he suddenly introduce me like that in front of his business partners? Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Angeline could not believe what Evander had just said. Is he that confident in himself? I haven¡¯t officially agreed to be his girlfriend, have I? James¡¯ demeanor instantly changed when he heard Evander¡¯s introduction. He hurriedly stepped forward and shook Angeline¡¯s hand, smiling kindly at her. Since his Chanaean was not fluent, he spoke in Ustranasion. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re Evander¡¯s woman. You guys sure are a perfect couple! But why are you wearing a veil?¡± The interpreter standing next to James helped him to trante his words. Angeline¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment when she heard the question. A conflicted look shed across her eyes as she pondered how to reply. She knew it was impolite to wear a veil abroad. Nevertheless, she did not dare to take it off in her current condition. Unfortunately, Angeline could not speak proper Ustranasion either. As she was about to speak up, Evander suddenly interjected and exined in fluent Ustranasion. She could roughly understand the gist of it. Evander told James that she was suffering from an allergy, so she did not want to show her face for the time being. When Evander finished exining, James looked at Angeline sympathetically. He patted the back of her hand and reminded her to get more rest. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with her, James left the hotel with the other foreigners. Evander took Angeline¡¯s hand as they stood outside the entrance to see off James and others. The car gradually disappeared from their sight. After dealing with those matters, Evander pulled Angeline¡¯s suitcase and led her to the elevator. Looking at him, Angeline hastily said, ¡°I haven¡¯t registered a room yet.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that,¡± Evander stated in a deep voice. His authoritative tone left no room for negotiation. A dinging sound rang out, indicating that the elevator had reached the designated floor. Evander was staying in a premium VIP suite. It was a spacious room with all kinds of advanced equipment. This suite alone was more than enough to amodate ten people. After putting Angeline¡¯s suitcase in the bedroom, Evander sat on the couch with his legs crossed. He shot her an intent gaze and inquired, ¡°Are you not going to exin why you came all the way to find me?¡± At Evander¡¯s question, Angeline began to panic. She sat in front of him like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°Are you still mad at me for what happened this morning?¡± she asked tentatively. ¡°Nope.¡± Evander stared at Angeline intently, his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Did youe all the way here just to apologize to me?¡± he queried impatiently. ¡°Of course not,¡± Angeline responded, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She clutched the corners of her shirt, looking a little flustered. ¡°In truth, I didn¡¯te here for a specific reason. By the way, I heard you tell James that I¡¯m your girlfriend earlier. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being deceitful?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Evander asked, feeling somewhat displeased. Taking a deep breath, Angeline mustered up her courage. She met his gaze with firm resolve and said, ¡°Our rtionship is as close as ever. Um¡­ What I mean is¡­ we should give it a try. Perhaps we¡¯re more suited to each other than we imagined.¡± At that moment, Angeline felt a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders after saying those words. The room fell into silence for several minutes. Just when Angeline thought she was not going to get a reply, Evander asked casually, ¡°Have you thought it through?¡± His tone was surprisingly calm. Angeline was bbergasted by Evander¡¯s question. After staring at him for a long time, she responded seriously, ¡°Yes. However, I want to make myself clear in advance. I have a child, and I¡¯ll never give up on looking for my child. Also, I have bad blood with the Sorelle family. I¡¯m afraid these matters will affect you.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Evander asked indifferently, looking calm and collected as usual. ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± As soon as Angeline finished, Evander suddenly reached out and pulled her to sit on hisp. He used his hands to lock her tightly in his embrace, making her unable to move. ¡°First of all, you seem to have forgotten that I also have a five-year-old daughter, so there won¡¯t be any couples who are morepatible than us. Secondly, do you truly think a mere Sorelle Group can harm me?¡± he probed. It was undeniable that Angeline was too nervous at that moment. Furthermore, she tended to overthink situationspared to most people. She almost forgot about Evander¡¯s identity. Even if the Yiurk and Sorelle families were to join forces, they might not be a match for him. ¡°Besides, if something happens to me, you will stand up for me, won¡¯t you?¡± Evander¡¯s maic voice sounded very seductive. His warm breath lightly tickled her ear, causing her body to tingle. She subconsciously pushed against Evander¡¯s chest, trying to avoid his touches. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Evander Golding, let go of me first! Let¡¯s talk things out,¡± she pleaded with a trembling voice. ¡°What did you just call me? I¡¯ll give you one more chance.¡± ¡°Evander, I¡ª¡± When Angeline woke up the following day, the sun was already high up in the sky. Much to her surprise, Evander was lying beside her. He had propped his chin with one hand and was staring at her tenderly. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Angeline nced at him in surprise. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to work yet?¡± ¡°I took the morning off. I was waiting for you to wake up so that I could apply the ointment for you.¡± After hearing Evander¡¯s exnation, Angeline quickly stretched out her hands to cover her naked body under the quilt. Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. There was a tinge of disappointment in her voice when she asked, ¡°I look ugly, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Stop overthinking. You¡¯re my woman, and I¡¯ll never shun you.¡± Caressing her head, Evander asked affectionately, ¡°Do you want me to carry you to the bathroom?¡± Angeline felt her heart turn into mush at his tenderness. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she chuckled. ¡°All right.¡± Upon receiving Angeline¡¯s permission, Evander carried her to the bathroom. She sat in front of the sink, swinging her long legs back and forth while watching Evander squeeze some toothpaste for her. After contemting for a while, Angeline spoke up in a serious tone. ¡°Evander, I¡¯m going back home early this afternoon. I¡¯ve signed Jacob up to do a live broadcast for Forrester Group. I know you¡¯ll be angry about this, but you can always send a subordinate to supervise us if you¡¯re worried.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Evander answered in a deep voice before handing the toothbrush to her. Okay? Is he not angry at me? Chapter 169 Chapter 169 ¡°Are you okay with it, Evander? If you don¡¯t like the arrangement, I¡¯ll just select another candidate,¡± asked Angeline nervously. She did not want to get into a conflict with Evander over this matter. ¡°Are you hoping that I¡¯m not okay with it?¡± asked Evander as he looked at her in the mirror, then started to brush his teeth. Angeline took in his form from the back. His firm chest was exposed under the sagging sleeping robe. At that moment, his short ck hair was unstyled and rxed. He had a tall and lean figure supported by a well-proportioned frame. On top of that, Evander had longshes that were lush and naturally curled. Hisshes were even prettier than that of a girl¡¯s. Yet, such a striking feature was bestowed upon him, a man, instead. Angeline¡¯s gaze slowly became unfocused as she stared at him. However, it was only for a short moment, and she regained her senses. ¡°Of course not. But you¡¯re my boyfriend now. I have to take your feelings into consideration too,¡± answered Angeline. Although Forrester Group was important, how Evander felt mattered a lot to her too now that she was sure of her feelings for him. Upon hearing what she said, Evander suddenly put down the toothbrush he was holding and turned to face her. Puzzled, Angeline looked at him. ¡°What is it?¡± The moment she finished that sentence, Evander walked over to her and held her in his arms, lowering his head and kissing her. The toothpaste foam on his lips was transferred to Angeline¡¯s lips as he kissed her passionately several times. ¡°Coax me.¡± He uttered those two words in a low tone, but it sounded more like amand. Angeline stood rooted to the spot. Confusion could be seen in her eyes, as she did not understand what he meant. The next moment, Evander lifted her hand with an impish smirk on his lips and ced it on a certain part of his body. Angeline was stunned for a second. Then she blushed as red as a tomato, subconsciously licking the white foam on her lips. It was sweet with a slight taste of peppermint. ¡°Why don¡¯t we move over to the bed?¡± suggested Angeline softly. As Evander took in Angeline¡¯s seductive look, his gaze became focused and deep. It was overflowing with loving gentleness. All of a sudden, he let go of Angeline and put some distance between them with a smirk on his face. ¡°It¡¯s unbing for ady to say such a thing.¡± Angeline was speechless. For some reason, she felt a sh of anger arise in her heart. It was Evander who had started it first. Perhaps it was also because she felt disappointed that things did not progress in the direction that she hoped they would. She got down from the sink and proceeded to walk away. However, Evander suddenly lifted her face to his and started kissing her. ¡°Mmph!¡± Before Angeline could say anything, her lips were sealed shut by Evander¡¯s fervent kiss. He lifted one of her legs and pressed his body forward, leaving her with no room to escape. A very peculiar feeling enveloped Angeline. It was as if someone had set fire to her entire body, unleashing all the emotions that she had held deep in her heart. Angeline could not help but give in to Evander. Waves after waves of passion rippled within her body. When they were done with their intense session of intimacy, it was already afternoon. As Angeline washed herself up in the bathroom, she was quite embarrassed to see the countless red spots strewn all over her back. My goodness, Evander. I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a beast! The both of them had a meal at the restaurant on the first floor. After Evander bought Angeline¡¯s air ticket, he left the hotel. He had a dinner appointment that night, so he could not personally see Angeline off. She did not mind and proceeded to board the ne alone. Angeline had purposelye over to tell Evander about her decision. She did not make any other ns, so she did not think it was a shame that he could not be there to send her off. After Angeline disembarked the ne, she did not bother to take her luggage home first and went straight to Forrester Group to work. Now that she had secured the investor and confirmed the live streamer, she just needed to get everything in order. The crew finally got all the equipment set up after a couple of hours under Angeline¡¯s supervision and instructions. Following that, she notified Jacob that he needed to start live streaming at seven in the evening and that he would be promoting beauty devices. Jacob was very popr at the moment, so he had the support of many fans. The moment he shared on Twitter that he would be live streamingter, there was a huge reaction on the inte. Some fans were in favor of his live streaming, as they were overjoyed that they could interact live with their favorite idol online. On the other hand, some of them used Forrester Group of profiting off Jacob and downgrading him. That did note as a surprise, as some fan groups were fanatical and regarded their idols as their imaginary other half. They felt they had the right to decide what their idols should and should not do. Although Angeline understood this was bound to happen, she still felt a little troubled when she saw the criticisms. It was mainly because she felt guilty about dragging Jacob into this. I did not consider Jacob¡¯s feelings at all. Have I inadvertently coerced him into doing this? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Given Jacob¡¯s current level of poprity, he could easily earn more money by attending some fashion show instead of going on a live stream. While Angeline struggled with her mixed emotions and concerns, the same could not be said for Jacob, as he did not worry too much. When he reached Forrester Group in the evening, the female staff who were on duty started crowding around him. ¡°Mr. Zane, can we have your autograph, please?¡± they asked uneasily while swooning over him. He nodded in their direction and said with augh, ¡°Of course. Get me a pen.¡± The female staff went crazy at his reply and started shrieking their heads off from sheer excitement. ¡°Oh, wow! You¡¯re the best! We love you!¡± ¡°Mr. Zane, when will you be releasing the full version of your single? The sample was so good that I can¡¯t wait for more!¡± ¡°This is too good to be true! I was just biding my time before thepany closed down. I can¡¯t believe Ms. Sorelle managed to invite a superstar right after she took over!¡± Jacob, who had been signing autographs and patiently answering questions, smiled upon hearing Angeline¡¯s name being mentioned. ¡°Angie has always been serious and professional about her work. Rest assured that thepany won¡¯t go bankrupt with her around.¡± ¡°Yes, we all believe in Ms. Sorelle.¡± After Jacob was done giving his autograph, he signaled to his assistant who was standing behind him. Thetter brought over a bag and gave each of the female staff a tube of lipstick from a well-known international brand. ¡°Please take these. These are the products that I¡¯m recently endorsing. I hope you will show your support for Angie¡¯s work.¡± His pearly white teeth glimmered as he smiled amiably. He was so handsome that not a fault could be found in any of his striking features. The lipsticks that he gave out were in the shade that was the most popr at the moment. Each one of them cost around three hundred, yet he gave them away generously. Once again, high-pitched shrieks of excitement filled the air. ¡°Why is everyone so excited?¡± Angeline descended the stairs and walked toward the crowd. She was wearing an all-white suit. A face mask concealed half of her face, but her doe eyes were as enchanting as ever. ¡°Ms. Sorelle.¡± Chapter 170 Chapter 170 The female staff immediately quieted down and greeted her. The next moment, they all held out the lipsticks Jacob had given them as if they were some precious treasure enthusiastically. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Sorelle. Jacob gave us these lipsticks. We¡¯re ted!¡± Angeline raised a brow upon hearing that. She looked at Jacob, feeling a little helpless about what he had done. ¡°Jacob, you¡¯d better not spoil my staff and raise their bar of expectations too high.¡± Gentleness filled Jacob¡¯s captivating eyes as he smiled cheerfully in Angeline¡¯s direction. ¡°You came right on time, Angie. Of course, I¡¯ve prepared something for you too.¡± Jacob rummaged through his assistant¡¯s bag and took out a heart-shaped lipstick gift set before presenting it to Angeline. ¡°It¡¯s the summer limited edition. There are twenty-four lipsticks in total. I¡¯ll give it to my fans if you don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°You wish.¡± Angeline gave him a side-eye and snatched the gift set away from him. Since he was giving it to her anyway, there was no reason for her to refuse a gift that was meant for her. No woman could resist the temptation of lipsticks. After that, Angeline showed Jacob the way to the broadcast studio. The female staff looked at their retreating backs with palpitating hearts as they felt emotional. ¡°What a beautiful sight! The lead actors of The Journey are working together once more!¡± ¡°I have a feeling that the number of people joining the live stream will exceed expectations!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s expected. The Journey is trending on the inte right now. Let¡¯s do our best! I think Ms. Sorelle is way more capable than Mrs. Yiurk. There¡¯s hope for Forrester Group after all!¡± Although some of the staff were still skeptical about Angeline¡¯s capabilities, they could not deny that she had managed to make thepany get on the right track after she took over. Whether she had done it through her own abilities or through connections, she made Hanson give in. She also secured an investment from Evander and invited Jacob, a hotshot celebrity, to work with them. Everyone wondered how Angeline pulled off all those feats. In the broadcast studio, Angeline briefed Jacob about the beauty device. She then patted his shoulder and said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervouster. You just need to say a few marketing lines to promote the product. I¡¯ve arranged for a co-host to introduce the product to the audience.¡± ¡°Angie, you¡¯re underestimating me,¡± replied Jacob with disdain pridefully, sitting on the chair boldly with his legs crossed. ¡°This kind of live stream poses no challenge to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a nice meal after you¡¯re done,¡± said Angeline with augh. She could finally rx when she saw how well-adapted Jacob was. Just as she had finished speaking, the door to the broadcast studio was suddenly pushed open, and in came a young couple. ¡°Angie, shouldn¡¯t you arrange for us to go live too?¡± Angeline was startled when the door was pushed open so abruptly. When she realized who had just walked in, she was astonished.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Why are you both here?¡± The two people who had just entered the broadcast studio were Quentin Easmon and Elsa Zahn, the male and female supporting actors of The Journey. They were newbie actors who were still studying in a film school and whose poprity surged after they appeared in The Journey. Angeline was not close with them, as she was usually busy with filming. Besides interacting with them on set, she had never had a meal with them before. Why are they here now? I¡¯m sure I didn¡¯t invite them. She turned to look at Jacob in confusion. ¡°Were you the one who invited them?¡± After all, Jacob had a sunny disposition. He could easily befriend the younger actors while filming with them. However, he raised both his hands in mock surrender and showed an innocent expression. ¡°No way. I know you have a tight budget, so I dared not invite anyone else. Hey, you two. Care to exin what¡¯s going on?¡± Quentin scratched his head shyly and nced at Jacob before exining, ¡°Sorry for not introducing ourselves first. We have just signed on to Golding Group. Our boss told us that we needed to do a live stream. We didn¡¯t expect it to be your project, Angie.¡± After hearing Quentin¡¯s exnation, Angeline finally understood what was going on. She subconsciously nced toward the ground floor. A number of ck luxury cars had pulled up at the entrance, and around a dozen bodyguards stood around them. It was quite an epic scene. Angeline massaged her temples upon seeing that, feeling helpless. Elsa walked over to her and held her arm affectionately. ¡°Are you not feeling well, Angie? Has your allergy gotten better?¡± asked Elsa with a look of concern. ¡°I¡¯m much better now. Thank you.¡± Angeline smiled at Elsa, then nced at Quentin. A troubled look slowly came over her features. After some time, she said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯re here to help. But as for the payment¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Ourpany has already paid us,¡± replied Elsa with a smile. Angeline was rendered speechless. This is indeed Evander¡¯s way of doing things. No wonder he agreed so readily when I asked him if I could invite Jacob when we were overseas. Angeline assumed that he had gotten over it somehow, but it turned out that he had made arrangements in secret. He had invited the other actors from The Journey to further boost the hype and lessen her interactions with Jacob. It¡¯s no wonder everyone says he¡¯s a sly old fox. He¡¯s cunning indeed! Since Evander had arranged for Quentin and Elsa to be at her disposal, she epted them with open arms. Angeline quickly led the two newbies to familiarize themselves with the broadcast studio and introduce them to the products. Fresh actors were usually energetic andmitted. They listened carefully and learned the ropes rather quickly. A short whileter, Forrester Group¡¯s promotional live stream started off with a bang. As it was not convenient for Angeline to show herself because of her allergy, she could only watch them from behind the scenes in the waiting room. Angeline had hired the same co-host from thest time. The live stream had just started and the number of people who joined shot up in a frenzy. The gift animations that kept appearing on the screen almost drowned out their faces. The co-host quickly said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please don¡¯t send us gifts. We don¡¯t need gifts for this live stream. Jacob hopes you can save your money for yourselves.¡± Even though she had made it clear, the situation in the live stream was still quite chaotic. Jacob had to step in to keep the fans under control. The corners of his eyes lifted as he smiled charismatically. ¡°My sweethearts, please behave rationally. Please don¡¯t send us any more gifts. If you have money to spare, then have a look at our beauty devices. Isn¡¯t it better to invest in them as they would ultimately benefit you and also help me out? That¡¯s killing two birds with one stone.¡± With his simple but tactful words, Jacob managed to direct everyone¡¯s focus to the product. They were given a thirty-minute time restriction to introduce the product. The co-host got Jacob to interact with Quentin and Elsa. Through their interactions, they further introduced the products in the live stream. Everything proceeded smoothly. Excitement shone in Angeline¡¯s eyes as she looked at the huge traffic in the live stream. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 The live stream was a huge sess! ¡°The beauty device had an existing stock of a hundred and eighty thousand. Then, you got someone to acquire another one hundred thousand units at a low price. On top of that, you priced the couple¡¯s gift set at two thousand each. You really do know how to make a profit, Angeline.¡± A man¡¯s gentle voice sounded from somewhere. The next moment, Angeline saw Hanson walk in from the outside. Angeline¡¯s expression turned icy when she saw the unwanted visitor. She asked coldly, ¡°Why have you come?¡± Her frosty demeanor hurt Hanson. However, he simply tucked his hands in his pockets and maintained a politeposure. ¡°Well, I¡¯m one of Forrester Group¡¯s shareholders. It¡¯s perfectly reasonable for me toe and have a look, right?¡± Angeline gave a half-suppressed smile and countered mercilessly, ¡°If you¡¯re here as a shareholder, I have no objections. But please make it clear to your wife so that she won¡¯te and trash my office again. I don¡¯t think I can handle another round of her tantrum.¡± ¡°Did Joselinee over?¡± Hanson frowned as he felt unhappy about what Joseline had done. This added to his guilt toward Angeline. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Nobody told me about it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. If shees looking for trouble again, I¡¯ll take legal action against her.¡± Angeline maintained her frigid expression and did not cut Hanson any ck. ¡°Before that happens, I think there¡¯s no need for us to stay in contact anymore.¡± After she said that, she immediately sat down and put on a pair of headphones, continuing with her supervision of the live stream that was still ongoing. Having been rebuked and ignored, Hanson stood rooted to the spot with his fists clenched. His sses obscured the cold glint that appeared in his eyes. He had made time toe and see Angeline, yet she had given him the cold shoulder. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Hanson could not ept being ignored in such a way. Not only that, he could not wrap his head over the fact that Angeline belonged with someone else now and did not harbor any feelings for him at all! I must win her over and make her minepletely! ¡°All right, everybody. You can start buying soon. The couple¡¯s gift set has a very limited stock. There¡¯s also a chance of getting Jacob¡¯s autographed photos. Firste, first serve¡­¡± In no time, the live stream came to an end. Most of the beauty devices had already been sold off. There were only the couple¡¯s gift sets left. Although various goodies were given out along with the product, its price was increased by a hundred percent. Angeline started to feel uneasy. She was worried that a blunder like thest time would happen again, so she went to the IT department to monitor them. The co-host announced, ¡°Ready! One, two, three! It starts now!¡± All of the gift sets were sold off in an instant. Forrester Group had sessfully sold off a whole warehouse of beauty devices. Many fans who were not fast enoughmented their loss in the live stream chat channels. ¡°Wow!¡± Everyone in Forrester Group cheered and congratted each other. The staff got up from their seats to high-five their colleagues. All of them had been working their guts out due to Angeline¡¯s strict demands. They had been very tensed up and working overtime continuously for some time. At that moment, the ster sales results made them feel that all their efforts were worth it. The heavy boulder that had been crushing their hearts was thus lifted. Angeline stood at her spot as she took in the entire scene. A pleased smile crept onto her face. ¡°Congrattions, everyone! We wouldn¡¯t have achieved this without your efforts. I¡¯ve asked my assistant to get us some food takeout. It¡¯s on its way here now. We should celebrate!¡± Hanson walked in right then. He was gentlemanly as always. The way he spoke was pleasant and friendly. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yiurk!¡± The staff was excited to hear that food wasing their way. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Among all the faces, only Angeline¡¯s was cold and unimpressed. She looked at Hanson with a solemn expression. ¡°I¡¯ve achieved what I promised you. Now, what about your promise to me?¡± There was a hint of pain in Hanson¡¯s smile. ¡°Angeline, am I really that untrustworthy in your eyes?¡± he asked, keeping his voice low and gentle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Forrester Group is yours. I¡¯ll make sure Joseline doesn¡¯t disturb you ever again.¡± Angeline finally brightened up after she heard his affirmation. She felt relieved and no longer spoke to him in a hostile manner. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll manage thepany well.¡± She exchanged a few words with him courteously. Then she purposely kept a distance from him and went upstairs to check on Jacob and the others. The live stream had gone well. Everyone was now huddled together at a long table set up in the main hall. Various scrumptious food wasid on the table for everyone to feast on. Hanson had gone all out to treat everybody. Because of Jacob¡¯s status as an A-list celebrity, he could not celebrate with the rest of them. Right after the live stream ended, his assistant came to escort him back. Angeline dined with everyone else. She was exhrated, but she took care to drink other beverages and not alcohol in consideration of her health. After the celebration, Angeline announced that everyone would be getting a day off. Soon, there was only the cleaning staff left. Looking around at the empty office, Angeline was ovee with emotions and felt a surge of bitterness in her heart. She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window and stared at the street lights in front of herpany building. Some sunflowers were nted there. The moment she noticed they were starting to bloom, her eyes reddened. Sunflowers were her mother¡¯s favorite nt. They symbolized positive growth and were unafraid of the cold. Angeline felt that she did not let her mother down. She had helped Forrester Group get on the right track and secured sufficient funds for thepany. Next, she would hire the best designer to make Forrester Group great. The only thing she could do to honor herte parents was to manage Forrester Group well. That was the only way she could make up for her inability to see them onest time before they passed on. After wrapping up the event at Forrester Group, Angeline devoted herself to her treatment. Roger initially came over once every week, but it then became a daily urrence. With the medicinal baths that she had been getting every day, Angeline¡¯s allergy eased up. The red spots on her body diminished and were not so frightening to look at anymore. She did not have to conceal her face anymore. Francesca and Floretta could finallye back to the mansion. To celebrate the asion, Angeline cooked an array of dishes. Floretta seemed to have grown taller in the days that Angeline had not seen her. She came running over to Angeline with open arms in her favorite pink tutu skirt. ¡°Angel, hug me!¡± Florettaughed, revealing her faint dimples. She looked super cute. Angeline enveloped the little one in her warm embrace, feeling all mushy inside. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, Floretta. I had some health issues¡­¡± ¡°I know. Do you feel better now?¡± Floretta asked with utmost concern and not a hint of reproach. ¡°Much better.¡± The little girl heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s great, then. You must get well soon so that you can attend the parent-teacher conference.¡± ¡°Parent-teacher conference?¡± asked Angeline with a frown, notprehending what Floretta meant. ¡°Yeah. My teacher said we will have a parents¡¯ sports day next month, and all parents must participate. Don¡¯t you want to be my mommy?¡± Tha liva straam was a huga sass! ¡°Tha baauty davica had an axisting stock of a hundrad and aighty thousand. Than, you got somaona to acquira anothar ona hundrad thousand units at a low prica. On top of that, you pricad tha cou¡¯s gift sat at two thousand aach. You raally do know how to maka a profit, Angalina.¡± A man¡¯s gan voica soundad from somawhara. Tha naxt momant, Angalina saw Hanson walk in from tha outsida. Angalina¡¯s axprassion turnad icy whan sha saw tha unwantad visitor. Sha askad coldly, ¡°Why hava you coma?¡± Har frosty damaanor hurt Hanson. Howavar, ha simply tuckad his hands in his pockats and maintainad a politaposura. ¡°Wall, I¡¯m ona of Forrastar Group¡¯s sharaholdars. It¡¯s parfactly raasona for ma toa and hava a look, right?¡± Angalina gava a half-supprassad sm and countarad marcssly, ¡°If you¡¯ra hara as a sharaholdar, I hava no objactions. But asa maka it ar to your wifa so that sha won¡¯ta and trash my offica again. I don¡¯t think I can han anothar round of har tantrum.¡± ¡°Did Josalinaa ovar?¡± Hanson frownad as ha falt unhappy about what Josalina had dona. This addad to his guilt toward Angalina. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Nobody told ma about it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t naad to apologiza. If shaas looking for trou again, I¡¯ll takagal action against har.¡± Angalina maintainad har frigid axprassion and did not cut Hanson any ck. ¡°Bafora that happans, I think thara¡¯s no naad for us to stay in contact anymora.¡± Aftar sha said that, sha immadiataly sat down and put on a pair of haadphonas, continuing with har suparvision of tha liva straam that was still ongoing. Having baan rabukad and ignorad, Hanson stood rootad to tha spot with his fists nchad. His ssas obscurad tha cold glint that appaarad in his ayas. Ha had mada tima toa and saa Angalina, yat sha had givan him tha cold shouldar. Hanson could not apt baing ignorad in such a way. Not only that, ha could not wrap his haad ovar tha fact that Angalina balongad with somaona alsa now and did not harbor any faalings for him at all! I must win har ovar and maka har minataly! ¡°All right, avarybody. You can start buying soon. Tha cou¡¯s gift sat has a vary limitad stock. Thara¡¯s also a chanca of gatting Jacob¡¯s autographad photos. Firsta, first sarva¡­¡± In no tima, tha liva straam cama to an and. Most of tha baauty davicas had alraady baan sold off. Thara wara only tha cou¡¯s gift satsft. Although various goodias wara givan out along with tha product, its prica was incraasad by a hundrad parcant. Angalina startad to faal unaasy. Sha was worriad that a blundar lika thast tima would happan again, so sha want to tha IT dapartmant to monitor tham. Tha co-host announcad, ¡°Raady! Ona, two, thraa! It starts now!¡± All of tha gift sats wara sold off in an instant. Forrastar Group had sassfully sold off a wh warahousa of baauty davicas. Many fans who wara not fast anoughmantad thair loss in tha liva straam chat channals. ¡°Wow!¡± Evaryona in Forrastar Group chaarad and congrattad aach othar. Tha staff got up from thair saats to high-fiva thair coaguas. All of tham had baan working thair guts out dua to Angalina¡¯s strict damands. Thay had baan vary tansad up and working ovartima continuously for soma tima. At that momant, tha star ss rasults mada tham faal that all thair afforts wara worth it. Tha haavy bouldar that had baan crushing thair haarts was thus liftad. Angalina stood at har spot as sha took in tha antira scana. A asad sm crapt onto har faca. ¡°Congrattions, avaryona! Wa wouldn¡¯t hava achiavad this without your afforts. I¡¯va askad my assistant to gat us soma food takaout. It¡¯s on its way hara now. Wa should cbrata!¡± Hanson walkad in right than. Ha was ganmanly as always. Tha way ha spoka was asant and friandly. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yiurk!¡± Tha staff was axcitad to haar that food wasing thair way. ¡°You¡¯ra waa.¡± Among all tha facas, only Angalina¡¯s was cold and unimprassad. Sha lookad at Hanson with a smn axprassion. ¡°I¡¯va achiavad what I promisad you. Now, what about your promisa to ma?¡± Thara was a hint of pain in Hanson¡¯s sm. ¡°Angalina, am I raally that untrustworthy in your ayas?¡± ha askad, kaaping his voica low and gan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Forrastar Group is yours. I¡¯ll maka sura Josalina doasn¡¯t disturb you avar again.¡± Angalina finally brightanad up aftar sha haard his affirmation. Sha falt raliavad and no longar spoka to him in a host mannar. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll managa thapany wall.¡± Sha axchangad a faw words with him courtaously. Than sha purposaly kapt a distanca from him and want upstairs to chack on Jacob and tha othars. Tha liva straam had gona wall. Evaryona was now hudd togathar at a long ta sat up in tha main hall. Various scrumptious food wasid on tha ta for avaryona to faast on. Hanson had gona all out to traat avarybody. Bacausa of Jacob¡¯s status as an A-list cbrity, ha could not cbrata with tha rast of tham. Right aftar tha liva straam andad, his assistant cama to ascort him back. Angalina dinad with avaryona alsa. Sha was axhratad, but sha took cara to drink othar bavaragas and not alcohol in considaration of har haalth. Aftar tha cbration, Angalina announcad that avaryona would ba gatting a day off. Soon, thara was only tha aning staffft. Looking around at tha ampty offica, Angalina was ovaa with amotions and falt a surga of bittarnass in har haart. Sha walkad ovar to tha floor-to-cailing window and starad at tha straat lights in front of harpany building. Soma sunflowars wara ntad thara. Tha momant sha noticad thay wara starting to bloom, har ayas raddanad. Sunflowars wara har mothar¡¯s favorita nt. Thay symbolizad positiva growth and wara unafraid of tha cold. Angalina falt that sha did nott har mothar down. Sha had halpad Forrastar Group gat on tha right track and sacurad sufficiant funds for thapany. Naxt, sha would hira tha bast dasignar to maka Forrastar Group graat. Tha only thing sha could do to honor harta parants was to managa Forrastar Group wall. That was tha only way sha could maka up for har inability to saa tham onast tima bafora thay passad on. Aftar wrapping up tha avant at Forrastar Group, Angalina davotad harsalf to har traatmant. Rogar initially cama ovar onca avary waak, but it than bacama a daily urranca. With tha madicinal baths that sha had baan gatting avary day, Angalina¡¯s argy aasad up. Tha rad spots on har body diminishad and wara not so frightaning to look at anymora. Sha did not hava to concaal har faca anymora. Francasca and Floratta could finallya back to tha mansion. To cbrata tha asion, Angalina cookad an array of dishas. Floratta saamad to hava grown tar in tha days that Angalina had not saan har. Sha cama running ovar to Angalina with opan arms in har favorita pink tutu skirt. ¡°Angal, hug ma!¡± Florattaughad, ravaaling har faint dims. Sha lookad supar cuta. Angalina anvalopad tha lit ona in har warm ambraca, faaling all mushy insida. ¡°I¡¯va missad you too, Floratta. I had soma haalth issuas¡­¡± ¡°I know. Do you faal battar now?¡± Floratta askad with utmost concarn and not a hint of raproach. ¡°Much battar.¡± Tha lit girl haavad a sigh of raliaf. ¡°That¡¯s graat, than. You must gat wall soon so that you can attand tha parant-taachar confaranca.¡± ¡°Parant-taachar confaranca?¡± askad Angalina with a frown, notprahanding what Floratta maant. ¡°Yaah. My taachar said wa will hava a parants¡¯ sports day naxt month, and all parants must participata. Don¡¯t you want to ba my mommy?¡± Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Do you not want to be my mommy? Angeline was taken aback upon hearing Floretta¡¯s request, and for a moment, she did not know how to reply. Since she was not Floretta¡¯s birth mother, it seemed inappropriate for her to attend the parent-teacher conference. However, she did not want to be the cause of Floretta¡¯s sorrow. Angeline contemted for a while before she pulled Floretta to her and patted her head gently. ¡°Floretta, I can¡¯t make this decision by myself. How about we wait for your daddy to return, and we shall discuss this matter then?¡± Floretta pursed her lips. There was a tinge of dissatisfaction in herrge doe-like eyes. ¡°Why is Daddy so indecisive? He obviously likes you but doesn¡¯t want to say anything. Don¡¯t worry, Angel. He won¡¯t say no if I¡¯m here.¡± Angeline coughed awkwardly upon hearing Floretta¡¯s words. Floretta¡¯s remarks were brutal and lethal. In reality, Evander was not as calm as he tried to portray himself to be. He was someone who preferred to do things discreetly. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Floretta, do you not recognize your father after not seeing him for the past few days?¡± Suddenly, a deep voice rang out from the living room. Angeline turned toward the direction of the sound and was astonished when she saw Evander approaching them slowly with his luggage. Did we manifest his presence because we talked about him so much? She immediately stood up and stared at him in confusion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you still have to be abroad for a few more days for meetings?¡± ¡°They ended earlier than expected. I have instructed Ss to handle the remaining matters,¡± Evander said. Francesca walked over and greeted him before taking his luggage to his room. ¡°Daddy!¡± When Floretta saw him, a bright smile reced the look of disdain on her face. She extended her chubby arms and charged toward him clumsily. ¡°I want a hug! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Evander¡¯s gaze softened, and he bent down to pick Floretta up from the ground with one arm. ¡°What a smart girl. Have you been obedient these few days?¡± ¡°I have! I even got first ce in my exam¡­¡± Floretta could not seem to stop once she started talking about school. Angeline shook her head helplessly. She left them conversing with each other as she entered the kitchen to bring out dinner. She only called for them when it was time to eat. Evander carried Floretta over. When Angeline nced at the abundance of sweet dishes on the dining table, she felt a pang of guilt. She said apologetically, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wereing back early, so I prepared dinner ording to Floretta¡¯s tastes. I can make some simpler dishes for you if you¡¯re not in a rush.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m fine with this.¡± Evander carried Floretta to her chair and tied a bib around her with a gentle gaze. He seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°You¡¯re not a housekeeper. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. A wave of warmth streaked through her when she heard that. She knew Evander was serious. ¡°Wow!¡± Floretta looked at their exchange. She seemed to have discovered a massive secret as she covered her mouth to hide her smirk. ¡°Eat properly.¡± Evander nced at Floretta calmly as his lips curled into an inconspicuous smile. Angeline was about to feed Floretta when thetter snatched the spoon away. A smug smile was seen on her face. ¡°Angel, the teachers at school have taught me how to feed myself. Here, let me show you!¡± Angeline and Evander exchanged nces and chuckled lightly. ¡°Sure, show us.¡± Floretta picked two massive prawns off the te in front of her as soon as she heard that. She was still not used to using a fork, so she took her time cing them on Angeline¡¯s and Evander¡¯s tes. Angeline pped her hands in delight. ¡°Floretta, you¡¯re so smart!¡± Floretta grinned in response. Then she grabbed Angeline¡¯s hand and ced it on top of Evander¡¯s. ¡°We¡¯re a family now. I¡¯m so happy!¡± She sounded serious and sincere. It did not seem she was pretending when she was smiling this blissfully. Angeline flushed as she immediately realized Floretta¡¯s intentions. She could not help but grumble internally that they had to be biologically rted for them to be so crafty. ¡°I should consider changing schools for you, so you don¡¯t let your imagination run wild all day. Is this what the teachers teach you in school?¡± Evander pretended to scold her and smacked the back of her head gently. However, mirth danced across his eyes. Floretta felt aggrieved and replied seriously, ¡°Of course not. The school invited the parents to attend the parent-teacher conference. However, I only have Daddy but no mommy. I¡¯ll be envious when I see my friends with their families.¡± One had to admit that Floretta was a talented actress. When Angeline heard Floretta¡¯s words, she furrowed her brows and felt slightly reluctant to reject her. However, Evander was already used to Floretta¡¯s acting tactics, so he remained calm. After a long moment, he finally asked, ¡°When¡¯s the parent-teacher conference?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still ten days left!¡± Floretta counted with her tiny fingers seriously. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be there with Angeline when that timees,¡± Evander promised her. Then he ced a Buffalo wing on Floretta¡¯s te. Upon hearing Evander¡¯s statement, Floretta cheered in delight. She raised her head and beamed happily. ¡°That means Angel is my mommy from then on.¡± ¡°No.¡± Angeline was shocked by her words. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense, Floretta. Come, let¡¯s eat.¡± As she ced vegetables on her te, she sheepishly lowered her head to hide the awkwardness in her eyes. However, it aligned with her intentions when Evander said she should attend Floretta¡¯s parent-teacher conference. She feared it would negatively impact Floretta¡¯s childhood if thetter were perceived as a single- parent child among her peers. After dinner, Evander and Floretta went upstairs. He had bought some toys for her when he was overseas. Angeline went upstairs after helping Francesca clean the table. She spotted Floretta in Evander¡¯s arms as they assembled the toys. Evander¡¯s movements were deft as he yed with the toy parts and taught Floretta how to assemble them patiently. Angeline leaned against the door and watched them for a while, and her eyes danced with delight. Although Evander was a busy man, she realized he had always been a caring father to Floretta. Suddenly, she wished time would stop at this precious moment. If not for theplicated past, she did not mind spending the rest of her life with them. ¡°Angel, look at the bag Daddy bought for me! Is it pretty?¡± Floretta noticed her first. She blinked and held out a furry bag that looked like a bunny with a bright smile. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 ¡°Wow, it¡¯s beautiful!¡± Angeline entered the room and patted Floretta¡¯s head dotingly. ¡°You¡¯re a cute girl, Floretta. It will definitely look lovely on you when you carry it.¡± Floretta lowered her head and stuck out her tongue bashfully. ¡°Daddy said the same thing. I¡¯ll bring it to school tomorrow, then.¡± After a few minutes, Evander was done assembling the toy. He handed it to Floretta and said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Follow Francesca and go back to your room to sleep.¡± Since Floretta was satisfied as she had obtained a new toy that night, she didn¡¯t throw a fit and left with Francesca obediently. Angeline was slightly worried. ¡°Francesca can¡¯t bathe Floretta on her own. I should go help her.¡± Looking concerned, she was about to follow Francesca and Floretta when the door mmed shut right in front of her face. Then she was pulled into a warm embrace by the man behind her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too attentive to Floretta? I¡¯m your boyfriend, Angeline!¡± A maic voice sounded right beside her ears as if a mesmerizing hand was pulling on her heartstring. Angeline remained in her spot and felt a tingling sensation throughout her body. She kept quiet for a moment before chuckling. ¡°You¡¯re already an adult, yet you¡¯re jealous of a little child? Not to mention that she¡¯s your daughter! Shouldn¡¯t you be d that I¡¯m treating your daughter well?¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet-talker,¡± said Evander. He kissed her earlobes repeatedly and gradually made his way down to her irresistible swan-like neck. Angeline¡¯s throat went dry at Evander¡¯s seduction. Just when she was about to give in and surrender herself to him, he let go of her abruptly and took a few steps back. ¡°Come here. I have a gift for you,¡± he said. A gift? He prepared one for me as well? Angeline¡¯s misty eyes were filled with confusion as she watched him take out a red velvet gift box with a ck silk ribbon tied around it. He opened the lid with his slender and defined fingers. Inside the gift box was a set of sapphire jewelry. The eye-catching jewelry glimmered gloriously under the light. One could easily tell it was invaluable. Even Angeline¡ªwho had been the spokesperson for various pieces of jewelry¡ªwas enchanted by its gorgeousness. She had seen nothing as beautiful as this set of jewelry before. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°This is known as the Heart of the Ocean, and there is only one set in the entire world.¡± Evander held Angeline¡¯s hand and led her to the mirror. He went behind her and took out the ne from the box, then put it on her. ¡°It looks perfect on you,¡± heplimented her gently, his eyes filled with praise. He wasn¡¯t exaggerating at all. The neplemented her snow-white neck, entuating her slender features and enhancing her elegance. Angeline was also pleased with the gift. Feeling ttered, she caressed the ne lightly to feel the texture of the sapphire on her fingertips. This is such an expensive ne. I don¡¯t think I should ept it. She was just about to return the ne to Evander when she noticed the logo on the gift box. It was a brand she knew all too well. ¡°These are from Majestic Elite Jewelry?¡± Evander nodded and replied nonchntly, ¡°Mm-hmm. This brand is established and reputable. Mr. Will ¡ªthe brand¡¯s jewelry designer¡ªloves releasing limited edition pieces of jewelry.¡± Angeline¡¯s mind began buzzing, and her heart started throbbing. She was agitated as the man who had slept with her five years ago had left a ring behind. It was the same brand as this ne. Not long ago, she had brought the ring to a jewelry shop to have it investigated and hadn¡¯t gotten it back. Angeline gulped. She didn¡¯t know what came over her when she asked instinctively, ¡°Did you buy a ring from this brand five years ago?¡± Evander frowned slightly and responded curiously, ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°So you did?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I identally lost it a long time ago.¡± Angeline clenched her fists and felt a gush of blood rushing to her head. In that instant, her breath grew hasty. If that¡¯s the case, does this mean Evander is most likely the man who sexually vited me five years ago? Is he the man whom I hated to the bone? No. I can¡¯t believe it. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Angeline?¡± Evander looked at her worriedly and intuitively took a step forward. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Or is there something wrong with the ne?¡± His questions were too much for Angeline currently, and she couldn¡¯t handle the blow from the truth she had just learned. She backed away and replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She tried her best to suppress the emotions stirring up within her and pretended to look calm, but her voice was unusually raspy as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Floretta. You should get some early rest. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± With that, Angeline stormed out from the room frantically. It wasn¡¯t a stretch to say she was fleeing from the room with how panicked she seemed when she left. Evander watched her escape from the room and noticed there was something odd going on. It was impossible for an intelligent man like him to believe her words. His expression grew darker as he recalled the situation carefully and realized Angeline¡¯s mood changed when he spoke of the ring. He didn¡¯t know what happened to the ring after losing it, and he didn¡¯t remember where he left it as well. However, he had sent someone to look for it because it was his favorite at that time. Yet, the search was to no avail. His only option was to end the pursuit. Did Angeline pick it up back then? So what if she did? What could that mean? Why was she so stirred up? Unless she has been hiding something from me. After rushing out of Evander¡¯s room and escaping his overbearing presence, Angeline panted heavily while supporting herself against the wall. Her body was trembling out of fear, and she felt as if her blood was frozen at that moment. Why? I¡¯ve always tried guessing who the man I hated could be. However, never in my life had I expected him to be Evander¡ªthe man whom I just confessed to and got into a serious rtionship with. ¡°Mommy!¡± All of a sudden, a clear voice sounded. Angeline¡¯s body stiffened. She turned around in a daze and looked at Floretta, who had just taken a shower and was running toward her. The little girl was wearing a pink bathrobe, and her dark, long hair cascaded down her shoulders. She looked like a mermaid. Angeline looked at the girl¡¯s facial features and realized they looked simr to her own. Angeline felt tears prickling in her eyes, especially when she heard Floretta addressing her as Mommy. Come to think of it, Floretta¡¯s current age is simr to the child I gave birth to a few years ago. If Evander really is that man, does that mean Floretta is my biological daughter? No wonder he never answered me directly whenever I asked him about Floretta¡¯s biological mother. Francesca rushed toward Floretta and corrected, ¡°Ms. Floretta, you can¡¯t simply call someone Mommy. Ms. Sorelle isn¡¯t your mommy, all right?¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Francesca looked at Angeline apologetically. Embarrassed, she said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Ms. Floretta is still young and speaks whatever that¡¯s on her mind. I hope you pay no mind to it.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Angeline replied with a sarcastic smile. She then waved at Floretta. ¡°Come over here. Let me get a good look at you.¡± Grinning, Floretta made her way to Angeline. Her tiny frame was glued to Angeline¡¯s chest, happiness apparent on her face. ¡°I guess you¡¯re still unaware, but Daddy had admitted that Angel is my mommy. I¡¯m not wrong.¡± Francesca was shocked. ¡°Really?¡± Angeline, on the other hand, did not respond. Instead, she reached out to stroke Floretta¡¯s hair while attentively examining the young girl¡¯s features. Still, a sense of disbelief was deeply rooted within her. She had never considered the possibility that the child she had been looking for five years had been there all along. But didn¡¯t Joseline tell me that the child was kidnapped and sold to someone else? But then again, Joseline is a habitual liar. She could make up any story to get me to sell my shares in thepany. Angeline, who had finally calmed down, was once again filled with sadness at the thought. At that, her tears trickled down her face without control. Despite Angeline¡¯s attempt to hide her tears, they still did not go unnoticed by Floretta¡¯s sharp eyes. Feeling panicked, the little girl asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Angel? Do you feel sick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Angeline replied as she hurriedly wiped her tears and tried to remain neutral. ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡± Floretta pursed her lips and swung her tiny clenched fists before yelling furiously, ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide things from me, Angel. Daddy has always been difficult to get along with. Tell me if he bullied you, and I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Floretta¡¯s remarks sounded as though the little girl was merely throwing a tantrum, but they still managed to move Angeline. However, Angeline still felt as if a giant stone was pressing on her heart, and she was on the verge of going insane from how suffocated she felt. She struggled to believe that such a dramatic urrence had actually happened to her. Floretta clung to Angeline and insisted they sleep together. Angeline did not object as she picked up the little girl and walked straight to her bedroom. Angeline told Floretta a story while patting her shoulder repeatedly in an attempt to lull her to sleep. Finally, she was able to put Floretta to sleep after singing a song. Angeline, on the other hand, remained wide awake. For some reason, Angeline felt suffocated. She walked up to the balcony and opened the window. It was only when the cold breeze hit her face that she felt better. The lights from the study next to her room were still on. Angeline could see the silhouette of the man who was bent over his desk, working mercilessly. That serious look on his face sure is mesmerizing. Angeline felt a lump in her throat and was immensely pained by the thought. Since there was still no concrete evidence, she should not put the me on Evander just because of a ne. Additionally, given how much Evander values Floretta, it was best for Angeline to keep silent rather than rm him and put herself at risk. However, if Evander were really the one who caused Angeline to be pregnant and then stole her child away in secret, Angeline would never be able to forgive him. She might even bring the case to court. He shouldn¡¯t me me for taking such extreme measures. If it weren¡¯t for this issue, I would¡¯ve been living a happy and fulfilling life. Yet, everything was ruined. Still, Angeline was rather relieved that there was a possibility that the person from her past could have been Evander, as that notion helped elevate her disgust of being vited. What should I do? How should I face everything? Angeline did not manage to sleep a wink that night. ¡°ording to the news, your Grandpa is being sent to the hospital now, Angeline. It seems like he¡¯s not going to make it,¡± Nancy said. After tossing and turning throughout the night, Angeline finally felt a slight tinge of sleepiness during the morning. Yet, Nancy¡¯s sudden call disrupted all of her ns. After the call, Angeline immediately packed her stuff and got ready to go to the hospital. It was true that Wilfred had kicked her out of the family, but ever since thest meeting with him, their rtionship had seemed to be better. On top of that, there were not many people left in the Sorelle family to begin with. If Angeline were to leave Wilfred to the scheming Joseline, a notice of critical condition might have already been signed. To ensure that Wilfred would be able to live longer, Angeline had no choice but to go to the hospital. Still, leaving like this without giving Evander a notice¡­ Evander felt thirsty when he woke up. He grabbed the cup from his bedside table and made a beeline toward the living room.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Right then, he noticed Angeline rushing out of the Golding residence. What¡¯s the matter? Why does she look like she¡¯s in a hurry? Evander¡¯s brows were pinched in a deep frown. He was about to call out for Angeline but stopped when he saw the jade ne that was left on the coffee table. He was the one who helped Angeline wear the ne yesterday. He was not expecting her to remove it right in the morning. There was a piece of paper underneath the ne. Evander took a few more steps toward the table and pulled the paper out. His expression took a sharp change upon seeing the content on the paper. I¡¯m sorry. I might need to reevaluate our rtionship. The simple words reflected Angeline¡¯s resoluteness. She did not use any tricks and simply pushed him away as if he was a random stranger. A sh of irritation surged within Evander. His expression darkened as he tore the paper into shreds. What is Angeline trying to do? Evander hardly asked any questions when Angeline abruptly left their bedroom yesterday. Yet, she was already dering her intention to break up the following morning! The person who specially made a trip down to Gronga to confirm their rtionship was Angeline; the person who said she wanted to be with him was also her, and now, she was even the person who suggested their breakup! Have I been too amicabletely? Is that why Angeline thought that she could y with me? Great. Since she has the guts to do this, she better be prepared. I¡¯m not letting you off the hook, Angeline! There was already a swarm of reporters when Angeline reached the hospital. They were kept out by the bodyguards, who stood their ground. With that, Angeline could only drive her car to the back of the hospital and sneaked in from there. Angeline saw Joseline and Hanson the moment she arrived at the emergency ward. Joseline was sobbing uncontrobly and was wobbling on her feet as she cried out, ¡°What am I supposed to do if you die, Grandpa? Mom and Dad aren¡¯t here anymore, and you¡¯re my only family left.¡± Joseline¡¯s every word was cried out with sincerity. Yet, Angeline could not help but sneer upon seeing that. Truth be told, Angeline was impressed by Joseline¡¯s acting skills. If it were not for the fact that she already knew about what Joseline had done to Wilfred, she would have believed in thetter¡¯s cries. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Hanson uttered, a shocked expression on his face. He was the first to spot Angeline. ¡°I thought you won¡¯te to see Grandpa.¡± ¡°How is he?¡± Angeline inquired hastily. Despite the chaos within her, she managed to keep her cool on the outside. Hanson¡¯s face fell as he let out a long sigh. ¡°He¡¯s not doing well.¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 ¡°Grandpa is well along in years. Besides, he¡¯s had pneumonia for so long now, which has mutated into cancer. I think the chances of him surviving are slim.¡± Hanson¡¯s voice was dripping with regret. Joseline had broken down once more and was weeping on the ground. He had no option but to help her up. Angeline curled her hands into fists as she took in the scene before her. What¡¯s the point of putting on such a grief-stricken act when she didn¡¯t spare an ounce of concern for Grandpa when he was drugged? She eyed Joseline coldly and retorted blithely, ¡°For the love of god, please stop crying. It¡¯s not as if Grandpa is dead. You seem to wish for his early passing with the amount of tears you¡¯ve shed.¡± The trembling in Joseline¡¯s shoulders worsened with her racking sobs. She regained herself and pointed at Angeline. ¡°How could you speak of death so lightly? With the state that Grandpa is in, you might as well be cursing him!¡± ¡°Me, cursing him?¡± Angeline¡¯s voice quavered with anger that had reached its tipping point. ¡°You¡¯d best exin yourself. Grandpa has always been under your care all these years and was still in the pink of healthst I saw him during his birthday celebration. It doesn¡¯t make sense how he could waste away in a matter of months!¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Joseline¡¯s tears could not be staunched. It was as if a major tragedy had befallen her at the grievous look on her face. ¡°The doctor stated that his ailment resulted from years of negligence. Since you me me for not caring for Grandpa well enough, I suppose you¡¯ve done a better job by barely even visiting him?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°At least I won¡¯t harm him,¡± Angeline scoffed. Her words jolted Joseline. ¡°What are you hinting at?¡± ¡°Stop this at once. Please keep your volume down in a hospital.¡± The doctor was followed by a group of nurses as he made his way out of the emergency room. Joseline regained herposure and approached the doctor urgently. ¡°How¡¯s Grandpa?¡± The doctor said regretfully with a heavy sigh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Yiurk. We tried our best, but Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s condition is still unstable. There are two choices for him at the moment. The first is to let him go peacefully, while the second is to remove half of his lung through surgery, after which he¡¯d continue to live on life support. He¡¯d survive, but every day will be extremely torturous.¡± Angeline¡¯s face was nched of color, and her eyes were brimming with terror. How have things taken such a rapid turn for the worse? Wilfred had been capable of walking when she visited him, yet in a matter of days, he was already confined to a sickbed, his survival hanging by a thread. Has Joseline been tampering with his medication again? The culprit behind Wilfred¡¯s decline, Joseline, was putting on a convincing act as she staggered to her feet and stered on an expression like the world was ending. ¡°Grandpa, how could you abandon me just like Mom did?¡± Hanson constantly provided her with tissues to wipe her tears whileforting her. He was evidently deceived by her act of pretense. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Grandpa is still with us. I¡¯ll seek out lung specialists from other countries to treat him.¡± ¡°Yes, please do!¡± A spark of hope lifted Joseline¡¯s spirits as she clung tightly to the doctor¡¯s hand and pleaded. ¡°I¡¯ll pick the second choice. I believe Grandpa desires to continue living.¡± Joseline¡¯s words transformed Angeline¡¯s face into a rictus. She was about to voice her displeasure but was disregarded by the doctor, who¡¯d received the green light from Joseline to carry out the lung surgery. The red light indicating an ongoing surgery lighted up, intensifying Angeline¡¯s nagging worry, which manifested physically as sweaty palms. Some elderly would have preferred death over living a life of suffering. She would not judge if Joseline genuinely had any feelings of affection for Wilfred, but it was clear as day that she was merely putting on the facade of a filial granddaughter at the end of the day. Almost everything had fallen into ce in her grand scheme involving the Sorelle family. It would be a win-win situation for her to sessfully acquire thepany while portraying the image of a devoted granddaughter. Angeline could never have imagined anyone to be so grossly self-centered! Wilfred was wheeled out from the ward shortly by a nurse. He was unconscious and intubated. The tears in Angeline¡¯s eyes were on the verge of falling, but she suppressed them with sheer willpower and shielded her face. It must feel extremely agonizing for him. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Joseline wailed as she trailed the stretcher toward the ward. Angeline would have followed behind them but was halted by Joseline¡¯s warning, which oozed with contempt, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare take another step closer. After being exiled from the Sorelle family by Grandpa, you no longer have any right to the shares in the Sorelle Group.¡± Angeline¡¯s heart dropped. It turns out all that Joseline cares about is thepany¡¯s shares! Hanson admonished Joseline sternly, ¡°What nonsense! Angeline is a member of the Sorelle family as well.¡± ¡°As if!¡± Joseline¡¯s emotionally-charged voice echoed in the hall. ¡°Grandpa still has not forgiven Angeline for bringing shame to the family back then. Bold of you to assume that he¡¯ll be willing to see her even if he were to regain consciousness.¡± Angeline froze mid-stride and went into a trance. True enough. I¡¯d been so caught up with everything that I didn¡¯t even consider the possibility that Grandpa wouldn¡¯t want to meet me. ¡°Enough!¡± Hanson had an iron-d grip on Joseline¡¯s wrists. His typically gentle features were now grim. ¡°Have you not embarrassed us enough? Let¡¯s go!¡± He tugged her along as they departed from the emergency ward. Angeline decided not to go after them after a moment¡¯s consideration. Wilfred¡¯s sickness was dire enough that she wouldn¡¯t want to exacerbate it with her appearance. She would pay him a visit once his condition had improved. Instead of leaving the hospital, Angeline entered the elevator and pressed the button to reach the topmost floor. The topmost floor was built as a spaciousboratory free from themotion of the busy hospital. It was a familiar routine of Angeline¡¯s to knock on the door of theboratory and call out, ¡°Is Dr. Kingsley here?¡± She had received a text message from him that the drug test results were out. Nheless, her busy schedule did not permit her to collect it from him. Wilfred¡¯s sudden admission to the hospital had reminded her of this matter of utmost importance. A young female doctor doing drug research heard her call and responded, ¡°He¡¯s doing his rounds at the moment but will be back soon. Pleasee in and sit for a while if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°All right. Thanks.¡± Angeline smiled amicably as she promptly headed to Liam¡¯s workstation. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 When she scanned the room and spotted Wilfred¡¯s report, she quickly walked over to retrieve it and read it carefully. Lines and lines of words in Ustranasion came into her sight, yet she couldn¡¯t read any of them. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you¡¯re here.¡± Liam¡¯s gentle voice suddenly rang out behind her. She turned around and shed him a smile as if nothing had happened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Kingsley. Am I interrupting you?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Are you here for your grandfather¡¯s medicationb test result?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes darkened at his words, and there was a hint of confusion in her eyes. ¡°Yes. But I¡¯m dumb and can¡¯t read it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everyoneins that doctors¡¯ handwriting is the hardest to read in this world.¡± Liam took off his jacket and brought Angeline to the seat. With a warm smile, he said, ¡°Bring me the report. I¡¯ll exin it to you.¡± Angeline quickly handed him the report and listened carefully to his exnation. ¡°Look. After running ab test, we found that the medication you provided us contains atoxin B1, the most carcinogenic chemical.¡± I knew it! Angeline was not surprised by the result. However, she still couldn¡¯t ept the oue when she heard it from Liam herself. ¡°Is there any chance of cure?¡± ¡°If the patient has only consumed it for a short period of time, yes. But there¡¯ll be no hope if he has taken it for a long time and gets cancer.¡± Unfortunately, the worst case happened to Wilfred. Dispirited, Angeline cleared her throat and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Understood. Thank you, Dr. Kingsley.¡± ¡°The person who produces this drug is so ruthless. No one would know about it if you didn¡¯t carefully observe it back then and discover the truth.¡± Liam patted her shoulder as a gesture offort. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, under such circumstances, I suggest you hire awyer to solve the problem.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Angeline took a deep breath to make herself feel better. ¡°Thank you so much for today.¡± After speaking with Liam, she walked out of theb, took the elevator, and strode toward the main hall door. As mixed feelings bloomed in her chest, she suddenly felt lightheaded and dizzy, and her legs almost gave away. She quickly grabbed a seat and sat down. Holding her forehead, she gazed at the marble floor silently. Soon, tears welled up in her eyes. I miss the previous prosperous Sorelle family with great camaraderie among the family members. Why did the Sorelles fall in just a few years? Just as she was about to fall into self-doubt, someone ced a warm coat on her cold shoulders. She could feel her shaking heart calm down upon smelling the familiar fragrance on the coat. One who could mellow her out just like that would be none other than Evander. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Angeline. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± His tone was overbearing but carried a tinge of concern. Angeline raised her head in a daze. Looking at the handsome man before her, she could no longer hold back her tears and started sobbing. Evander immediately scooped her into his arms and headed to the door without saying anything. He opened the door of the ck Maybach, which was parked at the entrance, and put her in the passenger seat. Then, he made his way to the driver¡¯s seat and closed the door. After raising the car window and increasing the air conditioning temperature slightly, he covered her legs with a nket and said in a deep voice, ¡°There¡¯s no one here. You may cry as hard as you want to.¡± But Angeline had already regained herposure after a long time of pondering. She clutched the corners of the coat and spoke with difficulty. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Evander¡¯s eyes darkened as he cupped her face in his hands, wiping away the tears on her cheeks. He originally came to her in a fit of rage. However, the anger in his heart dissipated at the sight of her sad and helpless look. Still, there was a hint of usation in his voice as he continued, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give me an exnation after suddenly leaving a breakup note?¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly at his words. She knew the note she had left behind would definitely anger him. However, she could only bear the consequences, and there was no room for regret. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and said with conviction, ¡°Evander, I meant every word I had written on the note. I hope you can reconsider our rtionship too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened at her words. Angeline knew she should pipe down at that moment, but she would be escaping from reality if she did. ¡°I know you are angry that I¡¯ve fooled you, but I don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Angeline, you chose to be with me back then, yet you want a break up not even half a monthter. Do you think I¡¯m someone you can fool with?¡± Evander¡¯s eyes were icy cold. His furious and aggressive look made the temperature in the car plummet as if they were in a frozen cer. ¡°I¡¯m not fooling you.¡± Angeline knitted her brows. There¡¯s a misunderstanding in this matter. However, Evander has known me for so long. How can he still mistake me for a woman with ulterior motives? Clenching his fists, Evander stared into her eyes with a gloomy expression and mocked, ¡°Oh? Does that mean you¡¯re abandoning me after using me, or you can¡¯t resist the urge to reconcile with Hanson after meeting him a few times?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Her body stiffened, and she looked at him in disbelief. It was at that moment she realized that their beautiful love was so fragile. With a darkened face, she grasped the door handle tightly and said in a deep voice, ¡°I think we need to calm ourselves down first. Now isn¡¯t the right time to talk about these things.¡± When she was about to open the car door, Evander reacted very quickly and clutched her wrist so forcefully that she grimaced and eximed in pain. ¡°Why? Are you not going to exin because you¡¯re mad that I¡¯ve exposed you now?¡± Evander red at her coldly. ¡°I thought you were a great liar.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Angeline struggled to break free from his grip. However, the more she tried, the tighter Evander¡¯s grip was. ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense? You were willing to sleep with me for Forrester Group¡¯s shares before this, and now, I¡¯m giving you another fifty million to bear me a child. What do you say?¡± Is he out of his mind? Angeline felt her heart wrenched at the sight of the man¡¯s disdainful gaze. She couldn¡¯t believe that he would spit out such hurtful words. Not only did he not have any trust in her, but he also despised her from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Evander, we already broke up.¡± Angeline¡¯s breath hitched as she felt a wave of unspeakable sadness surge within her heart. The tenderness in her eyes dissipated and was swiftly reced by intense disappointment. ¡°From today onward, I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 I don¡¯t want to see you again¡ªEvander felt a stab in his heart when he heard that. Startled, he loosened the grip on Angeline¡¯s wrist. She quickly seized the opportunity to withdraw her hand, opened the car door, and left. Watching her fleeing the scene, he ced his slender hands on the steering wheel. The emblem badge in between his arms reflected his angry face. He tried to suppress his emotion, yet the fury in his eyes sold him out. If Angeline had given him a reason to break up¡ªeven if she had fallen for someone else, he wouldn¡¯t be so furious. Unfortunately, she only left him a note without warning. It was hard for him to figure out what was on her mind. At the same time, it also made him feel he had been fooled. He had never been so attached to a woman before, yet Angeline had trampled on his heart again and again. In that case, he would show no mercy to her as well. Evander fished out his phone from his pocket, scanned through his phonebook, and called someone. ¡°Ss, please withdraw the shares of Forrester Group and get everyone in the entertainment industry to bail out on Angeline.¡± On the other end of the line, Ss was shocked by his words and asked in confusion, ¡°Mr. Golding, did you have any conflict with Ms. Sorelle?¡± Although Evander had yet to respond, Ss could feel a chill running down his spine. He instinctively continued, ¡°I¡¯ll do ording to your instruction, Mr. Golding.¡± Meanwhile, Angeline, who had just left Evander¡¯s car, walked to the underground car park and hopped into her car in a daze. She felt like a huge boulder was weighing down on her chest, making her difficult to breathe. Grasping the steering wheel tightly, shended her forehead heavily on it and yelled in devastation. ¡°Ahh!¡± Her sharp voice echoed in the car park. In the end, the words left her mouth. She initially thought everything would progress as she desired after confirming her rtionship with Evander. Little did she expect such a dramatic thing would happen to her, and she couldn¡¯t stand the thought of being with a man who could have raped her and ruined her life. Ring! Her phone suddenly rang. She nced at the screen and saw it was Lillian. She knitted her brows and swiped to answer it. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ms. Sorelle, bad news! Ten minutes ago, Golding Group suddenly withdrew its investment without giving any exnation. I tried to call them, but no one answered.¡± Lillian was low-spirited as she spoke. Forrester Group has finally survived the crisis and gotten on track. I can¡¯t believe Forrester Group will pull out their fund at such a critical moment. Angeline took a deep breath when she heard that. Although she looked stern and cold, there was a mocking glint in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t surprised by the oue, though. It was indeed Evander¡¯s style of doing things¡ªmaking a clear cut once they parted ways with each other. ¡°Please think of a way, Ms. Sorelle. It¡¯ll be hard for Forrester Group to gain a foothold without Golding Group¡¯s support.¡± Angeline felt a little helpless at Lillian¡¯s words. After some time, she regained herposure and replied, ¡°Forrester Group is a unique clothing brand meant for those who value it. Since my mother didn¡¯t look for any investors to back her up five years ago, I don¡¯t need one either now.¡± Words eluded Lillian when she heard that. Not getting any response, Angeline continued to exin, ¡°Forrester Group is currently selling beauty devices and has earned arge amount of start-up capital. It¡¯s more than enough to hire a few reputable designers and keep thepany on track.¡± She already had a backup n. It was just that she was unwilling to bow to Evander. After discussing work matters with Lillian, Angeline drove back home. It had been a long day, and her mood dropped drastically with Wilfred¡¯s incident. Physically and mentally exhausted, she didn¡¯t get change and flung herself onto the bed once she opened the bedroom door. In no time, she drifted off to sleep. She felt as though she had slept for a long time and had a lot of strange dreams. Until someone drew back the curtains and sunlight streamed in through the window, she felt the light sting and shielded her eyes with her hands. ¡°Angeline, get out of your bed now. Look at the time. Are you not going to work today?¡± A woman¡¯s roar suddenly echoed in the quiet room. Frightened, Angeline instinctively shuddered. She quickly hummed in response and woke up from sleep, vaguely opening her eyes after she adjusted to the light. At the sight of Nancy, she furrowed her brows and rolled overnguidly. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Seeing that, Nancy stood in front of Angeline¡¯s bed with her hands on her waist and scolded, ¡°You still have the nerve to ask me about that. Don¡¯t you realize howte it is? How can you still be asleep at this hour?¡± She then threw the rm clock on the bedside table toward Angeline. Thetter nced at the time and noticed it was already sometime past ten in the morning. Oh, my gosh! I slept through the night but didn¡¯t feel it at all. ¡°Sorry, I forgot the time.¡± Angeline stroked her messy hair resignedly. Nancy did a facepalm at the sight. Then, she dragged Angeline¡¯s arm and pulled her up from the bed. ¡°Get up to brush your teeth and wash your face now. I brought you lunch.¡± Angeline¡¯s mind was clouded over when Nancy pulled her into the bathroom. After she was done with her washing up, she immediately felt refreshed. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Meanwhile, Nancy was ying with her phone in the living room. In front of her were several steaming hot dishes, and the aroma permeated the room. Seeing that made Angeline feel her stomach growling. She was already starving after the long sleep. With a smile, she walked up to Nancy and hugged her from behind, nting a kiss on her cheek. ¡°As expected of a best friend of mine. All of them are my favorites. Thanks!¡± With that, she sat on the chair and started feasting. Looking at thedy before her, Nancy couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue with a disapproving look. ¡°Look at how graceless you are. Only Mr. Golding will fall in love with you.¡± Angeline¡¯s hand holding the fork froze at her words. A touch of sadness filled in her eyes but quickly disappeared. ¡°We already broke up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nancy leaped up from her chair, widening her eyes in shock. ¡°How is that possible? What happened between the two of you?¡± Once again, Nancy¡¯s words hit Angeline¡¯s sore spot. Thetter instantly lost her appetite. Since Nancy knew all about Evander and Angeline needed to vent her feelings, Angeline told Nancy everything that had happened between her and Evander. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 After hearing all that, Nancy was no longer as furious as before. She frowned and asked, ¡°You think that Mr. Golding was the b*stard that he was years ago just because of a ring? Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re being unfair to him?¡± Angeline put down her fork and hugged her knees to her chest as she stared nkly into space. ¡°But all evidence points to Evander. How do you want me to act as if nothing had happened?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Hanson had found the ring in Joseline¡¯s drawer? What if this was a lie she made years ago, and it was used to distract you?¡± Upon hearing what Nancy said, Angeline suddenly had nothing to say. After being reminded of that, she realized that she had acted too impulsively. She did not conduct a proper investigation before ming Evander. Even if she were wrong, she would not regret her decision. She was quiet for a moment as she balled her hands into fists. Hatred shed past her eyes. ¡°Even so, it¡¯s impossible for me to be with a man that might ruin the rest of my life.¡± No one had experienced the hell she went through at that time, so they would not be able to understand. No one knew how she lived her life all these years. Not only did she hate Joseline, but she also hated the man that had forced himself on her back then. Upon hearing what Angeline said, Nancy sighed heavily. She was reluctant to me Angeline and felt her heart clench as she hugged thetter. ¡°I understand, but you must look toward the future, Angeline. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you to get the best resources and build your path to fame. Although the past was horrible, you will have a better future.¡± ¡°Thank you for apanying me. I¡¯m fine.¡± Angeline held her hands to her face and sobbed. When she looked up, the sadness was no longer on her face. Being able to control her emotions was part of her practice as an actress. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Life was like a dream, and movies resembled life. Nancy sighed again as she shook her head. She chuckled as she looked at Angeline. Her tone was serious. ¡°I know, as your friend, I shouldn¡¯t say more. However, as an outsider, Evander might have done something bad to you, but why did you hide it from him?¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. ¡°You actually don¡¯t treat him as someone close to you. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been so cruel to say you want to break up without telling him why.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline balled her hands on the table into fists. She was unable to describe the ufortable feeling that she felt in her heart. That¡¯s right. She only saw Evander¡¯s wrongdoings and distanced herself from him as she favored her perspective. It was indeed unfair to treat him like that. What can I do? Should I tell Evander the truth? No. That¡¯s impossible. If it were true that Floretta was her biological daughter, then it would lead to fighting with Evander for her custody. Seeing how Evander valued Floretta, Angeline had no chance of winning. Hence, she must be careful in everything. There must not be any mistakes. At the same time, a ck car drove fast toward a mansion at Willowbank. It stopped at the mansion¡¯s entrance, and Joseline got out. Since she wore high heels, her footing was unstable, and she stumbled to the door and unlocked it with her fingerprint. However, after trying several times, the fingerprint could not be identified. At that moment, a creaking sound could be heard, and the door was pushed open as a man walked out. He nced at Joseline and hastily covered his nose. The stench of alcohol was piercing. ¡°Come in quick.¡± The man helped her into the room. Dissatisfaction filled his heart as he looked at her drunken state. ¡°Just how much did you drink this time? These days, you frequent bars and get drunk. Once you¡¯re drunk, you¡¯lle to me. Aren¡¯t you afraid that Hanson might notice something?¡± Joseline was drunk, but she could hear what the man said clearly. She chuckled sarcastically and felt a sense of despair wash over her. ¡°Do you take Hanson for a fool? He already discovered our rtionship.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man¡¯s expression changed, and he did not care to treat her gently as he threw her on the couch. His tone was cold as he said, ¡°How could you be so careless? Did you forget that Old Mr. Sorelle is still alive? We won¡¯t get thepany if he hasn¡¯t given us his shares!¡± Joseline yelped in pain as she fell to the ground. What the man said made her annoyed. Her gaze turned cold, and she did not hesitate to argue back. ¡°How dare you talk back to me, Henry? Why don¡¯t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? Don¡¯t forget. This mansion is mine. Do you think you could live here if it weren¡¯t for me?¡± Joseline said furiously with no signs of affection. Henry would still be afraid whenever Joseline was infuriated. He quickly sorted out his emotions and put on his best smile to please her. He sat on the couch, wrapped an arm around Joseline¡¯s shoulders, kissed her face, and said, ¡°Babe, you don¡¯t need to be so agitated. I¡¯m like this because I¡¯m worried about you. Since Hanson found out about us, we shoulde up with a different strategy.¡± ¡°Think of a new strategy if you want! I won¡¯t care anymore!¡± Joseline forcefully pushed him away. She was half-sober as she yelled through clenched teeth, ¡°If you didn¡¯t persuade me time and time again, why would I do such horrible things? I¡¯ve already cost the Sorelle family three lives. Now, whenever I close my eyes, all I see is them choking me as they seek revenge¡­¡± She was on the verge of a breakdown. She held her hands to her head and had a pained expression. Her voice echoed through the living room. Henry turned pale from shock. He wrapped his arms around Joseline and hissed, ¡°Calm down, Joseline. Be careful not to let others hear about it. I¡¯m telling you, we have no other choice. Your sister, Angeline, is already secretly investigating us!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Joseline was taken aback. With Henry¡¯s reminder, she slowly calmed down. ¡°My people sent me a letter. Angeline suspects that Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s death was not an ident. She¡¯s already had someone examine his medications. I think the examination report is already out.¡± Upon hearing that, Joseline could hear a buzz in her ear as she instinctively backed away. She muttered in disbelief, ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible. Angeline isn¡¯t capable of doing that. Even that old man didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with the medications.¡± Henry chuckled sarcastically. ¡°You¡¯ve really looked down on her. How could she be a fool if someone like her became Evander¡¯s woman?¡± That was to remind her that Angeline had Evander to support her. That was when Joseline lost herposure. Panic was written all over her face, and she could not speak coherently. ¡°What should we do now? We can¡¯t let Angeline expose us. Otherwise, we won¡¯t receive a single cent of the inheritance. They might even sue us.¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179 ¡°Calm down.¡± Henry reached out to squeeze her shoulders. The corners of his lips curled into an evil grin as he watched her expression darken. ¡°Since we¡¯ve already done it, we should do it until the end. We should kill everyone!¡± Joseline was rendered speechless. She felt like she had lost all her energy. She stumbled on her feet and had to hold onto the edge of the table to stabilize herself. That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve already been called a murderer. There¡¯s no turning back now. Angeline is the one who forced me to be like this. Since I¡¯m already going to hell, I¡¯m dragging her down with me! For the next few days, Angeline stayed at home to recuperate. Ever since she used the medicated lotion that Roger sent, her allergies had gotten better. If one did not look closely, it would be hard to tell that there were swelling bumps previously. Initially, she thought of thanking Roger properly when she got better. However, when she thought of his rtionship with Evander, she had no choice but to remain things as they were. During that time, ¡°The Journey¡± was released. Only ten episodes were aired, but it already had high ratings. On the inte, there were many heated discussions about their film. However, the most weed discussion was about Alleria, the character that Angeline yed. Theizens were all praising Angeline for making Alleriae to life. Her portrayal of Alleria was exactly like her description in the novel. There were also peoplementing that it had been a long time since they¡¯d seen such a career- driven female lead. Others said that it was refreshing to watch the film. Angeline was ted to read all thesements. Although Alleria was the one that theizens liked, this was also an acknowledgment of her acting. She opened Twitter and posted a photo that Nancy had taken of her when she was filming. In the photo, she wore a suit of armor, held a sword, and even had blood stters on her face. She was looking back, and her gaze was sharp and piercing. That was Alleria¡¯s personality. Angeline wrote in the caption. ¡°See you at eight in the evening. Please continue watching to see how Alleria tortures those pieces of trash.¡± She had only just posted the tweet when goodments started flooding in. Her followers immediately rose to two million. Meanwhile, at Golding Group, two secretaries stood outside Evander¡¯s office. They had trays of food in their hands as they jostled and debated with one another. Ss noticed them and could not help but frown. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± ¡°Mr. Miller.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. The secretaries bowed their heads in respect. One of them wore a conflicted expression and hesitated for a moment before she said, ¡°Mr. Golding hasn¡¯t eaten for the whole day. We don¡¯t dare to bother him since thest assistant who brought him food was demoted.¡± ¡°A whole day?¡± Ss¡¯ expression turned grim, and a hint of guilt could be seen in his eyes. He took the food from the secretaries and ordered them to leave. He then pushed open the door and slowly walked in. Knock! Knock! He gently knocked on the door and felt his heart ache when he saw the man working at the desk. ¡°Mr. Golding, you should eat. You can continue your workter.¡± ¡°Leave it there,¡± Evander¡¯s voice was hoarse as he said that. Although he spoke, he did not raise his head to look at Ss or the food. Ss noticed that and stood rooted to the ground with the food in his hands as he waited silently for Evander. Shortly after, Evander finished thest document. He looked around at the empty table and scrunched his eyebrows in annoyance. ¡°Go and ask if any more documents need to be signed. I¡¯ll settle them altogether.¡± Ss lowered his head and persuaded, ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯ve already settled all the documents in the company. You can¡¯t exhaust yourself like this.¡± Although Evander still had a dark expression, he seemed to have rxed a little. ¡°Bring it here.¡± Ss quickly brought the food over and felt relief wash over him as he watched Evander finally eat. ¡°Mr. Golding, ¡®The Journey¡¯ started airing, and the ratings are unexpectedly good. Ms. Sorelle is famous on social media nowadays.¡± Ss noticed that Evander¡¯s expression gradually softened after eating. He then plucked up the courage and reported the news to him. ¡°Okay.¡± Evander¡¯s expression turned cold again as he grabbed tissues to wipe his mouth. The way he looked unbothered made it seem like he had never met Angeline. Ss could not help but frown. ¡°Mr. Golding, will we continue blocking her road to fame? Since she¡¯s famous now, I think we can get her to do an advertisement so we can earn more¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Evander shot him a cold and cruel gaze. Ss felt a chill run down his spine in an instant, and he stopped, not daring to continue. Evander scrolled through his phone and noticed that Angeline was indeed trending everywhere. She had posted a selfie on Twitter half an hour ago, and it looked like she was in a good mood. On the other hand, he felt a stinging pain in his heart when he saw the picture. His grip on the phone tightened, and his expression slowly darkened. It looks like that woman is having the time of her life these days without me around. ¡°Does Starlight Jewelry need an advertisement?¡± He asked coldly as he got up from the chair. ¡°They do. A new product will be released into the market soon, and they need a brand ambassador. The organizers wanted me to ask for your opinion to see if they should get Angeline to do it.¡± ¡°She will do.¡± Evander shot Ss a re and said coldly, ¡°Continue to block all of Angeline¡¯s other jobs. Make it so that she has no choice but toe to us.¡± Ss was rendered speechless. He immediately understood what Evander meant. Mentally, heined about how cunning the latter was. Obviously, he doesn¡¯t like to see Angeline having a good life. However, it seems like he still has feelings for her. With his influence, it¡¯s easy for him to get her cklisted. He won¡¯t need to waste much effort if he really wants her out of the picture. It looks like Angeline won¡¯t be having good days ahead. Meanwhile, Angeline was shocked to hear from Nancy that no otherpanies wanted her to be their brand ambassador apart from Starlight Jewelry. Her grip on the microphone tightened as she wondered whether she had heard that right. ¡°Are you sure? What did thepany say?¡± Nancy was pissed. At that moment, her voice was even more deafening. ¡°I¡¯ve already confirmed it several times. The people at thepany aren¡¯t doing their jobs either. They said you must¡¯ve offended a big shot to be blocked off like this. They don¡¯t give a d*mn about it.¡± Angeline was at a loss for words. Her expression darkened, and the hand on her thigh balled into a fist. Her breathing became heavy. She had already guessed who the person suppressing her was this time. What a despicable, cold-blooded man! Why is he bringing personal matters into work? And he didn¡¯t even block me off fully. He purposely left Starlight Jewelry as bait. Nancy could guess what Angeline was thinking through the phone, and she hesitated before saying, ¡°Angeline, although the sry given by Starlight Jewelry is higher, I know your rtionship with Mr. Golding is at an awkward stage. I can reject the offer if you don¡¯t want to do it.¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯m not going to do it?¡± Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Listening to Angeline¡¯s confident tone, Nancy was astonished to no end. ¡°Are you sure about it? Because if you really cut the endorsement deal with Starlight Jewelry, you¡¯d most likely bump into Evander.¡± ¡°Who¡¯d say no to money?¡± was Angeline¡¯s only response. She sounded as frosty as the winter, seeming to have even allowed her personal emotions to get in the way. Prior to that day, she had been thinking about avoiding Evander as much as possible. She had even wished to have nothing to do with him and let their rtionship remain a history. Yet, that man had sealed off all her other options in the entertainment industry, effectively pushing her to the brink of helplessness. All she had left was the current and only way out. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. In that case, she figured that she might as well y it cool and face the music head-on. Besides, it would be impossible for her to keep her distance from Floretta for eternity, and that further underlined that shunning the man was never a wise call to make. As soon as Angeline agreed to star in themercial, Nancy proceeded tomunicate with Starlight Jewelry¡¯s organizer. Soon enough, both parties reached a consensus on the filming date and time. Previously, Angeline had already been in their advertisement, acting as their brand ambassador and receiving nothing less than good reviews fromizens around the globe. Not only that, but their products had since been selling fast owing to her appearance. Therefore, the organizing team was so d to once again secure a coboration with Angeline. They even wired the remittance into thetter ount without deliberation, fearing that they might give the impression of taking her too lightly. The early stages of the filming were pretty smooth sailing. On the final day, however, trouble cropped up¡ªAngeline suddenly became the center of public opinion on the inte. That fateful day, Angeline arrived at the studio and alighted from the car. Her assistant stood by her side, sheltering her with a parasol as always. The second she set foot in the entrance of the studio, she noticed that the workers¡¯ expressions took a turn when she came into sight, and everyone was murmuring among themselves. ¡°It¡¯s her, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s that woman who severed all ties with her own family five years ago and didn¡¯t even bother to attend her parents¡¯ funeral. Worse still, Old Mr. Sorelle is still alive and kicking, but she¡¯s already coveting his inheritance!¡± ¡°That¡¯s her, all right. Didn¡¯t you notice the name ¡®Angeline Sorelle¡¯ appearing on the news?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s too vicious, don¡¯t you think? Ms. Joseline has been working diligently in taking care of Old Mr. Sorelle over the years. And now, she has to put up with Angeline, too?¡± Upon hearing the gossip, Angeline asked her assistant for the phone and went online to check it out for herself, only to p her eyes on scandals about herself brewing everywhere all of a sudden. Immediately, her countenance did a one-eighty. The assistant, in turn, became a nervous wreck and was already on the verge of tears. ¡°What should we do now, Angie? To think that a scandal like this would surface at a time like this, it really bodes ill for us.¡± ¡°Rx. It¡¯s all good.¡± Angeline, on the flip side, appeared as calm as a millpond. She could not help but let out a snort before instructing in a deep voice, ¡°Call Nancy and tell her to publish an announcement on ourpany¡¯s Twitter ount that we¡¯ll provide a thorough exnation for the rumors online very soon. Plus, we¡¯ll be taking legal action against all public ounts who had a hand in fanning the mes.¡± Who else would circte this kind of thing if not Joseline? Hah! I haven¡¯t even settled the score with her yet. She sure is quick, though, to be one step ahead of me, making allegations like that. She¡¯s obviously being forced into a corner. And now, she¡¯s trying to craft a filial, kind public persona, huh? Not a chance! ¡°On it!¡± After saying that, the assistant bolted off as fast as she could. As for Angeline, she continued her way into the studio with her head held high. Perhaps because she was so used to being under the media spotlight, she could not care less about criticismsing from the people around her. The theme of the scene for that day pivoted around sexiness, and the venue was set at a swimming pool situated at the back of the studio. Around the pool, rows of machines and equipment could be found. Angeline changed into a sky-blue swimsuit with her smooth, long hairying behind her shoulders. She looked so lovable at that point in time. Right when she stepped out of the studio and into the workers¡¯ sights, they all unwittingly gaped at her, gasping in awe. That would be logical, for Angeline had a body ratio so perfect that she could easily beat any model, for that matter. Even her abdominal muscles were firm and well-toned. Furthermore, there was no trace of b on those slender, long legs of hers. Her presence alone was but a feast for the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for runningte. I hope I didn¡¯t hold you guys up for too long.¡± A smile yed about Angeline¡¯s lips as she made her way to the set. During the interim, she lifted her fingers to brush the stray strands of her hair toward the back of her ears. Seeing her nonchnt demeanor, the crowd was wholly impressed. After all, had the same hurdle happened to some other people, they would have called it quits. Angeline was the only exception. As if nothing had ever happened to her, she showed no signs of fear as she braced herself against a myriad of usations. Among the group, Gordon was the first to react, wearing an amicable grin while approaching the woman. ¡°You¡¯re just in time. We¡¯re only about to start. Are you sure you don¡¯t need to get some rest first?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. The sooner I finish this take, the earlier we can all get off work,¡± refuted Angeline. As she dropped that statement, she walked to the side of the pool and dipped her long legs into the water as she waited for the cameraman to video the scene. Gordon, for one, admired her professionalism. He signaled the crew with an okay gesture to mark the commencement of the filming. As the camera was trained on Angeline, she took a deep breath topose herself before leaping into the water altogether. Considering that it was already the autumn season, Angeline could already feel the chilly breeze when she was on the tform a minute ago, d in nothing but a piece of swimwear. What made matters worse was that the water in the pool was also ice-cold. The moment sheid a foot in the pool, she involuntarily shivered from the coldness. Even so, in her endeavor to maintain the best front, she mustered up all her will to stay in the water and kept her lips buttoned the entire time while continuing to swim forward. Following that, she scooped up a pearl enclosed in a shell from underwater, revealing thetest promotional item of the pearl collection from Starlight Jewelry. shing a smirk right at the camera, she uttered her lines andpleted the take. ¡°Cut!¡± voiced Gordon out of the blue. He stared at Angeline through the camera and beamed with satisfaction. ¡°Mm. Not too shabby. It¡¯s a wrap.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Fuller.¡± A look of delight manifested on Angeline¡¯s face. Deep down, she felt a sense of relief because she could finally rid herself of submerging in that pool of freezing water. Trudging along the edge of the pool, she eventually reached the pooldder. Before she could ascend the steps, a deep, somewhat upset male voice rang abruptly in everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°You call that a wrap?¡± The entire filming site fell into a pin-drop silence. Not a single soul dared to make a sound. Gordon wheeled around, only to be floored upon catching sight of theing person. ¡°Mr. Golding?¡± There the man was, dressed in one of the finest, tailor-made suits as he paced steadily inside. Although he was blessed with exquisite facial features, his gaze was bitterly cold. As Angeline¡¯s gazended on Evander, she was startled right away, balling her fists simultaneously. Indeed, Nancy¡¯s intuition was spot on. As chance would have it, Angeline did run into Evander while being on set at Starlight Jewelry. Isn¡¯t he always upied with work? Why did he even squeeze this trip in? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s here just to make things difficult for me! Gordon had no idea what to do at that juncture. To his surprise, one of his assistants sidled up to him and leaned toward his ear, whispering the gist of the rtionship between Evander and Angeline. s, Gordon¡¯s face fell at once when he learned the truth. Had he known earlier that Angeline was Evander¡¯s special someone, he would never have required Angeline to shoot the scene in a swimming pool. What have I done? I must be courting death¡­ Gordon lifted his gaze to observe Evander before realizing that something was off. He reckoned that thetter must be ticked off by his inept conduct, hence hurriedly ordering his members, ¡°Why are you all spacing out like that? Hurry up and help Ms. Sorelle up!¡± Immediately afterward, he turned to ingratiate himself with Evander. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry about this, Mr. Golding. Ms. Sorelle did it solely for work. I didn¡¯t mean to put her in a tough spot¡ª¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s for work, why didn¡¯t you execute it with perfection?¡± interrupted Evander, shooting Gordon an icy re. The former¡¯s tone reeked of naught but aggression. Then and there, a shudder wrecked Gordon¡¯s body. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean, Mr. Golding. What has displeased you?¡± he asked, bewildered, after fumbling for his voice. Evander scoffed with a stony re. ¡°You¡¯re the director. What good are you to me if you have to ask my opinion on such a trivial matter?¡± ¡°Yes, I should not have done that.¡± Gordon shuddered. What rotten luck for me to have to deal with this loose cannon that is Evander. ¡°Please enlighten me, Mr. Golding.¡± ¡°The actor is not a right fit. Any additional effort to prove otherwise is futile,¡± Evander said casually as he pointed at Angeline. An assistant wrapped a towel around her shoulders as soon as she came ashore, but she still shivered. When she overheard Evander, her gaze stiffened, and her lips pursed. Sure enough, there¡¯s an ulterior motive to his visit. Stunned, Gordon wondered if he had misheard. ¡°Are you sure, Mr. Golding?¡± As soon as he raised the question, Evander shot him a re so severe that Gordon¡¯s back grew damp with cold sweat. Then, he gazed at Angeline with a conflicted look and wondered how he should begin. ¡°I will reshoot the scene if you¡¯re unhappy with it, Mr. Golding.¡± Angeline spoke up bravely at that moment. Her voice was hoarse from the time spent underwater. ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that, as it¡¯s part of the job.¡± When she stood up, the towel slipped off her fair and smooth skin. She stalked back toward the pool with a scowl. If Evander is being difficult on purpose, I¡¯m not going to let him take it out on the others. Gordon heaved a sigh of relief and quickly ordered one of the crew members to bring a chair. ¡°Have a seat, Mr. Golding,¡± he said with an unctuous chuckle. ¡°Mmm.¡± Evander epted the offer with a grunt and sat at the frontmost spot of the pool like an invigtor during an examination. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Angeline gazed at his impassive face and felt an invisible forcepelling her to obey, against which her heart leaped with defiance. However, she could not go against Evander. Silently enduring her fate, she listened for Gordon¡¯s cry of ¡°Action!¡± before diving into the pool without a moment¡¯s dy. This time, every step and gesture of hers underwater was executed to perfection. Even the smile she shed upon turning back was her most contagious one ever. ¡°Cut!¡± This time, Gordon asked Evander gingerly, ¡°Is this take better, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± Evander answered with a question. His displeasure was evident. Gordon leaped into action at that, but a secret doubt began to manifest within him. Despite his experience directing many television shows, he simply could not see what was wrong with Angeline. Why is Evander never pleased? It must be a personal grudge for him to be this picky, and it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re unhappy from the way he made Angeline get underwater again and again today. Since Evander no longer cared about Angeline¡¯sfort, Gordon did not hold back. With a scowl, he ordered, ¡°We¡¯ll do another take, Angeline. Take it seriously this time. Mr. Golding is not happy with your performance at all.¡± ¡°All right, got it,¡± Angeline answered dully, her sunken spirits evident. Obeying the director, she redid the scene even though she instinctively knew it was near impossible to satisfy Evander. Sure enough, Evander dismissed five retakes in a row. Angeline had swallowed so much water that her smile was frozen on her face. Despite her body going numb from the cold, she did notin once. Well aware of Evander¡¯s anger, she thought herself spared any feelings of indebtedness if he could be appeased this way. The sight of Angeline submerging herself repeatedly without raising any objections did not please Evander. Instead, he felt deeply uneasy. Angeline emerged once more from the water. She tucked her hair behind her ears and ran her tongue around her wet lips. Coincidentally, Evander caught sight of it and felt himself grow warm. Angeline¡¯s figure seems to have gotten nicer ofte. I have to admit; she is a stunner. ¡°We¡¯re doing the take again, Angeline.¡± Upon noticing Evander¡¯s silence, Gordon already, by that point, knew what he needed to do. The towels brought by the assistant had grown to a small pile. Despite that, she felt Angeline¡¯s body bing increasingly colder and instinctively voiced her objection. ¡°Angie¡¯s a girl, Mr. Fuller. What happens if she catches a cold from being underwater for so long?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already gotten paid,¡± he replied, ¡°and must produce an advertisement to Mr. Golding¡¯s satisfaction.¡± Angeline was, at that moment, too cold to even speak. I¡¯ve jumped in so many times anyway. What¡¯s one more? Bracing herself grimly, she was about to whip the towel off when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her. ¡°Enough,¡± came Evander¡¯s voice before he pulled her off the set. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Angeline¡¯s voice had be a barely audible buzz. In her frailty, she was in no shape for a struggle and resigned herself to her fate of being carried away. Evander only let her go when they arrived at the deserted elevator lobby. He frowned at her frightful pallor. Despite the wall of indifference he had inocted himself with, his heart twinged with guilt at the sight of Angeline¡¯s suffering. All of a sudden, his resentment dissipated. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± Evander said as he gripped the towel around Angeline and gently brushed off the water droplets from her hair. Angeline¡¯s grievance rose to her throat at his words. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what you wanted to see?¡± she asked sullenly while holding back her tears. Evander¡¯s expression grew cold. ¡°Are you pushing the me on me?¡± ¡°I dare not.¡± Angeline smiled bitterly. She pinched her thighs with her slim fingers to suppress her emotions and continued, ¡°You are the powerful Mr. Golding, after all. All it takes is a mere word from you to cklist me from the entertainment industry. How would I dare fight back? It was only because of you that I got to be a part of ¡®The Journey.¡¯ Feel free to make me irrelevant if you can¡¯t stand the sight of me.¡± Angeline turned to leave after she spoke. The prolonged submergence had chilled not only her skin but also her heart. She felt exhausted and defeated. Even moving her fingers was an insurmountable effort. All she wanted was a ce to rest. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Evander gazed at her the slim silhouette of her back. For the first time, anxiety shed before those unfathomably deep eyes. He expected Angeline to me and scold him instead of opening up like this. It was as if she had numbed herself to her fate. The only thing more dangerous than a fight in a rtionship was a cold shoulder, which was proof of her increasing disregard for him. Evander felt empty in the stomach at that thought. He reached out and grabbed Angeline¡¯s arm. ¡°Why did we have to break up?¡± he asked, gritting his teeth in dismay. ¡°Was I not clear enough?¡± ¡°I want the real reason.¡± Evander gazed down at her, his voice husky. ¡°Why did you react that way when you saw the Heart of the Ocean I gifted you? What are you hiding from me?¡± He only realized the shift in Angeline¡¯s emotional state after he calmed down. Though he was unclear of the reason, he surmised upon further thought that it must have been due to the ne. ¡°Is that important?¡± Angeline¡¯s heart skipped a beat at Evander¡¯s words. She turned around to face him while feigning a calm she did not feel. ¡°Everybody has their secrets, Mr. Golding. That must be why you won¡¯t tell me who Floretta¡¯s real mother is.¡± Initially prodding Evander to see if she could discover something, she did not expect such a hostile reaction from him. ¡°You are bing bold, Angeline!¡± ¡°Forget I ever asked.¡± Angeline scoffed and again struggled to free herself of Evander before turning around to leave abruptly. However, the doubt in her heart gnawed at her. Why did Evander react so strongly to the mention of Floretta¡¯s birth mother? What is he hiding from me? Could he, instead of the traffickers, have stolen the newborn baby? If that¡¯s the case, Evander must have been nning this charade and knew that I would only hate him all the more for knowing the truth from all those years ago. Suddenly, Angeline¡¯s arms grew weak. Not daring to ruminate further, she opted instead to investigate the matter thoroughly at her own pace. All the children had gone out to y when the bell in the kindergarten rang a long time ago, but Floretta remained in her seat with a colored pen in her hand, busy filling in the colors in her sketchbook. With the parent-teacher conference looming close, the teachers called for every child to produce an artwork to be presented to their parents. As it was rare for Angeline and Evander to appear together in the parent-teacher conference, Floretta honored the asion by applying herself fully to her work. Suddenly, the ssroom door swung open to admit a group of boys who came barging in. They gazed in Floretta¡¯s direction and leered. One of the boys, chubbier than the rest, arrived before Floretta with his chest puffed up and grabbed her sketchbook. Startled by his gesture, her face flushed red with anger. ¡°How dare you touch my things, Mark? Give my drawing back to me!¡± The boy¡¯s meaty hands shoved Floretta away and perused the sketchbook with sardonic glee. ¡°I thought you were hiding fancy artwork in here. Instead, all you have is a drawing of your family! Aunt Olivine said that you¡¯re a motherless child, though.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Floretta stomped her feet angrily. Her features contorted with rage. ¡°Ms. Sherrock is the one who insists on being my mother and must have said those things in a fit of embarrassed anger because my father ignores her.¡± ¡°Watch who you¡¯re calling Ms. Sherrock. That¡¯s my Aunt Olivine,¡± Mark growled as he pushed her again and jabbed a menacing finger. ¡°Your mother threw you away as soon as you were born. Besides, Aunt Olivine said she¡¯ll put you in the orphanage when she marries your father.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Unable to withstand the oppression of his bulk, Floretta fell onto the ground. She was so frightened at the mention of the orphanage that her scarlet eyes blossomed with tears. She gulped. ¡°No, Daddy will never do that,¡± she eximed indignantly while rubbing her eyes. ¡°I have a mother. She¡¯s Angeline Sorelle, the movie star!¡± ¡°Angeline Sorelle from ¡®The Journey¡¯? Look at how good at lying Floretta is! She¡¯s practically in denial!¡± Mark turned around and, along with his friends, began to point andugh at Floretta. ¡°What are youughing about? My mother is Angeline Sorelle.¡± Floretta tried to convince them, but despite her earnestness, none of them believed her. Instead, theyughed all the harder at those words. ¡°Angeline Sorelle is a movie star! How could she be your mother?¡± ¡°Exactly. My mother has been binge-watching ¡®The Journey,¡¯ and she loves Angeline in it. She¡¯s the hottest star right now.¡± With her hands on her hips, Floretta¡¯s fury gave way to a sudden burst ofughter as she responded coldly, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. She ising to the parent-teacher conference, anyway. I¡¯ll show all of you!¡± Without another word, she snatched the sketchbook back from Mark and ran out of the ssroom. bbergasted, the bullies gazed at Floretta¡¯s departing back. One of them said, ¡°Could that stupid girl be telling the truth? I heard her father is rich and powerful.¡± ¡°Impossible. Watch how embarrassed she¡¯ll be when Angeline doesn¡¯t show up to the parent-teacher conference!¡± Mark snorted in disdain and folded his arms. As children were not endowed with the ability to tell right from wrong, they were easily impressed by celebrities. Especially given Angeline¡¯s recent fame online, fans of her show were not only found on the streets but also in the kindergarten. That was how they were confident that Floretta could not have secured Angeline¡¯s attendance. Thest bell marked the end of the school day. Her head hanging, Floretta exited the ssroom in low spirits. ¡°Floretta?¡± Suddenly, she heard the familiar voice of a woman. All of a sudden, her eyes lit up as if she had received a jolt of energy. ¡°What are you doing here, Angel?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed you very much, which is why I¡¯m picking you up today and taking you to KFC. How does that sound?¡± Angeline gave the little girl¡¯s hand a squeeze. Though she wore sunsses, the upward curl of her lips inly conveyed her delight. Despite her exhaustion from Evander¡¯s torture on set, she could not rest upon returning home, so she opted to visit Floretta instead. Recalling the possibility of Floretta being her missing child, Angeline became emotional and wanted nothing more than to give the girl all her love. Suddenly, Floretta gasped as if her wound was brushed. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 ¡°Angel, be gentle.¡± Floretta pouted her lips and looked aggrieved. ¡°What happened? Are you injured?¡± Angeline observed her carefully and frowned. Before either said anything, Angeline pulled up Floretta¡¯s sleeve. True enough, she saw a few scratch marks on Floretta¡¯s arm. Judging from the damp blood stains, it was a recent wound. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you have a fight with your ssmates?¡± Floretta lowered her head and frowned. In the end, she answered with a distressed look, ¡°I didn¡¯t start it. They provoked me first.¡± Naturally, Angeline was well aware of Floretta¡¯s character. She was not a troublemaker. Someone must have picked on her first. With that thought in mind, Angeline felt her blood boiling. She took Floretta by her hand and walked toward the school. ¡°I want to see your teacher. How does she discipline her students? How can they do this to you?¡± Angeline had always been a protective person. At that moment, she could barely control her anger. All she could think about was getting revenge for Floretta. ¡°Angel, don¡¯t go.¡± Floretta held on to her arm and stomped her feet. She was imploring Angeline not to pursue the matter. ¡°If they find out that I have told you, they will surely look down on me. They will certainly think that I¡¯m lying.¡± Angeline remained silent. She had no idea what went on between the children, but she did not want to cause more problems for Floretta, so Angeline decided to let it go for now. More and more people were gathering at the kindergarten. Angeline was worried that someone might recognize her, so she took Floretta, and the both of them got into the minivan. She told the driver to drive to a fast-food restaurant. She grabbed the medical kit from the trunk on the way there. As an actress, she was used to getting injured while filming action movies. That was why she was always prepared. Floretta¡¯s skin was very delicate. When Angeline was applying the ointment for her, Floretta hissed in pain as tears began to well up in her eyes. When Angeline saw that, she was anxious and heartbroken. She let out a sigh before asking the girl in all seriousness, ¡°Tell me. Why did you fight with your ssmates?¡± Floretta could not help but raise her voice. ¡°It was all Mark¡¯s fault. He doesn¡¯t believe that you are my mommy. He said there was no way a well-known celebrity woulde to a parent-teacher conference for me. I got angry, so we had a fight.¡± Oh, my¡­ Angeline frowned and was overwhelmed with emotions. She did not expect children of such tender age to be so insidious and capable of saying such things. They must have been influenced by the adults. ¡°Mark?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the nephew of Ms. Sherrock!¡± Floretta looked aggrieved when she said that. ¡°He even told the other children that my mommy has abandoned me.¡± Angeline scoffed when she heard that statement. Is it a surprise that the boy has said that? After all, Olivine is his mentor. No wonder his morals and values are wrong. ¡°Floretta, they are just jealous of you. Don¡¯t believe what they say.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta nodded vigorously before she threw herself into Angeline¡¯s arms with a sorry look on her face. ¡°Angel, I don¡¯t understand. Why doesn¡¯t my mommy want me? Did I do something wrong?¡± Angeline was dumbfounded. She felt a sharp pang of pain in her heart when she heard Floretta¡¯s question. Angeline wanted very much to tell Floretta ¡°No!¡± There isn¡¯t a single mother in the world who doesn¡¯t love her children! Just as the words were about toe out of her mouth, she stopped herself. She had yet to confirm that Floretta was indeed the child she had lost years ago. It would be wise not to say anything for now. Angeline took a deep breath to stop her tears from falling as she embraced Floretta. She leaned her chin on the child¡¯s head and said solemnly, ¡°Floretta, believe me. Surely, your mommy must be in some difficulties. Just wait for her patiently. One day, she wille for you.¡± As for Floretta, she quickly shook her head. She responded with a frown, ¡°No. Since she didn¡¯t want me right from the beginning, then I will never acknowledge her in the future. Furthermore, I already have you as my mommy.¡± Complex feelings rose in Angeline¡¯s heart, and she was at a loss for words. At first, she was d that Floretta could ept her. Afterward, she was afraid that there would be a rift between them when Floretta found out the truth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will definitely attend the parent-teacher conference. No matter what happens, I will give you my support.¡± She could not afford to let the other children look down on Floretta again. If Evander found out about her injury, he would be equally heartbroken. After having dinner at the fast-food restaurant, Angeline spent some time ying with her. It was then Francesca phoned and said she would be picking Floretta up. Beforeing to fetch Floretta, Angeline had already informed Francesca about her breakup with Evander and told her not to tell him about their meeting. Therefore, Francesca was sensible enough to pick Floretta up during the time when Evander would be on his way home. Unfortunately, Angeline could not bear to upset Floretta, so she did not tell the girl about their breakup. When Evander arrived home, he immediately saw Floretta sitting on the carpet in the living room. She was ying with the building blocks that Angeline had bought for her earlier on.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Evander nced at the toys before he asked, ¡°Floretta, who bought these for you?¡± ¡°Angel.¡± Floretta then pointed to her halfpleted castle and seemed troubled. ¡°But, this window is missing a piece. I have been finding for the missing piece for so long, but I still can¡¯t find it.¡± Evander eyed the bunch of building blocks and furrowed his brows. ¡°When you saw her just now, what did she tell you?¡± ¡°Angel brought me to KFC, and she told me she woulde to the parent-teacher conference for me.¡± Since Floretta was not aware of the truth, she was smiling blissfully and tugging onto Evander¡¯s sleeve at that moment. ¡°Daddy, you haven¡¯t invited Angel to our house for quite some time. Will you being for the parent- teacher conference too?¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened when he heard that. He sounded particrly tense when he replied, ¡°It depends.¡± Now that Angeline had decided to attend the parent-teacher conference, and Floretta was also very thrilled about it, it would not be possible for him to put a stop to it. After all, the child had nothing to do with their grudges. However, when he thought carefully about the whole thing, it was possible that Angeline might not want to see him. If that were the case, there would be no need for him to show up and humiliate himself. ¡°Okay.¡± Floretta looked down as if she had been bullied. All of a sudden, she looked depressed. ¡°Daddy, I know you are busy with your work. I understand.¡± When Evander saw her reaction, he was truly heartbroken. He caressed her head and said gently, ¡°Do you really want Angeline to be your mommy?¡± ¡°Yes, very much so.¡± Floretta had never wavered in her answer whenever Angeline was mentioned. ¡°In the past, I didn¡¯t dare to wish for anything. But now, the two of you are together, so she can be my mommy officially.¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Faced with her expectant gaze, Evander thought of how much she wanted Angeline to be her mother, yet could not bring himself to tell her the truth. He nced down, picked up a piece from the pile of blocks, and attached it to the tiny window ledge. It was a neat little addition. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t have a mother, Floretta. I love you all the same.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Evander¡¯s tone was solemn, but Floretta was thrilled by the addition to the window frame. He wondered if she had heard him. Meanwhile, Angeline headed home after leaving Floretta and eased herself into a bath. She even set her tablet on a portable desk to watch ¡°The Journey.¡± She had been too busy shooting ofte to have even seen her own show. The highly anticipated series by the major mediapanies attracted heavy investment in the setting and costumes, making it a pleasure to watch. In addition, the sequence was particrly aesthetic, with superb editing. Just when she was getting into it, Angeline was alerted by a WhatsApp notification bell across her homepage. Frowning, she opened the app and saw that it was Jonathan, who she had not contacted for a long time. He had sent several images. Angeline suddenly froze when she loaded the file. She grew pale with fright. It was a boy, of about five, with the most exquisite features she had ever seen. He was dressed in clothes adorned by patches that revealed scars of various sizes all over him. Some of them were fresh wounds, and others were old. The sight of his skeletal figure looked especially forlorn. Her heart raced when she realized what was happening. After struggling to regain herposure, she dialed his number. As if awaiting her call, Jonathan picked up almost immediately. ¡°Congrattions on the sess of your ventures ofte, Ms. Sorelle. You¡¯re doing well, I see.¡± ¡°What is your purpose for sending me those photographs?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days. Have you forgotten what your child looks like?¡± Jonathan¡¯s voice dripped with mockery as if he was taunting her. Deep down, Angeline felt awful. Since I began suspecting that Floretta was the child I had lost all those years ago, I have neglected the child I engaged Jonathan to locate for me. ¡°Speak your mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯d only just known what an awful life this child must lead. His alcoholic father would take things out on him whenever he lost money gambling by beating and berating him,¡± Jonathan said quietly, his voice bing grave. Angeline grew deeply uneasy at those words. ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯ming to you with the police,¡± she said desperately as she clutched her phone. Even if the child is not the one I seek, child abuse is against thew. Furthermore, the wounds on the child look serious. His life may even be in jeopardy if he isn¡¯t given medical attention. ¡°Have you be stupider from shooting thosemercials, Angeline? The matter is still not yet known to be a conspiracy. Besides, who knows what the good-for-nothing father would do to you in his panic if you insist on taking the child away?¡± Jonathan barked, not hesitating to remind her harshly. Angeline gradually regained her calm at Jonathan¡¯s words. Her gaze turned grim. ¡°I understand. Please, keep an eye out for an opportune moment.¡± Jonathan responded with a hearty grunt. Several momentster, he dropped his voice. ¡°However, I have something to ask in return. Consider yourself warned. I wille knocking after I rescue the boy.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Before she could ask further, Jonathan hung up. Angeline felt conflicted, and doubt surfaced in her eyes. Though she was unclear about Jonathan¡¯s motive, she knew it would not be simple. As I have not confirmed that Floretta is my daughter, any ident could happen at this juncture. She perused the photographs from Jonathan again. Staring at the wounds all over the little boy, she felt a boulder weighing down on her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. A DNA test is all it takes to learn who my child is. Angeline¡¯s spirits plummeted. Her back slid dejectedly down the side of the bath and into the water. She shut her eyes wearily. Hallsbay has been incredibly unfair ofte. I¡¯ve been struck down by wave after wave of hardship quicker than I can cope with them. d in white sportswear and a cap, Joseline held the club firm and took careful aim. With a resounding thud, she sent the ball wlessly into the hole on the far end of the golf course. ¡°Sublime golfing, Mrs. Yiurk.¡± A round of apuse sounded behind her. Joseline turned around and nced at Joey. ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± she remarked, raising her chin haughtily. ¡°I have indeed, Mrs. Yiurk, with something important to report.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Joseline responded. She handed her club to the caddy and stretchedzily. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for me to get out of caring for the old man in the hospital for a breath of fresh air. What a refreshing change of scene.¡± ¡°Congrattions, Mrs. Yiurk. I heard Old Mr. Sorelle is quietly searching for an attorney to prepare the distribution of his assets.¡± Joseline¡¯s heart leaped at those words. She frowned. ¡°Has he found awyer?¡± ¡°He has. After many years of your arduous care, along with our meticulous nning, Sorelle Group will be yours.¡± Joseline arrived at the lounge. She took a seat and picked up the ss of watermelon juice from the table. A feeling of unspeakable joy rose in her heart as she admired the beautiful view. ¡°Have youpleted everything I asked?¡± ¡°I have. My men are nted in the vige as we speak. Upon finding out how badly the kid is beaten by his deadbeat father, Angeline would not be able to stop herself from seeking him out. By then, we¡¯ll just¡­¡± Joey did not finish his sentence. Instead, he drew a finger across his neck with malice in his eyes. Joseline chuckled knowingly. She folded her legs and sat up straight to take a deep breath. Nobody is going to ruin my ns this time, nor would I have to live in fear anymore. My future with my son will be a bright one once I capture Sorelle Group. The parent-teacher conference officiallymenced that day in the kindergarten. The grounds were livened up by colored ropes hanging from every corner, and the students stood in lines to await their parents bringing them away. ¡°Mark.¡± A woman¡¯s gentle voice sounded. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Hearing that, Mark put on a goofy smile and waved at the woman. ¡°Aunt Olivine, you¡¯re here,¡± he shouted excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte. I got held up with a meeting just now.¡± Olivine wore a bright red strapless dress with her long, chestnut curls draped loosely around her shoulders, looking mboyant that day. Apparently, she didn¡¯t attend a meeting but had been to the beauty salon instead. She walked up to Mark and took his hand before turning to scan the crowd. Seeing no sign of Evander, she knitted her brows, and her expression darkened. I heard all parents must be present at this parent- teacher conference, and Evander has also arranged his work beforehand. He should have arrived long ago. Now that the parent-teacher conference is about to start, I wonder why he hasn¡¯t arrived yet. As time passed, all the parents walked into the school and took their children from their respective teachers. Only Floretta, standing on her tiptoes, remained in her spot and merely stared at the gate. Seeing her like that made her teacher feel bad. She walked over andforted, ¡°Floretta, are you sure you have informed your parents today is the day?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure,¡± Floretta responded in a clear voice. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Maybe they are trapped in a traffic jam, or something has held them up. We¡¯ll wait for them a little longer together.¡± Upon hearing that, Mark snapped his head back and shot Floretta a sly smile. ¡°Teacher, Floretta is spouting nonsense. She doesn¡¯t have a mommy. No one wille and attend the parent-teacher conference with her.¡± His loud voice immediately attracted the attention of the children beside him. One after another, Mark¡¯s gang began tough at her. ¡°That¡¯s true. Floretta is lying. She even said she would invite a superstar to the parent-teacher conference today.¡± ¡°Teacher, I think we should just leave Floretta standing there alone. She doesn¡¯t have parents anyway.¡± ¡°All of you, stop talking.¡± Floretta stomped her feet, grimacing. Tears began to well up in her eyes. It¡¯s not like that! Angel promised me that she would attend the parent-teacher conference today. She will not lie to me. But why? Why isn¡¯t she here yet? ¡°My goodness. What nonsense are you guys talking about?¡± The children¡¯s arguments filled the teacher with shock and disbelief, and her face turned ashen. She never expected Floretta to be bullied by the others in school and thought things would be even worse if Evander heard that. ¡°Teacher, we¡¯re telling the truth!¡± Mark talked back in dissatisfaction. Suddenly, he felt his head hurt and yelped. Looking at Olivine with aggravation, he asked, ¡°Aunt Olivine, why did you hit me?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Because you deserved it. Promise me you won¡¯t talk nonsense and bully Floretta ever again.¡± Olivine red at him with a fierce expression. Thank goodness Evander is not around. Mark may look strong and dignified, but he¡¯s azy glutton and not smart enough. If Evander heard someone bullying her precious daughter, he would have wrecked the school or even doomed the Sherrock family. I¡¯ve already fallen to disgrace after he called off our engagement. If something else happens, the Sherrock family¡¯s reputation will definitely be ruined. Olivine put on a friendly smile as she pondered. She walked up to Floretta, who was standing on the stage, and said, ¡°Floretta, please forgive Mark for going overboard with his words. I think your daddy has been busy with worktely. He should be here in a while. Come with me first, okay?¡± However, Floretta forcefully shook off Olivine¡¯s hand with a hint of hostility on her face. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. I have parents. Angel will be here to pick me upter,¡± she stubbornly said. The little girl didn¡¯t bother to spare Olivine any dignity in front of everyone. Angeline? A tinge of jealousy instantly shed across Olivine¡¯s eyes. Her tone turned cold as she spoke. ¡°Angeline won¡¯t show up. She was riddled with the scandal of the Sorelle family, and many of her misdeeds were also exposed. I guess she should be hiding somewhere now.¡± Taken aback by her words, Floretta shook her head vigorously and bit her lip hard. ¡°No. Angel will never ke on me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be naive, Floretta. This woman covets your daddy¡¯s wealth. How can she sincerely treat you well?¡± Olivine bent down and patted the little girl¡¯s head, smiling. ¡°Be a good girl, ande with me.¡± Floretta looked at her aggrievedly. As her temper red, she reached out her hand to give Olivine a forceful push. ¡°Go away! I don¡¯t need you.¡± At the end of her words, she clenched her fists and prepared to run toward the ssroom. ¡°Spreading false rumors is subject to legal action, Ms. Sherrock.¡± It was then a cold female voice suddenly rang out. A particrly eye-catching red sports car pulled up at the school entrance. As the car door opened, a woman in a dark green coat carrying a designer handbag alighted from the car. Her regal aura immediately drew the attention of the crowd. While the woman walked toward Floretta in her ten-centimeter-tall crystal heels, she raised her hand to remove her sunsses, revealing an exquisite face. ¡°Sorry for runningte, teacher. I¡¯m here to pick my girl.¡± She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°my,¡± making the parents in the sports field widen their mouths and exim in awe. On the other hand, Mark and the other children who hadughed at Floretta earlier were dumbfounded. Rubbing their eyes hard, they couldn¡¯t believe the woman before them would be Angeline. ¡°Angel!¡± The sadness on Floretta¡¯s face instantly vanished. ted, she ran toward Angeline with her arms wide open. ¡°Be careful.¡± Angeline hugged the little girl and said with a doting tone, ¡°What are we going to do if you fall?¡± ¡°You really made it! I have not seen you for so long and thought Daddy and you won¡¯t be here today.¡± Floretta pouted and stared at Angeline with misty eyes. Seeing her like that made Angeline¡¯s heart wrenched. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetheart.¡± Feeling apologetic, Angeline caressed Floretta¡¯s face and exined, ¡°I came a littlete as I had an urgent shooting just now. But I will fulfill what I¡¯ve promised you and won¡¯t let others take advantage of it.¡± Herst sentence was somehow intriguing. It made Olivine¡¯s face darken, and she balled up her firsts. I have yet to settle the score with her. How dare she show herself here? ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here.¡± Floretta, wrapping her arms around Angeline¡¯s neck, tilted her head and kissed Angeline hard on the cheek. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 The teacher felt relieved at the sight. With a smile, she greeted, ¡°Floretta¡¯s parent, please line up in the ssroom. The parent-teacher conference is about to start.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Angeline took Floretta¡¯s hand and walked off the stage. The moment she stepped into the crowd, the other parents surrounded her excitedly, exchanging pleasantries with her. ¡°Oh my goodness! We usually see you on TV and never expect you to be so beautiful in person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Ms. Sorelle, ¡®The Journey¡¯ is indeed a good series. Do you mind letting us know the plot for theing episode?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. You¡¯re here to attend the parent-teacher conference with Floretta. Does that mean you have reconciled with Mr. Golding?¡± Angeline froze when she heard that. By right, I¡¯m not supposed to turn up here since I¡¯ve already broken up with Evander. However, Floretta¡¯s anticipation look reminded her of the bet between Floretta and her ssmate. But if I deny it now, the other children will continue to taunt Floretta. For her sake, I must put away my pride this time. Having that thought in mind, she lowered her head and brushed the stray strands of her fringe away. ¡°Sorry, we have no intention of making it public,¡± she remarked shyly. The busybody parents¡¯ smiles intensified at her words. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, we understand. Anyway, congrattions! Both of you look great together and make a perfect match.¡± Not far away, Olivine, who had been given the cold shoulder, was furious at the sight of the scene. At the side, Mark stomped his feet and threw a tantrum after having his reliability shredded to pieces in front of his friends. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. It¡¯s all fake! Floretta couldn¡¯t have invited Angeline over. Aunt Olivine, I thought you would marry into the Golding family soon.¡± His words undoubtedly hit the bullseye. Olivine¡¯s expression immediately changed as she warned fiercely, ¡°Shut up and stop kicking up a fuss. I¡¯ll get your father toe over if you try to be unreasonable again.¡± She wouldn¡¯t havee to the school if it weren¡¯t for meeting Evander. Mark was so terrified that panic was written all over his face. With broken sobs, he apologized, ¡°Sorry, Aunt Olivine. I promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Olivine¡¯s expression gradually softened. She knelt beside him and gently wiped away the tears on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Remember this¡ªthe Sherrock family has a strong foothold, and Angeline is only an actress who entertains men. She¡¯s not worthy of you to like.¡± Mark listened carefully to her words. Although he didn¡¯t fully understand them, he still nodded in response. As the urge to bully intensified, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The parent-teacher conferences at the kindergarten level did not focus on children¡¯s academic performances. Instead, the parents were invited over for games and talent shows. As for this time, the teachers had instructed the children to prepare a talent show with their parents beforehand. The first few groups of families performed flute ying and poems recitation; even Olivine made a fantastic dance performance with Mark. Feeling puzzled, Angeline lowered her head and looked at the sullen Floretta. ¡°Didn¡¯t your teacher ask you to prepare for the performance? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about that?¡± Floretta, clutching the corners of her coat, gazed down at her toes and responded softly, ¡°Francesca told me that Daddy was busy with work and wanted me to be a good child. It has been a long time since youe to our ce. I don¡¯t have the opportunity to tell you about that.¡± Hearing that made Angeline¡¯s nose sting. Such a good child. She held Floretta¡¯s tiny hand and choked with sobs. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Floretta.¡± When Floretta saw her reddened eyes, she shook her head vehemently and exined, ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault for not telling you about it. I¡¯m happy as long as you¡¯re here, Angel. Anyway, the talent show is on a voluntary basis. It¡¯s notpulsory.¡± She was afraid that Angeline would feel guilty for that and smiled as if she didn¡¯t care. Angeline, however, felt bitter at the sight of the little girl. She shifted her gaze to a white piano, which was used as a decorative item for the stage, and her gaze quickly darkened. ¡°Next, let¡¯s apud and wee Floretta and her family.¡± Upon hearing that, Floretta hurriedly raised her hand and replied politely, ¡°Teacher, we give up.¡± Before the teacher could say anything, Mark, covering his face with one hand, pointed at Floretta with another hand and scoffed, ¡°Floretta, everyone is performing. How can your family be excluded? Are you sure you are not lying?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Floretta was so angry that her face flushed bright red. Feeling aggrieved but also helpless, she parted her lips mouth to refute, ¡°It¡¯s you who always bullies me. I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t your parents performing with you then?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Words eluded Floretta. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. ¡°Who says we are not performing?¡± Angeline suddenly emerged from behind and looked at the teacher. The corners of her lips curled into a confident smile. ¡°Teacher, can we borrow your piano for a while?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Floretta¡¯s big eyes were filled with confusion. She tugged at the corner of Angeline¡¯s coat and said, ¡°Angel, we didn¡¯t prepare for the performance. You don¡¯t have to do that for me.¡± ¡°Who says we didn¡¯t prepare for it?¡± Angeline bent down and whispered to Floretta. Thetter instantly broke into a smile and nodded vigorously. Shortly after, Angeline took off her coat. The whitece dress underneath entuated her charm. She led Floretta toward the piano by her hand. Her eyes were filled with excitement the moment she sat down and ced her slender fingers on the piano keys. She was upied with work and trivial matters every day. It had been a long time since she yed the piano, and she found it a bit difficult to get her fingers nimble again. To avoid making mistakes, she didn¡¯t choose a difficult song but yed a children¡¯s song for the asion. The light music notes seemed to hop like fairies at her fingertips as Floretta danced on the spot. Floretta did not have any foundation in dancing, but Angeline admonished her to do it casually and that the most important thing was to put on a bright smile. Floretta thought it was fun and did as she was told. As music resounded all over the sports field, the atmosphere became much more lively, and the teachers began pping their hands. ¡°Everyone, Floretta¡¯s show is very creative. Let¡¯s dance together with her!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± the children responded in unison as they rushed forward to dance along with Floretta. Under the cheerful atmosphere, Floretta, too, danced happily and blended in with the crowd. While ying the piano, Angeline gazed at the little girl and grinned in relief. Hopefully, everything I¡¯ve done today will help Floretta ovee her trauma, and she¡¯ll no longer live in fear. Meanwhile, a luxury car pulled up near the school entrance. A tall and handsome man who exuded an imposing aura alighted from the vehicle. He stood in front of the railing at the school entrance and observed the scene inside the school. When he saw Angeline ying the piano on the stage, he was slightly stunned. It was the first time he saw her y the piano, and he was mesmerized by the sight. She can y the piano perfectly without making the slightest mistake. I wonder what else she can do. ¡°Mr. Golding, I never thought Ms. Sorelle would attend the parent-teacher conference for Ms. Floretta.¡± Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Ss inadvertently reminded, ¡°Seems like she does care about Ms. Floretta. Look at how happy they are.¡± Evander shot him an icy re and said with irritation, ¡°When have you be so talkative?¡± ¡°Sorry about that, Mr. Golding.¡± Ss immediately bowed apologetically as cold sweat drenched his back. ¡°Are we still going in?¡± Evander thought about it for a while before answering in a deep voice, ¡°No need. We¡¯re returning to the office.¡± Ever since the incident at the swimming pool, he assumed he was thest person Angeline wanted to see. Initially, he postponed his schedule and rushed over as he was concerned no one would attend Floretta¡¯s parent-teacher conference. However, he had no reason to worry now that he saw her having so much fun. Ss immediately made to follow him. The former then suddenly thought of something and said carefully, ¡°Mr. Golding, I heard that people in school have beenughing at Ms. Floretta for not having a mother. I¡¯m afraid her mental health would be affected if this continues.¡± Upon hearing that, Evander stopped in his tracks. His expression darkened, and his voice was solemn as he said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? Who started it?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s Mark who started it.¡± Evander furrowed his brows. ¡°Is he the kid from the Sherrock family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Evander¡¯s gaze turned increasingly frosty when he heard Ss¡¯ reply. A chilly and menacing aura emanated from his towering build. Seeing that, Ss couldn¡¯t help gulping fearfully. An inexplicable ominous feeling assailed him. Looks like the Sherrock family would be in huge trouble this time. Meanwhile, Angeline finished ying her piano piece. With one hand holding Floretta¡¯s hand and the other lifting the hem of her skirt, she bobbed a curtsy to the audience. ¡°Thank you, everyone. That¡¯s the end of our performance.¡± Floretta¡¯s clear voice rang out with a tinge of pride. At that instant, a loud round of apuse exploded among the crowd. Everyone was delighted by the performance, and Olivine was the only one who was sulking. Originally, she had wanted toe here and wait for Evander so that she could speak with him. However, he didn¡¯t appear even after the parent-teacher conference had ended. Worse still, she was forced to watch Angeline¡¯s outstanding performance. She wouldn¡¯t have attended if she knew things would turn out like this. Mark, acting all high and mighty, red at Floretta enviously as he said in disdain, ¡°Hmph? What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Frightened by his presence, Floretta dared not rebuke him. Angeline was displeased upon seeing the way Mark was behaving. She pulled Floretta into her embrace and nced at Olivine indifferently. Her lips curled into a smirk, indicating she wasn¡¯t a pushover. ¡°Ms. Sherrock, your nephew is already a bully at such a young age. I wonder how he will turn out when he grows up. You¡¯d better educate him. If Evander finds out about this, it will only do you more harm than good.¡± The nerve of her to bring up Evander! Olivine needed an outlet to vent her anger at that moment. Just as she was about to refute Angeline, her phone rang in her bag. She took out her phone and answered the call with an irritated tone. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ms. Sherrock, something bad happened! Golding Group suddenly withdrew all their investments in Sherrock Group. Mr. Mark was also expelled from school. Old Mr. Sherrock is beside himself with anxiety. You shoulde back and take a look!¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± Olivine gripped her phone tightly, stunned. She then mumbled in disbelief, ¡°Does he not care about our past rtionship?¡± It was just a squabble among children, but Evander decided to burn all bridges with them. He didn¡¯t even care about the long-standing rtionship between the two families. Mark, who knew nothing about the family¡¯s current predicament, grabbed Olivine¡¯s hand and asked excitedly, ¡°Aunt Olivine, are you talking to the butler? Did he instruct the kitchen to make chicken nuggets for me?¡± ¡°Seriously? All you care about is food!¡± Olivine grew irritated upon looking at her nephew¡¯s innocent demeanor. What a good-for-nothing! Without a second to spare, she quickly grabbed Mark¡¯s hand and departed in a rush, not even pausing to inform the teacher. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Everyone was puzzled and started gossiping among themselves. Angeline furrowed her brows. Only when she heard Olivine mumble the phrase ¡°past rtionship¡± did she realize what was happening. Evander must have found out that Floretta was bullied in school and decided to take action. Floretta had always been his precious treasure. Therefore, he kept the little girl¡¯s identity a secret from the school because he feared people might view her differently. However, that created an opportunity for some people to bully her. Olivine was a careful person. Nevertheless, she had underestimated how important Floretta was to Evander. It seemed the Sherrock family was going to suffer a massive loss this time. Everyone left when the parent-teacher conference ended. Meanwhile, Floretta was unwilling to part with Angeline. Also reluctant to part with the little girl, Angeline could only give Francesca a call and ask if Floretta could spend the night at her ce. To her surprise, Francesca agreed to it readily as if someone had already given her instructions beforehand. Angeline brought Floretta to the supermarket to buy some groceries so she could make a meal for them when they returned home. Since there were only two of them, Angeline decided to make a simple dinner. There were still many leftovers after their meal. Angeline had nned to take Floretta for a stroll in the park. However, she was interrupted by a phone call from the hospital. It was from the people she arranged to monitor the situation in the hospital. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, Old Mr. Sorelle did not have any visitors these past few days. You cane over.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Angeline hung up the call and pursed her lips, for she realized that something was amiss. Grandpa is currently critically ill, and he needs someone to look after him twenty-four-seven. Howe no one¡¯s by his side? After much pondering, the concerned Angeline packed the remaining food into thermal containers and brought Floretta to the hospital. When they arrived, Angeline noticed there was not a single person along the corridor Wilfred was staying in. It was utterly deserted. She pushed open the door and entered the ward with Floretta. The curtains were tightly drawn in the room. Therefore, the room was dark even though the sun was blistering outside. Angeline covered her nose as she caught a whiff of the pungent smell of medicine mixed with rotten food. Joseline must have dismissed all her subordinates because she¡¯s tired of Old Mr. Sorelle and wants him dead as fast as possible! Angeline tried to contain the hatred welling in her heart as she walked over to pull the curtains open. Immediately, the room brightened up. Wilfred was lying unconscious in bed. He appeared to have aged substantially since Angelinest saw him, sporting a head full of white hair. Angeline felt her heart clench when she noticed how thin he had gotten. When she looked at him, she found it hard to associate him with the energetic old man she had seen at his own birthday banquet not long before. He had always been a prideful person. No one would have thought he would end up in such a wretched state. At this moment, Wilfred jolted awake from his slumber. His eyes turned toward where Angeline was. Although he could not see, he instinctively called out, ¡°Angeline? Is that you?¡± Angeline felt a lump in her throat when she heard him call her name. She hastily walked over to his bedside. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s me.¡± She sounded hesitant, for she was not used to calling him that. Despite that, Wilfred was still overjoyed when he heard the way she addressed him, so much so that his spirits were immediately lifted. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. I¡¯m d. Thank you foring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte. I wanted to visit you when you got admitted to the hospital, but Joseline wouldn¡¯t let me in, so I could only find another opportunity to slip in.¡± When Wilfred heard that, he heaved a huge sigh before saying apologetically, ¡°That¡¯s just how she is. I¡¯m sorry for everything you¡¯ve been through.¡± A hint of hatred appeared in Angeline¡¯s eyes at the mention of Joseline. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to forgive Joseline, so she changed the topic. ¡°Grandpa, why don¡¯t I bring you to the balcony to get some fresh air?¡± ¡°Okay. It¡¯s been a while since I got some sunlight.¡± Wilfred cracked a rare smile. At his consent, Angeline held his arm and helped him sit up in bed. Just then, Floretta walked in with a pair of sandals in her hands. With a soft and adorable voice as warm as the sunlight in spring, she said, ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, put on some shoes so you can keep your feet warm.¡± A look of shock lined Wilfred¡¯s face as he heard that, and soon, he broke out into a wide smile. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Floretta. I didn¡¯t expect to see you again.¡± Instead of approaching him, Floretta merely smiled sweetly at him and replied in a cheerful voice, ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, if you want to see me, I can always ask Angel to bring me here.¡± ¡°That would be great! I¡¯d love for you toe often, but I don¡¯t think I have much time left.¡± Upon finishing his sentence, he was overwhelmed by immense sorrow. He began coughing violently despite only speaking briefly. Seeing that, Angeline quickly helped him to the balcony and sat him down on a couch. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re terribly ill, so you have to take good care of yourself. Didn¡¯t anyonee to look after you?¡± Wilfred shook his head and let out a long sigh. With a helpless and world-weary voice, he exined, ¡°I¡¯ve been unconscious for the past few days, so I don¡¯t know what happened. All I remember is that a nurse would bring me my meals and medication every day. Other than that, I¡¯m on my own most of the time.¡± ¡°What about Joseline? Doesn¡¯t shee?¡± ¡°I guess she¡¯s busy. She had also sent everyone away, saying that she didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb me,¡± Wilfred answered. Although it seemed like he was exining on her behalf, it was not hard to discern the disappointment on his face. As his unfocused eyes lingered on the scenery outside the window, a gentle breeze brushed the hairs on his face, stinging his eyes in the process. In a daze, he slowly teared up. ¡°Josie¡¯s baby is having his weing party soon, right? I¡¯ve never seen that child before, but I¡¯ve got him a gold locket. I don¡¯t know how to pass it to them though.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes reddened at Wilfred¡¯s musings, andplicated thoughts swirled in her mind. Grandpa¡¯s love for Joseline really knows no bounds. He¡¯s still thinking of her at the very end of his life. How does Joseline have the nerve to harm him when he cares so much for her? ¡°Grandpa, have some oatmeal. It helps you digest better.¡± Tamping down her desire to tell Wilfred the truth, Angeline poured some oatmeal into a bowl and handed it to the old man. Though Wilfred was weak due to his illness, he still picked up the spoon and ate the oatmeal. He was touched, for Angeline had made it specially for him. Upon finishing the warm oatmeal, Wilfred felt a lot better. Hisplexion improved, and his face was no longer as pale. Angeline noticed a pile of dirtyundry on the couch and thought of dealing with it since she was free. If I don¡¯t tend to it, who knows how long it¡¯ll just sit there? At that thought, Angeline asked Floretta to spend some time with Wilfred in the ward before carrying theundry to theundry room. After half an hour of washing the clothes, she stepped out of the room with the clean clothes in a basket. As soon as she reached Wilfred¡¯s ward, she saw Liam heading toward her. ¡°Angeline, have youe to visit your grandpa?¡± With both his hands in his pockets, Liam looked at her and shed her a faint smile. Angeline stopped in her tracks and engaged in a conversation with Liam. ¡°Yeah. Are you on your rounds? It must be tiring.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. This is part of my job. Anyway, how¡¯s Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s health recently?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know why but Joseline sent everyone away. How could Grandpa get any better without anyone caring for him?¡± Again, a hint of hatred surfaced in Angeline¡¯s unfathomable gaze. Liam patted her shoulder and sighed. After pondering, he spoke. ¡°I know the situation in your family is complicated, so I shouldn¡¯t say anything at this point to make things worse, but there¡¯s something you should know.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think someone is investigating us.¡± Meanwhile, Wilfred was helping Floretta stack the toy blocks she had brought over from school. While he was at it, a block identally slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. A crisp noise was heard when the block hit the floor. Wilfred creased his brows and bent over to feel where the block had fallen because he couldn¡¯t see. Unknowingly, he reached the door and overheard the exchange between Angeline and Liam. ¡°Are you saying Joseline is investigating us behind our backs? Does she already know I¡¯ve taken Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s medication for testing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. When I realized what had happened, I was toote. I noticed that theb report of his medication had already been tampered with.¡± Liam looked at her worriedly, and his tone became increasingly solemn. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, Angeline. Since Joseline had no qualms about killing your parents and tampering with your grandfather¡¯s medication, there is no doubt she will go after you, too,¡± he continued. As she heard that, Angeline tightened her grip on the basket handle, and cold sweat drenched her back. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you for telling me these, Dr. Kingsley.¡± Even though she sounded rtively calm, the panic in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. After all, she was human. Humans would naturally fear death. Although she had already prepared herself for Joseline¡¯s nefarious measures, she still felt uneasy. She feared that she would end up like her parents. Moreover, Wilfred was dying. If she fell for Joseline¡¯s schemes, no one would be able to seek justice for the Sorelle family. Amidst her contemtion, she heard a loud thud of something heavy falling to the ground followed by Floretta¡¯s anxious screamsing from the ward. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle! Are you okay? Please wake up!¡± In an instant, Angeline¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Her heart lurched as she rushed into the room with Liam. The first thing she saw when she entered the room was Wilfred sprawling on the cold floor near the door, unconscious. Fortunately, Liam had a stethoscope with him. After helping Wilfred up from the ground, he checked the old man¡¯s condition. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Seeing that, Angeline was so stunned that theundry basket in her hand fell to the ground with a thud, causing the water to stter everywhere. Little did she expect Wilfred to eavesdrop on their conversation in secret. If I knew things would turn out this way, I wouldn¡¯t have talked to Dr. Kingsley about all these. What do I do? Did Grandpa faint because he overheard everything we said? Angeline¡¯s face went pale as those thoughts shed in her mind. Her lips trembled as she tugged Liam¡¯s arm and nervously asked, ¡°Dr. Kingsley, how is my grandpa?¡± ¡°Ms. Sorelle, your grandpa isn¡¯t in good condition. We need to rush him to the emergency room immediately, or the consequences will be dire.¡± With a grave expression, Liam whipped around and left to get the nurses after saying those words. Shortly after, a group of medical personnel hurried over with a stretcher, ced Wilfred on it, and pushed him toward the operating room. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, you must wake up. You haven¡¯t finished building the toy blocks with me¡­¡± Floretta sobbed. Holding her half-built toy blocks, she stared in the direction of the operating room while bawling her eyes out. Deep down, Angeline knew very well that Wilfred falling unconscious must have been a big shock to Floretta. After all, the little girl was still young. She gently caressed Floretta¡¯s cheek and wiped the tears rolling down thetter¡¯s face as she warmly comforted, ¡°Sweetheart, don¡¯t cry. Old Mr. Sorelle will be alright.¡± Just then, the red light outside the emergency room lit up. Coupled with the utter silence in the atmosphere, Angeline felt even more unsettled. I¡¯ll never be able to live in peace if Grandpa dies just like this. After an indeterminate time, a woman¡¯s sharp voice rang out in the corridor. ¡°D*mn you, Angeline!¡± The next moment, Joseline stormed over in high heels. She wore a fierce expression on her face and had an imposing aura surrounding her. Angeline¡¯s face clouded over at that. Nheless, she remained nonchnt as she looked at Joseline and coldly retorted, ¡°Joseline, we¡¯re at the hospital. Please mind your behavior.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Joseline was so furious her face flushed red, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to lift her hand andnd a p across Angeline¡¯s cheek. ¡°You still have the nerve to say that? You almost killed Grandpa!¡± Angeline failed to dodge in time and suffered a hard p across her cheek. Following the loud smack, she raised her eyes and shot Joseline an icy re. Intimidated by the frightening look in her eyes, Joseline staggered several steps back. It took her a long while to find her words. ¡°W-Why are you staring at me like that?¡± ¡°Just look at how ridiculous you are.¡± Angeline shot Joseline a hostile look as she enunciated those words syble by syble in a frosty tone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware of Grandpa¡¯s condition? If you hadn¡¯t sent those helpers away, how would his condition have worsened?¡± ¡°How dare you talk back to me? You¡¯re the one who made Grandpa so angry that he fainted! Have you been looking forward to his death so that you can snatch Sorelle Group¡¯s shares?¡± Joseline pointed at Angeline as she spoke. Her finger was visibly trembling, perhaps because of the overwhelming emotions within her. ¡°Stop talking about the shares!¡± Angeline¡¯s gaze was full of hatred and resentment as she smacked Joseline¡¯s hand away. ¡°I¡¯ve only visited once since Grandpa got admitted to the hospital. On the other hand, you¡¯ve been putting on an act in front of the media, making people think you¡¯re a caring and dutiful granddaughter when in reality, you¡¯re a heartless demon who mistreats elders. You better watch out. Let¡¯s see how you can continue putting on an act when I report you to the police!¡± Angeline looked at Joseline condescendingly. By then, her aura had overpowered thetter, leaving her at a loss for words. The warning look in Angeline¡¯s eyes was evident when she noticed how guilty the latter looked. As the saying goes, he who never wrongs others does not fear the knock in the night. The exhaustion written all across Joseline¡¯s face was so apparent despite the heavy makeup she was wearing, and Angeline, who noticed that, figured the former probably had not been leading an easy life either. Now that I¡¯ve secured evidence of Joseline¡¯s attempt to kill Wilfred, all that¡¯s left for me to do is wait for Delroy to regain consciousness and testify that Joseline was the one who bribed him to do the job. That¡¯ll be sufficient for Joseline to spend the rest of her life in jail! At the same time, realization dawned upon Joseline, who was enraged beyond words. A tinge of hatred surfaced in her gaze, and she abruptly lifted her hand and shoved Angeline away. ¡°Go to hell, Angeline.¡± They were on the seventh floor, and Angeline¡¯s back was facing the railings. Without a doubt, the consequences would be dire if she was pushed down. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Terror shone in Angeline¡¯s eyes as she lost bnce and fell backward. The sound of the wind howling beside her ears grew increasingly deafening. She reached out to grab hold of something but to no avail. All that she heard was Floretta¡¯s sobs. ¡°Angel! Watch out!¡± In the nick of time, arge palm appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her elbow, and pulled her back forcefully. ¡°Angeline, are you okay?¡± A deep voice of a man that wasced with anxiousness rang out. Angeline fell forward into a warm embrace. Her nose mmed right into the man¡¯s sturdy chest, yet she didn¡¯t feel any pain. Her empty gaze was filled with fear. Evidently, she was scared out of her wits. I was this close to dying¡­ I almost died being pushed down the stairs by Joseline! ¡°Angeline, look at me!¡± Someone shook her shoulders so violently that she grew dizzy and almost threw up everything she had eatenst night. That gradually forced her to snap back to her senses. Lifting her head, she stared nkly at Evander. What caught her attention was how his usually emotionless eyes were full of worry and panic. No longer able to hold back her emotions, she burst into tears and threw herself into Evander¡¯s arms. ¡°Why are you here? Do you know I almost fell down the stairs?¡± she asked, choking on tears. Anyone was afraid of death, and she was no exception. The horrible feeling of a close brush with death had undoubtedly left her in fear and trepidation. Evander tenderly caressed her head. There was a tinge of guilt in his warm voice. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry I waste.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s calm yet firm voice, Angeline felt her pounding heart at ease. She hugged him tightly, unwilling to loosen her grip, as though she had finally found a lifebuoy after almost drowning in the sea. After going through the life-and-death situation earlier, she realized her resentment and hatred toward Evander were no longer that important. No matter what had happened and how long it had been, she was still as dependent on Evander as ever. It was just that she had always suppressed those feelings deep inside her, keeping them unrevealed. Meanwhile, Joseline was overwhelmed with panic after realizing the trouble she had caused. She was secretly regretting the reckless act she had just done. Before anyone noticed, Joseline intended to flee without a word. However, she only took a few steps when she felt a tug on her lower body. ¡°You evil witch! You almost killed Angel. You can¡¯t leave just like that! I can¡¯t let you go!¡± Floretta yelled furiously at Joseline. The little girl¡¯s eyes were red, making it evident that she had just shed tears. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Hmph! No one is allowed to bully my future mommy! With that thought in mind, Floretta suddenly opened her mouth wide and bit Joseline¡¯s arm. ¡°Ah! Go away!¡± The pain that shot up her arm coupled with her frustration prompted her to shove Floretta to the ground. ¡°Ouch!¡± Floretta rubbed her aching bottom and kicked her feet aggrievedly, wiping her tears as she sobbed. ¡°This meanie is bullying me! It hurts!¡± Seeing that, Ss hurriedly picked Floretta up from the ground and dusted the dirt off her. ¡°Are you all right, Ms. Floretta?¡± he asked worriedly. ¡°My bottom hurts¡­¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as she asked in confusion, ¡°Mr. Miller, why did this olddy push me? Is it because I did something wrong?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°No¡­¡± Ssforted her. Meanwhile, when Evander saw his daughter¡¯s piteous look, the fury in his heart boiled over. He looked at Ss and ordered sternly, ¡°Mrs. Yiurk is suspected of being involved in a murder case. Bring her to the police station and interrogate her!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ss was more than happy toply. He walked over to Joseline and uttered coldly, ¡°Please come with me, Mrs. Yiurk.¡± Joseline¡¯s delicate face was filled with dissatisfaction. She wanted to retort, but she read the room and kept quiet after seeing Evander¡¯s stone-cold face. If she acted impulsively without contemting the consequences, bigger trouble would surely befall her. Thus, she tamped down her emotions and left the emergency room with Ss. Before she left, she red at Angeline vengefully, extremely dissatisfied. Just as she exited the hospital with Ss and was about to get in the car, the phone in her pocket rang. She had received a text from her assistant: Everything¡¯s ready, Mrs. Yiurk. Relief inundated Joseline as she read the content of the text. Then, she deleted the text swiftly as a wicked grin appeared discreetly on her face. This is such good news! Angeline will soon meet her doom. All I have to endure now is nothing! Back at the hospital, the tension in the air cleared up after Joseline had left, and the atmosphere gradually became peaceful again. Evander wrapped his arms around Angeline while sitting on a chair. He then removed his coat and draped it over her shivering shoulders before asking in a deep voice, ¡°Do you need some water?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Angeline waved her hand before lifting her head again. Color had returned to her pale face. Puzzled, she nced at the man beside her. ¡°By the way, why are you here?¡± ¡°As Floretta¡¯s father, isn¡¯t it my obligation to send someone to protect you two in secret since you brought my daughter away?¡± Evander looked and sounded indifferent and calm, as though he was speaking about a trivial matter. Angeline understood the reason behind his action. Still breathing rapidly from the shock she had just experienced, she ced a hand on her chest and tried to calm herself down. ¡°Thank you so much for saving me just now, or I would¡¯ve been dead.¡± Although everything was over, she was still terrified when she thought about the fact that she was so close to dying. Evander¡¯s expression went taut. He stared at her with aplicated look and spoke, his tone bringing with it a profound meaning. ¡°I don¡¯t need your gratitude.¡± Hearing that, Angeline didn¡¯t know how to face him. Therefore, she lowered her head to avoid eye contact with him and said awkwardly, ¡°Mr. Golding, I don¡¯t know how I can repay your kindness. If there¡¯s any coboration between Golding Group and mypany, I¡¯ll do so for free.¡± Evander pursed his lips tightly, and his expression became extremely gloomy. His gaze darkened as he continued staring at Angeline. She was hugging me so tightly just a few moments ago, and now she¡¯s ying dumb. What superb acting skills! However, he decided against exposing her feelings, for their rtionship had just begun to improve. If he pushed her too much, he would only make things worse. ¡°Daddy, Angel, what¡¯s wrong with you two? Did you two have a fight?¡± As soon as Floretta walked over to Angeline and Evander, she realized something was off. Thus, she stared at the two adults with a suspicious look. Upon hearing that, Angeline couldn¡¯t help but regret her actions. She almost forgot about Floretta¡¯s existence in the room. Hurriedly, she pulled thetter toward her and said gently, ¡°We¡¯re absolutely fine. Are you hurt from being pushed just now?¡± Fortunately, Evander didn¡¯t disappoint Floretta by denying Angeline¡¯s remark. Floretta covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Then, she leaned closer to Angeline¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m okay. I was just pretending to be hurt so that Daddy will avenge you!¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t help stealing a nce at Evander only to see him leaning against the wall calmly with his arms crossed as if he had nothing to do with the previous incident. It seemed like he had already noticed Floretta¡¯s motives. No wonder he wasn¡¯t too worried just now even though he cares about his daughter a lot. This father- daughter duo surely works perfectly together, huh? ¡°You cheeky little girl.¡± Angelineughed, her heart filled with warmth. She caressed Floretta¡¯s head affectionately. A sudden realization dawned on Angeline. Ever since the first time I met Floretta, we immediately grew fond of each other. Is that because we¡¯re blood-rted? No matter how many years we had been apart, we still cherished each other because my blood runs within Floretta. Angeline¡¯s heart began to race when she thought of that. She didn¡¯t dare jump to conclusions before gathering substantial evidence. However, deep down, she hoped that Floretta was really her biological daughter. m! At that moment, the door to the emergency room opened, and the doctor walked out. Seeing that, Angeline immediately got up and walked toward the doctor. She asked with concern, ¡°Doctor, how is my grandpa¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please mentally prepare yourself for what I¡¯m about to tell you.¡± The doctor lowered his head and spoke regretfully. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle has been battling pneumonia for many years. Now, it has evolved into cancer. Coupled with the fact that he was just in a state of shock, his condition is worsening continuously. I¡¯m afraid his days are numbered. You should start preparing for his funeral just in case.¡± The harsh truth dealt a heavy blow to Angeline, causing her to stagger a few steps backward while trembling. ¡°Please, doctor. I¡¯m begging you. Please save my grandpa.¡± ¡°We did everything we could, Ms. Sorelle. Old Mr. Sorelle will be moved to a ward soon. Please take good care of him in hisst few days.¡± With that, the doctor nodded at Angeline and left. Not long after, Wilfred was pushed out of the emergency room. Various tubes were attached to his body, and his condition seemed horrible. Seeing that, Angeline could no longer keep her emotions in check. She wept as she followed Wilfred to the ward. ¡°Daddy, will Angel be okay?¡± Floretta asked worriedly while wrapping her arms around Evander¡¯s thigh. ¡°She¡¯s going to be okay. You should go home first. I¡¯ll wait for her.¡± After being transferred out of the emergency room, Wilfred jolted awake. He opened his eyes with much difficulty, and his voice sounded rather hoarse as he said, ¡°The room is so dark. Why aren¡¯t the lights switched on?¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Tears welled up in Angeline¡¯s eyes when she heard him. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know how to reply to the old man. Wilfred let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°I almost forgot I¡¯m blind. Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m all alone in myst days.¡± His voice was filled with regret. Angeline quickly held his hand. It took her every ounce of willpower not to cry. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, Grandpa? I¡¯m right here.¡± She forced a cheery tone. ¡°Angeline?¡± Wilfred was overjoyed. He grabbed her hand excitedly and babbled, ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here. Who would have thought you would be the one by my side before I passed on?¡± Angeline could onlyfort him with words as she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell him the truth. ¡°That won¡¯t happen, Grandpa. The doctor said just now you will recover. You just need to recuperate. I¡¯ll hire some caregivers to look after you.¡± Wilfred chuckled. He spoke in a rxed manner as if he had ovee the fear of death. ¡°I know my own body best. I only have a few days left.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you the best doctor-¡± ¡°No need to waste your money. It¡¯s pointless now.¡± Wilfred paused as his eyes darkened. He gritted his teeth and said resentfully, ¡°It¡¯s so unfair. I never thought that the granddaughter I¡¯ve raised would try to kill me to get her hands on my inheritance. I thought we were family.¡± Upon finishing his sentence, he clutched his chest andunched into a coughing fit. Angeline quickly helped him up, poured him a ss of water, and fed him with a spoon. She waited till he had calmed down before deciding to tell him the truth, even though she was worried that his heart wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it secretly, Grandpa. Joseline is not part of the Sorelle family. But I guess only Mom and Dad would know what happened back then.¡± Wilfred was stunned. However, the news didn¡¯t surprise him as much anymore after all he had been through. ¡°I see. Your mom was studying overseas with your dad when she was pregnant with Joseline. It wasn¡¯t until two yearster that they brought her back.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then my guesses must be right. Mom and Dad were kind souls. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they took Joseline in,¡± she said grimly. ¡°Their kindness had nurtured a snake in their bosom!¡± Wilfred shouted furiously beforeunching into another fit of cough. ¡°How dare they? How dare they hide something so important from me? How disrespectful of them,¡± he continued. ¡°Grandpa, Joseline is to me. Mom and Dad have nothing to do with this.¡± Angeline couldn¡¯t help but defend her parents. She showed even more tenderness toward Wilfred now that she knew he wasn¡¯t aware of Joseline¡¯s background. Would he still have kicked me out of the household and helped Joseline be who she is today if he had seen thising? s, there¡¯s no medicine for regret. She took a deep breath and looked Wilfred in the eye. ¡°Grandpa, you only need to focus on getting better by cooperating with the doctor. Leave the rest to me. I¡¯ll make Joseline pay for everything!¡± Tears welled up in Wilfred¡¯s eyes when he heard her words. He grabbed Angeline¡¯s hand and sighed. ¡°My dear child, I have reached my limit. The future of the Sorellesy in your hands now¡­¡± Bang! Bang! Just then, someone knocked on the door before pushing it open. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. A man dressed in a suit stood by the door with some files in his arm. He nced around the room with a straight face. ¡°Greetings, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Angeline sprang up from her chair when the man greeted her. ¡°Hello. You are?¡± she asked, puzzled. The man introduced himself respectfully, ¡°I am Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯swyer, Mr. rke, mainly appointed to write his will.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Angeline wiped her tears away, took a pillow from the couch, and ced it behind Wilfred for back support. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you alone with Mr. rke, Grandpa. See you tomorrow,¡± she said softly. ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline took her bag and left the ward after that. She noticed the solemn look on Wilfred¡¯s face when she closed the door but said nothing. It wasn¡¯t her ce to ask Wilfred how he was nning to write his will. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t after his inheritance when she decided to care for Wilfred. After all, he already knew the truth. There was nothing she could say or do if he decided to give Joseline his inheritance for old times¡¯ sake. Nevertheless, Angeline believed that Wilfred would never do that. She made her way to the balcony, opened it, and took a deep breath of fresh air to make herself feel better. Her heart felt heavy as she remembered the words Wilfred had said to her in the ward. Tears rolled down her cheeks as scenes of the Sorelles¡¯ demise shed past her mind. Just as she was feeling troubled and helpless, she suddenly felt someone drape a thick suit jacket over her shoulders to keep her warm. Angeline froze. She knew who it was just by the smell of sandalwood on the suit jacket. ¡°Why are you still here? Where¡¯s Floretta?¡± She turned and noticed Evander standing alone behind her. ¡°Francesca has fetched Floretta back, so don¡¯t you worry. Do you want to have some Jetroinian food?¡± Meanwhile, in the ward, Wilfred adjusted to a morefortable position, put his fist near his lips, and coughed heavily. Mr. rke¡¯s eyes were filled with concern as he sized him up. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, your illness is getting worse. I heard you were sent to the emergency room just now. Should Ie another day?¡± ¡°No need. My days are numbered. Let¡¯s settle this once and for all so that there is one less thing for me to worry about.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mr. rke didn¡¯t say anything anymore since Wilfred was adamant about it. He flipped open the file in his hand. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, I¡¯ve drafted the asset distribution agreement. Are you sure you want to hand Sorelle Group over to Joseline?¡± Wilfred hesitated upon hearing his words. It took him a long while before he answered, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Okay. I will need you to sign the will if you have no more questions. The agreement will take effect starting today.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wilfred nodded in agreement. He then chop-signed a series of documents as Mr. rke had instructed. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 ¡°Since Joseline wants them, I¡¯ll just let her have them.¡± Wilfred¡¯s tone was as calm as ever. It was as though he could not be bothered with thepany anymore. Mr. rke let out a long sigh. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do as you ask.¡± He only agreed in a deep voice as he dared not say anything more to refute. With that, he left with the documents in hand. However, just when he reached the door, he heard Wilfred call out to him again. ¡°Mr. rke, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to draft another will for my private assets.¡± At the Jetroinian restaurant, Evander made a reservation and requested a window seat overlooking the night scenery of the entire city from the staff. The ce was lively as lights illuminated the city, and the street was flooded with cars. With a gloomy expression, Angeline looked out of the window and cradled her chin in her palm. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± She only responded with a shake of her head when she heard Evander¡¯s question. Her voice was a touch hoarse when she replied, ¡°Go ahead and order. I don¡¯t have much appetite.¡± Evander didn¡¯t force her. Taking the menu from the waiter, he randomly ordered a few signature dishes. While leaning against the couch, he couldn¡¯t help but fixate his gaze on Angeline. The weather in October wasn¡¯t too cold, and she wore a furry white long dress with a high cor covering half her face. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, making her look extraordinarily innocent and delicate. ¡°Are you still thinking about your grandpa?¡± Evander¡¯s words managed to bring Angeline back to her senses. She lowered her gaze and gave a bitter smile. ¡°Yeah. Although Grandpa kicked me out of the Sorelle family and cut off all ties with me, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hate him after I found out about Joseline¡¯s despicable behavior.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Hearing Evander¡¯s response, Angeline was stunned and arched her brows. ¡°What do you understand?¡± Evander raised his eyes to nce at her. It was as though he could gaze right into her heart. He then answered faintly, ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle is on his deathbed, so you can¡¯t bring yourself to reprimand him. Yet, you still can¡¯t let go of all the grievances you have been suffering over the past five years after you were chased out from the family. Or maybe¡ª¡± He then paused for a moment. Meanwhile, Angeline was slightly taken aback. Minutes passed by, and Evander finally continued, ¡°You¡¯re wondering if you didn¡¯t get kicked out of the family, perhaps you could have sessfully given birth to the baby back then, and it wouldn¡¯t have gone missing.¡± Everything he imed was correct. For some reason, Angeline felt relieved after hearing what Evander said. At that moment, she felt at ease like never before because she had someone who knew her so well and was willing to share her pains. ¡°Mr. Golding, your dinner is ready.¡± Just then, the servers showed up with trays of food in their hands. Evander gestured with his eyes, and they served all the Jetroinian dishes to the table. The tableful of scrumptious fare was mouthwatering. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡± Evander waved the servers off. The next second, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing the sparkling invaluable watch on his wrist. He removed the shells of the fresh shrimps and ced the te of shrimps in front of Angeline before uttering tenderly, ¡°Eat some food first. If you¡¯re unwell, Joseline will be the winner.¡± Following his reminder, Angeline pulled herself together and began to dig in. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. However, a wave of nausea hit her after she had taken only a few bites, so she left the food aside. It wasn¡¯t until she took a few sips of warm water that she finally felt better. In the meantime, Evander picked up the ss of wine from the table and slowly sipped at it, looking gentle. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much. On the contrary, I think the oue wouldn¡¯t have been any better even if you didn¡¯t get kicked out of the Sorelle family. It might even be worse,¡± he drawled. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Even though you didn¡¯t tell me about the father of your child before, are you sure your child went missing by ident?¡± His question left Angeline speechless. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, someone must have been manipting things secretly. In fact, that person probably had their sights set on you since you got pregnant!¡± Angeline clenched her fists under the table when she heard his remark. She couldn¡¯t suppress her emotions even after taking a deep breath. Judging from Evander¡¯s words, he was telling her that someone had set her up. Hence, no matter whether she was kicked out of the family or not, the ending would be the same. Besides that, he hoped that she wouldn¡¯t forget who it was that she should truly be taking revenge on because of her grudge against Wilfred. As Evander¡¯s words enlightened Angeline, a sh of gratitude fluttered across her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Evander.¡± This time, she didn¡¯t address him as ¡°Mr. Golding¡± in a distant tone. It was as if the stone wrapped around her heart was slowly cracking without her knowing. In truth, she had already forgiven the Sorelle family. It was just that she needed a breakthrough that could allow her to willingly let go of the hatred she had been holding for the Sorelle family for years. Because Evander knew her like the back of his hand, he had sessfully helped her to aplish that. Bang! Bang! At that moment, fireworks boomed outside the window. Angeline immediately turned around to gaze out the ss. From her angle, she could watch the fireworks clearly. Countless fireworks bloomed in the sky like dazzling flowers. A surprised look crept onto Angeline¡¯s face when she saw the fireworks. Since it¡¯s not the festive season, the city center wouldn¡¯t allow people to light fireworks. Who¡¯s so bold to do so? Despite that, she was on cloud nine. She hurriedly jumped to her feet from the chair and stered herself against the window before she spoke to Evander with excitement. ¡°Look! How beautiful! It¡¯s my first time seeing so many magnificent fireworks since my return to Hallsbay all those years ago.¡± Evander remained seated on the chair. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her as he noticed the happiness reflected in her eyes. ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Below amercial building a near distance away, three people were gathered around to y with the fireworks and have fun. Floretta twirled around with sparklers in her hands, giggling with excitement all the while. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Nancy! The fireworks are so pretty. I¡¯ve never yed with such a fun thing before.¡± Nancy pulled Floretta under the roof and gazed at thetter lovingly. ¡°You¡¯re missing out on your childhood because your daddy is too strict with you. When I was your age, I almost drowned in the river when I caught fish in the countryside. But look at me now! I¡¯m still alive and well,¡± she said with a smile. Meanwhile, Roger walked over after he finished lighting the fireworks. While rolling his eyes at Nancy, he grumbled unceremoniously, ¡°You have got to be kidding. Floretta is not as crazy as you! Be careful. You¡¯d better not be a bad influence on Floretta!¡± Upon hearing his words, Nancy became furious. She then pulled Roger¡¯s ear and roared, ¡°Are you looking for a beating? Hmph! Have you learned your lesson yet?¡± Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Floretta chuckled on the side before she jumped in delight while pping her hands. She cheered, ¡°Mr. Roger is foolish. Ms. Nancy, let me help you!¡± Roger responded, ¡°Come on, Floretta, I can¡¯t believe I spoiled you in vain. Ouch!¡± In no time, Floretta joined the duo. The three of them fooled around under the building and had a good time. Nancy brought Floretta to sit on the bench when they got tired from ying. As for Roger, he reached for his reddened ear and kept moaning with pain. He pursed his lips and pitifully uttered, ¡°You two are bad people. I¡¯mining to Mrs. Golding!¡± As soon as Nancy heard his remark, she could not help but look in the direction of the building opposite them, where the Jetroinian restaurant was located. ¡°I wonder if this trick worked and whether Mr. Golding and Angeline can get back together.¡± There was a hint of worry in her tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As it¡¯s my idea, I can assure you that any woman will want to jump into Evander¡¯s arms and be deeply touched by him when they witness that.¡± Nancy shot daggers at him before replying contemptuously, ¡°How can youpare Angeline with those lowly women that you know?¡± ¡°Indeed, Mrs. Golding is unique.¡± With that, Roger fell into deep thought. During the time I treated Angeline, I realized she was different from the other women. She seems to have gone through extraordinary experiences in her life, so she can still keep herposure when dealing with any matter. Besides, she doesn¡¯t care about money and fame. Perhaps that was also precisely why Evander fell in love with her. But a woman like her is the most difficult to handle. I hope Evander can try his best to win Angeline back. Meanwhile, at the Jetroinian restaurant, Angeline leaned against the window to watch the dazzling fireworks, whichsted for fifteen minutes. After the firework disy, she lowered her head in disappointment. Indeed, no matter how beautiful the fireworks are, they¡¯ll be over in a sh. At that precise moment, a girl¡¯s voice rang out from outside. ¡°Hello, Angeline. I¡¯m your fan, Mimi.¡± Hearing that, Angeline was stunned. She then turned her attention to the screen on themercial building nearby. A video clip was ying on it. ¡°I¡¯m Xavier. Angeline, I like you so much! We know there are many rumors about you on the inte as ¡®The Journey¡¯ gains poprity. But remember this¡ªwe¡¯ll always be by your side!¡± ¡°I love you. We¡¯ll be with you forever!¡± The video on the screen kept ying, and many unfamiliar faces appeared in it. They each had a banner in their hands as they cheered for Angeline. As it turned out, they were all Angeline¡¯s fans. After watching the video, Angeline reached her hand to cover her mouth in shock. In an instant, tears streamed down her face. She then stiffly turned to look at Evander and questioned, ¡°You prepared this?¡± Meanwhile, Evander stood up and went up behind her. His tall buildpletely shadowed her. ¡°Do you like it?¡± It really is him! Angeline sobbed uncontrobly. ¡°W-Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Weren¡¯t you by my side in the hospital all this while? When did you prepare this?¡± She was so touched that she couldn¡¯t even speak clearly. ¡°Your fan club recorded this video a long time ago. I just helped them disy it.¡± Even so, Angeline believed that Evander had spent a lot of effort to make that happen. That video clip was a great encouragement to her. Before this, she always thought she would be left alone and have no loved ones to care about her when Wilfred passed away. However, by showing her the love of her fans, Evander hadforted her and made her finally realize that many people in this world treasured her. Angeline¡¯s shoulders kept trembling, and she bawled her eyes out after watching the video with all her attention. Right then, she suddenly felt warmth behind her as Evander wrapped his arms around her. Angeline froze on the spot and even forgot to break free from him momentarily. The next moment, she heard Evander whisper next to her ear, ¡°Angeline, let¡¯s get back together.¡± His words left her speechless. At that moment, Angeline¡¯s heart was beating so fast that it sounded like thunder. Although she remained silent, a hint of gentleness could be seen in her eyes. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She suspected the incident five years ago was due to Evander forcing himself on her. However, she was well aware of everything Evander had been doing for her recently. Thus, it would be a lie to say that she hadn¡¯t grown feelings for him. ¡°Don¡¯t you me me for breaking up with you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Evander¡¯s moist and warm kissnded on Angeline¡¯s earlobe. His maic voice made Angeline tremble uncontrobly. ¡°But from the moment you attended the parent-teacher conference for Floretta and even performed with her to prevent her from being discriminated against, I reckon you¡¯re the most suited person to be her mother.¡± Angeline was at a loss for words when she heard that. So, he saw everything at the parent-teacher conference that day. He isn¡¯t neglecting Floretta, after all. I can¡¯t rte such an attentive, thoughtful, and understanding man to the crazy pervert from five years ago. Hmm¡­ Is there some sort of misunderstanding in that matter? Angeline¡¯s expression became serious. After taking a deep breath, she decided to get to the bottom of the things that happened back then. ¡°Evander, I have always wanted to ask you a question regarding our breakup.¡± Even though she found it difficult to talk about that matter, she no longer wanted to be in the dark about it. Evander replied, ¡°Go on.¡± Just as she was thinking about how she should start the topic, her phone in her pocket rang. The silence was abruptly interrupted. Angeline quickly took her phone out and nced at the caller ID. Her eyes darkened. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going to take this call,¡± she uttered grimly. Taking her bag, she hurriedly went to the restroom. The sudden interruption caused Evander to have a gloomy expression, and confusion welled within him. Who exactly is calling her that she feels the need to hide it from me? After entering the restroom, Angeline scanned the surroundings to ensure no one was around before answering the call. ¡°Hello, Jonathan?¡± Jonathan asserted sternly, ¡°I¡¯m at Vi No. 301, Felicity Gardens. I found the middle-aged human trafficker from the orphanage back then. If you want to find out the exact reason,e here now.¡± He hung up the phone as soon as he finished delivering the information to her. ¡°Hello?¡± There was no time for Angeline to clear her doubts. Just like that, her heart sank once again. Her arm shook a little as she tightened her grip on the phone. She then kept her phone and was about to turn to head out. Suddenly, a towering figure appeared and blocked her path. ¡°Angeline, where are you going?¡± She raised her head to look at Evander, her eyes filled with anxiousness. ¡°Evander, I have something to attend to now. Let me go, and I¡¯ll exin to you when I return, okay?¡± she hastily imed. ¡°No!¡± The look on Evander¡¯s handsome face grew solemn, and he refused to step aside. ¡°I need to make sure that you stay safe. Where are you going? I¡¯ll send you there.¡± There was no room for negotiations in his tone. If I agree with him, he¡¯ll figure out the coboration between Jonathan and me. As time passed, Angeline was so panicked that her forehead was covered in sweat. Giving up on rifying things, she reached out to push Evander away. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I must go now.¡± ¡°Who were you talking to on the phone just now? Why can¡¯t you tell me?¡± Angeline felt a pang of heartache when she noticed the disappointment in Evander¡¯s tone. She knew it was unfair to him that she had left without saying goodbye several times, but that was the only thing she could do. Angeline lowered her gaze and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± With that said, she turned around to leave the Jetroinian restaurant without casting a nce back at Evander. As Angeline disappeared from Evander¡¯s sight, an overwhelming wave of disappointment rose within him. His thin lips curved upward as he shed a self-deprecating smile. Since he was afraid Angeline would be upset at losing a loved one, he wanted to prepare a surprise for her. Thus, he had called Roger in advance and asked thetter to contact the authorities privately to talk about the firework disy. I¡¯ve never been so attentive to a woman before. Initially, I thought Angeline would appreciate it, but in the end¡­ I find myself ratherughable! Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Fortunately, the ce Jonathan had provided was not too far away. Angeline gged down a taxi and made her way there. She even put on a simple disguise so that the driver wouldn¡¯t suspect her. The mansion was built halfway up a mountain in the countryside. The area was famous for its beautiful view of the vast ocean behind the mountain. The people who could afford to stay here were either rich or influential. I remember Jonathan¡¯s work ID indicated that he¡¯s just an employee from the IT department in a small company. How did he manage to earn so much money? Her mind was upied with thoughts of her child, so she didn¡¯t think too much of it. She got out of the car, walked up to the door, and knocked on it. She didn¡¯t have to wait long before Jonathan answered the door. Seeing the beads of perspiration on her face due to how anxious she was, he led her to the living room without another word. There was a chubby rural woman tied to a chair in the living room with a piece of cloth shoved in her mouth. Her shrill screams were muffled by the gag, and her eyes were filled with fear. When Angeline saw the woman, her eyes widened in shock, and her hand flew up to her mouth. That¡¯s her! She looks exactly like the woman in the picture Joseline had shown me! Jonathan picked up a fruit knife from the coffee table and approached the woman. He used the de to casually stroke the side of her cheek. ¡°Repeat everything you¡¯ve done once more. If you dare to leave even a single detail out, don¡¯t mind me as I slit your throat!¡± The middle-aged woman screamed even louder as she shook her head frantically. Seeing that, Jonathan finally removed the cloth from her mouth. The woman squeezed her eyes shut and coughed violently. After catching her breath, she fumbled to exin herself, ¡°I admit that I was the one who took a baby away from the orphanage years ago, but I was just carrying out orders from a man. He gave me arge sum of money to get rid of the child. I was blinded by the money back then. Despite that, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to harm the child, so I sent it to a childless distant rtive of mine.¡± By now, the woman was trembling all over from how terrified she was, and words eluded her. Jonathan¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I already investigated this. Her distant rtive is from her alcoholic father¡¯s side of the family. The timing checks out.¡± When Angeline heard his words, her blood started boiling, and her breathing grewborious. She felt like her heart was being torn to pieces. It took her a long time before she was able to speak again. ¡°Who was the man who hired you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember. I only heard that he¡­ died in a car identter on.¡± ¡°You b*tch! How can you do such a thing just for the sake of money? Do you know just how many families you¡¯ve ruined with your selfishness?¡± Angeline was beyond furious. She ran up to the woman and started raining kicks and punches on her. ¡°Ahh! Please stop! I¡¯m sorry!¡± the woman screamed pitifully. Angeline hit her so much that the woman eventually fell to the ground, taking the chair with her. Her head mmed into a corner of the table, and blood started flowing out of the wound. Jonathan reached out to stop Angeline from continuing her rampage. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. We won¡¯t be able to extract useful information out of her if you beat her to death. I¡¯ve already spoken to my subordinates in the vige. The child¡¯s health is deteriorating rapidly due to years of hardship and abuse. He might die if we don¡¯t rescue him as soon as possible,¡± he reminded her in a low voice. Angeline felt her heart clenching at the thought. ¡°Bring me to him,¡± she said shakily. ¡°All right, don¡¯t get so worked up. I¡¯ll bring you there,¡± heforted her. Then, Jonathan ordered his subordinates to clean up the mess and turn the woman over to the police. After that was settled, he led Angeline into the garage. Both of them climbed into the car and headed out. It was veryte at night when they finally arrived at the vige. Jonathan parked the car in a straw house near the vige entrance. The walls looked dpidated, and the shabby windows had a slight yellow tint to them. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jonathan said in a deep voice. Angeline quickly followed after him. Jonathan walked up to the front door of the straw house and knocked on it. Not long after, the door opened, and there stood a tanned young man dressed in tattered clothing. ¡°You¡¯re here, Boss. Come on in.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They entered the house with Angeline following behind Jonathan. The interior was furnished simply, with only a bed and some kitchen equipment. ¡°This is Dawg, the guy I sent to monitor things in the vige. He¡¯s the one who has been updating us on the child¡¯s whereabouts.¡± After Jonathan did the introductions, Angeline shot Dawg a grateful look and nodded at him. ¡°I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done during this time. I will be sure to reward you when all this is over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Dawg rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what I should. Boss is my savior. If it weren¡¯t for him, I would be dead right now. That¡¯s why I¡¯m willing to risk my life for him. I don¡¯t even need anything in return.¡± Angeline nced at Jonathan and smiled at him, warmth washing over her heart. Jonathan must treat his subordinate pretty well for him to be so loyal. Although she had always maintained a professional rtionship with Jonathan and did not know anything about his personal affairs, she could sense that he was not a bad person. ¡°When do we take action, Dawg?¡± Jonathan¡¯s question broke the quiet atmosphere in the house. He had a grim and stern expression on his face. Dawg nced at the clock hanging on the wall, and his eyes darkened. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for another half hour, Boss. The alcoholic father usually goes to bedte at night,¡± he whispered. ¡°Sure.¡± Although it was rather painful to wait it out, it was currently harvesting season, so all the vigers had gone to bed earlier than usual. When they finally moved out, there was not a single soul on the streets save for the asional barks from dogs. It didn¡¯t take them long to arrive at the house. The three of themy on the floor behind the wall and studied theyout of the yard. Angeline noticed that there wasn¡¯t a dog barking its head off this time. Jonathan turned to Dawg and teased, ¡°Where¡¯s the dog? Did you eat it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, Boss! I¡¯m not going to eat a dog, no matter how hungry I am. I was afraid the dog would be a hindrance, so I fed it a sleeping drug.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty smart of you!¡± As Angeline listened to their banter, she started to panic. She quickly lifted a finger to her lips. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Shh!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Just then, a strange smell wafted into Angeline¡¯s nose. It seemed to be the pungent smell of burning fuel, yet it was unusually faint. It was virtually undetectable. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Do you guys smell something?¡± Dawg sniffed the air a few times and looked at her in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything. Maybe you¡¯re overthinking things, Ms. Sorelle.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± Angeline smiled wryly. Yes, perhaps I¡¯m a bit on edge. She pinched her thigh and forced herself to calm down. After some time, all the lights in the house were turned off, and the alcoholic father went to sleep. Dawg pointed at a window on the right and said, ¡°This is where he usually locks the child in. I asked around and found out that he keeps the door unlocked because the child isn¡¯t in a good state of health. We¡¯ll be able to sneak in.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression turned grim. She still wasn¡¯t able to stop the jitters before they moved out. Having found the perfect opportunity, they snuck into the house with Dawg in the lead. He stood guard at the door while Jonathan led Angeline into the room where the child was being kept. The moment they pushed open the door, they were attacked by a putrid stench of something rotten with a hint of blood. Angeline immediately covered her nose to prevent herself from coughing out loud. She lifted her head and looked around the room. With how it was stuffed with loads of things, it was clearly a storage room. There was only a tiny space for the child to sleep in. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Angeline didn¡¯t dare to turn on the lights. Using the dim moonlight, she approached the child to take a closer look. What she saw made her stumble back in shock, and tears sprang to her eyes. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The scrawny child was sprawled out on a stone bed, on the verge of death. He had injuries all over his face and body. His lips were so dry that the skin was falling off, and there were even traces of wet blood on them. Even Jonathan wasn¡¯t having any of it. He furrowed his brows deeply and spat angrily, ¡°All of them are monsters! Don¡¯t they know that neglecting a child is illegal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sue them!¡± Angeline eximed agitatedly, hatred burning strongly in her eyes. ¡°We can talk about thatter. Hold on to my phone for me. I¡¯ll carry the child out of here.¡± Angeline took the phone from Jonathan. However, she suddenly noticed that the burning smell she had detected earlier was getting stronger. Before she could tell Jonathan about it, a woman¡¯s scream could be heard from the neighboring house. ¡°Help! Fire! Someone, please help!¡± Angeline turned to look and saw therge house go up in mes. The fire was burning so intensely that the crackling sound echoed through the night. ¡°Ahh! Help!¡± The alcoholic father and his wife ran out of the house haphazardly without even getting dressed properly. The raging fire was spreading very quickly, and it didn¡¯t take long for the furniture in the living room to fall victim to it. There was a loud boom, and a wooden beam crashed through the roof. Angeline was scared out of her wits, and tears streamed down her face. ¡°Why is this happening? Why did a fire suddenly break out?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to think about that! Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Feeling that there was imminent danger, Jonathan immediately grabbed Angeline¡¯s hand. They bent down, avoiding the areas where the fire was burning, and managed to escape in the nick of time. The alcoholic father and his wife stood in the yard and gazed at their house, which was being swallowed up by the mes. The two of them pped their thighs and cried in agony. ¡°Oh my god! Our house! Our business!¡± ¡°Ahh! I left my money in the cab!¡± Their screams had woken up all their neighbors in the surrounding area. When they saw the mes, all of them went to fetch water from a well to put out the fire. At that moment, Jonathan was supporting Angeline as they walked out of the house. The vigers were stunned to see strangers there. After a long while of silence, the alcoholic¡¯s face twisted in anger. He marched up to them and yelled furiously, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you two before! You were sneaking around my house back then and even said that you were my wife¡¯s rtives. I did a checkter on and found out you were lying. What on earth are you trying to do? You guys were the ones who started the fire, weren¡¯t you?¡± Hearing that, Angeline frowned. ¡°We didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the man grabbed a nearby broom and swung it at them. ¡°Beat them to death!¡± the vigers shouted, egging the man on. Their cheers boosted the alcoholic¡¯s confidence, and he swung the broom at Angeline and Jonathan with all his might. Fortunately, Jonathan grabbed Angeline¡¯s waist and dodged the attack swiftly. He red at the vigers coldly and yelled, ¡°Do any of you know what thew is? This alcoholic man abused his child and will be thrown in jail for his crimes. If you help him, you will be charged as his aplices!¡± The vigers were all hardborers, so the only thing they knew was farming. The moment they heard that this matter would escte into a court case, they fell dead silent. Angeline turned to see that there was nothing in Jonathan¡¯s arms. Then, she rushed toward the house while muttering, ¡°Where¡¯s the child? Oh no! He¡¯s still in there!¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Jonathan grabbed her arm and red at her with a dark expression. ¡°We don¡¯t even know how the fire started. And can¡¯t you see how fiercely the fire is burning?¡± With determination burning in her eyes, she screamed at Jonathan almost hysterically, ¡°I don¡¯t care! If he really is my child, I¡¯m going to do everything in my power to not lose him again!¡± She shook free of his grasp and ran into the house with no regard for her own safety. It didn¡¯t take long for her to disappear into the mes. As Jonathan¡¯s face contorted with rage, he gritted his teeth and cursed, ¡°That crazy woman!¡± He instinctively took a step forward, intending to chase after her. However, when he looked at how intense the fire was, he stopped in his tracks, not daring to take another step forward. At that crucial moment, a tall man appeared from behind him. He exuded an imposing aura that was enough to intimidate anyone who saw him and didn¡¯t appear to be a viger. As the man approached the burning house, he shrugged off his zer and nced at Jonathan coldly, ordering him in a deep voice, ¡°If anything happens to me, please contact Ss on my behalf. He will deal with my affairs.¡± This was the second time Jonathan had interacted with Evander. As usual, the confidence in his eyes and his bravery and intelligence left Jonathan in awe. Although he had outsmarted many people, a rare sense of inferiority arose within him when he was in Evander¡¯s presence. ¡°Be careful.¡± Evander did not respond. With an icy expression on his face, he strode directly into the fire. Meanwhile, Angeline rushed into the fire and picked the child up from the bed. The boy wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind due to smoke inhtion, and his lips were moving as if he was trying to say something. However, Angeline couldn¡¯t understand a single word he was saying. Angeline held the child tightly in her arms and ran toward the front door. However, she suddenly heard a loud bang, and arge block of wood came crashing toward them. ¡°Ahh!¡± Angeline screamed in terror. While she wasn¡¯t hurt, the ming block of wood was blocking her way out. If she were to cross over just like that, she would easily sumb to the raging mes. Regardless, if she were to just stay there, she wouldn¡¯t be able to survive the smoke. Not knowing what else to do, Angeline could only squat on the floor. She gazed at the child in her arms. No matter how much Angeline tried to wake him, his eyes remained firmly shut. She was unsure if the child was alive or not. Angeline started to descend into despair. The smoke was making it harder to breathe by the second. She coughed violently, unable to catch her breath. Looking at the doorway, she yelled helplessly, ¡°Help! Is someone out there? Pleasee and save us!¡± Despite screaming for quite some time, no one responded to her pleas. Her strength was depleting by the second. She kneeled on the ground with the child in her arms. Her head was spinning, and she could no longer hear anything. Her vision started growing blurry. Angeline never expected to be trapped in the middle of a fire. Am I really going to die here today? Right before she was about to pass out, she turned her gaze toward the door in a daze. Her eyelids were so heavy that all she wanted to do was close her eyes. However, she vaguely saw a tall silhouette walking toward her. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 That fearless figure seemed to have be one with the fire. As if shielded by armor, he bravely dashed through the mes toward Angeline. Seeing that, Angeline felt relieved. She gradually closed her eyes, and before her consciousness ebbed away, she could hear a man¡¯s anxious voice. ¡°Angeline!¡± When Angeline came to, all she saw were white walls surrounding her. She was in a quiet space with the only noise being the sound of dripping liquid. Angeline groaned upon feeling a sharp pain in her waist while she tried moving her body. ¡°Angeline, you¡¯re awake?¡± Nancy, who fell asleep at her bedside, was awakened by Angeline¡¯s groan. With a surprised look, she reached out to caress the other woman¡¯s forehead, her voiceced with joy. ¡°Thank goodness the fever finally subsided.¡± Nancy heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I had a fever?¡± Angeline muttered in confusion, her voice hoarse from the dehydration. Nancy was taken aback when she saw the puzzled look on Angeline¡¯s face. She held Angeline¡¯s shoulders and shook her, trying to help her remember. ¡°Angeline, please don¡¯t scare me. Did you forget that you were trapped in the fire? Can you remember being rescued by Mr. Golding?¡± Growing nauseous from Nancy¡¯s movement, Angeline pushed the other woman away and sighed. ¡°Calm down. I would¡¯ve been a lot more flustered if I had lost my memory. I¡¯m just curious about why I had a fever.¡± ¡°You scared me to death!¡± Nancy patted her chest and sat back down before she began peeling an apple. ¡°What do you think could have caused your fever? The doctor said you were traumatized after being trapped in the fire, resulting in a fever. You¡¯ve been unconscious for the whole day.¡± ¡°What? That long?¡± eximed Angeline. I¡¯ve wasted so much time! Angeline furrowed her brows. She asked solemnly, ¡°How are Evander and the child? They¡¯re safe, right?¡± Nancy stopped peeling the apple when she heard Angeline¡¯s question. She then looked at Angeline grimly. ¡°Mr. Golding sustained an injury on his arm. He was hit by a falling wooden nk while carrying you and the child out of the fire.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline¡¯s face turned pale immediately. She lifted the nket and wanted to rush out of the ward. ¡°How did this happen? Tell me which ward he is in. I want to see him now.¡± Nancy hurriedly grabbed her arm and stopped her from going anywhere. ¡°Calm down. Look at yourself! You should be resting in bed. Don¡¯t worry about Mr. Golding. His injury isn¡¯t serious, and it¡¯s not life- threatening.¡± Angeline let out a sigh of relief. She could never forgive herself if anything terrible happened to Evander because of her. ¡°However, the child you saved doesn¡¯t seem to be in good condition.¡± Nancy did not borate further. Taking in Nancy¡¯s look of hesitation, Angeline began panicking again. Trying her best to calm her rapidly beating heart, she said, ¡°What do you mean? Tell me.¡± ¡°The child¡¯s abusive parents should be sent to hell. The child¡¯s skin is in poor condition, and his organs are damaged too. The doctor mentioned that you need to sign a notice of critical condition when the need arises.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not signing it.¡± Despite already bracing herself for the worst, Angeline still felt her heart lurch when she heard the news. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If only I¡¯d rescued him earlier, none of these would have happened,¡± Angeline muttered remorsefully. I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Jonathan and chose to wait for the best opportunity to act. A person¡¯s life is more important than anything else. Noticing that the IV bag above her was empty, she bit her lip and removed the infusion tube attached to the back of her hand. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Subsequently, she endured the difort and was determined to get off the bed to see the child. ¡°Calm down, Angeline.¡± Knowing there was no way she could stop Angeline, Nancy sighed resignedly and apanied her to the ICU. The pair could only wait outside upon arrival, for the doctor was tending to the child in the ward. Angeline looked through the door¡¯s ss panel and had a clear view of the child¡¯s face. The child had a paleplexion probably due to malnutrition, but he had sharp facial features, and there were various scars on his cheeks. He¡¯s still so young and ignorant of the ways of the world. Why does he have to suffer such unfair cruelty? With that thought in mind, Angeline frowned, and her heart wrenched. Right then, the doctor walked out of the room. She hurriedly stumbled over and queried anxiously, ¡°Doctor, how is the child¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°The child¡¯s external wounds are not an issue. What¡¯s tricky is the cleansing of his internal organs. After the initial examination, we found some sticky substance in his stomach, and we suspect it¡¯s super glue.¡± At this point, the doctor could not help but sigh. ¡°What a poor child. I can¡¯t imagine the trauma and fear that he experienced.¡± Angeline¡¯s body was already frail. Unable to bear the bad news, she began coughing non-stop and felt lightheaded. As she staggered, Nancy hurriedly supported her and said anxiously, ¡°Hang in there, Angeline.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯ll do our best to treat the child. There¡¯s still a huge possibility that he will regain consciousness.¡± The doctor remained hopeful. Angeline looked at the doctor pleadingly. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving the child in your care then. Please, you must save him at all costs. Give him the best treatment. I can pay for it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sorelle.¡± The doctor patted her shoulder assuringly and reminded her before he left, ¡°The child was filthy when he was brought in. To prevent his wounds from being infected, remember to keep him clean.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take note.¡± As Angeline watched the doctor leave, the look in her eyes turned grim as she said resentfully, ¡°Nancy, get me awyer. I¡¯m going to sue that couple and see that they get the harshest punishment they deserve!¡± Since that drunkard of a father was cruel enough to beat the child up and even force glue into his mouth, that means he¡¯s not the child¡¯s biological father. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll make him pay the price for what he has done! ¡°Okay, I know a goodwyer. I¡¯ll call him right now,¡± Nancy replied and left the room first. Although Angeline was not feeling well, she didn¡¯t have the heart to return to her ward and rest. Instead, she borrowed a sterilized stic wash basin and towel from a nurse and went to get hot water. With the wash basin in her hands, she pushed open the door to the ICU ward and walked to the child¡¯s bed. That was the first time she saw the child up close. His eyes were tightly shut, and he looked adorable while asleep. A glint of tenderness shed across Angeline¡¯s eyes. She wrung the wet towel and gently wiped off the blood stains on the child¡¯s face. All the while, a pucker remained between the child¡¯s brows, and it didn¡¯t disappear no matter how many times Angeline tried to smooth it out. He seemed so insecure and fearful even in his sleep. That wasn¡¯t his fault. To suffer such inhumane abuse at the tender age of five, any child would have reacted the same way. Angeline couldn¡¯t imagine how desperate he had been. Now, he could finally have a new lease on life after being rescued. Angeline decided that she would bear full responsibility for this child regardless of whether they were blood-rted or not. ¡°You look like a loving and caring mother now.¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Suddenly, the deep voice of a man was heard in the ward. Frightened, Angeline turned to see Evander upon regaining her senses. His facial features were still charming and defined despite his paleplexion. A thickyer of gauze was wrapped on his left arm, concealing his wound. ¡°Why are you here?¡± An apologetic expression appeared on Angeline¡¯s face when she saw him. ¡°I was thinking of dropping byter to visit you. Thank you for saving us. If it weren¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know if I would still be alive.¡± Evander fell silent. His cold gaze fell on the unconscious child on the bed. With a serious tone, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve gone through so much trouble just to look for this child?¡± Distress surfaced in Angeline¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s about the same age as Floretta but was beaten up so badly. It¡¯s tragic.¡± Evander furrowed his brows as he gazed at the child¡¯s injuries. A tender look filled his eyes while he said softly, ¡°He has beautiful features. His nose looks like yours.¡± In actuality, Evander wasn¡¯t happy about the child¡¯s existence, for he knew the child would only widen the gap between him and Angeline. However, as a father, he had somepassion and felt sorry for this pathetic child. Hearing what Evander said, Angeline turned pale. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like something you would usually say.¡± ¡°Have you taken a DNA test?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Angeline shook her head as she looked away and replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten around to it yet. I would have to at least wait for the child to regain consciousness first.¡± ¡°You have Jonathan to make these decisions with you. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡± All of a sudden, Evander¡¯s tone turned cold and distant as he turned away from Angeline. It was as if they were strangers. ¡°I¡¯m just here to remind you to make all the necessary preparations before making a decision. Don¡¯t repeat your previous mistakes.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Before Angeline could finish her sentence, Evander had already turned to leave the ward, his footsteps composed and steady. He didn¡¯t say anything else, let alone express concern for her injuries like how he did before. It seemed like he was really just there to visit the child. Realizing something was off, Angeline felt distressed. It was as though a huge part of her heart was torn away, and she felt empty. ¡°Wait!¡± Instinctively, she stood up from where she was and ran out of the ward. Evander stopped in his tracks, but he didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°What is it?¡± Angeline cleared her throat. Awkwardly, she said, ¡°Thank you so much for saving me. I should be taking care of your injury personally, but the child needs me too¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Just take care of the child.¡± Evander¡¯s tone was frosty, as though he did not care about her at all. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± he asked. Angeline tried to suppress the sudden pain in her heart as she spoke. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing else. Please call me if you need anything, and I will not disturb you unless necessary, Mr. Golding.¡± Mr. Golding. Evander could feel his heart lurch when he heard the way she called him. Clenching his fists, disappointment appeared in his eyes. He was expecting Angeline to give him an exnation, telling him that there was nothing going on between her and Jonathan and that they were merely friends. s, she didn¡¯t say anything after a long time. All the while, he was being delusional and had expected too much from her. Angeline watched as Evander disappeared at the end of the corridor. Her eyes reddened, and she lifted her hand to fan her eyes, preventing her tears from falling. ¡°Why do you do this to yourself? You could¡¯ve seized the chance to exin to Mr. Golding just now. You should¡¯ve told him the reason behind the breakup!¡± Nancy emerged from the corner and ced her hand on Angeline¡¯s shoulder, sighing. ¡°Forget it.¡± Angeline bit her lip until it turned pale and smiled bitterly. ¡°I seriously can¡¯t stand the two of you.¡± Nancy massaged her brows and felt frustrated with them. The two of them tend to keep their feelings bottled up and refuse to share them with anyone. Conflict is bound to happen if this carries on. ¡°By the way, how are things with thewyer?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯vemunicated with Mr. rke just now. He said that since this case has substantial witnesses and evidence, it should be an easy one. With just a little effort, the drunkard will be sentenced to life imprisonment.¡± ¡°All right. Please help me thank Mr. rke.¡± The look in Angeline¡¯s eyes turned cold as she said hatefully, ¡°I will also need Mr. rke¡¯s help to arrange an appointment for me to meet with the child¡¯s adoptive parents, please.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. However, you must first recuperate and get better. Otherwise, I will not allow you to go anywhere,¡± said Nancy, keeping a straight face. That was her only condition and there was no room for negotiation. ¡°Okay, I know. I¡¯ll take good care of myself.¡± Feeling at ease for having such a good friend, Angeline hugged Nancy. After being friends for so many years, she didn¡¯t have to say anything else for thetter to understand how grateful she was to her. When they returned to the child¡¯s ward, Angeline continued wiping him clean. She then took a pair of scissors to cut a few strands of the child¡¯s hair before cing them into a transparent bag. Evander was right. She must be well prepared before making decisions. After taking everything she needed, she headed to the obstetrics department and passed the hair to the doctor. ¡°I would like to do a DNA test. How long will it take for the results to be out?¡± The doctor took the bag containing the strands of hair and gave it a look. He then slowly exined, ¡°It would usually take around three days for the result to be out.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± She was looking forward to knowing the results, but at the same time, she was uneasy. However, the fact that the child she had been looking for after all these years was still alive and well was enough to put her heart at ease. No matter what she had to face in the future, she would be at ease as long as the child was fine. With those thoughts in mind, Angeline steeled herself and entered the child¡¯s ward. However, unbeknownst to her, a figure hiding around the corner had heard the whole conversation between her and the doctor. A sinister look appeared in the person¡¯s eyes as he took out his phone and dialed a familiar number. The call was picked up quickly after a few beeps. The man said in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Sherrock, everything is going ording to n. We can make our move now.¡± As night fell, colorful neon lights lit up the bustling street. Hallsbay¡¯s nightlife had just begun. The sharp noise of tires screeching was heard in front of a bar entrance. A man in a suit and leather shoes quickly alighted from the ck car. Sweating profusely as he ran, he rushed into the bar and grabbed hold of the manager, asking, ¡°Where is Mr. Golding?¡± When the manager saw him, he immediately answered respectfully, ¡°Mr. Golding, you¡¯re finally here! Mr. Golding had a lot to drink. The wound on his arm was torn open, but we didn¡¯t dare stop him.¡± ¡°Mr. Golding is hurt? Quick, bring me to him!¡± Ss went pale from fright. He had just taken a shower in the bathroom and was about to retire to his bedroom, but when he checked his phone, there were a few missed calls from the bar manager. He quickly called back and found out that Evander had gotten intoxicated at the bar. After so many years as a sessful businessman, Evander had never done anything so foolish as getting himself drunk at a bar. Ss wondered what had gotten into him, but deep down, he knew it was rted to Angeline. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 The bar manager led Ss to a private room on the second floor. He pushed the door open to reveal a dim room reeking of the stench of alcohol. Ss looked around and saw piles of empty beer bottles on the table as well as on the floor. It was evident that Evander had had too much to drink. After searching for a while, Ss finally found Evander lying on the floor behind the couch. Thetter was hanging his head dejectedly with his hair covering his eyes, hiding his emotions. The bandage on his injured arm was soaked with blood. As the blood dripped continuously onto the floor, he was still holding a beer bottle. ¡°Mr. Golding!¡± Taken aback, Ss immediately rushed forward and threw the bottle aside. ¡°Y-You¡¯re injured. Why are you still drinking? Your condition will get worse!¡± My goodness! I¡¯ve been working for Mr. Golding for so many years and I¡¯ve never seen him in such a dejected state. It was as though he has lost his soul. It was a heart wrenching scene. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Evander pushed Ss away, annoyance evident in his eyes. Subsequently, as if his pain receptors were disabled, he continued fumbling around for the bottle of beer. ¡°Mr. Golding, please stop drinking. Talk to me about your problems. Since you¡¯re still in love with Ms. Sorelle, you should take the initiative to go to her. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t ignore you if you tell her how you feel,¡± advised Ss anxiously. Hearing that, Evander looked up at him and let out a self-deprecating chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s useless to say anything or n surprises just to win her heart. She is a heartless woman.¡± The very reason behind the immense pain he was feeling was that he had tried to fight for her but to no avail. No matter what he did, Angeline was determined to leave. Ss¡¯ heart clenched when he heard Evander¡¯s dejected words, so much so that he began grumbling inwardly when he thought of Angeline. Jeez. Why did she suddenly propose a breakup when things were going so well? Can¡¯t she make things clear once and for all? When his train of thought ended there, he suddenly recalled something and froze. He had been so busytely that he forgot to inform Evander of something. Hence, he hastily reminded Evander, ¡°Mr. Golding, do you remember when you lost your diamond ring from Majestic Elite Jewelry at the hotel five years ago?¡± ¡°Yes. What about it?¡± Evander gradually sobered up as he massaged his eyebrows, still suffering from a headache. ¡°Not long ago, one of the staff members of that shop gave me a call, telling me that a woman had been searching for the owner of the ring. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s Floretta¡¯s biological mother.¡± Evander processed what he just heard. Following that, his face clouded over as he asked solemnly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she was overseas before this?¡± ¡°I heard she had just returned to the country not too long ago, but I¡¯m not sure where she is now. I¡¯m afraid problems will arise if she found Ms. Floretta.¡± ¡°Any problem can be solved with money,¡± said Evander, his tone harsh and frosty. He felt even more frustrated upon recalling that bizarre ident five years ago. On that fateful day, he had just signed a major contract with his business partner, and in the midst of that cheerful moment, he indulged in alcohol and got pretty drunk. He remembered that a waiter had sent him back to his room amidst his drunken state. Feeling horrible from inebriation, he didn¡¯t even wash up before copsing in bed. Never did he expect that at midnight, a woman would climb into his bed and caress his abdomen, making him lose control of himself as if a spark of passion was suddenly ignited in the dead of night. He could not remember what happened next. By the time he regained consciousness, the woman was no longer around. He assumed she was after his money but fled because she was afraid of getting herself into trouble. Ten monthster, Evander received an anonymous document informing him the woman was pregnant and that he should transfer fifty million to get the child. Everyone knew what happened next. Therefore, Evander thought that a woman who would offer up her own body in exchange for money wouldn¡¯t cause too much problem. ¡°Mr. Golding, you should stop drinking. I¡¯ll send you to a nearby hospital to change your dressing for the wound.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Ss took the opportunity to persuade Evander when he saw thetter brooding. Evander, who felt much better after drinking and venting his emotions, stopped behaving stubbornly. Humming in agreement, he got up from the floor and nced at Ss before ordering, ¡°Continue to track the woman down with the diamond ring lead. Don¡¯t be careless.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that right away.¡± ¡°Other than that, investigate Jonathan for me. Find out his rtionship with Angeline.¡± Ss was momentarily stunned before he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After all that trouble, Mr. Golding still can¡¯t let go of Angeline. A few dayster at the police station, someone arrived to bail Joseline out. ¡°Joseline, someone is here to bail you out. You¡¯re free to go.¡± The door to one of the cells creaked open, and Joseline, d in in prison uniform, came walking out while being grabbed by the police. She was in low spirits and her face appeared pale without her makeup on. Obviously, spending the whole week in jail had been torturous for her. Upon arriving at the visiting room, Joseline frowned when she saw the man in ck. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Hearing her voice, the man turned around in his wheelchair and looked straight at Joseline. He took off his sunsses, showing a pair of cunning eyes. ¡°Are you not happy? Are you wondering why it isn¡¯t Hanson who came to bail you out?¡± Joseline¡¯s face fell when she heard what the man said. She nced at the surveince cameras and reminded nervously, ¡°Henry, watch your mouth.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of? Your so-called husband has been busy entertaining guests all day. He never mentioned your name. I guess he has forgotten about you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Joseline stopped him from saying anything further before continuing in disbelief, ¡°Hanson won¡¯t do that to me. We have a child, so he won¡¯t forget about me.¡± Henry looked at her with sympathy andmented her ignorance before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± After that, he exited the station. Joseline went to the changing room to change out of her prison uniform. After settling all the procedures, she walked out and got into Henry¡¯s car. She sat on the passenger seat and looked at the dense forest and the few people ahead of her as a tinge of hatred appeared in her eyes. ¡°I was surrounded by nothing but walls in the station, and apart from the officers, there were no other souls to be seen. It¡¯s all thanks to Angeline that I was in this predicament.¡± Henry was fiddling with the sunsses in his hand when he asked casually, ¡°Do you hate her?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Joseline pped the dashboard of the car as her facial features contorted from hatred. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to chop her into pieces. By the way, she didn¡¯t survive the fire, right?¡± she gritted out. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s so lucky, but she was rescued by Evander, and both she and the child are still alive and well.¡± ¡°What?¡± Joseline flew into a rage and shot Henry an angry re. ¡°What kind of useless good-for-nothings did you hire to do these things? How can they mess up? Why is Angeline so lucky?¡± It was the same five years ago. Back then, they had arranged for an ugly hooligan to snatch Angeline¡¯s virginity. However, never in their wildest dreams did they expect Angeline to climb into Evander¡¯s bed instead. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 She could not fathom how Angeline was so lucky all the time. Henry arched a brow when he noticed her expression. He smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Therefore, you cannot be defeated by Angeline! You must understand that your target is Sorelle Group and not Hanson!¡± When Joseline heard Hanson¡¯s name, she sneered in displeasure. ¡°Why are you suddenly bringing up Hanson? You are merely a singer who requires my support. Do you think you canpete against him?¡± ¡°I can¡¯tpete against him, but don¡¯t you forget that we are in the same boat.¡± Henry gripped the steering wheel tightly. Anger flitted across his eyes as he reminded her in a deep voice, ¡°I was the one who nned the fire and handled the funeral matters for you while you were in jail. Your beloved Hanson did not even bother to pay you a visit.¡± When Joseline heard that he had handled the funeral matters, her expression changed drastically. She raised her head, met Henry¡¯s confident gaze, and immediately understood everything. ¡°Of course, I know what I must do. I just got too emotional just now.¡± Joseline¡¯s attitude changed in an instant. Her tone was no longer cold but somewhat cautious as she asked, ¡°Have you really arranged everything?¡± Henry scoffed coldly as a smirk appeared on his face. ¡°I heard that Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s condition has deteriorated, and he is currently writing his will. You better listen to me, or you won¡¯t get anything if I unintentionally spill the beans?¡± Words eluded Joseline when she heard that. It was as if a bucket of cold water was poured down on her, drenching her from head to toe. She shivered involuntarily. Who would have guessed? The tables have turned. Henry was as obedient as a dog when I gave him a mansion and money. However, he is quick to turn his back on me when I¡¯m destitute. Tightening her grip on the seatbelt that was fastened around her, she bit her lip hard, feeling the resentment brewing deep within her. She vowed to never let herself be at the mercy of others. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, the DNA results for the child are out. Are you able toe over and take a look?¡± Angeline received a call from the technical team three dayster. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m heading over there right now.¡± With that, she held Nancy¡¯s hand tightly and proceeded to the technical department. She was so agitated that her legs were like jelly. After pressing the elevator button a few times and waiting for it for a few minutes, Angeline decided to use the stairs instead. The technical department was ten floors below them, and as she descended the steps, her heart was thumping violently. They moved so quickly that they did not notice two people conversing in a corner. ¡°Angeline, please slow down.¡± Nancy¡¯s face was flushed as she followed behind Angeline, panting and gasping for air. As she caught up to Angeline, she btedly sensed something amiss. Pondering for a moment, she asked, ¡°Did you see someone who looked just like Olivine just now?¡± ¡°Huh? No.¡± Angeline frowned and turned around to scan the surroundings. She didn¡¯t see anyone who resembled Olivine. ¡°Are you hallucinating because you didn¡¯t get enough rest?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Let¡¯s go and see the report,¡± Nancy answered lightly and stopped thinking about it. After they entered the obstetrics department, Olivine finally appeared behind a door that led to the stairwell. d in an all-ck ensemble, she was particrly inconspicuous. She patted her chest lightly, relieved that she didn¡¯t get discovered. When she touched her back, she realized she was drenched in sweat. Upon scolding herself internally for being a coward, she cast a cold nce at the doctor behind her. ¡°Look at how scared you are. Are you sure you won¡¯t get caught for what you have done to the report?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will go wrong.¡± Olivine breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that. Then, she produced a check of two hundred thousand from her bag and stuffed it into his hands. ¡°This is a small token of appreciation. You¡¯ll be rewarded handsomely when all is done.¡± In the meantime, Angeline apprehensively opened the door to the doctor¡¯s office. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, based on the blood test results, there is a ny-five percent probability that the child is biologically rted to you.¡± The doctor¡¯s words echoed in Angeline¡¯s ears, and blood rushed into her brain as a sense of breathlessness descended upon her. ¡°Angeline, are you okay?¡± Nancy nced at her worriedly as she held Angeline¡¯s hand tightly. Instantly, she gasped in surprise and asked, ¡°Why are your hands so cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s leave. We shouldn¡¯t disturb the doctor any longer.¡± Tugging the corners of her lips, Angeline smiled bitterly. When they left the doctor¡¯s office, she seemed to have lost all strength and stood rooted to the ground. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Let¡¯s sit down for a while.¡± Nancy understood Angeline¡¯s feelings, so she considerately helped Angeline sit down on a chair in the corridor. With her hands on Angeline¡¯s shoulders, Nancy let out a long sigh and consoled, ¡°Although you and Floretta are not biologically rted, that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t have maternal affection for her. In fact, I think this is a great thing.¡± Angeline remained silent. Nancy continued, ¡°Look. Now that you have found your child, you have evidence that Mr. Golding is not the man from five years ago. Then, you guys can get together without any reservations.¡± Angeline had to admit Nancy had her way offorting people. Well, that¡¯s true. With so much proof from the rural child trafficker as well as the DNA results, she had no choice but to ept the truth. This meant Evander was not the scoundrel from five years ago. She had misunderstood him for so long. With that thought in mind, Angeline felt embarrassed as guilt swirled in her heart. After much pondering, she took out her phone and found Evander¡¯s contact. She was about to call him when someone interrupted her. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you¡¯re here! I have been looking for you. The child has woken up.¡± Angeline froze momentarily upon hearing that. Her phone slipped from her hand and dropped to the ground with a thud. She quickly stood up and ran toward the ward. ¡°Hey! Wait for me!¡± Nancy picked up Angeline¡¯s phone for her. She unintentionally caught a peek of the lit phone screen and saw that Angeline had intended to call Evander. It seems that Angeline still cares a lot about her rtionship with Evander. In that instant, an unfathomable glint surfaced in Nancy¡¯s eyes, and she came to a decision. Her lips curled into a meaningful smile. Since both Angeline and Evander were unwilling to take a step back, she would help them out. Meanwhile, in the Golding residence, Evander had grounded Floretta. Aside from going to school, she had been forced to stay at home ever since she and Angelinest parted ways. Her phone was also confiscated, so she could not contact Angeline privately. Therefore, she spent every day waiting beside thendline in the living room for Angeline to give her a call. However, Angeline never called her. Floretta could no longer endure it anymore. Throwing a huge tantrum, she refused to eat the yogurt Francesca had brought for her and tossed the cushion on the couch onto the floor. ¡°Daddy is a meanie! Why did he have to quarrel with Angel? Also, why is he so petty that he even prevents me from meeting Angel?¡± Francesca replied anxiously, ¡°Ms. Floretta, you can¡¯t say that about Mr. Golding¡­¡± ¡°No, I must say it!¡± Floretta wiped her tears away and started wailing. Sprawling on the couch, she iled her limbs around. ¡°I hate Daddy! He¡¯s so selfish! He obviously likes Angel but doesn¡¯t want to admit it. Let me out! I want to see Angel!¡± ¡°Ms. Floretta, please calm down,¡± Francesca said, panicking. She was afraid Floretta might identally hurt herself but did not dare to approach thetter. Previously, Floretta¡¯s temper had improved following Angeline¡¯s appearance. She was no longer a loner and stopped throwing tantrums. However, Floretta had once again gone out of control without Angeline around. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Francesca stood rooted to the spot and racked her brains on how to appease Floretta when a cold and strict female voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Let her go.¡± Francesca turned to look at the door when she heard that. Only then did she realize Valerie had silently walked over with Olivine¡¯s support. Frightened by Valerie¡¯s powerful aura, Francesca stammered, ¡°O-Old Mrs. Golding, what brings you here?¡± She had not received any news of Valerieing over to the residence. Valerie scoffed coldly, and her expression darkened. ¡°If I didn¡¯te, I would have missed out on such a good show.¡± Her gaze fell on Floretta. She did nothing to hide her disdain as she uttered sternly, ¡°This is my first time seeing such an unreasonable kid. It is obvious she doesn¡¯t have a mother. What an uncultured brat!¡± Floretta was frightened by her and immediately stopped crying. She hastily climbed down from the couch and hid behind Francesca. Olivine scoffed inwardly upon witnessing that scene. However, she concealed her disdain and carefully supported Valerie¡¯s elbow beforeforting thetter softly, ¡°Old Mrs. Golding, please don¡¯t get upset. Floretta is only a child and doesn¡¯t know any better. She must have wanted Angeline to be her mother after learning she is a celebrity.¡± Valerie furrowed her brows, her expression grim as she bellowed angrily, ¡°What mother? I will never ept an unknown, obscure celebrity into the Golding family as my granddaughter-inw!¡± Floretta was dumbfounded and heartbroken when she heard the determination in Valerie¡¯s tone. ¡°Your words don¡¯t count.¡± Floretta could no longer stand Valerie degrading Angeline. She walked out from behind Francesca with her hands on her hips and defended Angeline. ¡°Angel is a good person. Also, you¡¯re not qualified to decide who Daddy is marrying. You¡¯ve ruined your son¡¯s happiness with the excuse of being concerned about him!¡± ¡°Wow. Who taught you to say such words? You¡¯ve be increasingly unruly because you have been spending time with that lowly woman. You haven¡¯t learned anything worthwhile from her.¡± Valerie¡¯s face was flushed. Then, she nced at Francesca and ordered, ¡°Wasn¡¯t she demanding to get out just now? Then, let her go. I want to see where she can go!¡± Francesca went pale the moment she heard that. She kneeled on the ground and pleaded, ¡°Old Mrs. Golding, please don¡¯t do this. Ms. Floretta is still young, so she wasn¡¯t trying to offend you. She says things she doesn¡¯t mean.¡± Valerie¡¯s expression remained grim. There was no room for negotiation in her tone. ¡°She was supposed to go to the orphanage. Evander was generous enough to let her stay by his side. However, it seems she has been living toofortably.¡± Floretta red at the old woman resentfully. Her face was red with anger, and her chest heaved. ¡°Grandma, please be careful with your words.¡± At this moment, a deep male voice rang out. Evander had gotten off work early. He was standing at the entrance with displeasure written all over his face. ¡°Evander, you¡¯re back! Old Mrs. Golding and I havee to visit you.¡± Olivine put on an amicable smile and walked over to Emerald to help him take off his zer. s, before she could even touch Evander¡¯s shoulders, thetter avoided her and uttered impatiently, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Olivine¡¯s hands froze in midair. She pouted forlornly and replied in a tearful voice, ¡°Evander, our families share a close rtionship. Do I not have the right to visit you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Valerie defended Olivine and mmed the walking stick in her hand against the floor. ¡°Look at how you treat Olivine. I can tolerate you breaking off the engagement without notifying us, but how can you disrespect her?¡± ¡°Grandma, you must be joking.¡± Evander¡¯s icy gaze swept across Olivine¡¯s face andnded on Valerie. He said in a grim voice, ¡°Floretta is my daughter. Have you guys ever respected her before?¡± His seemingly nonchnt words held profound meaning. Valerie stumbled slightly as she looked at Evander in disbelief. Parting her lips, she asked, ¡°Are you siding with this brat against me?¡± Evander approached Floretta with an unreadable expression and helped Francesca up from the ground. Then, he picked Floretta up. His tone was cold and emotionless as he spoke. ¡°Floretta is part of the Golding family even if you can¡¯t ept this fact after five years. I believe Grandpa would support me if he¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Valerie was rendered speechless when Evander brought up histe grandfather. Humiliated, she clutched her chest and started panting heavily. Disappointment filled her eyes. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Grandma,e and rest here for a while.¡± Scared out of her wits, Olivine quickly helped Valerie to the couch. Evander, on the other hand,pletely ignored them while he inspected Floretta¡¯s body to make sure she was fine. ¡°Are you okay?¡± His voice was full of concern. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m fine.¡± Floretta was overjoyed. She wrapped her arms around Evander¡¯s neck and gave him a kiss on his cheek. ¡°You¡¯re the best, but I really didn¡¯t try to offend Great-grandma.¡± Evander¡¯s heart melted. He caressed Floretta¡¯s head before replying gently, ¡°Okay. I trust you.¡± He had already heard themotion when he was at the door. Luckily, Floretta is still young. She will soon forget these sad urrences. However, he still felt sorry for his daughter. Therefore, he would do his utmost best to protect her. Annoyance swirled in his heart as Valerie continued making a ruckus. He frowned and nced toward her. ¡°Grandma, why don¡¯t you just cut to the chase and tell me the purpose for your trip here today? It¡¯s because of the Sherrock family, right?¡± His casual words immediately stopped Valerie from bbering. She queried sternly with a cold expression, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Evander snorted coldly in response. He was not surprised by Valerie¡¯s reaction, for he had already predicted how she would act. She would always clutch her chest as if she was going to faint. Initially, he was fooled and would listen to the old woman whenever she did that until Ss gave him a copy of Valerie¡¯s health report a while ago. All her vitals were perfectly fine. She had no health issues with her heart and could live another ten years without a problem. ¡°The Sherrock family didn¡¯t educate their child properly, allowing the boy to bully Floretta publicly in school. As her father, I can¡¯t stand by and do nothing. Removing all the investments from Sherrock Group was my bottom line.¡± When he uttered thest statement, he gave Olivine a meaningful nce. His tone was heavy with warning. Stunned, Olivine stood transfixed on the spot. She remained silent as she shuddered involuntarily in fear. Upon hearing Evander¡¯s words, Valerie glowered at Olivine as she propped her hand on her walking stick. It was evident that Evander treasured his daughter. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 The Sherrocks did not even bother to draw the line at what they were doing when they boldly gave Floretta a hard time. Of course, that would only tick Evander off. ¡°Old Mrs. Golding.¡± Olivine tugged at Valerie¡¯s arm while gazing at her with a pitiful mien. Thetter began to feel bad. All she did was turn to look at Evander, hoping for him to have a change of heart. ¡°Your grandpa is old friends with the Sherrocks. Don¡¯t go overboard with your action,¡± was her dissuasion. ¡°Grandpapromised so much for the Sherrocks. Yet, how have they repaid us? I think you should really check out ourpany¡¯s ledger, Grandma.¡± Evander¡¯s tone was as cold as the winter. He shot a nce at the pale face of Olivine, restraining himself from hurting thetter¡¯s pride by choosing not to go into the details. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After saying that, he carried Floretta and left the living room. On the way upstairs, he ordered Francesca with an icy voice, ¡°Francesca, take good care of my grandmother. Make sure to do your utmost.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Golding.¡± Francesca bobbed her head respectfully. Immediately afterward, she went over and poured Valerie a cup of coffee. ¡°Old Mrs. Golding, would you like¡ª¡± Valerie waved a dismissive hand in frustration. ¡°Take that away. I¡¯m not drinking.¡± Following that, Valerie shifted her line of sight to Olivine, her eyes inundated with reproach. Agitated, she struck the walking stick in her hand against the floor and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Enough crying already! Exin to me what Evander was getting at!¡± Although she was not cut out for business, being able to marry into the Golding family clearly showed that she was no fool. Naturally, she knew Evander was indirectly reminding her that the Sherrocks had their fair share of under-the-table dealings throughout the coboration with the Golding family. Evander seized the opportunity that had presented itself when Mark bullied Floretta. Using that as an excuse, he could then get rid of the Sherrock family. Olivine looked like a startled cat as she shook Valerie¡¯s arm and hastily exined, ¡°I really don¡¯t know, Old Mrs. Golding. My elder brother has always been the one handling all thepany affairs. I rarely get myself involved.¡± Looking at how Olivine tried so hard to renounce her ce in her own family, Valerie unwittingly felt disgusted as the conservative part of her took over. She leaped up from the couch and dered with a deep voice, ¡°It seems that I should really reconsider the marriage arrangement between the two families!¡± With that, she spun around and stepped out of the Golding residence altogether with her walking stick. Olivine, in turn, was crushed by the olddy¡¯s words. For a moment, she even forgot to watch her steps as she staggered a little. How did this happen? She hade to plead with Evander so that the man would have mercy on Sherrock Group. s, not only had she failed to reach her aim, but she had even lost favor with Valerie in the end. What on earth went wrong? Meanwhile, Evander was in his study on the second floor with Floretta, enjoying a moment of peace on their own. It was then that he received Ss¡¯ call. Taking the phone with him, he walked away before answering the call. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Mr. Golding, the doctor reported that the kid¡¯s DNA has been verified. That child and Ms. Sorelle are indeed rted.¡± Evander¡¯s face fell on the spot. He grunted a faint response and hung up the phone. Considering that Angeline had found her own flesh and blood, Evander reckoned that the woman¡¯s heart would stray even further away from himself and Floretta. He returned to his study and pushed the door open, only to see Floretta waiting for him on the couch. The second Floretta caught sight of Evander at the door, she greeted obediently, ¡°Daddy.¡± That left a sensation of warmth in Evander¡¯s heart. He walked over and sat beside Floretta. ¡°Are you still mad at Great-grandma?¡± ¡°No.¡± Floretta shook her head vehemently at that. ¡°Actually, they were only thinking that I needed a mommy to be by my side. Soon, everything will be okay when Angel marries Daddy.¡± Seeing that expectant look of his daughter, Evander fell silent. Even his eyes turned dark. Right then, a harrumph escaped from Floretta¡¯s lips. She quickly supported herself up with her limbs and reached out to her father once more. ¡°Carry me, Daddy.¡± Despite the hassle, Evander could never resist nor turn the little girl away. As helpless as he might be, he still took his daughter into his embrace ever so gingerly. However, the moment he stretched his arms to lift the girl by the hips, he drew a sharp breath in pain. He hadpletely forgotten that he had yet to fully recover from the injury. Floretta caught on to that. She swiftly rolled up Evander¡¯s sleeve, only to find the wound that had scabbed over without any gauze on. Her eyes were filled with concern. ¡°You¡¯re injured, Daddy. Does it hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± He was so soft when he spoke to his daughter. Truth be told, he had been staying in the office all those while simply because he did not wish to cause Floretta any distress. Moreover, he had no idea how to break the news to the little girl that he had already broken up with Angeline. ¡°Daddy, let me blow on it.¡± As Floretta spoke, she puffed up her cheeks and lightly let out a breath to blow on the wound. Seeing that, Evander grabbed the girl¡¯s arm and stopped her. With his slender finger, he tapped on her nose dotingly. ¡°Spit it out. What is it you want from me?¡± He knew his own daughter inside and out. The girl would not have done something like that for no reason. Only when she had a favor to ask from him would she do away with the usual indifferent demeanor and put on a sweet front. Even so, no matter how frequently Floretta had used the same trick on him, he would still be powerless against the little girl. Floretta let out a chuckle as she sidled up to her father and caressed her father¡¯s forehead with her tiny head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Angel for a very, very long time already, Daddy. I missed her so much. Can you invite her over for coffee?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Evander¡¯s expression became gloomy abruptly. ¡°If you only wanted something to do with her, you might as well don¡¯t ask anything from me anymore.¡± ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Floretta tried to act cute to coax the man into doing her bidding. Yet, Evander had lost all interest in even talking to the girl. He exited the study and summoned Francesca upstairs to get Floretta to bed. It was already gettingte, and Evander was not in the mood to continue with his work. Turning around, he made a beeline for his bedroom. There was not a sliver of light in the room. He had to search for the switch on the wall to turn on the light. Click! In an instant, the entire bedroom lit up. As Evander took a couple of steps inside, he was greeted by a woman lying on the bed right before his eyes. ¡°Evander.¡± A meek, enchanting voice rang out, sending goosebumps all over Evander¡¯s body. It was Olivine on his bed. She slowly turned around before shing Evander a sensuous look. As thetter¡¯s gazended on the woman¡¯s body, his visage turned as grim as death. There Olivine was, wearing nothing but undergarments. She bent over slightly to showcase her glorious breasts, appearing nothing less than sexy. Gnashing his teeth, Evander put forward an interrogation. ¡°Who the hell gave you permission to set foot in my bedroom?¡± Olivine continued to put on an innocent front. She tucked her long hair behind her ears and said tenderly, ¡°I¡¯m already your fianc¨¦e for so many years, Evander. I don¡¯t expect you to love me with all your heart, but could you at least lend me yourself for the night?¡± ¡°Get off the bed!¡± Evander¡¯s voice reeked of naught but frostiness. He had not the slightest intention of going easy on the woman. Olivine blushed and pursed her lips in indignation. I can¡¯t believe this! I¡¯ve already gone to such lengths to pull this on him, but he still refused to spare a nce at me! At the thought of that, she grabbed the picture frame on the bedside table and showed it to Evander. She questioned him coldly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you willing to ept me when you¡¯ve already broken up with Angeline?¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Evander shed her a sullen re. ¡°Who gave you permission to touch my stuff?¡± To Olivine, that sounded as though he was defending Angeline. Naturally, she didn¡¯t like that one bit. She smashed the picture frame against the floor, causing it to shatter on the spot. ¡°Why? You canceled our engagement because Angeline seduced you, but now you know she has already found her child! Why won¡¯t you just give up on her and move on?¡± Olivine shouted angrily with tears in her eyes. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Evander simply looked coldly at her. ¡°How did you know about Angeline finding her child?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Olivine fell silent and looked away to avoid making eye contact. How do I even answer that question? I can¡¯t tell him I had someone keep a close eye on Angeline this whole time! She was still racking her brain for an answer when Evander walked up to her and grabbed her by the wrist. The look in his eyes was icy-cold as he gave it a hard squeeze. ¡°Ow!¡± Olivine¡¯s eyes were filled with fear as she stammered, ¡°I-It¡¯s not what you think, Evander! I¡ª¡± The next thing she knew, Evander had yanked her off the bed and was dragging her toward the door. ¡°Ow! Stop it! That hurts! Be gentle, will you?¡± Olivine tried to put up a struggle, but Evander was simply far too strong for her. There was nothing she could do to break free from his grip. He shoved her to the floor with so much force that she felt as though her bones had been dislocated. She could barely breathe as intense pain tore through her body. Before she could even respond, Evander grabbed the clothes that she had removed and threw them onto her. ¡°If you dare do anything to Angeline ever again, the entire Sherrock family will suffer my wrath!¡± he warned before mming the door shut. Just like that, he had literally thrown Olivine out of his room as though she were a piece of trash. Her face was pale as she gripped her clothes in embarrassment. This was the first time she had ever been humiliated so badly. Despite being from the wealthy Sherrock family, Olivine meant nothing to Evander whatsoever. Since she had been thrown out of the room, Olivine had no choice but to get dressed and head downstairs with her head held low. Suddenly, she heard the sound of someone giggling behind her. Upon turning around, Olivine saw Floretta peeking at her behind a corner. She wasughing and pping happily after witnessing what had happened earlier. ¡°Haha! Serves you right! You should just give up, Ms. Sherrock! Daddy will never fall for a woman like you!¡± Olivine was already in a bad mood, so hearing that from Floretta had her blood boiling with rage. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard, have you? Your daddy and Angeline broke up long ago.¡± She walked up to Floretta and shot her a vicious re. ¡°I heard your daddy grounded you when I came in earlier. Why do you think he stopped you from contacting Angeline all of a sudden?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible! You liar! You¡¯re only saying this because you¡¯re jealous of Angel!¡± Floretta retorted. ¡°Hmph! Why would I be jealous of her? I¡¯m better than her in terms of family background and appearance!¡± As much as Olivine hated to admit it, Floretta¡¯s words did strike a nerve. Why is Angeline receiving all of his love even though I¡¯m clearly better than her? Furious at the thought of that, she decided to take her anger out on Floretta. ¡°I just want you to know that Angeline isn¡¯t as perfect as you make her out to be. Besides, she has already found her biological child. She won¡¯t want you anymore!¡± Floretta shuddered when she heard that. It hurt her so much that she teared up almost instantly. She still remembered Angeline telling her that she had a child about the same age as her. Angeline had also said her child would probably be just as adorable if they were still around. Does Angel really not want me anymore now that she has found her child? Floretta shook her head profusely. ¡°No! That¡¯s impossible! Angel isn¡¯t like that!¡± Olivine¡¯s lips curled into a wicked grin as she continued adding fuel to the fire. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Angeline only got close to your daddy because she needed money to look for her child. Now that she has found her child, there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll care about you!¡± ¡°Stop it, you evil woman!¡± Floretta covered her ears while tears flowed down her cheeks. She shoved Olivine aside and ran down the stairs as quickly as her legs could carry her. Caught off guard, Olivine lost her bnce and fell backward. Had she not grabbed the handrail in time, she would¡¯ve rolled down the stairs. ¡°What a rude and violent brat!¡± Olivine muttered under her breath as she nced at the living room, only to realize that Floretta was nowhere in sight. Huh? Where did she go? After running down the stairs in her state of panic, Olivine saw that the front door was half open. She scanned the courtyard outside but saw no sign of Floretta anywhere. Olivine bit her lip and began to regret her actions. Oh, no¡­ Did I hurt her so much that she decided to run away from home? It¡¯s sote at night, and she doesn¡¯t know her way around the city! What if she gets kidnapped? ¡°It¡¯s time for your bath, Ms. Floretta!¡± Fear and panic filled her eyes when she heard Francesca¡¯s voiceing from upstairs. I¡¯ll be done for if Evander finds out that Floretta is missing because of me! I can¡¯t let him find out! Olivine clenched her teeth and ran out of the Golding residence. Meanwhile, Francesca continued searching all over the house for Floretta. It wasn¡¯t until she went downstairs that she saw the front door was open. That shocked her so much that she nearly fainted on the spot. After taking a moment to rpose herself, Francesca made her way upstairs and knocked on Evander¡¯s bedroom door. ¡°Pleasee quickly, Mr. Golding! Ms. Floretta has run off on her own again!¡± she called out to him in a trembling voice. At the hospital, things were extremely quiet. It wouldn¡¯t even be an overstatement to say that one could easily hear a needle dropping on the floor. Angeline was sitting on the chair next to the bed with a bowl of oatmeal in her hand. She was staring at the boy, who had covered himself with a nket all the way up to his neck. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 ¡°You just woke up, so you need to eat something to replenish your strength. Have some, okay?¡± Angeline said softly, but the boy just continued staring at her in fear. Angeline let out a helpless sigh and tried to pull the nket off. When her fingers were about to make contact with the nket, however, the boy freaked out and shifted himself to the corner of the bed. Caught off guard by his sudden outburst, Angeline spilled the oatmeal all over herself. ¡°Take it easy with the boy. You need to be more patient with him. Have you forgotten what the doctor told you?¡± Nancy said as she entered the ward. She then helped clean Angeline¡¯s clothes with a paper towel. Angeline could only let out a helpless sigh in response. She pulled up a table, ced the bowl on top of it, and shed the boy a gentle smile. ¡°I won¡¯t touch you, but you need to eat some of this.¡± After that, Angeline stood up and stepped away to put some distance between them. The boy, who was still staring cautiously at her up until then, finally rxed his tense shoulders when he felt a little safer. Seeing him slowly sticking his legs out of the nket, Angeline breathed a sigh of relief and dragged Nancy aside to have a private conversation with her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nancy asked. Angeline had to fight back her tears as she exined, ¡°The doctor said his condition is stable for now, but he¡¯s badly injured by the beatings he received. Not only does he have severe autism, but he also has a congenital heart disease.¡± Nancy¡¯s eyes went wide with shock. ¡°What? How did things get this serious? Is there no way to treat him?¡± ¡°The doctor told me they could try to treat his autism, but the chances of them sessfully treating his congenital heart disease are extremely low. That¡¯s especially the case here in this country.¡± Angeline suddenly felt her legs go weak and had to lean against the wall to stabilize herself. ¡°You poor thing.¡± Nancy¡¯s eyes were filled with sympathy as she looked at her. Angeline has suffered so muchtely¡­ She rejected all job offers and stayed at the hospital to look after that boy¡­ Her hair is in a mess, her face is really pale, and she didn¡¯t even bring her clothes with her¡­ Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Angeline nced at the boy on the bed and saw him awkwardly scooping the oatmeal with the spoon. Although she was relieved to see that he was finally eating, her tone was still filled with guilt as she said, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard him say a single word since he woke up. In fact, I don¡¯t even know his name. I¡¯m such a failure of a mother!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You need to pull yourself together, Angeline.¡± Nancy gave her aforting hug. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that he was beaten. His adoptive father is the one to me for all this. Now that we¡¯ve found him and brought him back, there¡¯s hope!¡± Angeline patted herself on the cheeks and took a deep breath to regain herposure. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ve had my foreign friend contact the most famous cardiologists in the country. I¡¯ll bring the boy over once all the preparations areplete.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll try asking my friends for help as well¡­¡± Right then, they heard a loud noise. As Angeline turned toward the bed, she saw that the boy had dropped the bowl because of theck of strength in his arms. The bowl shattered upon contact with the floor, and the oatmeal spilled everywhere. Frightened by the loud noise, he quickly hid under the nket and shivered in fear. Angeline quickly ran toward the bed and cleaned up the mess whileforting him, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a broken bowl. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡± Unable to stand how cautious she was being, Nancy frowned as she lifted the nket and scooped the boy into her arms. The boy immediately started thrashing around in response. ¡°Be a good boy and stop struggling,¡± Nancy said in a slightly stern voice. The boy was so scared that he froze and stared at her in fear. Nancy breathed a sigh of relief when she saw himplying with her instructions. If Angeline can¡¯t bring herself to educate him, then I will do it for her! ¡°Have you calmed down yet? Good. Now, listen to me very carefully. We understand that you¡¯ve been through a lot of pain in the past, but do you know why your parents used to hit you so much?¡± Having been reminded of his past, the boy teared up in response to her words. ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re not your real parents!¡± Nancy then pointed at Angeline. ¡°She is your real mommy. Just remember that no one¡¯s going to hurt you ever again. We¡¯re all going to take good care of you, so you don¡¯t have to be afraid. Just tell us whatever is on your mind. Do you understand?¡± The next thing they knew, the boy waspletely frozen and didn¡¯t even blink. Angeline quickly ran up to him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. If you¡¯re unable to ept me as your mother, you can always treat me like a caretaker or something. I just want to take good care of you.¡± Having finally found her child, Angeline was determined to protect him at all costs. She didn¡¯t even care if she had to humble herself before her own child. The boy suddenly blinked and pointed at the nightstand with a trembling hand. ¡°What is it? Are you thirsty?¡± Nancy asked in confusion. Angeline, on the other hand, instantly understood what he meant. With a look of disbelief in her eyes, she quickly grabbed the pen and sketchbook from the nightstand and handed them to him. She had been researching treatment methods online ever since she found out about her child having autism. Fearing that he would get bored, she had bought him some stationery for drawing. However, he had never used them until this very moment. ¡°Is this what you want?¡± Angeline asked while handing him the pen and paper. The boy took them and frowned as he thought long and hard about what he wanted to write. After what seemed like forever, he started writing something down. Despite having attended school, he still didn¡¯t know how to write and struggled a lot just to write a single word. ¡°Sebastian? What does he mean by that?¡± Nancy asked in puzzlement after taking some time to make out what he wrote. Angeline¡¯s eyes were red as she patted the boy on the head. ¡°This is his name!¡± I¡¯ve been wondering about this for so long now! So, his name is Sebastian. Who would¡¯ve thought a kid from the countryside would have such an elegant name? Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Angeline tried her best to suppress her tears as she said, ¡°You¡¯ll be living with us from now on, Sebastian. You don¡¯t need to return to that house anymore.¡± Sebastian simply stared nkly at her in response. This was Angeline¡¯s first time seeing him up close, and she couldn¡¯t help but notice how exquisite his facial features were. However, there was a look of fear in his eyes, which was something a child of his age shouldn¡¯t be having. After a long pause, he finally believed that Angeline would not hurt him and nodded profusely. Angeline carefully caressed his head while resting it on her chest. She turned toward Nancy and whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Although Nancy was tearing up as well, she rolled her eyes at Angeline and retorted, ¡°What are you thanking me for? Your son is my godson. Sebastian, you need to get better soon, okay? I look forward to having you be my godson-inw!¡± Angeline shed her a mischievous grin. ¡°You can talk about that after you find yourself a man! What do you think of Roger?¡± Nancy¡¯s face burned bright red in an instant. ¡°C-Cut it out! It¡¯s impossible! Just seeing him annoys me a lot. There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll be a couple!¡± she eximed shyly. Angeline let out a chuckle as she put Sebastian back in his bed and tucked him in. She nced at Nancy and reminded her, ¡°Roger¡¯s only w is his carefree attitude toward life. If you can look past that, he¡¯s actually a decent guy with a great family background. You should considerThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. giving him a chance.¡± The look in Nancy¡¯s eyes turned slightly dim as she let out a helpless sigh. ¡°You know how it is. Getting married and having kids is something I can only dream of. Oh, well¡­ I don¡¯t expect much anyway. I¡¯ll just try to enjoy life while I can.¡± Angeline felt sad and conflicted when she heard that. Due to them being best friends for so many years, she chose not to expose Nancy¡¯s painful secret. Angeline was about to bring Sebastian another bowl of oatmeal when her phone started ringing. She held the phone up to her ear and answered the call. ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Sorelle. This is the police station of Zone B in Hallsbay. Your child ran away from home and has been brought over by one of my colleagues. Pleasee and bring her home.¡± ¡°Huh? What child?¡± Angeline was utterly confused. ¡°The child told us that her name is Floretta Golding, and she says you¡¯re her mother.¡± Angeline went pale when she heard that. What? How is this possible? Isn¡¯t Francesca taking good care of Floretta? How did she end up running away from home? Hmm¡­ Floretta is a really smart girl. She wouldn¡¯t have forced me to go to the police station unless she didn¡¯t want to go home. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my daughter. I¡¯lle to pick her up right away. Please look after her while I head over. Don¡¯t interrogate her, or you¡¯ll scare her,¡± Angeline replied while grabbing her coat from the rack. She was starting to tear up by the time she hung up the phone. ¡°Something happened to Floretta. Could you look after Sebastian for me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of him,¡± Nancy reassured her. She waited until Angeline was out of sight before letting out a huge sigh. Angeline may not admit it, but I can tell she¡¯s worried about Floretta. After spending so much time together, they¡¯ve pretty much bonded as an actual parent and child would. That was the first time Angeline had left the hospital after staying there for so many days. She was so worried that she floored the elerator and headed straight to the police station. Upon entering the police station, she stopped one of the policewomen and asked anxiously, ¡°Hello, I was told that you guys brought in a little girl who ran away from home. Where is she?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the mommy that she¡¯s been going on and on about?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± The policewoman had a disdainful look in her eyes as she said, ¡°Follow me. Honestly, I don¡¯t mean to sound rude, but how do you parents lose your kids so easily?¡± Angeline simply kept quiet as she followed behind her. ¡°Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for a child to be wandering the streets all by herself? Not only does she not have any money on her, but she also doesn¡¯t have a phone with her. No taxi will pick her up at this hour either. What if she runs into some bad guys? Fortunately, our colleagues on patrol found her and brought her in. She wouldn¡¯t say a word at first, but she eventually started crying and said she was looking for her mommy,¡± the policewoman continued. She¡¯s looking for her mommy? Angeline felt her heart ache when she heard that. She had assumed that Floretta had run away from home because Francesca didn¡¯t take good care of her, only to realize it was actually because of herself. The policewoman brought her to an office and slowly opened the door. Floretta was eating a slice of bread on the couch with many young police officers around her. They all had snacks in their hands and affectionate smiles on their faces as they tried to cheer Floretta up. ¡°You¡¯re such a cute little girl! You look just like the girls in my favoriteic books! Are you still hungry? I have all sorts of chips!¡± Floretta shed her a sweet smile that revealed her dimples as she replied, ¡°Thanks, Miss! I¡¯m already full, though. My daddy will pay you all when he gets here. He has lots of money!¡± The police officers burst outughing when they heard that. Given how adorable Floretta was, it took them a huge amount of willpower to resist the urge to pinch her cheeks. ¡°Really? Who¡¯s your daddy?¡± Floretta held a finger to her lips and made a shushing noise. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you guys that, or I¡¯ll get in trouble. Daddy doesn¡¯t like it.¡± Despite how serious she was about that, the police officers simply dismissed it as a joke. A policeman asked her, ¡°What about your mommy? You said you were looking for your mommy, right? Who is she?¡± Floretta got off the couch and patted herself on the chest as she said proudly, ¡°My mommy is an amazing person! She¡¯s a pretty celebrity and has great acting skills! Her new film is about to be released, so make sure to support her!¡± The police officers burst outughing again when they heard that. Angeline, however, had conflicting feelings in her heart. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 She pursed her lips as tears of guilt filled her eyes. The policewoman opened the door and said coldly, ¡°All right, enough with the chit-chat. Her mommy is here to pick her up.¡± Floretta spun around in joy when she heard Angeline was there. However, the smile on her face was soon reced by a frown when she recalled something. She looked the other way as though she were angry with Angeline. Angeline went pale when she saw Floretta¡¯s response. For a moment there, she didn¡¯t know what to say to her. Although reluctant, the police officers had no choice but to return to their desks. Just like that, Angeline and Floretta were the only ones left in the office. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward as neither of them said a single word. Eventually, Angeline walked up to Floretta and wiped the bread crumbs off her mouth as she said, ¡°Why did you run away from home?¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes reddened the moment she heard that, but she kept her tears in as she replied with a pout, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! You don¡¯t want me anymore, so why do you even ask?¡± Angeline let out a chuckle when she saw Floretta¡¯s cheeks puff up with anger. ¡°If it¡¯s none of my business, then why did you have the police give me a call?¡± Floretta got all flustered when she realized her secret had been exposed. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand.¡± Angeline gently patted her on the head. It pained her to see how skinny Floretta had gotten during her absence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been so busytely that I just didn¡¯t have the time toe visit you. It¡¯s my fault for not contacting you.¡± Floretta lowered her gaze and kept quiet for a while before mustering the courage to ask, ¡°Is it because you¡¯ve found your child? Were you busy taking care of him? Is that why you stopped contacting me?¡± The look on Angeline¡¯s face turned gloomy the moment she heard that. ¡°Who told you that?¡± she asked in an icy-cold voice. I know Evander all too well. He cares a lot about Floretta, so there¡¯s no way he would have told her the truth at a time like this. ¡°It was Ms. Sherrock.¡± Olivine must¡¯ve been spying on me if she knew so much about me! As if targeting me wasn¡¯t bad enough, she¡¯s also going after Floretta as well. ¡°Angel, are you really going to abandon me now that you¡¯ve found your child?¡± Floretta asked cautiously for fear of angering Angeline. Seeing her being so cautious only hurt Angeline even more. ¡°Of course not!¡± She pulled Floretta into her embrace. ¡°It¡¯s true that I have found my child. He was all covered in wounds when I brought him back, and he hardly ever talks. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been looking after himtely. Even so, I will never abandon you. If you want me as your mommy, then I will dly be your mommy.¡± Floretta was overjoyed. ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯re my mommy too? You won¡¯t just love that boy alone, right?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll love you, silly! You hold a very special ce in my heart. No one will ever be able to rece you,¡± Angeline replied. Feeling a lot better, Floretta broke into a smile and patted Angeline on the shoulder. ¡°Okay! I believe you. I¡¯ll stop being jealous of that boy!¡± ¡°Good girl!¡± Angeline said with a relieved smile on her face. ¡°Floretta!¡± Their heartwarming moment was interrupted by the deep voice of a man in the background. The next thing they knew, Evander had pushed the door open really forcefully. The frown on his face smoothened a little when he saw that Floretta was safe and sound. Given how he had left his house in his gray coat, dark blue pajamas, and a pair of slippers, it was obvious that he had left in a hurry. He walked up to Floretta and grabbed her by the shoulders as he eyed her from head to toe. ¡°Where did you go? Are you hurt?¡± Floretta got scared when she saw him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Daddy. Are you going to ground me again?¡± Evander gently tucked her hair behind her ear as he replied, ¡°No, but you need to tell me why you ran off on your own.¡± Since he didn¡¯tsh out at Floretta, she could muster the courage and tell him the truth. ¡°Ms. Sherrock told me that Angel wouldn¡¯t want me anymore because she had found her child. I ran off on my own because I wanted to know if it was true. I¡¯m sorry I made you worry, Daddy.¡± Even Evander was a little shocked when he heard how mature she sounded. ¡°You still have me, Floretta,¡± he reminded her softly. ¡°Yeah!¡± Floretta then held Angeline¡¯s hand as she continued with a smile, ¡°Angel told me she wouldn¡¯t leave me even though she found her child, so I promise not to run off on my own anymore.¡± Evander frowned slightly in displeasure when he heard that. I¡¯m d to hear that Floretta has learned from her mistake, but it¡¯s only because of what Angeline told her¡­ If that¡¯s the case, then what good am I as a father? ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little thirsty, Floretta. Can you ask the police officer outside for a cup of water?¡± Angeline asked with a gentle smile. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta nodded and ran off. ¡°Make sure not to leave the police station!¡± Angeline waited until Floretta had left the office before shifting her gaze toward Evander. ¡°Mr. Golding, may I have a word with you?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re about to get married, but I hope you¡¯ll try to reconsider it for Floretta¡¯s sake. Olivine is a scheming and devious woman. She is not a suitable candidate to be Floretta¡¯s mother.¡± Evander stood up straight and looked right at her with a sarcastic expression. ¡°Thank you for taking the time to visit Floretta, Ms. Sorelle. But since you have chosen to leave, who I decide to marry is no longer your concern.¡± Angeline felt as though she had been struck in the chest with a sledgehammer. We finally meet again after so many days, and yet, Evander is treating me like aplete stranger¡­ Well, I suppose I don¡¯t have the right toin¡­ As she clenched her fists, the pain from the nails digging into her skin snapped her out of her daze. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Floretta too. I don¡¯t want to see the girl¡¯s happiness ruined just because of your selfish desires.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®ruined¡¯?¡± Evander¡¯s expression clouded over in an instant as he walked toward the woman slowly, emanating a chilling aura. Angeline immediately realized she had spoken inappropriately, but it was toote to regret her words. Not daring to look him in the eye, she stepped back until her body collided with the table behind her with a bang, and the pain made her brows crease. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Yet, the man merely held her chin with his slender fingers and red at her from above. ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate your worth, Angeline. Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t be able to get another woman to distract Floretta?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Angeline was at a loss for words. She wanted to retaliate but felt as though all her strength had left her. He¡¯s right. This is Evander Golding we¡¯re talking about. God knows how many women would throw themselves at him at just a snap of his fingers! Why am I even worried? ¡°I was just giving you a kind reminder, Mr. Golding. If you think my advice is unnecessary, you can always choose not to listen.¡± Looking slightly glum, the woman attempted to push Evander aside and leave. Unfortunately, her words only served to aggravate him. A hint of rage flickered in his eyes as he grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back in his direction. ¡°You¡¯re running off without giving me an exnation?¡± the man questioned with gritted teeth, pressing his body against hers to narrow the gap between them. They were so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. While staring at him, Angeline gulped as she forced herself to calm down. ¡°Why do I need to exin anything? I did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted to cut ties with me, so why are you getting all concerned about Floretta and poking your nose into my business now?¡± Evander demanded, keeping a tight gaze on her. Angeline furrowed her brows. Although she couldn¡¯t understand why he was getting so worked up, she couldn¡¯t deny that she was starting to feel the same. ¡°Why do we have to let Floretta get affected by what happened between us? Even if we can¡¯t be together, shouldn¡¯t you still try to make it seem like we get along¡ªat least for her sake?¡± ¡°As friends?¡± Evander scoffed. He was about to continue when another voice rang out. ¡°I¡¯ve got your water, Angel!¡± The door flew open as Floretta walked in with a ss of water. The two looked especially intimate from her point of view, and she giggled while covering her eyes with one hand. ¡°You¡¯re being so lovey-dovey, Daddy and Angel.¡± Hearing that, Angeline flushed red as she shoved Evander away, not forgetting to shoot him a reproachful nce. What¡¯s wrong with him, suddenly closing in on me like a maniac? It isn¡¯t appropriate for Floretta to see us like that. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, Floretta. You¡¯re still a child and shouldn¡¯t make up stories like that.¡± The little girl nodded solemnly. ¡°I know. My teachers have already taught me that,¡± she replied obediently. ¡°Do you still want your water, Angel?¡± ¡°Yes, please and thank you.¡± The ss of water was initially just an excuse to send Floretta away temporarily, but now, Angeline was really starting to feel thirsty after the argument with Evander. Hence, she took the ss from the child, raised her head, and drank all the water in one go. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Floretta.¡± Evander spoke in a deep voice as he walked toward Floretta with a cold expression, reaching for her hand. Yet, the girl refused to budge and held onto her father¡¯s arm tightly instead. ¡°It¡¯s Saturday tomorrow, Daddy. Can I please stay with Angel?¡± she pleaded. ¡°What are you talking about? Can you even stand living in a hospital?¡± Floretta nodded fervently, her eyes reflecting her sincerity. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid anymore, Daddy. I don¡¯t need you to protect me every second of the day. I can get through anything as long as I¡¯m with Angel.¡± Wavering slightly as he heard that, Evander nced at Angeline in consideration. He knew exactly what his daughter was capable of once she was stirred up. Given how she had just snuck out and made her way to the police station earlier today, he didn¡¯t want to be too harsh with his words at the moment. Seeing the awkward situation Evander was in, Angeline stepped in without any further dy. ¡°Let Florettae with me tonight, Mr. Golding. I¡¯m staying in a premium hospital suite thates with an extra bed, so she shouldn¡¯t have a problem staying there.¡± Besides, Sebastian was autistic and refused tomunicate, so Angeline feared that his condition would only worsen if he continued to keep to himself. Floretta¡¯s such a bubbly girl, and she¡¯s also Sebastian¡¯s age. Maybe she¡¯d be able to help him out. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll leave her to you.¡± Still looking sullen, Evander was unwilling to converse much with her and added frostily, ¡°Name a price. I¡¯ll pay you for all the expenses Floretta incurs.¡± With that, he turned and strode out of the police station. Floretta blinked before gazing up at the woman in confusion. ¡°What did Daddy mean by that, Angel?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Smiling, Angeline took the girl by the hand and pinched her tiny nose. ¡°Your daddy always has such a sour look on his face. Don¡¯t take after him, okay? It¡¯s not cute at all.¡± It was already past eight when the adults came to pick Floretta up, so Angeline hastily drove herself and the girl back to the hospital right after. Thankfully, she had booked a premium suite for Sebastian so he could be treated in the best possible environment after leaving the ICU ward. The suite had a living area next to the ward and was extremely quiet except for when the doctors dropped by for check-ups. Hand in hand, Angeline and Floretta walked into the ward and saw Nancy yawning while apanying Sebastian who was busy drawing. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Nancy perked up as soon as she spotted them. ¡°Ms. Nancy!¡± Floretta called out while running toward her with open arms. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Nancy pulled the child into an embrace and caressed her head affectionately. ¡°I missed you so much! Oh my, you¡¯ve gotten a lot chubbier, Darling.¡± Meanwhile, Angeline kept her eyes on Sebastian, noticing the way he carried his drawing board and moved further away after seeing Floretta. He then continued to doodle on the board with his colored pencils, paying them no heed. Nancy turned to Angeline helplessly. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s been drawing ever since you left. He¡¯d ignore me even when I asked him to take a break and drink some water.¡± Angeline¡¯s brows furrowed as an ufortable feeling rose within her chest. He has changed from not wanting to talk to focusing his attention on something, but that¡¯s not considered progress at all. I can¡¯t let just let him keep drawing like this. What should I do? Just as the woman racked her brains for a solution, Floretta suddenly approached Sebastian, and her eyes lit up upon seeing his drawing. ¡°Wow, Sebastian! Are you drawing Peppa Pig?¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Hearing that, Sebastian looked up and gazed at her with a trace of skepticism in his eyes, as though he couldn¡¯t confirm if she was talking to him. It was only after gazing at her for a while that he shifted his attention back to his drawing board. ¡°Why are you ignoring me, Sebastian?¡± Floretta creased her brows in protest. ¡°Angel says we have to get along, so you can¡¯t be so cold.¡± Unable to focus on his activity due to the little girl¡¯s rambling, Sebastian turned around and red at her, gesturing for her to zip her mouth shut. Angeline¡¯s face fell when she saw that, and she contemted taking Floretta away. He¡¯s way too cold. Surprisingly, the girl was only stunned for a moment before breaking into a grin. ¡°You finally stopped ignoring me, Sebastian! That means we¡¯re friends now. Allow me to introduce myself. My name¡¯s Floretta Golding. I go to kindergarten. Have you been to kindergarten? It¡¯s really fun¡­¡± Having finally found someone her age to speak to, Floretta instantly went into a full-blown conversation, seemingly ready to tell Sebastian every single detail about her life. In contrast, the boy stared at her with disdain, although he showed no sign of resistance. Seeing the two children, Nancy bent over andughed out loud before pulling Angeline over to the couch next to the coffee table. ¡°It looks like we might have a cure for Sebastian. He¡¯ll never be bored with Floretta around.¡± Finally getting a break after having busied herself all night, Angeline leaned into the couch and sighed gently. ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time imagining how they¡¯d be able to y with each other, though.¡± They¡¯re from two different worlds. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s so cheery that she doesn¡¯t care about how distant Sebastian is. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± Nancy grabbed a sk to refill Angeline¡¯s ss with water. ¡°Now that Sebastian will be okay for the time being, what about you? Did you see Mr. Golding at the station?¡± she asked, beaming. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And?¡± Angeline felt an iing headache at the mention of this, and she pinched her nose bridge in frustration. ¡°There¡¯s no progress. He seems to trust me even less now. He¡¯s also getting ready to deepen his rtionship with his soon-to-be wife, so there¡¯s no way I can interfere with that.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Angeline fell silent upon hearing those words, and the act of her biting her nails reflected how torn she felt. Nancy gazed at her solemnly before responding, ¡°Let me ask you, then. Can you really let him go?¡± The woman was bereft of words. ¡°Think about it carefully. Even if you can¡¯t be with him, I think you still owe Mr. Golding an apology so he doesn¡¯t misunderstand you.¡± After saying that, Nancy hopped off the couch and grabbed her purse. ¡°I¡¯m off. I have a meeting tomorrow morning.¡± Angeline hurriedly got up and walked her to the door, looking visibly touched as she gazed at her friend. ¡°I might still need your help with something, Nancy. Please help me take on a few roles.¡± She had spent arge amount of her savings on looking for her child, only to then learn that he suffered from congenital heart disease. I¡¯m going to need much more to get him treated. I can¡¯t give up. I have to keep going forward. It¡¯s the only way to turn our situation around. Hearing that, Nancy patted Angeline¡¯s shoulder in relief. ¡°You¡¯re finally making aeback, Angie! You have no idea how manypanies came looking for you after The Journey became a hit, but I turned all of them down.¡± If Angeline wanted to get back into showbiz, that would be nothing but beneficial to her agency. She was now an A-list celebrity, after all. It would be a waste if she were to disappear without a trace after going through all that effort to gain the poprity she now had. After seeing Nancy off, Angeline returned to the ward only to see Sebastian teaching Floretta how to draw. For some reason, the two children looked rather harmonious as they each held a colored pencil and doodled away on the same drawing board. ¡°Angel!¡± Floretta cried out in excitement. ¡°Sebastian is so talented! He can draw so many other animals aside from pigs! I like him so much.¡± Children were always honest with their feelings, and Sebastian lowered his head in shyness after hearing the girl¡¯s remarks. ¡°In that case, do your best to get along, okay?¡± Angeline reminded tenderly, feeling overjoyed deep down. I can¡¯t believe it. Sebastian actually epted her after her persistent efforts. This is a great sign! If they can continue to get along, I¡¯ll have a lot less to worry about. It looks like I shouldn¡¯t have even worried about thempeting with each other over my attention. With Sebastian¡¯s condition stabilizing, Angeline felt at ease and finally had a good night¡¯s sleep. The next morning, she received a text message from Nancy, who had epted a high-end cosmetic brand endorsement for her. The payment was especially lucrative, but filming was ted to begin that very afternoon. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Worried about leaving the two children at the hospital, Angeline requested Nancy to watch over them. To cate the kids because she was about to start work soon, she also ordered some ingredients online to cook them something they liked. The woman took three hours to prepare a pot of nutritious pork stew. As soon as she brought the dish to the dining table, Floretta grabbed her tiny spoon and began eating to her heart¡¯s content, stuffing spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. ¡°Mmmm! It¡¯s so good. Your cooking¡¯s gotten even better, Angel.¡± ¡°Help yourself to more if you like it.¡± ted to hear the little girl¡¯s praises, Angeline picked up her fork to serve Sebastian and herself some Buffalo wings. The boy refused to touch his fork and was instead staring at them dubiously as though he couldn¡¯t believe the food was as good as Floretta had described. Angeline knew what he was thinking, so she began coaxing him with a soft tone. ¡°Give it a try. It¡¯s not bad! You can spit it out if you don¡¯t like it.¡± Under her encouragement, Sebastian finally picked up his cutlery and took a bite of the wing. ording to the doctor, Sebastian could now have some chicken to increase his nutrition. That was why Angeline had specifically prepared Buffalo wings with just a small amount of oil so as to reduce their greasiness. She knew the kids would enjoy them. As soon as Sebastian bit into the chicken, he was filled with awe at how good it tasted, and he couldn¡¯t help but take a few more bites. ¡°Do you like it, Sebastian?¡± Floretta beamed with delight and continued praising, ¡°Angel makes the best food in the world. Even someone as picky as my daddy likes her cooking.¡± Angeline shook her head in helplessness before serving them more food. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Angeline was so busy caring for them that she lost track of time. It didn¡¯t ur to her howte it was until she lifted her head to look at the clock on the wall after taking a sip of water. It was already twelve, but Nancy wasn¡¯t here yet. Angeline couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows anxiously. If she isn¡¯t here, I can¡¯t leave the kids alone unattended in the ward. With that thought in mind, she pulled out her phone with the intention of calling Nancy. Right then, someone knocked on the door several times. ¡°Come in,¡± she called out. Huh? When did Nancy start knocking on doors? The door was pushed open to reveal a tall and handsome man with an icy expression. Angeline was taken aback by his unexpected arrival. ¡°Evander?¡± Angeline stared at him incredulously. ¡°Why are you here? Where is Nancy?¡± ¡°She contacted me earlier and informed me that she was away on business. She requested my assistance in caring for you for a few days,¡± Evander said, his face twisted in a frown. He seemed reluctant to be there. He was holding a ck toy car assembling kit which was clearly meant for a boy. Is that for Sebastian? Angeline stared at him with her lips pursed. She felt somewhat uneasy. Why did Nancy tell Evander about her sudden business trip instead of me? She recalled how Nancy kept asking about her progress with Evander and realized that thetter had already nned to bring them together yesterday. However, Angeline had just told him about her decision to cut ties with him at the police stationst night, so she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him for help. ¡°Daddy!¡± Floretta giggled joyfully as she ran toward Evander with her arms wide open. ¡°Sebastian is awesome! He is very talented in drawingics, and he taught me how to draw as well. I really enjoy spending time with him, Daddy. Can I go see him often?¡± Evander tapped on her nose dotingly. ¡°You can y with him, but make sure you don¡¯t neglect your homework.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta¡¯s eyes widened in delight as she spotted the toy in Evander¡¯s hands. ¡°Did you get this for Sebastian and me?¡± she asked excitedly. ¡°Mm. You can y together,¡± Evander replied in a deep voice. His gazended on Sebastian, but thetter cowered behind a chair, avoiding his stare. Frowning, he nced at Angeline. ¡°Is there something wrong with him?¡± Angeline¡¯s expression changed drastically as she exined helplessly, ¡°He has severe autism and suffers from congenital heart failure. He requires special and constant care.¡± Evander was known for being hot-tempered. Worried that Sebastian would provoke Evander¡¯s notorious temper, she hesitated before saying, ¡°Thank you for visiting us. If you feel ufortable staying, I can request the director to postpone my shoot for a few days.¡± ¡°No need for that. You may leave now,¡± Evander told her. He unwrapped the box and took out all the toy parts. ¡°Nothing will happen to him. Floretta is here, so she¡¯ll protect Sebastian well.¡± Hmm, he¡¯s right. Nevertheless, Angeline was afraid that Sebastian wouldn¡¯t ept Evander. She observed them for a while. Evander was patiently teaching Floretta how to assemble the sports car. Less than five minutes later, Sebastian couldn¡¯t tamp down his curiosity and emerged from his hiding spot behind the chair. He stared at them longingly. ¡°If you wish to join us, approach us with courage,¡± Evander said solemnly, not meeting Sebastian¡¯s gaze. His calm demeanor filled Sebastian with strength. ¡°I shall show you how to assemble the car,¡± he added. Sebastian pondered over his words beforeing to him willingly. Floretta thought he was too slow, so she went over to grab his arm and reminded him cheerfully, ¡°Sebastian, don¡¯t be scared. My daddy might look fierce, but he¡¯s actually very kind. He is good at assembling toys.¡± Under Floretta¡¯s lead, Sebastian smiled shyly and came over to Evander. He observed Evander¡¯s expression carefully. Evander treated Sebastian like any other child. He didn¡¯t exclude the boy nor give him any special treatment. He treated both children equally and patiently exined the process of assembling the toy. Afterward, he gave them the opportunity to attempt the task on their own. Sebastian listened to him carefully before picking up the toy to try for himself. It seemed that he had never yed with such toys in the countryside previously. As he was smart, it didn¡¯t take him much time to assemble the wing of the car. Floretta¡¯s jaw dropped open when she saw how fast he was. She pped excitedly and praised, ¡°Wow, Sebastian! You¡¯re so clever! Hurry, teach me how to be as clever as you!¡± Sebastian blushed shyly and lowered his gaze. He turned stiff, not knowing how to react. However, Angeline noticed the corners of his lips slightly turning up. The current living environment was vastly different for Sebastian. Previously, he was constantly yelled at, but now, he kept getting praised. Slowly, he could get over his painful past. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t toote. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. With that thought in mind, Angeline suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She went to the dining table and filled a bowl with pork stew. She then carefully offered the steaming bowl to Evander. ¡°You must be starving. I made something, so why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Instead of answering her, Evander took the bowl from her and began eating it with a spoon. When the bowl was empty, he returned it to Angeline. ¡°Refill this.¡± Hearing that, Angeline quickly went to refill the bowl. She thought about it and finally caved in. ¡°Mr. Golding, please take care of the kids. I¡¯ll be back as soon as the filming ends.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Evander slowly stirred the stew with his spoon. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Floretta¡¯s sake,¡± he said calmly. There is no need to distance yourself so obviously. It was gettingte, so Angeline didn¡¯t beat around the bush and left some instructions before leaving the ward. ording to the address Nancy provided, she arrived at the filming location, which was an office building that looked magnificent. She was scheduled to shoot an advertisement for Moistdore Cosmetics that day. Though not as well- known as international cosmetic brands, Moistdore Cosmetics had a long history, and its products were reasonably priced, making it popr among young white-cor workers who had recently graduated from university. The staff led Angeline onto the set, where she reported to the director. She was informed that the advertisement would be in a chic rap style and that she would be apanied by a few dancers. Angeline just had to strike some stylish poses, and the rapping would be added in afterward during the editing process. She wouldn¡¯t have to actually rap. Angeline wos so busy coring for them thot she lost trock of time. It didn¡¯t ur to her how lote it wos until she lifted her heod to look ot the clock on the woll ofter toking o sip of woter. It wos olreody twelve, but Noncy wosn¡¯t here yet. Angeline couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows onxiously. If she isn¡¯t here, I con¡¯t leove the kids olone unottended in the word. With thot thought in mind, she pulled out her phone with the intention of colling Noncy. Right then, someone knocked on the door severol times. ¡°Come in,¡± she colled out. Huh? When did Noncy stort knocking on doors? The door wos pushed open to reveol o toll ond hondsome mon with on icy expression. Angeline wos token obock by his unexpected orrivol. ¡°Evonder?¡± Angeline stored ot him incredulously. ¡°Why ore you here? Where is Noncy?¡± ¡°She contocted me eorlier ond informed me thot she wos owoy on business. She requested my ossistonce in coring for you for o few doys,¡± Evonder soid, his foce twisted in o frown. He seemed reluctont to be there. He wos holding o block toy cor ossembling kit which wos cleorly meont for o boy. Is thot for Sebostion? Angeline stored ot him with her lips pursed. She felt somewhot uneosy. Why did Noncy tell Evonder obout her sudden business trip insteod of me? She recolled how Noncy kept osking obout her progress with Evonder ond reolized thot the lotter hod olreody plonned to bring them together yesterdoy. However, Angeline hod just told him obout her decision to cut ties with him ot the police stotion lost night, so she couldn¡¯t bring herself to osk him for help. ¡°Doddy!¡± Floretto giggled joyfully os she ron toword Evonder with her orms wide open. ¡°Sebostion is owesome! He is very tolented in drowingics, ond he tought me how to drow os well. I reolly enjoy spending time with him, Doddy. Con I go see him often?¡± Evonder topped on her nose dotingly. ¡°You con ploy with him, but moke sure you don¡¯t neglect your homework.¡± ¡°Okoy!¡± Floretto¡¯s eyes widened in delight os she spotted the toy in Evonder¡¯s honds. ¡°Did you get this for Sebostion ond me?¡± she osked excitedly. ¡°Mm. You con ploy together,¡± Evonder replied in o deep voice. His goze londed on Sebostion, but the lotter cowered behind o choir, ovoiding his store. Frowning, he glonced ot Angeline. ¡°Is there something wrong with him?¡± Angeline¡¯s expression chonged drosticolly os she exploined helplessly, ¡°He hos severe outism ond suffers from congenitol heort foilure. He requires speciol ond constont core.¡± Evonder wos known for being hot-tempered. Worried thot Sebostion would provoke Evonder¡¯s notorious temper, she hesitoted before soying, ¡°Thonk you for visiting us. If you feel ufortoble stoying, I con request the director to postpone my shoot for o few doys.¡± ¡°No need for thot. You moy leove now,¡± Evonder told her. He unwropped the box ond took out oll the toy ports. ¡°Nothing will hoppen to him. Floretto is here, so she¡¯ll protect Sebostion well.¡± Hmm, he¡¯s right. Nevertheless, Angeline wos ofroid thot Sebostion wouldn¡¯t ept Evonder. She observed them for o while. Evonder wos potiently teoching Floretto how to ossemble the sports cor. Less thon five minutes loter, Sebostion couldn¡¯t tomp down his curiosity ond emerged from his hiding spot behind the choir. He stored ot them longingly. ¡°If you wish to join us, opprooch us with couroge,¡± Evonder soid solemnly, not meeting Sebostion¡¯s goze. His colm demeonor filled Sebostion with strength. ¡°I sholl show you how to ossemble the cor,¡± he odded. Sebostion pondered over his words beforeing to him willingly. Floretto thought he wos too slow, so she went over to grob his orm ond reminded him cheerfully, ¡°Sebostion, don¡¯t be scored. My doddy might look fierce, but he¡¯s octuolly very kind. He is good ot ossembling toys.¡± Under Floretto¡¯s leod, Sebostion smiled shyly onde over to Evonder. He observed Evonder¡¯s expression corefully. Evonder treoted Sebostion like ony other child. He didn¡¯t exclude the boy nor give him ony speciol treotment. He treoted both children equolly ond potiently exploined the process of ossembling the toy. Afterword, he gove them the opportunity to ottempt the tosk on their own. Sebostion listened to him corefully before picking up the toy to try for himself. It seemed thot he hod never ployed with such toys in the countryside previously. As he wos smort, it didn¡¯t toke him much time to ossemble the wing of the cor. Floretto¡¯s jow dropped open when she sow how fost he wos. She clopped excitedly ond proised, ¡°Wow, Sebostion! You¡¯re so clever! Hurry, teoch me how to be os clever os you!¡± Sebostion blushed shyly ond lowered his goze. He turned stiff, not knowing how to reoct. However, Angeline noticed the corners of his lips slightly turning up. The current living environment wos vostly different for Sebostion. Previously, he wos constontly yelled ot, but now, he kept getting proised. Slowly, he could get over his poinful post. Fortunotely, it wosn¡¯t too lote. With thot thought in mind, Angeline suddenly felt o lump in her throot. She went to the dining toble ond filled o bowl with pork stew. She then corefully offered the steoming bowl to Evonder. ¡°You must be storving. I mode something, so why don¡¯t you give it o try?¡± Insteod of onswering her, Evonder took the bowl from her ond begon eoting it with o spoon. When the bowl wos empty, he returned it to Angeline. ¡°Refill this.¡± Heoring thot, Angeline quickly went to refill the bowl. She thought obout it ond finolly coved in. ¡°Mr. Golding, pleose toke core of the kids. I¡¯ll be bock os soon os the filming ends.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Evonder slowly stirred the stew with his spoon. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Floretto¡¯s soke,¡± he soid colmly. There is no need to distonce yourself so obviously. It wos getting lote, so Angeline didn¡¯t beot oround the bush ond left some instructions before leoving the word. ording to the oddress Noncy provided, she orrived ot the filming locotion, which wos on office building thot looked mognificent. She wos scheduled to shoot on odvertisement for Moistdore Cosmetics thot doy. Though not os well- known os internotionol cosmetic bronds, Moistdore Cosmetics hod o long history, ond its products were reosonobly priced, moking it populor omong young white-collor workers who hod recently groduoted from university. The stoff led Angeline onto the set, where she reported to the director. She wos informed thot the odvertisement would be in o chic rop style ond thot she would be oponied by o few doncers. Angeline just hod to strike some stylish poses, ond the ropping would be odded in ofterword during the editing process. She wouldn¡¯t hove to octuolly rop. Chapter 209 Chapter 209 The job wasn¡¯t too difficult, so filming would bepleted in three days. Angeline arrived at the makeup room, where a renowned makeup artist was waiting to assist her. The makeup artistvished praise on her, from her hair to her skin and overall appearance. It was obvious that the makeup artist was ttering her. However, Angeline barely responded to her. Her mind had already flitted to the hospital, so she was not keen on conversing. Angeline was upied with scrolling through her phone while the makeup artist worked on braiding her dreadlocks, which would take some time. The makeup artist looked awkward as Angeline ignored her. She looked displeased when a mocking voice belonging to a female sounded. ¡°Ms. Chance, don¡¯t you know that Angeline is known for riding on men¡¯s coattails to rise through the ranks in the entertainment industry? She loves acting like a prima donna. You attempted to communicate with her, but she may not even bother to respond since she appears to have a low opinion of you.¡± Hearing that, Angeline stopped scrolling through her phone and lifted her head slowly. The makeup artist¡¯s expression had gone rigid, and a look of revulsion crossed her features. Angeline then turned to nce at the woman standing at the door. A sh of surprise appeared in her gaze. She did not expect to meet Denise here, as they hadn¡¯t met for some time. What¡¯s going on? Why is Denise here? Judging from her clothes, she¡¯s obviously shooting the same advertisement as mine. Denise sauntered up to Angeline, her expression full of envy and loathing. ¡°Angeline, it¡¯s been a while,¡± she said coolly. Angeline¡¯s expression turned wintry. ¡°It¡¯s been some time since west saw each other, but it seems you¡¯ve honed your skills in spreading rumors. What do you want from me?¡± Bending down, Denise gritted her teeth and whispered in Angeline¡¯s ear, ¡°What do you think? If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t need to stop filming The Journey! You ruined my reputation, so I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± ¡°How childish. You were the one who ruined your own reputation,¡± Angeline replied coldly, her eyes boring into Denise as though thetter had gone mad. As they talked, she had already sent a text to the director¡¯s assistant. Soon, the assistant pushed the door open and came to them. He bore an ingratiating smile and asked, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, what do you need? Just let us know, and we¡¯ll try our best to satisfy you!¡± Angeline stood up from her chair and nced at Denise. Calmly, she asked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking you to come here. I want to rify something. Back when I signed the contract, it stated that I was the only spokesperson. Why is Ms. Campbell here?¡± The assistant blinked in confusion. ¡°Yes, we only signed a contract with you. We wouldn¡¯t dream of going back on our word. Who is Ms. Campbell?¡± Denise was only popr for a short time, so those who were new in the industry didn¡¯t know who she was. Angeline frowned and gave Denise a pointed look. Denise¡¯s initial arrogance was long gone by now. The assistant took one look at Denise and said, ¡°Oh, you were talking about her. She¡¯s your dancer. The director chose a girl group randomly, and she¡¯s one of the members.¡± His voice dripped with disdain. ¡°By the way, why are you here? Your members are practicing outside. Are you cking off?¡± ¡°I¡­ No!¡± Denise stammered. Her cheeks flushed, and she desperately wished for the ground to swallow her whole. Denise intended to put Angeline in her ce, yet she eventually suffered a humiliating defeat. Angeline arched a brow silently. She was inwardly delighted but kept her cool to say, ¡°Okay. Ms. Campbell is my friend, so I¡¯d like to talk to her in private.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Since you mention it, I will take good care of her. I won¡¯t disturb you, then. See youter.¡± The assistant immediately shed a ttering smile and dragged the makeup artist out of the room. Angeline and Denise were the only ones left in the makeup room. The atmosphere became tense all of a sudden. Denise hated Angeline so much that she managed through gritted teeth, ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re thrilled to see me brought so low, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Angeline made her way to the makeup table. Her dreadlocks were styled, and she only had to apply some lipstick. She scanned the lipsticks, selected the darkest shade, and opened the cap. ¡°We¡¯re on different levels now, so you¡¯re no longer in my league. I wouldn¡¯t waste timeughing at you.¡± Angeline didn¡¯t use any vulgarnguage, but her words struck Denise like a sharp knife, cutting deep into her heart. Denise¡¯s face was a mask of rage, her fists tightly clenched and her jaw set as her eyes zed with hatred. The most painful thing wasn¡¯t the argument itself; it was the realization that she was no longer in Angeline¡¯s league. Angeline finished applying the lipstick, and the deep red hue gave her a sultry appearance. She let out a derisive snort. She initially thought Denise was a threat to her. After all, they were actresses of the same level back then. They alsopeted to be Starlight Jewelry¡¯s spokesperson. In just a year, one individual had skyrocketed to stardom, while the other was engulfed in a controversy and was forced to terminate her contract. Left with no choice, thetter had to join a girl group. Angeline didn¡¯t sympathize with Denise, as thetter had brought it upon herself. Angeline¡¯s heart hardened at that thought. She folded her arms and walked up to Denise. ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. Don¡¯t mess up on set. If something goes wrong and it¡¯s your fault, my influence in the industry is such that I could easily ruin your career,¡± she warned sternly. She wasn¡¯t sensitive, given that Denise had previously employed despicable means to achieve her goal. It wouldn¡¯t harm for her to give Denise a warning. She spun on her heels and strode out of the makeup room. Denise was frozen in shock by her words. It took her some time to regain herposure to yell, ¡°Angeline, you b*tch! Mark my words; you will end up like me! Your fate will not be a good one!¡± Angeline was no longer concerned with Denise, as she realized Denise was all talk and no action. Therefore, she had no reason to be afraid of her. The filming progressed without any major issues, but it was dyed due to the director¡¯s attention to detail and desire for perfection. It was past nine o¡¯clock when Angeline finally got off work. Being in the studio, she didn¡¯t get to see the sky, so she had no idea it was thiste. Oh no! Her face turned pale. I told Evander to look after Sebastian for a while. He is a busy person, and I¡¯m sure he had to put his work aside for my request. How should I exin things to him? Realizing the urgency of the situation, Angeline quickly changed out of her outfit, not even bothering to remove her makeup and hair. She hurriedly rushed to the hospital. The job wosn¡¯t too difficult, so filming would bepleted in three doys. Angeline orrived ot the mokeup room, where o renowned mokeup ortist wos woiting to ossist her. The mokeup ortist lovished proise on her, from her hoir to her skin ond overoll oppeoronce. It wos obvious thot the mokeup ortist wos flottering her. However, Angeline borely responded to her. Her mind hod olreody flitted to the hospitol, so she wos not keen on conversing. Angeline wos upied with scrolling through her phone while the mokeup ortist worked on broiding her dreodlocks, which would toke some time. The mokeup ortist looked owkword os Angeline ignored her. She looked displeosed when o mocking voice belonging to o femole sounded. ¡°Ms. Chonce, don¡¯t you know thot Angeline is known for riding on men¡¯s coottoils to rise through the ronks in the entertoinment industry? She loves octing like o primo donno. You ottempted to communicote with her, but she moy not even bother to respond since she oppeors to hove o low opinion of you.¡± Heoring thot, Angeline stopped scrolling through her phone ond lifted her heod slowly. The mokeup ortist¡¯s expression hod gone rigid, ond o look of revulsion crossed her feotures. Angeline then turned to glonce ot the womon stonding ot the door. A flosh of surprise oppeored in her goze. She did not expect to meet Denise here, os they hodn¡¯t met for some time. Whot¡¯s going on? Why is Denise here? Judging from her clothes, she¡¯s obviously shooting the some odvertisement os mine. Denise sountered up to Angeline, her expression full of envy ond loothing. ¡°Angeline, it¡¯s been o while,¡± she soid coolly. Angeline¡¯s expression turned wintry. ¡°It¡¯s been some time since we lost sow eoch other, but it seems you¡¯ve honed your skills in spreoding rumors. Whot do you wont from me?¡± Bending down, Denise gritted her teeth ond whispered in Angeline¡¯s eor, ¡°Whot do you think? If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t need to stop filming The Journey! You ruined my reputotion, so I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± ¡°How childish. You were the one who ruined your own reputotion,¡± Angeline replied coldly, her eyes boring into Denise os though the lotter hod gone mod. As they tolked, she hod olreody sent o text to the director¡¯s ossistont. Soon, the ossistont pushed the door open onde to them. He bore on ingrotioting smile ond osked, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, whot do you need? Just let us know, ond we¡¯ll try our best to sotisfy you!¡± Angeline stood up from her choir ond glonced ot Denise. Colmly, she osked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for osking you to come here. I wont to clorify something. Bock when I signed the controct, it stoted thot I wos the only spokesperson. Why is Ms. Compbell here?¡± The ossistont blinked in confusion. ¡°Yes, we only signed o controct with you. We wouldn¡¯t dreom of going bock on our word. Who is Ms. Compbell?¡± Denise wos only populor for o short time, so those who were new in the industry didn¡¯t know who she wos. Angeline frowned ond gove Denise o pointed look. Denise¡¯s initiol orrogonce wos long gone by now. The ossistont took one look ot Denise ond soid, ¡°Oh, you were tolking obout her. She¡¯s your doncer. The director chose o girl group rondomly, ond she¡¯s one of the members.¡± His voice dripped with disdoin. ¡°By the woy, why ore you here? Your members ore procticing outside. Are you slocking off?¡± ¡°I¡­ No!¡± Denise stommered. Her cheeks flushed, ond she desperotely wished for the ground to swollow her whole. Denise intended to put Angeline in her ploce, yet she eventuolly suffered o humilioting defeot. Angeline orched o brow silently. She wos inwordly delighted but kept her cool to soy, ¡°Okoy. Ms. Compbell is my friend, so I¡¯d like to tolk to her in privote.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Since you mention it, I will toke good core of her. I won¡¯t disturb you, then. See you loter.¡± The ossistont immediotely floshed o flottering smile ond drogged the mokeup ortist out of the room. Angeline ond Denise were the only ones left in the mokeup room. The otmosphere be tense oll of o sudden. Denise hoted Angeline so much thot she monoged through gritted teeth, ¡°Whot do you wont? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re thrilled to see me brought so low, oren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Angeline mode her woy to the mokeup toble. Her dreodlocks were styled, ond she only hod to opply some lipstick. She sconned the lipsticks, selected the dorkest shode, ond opened the cop. ¡°We¡¯re on different levels now, so you¡¯re no longer in my leogue. I wouldn¡¯t woste time loughing ot you.¡± Angeline didn¡¯t use ony vulgor longuoge, but her words struck Denise like o shorp knife, cutting deep into her heort. Denise¡¯s foce wos o mosk of roge, her fists tightly clenched ond her jow set os her eyes blozed with hotred. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The most poinful thing wosn¡¯t the orgument itself; it wos the reolizotion thot she wos no longer in Angeline¡¯s leogue. Angeline finished opplying the lipstick, ond the deep red hue gove her o sultry oppeoronce. She let out o derisive snort. She initiolly thought Denise wos o threot to her. After oll, they were octresses of the some level bock then. They olsopeted to be Storlight Jewelry¡¯s spokesperson. In just o yeor, one individuol hod skyrocketed to stordom, while the other wos engulfed in o controversy ond wos forced to terminote her controct. Left with no choice, the lotter hod to join o girl group. Angeline didn¡¯t sympothize with Denise, os the lotter hod brought it upon herself. Angeline¡¯s heort hordened ot thot thought. She folded her orms ond wolked up to Denise. ¡°Don¡¯t soy I didn¡¯t worn you. Don¡¯t mess up on set. If something goes wrong ond it¡¯s your foult, my influence in the industry is such thot I could eosily ruin your coreer,¡± she worned sternly. She wosn¡¯t sensitive, given thot Denise hod previously employed despicoble meons to ochieve her gool. It wouldn¡¯t horm for her to give Denise o worning. She spun on her heels ond strode out of the mokeup room. Denise wos frozen in shock by her words. It took her some time to regoin herposure to yell, ¡°Angeline, you b*tch! Mork my words; you will end up like me! Your fote will not be o good one!¡± Angeline wos no longer concerned with Denise, os she reolized Denise wos oll tolk ond no oction. Therefore, she hod no reoson to be ofroid of her. The filming progressed without ony mojor issues, but it wos deloyed due to the director¡¯s ottention to detoil ond desire for perfection. It wos post nine o¡¯clock when Angeline finolly got off work. Being in the studio, she didn¡¯t get to see the sky, so she hod no ideo it wos this lote. Oh no! Her foce turned pole. I told Evonder to look ofter Sebostion for o while. He is o busy person, ond I¡¯m sure he hod to put his work oside for my request. How should I exploin things to him? Reolizing the urgency of the situotion, Angeline quickly chonged out of her outfit, not even bothering to remove her mokeup ond hoir. She hurriedly rushed to the hospitol. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Upon her arrival at the hospital, Angeline was met with disgusted stares from the elderlydies, as if her presence had been unweed. Hospitals were often where people said goodbye to their loved ones, so it was a somber ce. Angeline¡¯s appearance was not appropriate for the asion. Fortunately, she wore a mask to cover her face. Her appearance didn¡¯t cause amotion. She quickly entered the elevator, worried about the possibility of being criticized for her appearance. Soon, Angeline reached the top floor, where there was no one around to stare at her. She was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. When she pushed the door to the ward open, the light was switched off in Sebastian¡¯s room. A faint glow emitted by themp illuminated the living room, where Evander sat on the couch, paging through a book. The warm light from themp illuminated his profile, highlighting his sharp features and making him look incredibly handsome. Hearing the sound of the door, he raised his head to nce at Angeline. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. He let out a snort and said, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you¡¯ve grown bolder since you found the kids.¡± Angeline¡¯s face paled at his words. She attempted to cover her dreadlocks and exined quickly, ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. I styled my hair like this for an advertisement and was in a rush to get back, so I didn¡¯t have time to take them out.¡± She nced at the ward worriedly. ¡°By the way, how are the kids?¡± ¡°Ss bought dinner and some snacks for them after he finished work. They ate and then fell asleep,¡± Evander reported formally, then closed the book he was holding. Angeline exhaled lightly and offered a smile. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. They didn¡¯t trouble you, did they?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s easier to understand what they¡¯re thinking than to understand you,¡± Evander replied coldly, emphasizing thest few words as if trying to remind Angeline of something. Angeline pursed her lips and stood rooted in her spot awkwardly. She knew Evander was still mad at what had happened previously, but she had no idea how to ease their rtionship. In the meantime, Evander stood up and brushed away an imaginary speck of dust from his coat. He reminded her, ¡°Sebastian isn¡¯t doing well, and Floretta is having trouble focusing on her studies at the kindergarten. I took a few days off for her so she could stay with Sebastian.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline finally regained her senses. It took her a while to find her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of Floretta.¡± ¡°Are you saying that filming has ended?¡± His simple question gave Angeline a p in the face. Feeling embarrassed, she replied meekly, ¡°Not yet. Two days more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t offer to help, then. I¡¯ll ask Francesca to help care for the kids tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement. Evander had a lot of faith in Francesca, who had been looking after Floretta for many years. Angeline had also spent some time with Francesca and was satisfied with her care. This meant that Angeline didn¡¯t have to stress about the kids, as she was confident that Francesca was capable of taking care of them. She would feel less guilty toward Evander, too. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Floretta, so don¡¯t read too much into it,¡± Evander responded frostily. He acted like a stranger who had offered help conveniently. Angeline watched as he walked past her. Her expression grew somber as a mix of conflicting feelings stirred within her. She knew Evander was still angry with her, but it felt suffocating tomunicate with him in this uncertain way. A look of self-doubt briefly appeared in her eyes. Yes, I¡¯m ridiculous for overestimating myself. Evander is smart, so why would he believe me? Angeline felt a sense of relief that she had not revealed the truth. She had a feeling that something was not right about her sexual assault from five years ago. I might¡¯ve found my child, but what about Hanson¡¯s ring? The fact that it was discovered in Joseline¡¯s drawer is hard to ignore. If it were not connected to the sexual assault incident that urred five years ago, Hanson would not have ced it there without reason. Until now, Angeline couldn¡¯t be sure whether Evander had anything to do with the ring. She was aware that Evander would fly into a rage if he found out that she had suspicions about him without any valid reason. Angeline was filled with despair. With a bitterugh, she resignedly trudged toward the shower. The advertisement shoot proceeded without any issues. Even though Denise taunted Angeline on set, Angeline did not falter. She found ways to make things difficult for Denise, causing thetter to be scolded by the director multiple times. When filming finally came to an end, the director presented a bouquet of lilies to Angeline along with an invitation card. Beaming, he said, ¡°Thank you for working hard, Ms. Sorelle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely doing my job. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± Angeline looked at the invitation card and asked, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Did your manager tell you that you¡¯ll have to attend an event on ourpany¡¯s behalf? Your mission is to promote our brand to the public.¡± ¡°Oh, she didn¡¯t tell me about that.¡± Angeline¡¯s brows furrowed. Apany needed to promote its brand using famous individuals, but Angeline had only agreed to work with reputable brands like Starlight Jewelry in the past. These brands had their own Public Rtions teams that promoted the brand by leveraging social media trends. This was the first time she was asked to attend the event personally. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please refer to your contract. I believe this term is mentioned on thest page. Ms. Yandell has already signed the contract,¡± the director replied. ¡°Okay. I trust you.¡± Angeline shed an apologetic smile and added helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to be there on time.¡± The contract clearly outlined this term, so she decided not to back out on hermitment. If she were to do so, she would have to pay a significant amount ofpensation for breaking the contract. When Angeline walked out of the studio, the driver drove the minivan out of the garage. Angeline got into the vehicle. She swapped her ten centimeters high heels for a pair of ts, then reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Dialing Nancy¡¯s number, she waited for an answer. ¡°Hello?¡± Nancy¡¯s voice sounded breathy, as though she had just woken up a while ago. Angeline¡¯s eyes lit up excitedly. ¡°Ooh, you must be having fun overseas! Won¡¯t you introduce me to your new lover?¡± ¡°Stop it, Angeline,¡± Nancy replied, sounding shy. She then quickly changed the subject. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± ¡°About attending the event for Moistdore Cosmetics. Why didn¡¯t you tell me anything about it? You know I¡¯m currently upied with taking care of Sebastian, and I don¡¯t have time for anything else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why you should attend more events to help you rx. Honestly, you look exhausted from working so hard recently.¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Nancy didn¡¯t raise her voice as usual and talked to her gently. Perhaps it was because there was someone else next to her. ¡°As your manager, I only have your best interests at heart. I¡¯ve looked into the event, and it¡¯s a gathering of luxury brands. You¡¯ll have the opportunity to meet not only top beauty brands but also fashion designpanies.¡± Hearing that, Angeline halted in her tracks and quickly made up her mind. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll attend the event.¡± Recently, Lillian texted her that thepany her mother left her, Forrester Group, was back on track. Unfortunately, sales were not performing as well as expected. They were neither as well-known as top international brands nor as affordable and quick as fast fashion brands. Therefore, they needed to focus on producing high-quality products. Since her mother¡¯s passing, Forrester Group had yet to produce any truly exceptional designers. It would be great if Angeline could find a suitable designer at the event. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡­ Oh!¡± Nancy was about to exin when she suddenly moaned out loud. Her shrill moan nearly broke Angeline¡¯s eardrums. Suddenly, a man spoke at the other end of the line. ¡°Vixen¡­¡± The call was abruptly ended. Angeline stared at her phone screen, feeling exasperated. I knew it. Nancy will never change. Look how she¡¯s having fun overseas. Hmm, why does the man¡¯s voice sound familiar? Was it Roger? Angeline was taken aback by the thought.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nancy and Roger are rivals, right? They fought every time they met. I can¡¯t imagine them having sex! After packing up, Angeline told the driver to give her a ride to the hospital. Sebastian¡¯s external injuries were nearly healed after receiving treatment for the past few days. Angeline nned to get him discharged from the hospital so he could recuperate at home. It was boring for him to be cooped up in the hospital all day long. Exposure to the outside world would be beneficial for his development. Angeline stepped out of the vehicle and walked past the back garden. The weather was perfect today. She noticed a group of people gathered together; their attention was focused on something. Initially, she didn¡¯t want to join the crowd. But then, an elderlydy in the group pped and eximed excitedly, ¡°Excellent! Youngdy, you are so talented. Do another one!¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am!¡± a young voice replied. Hearing that, Angeline halted in her tracks and frowned in confusion. Why does that sound familiar? ¡°Everyone, this is my younger brother. Can you p your hands to encourage him to dance with me?¡± The elderly people pped profusely and encouraged them, ¡°Okay. Good luck, kids!¡± ¡°Yes! Oh, I love them. I wonder who the parents of these adorable children are!¡± A sense of apprehension filled Angeline. She pushed her way through the crowd and finally saw the face of the little girl. At once, she put her hand to her forehead. I knew it. It¡¯s Floretta! ¡°My brother and I shall dance to the song ¡®Little Sparrow¡¯!¡± Floretta announced as she stood in the middle of the crowd. She held the hem of her skirt and gave a little bow. As Francesca yed the music, Floretta dashed to Sebastian, who was cowering in the corner. She eximed with enthusiasm, ¡°Sebastian, why are you hiding? Come, let¡¯s dance together! See, everyone loves us!¡± Sebastian firmly shook his head. His cheeks were visibly red, indicating he had no desire to dance. He was too scared to even nce at the people around him. He hung his head low in fear and anxiety. Seeing Sebastian¡¯s timid reaction, Floretta told him solemnly, ¡°Sebastian, you¡¯re too shy. I¡¯m younger than you, but I dare to express myself. That is why everyone loves me. It isn¡¯t scary at all.¡± With that, she began dancing to the music. She gracefully twirled around while holding the bottom of her dress. ¡°Come on, Sebastian. Follow me. Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± She dragged Sebastian into the middle of the crowd and taught him how to pose. Initially, Sebastian was embarrassed. However, he was too shy to leave. Floretta appeared to be enjoying herself greatly; thus he slowly became more curious. He remained in ce for a few seconds and soon thought it through. Eventually, he lifted his small hands and began mimicking Floretta¡¯s dance moves. ¡°Good job!¡± the crowd cheered and pped their hands. Despite blushing constantly, Sebastian gained more confidence to finish the dance with Floretta. Tears threatened to spill out of Angeline¡¯s eyes when he saw that. She pped together with everyone. I can hardly believe that a child performed better than me. I had been taking care of Sebastian attentively before, but in just a few days under Floretta¡¯s influence, he had made significant progress. He¡¯s obviously more cheerful now. ¡°Angel!¡± Floretta only noticed Angeline when the dance came to an end. She flung her arms wide and ran toward Angeline excitedly. ¡°When did youe back? I brought Sebastian down to dance without your approval. Will you be mad at me?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Angeline assured, brushing a finger across her nose. She then nced at the still-shy Sebastian and gestured for him toe over. Sebastian hesitated for a few seconds before walking over to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Angeline bent down to meet his gaze. She said calmly, ¡°You danced well. Look, everyone loves you!¡± Sebastian pursed his lips. He grabbed the corner of his shirt, and his cheeks turned as red as a tomato. Although he was still shy, it was obvious that he had gradually be morefortable in his surroundings. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯ve been searching for you everywhere!¡± At that moment, a nurse rushed over to Angeline with a serious expression. ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s condition has worsened today. I tried contacting your family members, but none of them answered. We need you to sign the notice of critical condition.¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 ¡°What?¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief as she stumbled, almost falling from the shock. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Previously, Evander had hired a professional caregiver to look after Wilfred. Angeline had been upied in recent days and didn¡¯t have the opportunity to visit him. She assumed there was still time and that she could take care of Wilfred when her work ended. Only then did she realize how fleeting life can be. He could pass away anytime. Without further dy, Angeline headed for Wilfred¡¯s ward. Suddenly, someone gripped the corner of her clothes. ¡°Angel, did something happen to Old Mr. Sorelle? Can I visit him with you?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Angeline swiftly made up her mind. Grandpa adored Floretta when theyst met, so of course, he will want to see her onest time before he passes away. Concerned about leaving Sebastian behind, she took his hand, and the three of them went to Wilfred¡¯s ward together. As they approached the door, they saw rows of bodyguards standing outside who were most likely sent by Joseline. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The bodyguards stopped them and said icily, ¡°Mrs. Yiurk left orders that no one is to visit this ward.¡± Hearing that, Angeline scoffed coldly. Joseline is quite clever, isn¡¯t she? She never took care of Grandpa, yet here she is, putting on a show. Does she think everyone else is as morally bankrupt as she is? Angeline scowled and announced haughtily, ¡°I am a member of the Sorelle family. Do I need your permission to visit my grandpa? If you insist on blocking my way on Joseline¡¯s behalf, we will settle it in court and see who is in the right.¡± As she refused to back down, the bodyguards chickened out. They shared a look and turned a blind eye to her arrival by allowing her entry. Angeline pushed the door open to see the female caregiver wetting a cotton bud to dampen Wilfred¡¯s lips carefully. Thanks to her assistance, Wilfred¡¯s ward was much more pristine and brighter. There was no longer any odd odor lingering in the air. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, hello.¡± The caregiver stood up politely when she spotted Angeline. Thetter hummed in response. ncing at the caregiver, she lowered her voice purposely to ask, ¡°How is Grandpa doing?¡± The caregiver shook her head sadly, her expression full of sorrow. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t have much time left. He¡¯s only awake for a few minutes each day, and he keeps calling out your name.¡± Angeline¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she asked, ¡°He called out for me?¡± Her voice sounded choked. ¡°Yes,¡± the caregiver replied honestly, ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle has something he wants to tell you. I wanted to call you earlier, but he didn¡¯t want to disturb you at work and asked me not to.¡± Angeline felt a lump in her throat as she gazed at Wilfred, his frail body lying in bed. Her reluctance to ept his situation was evident in her expression. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, now that you¡¯re here, I should wake Old Mr. Sorelle.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Angeline interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it from here, so you may leave for now.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The caregiver nodded. She cleared the mess on the table and exited the ward. After she left and closed the door behind her, Angeline brought the kids to Wilfred¡¯s bed. The sight of Wilfred¡¯s gaunt cheeks caused Angeline¡¯s heart to ache. She couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, and tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Angel, what¡¯s wrong? Is Old Mr. Sorelle going to leave us?¡± Floretta asked in a trembling voice as she hid behind Angeline fearfully. Angeline reached out to hug Floretta. Her voice was firm as she said, ¡°No. He¡¯ll always be with us. Come, take a good look at him.¡± Under Angeline¡¯s encouragement, Floretta hesitantly raised her hand to touch Wilfred¡¯s face. She then quickly retracted her hand. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It looks like Old Mr. Sorelle has lost a lot of weight.¡± She pouted unhappily and continued, ¡°Angel, has he starved for a long time? Should we go out and buy some snacks for him?¡± Angeline¡¯s heart was overwhelmed with a tumult of emotions after she heard the little girl¡¯s innocent words. Tears stung her eyes again. I can¡¯t believe Grandpa¡¯s condition has worsened so quickly. A wave of guilt washed over her as she berated herself for not arriving sooner to care for him. Right then, Wilfred stirred in his bed. He opened his unfocused eyes and stared at the ceiling. He extended his fingers and rasped, ¡°Angeline? Is that you?¡± Angeline had to press her ear to his lips to hear what he said clearly. She immediately held his hand and choked out, ¡°It¡¯s me, Grandpa. Do you want some water?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wilfred¡¯s lips curved as he forced out a smile. Angeline quickly filled a cup with warm water and brought it to Wilfred. She carefully helped him sit up in bed and then held the cup to his lips, encouraging him to drink it slowly. Wilfred felt much better after sipping on some water. He smiled weakly and asked, ¡°Where is Floretta? Didn¡¯t shee with you?¡± There was a hint of disappointment in his voice. ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle, I¡¯m here!¡± Floretta replied hastily. She rubbed her eyes and said tearfully, ¡°Why did you change so much? Please, get up from the bed. I want you to tell me stories and arrange toy blocks with me.¡± ¡°My dear child.¡± Wilfred fumbled about until he found Floretta and ruffled her hair weakly. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave soon, so I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to arrange toy blocks with you anymore. My energy is running low.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Floretta pouted as confusion filled her eyes. ¡°Where are you going, Old Mr. Sorelle?¡± Wilfred was taken aback by her question. A whileter, he shed a gentle smile. ¡°I¡¯m going somewhere beautiful where I can protect you and Angeline.¡± Tears were edging past Angeline¡¯sshes. Her shoulders shook as she covered her mouth and nose, afraid she would cry out loud. ¡°Angeline.¡± Wilfred coughed deeply, but he seemed calm. Chuckling, he said, ¡°Be honest with me. Do you really not hate me anymore?¡± Angeline ced a hand on his arm and replied with a solemn tone, ¡°I can honestly say that I no longer hate you, Grandpa.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Wilfred¡¯s health began to deteriorate that Angeline realized that her hatred for him had dissipated. She was grateful for how he had helped her grow and improve through his stern guidance and his constant concern for her well-being. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Family members who were rted by blood would never ever truly hate each other in this world. Angeline suddenly remembered something essential and eximed, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot! I found the child who went missing back then.¡± ¡°What?¡± Surprise shed across Wilfred¡¯s eyes, and his hands started trembling. Angeline turned over her shoulder to gaze at Sebastian, who was hiding behind her. She gave him a smile and gestured for him toe over. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Come, say hello to your great-grandpa.¡± Sebastian stared at her for a moment before slowly walking over to her. Under Angeline¡¯s encouraging look, Sebastian stretched out a finger to touch Wilfred¡¯s palm. ¡°Hmm?¡± Wilfred was baffled. Angeline hung her head in defeat. ¡°When I found Sebastian, he had been severely abused by his foster parents and was diagnosed with severe autism. Despite my best efforts, he has yet to utter a single word.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Wilfred exhaled sharply. ¡°The most important thing is that you found him. Make sure to hire the best doctors to treat him, and don¡¯t give up hope.¡± His voice was full of anguish. ¡°I know, Grandpa. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Wilfred hesitated, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. Eventually, he began to speak. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you, but I was afraid it would make you hate me. However, I feel that it¡¯s important for me to remind you of it.¡± Angeline understood the underlying message in Wilfred¡¯s words and nced over at Floretta. ¡°Floretta, please bring Sebastian out and wait for me. Do not leave my line of sight or wander off.¡± ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry, Angel!¡± Floretta nodded profusely and led Sebastian out of the ward. As she watched the two of them leave, Angeline couldn¡¯t help but notice how much more rxed Sebastian seemed when he was with Floretta. It was clear that Sebastian trusted Floretta, and no one, including Angeline, could ever rece the bond they shared. After they filed out of the ward, Angeline got up to pour another cup of warm water for Wilfred. She slowly fed him all the water. Wilfred started coughing. He wiped off the water on his lips and chuckled. His voice wasn¡¯t as hoarse as before. ¡°Sebastian is a well-behaved child. I didn¡¯t see him earlier, but something tells me he resembles you when you were young.¡± Angeline giggled and quipped, ¡°Of course! He¡¯s my son, so naturally, he takes after me. His eyes look a little like yours, too.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Wilfred¡¯s lips curved into a smile, and a spark of hope appeared in his eyes. His smile broadened as if he was picturing Sebastian in his mind. ¡°My eyes aren¡¯t particrly attractive,¡± Wilfred said, still smiling. ¡°I hope he has my nose, though. Your father got that from me, and it is his only strong point.¡± ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re handsome.¡± Angeline took a towel from the table to wipe the sweat off his face. She felt a deep pang of sorrow for him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a nap? I¡¯ll stay here with you.¡± Wilfred was gravely ill. He had only spoken for a short time, but it seemed to have drained all of his energy. He was sweating profusely. ¡°No need.¡± He waved weakly and panted. ¡°Let me finish what I want to say. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t wake up if I fall asleep.¡± ¡°Okay. There¡¯s no rush, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Angeline, I¡¯m d that you finally found your son. That way, I can rest easier. You wouldn¡¯t have lost him if I didn¡¯t kick you out of the family when you were pregnant.¡± Tears shimmered in her eyes as she fought back the urge to cry. ¡°No, Grandpa. That was all Joseline¡¯s doing. It had nothing to do with you,¡± she reassured him. ¡°I¡¯m d you don¡¯t me me.¡± Wilfred gripped her hands, looking pained. A whileter, he asked, ¡°Are you dating Evander?¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Wilfred said, relieved. ¡°After thest surgery, he came to visit me with the nurse, and we talked for a long time. He promised to take care of you and reassured me not to worry.¡± Angeline was taken aback by his answer. Aplicated look shed across her eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Evander had said that to ease Wilfred¡¯s worries, as they had broken up before the surgery took ce. Not wanting to disappoint Wilfred, she chuckled lightly and responded, ¡°Yes, Grandpa. Evander and I started dating recently, and we haven¡¯t made it public yet.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this sooner?¡± Wilfred¡¯s voice was filled with joy. It was clear he was happy for her. ¡°Evander is a capable man. I used to be worried that you couldn¡¯t handle him, but after talking to him, I can tell he truly loves you.¡± Angeline didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°He¡¯s here for you, so your parents and I won¡¯t have to worry when I die,¡± Wilfred said sincerely. ¡°Floretta is a good girl, so take good care of her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes were watery as she helped Wilfred lie down. She reminded him, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll lead a happy life. Take it easy and get some rest instead of tiring yourself out.¡± Wilfred was exhausted, having spoken for so long. He was nearing the end of his life. ¡°I¡¯m not that fragile. I¡¯m really happy today.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush,¡± Angeline told him cheerfully. ¡°We can talk about that when you get better.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time¡­¡± Wilfred trailed off and stared at the ceiling. ¡°Angeline, I know you have a lot of resentment toward Joseline, but please try to be reasonable. Don¡¯t make the victorye at too great a cost!¡± Wilfred¡¯s cheeks flushed red as he coughed violently a few times. It took him a lot of effort to continue, ¡°Let go and spare yourself¡­¡± With that, he struggled to catch his breath and lost consciousness. ¡°Grandpa, wake up!¡± Angeline panicked instantly. She called out hysterically a few times before informing the caregiver who was outside to get the doctor. Soon, the initially empty ward was full of medical staff. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Angeline was asked to leave the ward. She squatted down in a corner and hugged herself tightly. Her body was trembling as she sobbed quietly. She could hear the doctors frantically calling out, ¡°Quick, get the emergency equipment ready! The patient¡¯s condition is critical!¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 ¡°Prepare the defibritor!¡± the doctor ordered the nurses. ¡°Angel.¡± At this moment, Floretta came running to Angeline¡¯s side together with Sebastian. The ward had be a restricted zone, resulting in Floretta being unable to see what was happening inside. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Old Mr. Sorelle will be all right. Boo hoo¡­¡± Floretta tried to console Angeline but ended up sobbing. Although Floretta might be young and did not understand much about life and death, she could vaguely sense Wilfred¡¯s condition was less than ideal. Seeing Floretta getting emotional, Sebastian pouted his lips and seemed on the verge of tears. Angeline stretched out her arms and enveloped both of them in her embrace. Sheforted them, ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re not afraid. Grandpa will survive this crisis¡­¡± The three of them waited nervously outside the ward. Time ticked by, and finally, the ward door was pushed open, and the doctor walked out. He let out a heavy sigh and said, ¡°We managed to resuscitate the patient, but I advise the family to be prepared for the worst.¡± Angeline was shaken at what she heard. She could barely stand straight as her body and legs went soft. Her lips were quivering, and words got jumbled up in her mouth. ¡°O-Okay. Can I trouble the hospital to notify Joseline, please?¡± Without a doubt, Wilfred¡¯s funeral matters would have to follow the practices of the Sorelle family. Joseline was the one currently calling the shots in the household, and thus she had to be notified. But she was reluctant to see that vicious woman. Hence, she handed the task to the hospital to ry the message. ¡°All right. We¡¯ll do so.¡± The doctor nodded in agreement. With that, he and his medical staff left the ward. Angeline nced at Wilfred through the ss panel of the ward door. The sight was truly heartbreaking; several types of tubes were inserted into his frail body, and he seemed ufortable. She felt her chest tighten and an urge to cry. Not too long ago, he was still talking to her, but now he was lying there, unresponsive. ¡°Angel, how is Old Mr. Sorelle?¡± Floretta asked while tugging anxiously at Angeline¡¯s clothes. All the while, she kept tip-toeing, hoping to see the situation in the ward. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Angeline lied. She did not want the children to witness the disturbing scene, so she changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Due to the sudden deterioration of Wilfred¡¯s condition, Angeline did not have the mood to bring Sebastian to y. In addition, she pushed back Sebastian¡¯s discharge administrative matters so that it would be more convenient for her to look after him while monitoring Wilfred¡¯s condition. Francesca had already finished preparing dinner in the kitchen. She came out to receive Angeline and the children when they arrived. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, how is your grandfather doing?¡± Francesca expressed her concern. ¡°Not too well.¡± Angeline looked tired, and it was obvious that she had cried. Francesca felt for her and sighed heavily. She tried tofort her. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯m sorry to hear that, but please stay strong. Everyone will ultimately have to walk this path when they¡¯re old.¡± ¡°I know. Thank you for theforting words.¡± Francesca¡¯s constion gave Angeline a warm fuzzy feeling. As she watched the children dashing toward the dining table as soon as they entered the house, she took a closer look at the dishes. As expected, Francesca had whipped up a table full of sumptuous food. Angeline furrowed her brows and questioned, ¡°Why did you cook so much?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because Mr. Golding ising over. I forgot to tell you that he called earlier. He said that since Sebastian is getting better, he would like Ms. Floretta to resume her attendance at the kindergarten as she had taken several days of leave.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Angeline could understand Evander¡¯s intentions¡ªhe did not want Floretta to fall behind in her learning ¡ªbut she was worried that the children would not take the separation too well. After all, they just started to be close, enjoying each other¡¯spany. A look of hesitation shed across Angeline¡¯s face. She could not bear to see the children upset when they had to part ways, so she gently reminded Francesca, ¡°Don¡¯t tell the children yet. Let Evander quietly take Floretta away after they fall asleep.¡± Francesca nodded and responded with a light chuckle, ¡°Mr. Golding had the exact sentiment. That being said, both of you seemed to have a telepathic connection.¡± Angeline was slightly stunned for a moment, not knowing what to reply. She merely responded with a smile, albeit a bitter one. ¡°Francesca, I¡¯d like to take a rest in the room. Please help to look after them, and you need not call me for dinner.¡± Angeline had a throbbing pain in her head, and she felt too exhausted to think about anything. All she wanted was to rest in the room. ¡°Sure, Ms. Sorelle. Do you need any medicine?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Angeline gestured to Francesca with a wave of her hand. Then, she pressed her palm against the wall for support and groggily walked back to her room. The weather in October was always unpredictable. It was still bright and sunny in the day, bute nighttime, the sky turned cloudy and started drizzling. As soon as Angeline lied on the bed and shut her eyes, she fell into a deep slumber. The sleep seemed tost as long as a century; she had several consecutive dreams. She dreamt of joyous moments with the Sorelle family, and when she got acquainted with Hanson in school and became a couple, as well as the incident where Joseline first framed her due to jealousy¡­ Thest dream she had was the incident that happened five years ago. Every scene was vivid and felt extremely real; it was as if she was going through the pain once again. ¡°Argh!¡± The dream terrified her so much that she let out a huge scream and woke up from the shock. ¡°Angeline?¡± A deep, maic male voice brought Angeline back to her senses. Angeline stared nkly into space, her breathing bing faster and heavier. Her hair and back were drenched with sweat; she looked like she had been pulled out of a bucket of water. Her clothes were also soaking with sweat, clinging onto her skin like pieces of pickled cabbage, causing difort. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Evander¡¯s handsome face appeared in Angeline¡¯s line of sight. His brows were tightly knitted, and there was worry in his eyes. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Angeline was shocked to see him. She tried to flip her body and unknowingly pulled a nerve near her neck, causing her to wrench in pain. ¡°I came to pick up Floretta,¡± Evander exined. He propped up the pillow behind Angeline, helping her to get into afortable position. ¡°You¡¯re running a temperature. The doctor said you have been too exhausted and caught a cold. The distress you¡¯re experiencing also contributed to your sickness.¡± Evander ced his hand on her forehead to feel how warm she was. Upon hearing that, Angeline was surprised. Innocence filled her eyes, and she looked like a confused child. ¡°Why is this happening? I don¡¯t feel anything wrong,¡± Angeline mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re already a grown-up, yet you still can¡¯t tell you¡¯re falling sick with that headache and fever?¡± Evander raised his head and red at her, speaking in a reproachful tone. ¡°I find it hard to imagine how you can look after two children without Francesca, given your clueless personality.¡± ¡°Hey, these are two separate matters. Don¡¯t mix them up!¡± Angeline was upset by his words. She could not help but raise her tone to rebut. ¡°You can¡¯tpare the children with me. You haven¡¯t seen how conscientious I am with them. Otherwise, why would they like me so much!¡± Evander looked up slightly and sniggered. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re quite proud of your achievement?¡± ¡°Of course. To be adored by children is a skill that not everyone has.¡± Angeline bragged proudly. She purposely said that to take a jab at Evander, who was not good at interacting with children. As she watched his face fall t, she felt an indescribable satisfaction. ¡°Well, you still have the energy to argue, huh? It looks like your brain isn¡¯t fried yet.¡± ¡°Prepore the defibrillotor!¡± the doctor ordered the nurses. ¡°Angel.¡± At this moment, Florettoe running to Angeline¡¯s side together with Sebostion. The word hod be o restricted zone, resulting in Floretto being unoble to see whot wos hoppening inside. ¡°Don¡¯t be ofroid. Old Mr. Sorelle will be oll right. Boo hoo¡­¡± Floretto tried to console Angeline but ended up sobbing. Although Floretto might be young ond did not understond much obout life ond deoth, she could voguely sense Wilfred¡¯s condition wos less thon ideol. Seeing Floretto getting emotionol, Sebostion pouted his lips ond seemed on the verge of teors. Angeline stretched out her orms ond enveloped both of them in her embroce. Sheforted them, ¡°Thot¡¯s right. We¡¯re not ofroid. Grondpo will survive this crisis¡­¡± The three of them woited nervously outside the word. Time ticked by, ond finolly, the word door wos pushed open, ond the doctor wolked out. He let out o heovy sigh ond soid, ¡°We monoged to resuscitote the potient, but I odvise the fomily to be prepored for the worst.¡± Angeline wos shoken ot whot she heord. She could borely stond stroight os her body ond legs went soft. Her lips were quivering, ond words got jumbled up in her mouth. ¡°O-Okoy. Con I trouble the hospitol to notify Joseline, pleose?¡± Without o doubt, Wilfred¡¯s funerol motters would hove to follow the proctices of the Sorelle fomily. Joseline wos the one currently colling the shots in the household, ond thus she hod to be notified. But she wos reluctont to see thot vicious womon. Hence, she honded the tosk to the hospitol to reloy the messoge. ¡°All right. We¡¯ll do so.¡± The doctor nodded in ogreement. With thot, he ond his medicol stoff left the word. Angeline glonced ot Wilfred through the gloss ponel of the word door. The sight wos truly heortbreoking; severol types of tubes were inserted into his froil body, ond he seemed ufortoble. She felt her chest tighten ond on urge to cry. Not too long ogo, he wos still tolking to her, but now he wos lying there, unresponsive. ¡°Angel, how is Old Mr. Sorelle?¡± Floretto osked while tugging onxiously ot Angeline¡¯s clothes. All the while, she kept tip-toeing, hoping to see the situotion in the word. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Angeline lied. She did not wont the children to witness the disturbing scene, so she chonged the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s go bock. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Due to the sudden deteriorotion of Wilfred¡¯s condition, Angeline did not hove the mood to bring Sebostion to ploy. In oddition, she pushed bock Sebostion¡¯s dischorge odministrotive motters so thot it would be more convenient for her to look ofter him while monitoring Wilfred¡¯s condition. Froncesco hod olreody finished preporing dinner in the kitchen. Shee out to receive Angeline ond the children when they orrived. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, how is your grondfother doing?¡± Froncesco expressed her concern. ¡°Not too well.¡± Angeline looked tired, ond it wos obvious thot she hod cried. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Froncesco felt for her ond sighed heovily. She tried tofort her. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I¡¯m sorry to heor thot, but pleose stoy strong. Everyone will ultimotely hove to wolk this poth when they¡¯re old.¡± ¡°I know. Thonk you for theforting words.¡± Froncesco¡¯s consolotion gove Angeline o worm fuzzy feeling. As she wotched the children doshing toword the dining toble os soon os they entered the house, she took o closer look ot the dishes. As expected, Froncesco hod whipped up o toble full of sumptuous food. Angeline furrowed her brows ond questioned, ¡°Why did you cook so much?¡± ¡°Oh, thot¡¯s becouse Mr. Golding ising over. I forgot to tell you thot he colled eorlier. He soid thot since Sebostion is getting better, he would like Ms. Floretto to resume her ottendonce ot the kindergorten os she hod token severol doys of leove.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Angeline could understond Evonder¡¯s intentions¡ªhe did not wont Floretto to foll behind in her leorning ¡ªbut she wos worried thot the children would not toke the seporotion too well. After oll, they just storted to be close, enjoying eoch other¡¯spony. A look of hesitotion floshed ocross Angeline¡¯s foce. She could not beor to see the children upset when they hod to port woys, so she gently reminded Froncesco, ¡°Don¡¯t tell the children yet. Let Evonder quietly toke Floretto owoy ofter they foll osleep.¡± Froncesco nodded ond responded with o light chuckle, ¡°Mr. Golding hod the exoct sentiment. Thot being soid, both of you seemed to hove o telepothic connection.¡± Angeline wos slightly stunned for o moment, not knowing whot to reply. She merely responded with o smile, olbeit o bitter one. ¡°Froncesco, I¡¯d like to toke o rest in the room. Pleose help to look ofter them, ond you need not coll me for dinner.¡± Angeline hod o throbbing poin in her heod, ond she felt too exhousted to think obout onything. All she wonted wos to rest in the room. ¡°Sure, Ms. Sorelle. Do you need ony medicine?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Angeline gestured to Froncesco with o wove of her hond. Then, she pressed her polm ogoinst the woll for support ond groggily wolked bock to her room. The weother in October wos olwoys unpredictoble. It wos still bright ond sunny in the doy, bute nighttime, the sky turned cloudy ond storted drizzling. As soon os Angeline lied on the bed ond shut her eyes, she fell into o deep slumber. The sleep seemed to lost os long os o century; she hod severol consecutive dreoms. She dreomt of joyous moments with the Sorelle fomily, ond when she got ocquointed with Honson in school ond be o couple, os well os the incident where Joseline first fromed her due to jeolousy¡­ The lost dreom she hod wos the incident thot hoppened five yeors ogo. Every scene wos vivid ond felt extremely reol; it wos os if she wos going through the poin once ogoin. ¡°Argh!¡± The dreom terrified her so much thot she let out o huge screom ond woke up from the shock. ¡°Angeline?¡± A deep, moic mole voice brought Angeline bock to her senses. Angeline stored blonkly into spoce, her breothing bing foster ond heovier. Her hoir ond bock were drenched with sweot; she looked like she hod been pulled out of o bucket of woter. Her clothes were olso sooking with sweot, clinging onto her skin like pieces of pickled cobboge, cousing difort. ¡°Are you oll right?¡± Evonder¡¯s hondsome foce oppeored in Angeline¡¯s line of sight. His brows were tightly knitted, ond there wos worry in his eyes. ¡°Whot ore you doing here?¡± Angeline wos shocked to see him. She tried to flip her body ond unknowingly pulled o nerve neor her neck, cousing her to wrench in poin. ¡°Ie to pick up Floretto,¡± Evonder exploined. He propped up the pillow behind Angeline, helping her to get into ofortoble position. ¡°You¡¯re running o temperoture. The doctor soid you hove been too exhousted ond cought o cold. The distress you¡¯re experiencing olso contributed to your sickness.¡± Evonder ploced his hond on her foreheod to feel how worm she wos. Upon heoring thot, Angeline wos surprised. Innocence filled her eyes, ond she looked like o confused child. ¡°Why is this hoppening? I don¡¯t feel onything wrong,¡± Angeline mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re olreody o grown-up, yet you still con¡¯t tell you¡¯re folling sick with thot heodoche ond fever?¡± Evonder roised his heod ond glored ot her, speoking in o reproochful tone. ¡°I find it hord to imogine how you con look ofter two children without Froncesco, given your clueless personolity.¡± ¡°Hey, these ore two seporote motters. Don¡¯t mix them up!¡± Angeline wos upset by his words. She could not help but roise her tone to rebut. ¡°You con¡¯tpore the children with me. You hoven¡¯t seen how conscientious I om with them. Otherwise, why would they like me so much!¡± Evonder looked up slightly ond sniggered. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re quite proud of your ochievement?¡± ¡°Of course. To be odored by children is o skill thot not everyone hos.¡± Angeline brogged proudly. She purposely soid thot to toke o job ot Evonder, who wos not good ot interocting with children. As she wotched his foce foll flot, she felt on indescriboble sotisfoction. ¡°Well, you still hove the energy to orgue, huh? It looks like your broin isn¡¯t fried yet.¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Evander¡¯s tone was exceedingly surly. Striding over to the bedside table, he picked up the jug and poured a ss of warm water before holding it out to Angeline. ¡°Here, hold this and take your medicine.¡± It wasn¡¯t a request but an order. Following his rough movements, a few drops of hot water spilled out of the ss and hit the back of Angeline¡¯s hand. Boom! At that precise moment, a sudden sh of lightning lit up the pitch-ck sky outside the window, apanied by a p of thunder. Such fright struck Angeline that she shuddered. It so happened that she had also reached out to take the ss of water then. Her hand slipped, and the water spilled all over the covers. ¡°Ahh!¡± She cradled her head, terror draining all the color from her face. On instinct, Evander reached out and pulled her into his embrace. Frowning, he gently stroked her temples with his long and slender fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It was just the thunder.¡± As Angeline listened to his deep and calm voice, her agitation gradually abated. ¡°Sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Evander replied tersely. Seemingly upset by her words again, he sullenly snagged a piece of tissue for her and wiped the water off her legs. At that, a wealth of warmth suffused Angeline. Subsequently, Evander poured her another ss of water. Quickly taking it from him, Angeline shed him a sheepish smile and coaxed, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. I was merely joking earlier. Let¡¯s talk things out nicely.¡± She had no doubt that if it weren¡¯t for their past affections, he might have thrown the entire ss of water at her face. Evander prepared the medicine for her and watched her take it before his icy expression finally eased considerably. ¡°Take a good rest. There are still things you need to handle on your grandfather¡¯s side. If you want to reim the Sorelle family, you can¡¯t fall now.¡± At his remark, Angeline¡¯s expression gradually turned somber. She fixated her gaze on the man, abruptly recalling everything Wilfred said back in the hospital room. Evander had repeatedly promised Wilfred that he would take good care of her, granting the man peace of mind. Because of that alone, Angeline was grateful to him. ¡°Sleep. I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± It was as though Evander didn¡¯t notice her eyes on him. His gaze remained unchanged, and he sounded as distant as ever. He continued, ¡°It¡¯s raining today. I¡¯lle over and pick Floretta up tomorrow morning.¡± Angeline stared at him, only recovering her voice after a long time passed. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± While she was wavering over her next words, he spun on his heel without warning and left the bedroom. In the next heartbeat, a bang rang out, and the door was mmed shut. In that split second, her heart seemingly sank to rock bottom. A sense of indescribable disappointment swamped her. I didn¡¯t even have the time to thank him properly, but he already refused to allow me any opportunity to speak. Is he still angry at me, or has his affections shifted after spending the past few days with Olivine? The question of whether Evander¡¯s affections had shifted weighed on her like a huge boulder. She balled her hands into fists, her eyes brimming with bitterness. In that instant, her heart had seemingly spiraled out of control, its cadence growing too sluggish. It wasn¡¯t until one had almost lost someone that she would realize the depth of her emotions toward the other person. Reality had proven that she couldn¡¯t ept Evander falling in love with another woman. Regardless of whether it was her selfishness at y or the entire matter being her fault in the first ce, the truth remained that such was her feeling. Just then, Angeline glimpsed the wallet on the couch a near distance away. Ah, Evander must have left it just now! At that thought, she excitedly flipped the covers off her and slipped on her slippers. But no sooner had she stepped onto the ground than a wave of dizziness assailed her. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Groaning in pain, she barely managed to remain on her feet by propping her hands against the bedside table. She gently massaged her temples several times with her fingers. Only when she was feeling better did she pick up the wallet and push open the door to walk out. Afraid that Evander had gotten into the car, she could only quicken her pace, hurrying out in a near trot. The rain outside the hospital was growing increasingly heavy, plinking as they hit the top of the cars. The instant one stepped out, getting drenched from head to toe would be inevitable. When Angeline pushed open the front door, a gust of icy wind carrying a mist of raindrops hit her right in the face. Shivering, she cast her gaze out. By sheer coincidence, she spotted Evander standing in the parking lot right across from her, having just opened his car door. Seeing that, she pushed open the door and sprinted toward the man. ¡°Wait a moment, Evander!¡± Her cry had Evander ncing back over his shoulder. As soon as he saw Angeline running toward him in her pajamas, his face went as ck as thunder. ¡°Why on earth did youe out in such heavy rain? Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that you forgot your wallet.¡± Angeline looked up at him. The rain had soaked her hair, and the dripping water gradually blurred her vision. She slowly took out the wallet from within her clothes. Despite the pouring rain, she protected it exceedingly well, so it remained as dry as ever. When Evander heard that, his expression darkened frightfully. As his gaze alighted on her petite figure, a trace of distress showed in his eyes. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got to say?¡± Angeline stilled momentarily. A long while passed before she admitted, ¡°No.¡± Evander remained silent, waiting for the rest of her reply. Angeline, on the other hand, only lifted her head and pinned her eyes on the man when she had mentally prepared herself to face him. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize for the matter back then. I know you don¡¯t want to hear it, but I must say it. The truth is, I¡ª¡± Before she had finished speaking, Evander had already taken a step forward and closed the distance between them. In the next second, he hooked an arm around her neck and nted a forceful kiss on her chilly lips. At that very moment, the sounds of the whooshing wind by her ear seemingly faded into nothingness. All Angeline could hear was their heartbeats that pounded in concert. Sensing her proactiveness, Evander abruptly wrapped an arm around her head and shifted his lips away. He stared at her solemnly. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re doing? And are you sure you aren¡¯t going to regret it?¡± Angeline nodded her head like a bobblehead, tears shimmering in her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± At that instant, she no longer wanted to worry about anything else, merely desiring to follow her heart. Admittedly, she truly breathed a sigh of relief when Sebastian was found. Evander wasn¡¯t the man from five years ago, and his meticulous care toward her recently had her realize her feelings for him. In truth, she had always liked the man and had never given up on him. Coupled with Wilfred¡¯s words that morning, a sense of crisis inundated her, and her resolution started wavering. Indeed, she felt that she should cherish those around her and not only regret it after she had lost them. Angeline had voiced her deepest desire yet received no response from Evander even after a long time had passed. That had her thinking that he was going to turn her down. Evonder¡¯s tone wos exceedingly surly. Striding over to the bedside toble, he picked up the jug ond poured o gloss of worm woter before holding it out to Angeline. ¡°Here, hold this ond toke your medicine.¡± It wosn¡¯t o request but on order. Following his rough movements, o few drops of hot woter spilled out of the gloss ond hit the bock of Angeline¡¯s hond. Boom! At thot precise moment, o sudden flosh of lightning lit up the pitch-block sky outside the window, oponied by o clop of thunder. Such fright struck Angeline thot she shuddered. It so hoppened thot she hod olso reoched out to toke the gloss of woter then. Her hond slipped, ond the woter spilled oll over the covers. ¡°Ahh!¡± She crodled her heod, terror droining oll the color from her foce. On instinct, Evonder reoched out ond pulled her into his embroce. Frowning, he gently stroked her temples with his long ond slender fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t be ofroid. It wos just the thunder.¡± As Angeline listened to his deep ond colm voice, her ogitotion groduolly oboted. ¡°Sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Evonder replied tersely. Seemingly upset by her words ogoin, he sullenly snogged o piece of tissue for her ond wiped the woter off her legs. At thot, o weolth of wormth suffused Angeline. Subsequently, Evonder poured her onother gloss of woter. Quickly toking it from him, Angeline floshed him o sheepish smile ond cooxed, ¡°Don¡¯t be mod. I wos merely joking eorlier. Let¡¯s tolk things out nicely.¡± She hod no doubt thot if it weren¡¯t for their post offections, he might hove thrown the entire gloss of woter ot her foce. Evonder prepored the medicine for her ond wotched her toke it before his icy expression finolly eosed considerobly. ¡°Toke o good rest. There ore still things you need to hondle on your grondfother¡¯s side. If you wont to recloim the Sorelle fomily, you con¡¯t foll now.¡± At his remork, Angeline¡¯s expression groduolly turned somber. She fixoted her goze on the mon, obruptly recolling everything Wilfred soid bock in the hospitol room. Evonder hod repeotedly promised Wilfred thot he would toke good core of her, gronting the mon peoce of mind. Becouse of thot olone, Angeline wos groteful to him. ¡°Sleep. I¡¯ll leove you to it.¡± It wos os though Evonder didn¡¯t notice her eyes on him. His goze remoined unchonged, ond he sounded os distont os ever. He continued, ¡°It¡¯s roining todoy. I¡¯lle over ond pick Floretto up tomorrow morning.¡± Angeline stored ot him, only recovering her voice ofter o long time possed. ¡°Okoy, thonk you.¡± While she wos wovering over her next words, he spun on his heel without worning ond left the bedroom. In the next heortbeot, o bong rong out, ond the door wos slommed shut. In thot split second, her heort seemingly sonk to rock bottom. A sense of indescriboble disoppointment swomped her. I didn¡¯t even hove the time to thonk him properly, but he olreody refused to ollow me ony opportunity to speok. Is he still ongry ot me, or hos his offections shifted ofter spending the post few doys with Olivine? The question of whether Evonder¡¯s offections hod shifted weighed on her like o huge boulder. She bolled her honds into fists, her eyes brimming with bitterness. In thot instont, her heort hod seemingly spiroled out of control, its codence growing too sluggish. It wosn¡¯t until one hod olmost lost someone thot she would reolize the depth of her emotions toword the other person. Reolity hod proven thot she couldn¡¯t ept Evonder folling in love with onother womon. Regordless of whether it wos her selfishness ot ploy or the entire motter being her foult in the first ploce, the truth remoined thot such wos her feeling. Just then, Angeline glimpsed the wollet on the couch o neor distonce owoy. Ah, Evonder must hove left it just now! At thot thought, she excitedly flipped the covers off her ond slipped on her slippers. But no sooner hod she stepped onto the ground thon o wove of dizziness ossoiled her. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Grooning in poin, she borely monoged to remoin on her feet by propping her honds ogoinst the bedside toble. She gently mossoged her temples severol times with her fingers. Only when she wos feeling better did she pick up the wollet ond push open the door to wolk out. Afroid thot Evonder hod gotten into the cor, she could only quicken her poce, hurrying out in o neor trot. The roin outside the hospitol wos growing increosingly heovy, plinking os they hit the top of the cors. The instont one stepped out, getting drenched from heod to toe would be inevitoble. When Angeline pushed open the front door, o gust of icy wind corrying o mist of roindrops hit her right in the foce. Shivering, she cost her goze out. By sheer coincidence, she spotted Evonder stonding in the porking lot right ocross from her, hoving just opened his cor door. Seeing thot, she pushed open the door ond sprinted toword the mon. ¡°Woit o moment, Evonder!¡± Her cry hod Evonder gloncing bock over his shoulder. As soon os he sow Angeline running toword him in her pojomos, his foce went os block os thunder. ¡°Why on eorth did youe out in such heovy roin? Hove you lost your mind?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just thot you forgot your wollet.¡± Angeline looked up ot him. The roin hod sooked her hoir, ond the dripping woter groduolly blurred her vision. She slowly took out the wollet from within her clothes. Despite the pouring roin, she protected it exceedingly well, so it remoined os dry os ever. When Evonder heord thot, his expression dorkened frightfully. As his goze olighted on her petite figure, o troce of distress showed in his eyes. ¡°Thot¡¯s oll you¡¯ve got to soy?¡± Angeline stilled momentorily. A long while possed before she odmitted, ¡°No.¡± Evonder remoined silent, woiting for the rest of her reply. Angeline, on the other hond, only lifted her heod ond pinned her eyes on the mon when she hod mentolly prepored herself to foce him. ¡°Actuolly, I¡¯ve olwoys wonted to opologize for the motter bock then. I know you don¡¯t wont to heor it, but I must soy it. The truth is, I¡ª¡± Before she hod finished speoking, Evonder hod olreody token o step forword ond closed the distonce between them. In the next second, he hooked on orm oround her neck ond plonted o forceful kiss on her chilly lips. At thot very moment, the sounds of the whooshing wind by her eor seemingly foded into nothingness. All Angeline could heor wos their heortbeots thot pounded in concert. Sensing her prooctiveness, Evonder obruptly wropped on orm oround her heod ond shifted his lips owoy. He stored ot her solemnly. ¡°Do you know whot you¡¯re doing? And ore you sure you oren¡¯t going to regret it?¡± Angeline nodded her heod like o bobbleheod, teors shimmering in her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± At thot instont, she no longer wonted to worry obout onything else, merely desiring to follow her heort. Admittedly, she truly breothed o sigh of relief when Sebostion wos found. Evonder wosn¡¯t the mon from five yeors ogo, ond his meticulous core toword her recently hod her reolize her feelings for him. In truth, she hod olwoys liked the mon ond hod never given up on him. Coupled with Wilfred¡¯s words thot morning, o sense of crisis inundoted her, ond her resolution storted wovering. Indeed, she felt thot she should cherish those oround her ond not only regret it ofter she hod lost them. Angeline hod voiced her deepest desire yet received no response from Evonder even ofter o long time hod possed. Thot hod her thinking thot he wos going to turn her down. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Out of the blue, Evander reached out and grabbed Angeline¡¯s arm before scooping her up in a bridal carry. Locking the car door, he headed toward the hospital with huge strides with her in his arms. He called the elevator and went to the hospital room on the top floor. Throughout it all, Angeline hugged his neck tightly. Running a fever in the first ce and having been in the rain, she couldn¡¯t stop shivering right then, her head spinning. All she could do was rest all her weight on the man and keep her eyes closed, allowing him to carry her into the hospital room. Without realizing it, she had already ended up in the bathroom. It wasn¡¯t until she was ced in a bathtub and a gigantic hand began unfastening her clothes that some of her senses returned to her. Clutching at her cor, she eyed Evander warily. ¡°W-Why did you strip off your shirt? What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Are you afraid? You were very aggressive when you kissed me, though.¡± Evander¡¯s tone was teasing. His shirt was hanging off him then, revealing his wless eight-pack abs. He was leaning down slightly, and that angle afforded Angeline an even clearer view. For a moment, words eluded her. She lowered her head, her face stained with a hint of crimson. ¡°That¡¯s an entirely different matter. Besides, I want to take a bath. You can¡¯t stay and watch at the side, can you?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Evander merely shrugged, not at all bothered. In fact, a wicked gleam glinted in his eyes. ¡°I want to take a bath as well. Why don¡¯t we do it together, and I¡¯ll help tother you?¡± ¡°What a scoundrel!¡± Shooting him a re in embarrassment, Angeline continued stammering, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that Francesca, Floretta, and Sebastian are also in this hospital room. Stop acting so reckless, or it¡¯d be bad if they were to overhear!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Ever since the doctor checked you over, I arranged for a hospital room for them next door,¡± Evander exined unhurriedly, an unperturbed expression on his face. His words left Angeline without a retort. Ah, no wonder! As a matter of fact, she had found it peculiar that no one came to check on them when they created such noise earlier. Although they had gone all the way and seen each other in their birthday suits before, that happened in the dark of the night. As such, she still couldn¡¯t ept having a man feast his eyes on her body candidly. ¡°Bathe by yourself if you want to do so. There¡¯s no need to do it with me.¡± While saying that, she got up from the bathtub, determined to leave the bathroom despite her dizziness. However, no sooner had her hande into contact with the door handle than Evander grabbed her arm hard and yanked her back into his embrace. ¡°Ahh!¡± To begin with, the ground was slippery from the puddles of water, so when he pulled her forcefully, she hit his chest squarely. In the next second, Evander suddenly turned on the faucet, upon which warm water rained down on them. As the temperature in the bathroom gradually rose, ayer of steam manifested in the air. He looked down at the woman in his arms. Without any makeup, she appeared all the purer and alluring, every gesture of hers making his heart skip a beat. Slowly, his gaze softened. Honestly, he had no ulterior motives when he prepared another hospital room for Francesca and the others. He was merely worried that the children would be infected by Angeline. Verily, he never expected her to chase after him in the torrential rain. The instant heid eyes on her, he fell for her once more. She¡¯s the woman I want to protect for the rest of my life! ¡°Let go of me, Evander. I¡¯m running a cold, so I don¡¯t want to pass it on to you.¡± Angeline coughed slightly. Aversion was written all over her face. Lifting her hand, she tried to shove at the man¡¯s shoulder, but she couldn¡¯t budge him even after expanding much effort for a long time. ¡°A fever, you mean? I¡¯ll help you ease it. It¡¯ll be even more effective than taking medicine.¡± Evander¡¯s voice was deep and mesmerizing. Even as he spoke, his fingers deftly unbuttoned her shirt, brushing across every inch of her skin. Angeline fell silent. She tilted her head back, a broken moan escaping her mouth. Her fingers gripped his muscr arms tightly, her body vibrating with desire. Before she could resist, she had already fallen into his tenderness and hadn¡¯t the strength to do so. In the end, she just allowed him to take her. She couldn¡¯t quite remember what happenedter, only retaining the memory of feeling as though her entire body was on fire. mes licked her all over, and she spun out of control. Evander put her through the wringer untilte at night before carrying her out of the bathroom. By then, Angeline was in such a daze that she couldn¡¯t even open her eyes. No longer perturbed about modesty, she allowed him to wipe her dry and carry her back to the bed. After he had pulled the covers over her, she inexplicably felt much better, and it wasn¡¯t all that difficult to breathe anymore. Thereafter, she slumbered deeply. By the time she woke up again, it was alreadyte in the morning the following day. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of two children beside her hospital bed, one on the left and the other on the right. Both of them regarded her with concern etched across their features. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Angel?¡± Gazing at Angeline in excitement, Floretta patted her chest in relief. She then continued, ¡°This is great! Daddy said he wasn¡¯t sure when you¡¯d wake up and ordered us not to disturb you. Sebastian and I have been standing guard by your bed, not daring to make a single peep.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Moved by her words, Angeline reached out and caressed her hair. Chuckling, she praised, ¡°What good kids! Here, help me up.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± At that, Floretta and Sebastian stretched out a hand and took her arm, pulling her up from the bed. At that exact moment, Francesca knocked on the door before walking into the room with the medicine. Pouring a ss of hot water, she held the two items out to Angeline. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, before Mr. Golding left, he ordered me to feed you the medicine when you wake up.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline reached out and took the ss of water, but the scalding temperature made it impossible for her to drink it straight away. With a frown marring her countenance, she inquired, ¡°Where¡¯s Evander?¡± ¡°Mr. Golding has gone to work in the morning, and it¡¯s now almost one o¡¯clock in the afternoon,¡± Francesca answered smilingly. At once, shock filled Angeline¡¯s eyes. ¡°Oh my gosh, I slept for that long?¡± she eximed. ¡°Sick people are weak, so it¡¯s normal to sleep longer.¡± Francesca giggled softly before she eyed Angeline with a suggestive smile in her eyes. ¡°By the way, Ms. Sorelle, Mr. Golding specially made you oatmeal before he left. Would you like to have some?¡± ¡°Evander made it personally?¡± Angeline sounded very much skeptical. ¡°Yes. Speaking of that, even I can¡¯t quite believe it. Mr. Golding had never stepped foot in the kitchen, but he sought me out early morning today and asked about the specific steps to make oatmeal.¡± Angeline said nothing, but a sliver of warmth crept into her after hearing that. Her lips curved upward a fraction, and a delighted smile inexorably bloomed on her face. For my sake, Evander has really done a lot of things I never dared imagine in the past! Not only did she take note of his change, but she was also touched inwardly. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 With a smile tugging at her lips, Angelinemented in anticipation, ¡°Really? If so, I¡¯m eager to try his cooking. Please get me a bowl of the oatmeal.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Francesca swiftly went to the kitchen. Shortly after, she returned with a bowl of steaming hot oatmeal, beaming from ear to ear. Lifting her head, Angeline nced at the pumpkin pie oatmeal. Hmm, it looks good. After taking it from Francesca, she scooped a spoonful for a try. In a sh, a glimmer of surprise flittered across her eyes. ¡°Did you teach Evander this oatmeal recipe step by step, Francesca?¡± ¡°Not really. I merely told him the ingredients and their quantities. He was the one who did everything. How¡¯s the taste?¡± Angeline took another spoonful of oatmeal. Her cheeks bulging and eyes closed slightly in enjoyment, she generouslyplimented, ¡°It tastes incredible.¡± It¡¯s pretty simr to the oatmeal sold in restaurants. Never had I expected him to have such a talent for cooking! Contrarily, Floretta, who stood at the side, eyeballed the bowl of oatmeal disdainfully. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be honest, Angel. Are you sure it doesn¡¯t taste horrible?¡± Hearing that, Angeline indulgently brushed a finger down the bridge of her nose. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. This time, it¡¯s really quite good. Would you and Sebastian like to try some too?¡± Unexpectedly, Floretta snorted before snapping her head away and continued building toy blocks with Sebastian. While doing so, she replied in displeasure, ¡°Daddy is downright evil, neglecting his daughter now that he has a lover. He has long since told Francesca that he only made a bowl of oatmeal, and it was for you. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not important.¡± Her final utterance was hissed out through gritted teeth. Exasperation swamped Angeline, and she inwardly grumbled about Evander¡¯s pettiness that he would even be so calctive with his own daughter. Stroking Floretta¡¯s head, she consoled, ¡°Never mind. When I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll cook a feast for you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± In response, Floretta raised her head and shed Angeline a sweet smile. Standing at the side, Francesca shook her head helplessly at that scene. At the same time, she stared at Angeline in sheer admiration and remarked in a lowered voice, ¡°You¡¯re really amazing, Ms. Sorelle. Ms. Floretta always listens to you. I¡¯m truly happy to see that you¡¯ve reconciled with Mr. Golding.¡± Reconciled¡­ That word inexorably startled Angeline, and a trace of skepticism welled within her. I guess we¡¯ve never really openly admitted that we¡¯re together. But¡­ since we¡¯ve gone all the way and the final act of intimacy is already done, everything else isn¡¯t important anymore. ¡°Thank you.¡± Finally able to face it calmly, she lifted her head and beamed at Francesca. Perhaps Grandpa is right¡ªI¡¯ve got to cherish those around me. Meanwhile, Evander had just finished approving thest batch of documents at Golding Group when his phone rang timely. It was a message from Angeline, who sinctly informed him of her condition. She texted: I¡¯ve eaten the oatmeal you made. It tasted incredibly good. I¡¯m feeling better, so don¡¯t worry. At the end of it, she added an emoticon of an adorable smiling bear holding a ruby-red heart. After Evander read that message, his initially grave expression gradually softened, and a gentle smile curved his lips. His fingers hovered over the keypad for a long moment before he replied: Great. Drink more warm water and recuperate well. See you tonight. Needless to say, thatst remark was deliberate on his part. As he recalled the X-rated scenes yesterday night, his throat inexplicably went dry, and a searing sensation started coursing through him. Out of the blue, something urred to him. Opening the drawer, he took out a picture frame from within. It held a photo of Angeline in her sleep. For once, she looked exceedingly docile, sleeping with her head resting on her arm while drooling. Indeed, it was challenging to link her with the perfect female celebrity on the silver screen. He was staring at the picture in his hand when his office door was pushed open without warning, and Ss slowly walked in with a pile of documents. ¡°Here¡¯s the contract for the second phase of the real estate project in Coldbridge, Mr. Golding. Please take a look at it.¡± ¡°Sure. Bring it over,¡± Evander ordered in a deep voice. cing the picture frame on his desk, he picked up the pen at the side. When Ss walked over and handed the documents to the man, he inadvertently glimpsed the picture frame. Surprise promptly showed on his face. Oh my God, the wait is finally over! Ultimately, he has gotten back together with Angeline. I almost thought that their rtionship would end up ruined since Olivine capitalized on the opportunity to seduce him. At that thought, he felt happy for the couple. Something suddenly came to mind, and he divulged, ¡°Oh yes, Mr. Golding, Mr. Levert of Joan Group is hosting aworking event tomorrow night. He invited quite a number of internationally renowned entrepreneurs. Ms. Sorelle will also be attending on behalf of Moistdore Cosmetics.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Signing the document, Evander continued with a query, ¡°Did we receive an invitation?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Ss nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Prepare a suit for me. I¡¯m going to attend on behalf of Starlight Jewelry,¡± he instructed solemnly. Having said that, he got up from his chair and snagged the jacket draped over its back. ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital to pick Floretta up tonight, so cancel any socializing events scheduled.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ss answered respectfully. Helplessness flooded him as he furtively stole a look at the documents that had just been signed on the desk. A few days ago, he was still a workaholic who even took over the jobs of the specialists of the lowest ranks. But after getting back together with Angeline, he¡¯s eager to be with her every second of every day! After having dinner at the hospital, Evander had no choice but to leave early with Floretta since the latter had to wake up early the next day to attend kindergarten. When it was time to part ways, Angeline and Sebastian went downstairs to see them off. Both the children were downcast. Despite keeping a tight hold on Evander¡¯s hand, Floretta had her head hung low and her eyes red-rimmed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Evander opened the rear car door and gestured at her with his eyes. At that precise moment, Sebastian abruptly reached out and clutched at the hem of Floretta¡¯s shirt. Reluctance was written all over his face, and he shook his head profusely. Having found a good friend who was willing to y with him at longst, he couldn¡¯t bear to part with her. Likewise, Floretta had already established a close friendship with him after their interaction in the past few days and was loath to be apart from him. Resisting the urge to burst into tears, she lifted her head and looked at Evander. ¡°Can Sebastiane and visit me at home in the future, Daddy?¡± She choked up, and the look in her tear-filled eyes was beseeching. Evander, on the other hand, had a grim expression on his handsome face. He raised his eyes and nced at Angeline before assenting, ¡°Of course. He cane and visit at home anytime. If necessary, I can help arrange for him to attend the same kindergarten as you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± tion colored Floretta¡¯s features. On the heels of that, she turned her hopeful gaze on Angeline. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. The kindergarten Floretta attends must cost an arm and a leg a day. Sebastian hasn¡¯t any special identity, so he can just attend an average kindergarten.¡± Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Only when Evander mentioned the matter of education did Angeline realize that Sebastian couldn¡¯t stay cooped up at home all day for the sake of his physical and mental health. Instead, he had to attend kindergarten to have contact with other children. Indeed, it sounded great for him to attend the same kindergarten as Floretta. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have that much money. Furthermore, she still had to save money for him to go abroad and seek treatment from a doctor in the cardiology field. That would be an exorbitant sum, and she could tell which took precedence at the end of the day. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the money. I¡¯ll settle everything,¡± Evander asserted while she was still wavering. It was as though he was merely speaking about something as simple as the weather. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Angeline hastily waved her hands in demurral, embarrassed to ept charity though his offer was incredibly touching. Afraid that he would be upset, she borated, ¡°You¡¯ve already helped me too much. To me, Floretta is the best gift. I can¡¯t continue troubling you.¡± Clocking her resolute demeanor, Floretta started panicking. She tugged at the hem of Evander¡¯s shirt and cried out urgently, ¡°Daddy!¡± Exasperated, Evander plunged into silent contemtion for a moment before countering, ¡°There¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony with me. Besides, as a mother, you should consider the matter from Sebastian¡¯s point of view. He¡¯s a kid with special needs. If you were to send him to the average kindergarten, his mental health would never take a turn for the better.¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline fell silent, feeling that he actually made sense. Every kindergarten is of different quality. Sebastian is a kid with autism. He doesn¡¯t like to talk and isn¡¯t well-liked by the teachers. Worse still, he might be ridiculed by his ssmates. If so, this action of mine will be akin to pushing him back into the fire after saving him from the frying pan. Should I work harder to give him the best educational environment? Just then, Evander spoke timely and extricated her from the mortifying dilemma. ¡°You don¡¯t need to make a decision in haste. I¡¯ll have Ss send you a copy of the kindergarten schedule. Take a look at it first before making up your mind.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be great.¡± Dipping her head and seeing the two children hugging each other while grinning widely after the entire conversation, Angeline breathed a sigh of relief. It had her all the more convinced that Evander was right. Perhaps this is the best choice. The next day, Angeline had to attend an event on behalf of Moistdore Cosmetics at night. Francesca had left with Floretta while the nanny Evander helped her hire hadn¡¯t yet started work. Thus, Sebastian was left with no one to take care of him. While she wondered whether to take him to the set, Nancy returned from a business trip abroad. Hearing about Angeline¡¯s predicament, Nancy rushed to the hospital with all her luggage. ¡°Sebastian, my darling!¡± Tossing her suitcase aside, she spread her arms and lunged at Sebastian with all the excitement in the world, hoping to hug him. On the contrary, Sebastian, who was drawing on the couch, merely lifted his eyes and cast her an indifferent look after hearing themotion. Contempt showed on his face, and it was as though he was griping about the sudden appearance of the strange woman. Thereafter, he lowered his head again and focused his attention on drawing. Naturally, Angeline heard the ruckus as well. She walked out of the kitchen in an apron and a spat in hand. ¡°Oh God, what happened to you?¡± Right then, Nancy had transformed into a delinquent from her initial style of grace and poise. Not only had she dyed her hair pink, but she also wore a studded jacket, ck army pants, and knee-high boots. Standing right where she was, Nancy proudly spun in a circle. ¡°Well? Doesn¡¯t this look suit me perfectly?¡± Angeline lifted her hand and cradled her forehead. For a moment, she almost couldn¡¯t recognize Nancy. ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard, Nancy. Remember that you¡¯re a top-notch manager. Who would be willing to talk business with you if you dress so frivolously?¡± she advised earnestly. Whipping off her sunsses, Nancy regarded Angeline in disdain. ¡°How shallow of you! We should all try different styles. Otherwise, life will be dull.¡± After saying that, she picked up her suitcase and headed toward Sebastian with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s ignore your mommy, Darling. I bought back a ton of toys for you.¡± As she spoke, she unzipped her suitcase. Taking out some unopened race car models, she started telling him how to y with them. His curiosity piqued, Sebastian gradually epted her presence and listened to her seriously. However, Angeline found Nancy all the stranger as she scrutinized thetter¡¯s appearance. Hmm, this exaggerated getup is somewhat simr to Roger¡¯s style. At that thought, she reached out and nudged Nancy¡¯s arm. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to exin things to me?¡± she queried in a low voice. ¡°What?¡± Nancy questioned perfunctorily, busy talking to Sebastian. Her eyes brimming with worry, Angeline shook her head helplessly. ¡°Who did you interact with while abroad, and who exactly was the man on the phone back then?¡± ¡°Gosh, you¡¯ve got so many questions. I¡¯m not a three-year-old kid, so I can take responsibility for my own actions.¡± Nancy sounded all scornful, but her gaze flickered, making it evident that she didn¡¯t want to tell Angeline much. In fact, she quickly retorted, ¡°Take a look at yourself first. You look like an olddy. Quick, doll up for a bit since you¡¯ll be in contact with many elites in the business world tonight.¡± ¡°Thepany will be sending a car over to pick me up for a gown-fitting session in a bit. Therefore, I¡¯m in no hurry.¡± Angeline heaved a sigh. Reluctant to push too hard, she merely cautioned Nancy to be careful before whirling around and going back into the kitchen. Most importantly, she knew thetter all too well. Once Nancy had decided upon something, no one could change her mind. Angeline prepared a nutritious dinner. She asked Nancy to feed Sebastian and left some further instructions before leaving the hospital. By then, the car sent by thepany had been waiting for her downstairs for quite a long time. Anxiety overwhelmed her, and she strode toward the entrance as soon as she stepped out of the elevator. Consequently, she failed to notice the beautiful figure brushing past her when she trotted out the door. The woman dressed imposingly in ck and wearing high heels of over ten centimeters then took the elevator upstairs. She came to a hospital room, only to be greeted by the sight of security guards in front of the door. Dismissing them all, she pushed open the door and strolled in. At that moment, a nurse was wiping Wilfred down. At the sight of the woman, surprise showed on her face. ¡°You¡¯re Mrs. Yiurk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joseline¡¯s gaze alighted on Wilfred on the hospital bed, who had his eyes open for once. Her expression slowly darkened, yet she calmly dered, ¡°You aren¡¯t needed here anymore. Go out and wait.¡± The nurse nced at Wilfred, only to glimpse a sh of hostility in his eyes. Following that, she ventured, ¡°Uh¡­ Why don¡¯t you just tell me whatever you have to say, Mrs. Yiurk? Old Mr. Sorelle has a bit of a hearing problem, so I¡¯ll convey your words to him slowly.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 ¡°I told you to leave!¡± Joseline regarded the nurse with a cold gaze and spoke disdainfully. ¡°Do you not understand what I¡¯m saying? I¡¯m my grandpa¡¯s biological granddaughter. Don¡¯t I have the right to speak to him?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. You¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± The nurse lowered her head with a conflicted facial expression. ¡°I-In that case, please take care of Old Mr. Sorelle, Mrs. Yiurk. Do let me know if you need anything.¡± She had no choice but to leave the room. When the nurse reached the door, Joseline suddenly grimaced and uttered solemnly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to work here anymore from today onward.¡± ¡°What?¡± The nurse asked in shock and bafflement, ¡°Mrs. Yiurk, who gave that order? Ms. Sorelle was the one who hired me, and she never told me I was fired¡­¡± At the mention of Angeline, Joseline¡¯s face darkened, and her tone grew harsher. ¡°Angeline was chased out of the Sorelle residence five years ago. How is she qualified to interfere in Grandpa¡¯s matters?¡± After saying that, she took out a stack of cash from her bag and tossed it at the nurse, contemptuously demanding, ¡°Leave this ce. I gave the order!¡± The nurse was stumped. Tears brimmed in the nurse¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t dare to speak further. In the end, she could only leave aggrievedly in silence. However, right before she shut the door, she secretly nced at Joseline¡¯s menacing countenance. She thought for a moment before ultimately fishing out her phone from her pocket and dialing Angeline¡¯s number. Unfortunately, she could only hear the beeping sound from the speaker even after waiting for a long while. She paced around anxiously and redialed Angeline¡¯s number a few times. Meanwhile, following the nurse¡¯s departure, silence filled the air inside the ward. Joseline stared at Wilfred, who was lying on the bed on the verge of death. Sneering, she approached him and asked pretentiously, ¡°Grandpa, how¡¯ve you beentely?¡± Wilfred turned agitated when he heard Joseline¡¯s voice. He stretched out his trembling hand for some time while coughing violently. ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t waste your energy.¡± Joseline walked up to Wilfred and lowered her head to look down at him. ¡°I know you loathe me, but what can you do about it? You¡¯ve already made your will, after all. Sorelle Group is mine now.¡± Her knowledge of such information was precisely why she dared to act recklessly and uttered those words to Wilfred. She no longer had to put on any fa?ade, finally able to be herself. ¡°You¡­ Mmm!¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Wilfred tried to open his mouth to scold her but could only mumble the whole time without articting a word. He grabbed the ss of water on the table and hurled it at her. Joseline failed to dodge in time. As a result, the ss hit her, prompting her to yelp in pain. The next instant, a furious expression spread across her face. ¡°D*mn old man, how dare you!¡± She red at him and reached out to shove him to one side. Then, she barked, ¡°How dare you behave in this hot-tempered manner when you can¡¯t even take care of yourself now? I think you¡¯ve grown too full of yourself after getting pampered for so long!¡± After being pushed to one side by Joseline, Wilfredy on the bed; his eyes fixated on the ceiling. Only after wiping off the water on her did she drawl with her arms crossed, ¡°Since you¡¯re already in this pathetic state, there¡¯s no need to keep you in the dark anymore. I shall let you know the truth before you die.¡± Wilfred stayed silent. ¡°The truth is, I¡¯m not rted by blood to the Sorelle family. I learned this after eavesdropping on my parents six years ago. Do you remember the 918 Explosion that shocked the nation twenty years ago?¡± Joseline bore her eyes into Wilfred hatefully. ¡°The great fire at the clothes factory in the past burned one hundred and fifty people to death. My biological parents were among the casualties. They suffered an agonizing and horrible death.¡± He remained quiet while listening to her. Joseline started to get all choked up as she narrated. ¡°After a thorough investigation, I realized the great fire was a nned catastrophe. Your son, John Sorelle, was the mastermind. Why did he drag those innocent people into his conflict with the factory¡¯s owner? If it weren¡¯t for the Sorelle family, my family wouldn¡¯t have been destroyed, and John wouldn¡¯t have adopted me out of pity. I don¡¯t mind telling you the truth now. I killed John and his wife by tampering with their car.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Upon learning the truth, Wilfred became worked up. He lifted his shivering hand, and his lips twitched. ¡°D*mn you, you evil woman!¡± he growled while fixating his eyes on her with utter detestation. After shouting those words, he seemed to have been drained of all energy as his eyes gradually shut, and his arm fell limp beside his body the next second. Wilfred became unconscious again. Looking at him, a frantic look shed across her eyes. She staggered backward and collided forcefully with a cab. The acute pain pulled her back to her senses. ¡°Ah!¡± She gasped in agony before slowly recollecting herself after some time. Why should I feel scared? Sorelle Group is already my property. Once Grandpa dies, I¡¯ll be Sorelle Group¡¯s Chairman. I can¡¯t wait for when that happens! The night arrived, and the lights lit up. Moistdore Cosmetics was tasked to handle Angeline¡¯s look for the night. She wore a sky-blue evening gown, and her curly hair was braided andbed to one side of her shoulder. A few flower-patterned clips adorned her hair. Her appearance was captivating and magnificent. Anyone whoid their eyes on her would be charmed by her good looks. Theworking event was held in a castle. Violinists in tuxedos performed in the spacious courtyard while men and women embraced each other as they engaged in ballroom dancing. An exceptionally lively dining area was nearby, providing the guests with barbecue food and some desserts. Angeline garnered a lot of attention the moment she showed up. A few scions even whistled at her, but she didn¡¯t bother to entertain them. She stood rooted to her spot while grasping the hem of her dress. At that moment, the photographer arranged by Moistdore Cosmetics walked up to her and whispered a reminder beside her ear. Only then did she shift her gaze onto a tall, gentlemanly-looking man who was socializing with someone else not far away. He was the CEO of Joan Group as well as theworking event¡¯s organizer, Zeferino Levert. As Angeline¡¯s mother was involved in the fashion design industry, her house was filled with fashion and lifestyle-rted books. The book covers would always feature news about Joan Group. Hence, Joan Group left a significant impression on Angeline since she was little. Joan Group was an internationally-renowned brand, and its new products would be sold out instantaneously upon their launch. Chapter 220 Chapter 220 In other words, Joan Group was the main pir of the entire fashion industry. Angeline nodded at the photographer to signal him to stay in his spot. Then, she took a ss of red wine from the server¡¯s tray and ambled over to Zeferino. ¡°Hello, Mr. Levert.¡± When Angeline reached him, she smiled and inclined her head at him. Zeferino turned to nce at her and gave her a polite smile. ¡°You must be Angeline Sorelle. I know you. You¡¯ve been popr on televisiontely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be remembered by someone like you.¡± Angeline chuckled, and she covered the lower half of her face as she did so. There was even a shy tinge of red on her face. Zeferino found her interesting, and his eyes drifted down toward the name tag on her chest. When he took in the words on it, he furrowed his brows. ¡°Are you here as a representative of Moistdore Cosmetics?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Angeline replied. Then, in a puzzled tone, she asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Moistdore Cosmetics works closely with us, and they¡¯re a trustworthy brand.¡± Zeferino shed her a small smile. In the next second, he reached out to pat Angeline¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline froze for a second, thinking, Here¡¯s the main pir of the fashion industry. It¡¯ll be such a waste if I let this golden opportunity slip by me. With that thought in mind, she put on a sincere look and politely said, ¡°By the way, Mr. Levert, I have an apparelpany called Forrester Group. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to hear a word of advice or two from you about it. Maybe we can even be great business partners.¡± ¡°Forrester Group? I heard about it from my family when I was younger. It¡¯s an old brand, and it was popr seven years ago. However, it¡¯s starting to fall from grace.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes darkened as her voice deepened. In a somber tone, she continued, ¡°Forrester Group was my mother¡¯s¡ªCynthia Chandler¡¯s¡ªbrand. After she passed on, thepany started going downhill. I was hoping to revive it and return it to its former glory.¡± After hearing that, Zeferino had an apologetic look as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know much about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Angeline took in a deep breath and swayed her ss before letting a wistful smile grow on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. If I get Forrester Group back on the right track, I¡¯m sure my mother will be able to rest in peace.¡± Angeline¡¯s words were meant to give Zeferino a little pressure. After a while of mulling over her words, he curled his lips into an ambiguous smile. ¡°Although I can¡¯t help you much, I don¡¯t mind sending a few designers for guidance if that¡¯s something you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you so much! But the price¡­¡± Angeline trailed off. Designers who could work in bigpanies like Joan Group would certainly get high pay. Yet, Angeline was facing financial trouble, and she also needed to provide for Sebastian. Therefore, she would not be able to afford those designers if their wages were too high. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The amount will be up to you. Think of this as me trying to be friends with you.¡± Zeferino enunciated, the slow pace of his words giving her a sense of security. He then lifted his ss of wine and toasted to Angeline. ¡°All right. Thank you, Mr. Levert,¡± Angeline eximed as she beamed. She did not expect much help, especially in the form of an investment, from a bigpany like Joan Group. Angeline would have achieved her goal as long as Zeferino offered a little help and agreed to be associated with her. Hence, Angeline smiled and lifted her ss as well to clink their sses together. After they shared a look, they downed their wine. As Angeline drank her wine, she nced at Zeferino for a few more times. Their close proximity meant that she could notice the fairness of his skin and the definition of his facial features. He looked majestic. Unlike Evander¡¯s icy and stoic appearance, Zeferino¡¯s beauty was of a softer kind. Moreover, he seemed to have much ease navigating the choppy waters of the corporate world. It reminded Angeline of the gentlemen one would see on television. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me first. This is nothing to me. However, I¡¯d like to say that it¡¯s best for you to think about this matter long and hard, Ms. Sorelle. Apparelpanies are unlike other businesses. As the owner, you must decide on the brand¡¯s style, or else this will be a difficult path to continue.¡± Angeline lowered her gaze and nodded. ¡°Yes, I understand. Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Levert.¡± Right then, a clear voice of a woman sounded out. ¡°Zefe!¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Angeline instinctively lifted her head to look in the direction of the voice. It was then she saw an arrogant woman with her head held high in a yellow dress walking over to them. She had brown curls and a face a stereotypical influencer would have. What did not escape Angeline¡¯s eyes was the contempt in the other woman¡¯s eyes. Once she reached Zeferino, she held his arm so tightly it was as if she was trying to glue herself to him. ¡°Zefe, did you know I was looking for you for such a long time? I didn¡¯t know you were hiding here. Who is this?¡± As she spoke, she nced at Angeline from the corner of her eyes. Zeferino furrowed his brows, and a tinge of annoyance appeared on his face. Nevertheless, he managed to speak as calmly as ever. ¡°Siobhan, you can¡¯t be so impolite. Her name is Angeline Sorelle. Say hello to her.¡± ¡°Angeline Sorelle?¡± Siobhan¡¯s gazended on Angeline. When she noticed Angeline¡¯s hung head, she curled her lips in disdain. ¡°I couldn¡¯t catch a clear glimpse of your face earlier, but now, I realize who you are. Aren¡¯t you my cousin¡¯s ex-girlfriend?¡± Hearing that, Angeline tightened her fists as her breathing turnedborious. She then raised her head to nce at Siobhan. After recollecting herself, she greeted, ¡°Hello, Ms. Yiurk. It¡¯s been a while.¡± She never expected to encounter Hanson¡¯s younger cousin here. Moreover, it seemed like she was connected to Zeferino in a way. Siobhan had always been arrogant because her father was an oil tycoon. She even looked down on the Yiurk family, let alone Angeline. Angeline could still remember the many times Siobhan put her in difficult spots five years ago. At that moment, she wistfully thought about how the world seemed so small. Who knew I was going to encounter my old enemy in the blink of an eye? ¡°Angeline, you¡¯re amazing. Who did you get as your sugar daddy after leaving my cousin? I¡¯m surprised they actually brought you to such an upscale event,¡± Siobhan mocked as she folded her arms before her chest and looked at Angeline condescendingly. Right then, Zeferino spoke. He looked back at Angeline and asked, ¡°You know each other?¡± ¡°Zefe, don¡¯t be fooled by her looks. She¡¯s talented at seducing men, and she barely has any morals. Five years ago, if it wasn¡¯t for how she slept with¡ª¡± ¡°Siobhan!¡± A displeased look had appeared in Zeferino¡¯s eyes, and he uttered, ¡°Angeline looks like a nice woman to me. Where did you hear these from? Please be respectful toward her.¡± At that, Siobhan put on a pitiful frown. ¡°Zefe, why are you scolding me? Has she put a spell on you too?¡± ¡°Stop your nonsense.¡± Angeline could see anger simmering in Zeferino. She did not want to put him in a tight spot, and she did not want to linger in a ce like this. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¡°Thanks, Mr. Levert, but I¡¯ll have to go now. We¡¯ll talkter.¡± Angeline tried her best to muster a polite smile. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Zeferino nodded, apology twinkling in his eyes. He put his ss down and saw Angeline off. Jealous, Siobhan held Zeferino¡¯s arm and yanked him over. ¡°Stop looking at her, Zefe. She¡¯s a slut. Why would you ever work with her?¡± Zeferino shot Siobhan an icy re. Icily, he responded, ¡°Shut it.¡± For far too long, Siobhan had tested his patience. ¡°Our families might be friends, but you¡¯re just a sister to me. That¡¯s all. If you¡¯re going to act like a brat around my guest, then I will not invite you to any events from here on out.¡± Zeferino left Siobhan without saying another word. ¡°Zefe!¡± Siobhan stared at him in disbelief, but he wouldn¡¯te back. And so, she paced around angrily. She would¡¯ve screamed if she could, but there were people around. Suddenly, a woman said, ¡°Calm down, Ms. Yiurk. Anger won¡¯t do you well.¡± The woman was in a red low- cut dress, and she paired it up with some stilettos. Siobhan shot her a look of disdain. ¡°And who are you?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I am.¡± Denise snapped her fingers. A waiter came to her service, and she took a ss of wine from his tray. Then she swirled it around. ¡°What matters is we have amon enemy. You don¡¯t like Angeline, do you?¡± Siobhan stared at Denise intently. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Just that I don¡¯t like her either. We used to work in the samepany. I was more famous than her, but then she hooked up with Evander and destroyed my future.¡± Denise gnashed her teeth and downed the wine in one go. The hatred swirling within Denise was almost palpable. Siobhan felt it, and she frowned. Doubtfully, she said, ¡°Yeah, right. Angeline¡¯s annoying, but Evander¡¯s downright evil and uncaring. He doesn¡¯t even care for the Sherrock Group¡¯s heiress. As if he¡¯s going to care about Angeline.¡± ¡°Hey, you just called her a slut, remember? And sluts are great at toying with men. If she can y your cousin like a fiddle, what¡¯s stopping her from doing the same with Evander?¡± ¡°You do have a point.¡± Siobhan sneered. ¡°She¡¯d do anything to get what she wants.¡± Denise looked around her cautiously. The coast is clear. She said, ¡°So you gotta be on guard. She¡¯s getting along swimmingly with Zeferino. Not trying to insinuate anything, but¡­¡± There was no need for her to finish the sentence. Siobhan got the implication, and her face fell. ¡°Shut it. Zefe¡¯s not that kind of guy.¡± Oh, she fell for it. A subtle sparkle of smugness shone in Denise¡¯s eyes. Feigning concern, she said, ¡°All the more reason to be on guard, so¡­¡± That finally made Siobhan waver. ¡°All right, enough. Just tell me what you¡¯re getting at.¡± Little did Angeline know, she was about to get herself into trouble soon. At the moment, she was receiving interviews from the reporters, talking about the new product and some other misceneous topics. All of the questions were expected, and she answered them easily. Moistdore Cosmetics¡¯ photographer took a few more photos of her for the Twitter post. He looked at the pictures and praised, ¡°You pass the vibe check, Ms. Sorelle. Looks Instagramable even without any Photoshop. Oh, we just got a call from the host. Five minutes in, and preorders are already sold out.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The news delighted Angeline. ¡°That¡¯s great news. And I thought I¡¯d be dragging them down.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re being modest, Ms. Sorelle. You underestimate yourself.¡± The photographer smiled dryly and made small talk. ¡°You do what you have to do. I need to meet up with the other guys.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± They went their separate ways. Angeline had nothing to do after work, so she wanted to leave. But before that, restroom. Much to her chagrin, she ran into the one person she never wanted to¡ªDenise. Thetter was standing before the mirror, reapplying her makeup. When Angeline came in, Denise gave her a cryptic smile. ¡°Been a while.¡± ¡°Mm-hm.¡± But Angeline said no more. She turned the faucet on and washed her hands. She wouldn¡¯t say hi to me out of nowhere. Something¡¯s up. But Angeline had no intention of finding out what Denise was plotting. There was nothing to talk about. Angeline pulled some tissues out to wipe her hands dry. Then she tossed them in the trash and tried to leave, but Denise gasped in pain and fell in her direction. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Angeline turned around instinctively and tried to hold Denise up, but she wouldn¡¯t let go. Like a ko, she hugged Angeline tightly as if she was a eucalyptus tree. Also, she squeezed Angeline¡¯s bag as hard as she could. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Angeline pulled an arm out and shoved Denise off, her gaze filled with disdain and impatience. Denise chortled mysteriously as she straightened her dress out. Calmly, she said, ¡°Sorry.¡± And then she left the restroom. Angeline stared at the leaving Denise, feeling frustrated. What on earth is she trying to do? She hates my guts. So why did she hold me so tightly? What is she up to this time? Angeline had a lot of questions, but she didn¡¯t care. She straightened herself up and left the restroom. The event was already wrapping up, and there was barely anyone around. Time to leave. But just then, a shrill scream echoed through the air. It came from the stage. ¡°My ne! It¡¯s gone! Someone took it!¡± The sudden shout gained everyone¡¯s attention, including Angeline¡¯s. She turned around to check things out, only to see that the one who shouted was none other than Siobhan. Siobhan looked anxious, and she shouted a few more times. Then her bodyguard came. The guests were riled up, excited at the prospect of a little drama unfolding within these walls. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Subsequently, everyone erupted into discussion. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°What the heck is going on?¡± ¡°She said someone stole her ne. D*mn. Who¡¯d be stupid enough to steal? We¡¯re all rich.¡± ¡°Hey, you never know, though. Greed knows no bounds.¡± Siobhan told her bodyguards to block all the exits. She seemed anxious about something. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zeferino walked out from backstage. He looked at Siobhan in confusion and chastised, ¡°What are you doing? We have guests here.¡± ¡°How could you say that to me, Zefe? I just lost something important.¡± Siobhan stomped her foot, tears welling in her eyes. She was feigning sadness. ¡°My father gave me that ne on my eighteenth birthday. It means a lot to me, and now someone stole it!¡± Zeferino¡¯s brows furrowed. He mused over the matter and solemnly said, ¡°You probably got careless and left it somewhere. Try to retrace your steps.¡± ¡°No way. The only ce I¡¯ve been to is the waiting room backstage. Oh, and the restroom.¡± Angeline¡¯s face fell. She went to the bathroom? Okay, this is getting odd. She had a feeling this missing ne was not a coincidence. To calm everyone down, Zeferino looked at the other bodyguards. ¡°Probably a case of lost and found. Check the restrooms.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The bodyguards nodded. Just when they were about to leave, Siobhan stopped them. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± She shot the guests a withering look and finally set her sights on Angeline. Then she sneered. ¡°Zefe, there¡¯s no need to search the restroom. Just go through all the guests¡¯ bags. Don¡¯t want the thief to sneak away among the confusion.¡± ¡°Siobhan!¡± Embarrassed, Zeferino hissed, ¡°Stop messing around.¡± And then, on purpose, Siobhan raised her voice, speaking vehemently. ¡°I am not messing around! My father bought that ne in South Alendor. It¡¯s named Eternal Heart, and it¡¯s made of a really expensive and rare diamond!¡± The guests erupted into an even louder discussion, their eyes filled with anxiety. If any of them were the thief, they might be facing years in jail. ¡°I agree with Ms. Yiurk.¡± Denise stepped forth and stood in front of a table, a smug smile curling her lips. ¡°We should go the extra mile and search everyone. Nothing to fear if you didn¡¯t do it.¡± She took her bag out, and its contents poured out. The table was filled with her handphone, lipstick, and other trinkets. She then scanned everyone else calmly. ¡°I did my part. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Now that she was already making an example, everyone else reluctantly gave followed her lead and let someone check their bags. When it was Angeline¡¯s turn, she shot Siobhan a cautious look and noticed she was exchanging a look with Denise. And her stomach sank. She had a bad feeling about what was to happen. ¡°Your turn, Ms. Sorelle,¡± the bodyguard ordered coldly, epting no arguments. Knowing she had to face this, Angeline only stayed quiet for a while, and then she ced her bag on the table so they could check it. The bodyguard spilled all the contents of her bag out of the table, and then a dull thud echoed across the air as a glimmering ne fell to the table. Angeline¡¯s face fell. She had never seen this ne before. So how did it show up in my bag? ¡°Oh my,¡± said Denise sarcastically. She approached Angeline and picked up the ne. Feigning a surprise, she asked, ¡°This is Eternal Heart, isn¡¯t it?¡± Eternal Heart was a sky-blue diamond, and it gleamed like the heavens under the illumination of the hall¡¯s lights. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my ne!¡± Siobhan held the edges of her dress up and approached Denise. She took a closer look at the ne, her eyes ring with delight. ¡°So it¡¯s you! You stole my ne, you thief!¡± She gripped Angeline¡¯s arm tightly, refusing to let go. The guests swarmed thedies, giving Angeline looks of disdain. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she did that. And she¡¯s a big star.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover. You never know who might be a thief. She could be a big-name celebrity.¡± ¡°This is just embarrassing.¡± Angeline was pale with anger. The discussion didn¡¯t escape her, of course, but she clenched her fists and forced herself to calm down. Not the time to argue. I need to find a way out. This is obviously a trap set up for me. Denise purposely hung onto me back in the restroom. Leaned on my bag, even. She must¡¯ve slipped this in back then. D*mn this wench. Angeline took a deep breath and stared at the ne Siobhan was holding. Okay, how should I get out of this mess? ¡°Now you see, Zefe? She¡¯s a slut and a thief. You gotta stay away from her, you hear?¡± Siobhan held Zeferino¡¯s arm, her eyes gleaming with smug delight. She didn¡¯t show it to Zeferino, however. She still had to put on her victim act in front of him. Zeferino peered at Angeline, and then he defended her. ¡°I think we need to look more into this, Siobhan. We can¡¯t punish the wrong person.¡± ¡°No! We caught her red-handed. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still defending her!¡± Furious, Siobhan stomped her foot and pointed usingly at Angeline. She demanded, ¡°I say we call the cops. We caught her in the act, and she has nothing to say for herself. Arrest her!¡± ¡°Yeah! Call the cops. She has to be arrested.¡± A lot of the guests agreed with Siobhan¡¯s idea. D*mn it. Everyone¡¯s taking Siobhan¡¯s side. Zeferino was plunged into a dilemma. He had no idea how to settle the matter. Just when all seemed to be lost, a voice boomed across the hall. ¡°Trying to hurt my girlfriend, are you, Mr. Levert?¡± The voicemanded everyone¡¯s attention, and they turned their heads around. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 The crowd was surprised and panicked when they saw it was Evander and made way for him to pass through. On the other hand, Angeline stood still when she saw Evander. She was frozen to the spot as a glimmer of surprise flittered across her eyes. Why is he here? Why did he have to see this? Angeline felt overwhelmingly embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Golding.¡± Just then, Zeferino stepped forward and extended his hand to Evander as his gaze flooded with gentleness. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. What brings you here?¡± ¡°Yes, it has been a while.¡± Raising his eyes to look at Zeferino, Evander shook thetter¡¯s hand, sounding calm. ¡°Joan Group and Golding Group have been in coboration for years. It¡¯s rare for you to hold an event, Mr. Levert, so I naturally have to show my support. Ss.¡± Ss walked up to them respectfully with a gift in his arms after he heard Evander calling for him. ¡°Mr. Levert, this is a gift specially selected by Mr. Golding for this event. We hope you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Zeferino gestured for his assistant to take the gift. Then, he turned to Evander and said with a smile, ¡°Your presence alone is already showing me respect and honors me. You didn¡¯t have to waste your money.¡± Evander¡¯s gaze fell on Siobhan, and the corners of his lips curled up. He reminded Zeferino meaningfully, ¡°Is that so, Mr. Levert? However, I can¡¯t say that you¡¯ve shown me the same respect.¡± Zeferino¡¯s expression turned grim following Evander¡¯s words. He then fell silent for some time. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Siobhan is indeed immature and crossed the line, but this happened abruptly and was witnessed by many people. I¡¯m thinking of a solution.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your n?¡± ¡°Perhaps Ms. Sorelle has to go to the police station.¡± Evander¡¯s face darkened when he heard that. Before the situation escted, Angeline piped up, ¡°Mr. Levert, let¡¯s not trouble the police over something so trivial. It would hurt the event if word of this got out.¡± Right after she spoke, Siobhan couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and retorted, ¡°Angeline, don¡¯t think you can act as you wish since you have Mr. Golding backing you up. Do you think you can evade responsibility with so many eyes watching you?¡± However, Angeline deliberately slowed her tone and enunciated her reply word by word. ¡°Ms. Yiurk, why are you so angry? I have no bad intentions. I only want to tell you that your diamond ne is fake.¡± The crowd gasped after hearing that. Siobhan instinctively took a step back, rage filling her eyes. ¡°Angeline, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re making up such a lie to avoid taking responsibility for your crime. I¡¯m sure someone like you hasn¡¯t seen a luxury item before. How dare you talk¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a loud smack rang out as Angeline suddenly took out a jadeite ne from the innerpartment of her bag and ced it on the table. The jadeite was eye-catching and even more stunning than Eternal Heart. A man in the crowd recognized the piece and broke the silence. ¡°My goodness. Isn¡¯t that Heart of the Ocean? There¡¯s only one in the whole world! I heard a young man bought it for one billion not long ago. This piece is beautiful!¡± When Angeline heard his words, she felt her eyelids twitch. bbergasted, she turned to look at Evander. She knew that anything Evander gifted was definitely not average in price. However, she didn¡¯t expect the ne to be worth a billion. I was carrying a few mansions worth of money on myself. My goodness! Siobhan¡¯s face instantly became ashen, and she started to retort, ¡°Angeline, stop lying! I can buy what you have there with just tens of thousands.¡± ¡°Ms. Yiurk, are you saying I¡¯m reluctant to spend money on my woman, so I bought her a counterfeit instead?¡± At that moment, Evander spoke unhurriedly as he sat on a chair at the side, exuding a domineering aura. ¡°I¡ª¡± Siobhan was dumbfounded. Evander¡¯s expression grew cold. ¡°I bought Heart of the Ocean in an auction at Kransbay. If you refuse to believe it, I can ask my assistant to show you the proof.¡± ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not necessary.¡± At that moment, Siobhan was like a deted balloon. Her arrogance from earlier had disappeared into thin air. ¡°Mr. Golding, please excuse Siobhan¡¯s immaturity.¡± Zeferino stepped out and shrewdly changed the topic with a smile. ¡°What do you mean by your earlier words, Ms. Sorelle? How do you know the ne is a fake?¡± Angeline¡¯s face became serious as she looked at Siobhan and said in a deep voice, ¡°Ms. Yiurk, may I borrow your ne?¡± Siobhan pursed her lips and reluctantly handed over the ne to her. After taking the diamond ne, Angeline first looked at the lights on the ceiling and found the brightest one. Then, she raised the ne high with her hand. ¡°Everyone, please take a look at this. The luster and color of a diamond can reveal its authenticity. Polished authentic diamonds are brilliantly colorful, while high-refractive imitations appear dull.¡± With that, she moved the ne under the light. Seeing this, someone finally raised their doubt. ¡°That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t Eternal Heart a rare diamond? Why is it not lustrous? Is this fake?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Siobhan¡¯s face fell as she red at Angeline. ¡°Stop spewing nonsense!¡± Angeline snorted coldly. Not far from her was a little girl drinking water from a water ss, looking at them innocently with big eyes. Angeline bent down and asked her gently, ¡°Sweetheart, can you lend me your ss of water?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± The little girl smiled sweetly at Angeline as she was won over by thetter¡¯s friendliness. Angeline took the water ss. Immediately after, she poured a drop of water onto the surface of the diamond. Very quickly, the drop of water slid off. It didn¡¯t evenst for a second. Just as I expected! Angeline returned the ss to the little girl and smiled as she had seen thating. Siobhan was bewildered by the crowd¡¯s grave expressions and sounded confused as she demanded, ¡°What does this mean?¡± ¡°This is a test to check the authenticity of a diamond called the lipophilic method. We only need to put a drop of water on the diamond. If the water droplet slides off quickly, it¡¯s not a real diamond.¡± Zeferino looked at Siobhan and said in a low voice, ¡°Siobhan, your Eternal Heart is a counterfeit.¡± The word ¡°counterfeit¡± rang through her head. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Suddenly, Siobhan felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She was utterly stunned as an expression of disbelief remained on her face. ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible. My dad gifted it to me and spent a fortune on this. There¡¯s no way he lied to me!¡± She then whipped out her phone and punched in a number. It only took a few beeps, and the call was quickly answered. ¡°Hello, Siobhan?¡± ¡°Dad, the Eternal Heart you gave me is fake, and you lied to me! Am I right?¡± The man on the other end of the line fell silent for a long time before sighing heavily. ¡°Siobhan, I didn¡¯t expect you to discover this. Since you¡¯re a growndy now, there is no need for me to hide the truth from you.¡± Siobhan remained silent, so her father went on, ¡°When you saw Eternal Heart in a magazine back then, you insisted on having it. However, Eternal Heart is not just any ordinary diamond. It is hard to buy even with money. So, I asked a friend to make a replica of it.¡± The truth was finally revealed, and the scar on Siobhan¡¯s heart was forcibly ripped open again. ¡°N-No, you¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡± She bit her lip with disbelief in her eyes. ¡°Why would I lie to you? Be more pragmatic. From tomorrow onward, all your credit cards will be suspended!¡± With that, he hung up the phone. Siobhan was dumbfounded as she held the phone tightly in her hand. Meanwhile, Angeline¡¯s lips curled up slightly. With a smile on her face, she reminded unhurriedly, ¡°Ms. Yiurk, you ndered me with a fake diamond ne and even threatened to send me to the police station. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s ridiculous?¡± The look she shot Siobhan was frosty. Does she think I¡¯m a pushover? Siobhan red at Angeline with resentment and bit her lip tightly, yet she was unable to formte a response for the longest time. ¡°It seems like themotion is over.¡± Evander got up slowly and straightened his clothes, looking grim. ¡°I remember Yiurk Group wanted to propose a coboration with me recently. It seems like that¡¯s unnecessary now.¡± Everyone at the scene was baffled, and nobody dared to make a sound. After all, Golding Group was a renowned and influential corporation in the business industry. Nobody wanted to risk losing a coboration with them. By that point, Siobhan¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet, and she was too stunned to speak. With a sullen face, Zeferino came out in time to ease the tension. ¡°Mr. Golding, please have mercy. Siobhan was reckless, but her mistake wasn¡¯t grave. Please forgive her.¡± ¡°It was her fault for offending Angeline.¡± Evander¡¯s eyes were particrly sharp. He looked directly at Siobhan, but he seemed to be speaking to everyone present. ¡°Nobody can bully Angeline with me around!¡± With that, he put his arm around Angeline and turned to leave the scene. Angeline was puzzled as she stayed in Evander¡¯s arms while looking at his profile. What does Evander mean? Is he making our rtionship public? After leaving the event, Angeline got into Evander¡¯s car. When she saw Ss waiting outside patiently after closing the door, she finally spoke up. ¡°Weren¡¯t you being too reckless back there? Why did you acknowledge our rtionship in public?¡± ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t want to make our rtionship public?¡± Hearing that, Angeline appeared hesitant. She was silent for a while before she answered somewhat incoherently, ¡°I¡¯m just not ready to do this. I¡¯m a female celebrity, and there¡¯s a limit to how long my popritysts. If I make my rtionship public, especially when you¡¯re my partner, I¡¯m afraid the public won¡¯t take it well.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Evander cupped her face in his hands with an extraordinarily passionate gaze. Then, he spoke in his deep voice firmly. ¡°As long as you want it, I promise you¡¯ll remain at the top of the pyramid, shining brightly like a star.¡± Angeline was stunned speechless. She found herself getting lost in Evander¡¯s eyes as if she would be mesmerized by them forever. Her heart gradually grew warm at his words. She didn¡¯t doubt Evander since he was more than capable of doing as he promised. However, Angeline felt more uneasy because of this. ¡°Truthfully, I think it¡¯s more rxing for you to stop working and be my wife instead.¡± Evander stretched out his hand to caress her hair as he gazed at her affectionately. However, Angeline lowered her eyes, looking slightly dejected as her insecurity intensified. What worried her most about going public was not her reputation but how long their love couldst, especially with Olivine¡¯s interference. There was no way thetter would give up easily. At that moment, a ¡°click¡± sound was heard, and the door was pulled open from the outside. While panting, Angeline¡¯s assistant said, ¡°Angie, I have been looking for you for a long time. Your phone has been ringing for a while, and I don¡¯t know who is calling, so I dare not answer it.¡± Since they were at an event, Moistdore Cosmetics had rules prohibiting celebrities from using their phones for fear of not achieving the desired oue. Angeline had given her phone to her assistant for safekeeping from the moment she entered the venue. Angeline¡¯s face grew serious when she heard what her assistant said. She took her phone and saw that it was a call from an unknown number. Pursing her lips, she dialed back. Soon, the call connected before the anxious voice of Wilfred¡¯s nurse was heard. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you finally answered your phone! I¡¯ve been trying to reach you all night.¡± All Angeline could hear was the bustling voices of people on the other end of the phone, and it sounded like they were crying, which was very noisy. Suddenly, a sense of foreboding rose within Angeline. She didn¡¯t dare to dwell on it as her hands trembled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was attending a business event. Did something happen to Grandpa?¡± The nurse paused for a moment before answering in a choked voice, ¡°Pleasee to the hospital, Ms. Sorelle. Old Mr. Sorelle has passed away.¡± Angeline¡¯s face was ashen as if she had been struck by thunder. It took her a long time to find her voice. ¡°What happened? No matter how grave Grandpa¡¯s condition was, he shouldn¡¯t have passed away this soon. ¡°It was Ms. Joseline. She went into Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s ward and said something to him. After she came out, Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s heart stopped beating¡­¡± Joseline! It¡¯s her again! Angeline¡¯s eyes shone with resentment and hatred. Her arms trembled, causing her phone to slip between her fingers and drop to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad.¡± Evander wrapped his arm around her and said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital now.¡± At that point, Angeline could no longer speak. She shivered uncontrobly as though cold water had been flung on her. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 ¡°Okay. Thank you¡­¡± she said in a hoarse voice. Evander ordered Ss to get into the car, turn on the air conditioner, and drive them to the hospital. Angeline wasn¡¯t at her best. She was still in her evening dress, and her exquisite makeup had been ruined by tears. Seeing this, plenty of onlookers stared at her tantly, some even whipping out their phones to take photos of her. Evander¡¯s face darkened as he gave Ss a look. Thetter immediately instructed the guards at the entrance to stop the onlookers from taking photos of Angeline and delete all her pictures from their gallery. Meanwhile, Angeline, on the verge of tears, hitched up the hem of her dress and went up the stairs. Joseline and the nurse were the only ones standing in front of the operating room. Joseline was crying so hard that she was gasping for air. She sounded so sad that some would have thought she was truly heartbroken over the death of her grandfather. The doctor pushed Wilfred¡¯s body out of the operating theater just as Angeline reached the door. Joseline immediately threw herself at the gurney as if she had gone mad. Kneeling on the floor, she began to sob uncontrobly. ¡°Grandpa, how could you leave me behind like this? Sorelle Group needs you, but you left it all behind. What am I going to do without you?¡± Her crying was so realistic that Angeline would have been moved by her tears if she didn¡¯t know the truth. Scoffing, Angeline took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling as her heart raced. The grief she felt from losing a loved one was so intense that she couldn¡¯t even cry. ¡°Go bid Old Mr. Sorelle farewell.¡± Just then, Evander ced a warm hand on her shoulder and reminded her softly. At his words, Angeline moved and made her way toward Wilfred in a daze. Overwhelmed by grief, she felt dizzy and nauseous as she knelt on the floor and stared at the white cloth. ¡°Rest in peace, Grandpa¡­¡± she mumbled as her heart ached terribly. ¡°Angeline, how dare you show up?¡± Joseline red at her with puffy red eyes. She shouted angrily, ¡°Grandpa¡¯s condition wouldn¡¯t have deteriorated so quickly if not for you! What are you doing here? Trying to attract the media¡¯s attention, are you? Aah!¡± A sharp pain shot through her arm before she could finish. ¡°Watch your mouth. I don¡¯t want to kick you out of the hospital at a time like this.¡± Evander stared at her coldly. Joseline scowled in pain as he tightened his grip on her arm. Meanwhile, Angeline gave no response, as if she had blocked out the noise. She reached out shakily and pulled the white cloth covering Wilfred¡¯s face away, only to see Wilfred looking deathly pale as hey on the gurney quietly. Angeline¡¯s heart sank as her hands trembled. After a few moments, she covered his face with the white cloth again. At that moment, tears flowed down her cheeks, and she felt as if a piece of her was missing as the grief came crashing down. She had a hard time expressing herself even though she had many things to say. Joseline stared at her coldly. A wicked smile formed on her lips as she started to show her true colors. ¡°Angeline, stop it with your act. Everything in the Sorelle family belongs to me now. You lost even though you¡¯ve been fighting with me for so long.¡± Angeline stood up and faced Joseline upon her words. In the next instant, she raised her hand and landed a tight p on Joseline¡¯s face. Smack! The hard p left Joseline disoriented. Joseline was stunned as she didn¡¯t have time to dodge. Teary-eyed, she opened her mouth in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ How dare you p me!¡± Angeline became even more infuriated at those words and started to p her vehemently. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Joseline tried to fight back. However, she couldn¡¯t do anything as her face grew red and swollen from the ps since Evander maintained a tight grip on her arm. Eventually, Joseline broke down and shouted hysterically, ¡°Angeline, you¡¯re going to rot in hell for this! Grandpa¡¯s soul is still around. How dare you hit me in front of him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hitting you in Grandpa¡¯s ce.¡± Angeline red at her coldly. ¡°You know better than me what caused the deaths of Dad, Mom, and Grandpa. Are you still trying to y dumb?¡± At that, Joseline paled before she started to babble incoherently. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Don¡¯t you dare use me of something I never did!¡± ¡°Look at me!¡± Angeline ordered. She pinched Joseline¡¯s chin and forced thetter to meet eyes with her. ¡°How could you forget what you have done so quickly? Should I give you a tip to spark that memory of yours? Do you still remember Delroy Quast?¡± Joseline was at a loss for words. Her body went limp, and her eyes slowly lost focus. However, she quickly came to her senses, gritted her teeth, and pretended to look lost. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Angeline knew she would deny it, but she felt good seeing Joseline feel guilty. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can bring him over to introduce him to you someday,¡± Angeline replied casually. However, her tone of voice managed to send chills down one¡¯s spine. ¡°I¡¯ll make you pay for all the wicked things you¡¯ve done.¡± Angeline left the hospital with Evander after that. Joseline couldn¡¯t handle the pressure from Angeline¡¯s words as her hands trembled and her knees went weak. She thought she had hidden the truth about the incident well enough that no one would ever find out. How in the world did Angeline find out? What did I do wrong? Wilfred was given a shockingly grand funeral. One could say that it was the grandest funeral ever held among the socialites in Hallsbay. It even brought the entire Sorelle family together as many of the Sorelles¡¯ long-lost rtives attended to pay their respect. Hanson and Joseline, dressed in mourning clothes, busied themselves around the mourning hall. The guests felt relieved when they saw how loving those two were as a couple andplimented them. ¡°Joseline has grown into such a beautiful youngdy. She even married into the Yiurk family and found herself such a good husband. I envy her.¡± Joseline held onto Hanson¡¯s arm and replied softly, ¡°Thank you for attending Grandpa¡¯s funeral, everyone. Even though he has left this world, I¡¯ll maintain the rights he gave you.¡± Gratified smiles bloomed on the guests¡¯ faces upon her words. ¡°Okay. What a thoughtful child you are!¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 ¡°Exactly! Just look at how this funeral has be the talk of the town. Old Mr. Sorelle indeed hadn¡¯t doted on you for nothing.¡± A humble grin spread across Joseline¡¯s face as shey in Hanson¡¯s embrace. ¡°This is the least I can do for Grandpa. I only hope he can rest in peace.¡± That had always been her forte¡ªto put on a filial act so wlessly when the situation called for it. Nevertheless, Angeline was not even mentioned throughout their entire exchange. As Hanson watched Joseline¡¯s pretentious behavior, a wave of disgust assailed his heart. ¡°I¡¯ll head over there to help out. You can keep our rtivespany. ¡°Sure.¡± With a smile ying on her lips, Joseline wore her usual look of a considerate wife as she suggested, ¡°Hanson, you must be tired after helping me for so long. Why don¡¯t you go rest up for a bit in the lounge first? I¡¯ve got this covered.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Hanson shot the woman a meaningful nce and could not help scoffing inwardly. Joseline must¡¯ve spent a lot of effort to get her hands on Sorelle Group. To think that she¡¯d hold such a grand funeral for her grandpa¡ªshe must be desperate to show the world how dutiful she is. At the thought of that, Hanson unwittingly caught a glimpse of Angeline not far away among the crowd. There the woman was, holding the hands of a boy and a girl on each side, seemingly trying to keep a low profile. Hanson could not help but feel sorry. He then paced steadily toward Angeline. At that point in time, Angeline was in a dilemma after hearing Floretta¡¯s bizarre question. ¡°Look, Angel, that¡¯s Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s photo right there. But why haven¡¯t I seen him anywhere? We¡¯re celebrating his birthday, are we not? Why¡¯s everyone crying?¡± Floretta looked up at Angeline, her big, round eyes shining with puzzlement. As Angeline listened to the little girl¡¯s words, tears began to well up in her eyes once more. She turned to the side and silently wiped them away. Sebastian hastily grabbed Floretta¡¯s tiny hand and anxiously gestured for the girl to zip her mouth. Thetter merely tilted her head, looking even more curious than ever. ¡°Can¡¯t I ask that?¡± Angelineposed herself and wheeled around before patiently exining the matter to the little girl, ¡°It¡¯s not that, Floretta. Do you see the crystal coffin over there? Grandpa will be staying inside it from now on. He¡¯s gone to a very beautiful ce, so we¡¯re here today to say our goodbyes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Floretta seemed pretty dejected. ¡°Then, will I be able to see him again in the future?¡± ¡°Definitely. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back to visit all of us,¡±forted Angeline gently, but she was all choked up deep down. After all, she did not have the heart to tell Floretta the hard truth, so she said those words to console herself as well. All of a sudden, Sebastian reached out to hug both of them. Even though he did not utter a word, he was patting their shoulders very lightly the whole time. Angeline could tell that he was just as sad as they were and was d that he was able to feel that way. Right at that moment, a warm, male voice rang out. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guyse over to the front?¡± That voice brought Angeline back to her senses. She lifted her head andnded her gaze on the man. At once, her eyes turned chilly. ¡°Hello, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Bitterness washed over Hanson when he heard the way Angeline addressed him. ¡°Actually, Angeline, you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me.¡± ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re not that close.¡± Angeline sounded frosty. She was polite yet distant at the same time. As Hanson eyed the woman, it seemed like he wanted to get something off his chest. Still, he held back his words in the end. All he did was offer a reminder. ¡°This section is for guests. Family members are to be gathered in front. You¡¯re also one of the granddaughters, so you shouldn¡¯t be sitting here. Was this Joseline¡¯s arrangement?¡± ¡°Who else would it be if not that wife of yours?¡± mocked Angeline as expected. That mockery only served to leave a sullen look on Hanson¡¯s face. Outraged, the man went through the roof. ¡°What right does she have to do this? Come with me, all of you!¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Angeline seemed rather indifferent as if she did not actually care at all. ¡°I didete with Sebastian and Floretta. Besides, we¡¯re only here to mourn Grandpa, not to be bothered by these cumbersome customs.¡± Her words struck Hanson with guilt. Helpless, he apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to go through all this.¡± Angeline did not offer a response to that. He seems to have changed. He used to be so confident in the past, but now, there¡¯s always some sort of sorrow in his eyes. Well, it¡¯s none of my business. She then shifted her line of sight to the sparkling lighting all over the ce. Without conscious thought, she curled her lips into a sneer, and a snort escaped her. When Wilfred was still alive, Joseline had not even bothered to get him a caregiver. Atst, she got what she had been wishing for when Wilfred finally went six feet under, only to pull such a fancy funeral for the deceased. Worst of all, those rtives who attended the funeral that day had never been close to Wilfred. They had not even bothered to visit Wilfred when he was on his deathbed. The only thing they had ever cared about was how they could profit from the Sorelle family. Yet, Angeline could see they were busy weeping crocodile tears. They sure know when to put on a show. Just who are they fooling? What a joke! With Sebastian and Floretta by her side, Angeline approached the mourning hall to put down the condolence flowers and pay herst respects. After that, she was all ready to leave with the kids, for she did not want to spare another minute being around those pretentious beings. Just when the trio reached the exit, they were stopped by the attorney who had beenmissioned by Wilfred before his death. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, we¡¯ll be announcing the distribution of Sorelle Group¡¯s assets. ording to thew, you ought to stay for the hearing.¡± Angeline instinctively frowned. In truth, she had no inclination of getting anything whatsoever from Sorelle Group, not even thepany shares. Even so, she did not want to put the attorney in a tough spot either. ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Left with no choice, she took the children and waited in a corner. ¡°Pleasee in, sir.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Joseline¡¯s eyes lit up the second the attorney came into sight. It was as clear as day that she had been longing for that moment for ages. Of course, she would be excited. She quickly ordered her assistant, ¡°Hurry up and get him a seat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to trouble yourself.¡± The attorney turned her down nonchntly. Standing at the center of the hall, he enunciated the instructions written on the document in his hands, ¡°I hereby ry Old Mr. Sorelle¡¯s will and dere that Ms. Joseline will have full authority over Sorelle Group from now on. If anyone has doubts, you may check this transfer agreement right here.¡± During the interim, Joseline looked no different than an obedient student as she waited for the announcement to be made. Only after hearing the attorney¡¯s statement did she feel a great sense of relief. My dream has finallye true! ¡°Thank you so much for your help.¡± Joseline was sure fast to express her gratitude. She then started to tear up as she added, ¡°Rest assured. I won¡¯t let Grandpa down.¡± As soon as she dropped that remark, the crowd gave a round of apuse. No matter how dissatisfied the rtives were, there was nothing they could do except muster a smile. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Joseline¡¯s appearance remained meek and unassuming, but all sorts of emotions swept over her. Her hands, too, started trembling uncontrobly. I¡¯ve worked hard for years, and Sorelle Group is finally mine! She knew Wilfred would not easily rece her with Angeline. I¡¯ve been taking care of him for years. There¡¯s no way she could win his heart within a short period! Joseline lifted her head and looked at Angeline condescendingly. So what if you refuse to admit defeat? The victory is mine, and you¡¯re just a pathetic loser. Angeline did not seem to notice the expression on Joseline¡¯s face. She held the two children¡¯s hands and left the wake with a deadpan expression while lowering her head. Yet, her eyes were filled with disappointment. She did not expect Wilfred would still give Sorelle Group to Joseline despite knowing all the evil things she did. What does this mean? Does he value his rtionship with Joseline more than the rtionship he has with his son and daughter-inw? With that thought in mind, Angeline began feeling tightness in her chest. She felt sorry for the Sorelle family, but there was nothing else she could do. After all, the legal procedures were in ce, and the decision was indisputable under the rule ofw. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Looking at the situation, Angeline could only suppress her resentment. ¡°Daddy!¡± Suddenly, Floretta pulled her hand away from Angeline. She extended her arms and ran toward a ck car. Angeline lifted her head and saw Evander standing by a ck car. d in a tailor-made exquisite ck suit, the man instantly became the center of her attention. The disappointment in her eyes toned down when she saw him from a distance. She held Sebastian¡¯s hand and walked toward Evander. Evander squatted down and embraced Floretta before turning his attention to Angeline. He said in a deep but gentle voice, ¡°I remained here since I told Ss to bring the gifts over.¡± Angeline nodded in response. She no longer bothered to hide her fatigue. ¡°It¡¯s great that you stayed away from the meaningless drama.¡± After gazing into her eyes, Evander leaned forward, cupped the back of Angeline¡¯s head, and gave her forehead a gentle peck. ¡°I¡¯m here for you, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Just so you know, every subsidiary under Golding Group has much greater potential than Sorelle Group,¡± he consoled her in a mesmerizing, maic voice. Those words warmed Angeline¡¯s heart. Tears started welling up in her eyes as his assurance had given her the courage and sense of security she needed. With Evander around, the grievance that filled her heart when she was at the wake had vanished into thin air. Somehow, they did not realize Hanson had walked out of the wake and saw Evander nting a kiss on Angeline¡¯s forehead. Hanson knitted his brows and was struck dumb by the scene, unable to believe his eyes. He had run out to check on Angeline because he was worried about her, unfazed by how the others might think of him. He knew she must have felt aggrieved after the announcement. Never in a million years did Hanson think he would witness Evander and Angeline being so intimate with each other. So all this while, they have beenying low, huh? He could not picture them together as the media had never once reported on their rtionship. While Hanson was still deep in thought, Ss opened the door and ushered them into the car. Hanson¡¯s jaw dropped when Evander, notoriously known for being a ruthless and decisive CEO, bent down to carry the two children into the car before holding Angeline¡¯s hand and assisting her to get into the vehicle. When the door was about to close, Hanson caught a glimpse of the gentle look on Evander¡¯s face. He had never seen him with that expression before. At the same time, Hanson also noticed Angeline¡¯s eyes were filled with love when she tilted her head to look at Evander. The grim-faced Hanson felt sick at heart, and his mood plummeted to rock bottom. I lost. I didn¡¯t even get a chance to woo her. He clenched his fist and punched at a pir. Despite feeling a sharp pain on his knuckles, he did not frown for a second as he had turned into the green-eyed monster. How can I allow someone else to take Angeline away? She¡¯s mine! Not even Evander can steal her from me! Meanwhile, Evander brought them to a high-end restaurant. As the restaurant was built along the coastline, diners could enjoy the sea view on the top floor. They could also feel the fresh breeze that blew into the premises through the half-open windows. The serene atmosphere calmed Angeline down. She gripped her ss and stared nkly into the water in the vessel. Even Sebastian and Floretta could tell she was not in a good mood. The two children exchanged nces and got down from the chairs. ¡°Daddy, can we y on the slides?¡± Floretta asked in an adorable voice. She lifted her hand and pointed at the slides not far away. ¡°Sure.¡± Evander nodded. He reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t wander too far off.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Floretta responded with a grin and beckoned him over with her finger, gesturing for him to bend down. She whispered in his ear, ¡°Daddy, do your best to console Angel, okay? You must learn to coax your wife!¡± The little girl then held Sebastian¡¯s hand and skipped away. Evander responded with a sigh. My five-year-old daughter is teaching me how to handle a woman. Unbelievable. He nced at Angeline and asked, ¡°Still upset?¡± Angeline came to her senses upon hearing that. She responded with a wry smile and said, ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do now. I can¡¯t undo the things that have been done.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you think so,¡± Evander responded calmly. He picked up a jug and filled Angeline¡¯s cup with warm water. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Sorelle Group is not doing as well as we thought. Manypanies have terminated their contracts with them in thest six months. I¡¯ve even heard Sorelle Group was struggling to manage its debts.¡± Angeline¡¯s eyes darkened. She pulled herself together and asked, ¡°How is that possible? Sorelle Group has been in the business industry for ages. The Sorelle family was also named one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs, right?¡± ¡°That was a long time ago.¡± Evander looked into her eyes and exined, ¡°Under your father¡¯s leadership, Sorelle Group had no doubt reached its peak, but with his departure, thepany was left unattended. The fact that Old Mr. Sorelle fell ill has also further aggravated thepany¡¯s situation!¡± Angeline¡¯s heart sank when she heard those words. She could not help but clench her fists while holding a spoon. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Angeline stared at the ss of water, and a glint shed across her eyes. In all honesty, she did not doubt Evander at all. After all, there was no way Sorelle Group could flourish under Joseline¡¯s management. However, Angeline had not expected her to do so badly! When Angeline knew about it, she realized what the problem was. She looked slightly stunned, and her lips quivered. ¡°Are you saying that Grandpa didn¡¯t leave me a single share of Sorelle Group as it was meant to be a fatal blow to Joseline?¡± Evander leaned back slightly in his chair when he heard that and seemed impressed with Angeline. ¡°So, you aren¡¯t that stupid, after all.¡± Angeline looked astonished as she straightened her back with a jerk. That¡¯s right. How did something as simple as this not ur to me? Grandpa was a man who was very clear about his feelings. There is no way he would allow Joseline to live a happy and peaceful life. That¡¯s good to know. If not, I¡¯ll always feel bad for my parents. It was her own fault too. Previously, she was always making a fuss about how she wanted to get the shares of thepany back. However, because of her hectic work schedule, she had never done a thorough investigation of thepany. ¡°Daddy, Angel, is the food ready yet? I¡¯m so hungry.¡± Just then, the two children came running over from the y area. They swiped at their clean faces with their small hands, which were dusty. In an instant, their faces turned dirty as well. Evander looked downstairs and saw that the waiters were bringing the food up. It was then he nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s about time.¡± Angeline¡¯s expression became gentler when she saw the children. She bent down and caressed Sebastian¡¯s rosy face. ¡°Did you have a good time with Floretta?¡± Her touch embarrassed Sebastian even more. It was only after a while before he looked up and nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Angeline gently as she rubbed his head. ¡°Just enjoy yourself during this period of time and do things that make you happy. There¡¯s no need to hold back.¡± Sebastian looked down and remained quiet as usual. He seemed like an extremely obedient child. At that moment, the waiters arrived with the dishes and ced them on the table. With her tiny hands on the table, Floretta started salivating when she saw the sumptuous food before her. ¡°Let me take the two of you to the restroom and wash your hands. If not, you aren¡¯t allowed to eat,¡± reminded Angeline with a serious face. She stopped Floretta in time before the girl pounced on the food with her dirty hands. ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta nodded and had no choice but to control her impulses. The children then left with Angeline. Angeline ced them on stools, rolled up their sleeves, and gave them soap before teaching them how to wash their hands. Once all that was done, the trio left the restroom. Just before they reached the table, she could hear Evander talking on the phone through the wall. He stood there with one hand in his pocket. The sun cast its bright rays on his shoulders, making it appear as though he was shimmering. ¡°Are you certain? There is no sign of that woman at all?¡± He sounded really cold. In that instant, the atmosphere in the room became gloomy. She had no idea what the other person said in response, but Evander sounded displeased and growled, ¡°Why are all of you so ipetent? How could you have lost her?¡± He began pacing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. After a while, he stopped, and the fury on his face eased a little. It was as if he was relieved. ¡°There will be no need for that. Don¡¯t waste so much time and effort looking for her. Given the current situation, Floretta doesn¡¯t wish to find out the identity of her biological mother either.¡± Her biological mother¡­ Angeline felt ufortable when she heard what he said, and her gaze turned grim. The next moment, Evander began giving work-rted instructions to the person on the phone, so Angeline did not interrupt him. Instead, she nced at Floretta and pondered for a while. In the end, she could not help but ask out of curiosity, ¡°Floretta, your daddy has been trying to look for your mommy. Are you curious about her?¡± ¡°No.¡± Floretta shook her head violently, and there was resistance in her eyes. ¡°I only want you to be my mommy. I don¡¯t want anyone else.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Warmth radiated from Angeline¡¯s heart, and she was d. In truth, she had her own selfish intentions. Deep down, she hoped that Evander would never find Floretta¡¯s mother so that she could spend more time with them. Unfortunately, she was unable to change Evander¡¯s mind. The day Floretta acknowledged her birth mother, Angeline vowed she would leave discreetly. While she was deep in her thoughts, Floretta whispered in her ear all of a sudden, ¡°Angel, there¡¯s very little chance my daddy can locate my biological mother. I overheard his conversation with Mr. Miller a while ago that she has been staying abroad all this while.¡± Angeline pretended to ask casually, ¡°Oh, I see. Which country is she staying in?¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Biting her nails, Floretta thought for a while and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t remember. I only recall Daddy saying it¡¯s a small town called Bellridge.¡± What! Angeline was shocked, and her hands on Floretta¡¯s shoulders tightened. She asked agitatedly, ¡°Are you sure you heard correctly?¡± ¡°Angel, why are getting so excited?¡± Floretta frowned. She was in so much pain that she gasped and said aggrievedly, ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was only then Angeline released her grip on the girl. However, the doubt and shock in her eyes were still apparent. Bellridge¡­ That was the location she lived abroad at for a few years after giving birth in order to stay away from Joseline. The town was near the sea, so most of the locals worked as fishermen. Not many people stayed there because of the remote location, but they were all very warm and friendly. During those years when Angeline stayed in that town, they had taken good care of her. However, she did not expect that Floretta¡¯s birth mother would be staying in that small town as well. She had no idea at all. Who could it be? I have never heard the vigers mention her once! Angeline was lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, the curiosity in her gave her the urge to return to Bellridge to do her own investigation. ¡°Why are you guys standing there?¡± Just then, Evander¡¯s voice rang out. He had already ended his phone call. When he saw them standing there, he gestured to them with a frown and said, ¡°Come over and start eating. The food¡¯s getting cold.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline returned to her senses and brought the two children back to the table for their meal. The two children were famished. They grabbed their forks and began gobbling up the food. Angeline, on the other hand, pushed her food around. She had lost her appetite and was deep in her thoughts again. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Suddenly, Evander rapped his fork on a te in front of her. Tink! Once again, Angeline returned to reality and looked up nkly at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She was confused. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Evander stared at her with an assessing gaze. She looked as if something was troubling her. Angeline managed to look away in time and put on a nonchnt expression. She then looked down, stuffed some food into her mouth, and mumbled, ¡°Nothing. It was a pretty lengthy phone call you had earlier on. We waited for quite a while because we didn¡¯t dare to interrupt you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Evander took a prawn and started peeling it. He looked calm as he responded casually, ¡°Just some work matters. The restaurant imported these prawns from overseas. They are very fresh indeed.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Angeline acknowledged his words before swallowing the whole prawn from his fork. The aroma of the prawn began to spread in her mouth, but it tasted like wax to her. She then sneaked a peek at Evander. All she saw was his usual calm demeanor. It was as though he was not bothered by what she said. However, the calmer he was, the more Angeline felt that he was hiding something. Jealousy rose within her. It turned out that Evander had never stopped looking for that woman! Moreover, many people in their social circle were aware that she was seeing Evander. Yet, he chose to hide the truth from her. Does he really have no intention to tell me about Floretta¡¯s biological mother? During the entire dinner, both Evander and Angeline were busy with their own thoughts. After the meal, Evander took them to a nearby shopping mall. Sebastian had only been discharged that day, and with Wilfred¡¯s passing, there was no time for them to prepare anything. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. After disguising herself, Angeline joined the shopping crowd, and no one could recognize her. She proceeded to pick out the daily necessities for Sebastian and also some clothes for both the children before they left the mall. Evander then sent Angeline and Sebastian home. As for Floretta, she still had to report to the kindergarten the next day. No matter how reluctant they were, they had to part ways for the time being. Angeline brought Sebastian, who had been crying for a while, into the house. After opening the door and turning on the lights, there was still a musty smelling from the house. Worried that Sebastian might not be used to such a stench, she quickly ran in and opened up every window in the house. Next, she looked at Sebastian who was standing upright by the door, and frowned. ¡°Sebastian, why aren¡¯t youing in?¡± All she heard was silence. The boy looked up at her with reluctance. The very next moment, he threw the toy car he was holding and ran toward the door. Angeline quickly stopped him and looked at him sternly. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Sebastian frowned unhappily. He struggled to get away from her while crying out in pain. ¡°Stop moving,¡± Angeline scolded him softly. It was only then she realized that Sebastian was a little extreme and unwilling to ept the new environment. This is not a good sign! With that thought in mind, Angeline gave his arm a squeeze and reminded him with a serious face, ¡°Remember, from today onward, this is our home. You can do anything you want here, but you have to ept the house.¡± There was no room for negotiation. Sebastian was frightened by her and began to tremble. His teary eyes looked dazed. Angeline could not help but feel sorry for him. She regretted saying those harsh words to him. In the end, she took his tiny hand and led him back into the house. She then patiently exined to him the function of the living room and how things worked. Next, she took Sebastian to the second bedroom and said with a smile, ¡°Sebastian, this will be your room in the future. I will have it decorated ording to your liking in the next few days. You like racecars. Why don¡¯t I design a bed that looks like a car for you?¡± Sebastian was still without expression, but he started to check out the room. Angeline was worried that he would not be satisfied, so she added, ¡°If you are creative, you can also draw your own design. I¡¯ll get the carpenter to build the bed ording to your idea.¡± Sebastian turned and looked at her with a solemn expression. Angeline was stunned momentarily. Despite her age, she was unable to figure out what the child was thinking. After pondering over the matter, she decided to y it safe and said cautiously, ¡°Sebastian, I¡¯m your mommy. If you need anything in the future, you can let me know. I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill your wishes¡­¡± Just as she finished talking, Sebastian ced his arms around her neck and gave her a tight embrace. ¡°T-Thank you!¡± He expressed his gratitude in such a shy and soft voice that it was nearly inaudible. When Angeline heard him, her body quivered slightly. She could not believe her ears, so she lifted Sebastian¡¯s face just to be sure. ¡°Were you talking to me just now?¡± In that instant, Sebastian¡¯s face turned red. He looked down and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! You finally said something!¡± Angeline was excited beyond words. Once again, she reached out and embraced him. Sebastian froze. However, a whileter, he also patted Angeline¡¯s back with his tiny hands. In truth, the doctor from the hospital had told her that Sebastian was able to speak. He simply isted himself from the world because of what had happened in the past. If she could help Sebastian achieve a breakthrough, he would be able to regain his ability to speak. Initially, Angeline thought it would take a long time before she could hear Sebastian talk. She did not expect it to happen so soon. Angeline took him to the washroom to wash up and change into his pajamas. It was his first night in the house, so he clung on to her pants tightly and refused to let go. Thus, Angeline had no choice but to let him sleep in her room with her. It took a long while before she managed to coax him to sleep. By that point, Angeline could no longer stay awake. Just as she was about to turn off the lights, she heard an agonized cry from Sebastian. ¡°Ah!¡± In an instant, Angeline was no longer sleepy. She turned around and looked at him with concern. ¡°Sebastian, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Instead of answering her, the boy kicked his nket away and curled up into a ball as if something had frightened him. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Instead of saying a word, he continued to scream, making for a harrowing sight. Despite an anxious furrow of her brows, Angeline didn¡¯t dare wake Sebastian up due to his heart problems. All she could do was gently pat him and calm him down with words. ¡°Good boy, Sebastian. Don¡¯t be afraid. Mommy¡¯s here. No one will bully you¡­¡± After she coaxed him for more than ten minutes, Sebastian finally stopped screaming. Instead, he curled himself into Angeline¡¯s arms like a baby seeking thefort of his mother¡¯s embrace. His subconscious gesture and the trail of tears on his face melted Angeline¡¯s heart. He has suffered so much, including going through more than what an ordinary person can bear. It¡¯s clear that moving on from the past will still be an uphill challenge. Ding! At that moment, the phone which she left on the pillow rang. Upon picking it up, she realized it was a message from thewyer. It read: Ms. Sorelle, a date has been set for the alcoholic father¡¯s trial. It will be on next Wednesday. I¡¯ll do my best to help you secure custody of Sebastian. The update delighted Angeline. Finally, some good news. With her hands trembling after getting all worked up, she replied: Thank you. I¡¯ll pay you any amount as long as we win the case. Once the matter went to court, Sebastian¡¯s guardianship would be transferred to her. The former would also be able to sever ties with his terrible family. Furthermore, the transfer would enable her to take Sebastian overseas to be treated. Holding that thought, Angeline felt the pain she carried in recent days gradually fade away. With their days taking a positive turn, she endeavored to make more money so that she could provide Sebastian with a better life. Meanwhile, after Evander led Angeline away during the product event, their rtionship was revealed to the public, causing quite a stir. When news of it traveled to Olivine¡¯s ears, she shut herself at home, her temper growing increasingly worse. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s all a lie!¡± Unable to contain her emotions, she smashed some of the vases in her room. At that moment, Ruth Chandler, Olivine¡¯s sister-inw, was standing at the door with some food in her hand. Feeling concerned, she reminded her, ¡°Olivine, you can¡¯t keep hiding in your room in anger. Come out and have some food. You¡¯ve barely eaten the entire day.¡± ¡°Get out! I don¡¯t want to eat anything!¡± Olivine roared as she hurled a pillow out of the room. The pillow struck Ruth in the face, causing her to fall down when she couldn¡¯t see where she was going. The food she was carrying dropped to the ground. ¡°Ouch, it hurts!¡± ¡°Mommy, are you all right?¡± Mark hurried over from behind the wall when he saw his mother was hurt. Just as he was about to say something, Ruth preempted him by shushing him with her finger. Thereafter, she carefully led Mark downstairs. Once they arrived in the living room, she instructed the housekeeper to clean up the mess. She then settled down on the sofa with a solemn expression, her eyes brimming with indignance. ¡°Mommy, did you hurt yourself? Do you want me to blow on it for you?¡± Mark had climbed onto the couch and was shooting Ruth a look of concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ruth gave his hair a tousle while scanning the surroundings. When she saw that no one was around, she warily reminded him, ¡°Mark, you must remember that now isn¡¯t the time to offend your aunt. She holds twenty percent of your grandpa¡¯s shares and will decide your future inheritance.¡± The words caused Mark¡¯s face to redden in anger before he nted his hands on his hips and snorted. ¡°Mommy, you always say that, but for how long more should we tolerate it?¡± Upon hearing his question, a crafty look reced Ruth¡¯s cowardly expression. ¡°Until your father manages to take over the shares from her!¡± No sooner had she spoken than a sense of exhaustion descended upon her. Hence, she leaned back against the couch and massaged her temple. ¡°Speaking of your father, he really is a piece of trash. He barely has any progress to show despite scheming for such a long time, causing both of us to be at the receiving end of your aunt¡¯s frustrations.¡± ¡°Evander would never be in a rtionship with Angeline. She¡¯s not worthy of him! Those are all lies!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Back upstairs, Olivine, who was having another emotional breakdown, began smashing the things in her room again. Hearing that, Ruth simply snorted in resentment, a deep frown marring her face. ¡°She¡¯s no different from a shrew. All she does is vent her frustrations at home. No wonder Evander has no interest in her.¡± As Mark gave his mother an innocent look, he was smart enough toprehend the meaning of her words. Aunt Olivine is throwing a tantrum and venting her anger on us because she has been dumped by Evander! D*mn it! As hatred began to consume him, Mark clenched his fists and gritted his teeth tightly. I¡¯ll never forgive the Golding family, especially Floretta! When kindergarten started the next day, the teacher stood at the stage and looked down at the students in front of her. Smiling, she informed them, ¡°Children, the results fromst month¡¯s handicraftpetition are out. The winner will receive a flower hair clip which they can keep for themselves or give to their moms. And now, I¡¯ll announce the winner¡ªFloretta Golding!¡± As the teacher¡¯s voice echoed throughout the ssroom, Floretta¡¯s eyes opened wide and glistened in the light. Scrambling up to her feet, she ran excitedly toward the teacher to receive the hair clip. After which, she thanked her teacher cordially. Meanwhile, Mark, who was sitting in thest row, was filled with jealousy that was beyond his age. As he dug his fingernails into his thighs, all sorts of nasty thoughts began to emerge in his mind. Coming down from the stage with the hair clip in hand, the ted Floretta could already see Angeline¡¯s smiling face in her mind¡¯s eye. Angel would definitely be happy to know that I won this prize in apetition! In order to save the hair clip for Angeline, Floretta kept it close throughout her day in school, never allowing it to leave her side. During ytime before the afternoon ss, everyone but Floretta headed to the yground to have some fun. She sat alone at the stairs, not daring to move unnecessarily with the hair clip in hand. When she suddenly saw Mark approaching her with two of hisckeys, Floretta¡¯s eyes began to fill with fear. Without a moment¡¯s dy, she got to her feet and began to ascend the stairs. ¡°Where are you going?¡± After reaching out to stop her, Mark stuffed his hands in his pocket and shed a wicked smile. ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡± Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Floretta¡¯s expression darkened as she retorted, ¡°What do you want? When you imed that I didn¡¯t have a mommy, I brought her to show you. And yet, you still haven¡¯t apologized despite losing the bet!¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Mark took a step forward and shoved her back as he snarled, ¡°Stop dreaming! My aunt says that Angeline is a woman who would do anything for money. Besides, she isn¡¯t your real mommy. Your real mommy has still abandoned you.¡± As the push caused her to stagger back, Floretta¡¯s eyes reddened with tears welling up in them. Balling her fingers into fists, sheshed out at him. ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything to you, so why do you keep bullying me? I don¡¯t want to argue with someone as unreasonable as you.¡± With that, she changed directions and attempted to head downstairs. However, Mark¡¯s two friends snatched the hair clip away from her. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem anything special with this hair clip, and yet, she holds it as if it¡¯s a treasure.¡± In a rare disy of rage, Floretta gritted her teeth as she attempted to take it back. ¡°Give me back my hair clip, you clowns! I was going to give it to Angel as a present!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving it back!¡± The two boys made faces to infuriate her further before passing the hair clip to Mark. ¡°Return it to me!¡± Nheless, a glint of vengeance shed across Mark¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to. You¡¯re just a child who was abandoned by her mommy!¡± With that, he gathered his strength and hurled the hair clip down the stairs. ¡°Ah! No!¡± Floretta gasped as she lunged at the hair clip by reflex. Unfortunately, she slipped on the ground, causing her to tumble down the steps like a ball. When she finally crashed onto the ground, her head ended up mming against a stone pir. A loud groan wasst heard before she lost consciousness entirely. The sudden turn of events stunned Mark and his friends, who had watched the entire scene from the top of the staircase. Not expecting to have caused such a major ident, they burst into tears from the shock. ¡°What are we going to do? There¡¯s so much blood! Is she dead?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! My mommy said that Floretta¡¯s dad isn¡¯t someone we should offend. Will he get someone to beat us to death?¡± Mark, too, was in a panic. At the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, he barked out anxiously, ¡°Quick, let¡¯s run!¡± All he wanted to do was to vent his frustration on Floretta by bullying her. Little did he expect her to roll down the steps and lose so much blood. Consequently, the only thing on his mind was to flee, for it was imperative that no one found out. Otherwise, his father would definitely beat him to death. Meanwhile, Angeline was having afternoon tea with Nancy at home, discussing a variety show she was about to sign on. It was a singingpetition named Come Dance with Me where older or currently popr actresses underwent two months of stage training. Toward the end of the show, seven out of the fifty actresses would be chosen to form a female group. Nevertheless, the theme was nothing but a gimmick, as there were plenty of male and female groups who were already wildly popr throughout the country. That said, the audience was already sick of watching young celebrities and seemed to have developed a taste for groups that were formed by the most unlikely of people. Obviously, that was a separate matter by itself. Despite the lucrative pay offered by the show, the two months required for training made her worry for Sebastian. ¡°Actually, Sebastian¡¯s wounds are almost fully recovered, and if you keep locking him up at home, it will only make his autism worse. That¡¯s why I think sending him to kindergarten together with Floretta would be a good idea,¡± Nancy suggested. While peeling some nuts, she threw a nce at Sebastian, who was ying with toy blocks nearby. ¡°Of course I wish I could, but you¡¯re well aware of Sebastian¡¯s condition too. Considering how chaotic the kindergarten can be, I¡¯m worried about him being bullied there.¡± A hesitant look emerged on Angeline¡¯s face as she pondered upon the matter. Finally, she let out a long and heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for his condition to improve further before seeking his opinion about it. If he¡¯s keen on going, I¡¯ll arrange it with the kindergarten.¡± Struck by a sudden thought, Nancy turned her head over and asked, ¡°By the way, has Sebastian called you ¡®Mommy¡¯ yet?¡± The question triggered a solemn look on Angeline¡¯s face. After throwing Sebastian¡¯s silhouette a nce, she tly replied, ¡°Well, Sebastian is a special child, so I¡¯m not keen on forcing anything on him. He can call me whatever he wants as long as it makes him happy.¡± From the day she brought him back, Angeline never harbored any hopes for him to call her ¡°Mommy.¡± To have him by her side was more than enough to satisfy her. Ring! Ring! Angeline answered her phone, which had started ringing abruptly. ¡°Hello?¡± Soon, an anxious voice could be heard over the line. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Floretta¡¯s teacher from kindergarten. May I know if I¡¯m speaking to her parent?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Angeline¡¯s heart sank as her tone took a grim turn. ¡°Did something happen to her at school?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we didn¡¯t take better care of her. She got into a fight with some students and rolled down the stairs. She¡¯s lost a lot of blood and is currently in the emergency room in the hospital.¡± ¡°What!¡± Angeline sprang up from her chair with her face devoid of color. Overwhelmed by anxiety, she spoke in an impatient tone. ¡°How could you have allowed her to get hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡± Before the teacher could even finish, Angeline had ended the call and was desperately rummaging in the living room for her car keys. With her gaze fixed upon Angeline, the worried Nancy asked, ¡°What happened to Floretta? Is she all right? Can you manage by yourself?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it sounds serious.¡± Angeline¡¯s voice was already sounding choked. As she reached the door, she looked all over for her shoes. It wasn¡¯t until she looked down that she realized it was right in front of her all this while. Suddenly, sobs rang out in the house. As if he could sense Floretta was in danger, Sebastian ran over and hugged Angeline¡¯s thigh. He then gave her a sincere look as if to tell her that he wanted to go with her to see Floretta. ¡°Be a good boy, Sebastian.¡± Angeline stroked his head. Despite the moistness of her eyes, she reassured him, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry to see Floretta and don¡¯t have time to take you along. You¡¯ll have to behave by waiting at home for me.¡± As though he understood her dilemma, the pouting Sebastian stopped making a fuss. Thereafter, Nancy gently peeled him away from Angeline while asking thetter to hurry. ¡°Go now. I¡¯ll take care of Sebastian. Call me if you need anything.¡± Angeline was d that Nancy was there for her. After shing thetter a grateful smile, she put on her shoes, grabbed her bag from the closet, and left. Along the way, she drove as fast as she could. She sped all the way to the hospital while suppressing her desperation to run red lights. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Outside the operating room, a deathly silence filled the atmosphere. The sullen-looking Evander was sitting on a chair, exuding an authoritative aura. In front of him were two teachers¡ªa man and a woman. Both of them had their heads hung low and were trembling in fear. The scene before her caused Angeline''s heart to drop as a sense of dread crept into her. Their silence couldn''t be any more telling. The more time Floretta spent inside the operating room, the more pessimistic her condition was. It was then that the operating room doors gradually opened. A young nurse emerged with her gloves covered in blood. With a giim voice, she informed Evander. "Mi¡¯. Golding, your daughter has lost too much blood and is in a grave condition. She is in need of a blood transfusion immediately.¡± Evander''s expression drastically changed upon hearing the update. With his fingers fidgeting anxiously on his thigh, he inquired, "Does the blood bank have enough of it?¡± Shaking her head, she replied in a fearful tone, ¡°We have been collecting blood based on your previous instructions. However, the amount is lesser than expected due to how rare her blood type is.¡± Her words brought a solemn look upon Evander''s face. Clenching liis fists, he shot a frosty re at the teachers. Terrified by the look he gave them, the teachers responded in quivering voices. ¡°Mr. Golding, my blood type is ''A.'' I don''t think it''spatible with Ms. Floretta.¡± ¡°Mine is ''O.'' If it''spatible, I would be more than happy to donate!¡± Their words simply deepened the frown on Evander''s face. As a sense of exhaustion descended upon him, he raised his hand to massage his forehead. Ever since Floretta was brought back to his side, he learned that she possessed an extremely rare blood type¡ªRh-negative, which only one in a hundred thousand were. As a result, Evander had gone to great lengths to protect her and keep her at home most of the time. That was also the reason why he didn''t allow her to go to kindergarten previously. Little did he expect his worst fears toe true. ¡°Take mine.¡± Just when he was racking his brains on what to do. a crisp female voice suddenly rang out. When everyone''s gaze was drawn towai d it, they were greeted by the sight of a slender figure emerging from behind the wall. Angeline''s hair was strewn all over from running. Despite the paleness of her face, the conviction in her eyes was undeniable. ¡°I have Rh-negative blood. Take mine.¡± ¡°You too? Why have you never mentioned it before?¡± the surprised Evander asked. Nheless, Angeline was in no mood to think of anything else. Floretta''s safety was all that mattered to her now. She gave the nurse an anxious look. ¡°We''ll talk about thatter. For now, please take me to her.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank God! Floretta''s condition isn''t looking good. We have no time to waste,¡± the nurse reminded, looking relieved. ¡°Okay. Let''s go now,¡± Angeline agreed without any hesitation. Just as she walked past Evander, she felt him grab her arm. Stopping in her tracks, she felt her heart warm when she saw the worried expression on liis face. It was then that she feigned a casual smile. ¡°There''s no need to thank me. Floretta is like a daughter to me too.¡± Her words alleviated the guilt in Evander''s heart, sparking a glint of affection in liis eyes as he spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°I appreciate it.¡± Just the sight of him filled Angeline with courage, for she was someone that was afraid of pain. A single word of liis was sufficient to melt all her fears away. Upon entering the operating room, she was separated from Floretta by a mere curtain. Unable to help herself, she pulled it aside slightly and saw the little girl lying on the hospital bed. The wound on her head had already been dealt with and was covered by bandages. In spite of that, her face was still pale as a sheet. As a sympathetic glint shed across her eyes. Angeline took a seat in a nearby chair upon the doctor''s instructions. Thereafter, she allowed the nurse to roll up her sleeve and poke a needle into her vein. It hurts... Having steeled herself, Angeline simply furrowed her brows without making a sound. She felt as if she was ready to do anything for Floretta, even if it meant sacrificing her life. Once the blood was drawn, the nurse pulled out the needle and pressed a cotton ball on the wound. She subsequently teased, ¡°Mr. Golding will be extremely grateful to you for saving Ms. Floretta. To have the same blood type as she does is extremely rare. It seems fate has brought both of you together.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± A smile broke out across Angeline''s pale face. As she trained her gaze upon Floretta, the look in her eyes gradually softened. At the same time, questions began popping up in her head. All this while, the knowledge of her rare blood type caused her to be extra cautious in life. Therefore, she was surprised to learn that Floretta shared the same blood type as her. Moreover, it was too much of a coincidence for the former to also have a mole on the shoulder at the exact same spot. In fact, Angeline had a hunch that Floretta was more of her child than Sebastian was. The conclusion that she arrived at unsettled her by staying stubbornly at the forefront of her mind. ¡°Ms. Sorelie, you can leave the room now,¡± the doctor instructed while she was lost in her thoughts. Jolted back to her senses, Angeline nodded in acknowledgment before getting up from her chair. Right before walking out the door, she couldn''t help but turn around to give Floretta a look. It was then that she discarded the earlier thoughts she had. That can''t be possible. I took a maternity test together with Sebastian. There''s no way such a huge hospital could have faked the results, is there? But then, these coincidences are simply too much to ignore. Upon walking out of the emergency room, Angeline was suddenly struck by a dizzy spell when the jarring white lights outside shone on her face. As she held her forehead with her hand, her body began to swoon. No sooner had she reached out to the wall for support than she bumped into a muscr chest. Right as she attempted to look up, a deep and stem voice rang out beside her ear. ¡°Don''t move.¡± Angeline had no choice but to allow Evander to help her to a chair. ¡°Here you go, Mr. Golding.¡± She was then greeted by the sight of Ss hurrying over with a cup of water, some biscuits, and candied fruit. From the sweat beading down liis forehead, it was clear that he had been miming for a long time and didn''t even get the chance to wipe them off liis brow. Without a moment''s dy, he handed the food to Angeline. ¡°Ms. Sorelie, since you have donated a lot of blood, your body must be weak right now. Therefore, Mr. Golding has tasked me with preparing some food to help you recharge.¡± ¡ö''Thank you. I appreciate it.¡± Upon taking the items from liis hands, Angeline drank some water and munched on the biscuits. The quick snack helped ease the difort she felt from her dizziness. Consequently, Evander''s concerns were alleviated when he saw the improvement in her. In a gentle voice, he offered, ¡°As it will be some time before Floretta awakes, I''ve prepared a ward and a nurse for you upstairs. Why don''t you go up and get some rest?¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 For Evander to have made such meticulous arrangements in around ten minutes, one couldn''t help but be impressed. Even though she was wanned by his words, Angeline shook her head and replied firmly, ¡°It''s all right. I''m not tired. Besides. I won''t be able to rest until I know Floretta is safe.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evander didn''t insist as he sat down beside her. cing liis hand on her head, he gently guided it toy on his shoulders. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Rest.¡± Evander''s deep and maic voice sounded inexplicably reassuring. ¡°Lean on me and rest.¡± Acquiescing to his wishes, Angeline stopped moving and wrapped her arms around liis waist. Evander initially wanted to ask her about her blood type but decided against it when he saw how pale she looked. I can''t deny the inexplicable attraction both of them have for each other. No wonder Floretta constantly wishes for Angeline to be her mom. At that moment, Ss had quietly slipped away while the two teachers had also left unnoticed. Physically drained. Angeline was in no mood to bother asking about them either. Creak! An hourter, the doors to the emergency room gradually opened and out walked the doctor. As the duo frantically got to their feet, Angeline rushed up to the doctor, with Evander following closely behind. He proceeded to ask coldly, ¡°Doctor, how is she?¡± ¡°Mi\ Golding, as we managed to save Ms. Floretta in time, her life is no longer in danger. That said, you''ll have to continue to watch over her carefully. Even an ordinary child couldn''t bear to be injured this often,¡± the doctor reminded with a grim look in his eyes. ¡°Thank you, I will.¡± Evander was brief in his response. No one could tell from his calm reply whether he was delighted or angry. As for Angeline, she heaved a sigh of relief as the tension in her heart gradually dissipated. Ever since Floretta was moved to her ward, Angeline began to notice something amiss with Evander¡ª he didn''t say a word throughout the entire process. All he did was stay quietly by the bedside as he tucked liis daughter in. However, the more Evander behaved that way, the more fearful Angeline became. She was cognizant that Evander was not one to wear liis heart on his sleeve. Given that liis precious daughter was hurt by someone, there was no way he would sit idly by and do nothing. Thus, she was worried that he would end up overreacting in his revenge. Upon exiting the ward, the concerned Angeline grabbed Evander by the aim and reminded him, ¡°I know you feel terrible about what happened to Floretta, but everything happened too suddenly. That''s why I feel there''s a need to properly investigate the matter before taking any action.¡± Her words intensified the intimidating aura Evander was exuding, leading him to respond in an icy tone with a slight frown on liis face. ¡°The wicked will definitely pay for what they have done, especially after they have harmed Floretta. I''ll definitely leave no stone unturned.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Angeline knitted her brows tightly. ¡°In that case, what do you n to do?¡± ¡°I''ll deal with it myself. There''s no need for you to be concerned.¡± Evander sidestepped her question as a vicious glint shed across liis eyes. ¡°Francesca is on her way here. Let me know the moment Floretta wakes up.¡± There was no further conunent from Angeline after that. Staring at Evander''s leaving silhouette, she failed to shake the niggling sense of dread within her. She knew that this wasn''t the first time Floretta was bullied in school. Evander just chose not to kick up a fuss as nothing major had happened previously. In contrast to the past, he wasn''t going to let this incident slide now that Floretta had been physically hurt. The thought elicited a heavy sigh from Angeline. Nevertheless, she decided not to stick her nose into it, for all she cared about was Floretta regaining her consciousness. It wasn''t until it waste at night that Angeline finally left the hospital and drove home. With Francesca watching over Floretta. there was nothing much for Angeline to worry about. Moreover, she still had Sebastian to take care of. Meanwhile, a dim yellow light was left on inside the living room. All kinds of toys were strewn across the floor while Nancy had fallen asleep on the couch. Nheless, the sound of Angeline changing out of her shoes at the doonvay jolted Nancy awake. The latter subsequently nibbed her sleepy eyes before turning to look in Angeline''s direction. ¡°You''re back! How is Floretta?¡± Angeline walked up to the couch and allowed her exhausted body to slump into the cushion as she let out a deep sigh. ¡°She''s stable for now.¡± ¡°That''s good.¡± Nancy poured Angeline a ss of water and handed it over. ¡°That said, it''s a shame Floretta has to suffer so much at such a young age.¡± The words triggered a guilty expression to cross Angeline''s face. She had begun to regret her decision to send Floretta to kindergarten. All she wanted back then was to help thetter open up emotionally. It was beyond her wildest imagination that such a terrible ident would happen. I suppose Evander must be ming me for it too. He probably didn''t show it only because I donated blood to Floretta. ¡°Anyway, now that Floretta''s life is no longer in danger and Sebastian has been tucked into bed. I can finally leave in peace.¡± After giving her sore neck a rub, Nancy slowly got up from the couch. ¡°It''s alreadyte. Why don''t you stay the night?¡± ¡°Not tonight. I don''t want to keep babysitting your child for you. I still have a meeting with a producer tomorrow.¡± Waving her hands frantically, Nancy grabbed her bag as a fearful look emerged on her face. ¡°To be honest, babysitting is just too scaiy for me.¡± ¡°Sony to have troubled you,¡± Angeline apologized as she walked Nancy to the door. While putting her heels back on, Nancy threw Angeline a nce before retrieving a box of facial masks from her bag. ¡°Here, this is thetest facial mask on the market. It is so expensive that I couldn''t bring myself to use it. You should put one on before you sleep. Don''t forget that you''re still a popr celebrity. At the rate you''re going, you''re allowing yourself to turn into an ugly housewife.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline took the box from Nancy''s hand gratefully. However, Nancy''s words triggered a somber feeling within her. She''s right. Ever since I found Sebastian, I''ve been so overwhelmed by my troubles that I had no time to take care of myplexion. In fact, I have even forgotten that I''m an actress! After washing up, she went to Sebastian''s room to check on him. The sight of him in deep slumber reminded her of Floretta. If her mother learns of what happened to her, she would definitely be devastated. Angeline patted Mark gently and nted a kiss on liis head before returning to her room. Prior to turning in for the night, she put on the mask Nancy had given her before lying down on her bed. It was then that she felt the urge to give Evander a call. When no one answered despite the phone ringing for a long time. Angeline couldn''t help but feel concerned. Evander has never failed to pick up. Something must have happened to him! Chapter 234 Chapter 234 However, Angeline tried to stay calm as she trusted that, given Evander''s capabilities, he would not do anything that would put himself in danger. Despite knowing that, she could not stop feeling anxious that he was not picking up the phone. Angeline was so exhausted that she fell asleep while thinking. However, she was not able to get into a deep sleep. Her mind was filled with what had happened to Floretta, and she would jolt awake in fear from time to time. Because of that, Angeline decided not to continue sleeping and got out of bed to prepare food for Floretta. After making a few simple and nutritious dishes, she started preparing ingredients to cook a pork stew. Just as she was adding the broth and seasonings into the pot, tire kitchen door opened. Sebastian, who was wearing cartoon pajamas, looked at her sleepily as he nibbed his eyes. Angeline''s expression softened when she saw the boy. She smiled and asked gently, ¡°Why are you awake? Did I wake you up?¡± Sebastian shook his head and walked toward Angeline. With a serious and sincere look in his eyes, he grabbed theer of the woman''s blouse. Angeline squatted and looked at Sebastian at eye level before asking smilingly, ¡°Let me guess. You miss Floretta and want me to bring you along to the hospital, right?¡± When Sebastian heard that, his furrowed brows rxed, and he nodded firmly. ¡°All right. You cane with me to the hospitalter.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Angeline reached out and stroked the boy''s head affectionately. She was feeling uneasy about leaving Sebastian alone at home as Nancy was busy that day and was unable to take care of him. Since the boy himself had requested to follow her to the hospital, all the more, there was no reason for Angeline to reject him. After the stew was ready, Angeline packed the food into a thermal container before heading to the hospital with Sebastian. The moment they reached the floor where Floretta''s ward was located, they saw Francesca running along the corridor in a hurry. Angeline immediately strode toward the caretaker and asked in concern, ¡°Has Floretta woken up?¡± A delighted smile spread across Francesca''s face as she replied excitedly, ¡°That''s right, Ms. Sorelie. Ms. Floretta just woke up. I''m going to get the doctor now!¡± When Angeline heard that, she put a hand to her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That''s great! Hurry up and get going. Let Evander know as well.¡± Thank goodness! She''s finally awake! Sebastian, who was standing next to Angeline, was overjoyed when he heard that. He let go of the woman''s hand at once and dashed into Floretta''s ward. Angeline let out a sigh as she stared at the boy''s back with a gentle gaze in her eyes. Shepletely understood Sebastian''s feelings. After all, it was natural for good friends to miss each other- after being apart for some time. Although Sebastian did not speak, he was incredibly perceptive and was very aware of what was going on. Angeline followed behind tire boy. The moment she entered tire ward, she heard Floretta crying. ¡°Boohoo... Sebastian, I''m in so much pain. Am I already dead?¡± Even though the girl''s cries were heartbreaking, Angeline could not help but be amused by her words. She looked over and saw Sebastian leaning against Floretta''s bed while holding her hand tightly. He was shaking his head frantically as he tried to reply, but he could barely utter a few sounds. ¡°Ahh... Ahh...¡± Sebastian looked toward Angeline helplessly. When Angeline saw the pleading look on the boy''s face, her- heart clenched. She strode toward the boy at once andforted, ¡°Sebastian, don''t worry. Floretta is fine.¡± After hearing that, Sebastian studied Floretta carefully before nodding his head slightly. A pained expression flitted across Angeline''s face as she fixed her- gaze on the girl. ¡°Floretta, are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Angel, it hurts so much!¡± When Floretta saw Angeline, more tears spilled from her eyes. In between sobs, she said, ¡°I didn''t even offend them. Wiry did they bully me...¡± Angeline could feel her heart breaking into pieces. She let out a heavy sigh and stroked the girl''s head while saying softly, ¡°You did nothing wrong. You''re a good girl. Don''t cry.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Floretta nodded obediently. Suddenly, an rmed expression appeared on her face. ¡°Angel, did you see a hair clip?¡± ¡°What hair clip?¡± Angeline frowned as she did not understand what the girl was talking about. She had not seen any hair clip around. She could only watch as Floretta looked for it anxiously. In fact, the girl was panicking so much that her IV stand had almost toppled over. Looking at Floretta with a worried expression, Angeline reminded, ¡°Floretta, stop moving about. Be careful of hinting yourself!¡± All of a sudden, the door swung open, and a deep, maic voice sounded. ¡°Is this the hair clip you''re looking for?¡± Evander, who was wearing a gray jacket, said as he strode into the ward hurriedly. Perhaps because he was walking briskly, Angeline could feel a gust of wind blow past as the man approached her. Seeing that he was safe and sound, she heaved a sigh of relief, and the weight inside her heart finally lifted. At the same time, tears welled up in her- eyes. Only then did Angeline realize how much she cared about Evander. Meanwhile, Evander looked up and cast aforting nce at the woman before walking toward Floretta''s bed. He spread his fingers slowly, revealing an exquisite cherry blossom hair clip in his palm. Floretta''s eyes lit up when she saw that. ¡°My hair clip! Thank you. Daddy!¡± the girl eximed merrily. Feeling puzzled, Angeline could not help but ask, ¡°Floretta, isn''t this just a normal hair clip? Why are you so happy?¡± ¡°Is it normal? I think it''s quite pretty,¡± the girl replied, pouting. A looked of dejection appeared on Floretta''s face as her eyes dimmed. ¡°Floretta won this hair clip as a prize. She was intending to give it to you,¡± Evander exined calmly. He could feel the girl''s disappointment when he noticed her expression. Taking a pause, he continued, ¡°She had been keeping it carefully and was waiting to give it to you when she saw you. However, Mark picked a fight with her out of jealousy and pushed her down the stairs during their argument.¡± After hearing that, Angeline looked at Floretta, whose big eyes were brimming with tears, and felt her heart wrenching in pain. What a silly girl. Did my stubbornness rub off on her? Angeline could see some resemnce between Floretta and herself and wondered if it was a result of the time they had spent together. ¡°I''m sony, Floretta.¡± Angeline felt extremely apologetic. She walked toward the girl and gave her a tight hug. ¡°I was wrong. I should have understood the situation beforementing. This hair clip is so pretty, and it is especially so because it''s the first present you have given me! I love it so much. I''m really happy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The frown on Floretta''s face disappeared at once and was reced with a wide smile. ¡°Angel, I knew you would like it!¡± Looking at the silly girl made Angeline''s heart twinge. She did not expect herself to be part of the reason for Floretta''s injury! She felt deeply moved as she stroked Floretta''s head lovingly. Ever since her family members passed away, no one had treated her so sincerely. To her, it was even more precious that it wasing from a little girl. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Angeline carefully kept the hair clip before preparing breakfast for the two children. Luckily, she had prepared Evander''s portion beforehand. Otherwise, breakfast would not have been enough. Floretta was still recovering, so she fell asleep after eating the medication. Sebastian was quiet and did not disturb her. He stood at Floretta''s bedside and stared at her, unmoving. If Angeline had not brought him out of the medical ward in time, she would have thought he would stay by Floretta''s side the whole time. Evander hurriedly followed behind them, wanting to send them home. However. Angeline was worried about him and stopped him. "Don''t bother sending us home. You must''ve been busy the whole night and couldn''t get a wink of sleep. It''s not good for you to drive right now. You should go back and get some rest. Sebastian and I will be fine.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Evander answered softly. The dark circles under his eyes were heavy, and he was truly exhausted at that moment. Angeline was silent for a while as she pondered over it. However, she could not stop herself from asking, ¡°Oh, right. Yesterday, you didn''t even say anything before leaving. Where did you go?¡± ¡°I went to the school.¡± Evander did not try to hide it from her. ¡°For an investigation?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± His expression darkened, and a hint of coldness shed through his eyes. His tone could send drills down someone''s spine as he said, ¡°I''ve already checked through all the surveince cameras. Mark was the one who pushed Floretta down the stairs.¡± Upon hearing that. Angeline could not help but frown. Now that I think of it, Mark is the grandson of the Sherrock family! In addition, she remembered that this was not the first time Mark had bullied Floretta. During the parent-teacher conference, she had seen him provoke Floretta. However. Angeline did not expect him to do such an awful thing to Floretta. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Angeline nced at Evander''s cold expression and raised her eyebrow as her heart seemed to sink along with his expression. ¡°I''ve already recorded the video and will pass it to the police.¡± Evander''s voice was low and left no room for negotiation. ¡°I''ll make sure Mark apologizes to Floretta personally.¡± Upon hearing that. Angeline pursed her lips as her eyes darkened. Yet, she did not voice any opinions. This seems to be the best solution. This is thest bit of mercy that Evander will show for the Sherrock family. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Evander apanied Angeline and Sebastian to the entrance of the hospital. Many people and cars wereing and going. There was also a group of people rushing toward the hospital. At that, Angeline subconsciously took out a mask from her bag and panicked as she covered her face. Since she became a celebrity, her freedom was limited as her whereabouts were often exposed. She had to bring a mask wherever she went for protection as she felt unsafe. At that moment, Evander suddenly turned and stood before her as he brought her into liis embrace. Angeline leaned close to his chest. She could hear the loud thumping of his heart. Thump, thump, thump. It was a steady rhythm. ¡°Rx.¡± Evander''s deep voice echoed in her ear as heforted her. Angeline''s face instantly turned red as her fingers tugged on theers of Evander''s shirt. She subconsciously leaned her head against him. In an instant, time seemed to have stopped. Angeline''s heart skipped a beat at the sense of security she felt from him. ¡°Mmm...¡± Their posture was too intimate to the point that they were ignoring others. Sebastian frowned and tugged Angeline''s hand. At that, Angeline pulled away from her thoughts. She held out a hand and pushed Evander''s chest as she stuttered, ¡°T-That''s enough. There''s no one now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Evander answered softly before he opened the car door and signaled for Angeline to get in. ¡°Get in. Call me when you get home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline helped Sebastian into the car before she sat in the driver''s seat. She looked up and felt her heart melt as she looked into Evander''s eyes, which were filled with concern. Just as Evander was about to leave, Angeline hurried to grab his ami and hesitated briefly before she leaned up and kissed liis lips. ¡°Thank you.¡± As soon as she said that, she sat back in her seat and stepped on the elerator as she drove out of the hospital. Evander stood rooted to the spot as he stared at Angeline''s departing car. unable to return to liis senses for a long moment. He could not help but reach up to touch liis lips, feeling the little bit of warmth that was not fading away. His eyes softened as he held onto that lingering feeling. Before meeting Angeline, he thought love was useless, so he had no interest in getting married. Yet now, he was eager to grow old with her. Life would not be meaningless if she were willing to be by liis side. In the car. Angeline looked at Sebastian, who sat in the back seat, through the rearview mirror. She was relieved to see the young boy ying with the toy car in liis hands. However, since she did not have a good night''s sleep, she felt tiredness take over her as she kept yawning. To relieve the boredom. Angeline reached out to switch on the radio. She was able to shift her focus once the radio host spoke. ¡°A news report at eight o''clock tliis morning announced that Sorelie Group will be going bankrupt. Workers are waiting at the entrance of the building to collect their debts. Many red banners are surrounding the building too!¡± Initially, Angeline was bored while driving. However, just as she heard the news, she immediately stepped on the brake as shock filled her eyes. All the tiredness she had felt instantly disappeared. ¡°The incident happened suddenly, and Joseline Sorelle. the newly appointed general manager, could not ept the news. She overdosed on sleeping pills, and until today, we are unsure whether she is still alive.¡± Upon hearing that. Angeline''s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and aplicated expression appeared on her face. With her understanding of Joseline. she knew thetter would definitely not do such a thing as ending her life for such a matter. Tliis is nothing but a show she''s putting on for the public! However. Angeline did not expect that Sorelle Group would go bankrupt less than a week after Wilfred died. I can''t believe Joseline couldn''t hold on any longer than that! Previously, Evander had told her that Sorelle Group was shouldering huge debts and there were more losses than profits. It seemed that Joseline had been unaware of all that. Ring! At that moment, the phone she left on the passenger seat rang. She noticed it was an unknown number and thought about it for some time before she answered, putting the person on loudspeaker. ¡°Hello. May I know who''s tliis?¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Sorelle. I was the attorney representing Old Mr. Sorelle before he passed. I remember we met during liis funeral.¡± ¡°Yes, I remember. How can I help you?¡± Angeline sounded surprised. Logically speaking. Wilfred''s will would have been carried out ordingly. Why is liis attorney looking for me now? ¡°Ms. Sorelle, let''s meet if you''re free today.¡± The attorney''s attitude was respectfill as he exined again, ¡°Old Mr. Sorelle prepared you some gifts before he passed and specifically asked me to give them to you.¡± Chapter 236 Chapter 236 When she heard that, Angeline''s expression darkened, and she could not contain her nervousness. ¡°Sure. Please send me the address. I''ll head over right now.¡± After all, no matter what Wilfred left behind for her, she considered it precious even if it was insignificant. After she got the address from the attorney, she turned around and made her way toward the cafe. As she was in a rush, she did not have the time to send Sebastian home, so she brought him along. It was noon, so there were not many tables upied in the cafe. Melodious music echoed throughout, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Angeline brought Sebastian to the second floor and ensured it was the right room before she knocked. ¡°Come in.¡± Soon, a man''s voice could be heard from the room. Angeline reached out to push open the door, and a thick scent of coffee wafted through the air and filled her nostrils. The attorney was sitting in front of the coffee table preparing coffee. Wlien he saw her, he smiled and nodded at her. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you''re here.¡± ¡°Yes. It''s been a while.¡± Angeline''s attitude was also gentle as she brought Sebastian along. The young boy did not fare well with strangers, so he hid behind her. The attorney got up from liis seat, and his gaze fell on Sebastian as a friendly smile appeared on liis lips. ¡°I heard from Old Mr. Sorelle that this is the child you''ve been searching for. He looks so cute.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Angeline gently patted Sebastian''s head as she looked at the attorney apologetically and exined, ¡°Sebastian doesn''t know how to speak, so he can''t greet you. Please excuse him.¡± ¡°No worries. I don''t mind things like that. Please take a seat.¡± The attorney smiled as he ushered her to sit. He then pushed a te of cookies on the table toward Sebastian. ¡°Little guy, I don''t know what you like, but this store''s cookies are famous. Please give it a try.¡± Upon seeing that, excitement filled Sebastian''s eyes. However, he did not dare to eat them, so he turned to look at Angeline. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Angeline smiled as she told him. After getting her approval, Sebastian mustered up the courage to reach out and grab a cookie and eat it happily. When Sebastian settled down, the attorney cut to the chase as he took a file from a bag beside him and passed it to Angeline. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, these are the tilings that Old Mr. Sorelle asked me to give you.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± Angeline stared at the file and could not snap out of her daze. ¡°It''s something that Old Mr. Sorelle wanted me to give you. Open it and take a look.¡± She took a deep breath before taking the file from the attorney. Tears brimmed in her eyes when she opened it and saw what was inside. ¡°This... This is what Grandpa left me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The attorney nodded. His expression darkened as he replied in a deep voice. ¡°He left you two houses in the suburb of Dellmoor and a mansion in Hawen. There''s also a fashionpany that you''re familiar with. It''s Forrester Group, the business that your mother left behind.¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. Tears threatened to fall, and her eyes were filled with surprise. ¡°Forrester Group? Isn''t that Mom and Dad''s business? Why does Grandpa have it?¡± ¡°You got lucky. When Mr. and Mis. Sorelle registered thispany. Old Mr. Sorelle was their guarantor.¡± The attorney let out a long sigh and stared at her helplessly. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, Old Mr. Sorelle actually knew about everything.¡± Angeline was speechless. Her grip tightened as she held back the sadness in her heart while she listened to the attorney speak. ¡°Ever since Mr. and Mi s. Sorelle passed away, Sorelle Group was short of authoritative figures and started to lose power as debts umted. Old Mr. Sorelle had previously suppressed everything and hid it from everyone. ¡°At first, Old Mr. Sorelle had nned to make Joseline the heir to thepany. However, when he saw how ambitious she was to take over the business, he was disappointed with her. As Old Mr. Sorelle''s health slowly declined, he could notplete many things. The only tiling he could do was n a final attack!¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline lowered her head as the tears fell and dripped onto the back of her hands. She never thought Wilfred had done so much for her behind her back. He had gathered all his strength and bet everything on Sorelle Group, not caring whether it was a sess or a failure. She remembered at the start she had mistaken his actions as him being worried about Joseline. which was why he had given thetter thepany. Now that she knew the truth, she felt guilty. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, these properties that Old Mr. Sorelle left for you are blue chips that he had umted over the years. I guarantee you that they''re all legal properties.¡± The attorney could not help but sigh as he said that. ¡°Although Old Mi; Sorelle did not contact you often, he always paid attention to you. Wlien he found out that you were investing in Forrester Group, he wanted to give it to you as a present.¡± Angeline pursed her lips as she stared at the documents for transferring property rights on the table. Her nails dug into her palms because of how tight her grip was. She tried to suppress her feelings, but the tears kept falling onto the documents. Even Sebastian was shocked. He quickly tugged on the hem of Angeline''s shirt and stared at her in panic. Angeline cried until she was satisfied and slowly calmed down. She ced the documents back into the file one by one. ¡°Please help me look after them. Since these are thest tilings Grandpa left for me, I hope they''ll be of greater value in the future.¡± Now that Joseline was about to go bankrupt, she would naturally be suspicious of Wilfred''s will. And with that suspicion, her first suspect would definitely be Angeline. Keeping these documents by her side was not safe, so leaving them with the attorney would be the best option. ¡°Okay. I''ll help you take good care of them.¡± The attorney did not reject her request. He took the file and got up. respectfully saying. ¡°Since I''ve already done what I was supposed to, I have other matters that I need to settle. Please excuse me.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay,¡± Angeline replied before sending off the attorney. On the other hand, a different situation was happening at Sorelle Group. Things had taken a turn for the worst. Angeline left the cafe with Sebastian and made their way toward Sorelle Group. She was greeted by countless workers that came to collect their debts and reporters surrounding the building. ¡°Give me back my husband, Sorelle Group! What a sh*ttypany you are! I hope you go bankrupt soon!¡± A rural woman holding a big banner stood on top of the building. She held a megaphone in her other hand. Her voice had gone raspy from all the shouting. More importantly, her body was swaying back and forth. As she was too emotional, a few times she lost her footing and almost fell off the roof. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 ¡°Ah! No! Don''t be rash!¡± ¡°This is terrible! Quick, go back inside! Don''t take your own life!¡± ¡°We can help you! Don''t jump for nothing!¡± The bystanders all gasped in terror and waved their hands, frantically gesturing for the woman to get back to safety. However, the woman had nothing but despair on her face. As she took a couple of steps toward the eaves, a gust of wind swept over, and she seemed more likely to fall over. Upon seeing that, Angeline could feel her heart jump into her mouth. Her eyes were inundated with fear. That''s a person''s life! If she really jumps down, Sorelle Group will be put to shame. By then, there would be nothing Angeline could do to turn the situation around. After all, thepany was her grandfather''s and parents'' legacy. Never would she allow anyone to trample on it like that. ¡°Sebastian, wait for me in the car. No matter what happens, don''t open the door.¡± It seemed that Angeline had made that decision on a whim. She opened the car door in a hurry and tried to leave. Sebastian shrieked in dissatisfaction while gripping the hem of his mother''s shirt, liis eyes shining with aversion. At that, Angelinas expression softened, for she was d to see the change in her son. ¡°I''m so happy that my boy has finally learned how to care about me.¡± A pucker formed between Sebastian''s eyebrows. He pointed toward the rooftop of the building and emitted several low cries. It seemed like he was cautioning Angeline that it would be dangerous for her to go. Since he could not speak, he became a nervous wreck as a fine sheen of sweat zed liis forehead. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Tears began to well up in Angelinas eyes. She caressed the boy''s head while shing him aforting smile. ¡°I''ll be back very soon. But before that, make sure you stay put in the car. Don''te outside no matter who tells you to, you hear?¡± When Sebastian realized that he could not change Angelinas mind, he pouted in indignation and let out a snort, turning his head away from her. Angeline knew very well that once the boy acted up. nothing she said could pacify him. Without coaxing Sebastian further. she exited the car and locked the door. She then squeezed herself through the crowd, trying to make her way upstairs. Right at the entrance, a police officer was securing the building with barricade tapes. He noticed that Angeline had most of her body and face covered up. That woman looks suspicious. With that thought, he stepped up to block Angeline in her path. ¡°This ce is off limits, miss. You''re not allowed to enter,¡± he warned with a stem voice. Angelinas visage did a one-eighty on that note. Annoyed, she hollered. ¡°Someone''s life is at stake, yet here you are, standing around and doing nothing. Step aside! I''m going upstairs to save her myself!¡± ¡°Unless you''re someone rted to Sorelle Group, miss, I can''t let you in!¡± Wearing a frosty mien, the police officer refused to back down. Angeline knitted her brows. Should I reveal my identity to the officer? If I do, I''ll end up causing a commotion; but if I don''t, the woman''s going to fall any minute now. At that critical moment, someone in the crowd suddenly removed her face mask. Taken aback, she instinctively covered her face with both hands. s, it was a little toote for that. She did not even have the chance to react. Just like that, her face was revealed right in front of the public. ¡°Gosh! It''s the superstar, Angeline!¡± ¡°Isn''t she one of the daughters of the Sorelle family? So, she''s also one of Sorelle Group. I bet she''s even racked up a fortune as a celebrity!¡± ¡°Hurry! Let''s get our money back from her!¡± Right after someone among the onlookers yelled that, all eyes fell on Angeline. and they began to call her out. ¡°That''s right! Ask her to pay up!¡± Immediately, Angeline was surrounded by the horde. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Her face fell. She unwittingly attempted to flee but was hindered the very next second. Lifting her head, all she saw were those strangers'' malicious faces. She panicked on the spot. It would not be a surprise to her if those people suddenly went berserk and started beating her up. Knowing that nothing good woulde out of that situation, Angeline took a deep breath topose herself before making an announcement. ¡°Everyone, calm down, please. Ie with no evil intention and mean no harm to anyone. I''ll only rify one thing¡ªfive years ago. I already cut ties with Sorelle Group, so you shouldn''t collect your debt from me.¡± Those words of hers were evidently not the answer everyone was expecting. If anything, her speech fanned the mes of their burning rage. In the end, they snapped. ¡°Don''t even think about diverting our attention! Pay up right now!¡± ¡°Exactly! At the end of the day. you just won''t pay up. D*mn it! No one cares about your family conflicts. As long as you''re one of the Sorelies, you must be held responsible!¡± The group of people could no longer keep then heads straight. They were all angry, rash, and impatient. Worst of all, several reporters even aimed their cameras and camcorders right at Angeline. shooting nonstop. Sadly, she had nowhere to run. All she could do was cover her face with her bare hands. Despite doing that, she could not avoid the physical attacks. Out of the blue, the woman who had been threatening to end her own life on the rooftop bellowed, ¡°Go to hell! You took my husband awray from me, you murderer!¡± Before Angeline could look up, a bucket of red paint was poured all over her body. In a sh, she was soaking wet. What made matters worse was the stinging, pungent smell of paint. She looked extremely pitiful having been drenched to that extent. Angeline froze in her spot with her mouth agape. She was so stupefied that she forgot howr to retaliate. The reporters and debt collectors were only hurling scornful gazes at her. None of them had even the slightest intention of stepping foiward to help. Angeline was like a clown, aughingstock. ¡°Enough!¡± It was then a deep male voice rang out. d in a brown-colored suit, Hanson squeezed himself out of the crowd. His eyes were brimming with anxiety behind that pair of golden-rimmed sses of liis. ¡°Are you okay. Angeline?¡± Looking at the drenched woman, who had lost the ability to even respond. Hanson felt sorry for her. He had ahvays been a calm gentleman, but he could not help but feel livid at that moment. Hurriedly removing liis jacket, he draped it around the miserable woman''s body. ¡°Sony that I''mte. I''ll get you awray from here,¡± he whispered in Angelinas ear before supporting her by the shoulders, all ready to leave the ce. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Those debt collectors sw¡¯anned over and surrounded the duo. their eyes filled with bitterness and agitation. ¡°You must pay! An eye for an eye!¡± Coincidentally, a series of sirens rang out from the police cars. Not far away, an anny of police with stun guns was patrolling the area and maintaining public order. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 All of a sudden, a ruckus broke out in the crowd. Some arrogant folks even began to attack the police. Witnessing the scene. Angeline felt helpless and mentally exhausted. I can''t believe this madness! Not only did they refuse to hear me out, but they even resorted to violence. Just then, Hanson grabbed a megaphone and raised his voice to dissuade everyone. ¡®¡¯Stop fighting!¡± His voice resonated across the streets with the help of the megaphone. The people then all directed their furious gazes toward Hanson alone. Thetter, though, remained unruffled. ¡°Everyone, hear me out, please. I''m the general manager of Yiurk Group, and I''m also Joseline''s ex- husband. I can vouch for Angeline. She has absolutely nothing to do with Sorelle Group,¡± he uttered with determination. There was silence in the crowd. Hanson went on, ¡°If you guys truly want to get your money back, demand it from Joseline, the owner of Sorelle Group. Use thew to protect your interest.¡± Everyone did not make a sound. ¡°By stirring up trouble here, not only will you not be solving the problem, but you might even end up behind bars. It''d not be worthwhile once that happens,¡± added Hanson. He could see that his words had hit home with the people. Each of them fell into deep thought, and no longer was anyone kicking up a fuss. Seizing the opportunity, Hanson wrapped his arm across Angeline''s shoulders and brought her away from that ce. As the two of them got away from the crowd, Angeline abruptly stopped before pointing in the direction where her car was. Hanson caught on to that at once. While he supported the woman, they both walked toward the car. Angeline took out the car keys from her pocket and opened the door, only to be greeted by Sebastian''s frightened appearance. The boy was shivering as he cowered in theer. Angeline was not at all surprised by what she saw. She quickly approached the little boy and embraced that fragile body of his. ¡°Don''t be afraid. Mommy''s here now. No one is going to hurt us,¡± were herforting words. Sebastian could feel a sense of security from his mother, and he stopped sobbing altogether. During the interim, Hanson had already slid into the driver''s seat. He even sneaked a peek at the mother-and-son duo through the rearview mirror. His eyes gradually darkened. ¡°I''ll drive off first. It''s not safe here. Those people mighte back to harass you again.¡± ¡°All right. Thank you.¡± Angeline sounded polite yet distant. She had tried not to trouble Hanson as much as possible. Yet, that man turned out to be her savior that day. Furthermore, given her current state, she was not fit to drive anyway. The car eventually came to a halt in front of a luxury hotel. Gazing at the view outside the window. Angeline could not help but fuirow her brows. ¡°Actually... You can just send us home.¡± ¡°I don''t feelfortable leaving you guys at home on your own, not like this.¡± As Hanson said that, he got out of the car. walked around the vehicle, and opened the door to the backseat. Pinning a sincere gaze on Angeline, he prompted, ¡°Go in and wash away the paint first. Don''t worry. I won''t do anything to you. The boy is with us, after all.¡± A tinge of deliberation flitted across Angeline''s eyes when she heard the man''s words. Deep down, she wavered. Looking at the sticky paint all over her body, she felt extremely ufortable. It was as though she was swathed in stic wrap. Moreover, she, for one. understood what kind of person Hanson was. As scheming as that man might be. he had always frowned upon forcing others into doing his bidding. Angeline managed to calm herself down a bit at that thought. With Sebastian in her aims, she followed Hanson into the hotel. Obviously, thetter had booked a suite beforehand. After receiving the keycard from the front desk, they boarded the elevator. In front of the door to the suite stood a man dressed like an assistant. He had quite a few¡¯ shopping bags in his hands. The second Angeline came into sight, he nodded respectfully. ¡°Hello, Ms. Sorelle. It''s been a while.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Angeline mustered a grin in return. She could recognize that assistant in a heartbeat. It was the same one wrho had been serving Hanson when thetter first started his business. Hanson took over the shopping bags from his assistant before opening the door and ushering Angeline and Sebastian inside. ¡°There''s already a w¡¯ater heater installed in the bathroom. You can take your time to clean up. I''ll look after Sebastian for you.¡± Hanson came off as an attentive man w¡¯hen he spoke. Right after that, he passed those shopping bags to Angeline. ¡°Here, change into these.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thanks.¡± Left with no choice, Angeline could only ept them. She lowered her gaze and remarked. ¡°Remember to send me the bills. I''ll pay you.¡± ¡°Angeline, you really don''t have to be so courteous with me.¡± Exasperated. Hanson forced a faint smile and reminded. ¡°After all, we''re... friends, so you honestly don''t have to refuse. It''s not much.¡± There was a hint of sorrow7, in the man''s tone. He had even paused for a bit when he spoke. Nevertheless, Angeline pretended not to notice as she stated apathetically, ¡°If you feel embarrassed to tell me the actual prices, I''ll wire you the amount I see fit. I hope you don''t mind.¡± Upon finishing that sentence, she fished out her phone from her pocket before sending Hanson a payment of ten thousand. Afterpleting the transaction, she made a beeline for the bathroom. Her rtionship with Hanson had ahvays been veryplicated, not to mention that she also knew all along howr the man felt for her. Had she really epted Hanson''s kind intentions, she would only be letting both Evander and herself down. Hence, it wrould be best for her not to owre Hanson anything at all. Still, Hanson was very thoughtful in making the necessary preparations. He had even gotten ready some paint-removing showrer gel for her. Just as Angeline was washing up in the bathroom, she could hear Sebastian''s cryinging from outside. As fast as she could, she turned off the tap and trotted out of the bathroom. In the living room, there Hanson was, clumsily trying to soothe Sebastian''s nen es. Even so, the little boy''s face and ears were flushed red as he struggled to break free from Hanson''s embrace time and again. Upon catching a glimpse of Angeline, Hanson shed her a helpless grin. ¡°I didn''t think it would turn out like this. I''m so bad at this...¡± Angeline was rather amused to hear that. She approached Sebastian to cany him and sat on the couch, gently patting the boy''s back the whole time. Soon enough, Sebastian ceased throwing a fit. As hey in his mother''s aims, he fell into a slumber in a matter of seconds. ¡°I''m so sony. Sebastian''s a special kid and very timid. I hope you''re not offended,¡± exined Angeline politely. Immediately afterward, she fetched a nket to cover the boy. ¡°It''s okay.¡± As Hanson stared at Sebastian, he raised a meaningful query. ¡°Is he the son you lost five years ago?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± That was Angeline''s only response. Considering how quiet she was, it wras as clear as day that she wras unwilling to tell Hanson more. Just like that, the air in the room became aw¡¯kward. It was after Angeline had settled Sebastian down on the other side of the couch that Hanson piped up, ¡°All this while, I had yet to find the time to visit you. I''ve even forgotten to congratte you.¡± Chapter 239 Chapter 239 ¡°Never mind. It doesn''t matter anyway.¡± Angeline felt a lot better and looked much more approachable than before. Seeing that, Hanson bent down to pick up the jug and poured Angeline a cup of water. ¡°I heard that Evander has made his rtionship with you publicly known. When did this happen?¡± he pretended to ask casually. ¡°It just happened not long ago. We were forced to do that because of certain circumstances. Our identities are unique, after all.¡± Angeline took a sip and smiled in resignation. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Even though she had mentioned nothing more, Hanson could still see a happy smile on her face. It seems that she has a really good life with Evander. Hanson clenched his fists and pursed liis lips at the thought. There was a hint of jealousy in his eyes. The woman he once had a crush on in his youth not only had nothing to do with him anymore but also became the woman of his business enemy. There was no way he could let it slide. ¡°Let''s stop talking about this.¡± Angeline sensed that the atmosphere wasn''t quite right and promptly changed the subject, ¡°You share the same bed with Joseline and should have known everything in Sorelle Group well. How did it fall from grace all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Well, there were already signs before that.¡± Hanson picked up the cup and nibbed it between liis palms. A hint of wisdom shed across liis eyes as he said, ¡°I did remind Joseline to be cautious in everything she does. However, she constantly did things that benefited no one, all for insignificant rewards.¡± Words eluded Angeline. Not getting any response, Hanson continued, ¡°In truth, the previous incidents were unable to cause much harm. The lethal blow only happened after Old Mr. Sorelle''s death. After thepany lost its backbone, all the debtors came banging on the door demanding payment while everyone''s guard was completely down.¡± Hanson smiled hopelessly. His eyes were cold, and there was not even the slightest mercy to Joseline in them. Apparently, he had no intention of helping her clean up the mess, even from the beginning. Angeline stared at Hanson intently and tightened her grip on the cup. How pitiful! No matter how problematic Joseline is, she still used to be Hanson''s wife. How could he sit aside and ignore her plight now? He''s so cold-hearted... Having that thought in mind, Angeline couldn''t help but be thankfill that she had left him early. However, her heart wrenched when she thought of Sorelle Group. Sorelle Group is the fruit of Grandpa''s blood, sweat, and tears. He must be disappointed to see it has been ruined now. Is there really no solution to this? Back in the hotel, a shrill female scream rang out. ¡°Ahh!¡± A woman with disheveled hah could be seen standing in front of the balcony. She looked as though she had gone crazy, sweeping all the bottles and cans on the table onto the floor. The television was still ying the news about Sorelle Group. Seeing how Hanson protected Angeline and even put all the me on her, Joseline felt a chill shoot through her body as an indescribable pain filled her heart. She wouldn''t have believed it if she hadn''t seen it wdtli her own eyes. At that moment, the good impression of Hanson she had in her heart crumbled to ashes. Joey heard the noise and quickly entered the room. When he saw the messy floor, he pursed his lips and advised helplessly, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, please calm down. Being angry is not going to solve anything.¡± It was not the first time Joseline lost control of herself, though. Since the day she was restrained in the hotel, she had an emotional breakdown every day. Although Joey had gotten used to it, he still couldn''t help but curse Joseline in liis heart. B*tch! Your company has already gone bankrupt, and you can''t afford to pay the debt collectors. How dare you smash tilings here! ¡°Hurry up and get me a change of clothing. I''m leaving this ce. I can''t continue to be locked up here!¡± Joseline screamed at Joey hysterically, looking like a mad woman as her hair was in a mess, and her face appeared pale without makeup. The past few days of being restrained in the hotel, watching the bad news spread like wildfire outside, and her phone being flooded with debt collection calls were almost driving her mad. ¡°You can''t do that, Ms. Sorelle.¡± Joey opposed her suggestion almost immediately. His face was devoid of color as he spoke. ¡°You''re doomed if you were to go out now. By then, it would be difficult if you wranted to escape again. It''d be better to stay and avoid the limelight here.¡± ¡°B*stard!¡± Joseline forcefully mmed a pillow on Joey. Then, she clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth in a fury. ¡°How much longer should I hide here? There''s still a lot of wrork waiting for me to deal with in Sorelle Group. I can''t continue being a coward!¡± Her wrords made Joey sneer. He couldn''t help but surreptitiously roll liis eyes before reminding her, ¡°Ms. Sorelle. please be rational. With the current situation, you can''t even pay the smallest of debts. Soon, the court will send someone to take charge of thepany. Besides, all the orders were canceled yesterday.¡± ¡°What?¡± The harsh truth dealt a heavy blow'' to Joseline, causing her to stagger backward wdiile widening her eyes in disbelief. I''ve been hiding in the hotel and never made an appearance. Although it''s safer, it also gives those cunning old foxes in thepany an opportunity. They will certainly divide all the money left in the company when I''m not around and leave me nothing. Joseline felt helpless at that thought and reached out to cradle her forehead. Once again, she broke down and yelled. It was then she finally understood that Wilfred had always been on guard against her. On the surface, it looked like he had passed Sorelle Group on to her, but in reality, he had set up traps for her. Wilfred was incredibly wise and knew that Sorelle Group would eventually fall to grace. It was his final revenge, catching Joseline off guard wdiile she was still feeling smug from inheriting the company. What a joke! Joseline cursed her own foolishness. Meanwhile, at Golding Group, Evander, ying with a pen in liis hand, sat in liis office chair and gazed at the newrs ying on the television. After the news ended. Ss turned off the television with the remote control and nodded at Evander respectfully. ¡°Mr. Golding, the photos of Hanson and Ms. Sorelle behaving intimately have spread all over the inte. Should we help to suppress the news?¡± Evander''s expression darkened when he heard that. Then, he extended liis hand toward Ss and said. ¡°Show me.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding.¡± Ss nodded respectfully. Immediately after, he searched for the news on liis phone and handed it to Evander. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 In the pictures, Hanson''s arm was wrapped around Angeline''s waist, and they were walking into a hotel lobby. She had his jacket draped over her shoulders. They appeared like the perfect family as they held Sebastian''s hands. It seemed like a heartwanning scene. Although Evander did not say anything while looking at these pictures, it was evident he was furious. He did not understand why Angeline was treating him like this. What am I to her? Right after she kissed him at the hospital, she went to a hotel with Hanson. This even resulted in suggestive news articles being published. Does she really think I have no boundaries? Ss noticed his reaction and could not help but feel a shiver as cold sweat drenched his back. Ms. Sorelle is pretty daring! Although Evander might seem indifferent about women, tliat was because he did not care about them. On the contrary, he was a very possessive man when he fell in love. ¡°Mr. Golding, someone poured paint on Ms. Sorelle. Since she is a celebrity, Mr. Yiurk must have done this to protect her reputation,¡± Ss exined in a trembling voice as he tried to calm Evander. However, Evander was not listening to him at all. He grabbed the zer that was hanging on the back of his chair and walked out of the office. ¡°Help me find the address of the hotel they went to. Also, cancel any social events I have tonight!¡± How could he remain calm when Angeline was in a hotel room with another man alone? Meanwhile, in the hotel, Sebastian was asleep. Angeline could not bear to wake him up, so she could only stay a bit longer. Hanson did not seem to have any intention of leaving either. His head was lowered as he yed with his phone. Since he had paid for the room, Angeline did not have the heart to ask him to leave. Hanson suddenly stopped scrolling through his phone. His brows were furrowed as he said angrily, ¡°This ruthless media! They really know how to make things up!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Angeline asked nervously. She had a strong feeling that it was rted to her. Hanson shot her aplicated look before he passed her his phone. He responded apprehensively, ¡°It''s just nonsense that the media wrote. I can help clear tilings up to the public if you need it.¡± When Angeline''s gaze fell on Hanson''s phone screen, her expression changed drastically. ¡°This is outrageous!¡± She thought she would be able to avoid such articles by escaping from Sorelle Group. However, she didn''t expect the media to follow after them. Not just tliat, but the way they phrased the articles was truly unsightly and disgusting too! Breaking news! Angeline hase between her sister and her husband! She''s involved with her sister''s husband! Angeline was infuriated upon seeing it. She clenched the phone tightly as she trembled due to the anger. Does the media really have no bottom line when it conies to garnering views? At tliis moment, the phone in her pocket rang. When she saw it was Nancy, she already knew what the latter was going to say. She did not purposely avoid Hanson as she swiped the screen to answer the call in front of him. ¡°Nancy,¡± Angeline greeted first. ¡°Angie, I should thank you for epting this call.¡± Nancy''s voice was grim. After a long silence, she asked calmly, ¡°You should have seen those news articles on the Inte by now. What do you n to do?¡± Upon hearing that, Angeline nced at Hanson before saying, ¡°We are going to each post a rification post.¡± ¡°Of course, but that will not be enough to squash the news since the pictures are legitimate evidence. We will only be able to suppress tire news if you provide morepelling evidence to divert the audience''s attention,¡± Nancy reminded them calmly. She was usuallyid-back and friendly, but when it came to important matters, she was anything but. Angeline furrowed her brows, clearly troubled. She noticed Hanson had lowered his head. It seemed as though he had no ideas either. ¡°Forget it. Since it hase to this, I will visit the public rtions department back at the office and check whether they are able to suppress the news.¡± Nancy, who had been swamped with work, said nervously, ¡°With how things are now, you guys shouldn''t be seen together. Don''t let the reporters get additional evidence.¡± With tliat, she quickly hung up the call. Angeline raised her head and nced at the darkening sky outside the window. A storm was on its way. She was slightly dazed as her mind was thrown into chaos. A surge of anxiety settled in her heart. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Hanson headed to the couch to get a nket. Then, he walked over to Angeline and ced it on her shoulders. There was concern in his eyes. ¡°The public rtions department in Yiurk Group will also take action to suppress this news.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Warmth radiated from Angeline''s heart. In reality, she never expected to meet Hanson again. Unexpectedly, an incident made them cross paths with each other once more. Perhaps, they could be good friends if they let go of their past resentment. She raised her head, and a faint smile spread across her face. Hanson was taken aback by her smile and stared at her unblinkingly. At tliis moment, there was a loud thud, and tire hotel door was shoved open. The noise startled Angeline, and she tinned to look at the door. Evander was standing right by the door, exuding a cold aura. He was expressionless. Angeline was surprised to see him. What is he doing here? At tliis moment, she also realized tliat she and Hanson were standing very close to each other. She abruptly retreated to widen the distance between them. As she was about to exin, Evander started making his way over to them. Evander''s gaze was cold. Before Angeline could say anything, he took off his zer and put it on her. ¡°Put tliis on.¡± His deep voice was authoritative. There was no room for negotiation in his tone. Hanson was shoved to the side when Evander walked over to them. The former''s expression darkened at the action. Nevertheless, he still politely greeted Evander, ¡°Mr. Golding, it''s been a long time.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Evander responded indifferently. He had no intention of chit-chatting or being polite to Hanson. Evander extended his hand to pull Angeline up from the couch and hugged her. ¡°Why didn''t you tell me about such an important matter?¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 He spoke in a soft, low tone, and there was tenderness in his eyes. ¡°I...¡± Angeline found herself at a loss for words as she stared at Evander in bewilderment, unable to believe that he did not lose his temper. ¡°I didn''t have time to react because of the intensity of the situation at the time...¡± ¡°You''re not hurt, are you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Angeline quickly responded with a shake of her head. She did not even dare to look Evander in the eyes as she sensed a tempest gathering beneath his composed exterior. ¡°Are... you okay?¡± she asked him tentatively. Evander hummed in response. ¡°Bring Sebastian along and leave with me.¡± "Huh? But...¡± Angeline was taken aback by his sudden demand. She nced at Hanson, feeling deep down that it might not be the best course of action. However, Evander had already picked up the backpack on her chair and grabbed her hand, all ready to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± At that moment, Hanson extended a hand to stop him with a grim expression. ¡°Mi; Golding, can''t you see that Angeline is unwilling to leave with you?¡± he warned while tamping down his anger. Evander, whose aura was just as intimidating, narrowed his eyes slightly in response. ¡°So what? I warned you long ago to stay away from her.¡± Not to be outdone, Hanson met his gaze without flinching. ¡°She''s not a possession of yours.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°She is my girlfriend!¡± Evander deliberately slowed down his tone and enunciated word by word. His simple phrase was all it took to make Hanson explode with rage. Even before that, he had been reluctant to ept that Angeline belonged to Evander. Thetter''s words only served to expose his sore spot. As soon as he finished liis words, Evander forcefully led Angeline and Sebastian out of the hotel room, leaving the door to shut with a loud thud. Hanson made fists with his hands on both sides of his legs upon seeing that. Despite the fury dancing in his eyes, he took into ount their rtionship and stopped himself from chasing after them. At that moment, he felt utterly useless. He had always been skilled at masking his feelings, but this time, he failed to hide the remorse in his eyes. Although he had always ced benefits first, all he felt right then was emptiness, as if there was a hole in his heart and no amount of money could fill it. His resolve grew in strength. I must make Angeline stay by my side no matter what! Shortly after Evander led Angeline and Sebastian out of the hotel, they got into a ck Maybach. The driver nced at Angeline from his seat and nodded respectfully. "Ms. Sorelie.¡± ¡°Go and apany the child. You''re not allowed to get in the car without my consent,¡± Evander instructed with a grim expression. ¡°Understood.¡± With a nod, the driver promptly got out of the car and took Sebastian downstairs to y. The car door swung shut, leaving Angeline and Evander inside, and the atmosphere suddenly became quiet. Evander fixed her with a piercing gaze that seemed to possess a mystical ability to see through her innermost thoughts. Angeline lowered her head, feeling guilty even though she had done nothing wrong. ¡°You know what I want to ask.¡± Evander effortlessly threw the question at her in his customary icy tone. Upon noticing the abrupt change in his attitude, Angeline furrowed her brows and used an usatory voice in her speech. ¡°You were pretending the whole time in front of Hanson in the hotel, but you''ve never actually trusted me, right?¡± Fury rose within her as she stared at him indifferently. Evander did not refute her words. He simply stared back at her. ¡°You two were alone in the room and leaning close to one another''. Do you think you can give me a clear exnation of what you have done?¡± His gaze was icy cold, and his aggressive demeanor made the temperature in the car drop to the level of a freezing cer. Angeline held her forehead and calmed herself down before exining patiently, ¡°I don''t get what you''re misunderstanding. He merely took me to the hotel so I could change after'' someone dumped paint on me.¡± She was furious, but even more so, frustrated. I can live with theizens not believing those photos, but Evander, too, doesn''t trust me at all. Angeline did not care if others misunderstood. However, Evander''s misunderstanding of her made her heart ache as if a sharp arrow had pierced through her. Evander felt a surge of anger bubbling up within him as he took in her cold expression. I can''t believe that the first thing this woman did when something happened to her was not to inform me but to hang out with her ex-boyfriend. The drought of Hanson''s incredibly loving look made him feel as though he was gradually losing his mind. His lips started to grow pale as drey curled upward. ¡°You still have feelings for him, don''t you?¡± ¡°Evander, do you know what you''re talking about?¡± Angeline''s expression darkened, and disbelief was written all over her face. The fact that Evander was die one saying such hurtful words made her disbelief even greater. ¡°What''s the matter? Did I say something wrong?¡± He had a look of utter contempt, and Iris abrupt roar echoed throughout the car. ¡°There''s nothing I can do about it ifdrat''s what you think. Let''s calm down on our own and¡ª¡± Before Angeline could even finish her words, she felt a sudden pain in her chin. Her face paled as she stared at Evander''s face right before her. Despite having tears in her eyes, she made every effort not to let them fall out of pride. On the other hand, die indifference on her face seemed to pierce Evander''s eyes, and his heart swelled with unquenchable wrath as he pinched her chin harder with his slender fingers. ¡°Don''t challenge me. Angeline!¡± The next moment, he lowered his head and kissed her scarlet lips. Angeline knitted her brows hi response and reached out to hit liis chest. However, not only were her hits soft as cotton to him, they even aroused his desire in him. He wasted no time and pinned her against the ss, die anger in his eyes reced by lust. Smack! The sound reverberated in the space. Evander''s head swung to the side from the impact, and a vivid red handprint was visible on his face. Angeline could still feel a slight throb in her palm. She stared at him in a daze, looking somewhat distressed. Never did she think that she would actually hit him in a panic. What was even more unexpected to her was that Evander did not avoid it even though he could have. He froze in diat position, his eyes downcast and expression hidden by his bangs. His silence made it impossible for her to infer liis emotions. Angeline frowned when she saw that, a hint of regret reflected in her eyes. "Get out!¡± Just as she was about to apologize, Evander''s icy voice rang out. Angeline gazed at his stem profile, feeling unspeakably aggrieved. Without uttering a word, she got out of the car and led Sebastian away. Every office building in the city was lit up as night fell and lights came on, reflecting the shadows of busy employees through the ss windows. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Evander strode into thepany with a grim expression and a bright red palm print that was particrly obvious on his attractive face. The employees walking around the lobby could not help but whisper among themselves when they noticed that. ¡°My goodness! I''m not hallucinating, am I? Look at the palm print on our boss'' face!¡± ¡°Good gracious! Who on earth had the guts to do that? Do they have a death wish?¡± ¡°Wow! If this makes it to the news headline, it''ll surely go viral, right?¡± Ss, who had just left the financial department, drew a sharp breath when he heard the conversations outside. What? Someone pped the boss? His expression instantly changed. He hurriedly rushed into the elevator and went upstairs. Only Evander''s silhouette could be seen under the dim lighting in the office. Even his facial features were difficult to make out. ¡°Mr. Golding, there is a document pending your approval from the finance department,¡± Ss informed cautiously. ¡°Bring it over,¡± Evander replied in a deep voice, and as he said that, he stretched out his hand and turned on the deskmp beside him. This time, Ss corrld see the other man''s face clearly as he walked over with the document. There was indeed a bright red palm print on his face. No way! Other than Angeline, I can''t think of anyone else who would dare to leave a mark on his face. ¡°Did Ms. Sorelle do that to you, Mr. Golding?¡± he asked, shock written all over his face. ¡°Mm,¡± came Evander''s curt reply. Ss frowned in displeasure. ¡°What''s going on with Ms. Sorelle? Why did she p¡ª?¡± Before he could finish speaking, Evander raised his eyes, and the piercing look that met his own was enough to send shivers down his spine. Ss immediately stopped talking and wanted nothing more than to give himself a few ps. I''m truly asking for it! I can''t believe I have the nerve to discuss my boss'' private matters! The breeze was a little chilly that night. Evander reached into his pocket for a cigarette, cocked his head to light it, and puffed out a ring of smoke that delicately enveloped Iris attractive face like a veil. ¡°Have tire PR department suppress tire scandal involving Angeline and Hanson tonight and inform the major media outlets not to bother her.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Ss hurriedly responded, but while listening to his boss'' words, he could not help but praise Angeline inwardly. She''s probably the only person in this world who not only dares to p him but can even make him forgive and forget and help her willingly. What spell has she cast on him? However, judging from his expression, they seem to be at odds with one another again. I wonder how long it willst this time! The following morning, the sun was already high in the sky, but Angeline, who had been tossing and turning in bed all night, was still in bed. At that very moment, her nose started to itch, and she could not help but let out a sneeze. All she could see was Sebastian standing beside the bed, holding a feather that he had gotten from somewhere in one hand while muffling his chuckle with the other. The sunlight outside the window cast a gentle glow on his face. It was Angeline''s first time seeing the boy so bubbly, and the sight of it filled her with joy. She reached out and lifted him onto the bed. ¡°Well, well! You dare to tease me now. Let''s see what I''m going to do with you.¡± As she spoke, Angeline tickled Sebastian''s underarms and buried her head on his shoulder, inhaling the pleasant scent on his body. The boy swung his legs and giggled. At that moment, he also slowly took out a phone. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Angeline noticed that she had an iing call from Nancy and was slightly taken aback. Only then did she understand the reason for Sebastian waking her up. She took the phone from him and quickly swiped to answer the call. ¡°Hello?¡± She sounded slightly apologetic. The scandal has been making headlines, and until now, there''s still no solution for it. I''m sure Nancy must be furious right now. She was expecting to be reprimanded, but all she could hear was Nancy chuckling on the other end of the line. ¡°You''re quite something, Angeline. You dealt with tire scandal before thepany could step in.¡± Angeline could not help but frown when she heard tliat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked in puzzlement. Nancy merely chuckled before reminding her, ¡°Still ying dumb with me, hull? Didn''t you see the news this morning? I was worried tliat your reputation would be ruined, but now I can finally rx. You can resume your normal work now.¡± What does she mean by tliat? Angeline frowned slightly, still confused, but before she could ask further, Nancy ended the call. Unable to contain her curiosity, she could only go on Twitter on her phone. Her news was trending on social media. She checked the trending topic and noticed tliat the user with the mostments had posted a piece of news about her incident, which read: Shocking! There is a turn of events hi Angeline''s hotel incident. Golding Group personally posted photos of her filming a water scene, for which Hanson was the producer. He only helped send her to the hotel out of goodwill. A Golding Group employee apanied them the entire time. Do you believe it? Attached to the post was undisclosed footage of Angeline when she was filming a diving scene a long time ago. I didn''t expect it toe in handy here. Most importantly, it was Golding Group, a bigpany that had produced many acimed actors and actresses as well as other celebrities, that rified for her. Even if the viewers had doubts about this matter'', they would not dare to say anything now. Moreover, the user specified that they were apanied by Golding Group staff at the hotel, so how could there be any scandal when they were not alone? Angeline had to admit that Golding Group had handled tilings with exceptional efficiency because they were able to suppress her scandal without any mention of Sorelle Group. Angeline exhaled a sigh of relief when she saw tliat, but at the same time, she felt even worse about what she had done to Evander. I had a huge argument with him at the hotel entrance and even pped him. Angeline had thought tliat he hated her guts and tliat he would consider bringing her down in various ways. Never had she imagined that he would still help her out. She would be lying if she said tliat she was not grateful for it. Angeline picked up the phone, intending to call Evander to thank him, but the device felt heavy in her hand. She did not have the courage to call him. I can more or less figure out his character now that I''ve been with him for a while. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Angeline reckoned he must be furious right now that he probably could not be consoled over a phone call¡ªnot that she had the courage to do tliat. Angeline felt conflicted, as she was still caught in a dilemma about whether to make the call, yet, at the same time, she did not expect Evander''s call. Just like that, it felt as if their rtionship was strained. She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in a daze, feeling as though the sweet moments she experienced with Evander were but a dream. Fortunately for her, she had things to keep herself busy, as Sebastian''s child custody trial would soon begin. During the day, she would deliver food to Floretta at the hospital, and at night, she would be with herwyer to discuss the preparations for the trial. The night before the trial, Angeline had trouble falling asleep, so, d in a trench coat, she sat in front of the window, staring nkly at the view outside. Truth be told, she was not concerned about whether the case would go smoothly; she just found something amiss regarding Sebastian''s background. All of a sudden, Angeline remembered that when she went to take the paternity test, Nancy had told her that she seemed to have seen Olivine. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. It might not be tine, but how could it be so coincidental? Then there was Floretta. She was simr to Angeline in many ways tliat one could see they were rted at first nce. As tliat thought crossed her mind, Angeline caught a glimpse of Sebastian ying with toy blocks in the living room through the ss, which prompted her to shake off the thought in an instant. Sebastian was a poor kid. No matter what, she had to prepare everything so she could win the trial. There was no way she would allow Sebastian to fall into his alcoholic father''s hands again. Meanwhile, after- the turmoil dragged on for a week at Sorelle Group, Joseline never showed up even once. The people from the court personally drove out the employees before shutting the entire company down. The police would constantly be on patrol around thepany. Joseline, dressed in ck, would only dare leave the hotelte at night to take a peek at Sorelle Group''s current condition. Shutdown notice had been stered on thepany''s ss doors, and the walls were covered with messages written with paint. Some read: Repay your debts! Another- read: What a shittypany! I hope you will go bankrupt soon! Upon seeing those obscene words, Joseline felt as if a sharp de had pierced her heart. Her whole being trembled. To repay the employees, all properties under the Sorelle family had been sold off. Even so, it was not enough to cover the total debt. On top of all the debts on her back with nopany nor assets, Hanson wanted to divorce her as well, which made her life a living hell, as she was now wandering on the streets like a walking corpse. Joseline shed tears tliat covered her pale and haggard face. Her eyes were filled with utter destion. Shortly afterward, she stretched out her hands and tore all the notice stered on the building. ¡°Liars! You''re all liars! Go to hell, Angeline!¡± Her voice echoed across the once lively Sorelle Group, which was now dark and vacant, much like an abandoned city. Why did I end up like this while Angeline remains on top of the world? Why does she have Golding Group''s support and even have them speak up for her when thousands of people are criticizing me? Just what is wrong with me? Hatred painted Joseline''s eyes as she clenched her fists. Her heart was set aze with her fighting spirit. I will destroy you, Angeline. Just like how you''ve taken everything from me. I''ll snatch everything from you even if it means giving my all. When the trial day came, it waspulsory for Angeline to attend, but she feared triggering Sebastian, so she decided against bringing him along to bear witness. Fortunately, Nancy happened to have the day off. She could look after Sebastian for half a day. Early in the morning, Nancy had called Angeline, asking thetter to bring Sebastian to the amusement park earlier, as she had purchased four tickets. Angeline wondered who Nancy would bring along. Upon arriving at the entrance of the amusement park, they spotted two familiar faces¡ªRoger and Floretta. Floretta, dressed in a pink princess dress, hair tied into two cute ponytails, and with a checkered balloon in her hand, stared at them with widened eyes. Sebastian reacted faster as his eyes lit up. Breaking free from Angeline''s hand, he ran toward Floretta. ¡°Sebastian!¡± Floretta pulled away as well, hugging Sebastian with a huge smile. The kids stared at each other with sheepish smiles, which created a joyous atmosphere. The initially nervous Angeline was bubbling with tion at tliat sight. Walking toward them, Angeline gave Nancy and Roger a meaningful look with a teasing smile on her face. ¡°When did you two foes get together-? I really didn''t see thising.¡± Blushing, Nancy immediately rified, ¡°That''s nonsense. We''re purely friends. I posted abouting here on Instagram, and he insisted on joining us with Floretta.¡± "Oh? Is that so?¡± Angeline stared at them ambiguously, her mood uplifted. ¡°Yeah. I only agreed because Floretta''s discharged, and her injuries are almostpletely healed. Besides, it won''t do her good if all she does is stay at the hospital,¡± Nancy uttered, reaching out to poke Roger''s waist. Her exnation did not make any sense, though. Scratching the back of his head, Roger stared at Nancy lovingly. ¡°Yeah, whatever she said,¡± he said, Iris voice filled with affection. Nancy''s face turned red once again, while Angeline could not help but burst outughing. She had been in a rtionship before, so how could she not miss the peculiar ambient between Nancy and Roger? Even so, since the two refused to reveal their rtionship, she did not see the need to say anything about it. ¡°All right. I''ll count on you both to take care of the kids, then.¡± Angeline''s smile gradually disappeared as she stared at Nancy seriously. ¡°Sebastian has a heart problem. Don''t let him get too excited.¡± ¡°Don''t worry. I got it.¡± Looking at Nancy''s solemn expression, Angeline rxed and handed Sebastian''s stuff to them. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Seeing that she had sessfully made Sebastian take the bait, Joseline smirked triumphantly. She then swiped across the screen and showed the kid each and every photo she had with liis mother. ¡°See? I''m not lying to you. I even have photos of your mommy when she was little. She looks so much like you in this photo.¡± Sebastian had his whole attention on the photos. Astounded, he tilted his head to look at Joseline. Even though he did not trust Joselinepletely, he was no longer defensive toward her. Right then, Joseline''s another phone that she kept in her pocket rang. She quickly answered the call and pretended to be in a conversation with the person on the other end before feigning shock. ¡°What! Angeline''s in a car ident? How could that be? How serious is it?¡± When Sebastian heard his mother''s name, anxiety appeared in his eyes. He stretched a hand out and clutched theer of Joseline''s clothes. ¡°All right. We''ll be there right away,¡± uttered the woman before she ended the call. Right after that, she gripped Sebastian''s shoulders, eyes filled with nervousness. ¡°Your mommy''s in a serious car ident. I bet the person she wants to meet the most is you. Do you want toe with me?¡± Being the innocent kid that he was, Sebastian nodded frantically at the mention of his mother being in trouble. He pulled Joseline''s hand. ¡°Cahn down. We''ll go right away.¡± Wrapping an aim around his shoulder. Joseline fastened her pace as they exited the amusement park. Upon arriving at a certainer, she sneaked a nce at a nearby figure and secretly gestured an ¡°okay¡± sign to the person. Meanwhile, at the court, a battle was about to ensue. Under the judge''s order, the alcoholic couple was dragged into the court. They were both wearing prison uniforms. Standing at one of the sections, Angeline could not hide the cold glint in her eyes when she saw them. When the couple spotted Angeline, resentment lit up in their eyes as they pounced on her like mad people. ¡°You b*tch! You''re the reason we''re in jail now! Go to hell!¡± ¡°Yeah, you even lied to us, saying you''re a rtive or something! That was merely a scheme of yours, wasn''t it?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Their pent-up anger while they were in jail finally exploded at that point. Several police officers were holding them down to prevent them from moving around. It was an appalling scene. Angeline refused to speak a word to the couple as she red at them. All she felt for them was hatred. This is where your lives end, you heartless b*stards. After they seeded in calming the alcoholic pah down, the judge hit the gavel. ¡°Enough. To start this case officially, I need all of you to calm down and cooperate with us,¡± stated the judge in a deep voice. As the alcoholic couple was from the countryside, they could not afford awyer. Moreover, after the incident, each of their rtives left them, with not even one person helping them. Angeline, on the other hand, had hired the bestwyer in the entire industry. It could be said that he was bound to win. Once the trial started, he walked to the front with documents in liis hand before bowing to the judge politely. ¡°Everyone, I''m fully prepared for this case. There''s evidence of tliis couplemitting domestic violence against the child, as well as the child''s bony condition during the time he was rescued. It''d only take heartless creatures to abuse such a small child.¡± As he said that, he handed the documents to the judge. The photos were obviously extremely disturbing that the judge''s expression changed after he took a few nces. ¡°We have solid evidence here. How would you like to justify yourselves?¡± Normally, in this situation, people would not dare to make a sound. However, it could not be said the same with this shameless couple. They gritted then teeth, not iming to remain silent. David, the alcoholic man. refuted, ¡°So what if you have evidence? We''re living in modem times. Who''s to say they weren''t photoshopped? That woman has an ulterior motive and is trying to frame us!¡± Angeline''s face darkened. I''ve never met such a shameless person. The evidence is right in liis face, yet he still has the guts to spout nonsense. Angeline''s rage skyrocketed. ¡°Don''t listen to him, Your Honor. That man abuses his wife as well. If you don''t believe me, you can have someone check the scars on her body.¡± Hearing that, the judge nodded and signaled for the bodyguards to perform the inspection. ¡°All! Don''t touch me!¡± shrieked the woman at the first contact with them. She struggled with all her might, but it was to no avail when the bodyguards tore her shirt open roughly, revealing the tank top she was wearing, as well as the countless scars covering her shoulders. Some were fresh wounds, and some were scars from previous injuries. It was a ghastly sight. Despite that, the woman endured the pain day and night. Even at tliis moment, she was still trying to find excuses for her husband. Angeline took a deep breath topose herself before uttering calmly, ¡°That alone is enough to prove liis tendency toward domestic violence. After they adopted my child, they had been beating him to the point of death, yet they still refuse to give up liis custody. I suggest that they immediately be sentenced to prison. Show them no mercy.¡± ¡°You b*tch! I''m going to kill you!¡± bellowed David. Rage was painted in liis eyes. Angeline indeed had solid evidence. They had been preparing for so long just for this day. so losing was not an option. On the contrary, David knew it was over for him, so he used tliis final chance to express liis dissatisfaction before he lost his sanity. However, what good would that do? When everyone least expected it, the door to the court was pushed open, followed by a child''s sobs. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Standing at the door was a thin and small figure. He was looking at the scene in front cluelessly. Little did he know his appearance created amotion in the court. Angeline''s expression froze instantly when she spotted the kid. ¡°Sebastian?¡± She abruptly got up from the chair, stabilizing herself by holding onto the back of the chair. She was staring at Sebastian in utter surprise. Isn''t he supposed to be at the amusement park? Howe he''s here? When David noticed Sebastian, hope appeared in his eyes. He shouted. ¡°Come here, my son! Tell them I''ve never hit you, or I''ll be put behind bars!¡± Sebastian raised his head and looked at David, which instantly triggered him, causing him to have difficulty breathing. Beads of sweat even started to secrete on his forehead. ted, the woman beside David waved at Sebastian and added. ¡°Yeah,e to us, Sebastian.¡± They were putting a lot of pressure on Sebastian with their attitude, prompting the kid to keep walking backward as fear engulfed his whole being. Noticing the expression on Sebastian''s face, the worried Angeline left her seat and shouted in the judge''s direction, ¡°That''s enough! The trial''s over. Hurry and lock them up!¡± She then jogged toward Sebastian, reached out. and cautiously pulled him into her embrace. ¡°Shh, I''m here,¡± she consoled. Despite what Angeline said, the judge was still contemting the case instead of directly giving liis verdict. Unfortunately. this critical moment was exactly what gave David and liis wife an opening to exact revenge, especially when they could tell how frightened Sebastian was. Showing an evil smile, David deliberately stated, ¡°I''m your biological father, sweet child. Don''t trust that woman. Come to us, and we''ll love you.¡± David''s words pierced right through Sebastian''s heart, and as though he recalled a terrifying memory, liis face turned pale and his body trembled. ¡°That''s enough!¡± Angeline hollered at David, eyes filled with immense hatred. She then reached out a hand to caress Sebastian''s back gently. ¡°Don''t be afraid, Sebastian. I''m here. Stay with me.¡± Sebastian clutched his chest as liis face was dotted with sweat. Immediately after that, he passed out. ¡°Sebastian!¡± Angeline shouted. Watching Sebastian faint right in front of her, she felt as if her whole strength had left her body and she nearly lost her footing. When Sebastian lost consciousness, the atmosphere in the court became chaotic. The judge stood up and hit die gavel. ¡°Quick! Get an ambnce! And put those criminals in prison!¡± It was not until the ambnce arrived at the court did Angeline return to her senses and walk out while carrying Sebastian into the vehicle. There were no colors on die kid''s face, and his body showed signs of turning cold. Angeline''s face darkened with every second. Widi rage in her heart, she forcefully knocked on die front seat. ¡°Please speed up!¡± shemanded die driver. ¡°Don''t worry, Miss. We''ll be on time for die child''s treatment,¡±forted the driver, which sessfully calmed Angeline''s pounding heart. Not long after, the ambnce arrived at the hospital. However, the sight in front caught Angeline off guard, as countless reporters and fans¡ªholding cards¡ªwere standing outside the entrance of die hospital. There were so many of them it was impossible to get past diem. Angeline''s face paled at the scene. As she clenched her fists, a glint of coldness shed across her eyes. These people won''t appear at the hospital for no reason, especially at such a time. Also, widi Sebastian''s sudden appearance at the court, it''s obvious that somebody plotted this whole tiling. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. With no warning, Angeline once again fell into their trap. Anxiously, the driver voiced. ¡°What do we do? These people are truly nuts. Even the nurses can''t get out because they blocked the way. If we dy this any longer, tilings might not be good.¡± Angeline''s face turned ashen when she realized the severity of the situation. She tided her best to cahn herself down. These people obviously want me to get out of die car and personally admit that Sebastian''s my child, but if I do diat, all those public rtions I did in die past will be like a p to my face, which could endanger my career. However, if I don''t, Sebastian''s life will be in danger. Like it or not, I have to make a decision. After taking a deep breath, Angeline said, ¡°I''ll get out of die car and send diem away. I think not many people are at the back door, so please hurry and send Sebastian to die emergency room.¡± ¡°All right. Take care, then, Ms. Sorelle,¡± replied the driver solemnly as he nodded at Angeline. Feeling relieved at liis words, the woman opened die car door and slowly got out of the vehicle. As soon as she was outside, die driver wasted no time driving away, which caused her to breathe a sigh of relief. The reporters approached her and surrounded her, dropping questions one after another. ¡°Angeline, have you been lying to die public for all diese years? You said you don''t have a child, but diat''s not true, right?¡± Angeline could barely open her eyes because of those blinding camera shes, and the questions made her feel even more suffocated. However, she had to keep her emotions in control. Looking at the cameras, she responded collectedly, ¡°Yes. I indeed have a child, but I''ve kept everyone in the dark about this, and for that, I sincerely apologize.¡± She bowed deeply to the crowd. Atst, die secret she had kept from die public for all diese years was now out in the open. In the entertainment industry, a female celebrity giving birth to a child was a huge taboo. Such practice would bring damage to her reputation, specifically since she had risen to fame from her drama. The Journey. Even so, Angeline strangely felt no regret. On the contrary, relief washed over her. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 After all, in all the years she worked in the entertainment industry, keeping this fact a secret had taken her a lot of effort. She had to be extra cautious every day in fear of people discovering the truth about her child. She seemed to have gotten used to keeping to herself that she dared not face the outside world. However, as of today, things had taken a different turn, and Angeline felt as though a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. As expected, her words caused amotion in the crowd. The reporters furrowed then brows tightly, showing evident displeasure for her. ¡°Ms. Sorelie, haven¡¯t you considered that your fans would be disappointed when you decided to hide such a big matter from them? Don''t you have any respect for your fans?¡± ¡°Of course I respect them,¡± replied Angeline sincerely, staring straight at the cameras. ¡°I''ve always regarded my fans as family, but I have my own reasons for doing this, so I hope everyone can respect my decision. I also hope you will not use having a child as a reason to define female actresses as a whole.¡± However, she underestimated the fans'' tolerance level. They were filled with so much rage that they could not help but yell at her. ¡°That is not an eptable excuse. You''ve broken our trust!¡± ¡°That''s right! You''re a liar!¡± Not uttering a single word, Angeline lowered her head, enduring all the insults they threw at her. As she was the one who had lied to them first, she was willing to endure this. Despite that, the more she remained silent, the angrier the crowd got. They threw the cards and water bottles they were holding at her. ¡°Leave the entertainment industry. Angeline!¡± ¡°You''ve betrayed our trust! Do you think you would be where you are today if not for us spending our money on your program?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten who bought your magazine covers? You lied to us. Go back to being an insignificant fry!¡± After that, they threw their water bottles at Angeline again. Some even started to pour water on her. In an instant, Angeline was drenched from head to toe, causing her to frown and shudder. As she stared into the terrifying eyes of the people in front of her, she felt even colder as though she was in an icy-cold, deste cave. Finding herself in immense helplessness, Angeline wanted to escape, but she was surrounded by her fans, who were throwing words of criticism at her. They did not even give her a chance to breathe. Just when she felt herself falling into deeper despair, she was suddenly held in a warm embrace. What followed was the sound of a water bottle hitting a physique, but she did not feel any pain. Raising her head slightly, she looked at the person, only to be shocked upon finding out who it was. Evander? Howe he''s here out of nowhere? After quite a long time, she regained her senses and wrapped an aim around Evander''s waist. ¡°A-Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡± she asked, her lips trembling. Even though Evander''s face was a tad pale, he showed no signs of difort. ¡°I''m all right,¡± he responded calmly. Then, he skillfully intertwined his fingers with the woman''s, adding in a soft tone, ¡°Stay still. I''ll get you out of here.¡± Angeline was on the verge of tears. It was as if she had found an outlet to release all the grievances she felt. Pressing herself against his chest, she stretched out a hand to pull theer of the man''s shirt. ¡°Okay.¡± Receiving Angeline''s permission, Evander took off his coat and draped it on the woman. He then escorted her out of the ce while protecting her. While they were leaving, the crowd behind them did not quieten down. ¡°You shameless liar! Leave the industry!¡± ¡°Leave the entertainment industry!¡± Those painful words stabbed through her heart like a dagger. Angeline knitted her brows tightly, anguish written on her face. Noticing that, Evander covered her ears with liis hands to prevent her from hearing any more of those comments. He protected her to the fullest. As they entered the hospital, the bodyguards did not allow the crowd to enter, which created a safe space for Angeline. Staring at Evander. she noticed how soaked the man''s back was, making her wonder just how many water bottles he had blocked for her. Moved by his gesture, she was about to thank him when the frantic footsteps of the nurses echoed from upstairs. ¡°Hurry! The boy in the operating room is in critical condition! He needs immediate attention!¡± When Angeline heard that, her face instantly lost color, and she ran upstairs with no hesitation. She had no other thoughts in her mind: she just wanted to see Sebastian. As she did not show any concern for him, Evander froze on the spot. Angeline dashed upstairs, looking at the busy crowd. Feeling her heart pounding, she reached out and gripped the hem of a nurse''s shirt. ¡°Excuse me. How is the boy''s condition?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Are you his mother?¡± The nurse stared at Angeline with a deep frown, her face contorted. ¡°He''s not in a good state. Since he has congenital heart disease, he can''t be triggered. He''s currently in danger. Something must have triggered him severely.¡± Angeline lost her bnce at the nurse''s words. It took her a long time to barely find her bnce again. She gripped the nurse''s hand and begged. ¡°Please. Please save him. He''s still so young. He shouldn''t ¡ª¡± ¡°Please calm down. We understand, and we''ll perform our best,¡± said the nurse before she turned around and left. Angeline watched as the door to the operating room slowly closed. Feeling her heart drop, she sped her hands together, praying for Sebastian to return to her side safe and sound. While she was feeling anxious, Evander showed up out of the blue and ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don''t worry. Sebastian will be fine,¡± heforted in a deep voice. Eventually, Angeline could no longer hold back her tears as they streamed down her cheeks. ¡°This is all my fault,¡± she said, voiceced with guilt. ¡°Had I been more alert, he wouldn''t have been targeted. I failed to protect him.¡± ¡°No. This has nothing to do with you,¡± Evander replied, looking at her seriously. However, as if she did not hear him, she continued wailing, ¡°This is all my fault. I''m not a good mother. It''s all my fault...¡± ¡°Cahn down, Angeline. You have to knowr that some things are out of our control.¡± With that, he pulled Angeline into liis arms, gently patting the woman''s back. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Angeline regretted attending the court proceeding. I should have stayed home to look after Sebastian since he was not feeling well and left everything to thewyer. She knew how agitated Sebastian would be when he saw his drunkard father because he grew up being abused by that man. ¡°Angeline!¡± A series of rapid footsteps echoed in the corridor. Roger ran toward Angeline with Nancy and Floretta. Nancy''s hair was a mess. She seemed to have bawled her eyes out a while ago. as her bloodshot, teaiy eyes looked swollen. ¡°I''m so sony. Sebastian ran away when I left to buy him an ice cream. It''s all my fault. I didn''t take good care of him...¡± Nancy lowered her head to express her remorse. She knew Angeline cared deeply for Sebastian and was willing to sacrifice her career in the film industry for the sake of that boy. Angeline''s eyes darkened as she shook her head. She responded absent-mindedly, ¡°I knew this would happen. If anything bad happens to Sebastian, I...¡± She could not finish the sentence as words were caught in her throat. ¡°Don''t say that. Angeline. Go ahead and p me if that can appease you.¡± Nancy''s anxiety grew. Seeing how lifeless Angeline was sent a chill down Nancy''s spine. She was scared that this would be thest straw that broke the camel''s back. I''ll me myself for the rest of my life if Angeline falls into despair because of this. Angeline sat stoically on a chair in the corridor. Roger felt he needed to do something. He pulled Nancy to his side and sighed. ¡°We can''t me Nancy alone. All of us are responsible for Sebastian''s disappearance. Nancy literally looked through every comer of the amusement park to find him when she found out he was missing. You can''t me her.¡± ¡°That''s enough.¡± Angeline choked out. She covered her face with her hands. ¡°This has nothing to do with all of you. I shouldn''t have taken Sebastian out...¡± Roger knitted his brows, as he knew he had failed to calm her down. In fact, his words had made her feel even more guilty. Before Roger could continue to console her, Evander patted liis shoulder to stop him from trying. Compared to the others around Angeline, Evander seemed to be exceptionally calm. ¡°It''s not the time to point fingers at anyone, and we shouldn''t cause a scene in the hospital. Let''s keep our voices low.¡± After exchanging nces with Evander. Roger instantly zipped his mouth. Floretta, who was standing behind Nancy, tilted her head and took a sidelong nce at the adults, not knowing what to do. She ran up to Angeline, embraced her, and gave her a piteous look. ¡°Cheer up, Angel. Sebastian will be fine. I''m sure he''ll wake up in no time.¡± Tears started rolling down Angeline''s cheeks. She reached out, gave the girl a tight hug, and refused to let her go as if she was clinging to a float. Time passed by slowly. Sebastian''s surgery, which began at four in the afternoon, went on for another nine hours. Batches of surgeons dashed in and out of the operating theater, and all of them had grim expressions on their faces. All of a sudden, a lightning bolt struck across the sky and torrential rain ensued. The night was almost enveloped in total darkness. Everyone put their work aside to apany Angeline. They all hoped to hear good news about Sebastian. Angeline, looking as pale as a ghost, was especially in bad shape since she had not consumed anything at all. Everyone was worried that she might copse even before the surgery ended. For the fifth time, Nancy approached her with a bowl of chicken soup and expressed her concern. ¡°Angeline. you should eat something to warm your stomach, or at least talk to us. We''re really worried about you.¡± Yet. Angeline continued giving them the cold shoulder. She curled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees, looking disconste. Evander. who had just returned from a cigarette break with Roger, noticed how anxious Nancy was. He knew7 Nancy did not know7 what else she could do to make Angeline feel better. After patting the cigarette scent off his coat, he walked up to Nancy, took over the chicken soup, and squatted in front of Angeline. While stirring the hot chicken soup with a spoon, he asked, ¡°How7 much longer do you n on ignoring all of us?¡± Evander''s tone sounded calm, like a ship that sailed steadily on a stormy sea. ¡°If Sebastian doesn''t wake up. do you n on abstaining from food and drinks for the rest of your life? What if you fall sick when he regains consciousness?¡± He gradually scooped a spoonful of soup from the bowl and ced it next to Angeline''s mouth. She lifted her eyes and looked at Evander but did not give him any other responses. Evander seemed to have anticipated her reaction. After carefully blowing on the soup to cool it off, he said, ¡°Angeline, Sebastian is your son, so you must look after him. If you fall ill, who else will look after him when he wakes up? To me, a mother who doesn''t take good care of herself is an irresponsible mother.¡± He uttered those w7ords in a gentle voice, yet every w7ord he said carried weight Angeline clenched her fists. Her eyes glinted after she heard what he said. She muttered. ¡°You''re right. I must stay strong for Sebastian. I need to look after him when hees around...¡± She opened her mouth and took a sip of the chicken soup. At first, she choked on the liquid dish, but after pulling herself together, she swallowed it dutifully. Evander patiently fed her one spoon after another. In just a few¡¯ minutes, she emptied the entire bowl of soup. It was a weight off Roger''s and Nancy''s shoulders w7hen Angeline finally ate something. They were also relieved to see her cheeks turn rosy again.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Another four hours w7ent by in the blink of an eye wdiile everyone was waiting outside like cats on a hot tin roof. When the operating theater door was finally opened, a surgeon walked out. Angeline''s eyes lit up when she saw7 the surgeon from a distance. After steadying herself, she ran tow7ard him, held liis hands, and asked desperately. ¡°How''s the boy? Is he all right?¡± Upon noticing the exhausted look on her face, the surgeon patted her hand andforted her, ¡°Ms. Sorelie. the child is no longer in danger. We''ll transfer him to a regr wardter, so don''t worry. I must say, he''s a lucky boy.¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Angeline instantly felt relief upon hearing the doctor''s words. She stumbled at the sudden dizziness, her weak body swaying. Just then, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and held her in ce. Angeline leaned against him and regained stability with much difficulty. "Thank goodness. Angeline. I told you Sebastian would be all right.¡± Nancy tugged on Angeline''s aim excitedly. ¡°Yes...¡± Angeline muttered. Her eyes were misty, and she held back the tears that threatened to fall. "But you guys shouldn''t celebrate too soon.¡± The heaviness in the doctor''s tone was unmistakable. He had not left their side all tliis while. ¡°The boy regaining his consciousness doesn''t mean he has fully recovered. I''m afraid it''s very much the opposite. You should take extra care of him and prevent him from suffering any more shock.¡± ¡°We will certainly bear that in mind, doctor. Thank you.¡± Angeline bowed at him respectfully and beseeched. ¡°Please do your best for Sebastian''s sake.¡± ¡°Ms. Sorelie, this is too much.¡± The doctor hurriedly reached out to help her up. ¡°Rest assured that we''ll do our utmost best. However, I''d strongly urge you to transfer Sebastian to a hospital overseas as soon as possible, as the medical resources concerning cardiology here are still rather limited.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Angeline nodded solemnly. She could not rx for even one minute as the doctor''s words made her heart sink once more. Sebastian''s ever-worsening sickness only made her feel on edge. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Evander''s maic voice sounded. He wrapped her in liis embrace andforted her by nibbing her shoulder with his warm palm. ¡°I have a friend overseas who''s a chief cardiologist. He''s got a high sess rate of treating numerous patients. Once Sebastian''s condition has stabilized, I''ll arrange for liis transfer there immediately.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hope filled Angeline''s eyes once more. She raised her head and studied Evander''s chiseled profile. That was when she noticed the dark circles below liis eyes. She felt warmth swelling in her heart and gripped liis aim with her ice-cold hands. ¡°Thank you.¡± She had never imagined Evander taking time off despite his hectic schedule to apany her. They had parted ways on bad terms previously. She presumed he would still be mad and refuse to help her. ¡°There''s no need for that.¡± Evander''s expression fell. He helped Angeline over to a chair and requested a nket from the nurse on duty to warm Angeline''s legs. Angeline detected a hint of displeasure in Evander''s eyes although he was meticulous in tending to her needs. Her brows furrowed unconsciously as she attempted to figure out the reason behind liis vtile mood. Unfortunately, she did not have much time to spare for her musings. She hastened to Sebastian''s ward after speaking to the doctor. Roger and Nancy finally sumbed to then fatigue after staying awake all night and made then way home after being informed that Sebastian was fine. Sebastian was at the forefront of Angeline''s mind, and she only spared the others a cursory nod before heading straight to his ward. Roger sighed as he observed how Evander''s gaze lingered on Angeline. He gently patted Evander''s shoulder and cocked liis brows. ¡°Evander. you should take the initiative more often. It''s fairlymon for couples to argue as long as they don''t cross the other''s boundaries. If you two don''t make up and get back together. I swear I''ll never believe in love ever again.¡± Roger took his leave after that. Evander''s stony gaze was pensive as he leaned against the wall with one hand in liis pocket. Meanwhile, Angeline had finally mustered the courage to open the door to Sebastian''s ward. She was weed by the pungent smell of disinfectant as soon as she set foot inside the room. A thin and frail figure was lying on the sick bed. Countless tubes were attached to liis body, and liis pulse on the electrocardiogram was weak. Angeline''s heart twisted, and she covered her face to stave off the tears that threatened to emerge. It was inconceivable how a child at the tender age of five had to go through such excruciating pain. She regained herposure and took her ce at the side of the bed. Her hold on Sebastian''s hand was firm as she stared unblinking at his unconscious form. She was the only one Sebastian had left in the world. No matter what happened, she would never abandon him and would patiently await the day he awakened. The sun''s rays, which pierced through the dark clouds and illuminated the earth, heralded dawn. The intensive care unit was shrouded in darkness, the rhythmic beeping of the electrogram the only sound in the dead silence. It was unknown howr much time had passed wlien Sebastian''s hand that was held by Angeline twitched. Angeline''s eyes red with hope as soon as she detected Sebastian''s movement. She leaned forward and said into liis ear urgently, ¡°Sebastian, you''re awake, aren''t you? You''ve been sleeping for an entire day now; Open your eyes and look at me, please?¡± Sebastian must have heard her as his arm moved slightly, and liis eyelids gradually lifted shortly after. He gave Angeline a nk stare, the look in his eyes causing Angeline''s blood to run cold. ¡°What''s wrong with you. Sebastian? Don''t scare me like that!¡± Angeline swallowed nervously, and her heart was in her mouth. Sebastian grunted in agony, and tears welled up in liis eyes. Angeline''s heart shattered, and she rushed to pour him a ss of warm wrater which she served him spoonful by spoonful. Sebastian''s eyes were full of repulsion as he batted the water away with all his might. Angeline yelped in pain wlien it shattered on the floor and the hot water spilled all over her thighs. ¡°I''m s-scared!¡± Sebastian jumped off the bed in terror and dashed into aer of the room with a pillow'' in his hand. Angeline''s face nched as she noted the IV drip on the back of Sebastian''s pahn that was on the verge of detaching itself. ¡°Sebastian, cahn down! Don''t hurt yourself!¡± Chapter 250 Chapter 250 However, the more anxious she was, the more Sebastian resisted her. The boy continued yelling hysterically while hurling objects at Angeline, including liis pillow and bottles on the table. Angeline''s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach when she was faced with Sebastian''s sudden rejection. Even though her thigh, which was scalded earlier, was still hurting, and her forehead was already covered with beads of perspiration, the woman did not dare to leave. Suddenly, a bottle flew right at her. Angeline did not see iting and was unable to dodge in time. Just as she prepared herself to be hit, she was pulled into a broad embrace. Thud! The next instant, the bottle mmed against Evander''s body. The room immediately plunged into pin-drop silence. Angeline froze for a few seconds before she looked up at the man with a worried expression. ¡°Are you all rig¡ª?¡± Before she could finish her sentence. Evander had already turned around and was walking toward Sebastian''s bed. He held the boy down by his shoulders before lifting him up. ¡°Boohoo...¡± Sebastian started hitting Evander while trying to struggle out of the man''s aims. Seeing that his efforts were to no avail, he started crying. Evander put the boy back on the bed and watched coldly by the side as he continued crying. Angeline felt her heart clench. Wlien she could no longer take it and was about to walk toward the boy, Evander extended liis aim and ced his hand on the woman''s shoulder. Calmly, he reminded her, ¡°Don''t go over unless you want him to be controlled by liis autism for the rest of liis life.¡± Wlien Angeline heard that, she halted in her tracks. At that moment, her heart was burning with anxiety. More than anyone else, she hoped that Sebastian would recover. She could not help but feel that she owed the boy a lot. and it pained her greatly to see him suffer. Realizing that crying did not help, Sebastian tried to pull out the tubes that were attached to liis body. Finally, Evander could no longer stand idly by. He grabbed the boy''s shoulders and looked at him at eye level before saying in a solemn voice, ¡°Stop moving about!¡± There was no hint of jest in the man''s voice. On the other hand, anger could be seen in liis eyes. ¡°We spent an entire day trying to save you from the brink of death. If you pull out the tubes, you will die from not being able to breathe. If that happens, you will no longer be able to go to school, and you will not be able to see your mommy and Floretta forever. So, you''d better think carefully before you do anything.¡± Tears welled up in Sebastian''s eyes. It seemed like Evander''s words had scared him. Angeline furrowed her brows in concern when she heard that as she thought that Evander was a little too harsh on the boy. Nevertheless, she had to admit that it had produced desired results. Although Sebastian was pouting and had an aggrieved expression, his eyes were filled with fear as he looked at Evander. He no longer dared to throw tantrums in front of the man. Grabbing theers of liis nket, he swiftly burrowed underneath. Seeing that the boy had calmed down. Angeline quickly pressed the bell above his bed to summon the nurse who was on duty. Sebastian remained quiet and held back his tears while the nurse reinserted liis breathing tube and IV drip. Instead of describing the boy as being sensible, it was more apt to attribute liis behavior to liis timid and inferior nature as a result of what he had been through. He had gotten liis fail'' share of beatings ever since he was young. As such, he had never dared to throw tantrums. If he felt like crying, he would do so quietly. Even though Sebastian was only five, the shine in his eyes was long gone. While Evander walked the nurse out, Angeline sat next to the boy''s bed and fixed her gaze on liis pale face. Letting out a heavy sigh, she said, ¡°Don''t be mad at me. We have to do this so that you can be like other normal kids as soon as possible. You have to be a good boy and receive treatment. Let''s persevere together, okay?¡± Sebastian remained silent for a while before turning around and wiping away the tears at theer of liis eyes with liis shoulders. He had stopped crying and was behaving himself. A whileter, he closed liis eyes and drifted off to sleep. Angeline was not sure if he had heard what she said. Wlien she saw the boy''s tear-stricken face, her heart wrenched in pain. Suddenly, her phone in her pocket rang. She took it out and nced at the caller ID. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The woman''s expression tensed when she saw thewyer''s name shing on the screen of the phone. Not wanting to disturb Sebastian''s sleep. Angeline switched her phone to silent mode and exited the room quietly after tucking the boy in. She did not know where Evander was as she did not see him anywhere in the silent corridor. Angeline answered the call, and thewyer''s respectful voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Good evening, Ms. Sorelle. How is Mr. Sebastian doing?¡± Hearing that, Angeline visibly rxed and replied in a much gentler voice, ¡°He has already woken up. Thanks for asking.¡± ¡°That''s wonderfill news! You must have been so worried. Anyway, Ms. Sorelle. I have good news for you. The court has already decided on Mr. Sebastian''s case. Congrattions, you have been awarded liis custody.¡± Angeline was overjoyed upon hearing that. The weight that had been crushing her heart was finally lifted. She felt genuine gratitude toward thewyer as she breathed a deep sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you. You''ve worked hard. Let me buy you a meal when things are more stable.¡± ¡°Please don''t mention it, Ms. Sorelle. I''m just doing my job.¡± After a pause, thewyer suddenly changed the topic. ¡°However, I found something suspicious when I was miming a background check on Sebastian.¡± It turned out that Angeline''s happiness was short-lived. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the man''s words, and she tightened her grip on her phone. ¡°Please go ahead.¡± In a grave voice, thewyer said, ¡°ording to wrhat you told me, Sebastian was previously abducted from the orphanage before being sold to David. If that were the case, the orphanage should have liis information. However, upon checking, the orphanage did not have any records of Sebastian.¡± All color drained out of Angeline''s face when she heard that, and the gaze in her eyes darkened. ¡°Are you sure?¡± the w¡¯oman asked, her heart racing with nervousness. Thewyer hesitated for a few seconds before answering in a serious tone, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, I wouldn''t dare to joke about that. It was indeed wdiat I found out from my investigation, but I can''t be a hundred percent sure. There might be more than meets the eye. If you really want to know'' the truth, I would suggest you make a trip to the orphanage yourself. You might be able to find some usefill information.¡± After saying that, he hung up. It was obvious from thewyer''s ambiguous reply that he did not wrant to get himself into any trouble. However, the conversation left Angeline with conflicting emotions wan ing in her heart. If wdiat the man said was true, that Sebastian had never stayed at the orphanage, then the statement made to the court about the boy being kidnapped from the orphanage back then would no longer be valid, and a retrial would be needed. Moreover. Joseline was the one wrho told Angeline back then that her child was still alive. Given that the evil woman would resort to any means to acquire the Sorelle Group, including murdering people. Angeline had no doubt that she would have tampered with the information regarding Sebastian''s background. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Angeline was racking her brain thinking about this when she heard a thud from the trash cans nearby. She immediately grew wary and walked toward the source of the sound. When she pushed open the metal door near the staircase, she vaguely saw a tall figure in the dimly lit corridor. ¡°Ah!¡± Angeline shrieked instinctively. Immediately after that, a toned aim wrapped around her waist, and the smell of cigarettes wafted into her nose. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Evander''s deep voice rang out. Angeline rxed and dropped her guard. Her shoulders rxed as she grumbled reproachfully, ¡°You scared me. I thought you went back home. Why are you hiding here?¡± ¡°I was having a smoke,¡± Evander exined in his deep voice. He noticed Angeline''s frown and immediately threw his cigarette on the ground, stomping on it with his leather shoe. ¡°Has Sebastian fallen asleep?¡± Angeline was touched by his caring gesture and replied in a much gentler voice. ¡°Yes. It''s all because of you. I couldn''t have handled it alone. Sebastian listens to you surprisingly well.¡± Evander stared at her intently. ¡°He''s just afraid. Sebastian was diagnosed with autism, and liis mental state isn''t too good. I rmend that a psychologist counsel him long term before he goes abroad.¡± ¡°Sure, I have no objections,¡± Angeline agreed to it instantly. She had already considered this idea for a long time because Sebastian would benefit from professional guidance. However, she had not been able to cany out this n due to his body''s condition. Evander''s expression softened as he said solemnly, ¡°There''s one more tiling. It''s rted to the incident this time.¡± Angeline instantly became nervous. ¡°I instructed Ss to retrieve the surveince footage from the amusement park and found out Sebastian was brought away by a mysterious woman. Her figure was simr to Joseline''s. However, there was no concrete evidence until we found this picture at the toilet''s entrance.¡± With that, Evander took out liis phone and opened liis photo album before passing it to her. When Angeline saw the photo, she became agitated at once. ¡°It''s her! It''s really Joseline!¡± Sebastian had a cautious nature and was much more mature than most children liis age. Knowing this, Joseline tricked Sebastian using a photo of her and Angeline. Angeline found it ironic as she looked at the photo of herself and Joseline being close in school. She did not even want to cast a second nce at it now. After she calmed down, she became puzzled. ¡°Joseline was the one who provided me with Sebastian''s whereabouts so that I knew he was still alive. What benefit does she gain from doing this?¡± ¡°This is what I wanted to tell you too.¡± Evander leaned against the wall. The dim light fell on his face, casting anguid and seductive glow on him. ¡°When Joseline told you about Sebastian''s whereabouts, she must have threatened you, right?¡± ¡°Oh! You''re right!¡± Angeline came to a realization and continued. ¡°She threatened me to give up twenty percent of Sorelle Group''s shares!¡± Evander patted her shoulder and shot her a satisfied look, as though praising her intelligence for getting it so quickly. Joseline would go to any lengths to gain something from Angeline since she had something precious to thetter to serve as a bargaining chip. Due to Wilfred''s scheming before he passed away, Sorelle Group soon went bankrupt. Joseline naturally chose tosh out at Angeline. She would take extreme measures to harm Angeline even if it resulted in a huge loss for her. ¡°She''s an insane person! She won''t even let a kid go. I''m calling the police!¡± After Angeline understood the situation, she was infuriated. She immediately took out her phone from her pocket. Before she could press any buttons, Evander spoke up. ¡°It''s toote. Ss would have already called the police if that was what was necessary. However, Joseline took an early morning flight and left the country today. The Yiurk family didn''t even know about this.¡± Upon hearing Evander''s words, burning rage churned within her. The hatred in her eyes was frightening. ¡°She better not show up ever again.¡± She owes the Sorelle family too much! She will never be able to make up for her wrongdoings, even with her death! Evander stared at her intently. Despite the countless people he had met, he had never seen anyone with that much hatred in their eyes. It was as if she had fallen into an abyss with endless darkness. The Angeline he knew was a smart and confident woman! Evander grabbed Angeline''s hand. When he reached out to touch her fingers, liis heart ached when he felt the icy cold temperature. It was as though her blood had been drained out of her body. He could not help but give her a tight hug. Pulling open liis jacket, he ced her hands inside. Angeline froze and stood rooted to the ground in shock. She did not expect Evander to do something like this. Her face flushed crimson. They had already broken up, so it was inappropriate for them to be touching each other like this. ¡°L-Let go of me!¡± Angeline''s hands were on Evander''s chest as she tried to push him away a few times. ¡°Joseline is definitely going to jail. You need proper rest right now. It''s not the time for you to think about exacting your revenge,¡± Evander whispered in her ear in a soothing voice. At that moment, Angeline forgot to struggle as her heart thumped wildly. She felt the walls that she had built recently crumbling. After what seemed like an eternity. Angeline started to feel lightheaded as her vision gradually blurred. Her eyes closed slowly, as if a thousand pounds of weight were weighing them down. Before she lost consciousness and fell into Evander''s arms, she felt a long-awaited sense of peace. At the Golding residence, a deafening silence enveloped the area. All the housekeepers were kneeling on the ground with then heads lowered. They didn''t even dare to breathe loudly. Everyone was aware of Valerie''s ruthless nature. She didn''t get angry easily, but when she did. she would take it all out on everyone. Valerie sat on the couch in the living room, dressed in a dark green gown. Her hair was neatly tied in a bun. She seemed alert and energized, not a hint of her advanced age showing. Olivine was sitting by her side with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her eyes darkened as she drank a sip of her coffee unhurriedly. ¡°How dare she? When I first saw that woman, I already had my suspicions. How elegant and dignified can an actress who serves as entertainment for everyone be? As it turns out, she really has given birth before!¡± Valerie was reading the newspaper in her hands. In her rage, she mmed her hand on the coffee table. Upon seeing that, her housekeepers couldn''t help but flinch.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Only Olivine was smiling in satisfaction. When she found out about the news of Angeline having an illegitimate child, she immediately rushed to the Golding residence with the newspaper. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Needless to say, Olivine was beyond delighted. Ha! Lady Luck has finally blessed me with the perfect opportunity! Even if Evander falls for Angeline again, there''s no way a scandalous woman like her will be epted into the prestigious Golding family. ¡°No need to get mad, Old Mrs. Golding,¡± Olivine gentlyforted as she ced her cup down and rubbed Valerie''s shoulder. ¡°It''s not worth worrying yourself sick over a woman like that. Evander was just blindly infatuated with her.¡± Upon hearing those words and realizing Angeline had tainted the Golding family''s reputation, Valerie exploded with rage, ¡°What''s wrong with Evander? How could he have fallen for such an atrocious woman?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let''s not me Evander now, Old Mrs. Golding. Our priority is to block the news from getting published, especially since some reporter''s have already taken photos of Evander and Angeline together.¡± ¡°What?¡± Valerie eximed as she leaped to her feet, looking absolutely livid. ¡°Which mediapany is it? How dare they disrespect the Golding family!¡± A glint instantly shed across Olivine''s eyes. ¡°Well, you know how fast news spreads among mediapanies. It''ll be hard to block them all unless we can find a way to extricate Evander from this mess.¡± Perceptive as always, Valerie fell silent and began pacing around with the aid of her- walking stick. Of course, it didn''t take long before a n came to mind. With that, she quickly turned around and held Olivine''s hand. ¡°Olivine, you and Evander have known each since you were kids, and I''ve always regarded you as my granddaughter-inw. s, it was never made official, and I deeply regret that. It must''ve been tough on you.¡± Even though tears had started welling up in Olivine''s eyes, she put on a brave front and shook her head understandingly. ¡°It''s okay, Old Mrs. Golding. I''m willing to wait for Evander no matter how long it takes.¡± ¡°Air, you''re a good kid,¡± Valerie said, tenderly patting the young woman''s hand before pulling thetter toward herself. ¡°However, you don''t have to wait anymore. I''ll get our butler to arrange a press conference and set a wedding date for you and Evander. I''ve checked the calendar before, and the fifteenth of next month seems like the perfect day.¡± For a moment, Olivine was so shocked that she didn''t know what to say. Oh, my gosh. I have nned on using Old Mrs. Golding''s influence to get close to Evander, but who knew she''d do me such a huge favor by deciding on our wedding? She must really hate Angeline to the core! Despite bubbling over with excitement, Olivine eventually snapped out of her daze and lowered her head with a look of feigned coyness. ¡°Hmm... But wouldn''t Evander be mad that we didn''t get his opinion?¡± ¡°He nearly brought shame to tire entire Golding family. What right does he have to disobey me?¡± Valerie scoffed. I love my grandson a lot, but this time, I have to harden my heart and do what''s best for him and the family! True enough, even though Valerie usually seemed like the peace-loving matriarch, everyone knew better than to defy her orders when she was in a rage. Otherwise, how could someone who had merely married into the Golding family have kept the n going strong for so many years? Now that the tables had beenpletely tinned against Angeline, Olivine was filled with indescribable joy. I''m d tlrat all the years I spent visiting the Golding residence and cozying up to Old Mrs. Golding have not been in vain. Ha... So what if Angeline is good at seducing men? She still lost in tire end! Meanwhile, Angeline felt as though she had slept for a century as she continuously wove in and out of nightmares. It took a lot of effort, but she finally opened her eyes and bolted upright in bed, panting heavily as her sweat-soaked clothes clung ufortably to her skin. Just then, a bright, chirpy voice rang out beside her. ¡°Angel, are you okay?¡± Angeline instantly looked up, only to see Floretta, with her two pigtails, standing by tire bed. Huh? Am I still dreaming, or is this reality? ¡°Floretta? Ar en''t you supposed to be at the Golding residence?¡± she asked suspiciously. ¡°Air, thank goodness the fever didn''t turn you silly,¡± Floretta replied as she felt Angeline''s forehead. When the little girl realized thetter''s fever had gone down, she sighed heavily and exined, ¡°School''s over, and I pleaded with Franny for ages before she brought me here. You''ve already been sleeping for two days, Angel! Youzy piggy!¡± Angeline couldn''t help but frown in confusion. What? I had a fever for two days? Wiry don''t I know'' anything? It wasn''t until she looked up and saw the half-empty IV drip that she finally knew'' she wasn''t dreaming. Feeling utterly helpless, she held up her hands and massaged her throbbing temples. I can''t believe it''s been two days... How''s Sebastian doing, then? Unable to calm her anxious droughts, Angeline promptly tried to remove the IV needle. ¡°No, Angel!¡± Floretta said sternly as she shot a hand out to stop the young woman. ¡°Daddy said you can''t leave until you''ve finished your IV treatment and has also instructed me to stay with you at all times.¡± Undeterred, Angeline gazed at her little nurse and gently pleaded, ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll be fine. Sebastian, however, needs to be cared for. I have to go to him.¡± ¡°No!¡± Floretta replied firmly. ¡°That can wait.¡± Angeline sighed. I bet Evander must''ve taught her to say that. With that determined look and confident posture, she does bear a striking resemnce to him. Before she could say anything else, Francesca entered the room with a bowl of stew and walked to the bed. ¡°That''s right, Ms. Sorelle. There''s no hurry.¡± After using a thermometer to take Angeline''s temperature, she added, ¡°The fever''s finally gone down. You haven''t eaten in two days, so I brought you some food.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Angeline said gratefully as she epted the stew and began stirring it mindlessly. ¡°So, did anything happen when I was unconscious?¡± Knowing what worried Angeline the most, Francesca instantly curled her lips into a smile. ¡°Don''t worry, Ms. Sorelle. Mr. Sebastian is safe and doing well. Mr. Golding sent him to a psychiatrist and persuaded him to undergo treatment. From what I heard, his condition has improved a lot.¡± Angeline heaved a sigh of relief and took a sip of her stew. ¡°I''m very grateful for his help.¡± As long as Evander''s in charge, I know I can always trust him to do the right thing. Sadly, given that she had only just recovered, Angeline didn''t have much appetite, nor could she taste her food very well. Nevertheless, she knew'' she had to regain her strength for Sebastian, so she forced herself to finish the stew. As soon as she was done eating and felt a little better, she gazed fondly at Floretta, who was sitting quietly beside the bed and drawing away. I''ve been so busy recently that Ipletely neglected her. Would she me me for it? The next second, Angeline got out of bed and sauntered to Floretta''s table. Not wanting to disturb the little girl, she leaned forward and grabbed her phone. Well, I''m sure my public admission of having given birth before has sent the inte into a tizzy. I can already picture the amount of news I''d be inundated with. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Even though Angeline had been in the entertainment industry for many years, there was still a moment of hesitation as she turned on the phone. One tiling was for sure, she needed to steel herself for what was toe. Once her phone had booted up, she was immediately flooded with countless missed calls from several companies. From the looks of it, even the bigwigs who seldom showed up in public had alsoe crawling out of the woodwork. Nancy, too, had texted her: I''ll handle tilings back at the office, so don''t show yourself for the time being. Try to keep it on the down-low for as long as you can. That said, you should prepare yourself for having your contract terminated by thepany. I''ll do my best to fight for yourpensation package! Upon realizing the gravity of the situation, Angeline felt tears welling up in her eyes. After all these years, the thing that worries me the most has finally happened. I''ve been with this company since my debut, and I wouldn''t have gone from being an influencer to an A-list celebrity if it weren''t for their help. s, I''ve caused irreparable damage this time around. I suppose one could even say I''ve ruined my own reputation... Thepany directors must be so riled up that they''re ready to cut off all ties with me! Ding! Just as Angeline was still immersed in her thoughts, the phone in her hand suddenly rang again. She instinctively held it up, only to realize a new article had popped onto her social media feed. Breaking news! Golding Group held a press conference earlier today, and Old Mrs. Golding attended with the granddaughter-inw of her choice¡ªOlivine Sherrock. She''s also announced that Evander Golding and Olivine Sherrock will be tying the knot on the fifteenth of the following month! Having read the article in full, Angeline staggered back and began trembling uncontrobly. Tying the knot? Wait a minute... Didn''t Evander tell me he has already called off his engagement with Olivine? Has he been lying to me this whole time? Did he also give the green light for this press conference? A hint of doubt shed across Angelinas eyes as she unwittingly clicked on the video embedded in the article. The next second, Valerie''s voice boomed out. ¡°Hello, everyone. As you know, the Golding family is one of the most prestigious families, so naturally, I have to find a granddaughter-inw who''s well-matched with my grandson. There''s no way I''ll let those scheming and scandalous female celebrities taint my family''s legacy.¡± Valerie was undeniably bold, and she had mercilessly destroyed the image of the acting industry with just her words. However, given the power she held, it went without saying that no one dared to question her. To make matters worse. Angeline could also tell that Valerie''s hurtful words were directed at her. ¡°I''ve known Olivine since she was a little girl, and she''s a proper, aplisheddy in all aspects. Besides, we''ve already agreed on the engagement with the Sherrock family a while back...¡± For the rest of the video, the ringing in Angeline''s ears became so loud that she couldn''t hear anything else. All she saw was Valerie holding Olivine''s hands lovingly, yet to her, the entire scene was utterly painful to watch. Feeling as though she had been drained of every ounce of her strength. Angeline had to press her hand on the table to steady herself. A bitter smile spread across her face as her heart instantaneously chilled to ice. Ha! Wliat a happy event, huh? Old Mis. Golding''s appearance has only confirmed the rumors that the unscrupulous mediapanies fabricated about me. Now, everyone will see me as a promiscuous woman who fooled around with Evander... After listening to the video, Floretta threw her drawing away angrily and stomped her feet. ¡°How dare they! Ms. Sherrock has gone too far. I can''t believe she''s bribed Great-grandma again to do something so ridiculous. I object to this wedding!¡± s, when she looked up and saw how distraught Angeline was, she quickly hugged thetter''s leg and cried out in fright. ¡°Please don''t scare me, Angel. Great-grandma has been threatening Daddy with the engagement to Ms. Sherrock every day. but he''s always turned it down. I''m sure he won''t give in this time, either!¡± Upon hearing that. Angeline felt somewhatforted and pulled Floretta into a hug. She''s right. Evander hasn''t agreed to it. Moreover, he has always been against this engagement with Olivine. He won''tpromise this time either, will he? Meanwhile, at Golding Group, Evander had just returned to his office after a busy morning of back-to- back meetings. By the time he turned on the television, the press conference had ended, but the damage was already done. The more he watched the rey, the colder and darker liis gaze became. Wliat the hell... I can''t believe Grandma has pulled such a stunt behind my back while I was busy with work! She even had the gall to set the wedding date without asking me! At that moment, Ss ran into the room in such a panic that he didn''t even knock on the door. ¡°Boss. I''ve only just found out about the wedding announcement. Did you agree to it?¡± A few secondster, he was hit by a thick magazine thrown at him. ¡°Wliat do you think?¡± Evander thundered, his face absolutely livid. ¡°Wliat the hell have you been doing? Why would you let them hold this press conference?¡± Unsurprisingly, Ss was trembling with fear. ¡°Cahn down. Boss. I was at a meeting in the eastern part of the city and rushed back as soon as I learned about the news,¡± he exined. ¡°From what I heard, Old Mis. Golding had gone straight to the HR department manager, and there''s no way a cowardly man like him would''ve defied her...¡± Evander couldn''t help but narrow liis eyes as he let out a derisive snort. Ha! Bravo. I always thought Grandma stopped meddling inpany affairs because she wanted to enjoy her twilight years. Who knew'' she''d screw me over like this? Then again, I''ll never let myself be at the mercy of others. More importantly, I won''t many a woman I don''t love! Evander suppressed his anger and grabbed the suit jacket on the couch. ¡°Get the car. We''re heading to the Golding residence!¡± Ss hastily followed behind, but just as they were about to reach the door, it was suddenly pushed open. The next second, Valerie walked in with Olivine holding her aim. ¡°Who are you going to look for?¡± the elderly woman asked, her tone terse and somber. ¡°Old Mis. Golding,¡± Ss greeted politely. Even though Evander remained in liis spot, his gaze had softened a little at the sight of liis grandmother. ¡°Grandma.¡± Valerie immediately mmed her walking stick against the marble floor and scoffed. ¡°So, you still know'' I''m your grandmother, hull? How could you have done something so shameful?¡± Evander''s face clouded over. ¡°That''s harsh. Grandma. I don''t get what you mean.¡± With Olivine''s support, Valerie walked into the office and surveyed the room. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. When she finally saw a multi-generation photo of the Golding family, she sighed heavily. ¡°Back then, Golding Group was only a smallpany. Your grandfather and I suffered a lot as we worked to build it from the ground up. And more often than not, the higher in life you go, the more responsibility you have to bear. You can''t always let your emotions dictate your response. Take your father as an example. He passed away early because he was far too emotional.¡± Valerie looked sad as she talked about herte son, yet at the same time, her words had managed to touch a nerve in Evander. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 ¡°If you hadn''t kept rejecting Dad''s ideas in everything, he wouldn''t have slipped into a depression. Are you trying to do the same to me?¡± Evander fumed. ¡°You...¡± The death of Evander''s father had always been a sore point with Valerie, and now that the wound had been ripped open again, she felt nothing but pure, unadulterated rage. ¡°Evander Golding, is this how you talk to me?¡± she retorted, hands shaking as she red at her grandson. A heavy silence instantly befell the room. Olivine, who had yet to say a word, finally saw her chance to take action. She feigned a timid, nervous nce at Evander and uttered, ¡°Try to give in to Old Mrs. Golding, Evander. We shouldn''t stress her out any further at her age. Look... I''ll agree to call off our engagement if that''s what you want.¡± Not only had Olivine shown how empathetic she was, but she had also expertly removed all me from herself. Unfortunately, her acting could fool everyone but Evander. ¡°If you were truly that considerate, you wouldn''t have let Grandma hold tire press conference in tire first ce,¡± he scoffed. Grandma''s a wise and sensible woman. She wouldn''t have gone to such great lengths to hold a press conference just because she read about Angeline''s scandal. I''m sure Olivine must''ve farmed the mes! ¡°I-I...¡± Olivine mumbled, all anxious and teary-eyed. As much as she hated to admit it, Evander''s piercing gaze was like a detector that could flesh out her deepest and darkest secrets. Afraid tliat the guilt on her face might give her away, she quickly lowered her head and averted her gaze. Fortunately for her, Valerie jumped in to defuse the situation. ¡°I was the one who set the wedding date. I was also the one who wanted to hold tire press conference! Why are you ming it on Olivine?¡± Then, she pulled Olivine close to herself and instantly felt sorry for the youngdy''s scared, submissive silence. ¡°Don''t forget that you and Olivine grew up together. The two of you would''ve gotten married long ago if it weren''t for tliat Angeline Sorelie. Anyway, I''ve already sent the wedding gifts to the Sherrocks on your behalf. It''s a done deal.¡± Needless to say, Evander was stunned. Grandma sent the wedding gifts without my consent... She''s not even giving me any room for negotiation! It was then tliat Evander suddenly recalled his father''s sad demise, which sent chills running down liis spine. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to rebel against his grandmother. His father had always loved the arts, and after majoring in fine art during his university days, he produced several pieces of stunning artwork that propelled him to worldwide fame. However, as the eldest son of the Golding family, he was destined to be a pawn in the Golding Group''s grand n for sess. With Valerie constantly pressuring him, Evander''s father had no choice but to give up on the arts and take over thepany. To make matters worse, he also had to agree to an arranged marriage. For as long as Evander could remember, his father had always been cold and distant. Even if he were home, he''d be unshaven, smoking one cigarette after another. Because of that, Evander grew afraid and resentful of his father, to the point where he didn''t even think thetter was worthy of being a parent. Only when he got older and started feeling the pressure of Valerie breathing down his neck did he finally realize what his father- had had to endure. Perhaps alienating himself from the family was his father''s way of retaliating. Evander''s gaze turned colder and angrier. ¡°I object!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Valerie replied as she stared at her grandson in utter disbelief. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°I will never give my consent to such a ridiculous engagement. I won''t follow in my father''s footsteps, either!¡± Evander replied clearly and confidently. ¡°The only woman I''ll many is Angeline Sorelie!¡± Evander''s words echoed throughout the office, and there was no doubt he had meant every word he said. He prepared to leave the office. Ss, who hadn''t moved an inch from the door, had been listening intently to the heated exchange between Evander and Valerie. As shocked as he was at the amount of rage, he also had to admit that Evander''s courage was admirable. My, my. Despite all the temptations around him, he still stays true to his principles and is even ready to fight his family for Angeline. I''m sure he''s the only one capable of such a feat. s, just as Ss continued to let his mind wander-, a loud thud suddenly rang out. He quickly tinned toward the sound, only to see an ashen-faced Valerie clutching her heart as shey unconscious in Olivine''s arms. ¡°Wake up, Old Mrs. Golding! Please don''t scare me!¡± Olivine muttered worriedly. Upon hearing that, Evander stopped in liis tracks and furrowed his brows. ¡°Tell the driver- to pull the car up at the entrance,¡± he ordered as he turned and swiftly scooped Valerie into his amis. Grandma has often threatened me with her heart condition in the past, and because of that, I''ve always given in to her. The doctor has clearly stated tliat she needs to take care of herself and not get overly emotional. This time, however, it looks like she''s making good on her threat! I can''t believe she''d go so far as to jeopardize her own health! Once Valerie was rushed to the hospital emergency room, it didn''t take long before scores of people filled the corridors. Other than Olivine, the rest of the crowd were direct and extended members of the Golding family. After- all, if Valerie were to pass away, it''d undoubtedly affect the future of Golding Group. The older members of the Golding family looked at Evander disappointedly, while the younger ones seemed fearful of him. One exception, however, was the young man standing and smiling in the farer. He was around the same age as Evander and looked every bit like a polite gentleman with his ck-rimmed sses. ¡°I''ve got to hand it to you. You pissed Grandma off so much tliat she''s now in the hospital. If the public knew about this, it''d affect our family''s reputation, wouldn''t it?¡± As it turned out, the young man was Hubert Golding, the firstborn of the Goldings'' second eldest son. He was two year''s older than Evander and had already made a name for himself in the business world. Unfortunately, Golding Group was a family business, so the one with the most control overpany affairs would undoubtedly be the majority shareholder. From there, the power of the remaining shareholders would be ranked ordingly to the number of shares they held. Naturally, the reason Valerie could have such a strong foothold in the Golding family was that she was the majority shareholder. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Evander asked coolly. He had long gotten used to being taunted, so his cousin''s snarkyments barely fazed him. Hubert stuck his hands into his pockets and sauntered toward Evander. ¡°I know it''s been a while, Evander, but you haven''t forgotten my name, have you?¡± ¡°Instead of meddling in other- people''s business, why don''t you take care of your own affairs first? I heard your wife has been stirring up trouble because of your scandal. Has that not made the news yet?¡± Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Hubert''s face fell after he heard Evander''s words. However, he kept a smile on his face. ¡°I appreciate your effort for paying great attention to my matters, Evander.¡± Evander ignored the words that came out from Hubert''s gritted teeth. He remained indifferent and hostile, not even bothering to look at his cousin. ¡°I''m sure you won''t be able to conceal the deeds that you have done even if you want to. I just hope you''ll know when to restrain yourself. There will be more than just a warning given to you if what you''ve done affects Golding Group''s reputation.¡± Hubert looked at Evander intensely as his lips pursed tightly. As liis hands hung on either side of his thighs, he couldn''t help but clench them into fists. He truly despised Evander''s high-and-mighty attitude and liis disregard for all those around him. On the other hand, Evander felt frustrated at the situation. At that moment, he was unwilling to be courteous and pretentious toward anyone. He kept a cold expression on liis face, not intending to greet the others at all. The atmosphere became frigid and tense again as the elders of the Golding family looked at Evander with a hint of usation in their eyes. However, no one dared to speak out against him. They had no choice but to bury their anger deep inside as each of them pondered how to take advantage of the situation and gain power within Golding Group. Not long after, the doors to the operating room opened, and the doctor finally walked out. Gazing at the crowd in front of him, the doctor took off his mask and smiled. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Congrattions, Old Mi s. Golding is all right. However, she must take care of her health after this, and she must not suffer any further emotional turmoil.¡± ¡°What a relief! Grandma''s fine. Evander. I was scared out of my wits just now.¡± Olivine patted her chest as tears brimmed in her eyes. She swayed slightly on her feet and leaned against Evander. Evander could not push her away in time. However, liis expression softened gradually after he heard the good news, and even his tightly knit eyebrows began to rx. It was as if there was a crack in the massive dark hole in the depths of liis heart, allowing sunrays to shine through. If anything really happened to Valerie, Evander would be gued with guilt for the rest of his life. ¡°Everyone, Old Mis. Golding has regained consciousness and has been transferred to the regr ward. You are wee to visit her in groups,¡± the doctor reminded them once again. ¡°All right. We''ll be right there shortly. Let''s see what Old Mis. Golding needs, and we''ll tiy to help as much as we can!¡± Hubert''s father. Julius Golding, had already spoken up. His words then prompted the others to follow him to Valerie''s ward. ¡°Grandma needs to rest right now.¡± Suddenly. Evander blocked their path, liis voice cold and emotionless. ¡°Thank you for your concern, but the Golding family doesn''t need anything at the moment. I''ll take care of Grandma.¡± The crowd was displeased with liis words, especially Hubert, who deliberately taunted him, ¡°If it weren''t for you, Grandma wouldn''t have flown into a rage and got sent to the hospital. And now you''re saying you want to take care of her? You''re trying to take credit for this, aren''t you?¡± ¡°If I may ask, did you actually see what happened?¡± Evander asked in a nonchnt manner as he lifted his gaze slowly. The remarks Evander made caused Hubert to appear embarrassed. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°This is the truth!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Evander drawled, his wordsced with a hint of mockery. ¡°What''s the truth, then? Words are but wind, and what one sees is the truth!¡± ¡°Y-You¡ª¡± Hubert''s face was filled with rage. Clenching his fists, he wanted nothing more but to hurl them at Evander''s face. ¡°Send off our guests, Ss!¡± Evander interrupted Hubert, then turned and walked toward Valerie''s ward. He emanated a domineering aura all over liis body, and no one could take their eyes off liis majestic figure. Evander was never afraid of Hubert assaulting him, as thetter would not have the courage to do so. He had been humble and polite toward the elder of the Golding family all these years. He did not realize how liis so-called family was discrediting him until Ss showed him the form for the equity recognition meetingst year. It was then that he finally experienced the unfathomable and dark tactics of those sly foxes. Since that was the case, Evander did not need to respect the others. The best way to deal with them would be by giving them a taste of their own medicine. Conflicting emotions raged inside Hubert''s heart as he looked at Evander''s retreating figure. His heart was filled with anger, resentment, and hatred. For so many years, he had been the eldest in the family, and yet he had been oppressed all the time. Hubert bent down and stayed near the staircase for a long time. There were cigarette butts scattered all over the floor. He fumbled in liis pocket for another cigarette. Cough! Cough! Just then, the door was opened. A loud and ear-piercing cough was heard. Hubert quickly turned around to look. After catching sight of the figure, he quickly stubbed out liis cigarette behind him before bowing respectfully. ¡°Father.¡± Julius nced at liis son''s current condition and shook liis head helplessly. He reminded Hubert in a disappointing tone, ¡°Look at yourself. Besides getting into scandals with women, you only smoke to kill time. It''s no surprise that you are always crushed beneath Evander''s feet.¡± Hubert''s face turned slightly pale after Julius'' words hit his sore spot. Gritting liis teeth, Hubert said. ¡°Father. I simply refuse to ept the reality. After all these years. I''ve always thought my ability was on par with Evander''s, yet everything I did paled inparison to his aplishments. Is it truly pointless to put in the effort?¡± A look of defeat could be seen on his face as he spoke. Julius'' expression softened as he patted Hubert''s back firmly and said in a deep voice, ¡°The fact that you''re capable of saying something like that proves that you haven''t gone astray from your frolics. If youpare the shares within Golding Group, you''re definitely out of Evander''s league. However, we can develop our powers through our connections.¡± Hubert''s eyes lit up. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± cing both hands behind him, Julius walked toward the staircase and looked ahead. ¡°Golding Group usually holds a shareholders'' meeting quadrennially. and they will re-elect those who are in power. Evander''s brilliance outshined everyone in the past, so I have been slow to act because of our unstable foundation.¡± ¡°I''m afraid I don''t quite understand. Please guide me on this.¡± ¡°But now, everything''s changed. After Golding Group encountered a financial crisisst year, Evander had surreptitiously withheld dividends, causing dissatisfaction among the shareholders.¡± A crafty glint appeared in Julius'' eyes as he looked at Hubert solemnly. ¡°The shareholders'' meeting will be held next week, and I have already made all the necessary connections for you. It''s up to you to take care of the rest.¡± A raging fire ignited within Hubert. He balled liis fists, his eyes filled with determination. ¡°Don''t worry, Father. I will not disappoint you.¡± At that moment, a phrase popped into his mind. Those who have stood at the highest spot for a long time aren''t scaiy at all. As a matter of fact, those who have been oppressed for the longest time will be the most frightening ones once they are given the chance to disy their abilities! Meanwhile, in the ward, Valerie seemed to have aged over ten years overnight. Her messy hair was dotted withrge patches of gray hair. In the absence of morous makeup and elegant, luxurious jewelry, her face was evidently wrinkled. It was impossible to conceal one''s age as time passed. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Evander sat stiffly on the couch, watching Olivine as she held a ss of water and used a spoon to feed Valerie mouthfuls of water. The older woman gazed at Olivine affectionately and said, ¡°You''ve stayed with me at the hospital for so long. You should go home and get some rest. I''ll be fine with Evander here."¡¯ ¡°All right. I''ll take my leave, then.¡± Reading the room, Olivine got up from the chair without fuss, grabbed her bag. and exited the ward. However, she did not go far. Instead, she hid in aer where she would not be discovered and eavesdropped on the conversation inside the ward. A long silence ensued inside the room after she left. In the end. Evander was the first to break the awkward atmosphere. He said in a low voice, ¡°I''ll arrange for the help toe here and take care of you for the time being. Just let me know if there''s anything you need.¡± ¡°There''s no need for that,¡± Valerie replied with a cold snort. ¡°Although I have one foot in the grave, I''m still not at the point where I need someone with me all the time.¡± Evander furrowed his brows. There was a hint of annoyance in his tone as he responded, ¡°If you insist on saying such tilings, I won''te and visit you anymore.¡± He stuck both hands in his pockets and made to leave. Knowing he was as stubborn as a mule, Valerie could not help but sigh heavily. ¡°That''s enough. Everyone outside is staring at us, wondering what we''re arguing about. Do you genuinely think I''m pushing you to many Olivine as soon as possible merely as a precaution against Angeline?¡± Looking grave, Evander made no response. As Valerie shifted her gaze to look out the window, a ray of warm morning sun fell upon the side of her face, making her look kinder and gentler. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Julius is no easy opponent. Always overlooked because of his family background, he harbors resentment in liis heart. The only thing is Julius can''t do much because of liis age. so he rests all of liis hopes on that son of his. He appeared indifferent to the affairs around him for many years. Behind closed doors, however, he''s been poaching Golding Group''s connections.¡± She became so upset that she clutched at her chest and coughed violently. Evander quickly reached for the ss of water on the bedside table and held it in front of her so she could drink out of it. Nheless, there was no shift in liis expression as he did so. He said quietly, ¡°Grandma, you''ve grossly underestimated me.¡± If I was someone who''d step down from my position in thepany because of these old geezers'' tactics, there''s no way I would''ve stayed for so long in the first ce. Valerie shook her head and sighed heavily again. ¡°They won''t give in just like that. If they can''t get to you, they''ll pressure me to relinquish my shares. When your grandfather entrusted the family to me before he passed, he reminded me that a harmonious family will always prosper. Do you truly want to force our family into internal strife and make us aughingstock to others?¡± Evander pressed his thin lips together tightly, no longer able to maintain a cahn expression on liis handsome face. His gaze also clouded over. Based on his perspective on the matter, he had liis way of dealing with those wily old foxes. However, if he looked at it from her perspective, it did seem rather unfair to her. In any case, he knew that as long as it was a matter that involved the family''s interests, they would insist on a fair and just solution. ¡°Evander, I know you have reservations and won''t follow in your father''s footsteps. However, as a descendant of the Golding family, you can''t let your heart rule your head.¡± Valerie gripped his arm. Swallowing her pride, she turned to him with a pleading look in her tear-filled eyes. ¡°Only a marriage with someone from a prominent family like the Sherrock family will be able to drive away those who conspire against you. If you truly have feelings for Angeline. considering Olivine''s understanding nature, you can take Angeline in as a mistress and¡ª¡± ¡°That''s enough.¡± Evander uttered, cutting her off in a low voice. At the mention of Angeline. a hint of agitation broke through the icy look on liis face. ¡°The wedding will proceed as scheduled.¡± His expression darkened, and liis tone became somber. Aside from the fact that Angeline will never agree to be my mistress, even I think that doing so is sullying her. However, seeing how Grandma is so troubled that she even goes so far as to bring up Grandpa, I''ve no way of getting out of this. All I can do is temporarily agree to the marriage so things can cahn down for now. ¡°Excellent. That''s simply wonderful. I''ll contact Golding Group''s PR department about issuing a statement. All you have to do is cooperate by making an appearance,¡± Valerie said, brimming with joy. In an instant, her condition seemed to have improved drastically, and she was practically glowing. She was absorbed in her happiness and did not pause to consider Evander''s feelings. He looked as though he was shrouded in a cloud of darkness. His body started trembling subconsciously, and he massaged his temples with liis long, slender fingers. There was also a bitter look in his eyes. At that moment, the only image running through liis mind was that of Angeline''s face. If she sees this after she regains consciousness, she''ll surely be deeply disappointed with me. Also, how should I face her and Floretta in the future? Outside the ward, a look of delight spread across Olivine''s face when she heard Evander agree to proceed with the wedding. Even her fingers gripping her backpack''s straps were trembling from her excitement. After so many years, the moment I''ve been waiting for is finally here! However, I''m not an idiot. I can tell how reluctant Evander is, and I know he''s merely using Sherrock Group. But so what? Ultimately, I''ll still get what I want. As for Evander''s heart, I don''t believe he won''t develop feelings for me as time passes. Meanwhile, Angeline had spiraled into an abyss of suffering, tormenting herself again before she had even fully recovered. She sat in a rocking chair in front of the window without talking to anyone and kept browsing through the phone in her hand. She even refused all the food Francesca brought over to her. Worried that Angeline''s health would deteriorate even further. Francesca decided to call Evander. s, no matter how many times she tided, her calls did not go through. Feeling utterly helpless, she had no choice but to seek Nancy''s assistance. As soon as Nancy heard about it, she dropped all the urgent work she had on hand and rushed over. The sight of Angeline, silent and still like a statue, made her heartache, but she dared not approach her. Standing outside the door, Nancy asked Francesca in a concerned tone, ¡°How long has she been like that?¡± ¡°It''s been an entire afternoon. Ms. Sorelie keeps staling at her phone, but I''ve no idea what she''s waiting for. She''s acting so strange that it''s incredibly worrying. It''s as though her soul has left her body.¡± Nancy was quiet. Frowning, she sighed heavily. Who wouldn''t be like that if they encountered such a situation? The two of them were getting along so well. Why did Evander''s gi andmother suddenly show up out of nowhere? She even set the wedding date for him to many Olivine! Angeline''s waiting for something, eh? Well, she''s probably waiting for his answer. Ding! She was mulling over how tofort Angeline when her phone inside her pocket chimed. As soon as she took it out and read the news article that had popped up, the color drained from her face. ¡°Quick! Get in there and snatch Angeline''s phone away from her!¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 ¡°Huh? Wliat do you mean?¡± Francesca was taken aback. Nancy was so anxious that she stamped her feet. Even the grip on her phone began to loosen as she spoke. ¡°It''s hard for me to exin it now. We must not let Angeline see the news. Hurry up!¡± Francesca dared not dy any longer and quickly barged into the bedroom with Nancy. Still, they were toote. What greeted them was Angeline following thetest news on her phone closely and tapping on the video news. ¡°At around five o''clock in the afternoon, Evander Golding, the CEO of Golding Group, showed up in front of thepany with his assistant. When the media inquired about the rumor of his wedding, he confirmed it was true and invited everyone to his wedding...¡± After the newscaster finished his words professionally, the camera panned to Evander and Ss, who were surrounded by the crowd and shlights. The reporters asked questions one after another, but it was hard to hear what they were talking about at the scene. Evander was d in a ck suit that entuated liis tall figure. He was also wearing a pair of oversized sunsses, revealing only his chiseled features. He was expressionless as he faced the camera and said, ¡°The wedding will proceed as scheduled.¡± Although he spoke casually, liis words managed to stir up some emotions in Angeline. The wedding... will proceed as scheduled... The words constantly reverberated in Angeline''s ears, and her face turned ashen. With a thud, she dropped her phone on the floor. Upon returning to her senses after a short while, she chuckled self-deprecatingly. Nancy held her forehead at that sight. Damn it! Why didn''t I get here sooner? I could have stopped her. ¡°Cahn down, Angeline.¡± Nancy reached out to hug Angeline but was shocked by how cold her body felt when she touched her. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Rubbing Angeline''s shoulders worriedly, Nancyforted, ¡°Why do you keep thinking of Evander? An A-list celebrity like you is the dream woman of every rich young man.¡± As soon as Nancy''s words fell. Angeline curled her lips and chuckled bitterly. "Do you also flunk that Evander and Olivine''s engagement is true?¡± ¡°I...¡± Nancy was stumped for words. She nced at Angeline and said, ¡°Yes. You should forget about him.¡± She had also refused to believe when Valerie made Evander''s engagement public back then. Yet now the news had spread like wildfire. Even Evander had also shown up and admitted it himself. She believed it was confirmed that Evander would get engaged to Olivine soon. Perhaps Angeline herself was also aware of that, for she was unexpectedly silent. She hugged her knees and stared out the window nkly. The silent pain is usually more frightening than loud crying. Nancy knew in her heart that there was nothing she could do anymore. She left Angeline alone to calm down and walked out of the bedroom with Francesca. ¡°How is it? Can you reach Evander?¡± ¡°His line is still busy.¡± Francesca was filled with anxiety. ¡°Wliat do we do? Even Ms. Floretta has been crying, saying she wants to cut the ties with Mr. Golding.¡± Nancy turned toward the living room andnded her gaze on Floretta. who had curled up into a ball while hugging a small nket on the couch. Perhaps the little girl was emotionally exhausted, for she whimpered softly and drifted off to sleep. Nancy''s heart wrenched when she took in Floretta''s and Angeline''s looks. She had no choice but to take out her phone and look for a number. She froze for a few moments before she made the call. ¡°Roger, get your ass over here. All of this is driving me mad!¡± In the most majestic building in the city center, the employees of Golding Group were leaving one after another after work. Only the general manager''s office was brightly lit on the topmost floor. ¡°Mi\ Jantz. Mi; Golding has given liis order that he doesn''t want to see anyone, so you can''t go in there.¡± A loud noise was heard from the dooiway. Ss was trying to stop Roger. ¡°Don''t give me that. Who do you think you are?¡± Roger got a little impatient as he spoke. Then he ignored Ss and forcefully opened the door. In the office, Evander was sitting in front of theputer desk and typing on the keyboard with his slender fingers. His eyes immediately darkened when he heard the noise of Roger barging in without permission. ¡°Who let you in? Do you want another deduction from your bonus?¡± His cold voice sent a chill down Roger''s spine, and Roger immediately wimped out. ¡°Cahn down, Evander. I was too anxious just now.¡± He picked up the ss on the table, but before he could hand it to Evander, thetter snapped, ¡°Get out.¡± Feeling somewdiat aw''kward, Roger said, ¡°Evander, don''t go overboard.¡± Evander was in a terrible mood that day. His expression tinned gloomier as he warned, ¡°I''m not going to repeat myself.¡± Roger was rendered speechless. Unlike howr bold he used to be, he took a few steps backward with a hint of sullenness on liis face. In the end. he couldn''t bear it anymore, so he mmed the ss on the table heavily. A few drops of water spilled onto the table. ¡°Stop being presumptuous, Evander. You used to despise me for being a womanizer. How can you turn yourself into an unfaithful man now?¡± Roger pressed his palms against the table, looking at Evander with a furious look. Evander felt a pang in liis heart when he heard that. No longer having the mood to work, he moved liis hands away from the keyboard and shot Roger a cold re. Helplessly, he said. ¡°We''re different.¡± Roger sneered, ¡°Indeed, we''re different because you''re much more heartless than me. You didn''t hesitate to hurt the woman wdio loves you for the sake of the arranged marriage. Do you know¡¯ wrhat Angeline has be now?¡± Evander felt his heart lurch and frowned in response. Angeline? She''s awrake and saw the news? Although liis mind was filled with questions, he maintained a calm and emotionless look as he spoke. ¡°I''m not in the mood to deal with these.¡± Shock filled Roger''s eyes. He couldn''t believe Evander could let go of Angelinepletely. ¡°Very well. Wliat a great person you are, Evander.¡± Roger let out an angry snort. Then he fished out liis phone from his pocket and showed Evander something. ¡°I don''t wrant to care about this shit, but I feel bad for Angeline. Look at what you''ve done to her!¡± Silence ensued after that. Eventually, Evander couldn''t help but look at the video. His nose stung when he saw the slender figure sitting on the chair. Angeline was dressed in a blue-gray nightgown, with her long, slightly curly hail'' draped over her shoulders, covering half of her face. It was hard to tell the emotion on her face. However, her gaze was empty as she looked out the window; Chapter 258 Chapter 258 She looked as though she had lost her soul. Evander knew that the secret couldn''t be kept for long, and perhaps Angeline would no longer want to see him for the rest of her life when she learned the truth. However, he did not expect Angeline to not cry or make a fuss. Her soulless look made his heart wrench. ¡°How long has she been like that?¡± Evander''s deep voice was tinged with a touch of awkwardness. Roger snatched the phone from him and replied unpleasantly. ¡°Don''t ask me. It''s your own business, and I don''t want to bother about the both of you anymore.¡± Then, he turned around and left the office without saying another word. Evander watched Roger leave with a dejected look. Suddenly, the phone beside his hand beeped. He picked it up and saw a short message from Valerie: If the media exposes your ambiguous photos with Angeline again before your wedding with Olivine, don''t me me for not showing Angeline any mercy. It was a warning, and Evander knew Valerie meant it, as he had experienced her ruthless methods before. Evander had loved a rabbit when he was a child and kept it in a grassy hut. He often escaped from school to tend to the rabbit, thus falling behind on his homework. Later, after Valerie found out the truth, she turned the rabbit into a delicious meal. Since then, he dared not keep a pet anymore. As Evander thought of the past, a sense of weariness immediately surged in his heart and he held his forehead. Angeline is definitely no match for Grandma, but I can''t feel at ease when I see her like that. ¡°Mi\ Golding¡ª¡± Ss pushed the door open and entered the office. Evander reached for the suit coat on the chair and ordered with a grim expression, ¡°Cancel any social events I have tonight. I''ve something to do and need to leave now.¡± Ss naturally knew that it had something to do with Angeline. He looked at Evander with a worried face and reminded. ¡°Mr. Golding, please think it through. If the paparazzi take any more photos, your strategy against the Sherrock family will probably go in vain.¡± Indeed. Valerie was not the only reason that made Evander so heartless. Everything he had done was to deal with the Sherrock family, too. However, there was no way he could turn a blind eye to Angeline after watching the video. Angeline shut herself off the whole afternoon without consuming anything. No one could do anything about it, not even Floretta. In the evening, Roger rushed over with some pastries. As soon as he entered the house. Nancy asked, ¡°How is it? Did you meet Evander?¡± ¡°Yes. I''ve already said what I had to say.¡± Roger''s expression was solemn as he spoke. Judging from the expression on the carefree man, Nancy could tell tilings had gone awry. With a disappointed look on her face, she asked. ¡°He still wants to cany on with the engagement with Olivine and doesn''t even n to spare Angeline another look, does he?¡± Frustrated, Roger sat on the couch and had a drink before responding in a muffled voice, ¡°Yeah. Evander doesn''t even ask about Floretta now. It''s too strange. Based on my analysis, the only possibility is that he was coerced by Old Mis. Golding.¡± ¡°So what? He gives up Angeline in the end. What a despicable couple they are!¡± Nancy couldn''t help but curse Evander and Olivine angrily. Crossing her arms and looking worriedly at the tightly closed room door, she continued, ¡°I''ve worked together with Angeline for so many years. I know how much she values rtionships. I''m worried something will happen if she continues to be so obstinate.¡± Roger pursed his lips. He was also at a loss for what to do. ¡°We''ll call the police as ast resort.¡± ¡°Damn you! What a terrible idea you have!¡± Nancy was so angry that she grabbed the orange on the table and threw it at Roger. ¡°Have you forgotten that Evander has extensive connections to both sides of thew? You''re bearding the lion in liis den.¡± ¡°That''s tine.¡± Roger caught the orange and let out a long sigh. While they were at their wits'' end trying to figure out what else they could do, someone suddenly unlocked the door. Soon, the door was opened, and a tall figure came into their sight. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± Evander''s deep voice rang out. Nancy and Roger, who had already been dazzled by the scene, gradually returned to then senses. Furrowing her brows, Nancy questioned, ¡°Why do you have Angelinas house key?¡± Evander walked into the house and replied coldly, ¡°I''m her boyfriend. Isn''t that normal?¡± His tone and familiar movements as he entered the ce caused Nancy''s blood to boil. She couldn''t care less about the man''s identity anymore and mocked him, ¡°Oh? So you''re still aware of your rtionship with Angeline, hull? But you''ve already made your engagement with another woman public behind her.¡± Evander froze, and his face slightly darkened when he heard that. ¡°Enough, Nancy.¡± Roger tried to stop her despite liis admiration for her boldness. However, Nancy could not care less about that. Evander''s indifferent attitude at that moment reminded her of the listless Angeline, and she felt it was unfair to Angeline. Infuriated, she said, ¡°Some people may look decent, but in truth, he is nothing more than a jerk.¡± Evander''s expression turned increasingly grim, and he even shot Nancy a deadly re. Roger put his hand to liis forehead and sighed. Oh, no! We''re doomed. No one has ever dared to scold Evander like this. Just when he was about to go all out to protect Nancy, Evander''s clear, cold voice rang out. ¡°I know you hate me, but the most important tiling now is to stabilize Angelinas emotions.¡± His words brought Nancy back to reality. No matter how reluctant she was, she could only let Evander enter the house. She thought the person Angeline wanted to see the most now was Evander. and Angeline needed an exnation from him more than anything else. Evander deliberately went to ask Francesca for a bowl of oatmeal before carefully entering Angelinas room. From every movement of his, anyone could tell he still had feelings for her. Nancy and Roger shared a look and saw a hint of frustration in each other''s eyes. They obviously love each other. Why do they have to end up like this? Meanwhile, inside the room, Angeline felt dizzy, and her vision was blurry. However, she could still vaguely hear a loud noise behind the door, followed by footsteps approaching the bedroom. Click! Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The door was gently pushed open. Somewhat annoyed, Angeline said in a raspy voice, ¡°I''m not eating. Go out and don''t worry about me.¡± Yet, she didn''t hear any words of dissuasion but a series of steady footsteps. Her thoughts were instantly disrupted, and she snapped back to her senses. Almost instantly, she recognized who was inside the room, as no one else had such steady footsteps. As she felt the man approaching her, a sense of aggravation immediately surged in her heart and made her nose sting. ¡°Angeline, are you okay?¡± Evander walked up to her and spoke in liis low voice caringly. Hearing that, Angeline suddenly forgot all the questions that had filled her mind earlier. Am I okay? Not at all! Not getting any response, Evander felt liis heart sink, and a glint of sorrow shed across liis eyes. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 All Evander wanted was for Angeline to be safe, and he was happy to keep watch over her from the shadows. That doesn''t mean I can sit on my hands while she''s looking so upset! As that thought crossed his mind, he knelt to meet Angeline''s gaze and grasped her shoulders. ¡°They said you haven''t eaten in a long time. Let me feed you some oatmeal.¡± Angeline looked up as he spoke, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes. Evander''s heart clenched with pain. He lifted a small bowl and stirred the hot oatmeal it held, blowing on the surface to cool it down. Then, he brought the bowl closer to Angeline''s face and said gently. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Angeline stared silently at him. A secondter, every negative emotion in her heart exploded. She reached out and pped the spoon out of his hand. ¡°Enough!¡± She continued to yell hoarsely, ¡°Just how long are you nning on keeping up tliis act, Evander? Did you really think I wouldn''t find out about your engagement to Olivine?¡± The ceramic spoon shattered into pieces, no different from the state of their rtionship. Evander appeared somber as he ced the bowl on a nearby table. ¡°You can have some oatmeal once it''s cooler.¡± Angeline continued staring at him and demanded. ¡°Stop skirting the question! Answer me!¡± ¡°What you''ve read is the truth. I won''t deny it.¡± He seemed mentally prepared for her interrogation and fielded her question steadily. His reply crushed Angeline''sst slu ed of hope. She curled into herself on the chair, her limbs ice-cold. A long time passed before she asked shakily, ¡°When did you decide to choose Olivine?¡± The room plunged into silence. Tears welled in Angeline''s eyes. She shot Evander an aggrieved look, seeming like a kid who had had her toy taken away from her. Evander returned her stare, agony palpable in liis gaze. He coaxed her, ¡°That''s not important, Angeline. The most important thing now is for you to get back on your feet and continue to live. If you want to return to your life as a celebrity, I''ll pay your penalty for breaching the contract. Golding Group will also give you the best resources to make aeback.¡± After he spoke, Evander whipped out a ck card from liis wallet and handed it to Angeline. He exined, ¡°This card has no spending limit. If you''re til ed of working, you can explore other hobbies as well, as long as you''re happy.¡± The organized maimer in which he handled Angeline''s affairs suggested that he had been iming tliis for a long time. Angeline was about to burst into tears. She closed her eyes, trying to shield the disappointment in her gaze. Evander''s heart ached for her, and his resolve began to waver. Perhaps my way of doing tilings isn''t the best option for Angeline. His hand reached out to caress Angeline''s cheek. He was about to wipe her tears when she turned away from liis touch. She spat coldly, ¡°Don''t touch me! You disgust me.¡± Angeline could not be bothered to hide her feelings any longer. Her attitude cut Evander to the quick. His arm hovered in mid-air for a while before falling back to liis side. Evander quicklyposed himself and resumed a withdrawn expression before asking, ¡°So. what''s it going to be? What will you choose?¡± He sounded as indifferent as if he were negotiating a cut-throat business deal. Angeline failed to rein in her anger. She abruptly stood up and raised her hand, pping Evander fiercely across the face. She bellowed, ¡°You b*stard!¡± The p reverberated through the room as Angeline''s hand throbbed with pain. Evander''s head was flung to the side from the impact. A painfully red handprint appeared on liis fail'' cheek. Angeline was taken aback by her actions, yet she did not regret it one bit. Instead, she shot him an indignant re and dered. ¡°I choose neither. If I truly wanted your money, I would never have bothered caring for Floretta for such a long time. I''m perfectly fine to end our rtionship here, so let''s not talk to each other again except regarding Floretta''s matters. Don''t ever try to humiliate me by paying me off again!¡± After her vicious parting remarks, she hurled the ck card back at its original owner. She reveled in satisfaction at the action. Angeline took every rtionship seriously, and after Hanson and Joseline''s betrayal five years ago, she had been hesitant to offer her entire heart to anyone. When Evander appeared, she truly believed he was the one. She never expected to find herself betrayed yet again. If it''s time to let go, I''ll make sure tliis is a clean break! Meanwhile, the ck card shed Evander''s cheek, leaving behind a thin streak of blood. Evander pursed his lips but stopped himself from muttering a word of protest. He felt a sharp pain in his heart as he observed Angeline''s determination in cutting ties with him. Wasn''t tliis exactly what I wanted? s, Evander ignored the emotions crashing in his heart for the greater good. The cold, indifferent mask reappeared, and he uttered, ¡°As long as you''ve thought tilings through.¡± The simplement tipped Angeline off about how heartless Evander was about their rtionship. She was so ovee with emotion that she swayed on her feet, almost losing her bnce. Once she collected herself, her lips curved into a sneer, and she muttered. ¡°Don''t worry. I know exactly where I stand. Let''s never contact each other again after today.¡± Evander grunted in reply. He took a bunch of house keys from his pocket and slowly passed them to Angeline. ¡°These are your house keys: they''re back where they belong. Take care of yourself. You can call Francesca whenever you miss Floretta.¡± With that, Evander left the room without sparing her a final nce. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Angeline''s gaze was affixed to the floor-to-ceiling window in her room. She could see liis tall figure exiting the room through the window''s reflection. As he left, he closed the door with a quiet click as though fearfill of disturbing her. The ones who truly wished to leave always made the least fuss. Angeline''sshes quivered as tears streamed down her face against her will. She covered her nose and mouth, trying to muffle the sound of her sobs, even as she gave in to the anguish in her heart. The whole situation felt so surreal that she wondered if her rtionship with Evander had been nothing more than a wonderful dream. She had finally awoken from her long slumber to the bitter truth, and she struggled toe to terms with the fact that he was leaving her so soon. Perhaps our rtionship was destined to end tliis way since the first time we crossed paths five years ago... Floretta''s wails suddenly rang out from the living room. ¡°I''m not going! You''re a bad daddy! I don''t want Olivine as my mommy!¡± Her distressed cries echoed throughout the house while Francesca tried to soothe the young girl, ¡°Ms. Floretta. please don''t throw a tantrum, okay?¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 ¡®¡¯Be a good girl and go home with your daddy.¡± ¡°I won''t! You''re all bad people!¡± Screaming hysterically, Floretta began grabbing the bottles in the living room and smashing them. ¡°I don''t want any so-called home. I only want Angel. Pleasee out, Angel! Don''t you want me anymore?¡± she wailed pitifully. Her innocent words sent a sharp pain through Angeline''s heart, and tears gushed out of Angeline''s eyes again. After living with Floretta for such a long time, she had begun to treat the little girl like her own biological daughter. As an impulsive thought shed through her mind, she subconsciously walked to the door and gripped the doorknob tightly. However, just as she was about to turn the doorknob, the sound of Evander''s stem voice sounded outside. ¡°Stop this ruckus, Floretta. Angeline isn''t your mommy,¡± he ordered. When Angeline heard that, her movement came to a halt, and a trace of pain surfaced in her eyes. He''s right. I''m not Floretta''s mommy. Moreover, I''ve broken up with him. Who am I to ask for her to stay with me? Floretta went on crying for another while on the other side of the door, and none of Francesca''s tricks worked in coaxing her. In the end, Evander simply lifted the little girl into his amis and left the ce. By then, Floretta''s voice was already hoarse from crying, but she still went on weeping, ¡°I want Angel... Angel, please don''t abandon me...¡± Angeline''s heart clenched when she heard the child''s cries. She leaned lightly against the door, her tears pouring forth as if from a broken dam. Floretta had always been very withdrawn in nature. It was not till she met Angeline that she slowly opened up. Now tliat Angeline would no longer be by the child''s side, she did not dare to imagine to what extent Floretta would shut herself off again. Bang! The front door mmed shut. Silence filled the air as themotion died away. Angeline''s emotions eventually calmed down as well. Since Evander had given his answer, she could only force herself to let it go, no matter how reluctant she was. Most importantly, she had to live a good life. Only after she became more capable would she be able to provide Sebastian with the best treatment and live the life she desired. Outside the door, Roger and Nancy were both a little dumbfounded after witnessing Evander leaving with Floretta and Francesca. Nancy broke the silence, fuming with righteous indignation, ¡°What a heartless man! Here I was, thinking that he hade to console Angeline. Who would have thought that he even took Floretta away instead? I can''t believe I used to support him. I must have been blind!¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°I never thought he would be so brutal either-.¡± Roger shook his head helplessly as he muttered under his breath, ¡°Couldn''t he have just spoken a few kind words to coax her first?¡± Suddenly, Nancy turned toward him with a terrifyingly sinister gaze. ¡°You get lost as well!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Roger looked at her innocently as he asked in a soft voice, ¡°Have I done something wrong to youtely? Where do you expect me to go at this hour?¡± "Shut up!¡± The more Nancy looked at him, tire more she could not stand tire sight of him. Pushing his shoulders, she drove him toward the door. ¡°You''re both useless men! Don''t even get me started on your history with women as well. Since tilings have ended between Evander and Angeline, then I don''t want to see you anymore either!¡± ¡°B-But I''ve done nothing wrong!¡± Roger retorted exasperatedly. As the two argued and shoved at each other, the door opened, and Angeline walked out of the room. ¡°Nancy, please arrange for a press conference for me.¡± Angeline''s hoarse voice cut through the atmosphere in the room. Nancy returned to her senses. Loosening her grip on Roger''s ear, she turned toward Angeline with an anxious gaze. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I''m going to announce my agreement to terminate my contract with thepany and my decision to quit the entertainment industry.¡± With tliat, Angeline took in a deep breath with a calm smile on her face. However, the words she had just spoken with such nonchnce sent a ripple through Nancy''s heart. ¡°Angeline, have you lost your mind? You''re joking with me, aren''t you?¡± Nancy asked with shock. ¡°No, I''m fully prepared for this step. I''m sorry, Nancy,¡± Angeline answered truthfully. Her eyes were filled with guilt as she hugged Nancy''s shoulders tightly. She had no regrets about leaving the entertainment industry. However, she felt sorry for Nancy, the person who had striven to gain resources for her throughout the years. Hearing those words, Nancy held her forehead, feeling slightly dazed. After some thought, she patiently reminded Angeline again, ¡°Angeline, I know how badly the scandals on the inte have affected your mood, but you should know tliat theizens have a short-lived memory. As long as you produce a new piece of work, everyone will forget the rumors of the past.¡± ¡°That''s right, Mrs. Golding. You''re an A-list celebrity. It would be such a waste if you gave up just like that.¡± Even Roger could not help but furrow his brows deeply, feeling regretful for her. ¡°If it''s because of thepany, I''m sure Golding Group will help you to gain opportunities. You don''t have to¡ª¡± ¡°Don''t bring up anything to do with him anymore.¡± Angeline cut him off frostily, looking visibly displeased. Roger could only swallow the rest of his words as a wave of helplessness washed across his heart. They''re just torturing each other, but for what? ¡°Nancy, you understand best the reason I initially joined the entertainment industiy. It was none other- than to be stronger and to find my child. Now that I''ve found my child, there is nothing else I could ask for. I guess I should use this opportunity to tend to Forrester Group, which was left to me by my mother.¡± Angeline took Nancy''s hand in hers, holding it tightly. There was a trace of relief in her eyes and a hint of reluctance as well. ¡°Sure, as long as you''ve thought it through.¡± Tears were brimming in Nancy''s eyes. Pulling Angeline into her arms, she sobbed into her ear, ¡°I promise to arrange for yourst press conference. Perhaps quitting this industry will be good for you. If there is anything I can do for you in the future, all you have to do is ask.¡± Throughout the years, Angeline kept being the target of unscrupulous mediapanies and bing the subject of unfounded rumors. Only by leaving the entertainment industry would she have a chance to lead a good life with Sebastian. For tire next few days, Angeline followed her treatment n and recovered from her condition. After that, she went to take care of Sebastian at the hospital. The press conference and Angeline''s farewell event with her fans were held on the same day. It all went smoothly. However, Angeline''s actions became a trending topic for several days, giving the unscrupulous mediapanies more opportunities to spread rumors about her. Despite tliat, Angeline no longer wanted to bother- about them but quietly began her preparation to take over matters rted to Forrester Group. A part of Forrester Group''s shares was owned by the Yiurk family, which meant that she would be business partners with Hanson soon. Due to their personal grudges and what Angeline knew about Hanson''s character, this idea did not appeal to her. Thus, she made up her mind. By hook or by crook, I must force the Yiurk family to withdraw their shares! Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Meanwhile, at Golding Group, the news anchor''s zestful voice sounded from the television''s speaker, announcing the news about Angeline''s departure from the entertainment industry. Many fans who supported her for many years couldn''t ept her abrupt exit, and since they couldn''t locate Angeline''s house, they vented their anger at herpany. The fans had camped at thepany''s entrance for a few days, seeking a just exnation. Evander. who was sitting on the couch while wearing a grimace, finished watching the news announcement. After that, he picked up the remote control and switched off the television. His facial expression appeared frozen amidst the momentary silence. He reckoned he must be somehow rted to why she suddenly made that decision. In addition, Floretta had been missing Angeline and yearning to meet thetter since Evander broke up with Angeline. Still, Angeline had not gone to the school to visit Floretta once. It was apparent that Angeline must really hate him to the core, to the extent of resorting to eliminating all possible asions where they might run into one another. Ss, who was standing behind Evander. let out a long sigh after taking in that scene. ¡°Mi: Golding, don''t be too worried. Ms. Sorelie is a brilliant woman, so she wouldn''t drive herself to the brink of desperation. I heard she has taken over Forrester Group.¡± Evander''s darkened expression brightened a little after he heard Ss'' words. Getting to his feet, he walked up to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed at the traffic jam outside, his hands ced behind his back. ¡°How is Angeline doing now?¡± Ss replied solemnly, ¡°Aside from taking over Forrester Group, she''s also hiring awyer to engage in awsuit recently. I heard her entertainmentpany is very furious about her abrupt departure and is trying to maximize the profit they can gain from Angeline by making unreasonable demands.¡± Angeline has always been well-protected by Nancy and has never experienced the harshness of the entertainment industiy. I suppose she must be scared out of her wits now. Evander''s countenance, which was reflected in the window, was frighteningly grim. ¡°Arrange someone from Golding Group''s PR department to liaise with the entertainmentpany and help her resolve this penalty issue for breaching the contract as soon as possible.¡± Ss fell into a momentary daze upon hearing that. He contemted briefly before saying cautiously, ¡°Mr. Golding, it seems you are still unable to let go of your feelings for Ms. Sorelle...¡± His remark was spot on. Despite liis poker face. Evander shut his eyes to conceal theplicated emotions churning within him. ¡°Be quiet,¡± he uttered coldly. ¡°Yes, Mr. Golding.¡± Ss fathomed Evander''s intention and said politely, ¡°I''ll cany out your orders immediately.¡± When he reached the dooiway, Evander''s deep voice rang again inside the spacious office. "Do it anonymously, and don''t alert Angeline.¡± Ss was rendered speechless. He felt bitter and aggrieved on Evander''s behalf after listening to thetter''s instruction. He had never seen Evander stooping so low and doing so much in the background for a woman, to the point of not even daring to help her openly. However, from Angeline''s perspective, everything Evander had done for her didn''t seem much. Nevertheless, fairness was nonexistent in a rtionship, so long as both parties did not wrong each other. Lately. Angeline had been leading a rougher life than before. The only thing she was gratefill for was the fact that Sebastian''s illness was beginning to improve under the psychologist''s counsel. That had allowed her to do what she had to without worry. Hanson was a scheming and devious man who would never easily let go of anything or anyone remunerative to him, especially since the previous livemerce session managed to bring Forrester Group''s financial status back on track. Hence, he would never give up on that moneymaker. Therefore, Angeline knew it wasn''t sufficient for her to rely only on her own strength. While at a loss, she received an unexpected yet timely call from someone. At three o''clock in the afternoon, fewer customers were inside the cafe, and euphonious Ustranasion music reverberated inside the store. Angeline was dressed in a ck trench coat adorned with handcrafted embroideries paired with a pair of long jeans and ck high-heels. She slowly made her way toward one of the window seats. Gazing at the man wrho had waited for her for some time, she lifted her finger and gently tapped the tabletop. ¡°It''s been a while.¡± Hearing her voice, he looked up from his phone and smiled at her. ¡°If it isn''t Ms. Angeline Sorelle! You''ve be quite a sensation on the inte recently.¡± His voice was loud, but fortunately, only a few¡¯ youngsters absorbed in their work were nearby, and they paid no attention to his words. ¡°Shh!¡± Angeline gestured for him to be quiet while ring at him. ¡°Jonathan, are you nning to take a video of me getting mauled by my haters so you can post it on the inte? Don''t you think the current situation is sufficiently terrible as it is?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hearing that, Jonathan nodded seriously and said sarcastically with liis brows arched. ¡°That''s what I have in mind. If I make a live stream of a famous celebrity who had just announced her departure from the entertainment industiy getting beaten up inside a cafe, I can definitely rake in big bucks.¡± Angeline snorted angrily and pretended to pick up her bag to leave. Jonathan''s chuckle, which sounded from behind her, halted her in time from walking away. ¡°That''s enough. I''m just kidding. Are you really going to take my joke seriously and be offended, considering I''m your life savior?¡± ¡°Quit ttering yourself.¡± Angeline also understood they were meeting up to discuss serious matters, so she sensibly returned to her seat, poured herself a ss of water, and gulped the content. ¡°Not to mention, you weren''t the one who rushed into the house to save Sebastian and me that night during the fire.¡± A hint of mockery shed across his eyes as he gazed at her. He reminded her while grinning, ¡°That''s right. I wasn''t as ready to go all out for you as Evander. He even told his assistant to allocate his inheritance when rescuing you.¡± Jonathan wasn''t sure to what stage Angeline and Evander''s rtionship had progressed to, so he casually mentioned those words. However, liis words stirred Angeline''s emotions once more after she had finally calmed her feelings with much difficulty. Evander had safeguarded her too well in the past. Because of that, she had a hard time forgetting the hurtful words he had directed to her at home that night. She couldn''t bring herself to hate him. but she was also unwilling to remind herself of anything rted to him. ¡°Let''s not talk about him.¡± Angeline grasped the ss with her cold fingers. ¡°Let''s get down to business. How do you n to deal with Hanson? I suppose you must already have a n, don''t you?¡± After he heard those words, Jonathan''s teasing smile faded instantaneously as intense hatred filled liis gaze. ¡°Judging by how well I know Hanson. I''m sure he influenced Joseline to do those despicable deeds. Yet, his wife is the only person to face retribution in the end. I can''t ept this oue.¡± Angeline asked impassively, ¡°So, what''s the n?¡± She didn''t deny Jonathan''s hypothesis as she was very familiar with Hanson''s character too. Still, those were unimportant to her. Jonathan leaned forward and stared at Angeline sinisterly. Then, he said firmly, ¡°Hanson will definitely find ways to approach you after you return to Forrester Group. All you need to do is exploit him into organizing a productunch. I''ll handle the rest.¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Productunch... Angeline''s expression turned grim when she heard the words. After pondering a moment, she replied candidly, ¡°It''s not difficult, but what are you trying to achieve?¡± Jonathan''s finger tapped on the ss in an irregr rhythm as he kept her in suspense. ¡°A scheme loses its intrigue once it''s revealed. You might as well wait with anticipation for it.¡± His words elicited a light chuckle from Angeline, as she couldn''t help but be amazed at how cautious he was. By choosing to hide it even from me, does he think that I''ll wreck his n? However, the more secretive someone was, the more cause there was for concern. ¡°Fine. I don''t need to know, but remember, I''m not going to do anything for free.¡± Angeline spoke in a firm yet professional tone as she negotiated the terms. Since Jonathan was keeping things from her. there was no need for her to be particrly considerate. After all, they were nothing more than just business partners. Even though she was open to coborating with him and providing him support, safeguarding her own interests remained her priority. Given how shrewd both parties were, Jonathan let out a reciprocalugh as he raised his ss to clink with hers. In a rxed tone, he reassured her, ¡°Don''t worry. I''m well aware of the rules of the game and share the same goal as you. Besides, you can expand your- businesswork further through the product launch. What''s there not to be happy about?¡± His words struck a chord with Angeline. After- analyzing it in her mind, she agreed with his assessment. Now tliat her concerns were ayed, she raised her ss at him. ¡°In tliat case... To a sessful partnership!¡± Angeline couldn''t deny that her coboration with Jonathan was a fruitful one so far. Despite his usually nonchnt attitude, he was a crafty man who seemed to be driven by a mysterious force. Ever since he thoroughly investigated tire internal matters of Golding Group, she knew there was more to him than met the eye. In fact, she figured that he was probably someone more powerful than she could even imagine. It was just tliat she was under Evander''s protection back then, hence theck of fear. However, now that she had lost that privilege, she had to tread carefully, given the inevitable increase in coboration opportunities between them. In addition, she endeavored to find out more about his background when she had the opportunity. Upon leaving the cafe, Angeline headed to the supermarket to buy some fresh ingredients, which she used to cook a few simple dishes and make some cartoon-based cakes. The doctor informed her that Sebastian''s condition had improved and that he no longer needed to stick to liquid food. Therefore, Angeline decided to use the opportunity to broaden the scope of his diet. When Angeline arrived at the hospital, Sebastian''s psychologist, Anna Bearbock, had just finished their counseling session. She was sitting by his bedside drawing together with him. ¡°Hello. Ms. Sorelie.¡± The sound of approaching footsteps caused Arma to look up before greeting Angeline with a smile. ¡°Hi, Dr. Bearbock. I brought Sebastian some food. Did he give you any trouble?¡± Angeline entered the ward and ced the heavy lunch box on the table. Anna, who had gotten to her feet, stuffed her hands in the pockets of her whiteb coat while her eyes glistened warmly. ¡°Not at all. Sebastian is exceptionally obedient, and I''m very fond of him.¡± ¡°I''m d to hear that. Thank you for all that you''ve done.¡± Angeline sighed in relief. Ever since she left Evander, Angeline rej ected all his help except for Anna''s service, an indication of her confidence in thetter''s capabilities. Anna was bom of mixed parentage, hence her- exquisite features. Nheless, she spoke fluent Chanaean, as she was raised in Chanaea by her grandmother. More importantly, she started studying psychology during herst few years of high school and even graduated from the same university as Evander-. Thus, she was extremely proficient in medicine. When Angeline did some digging into Anna''s background, she was shocked by the fees Anna charged for her medical expertise. If Evander hadn''t settled the bill upfront, she would never have been able to afford thetter''s services. However, all those were of secondary importance. What mattered was that Sebastian responded to the treatment well, while his autism gradually took a turn for the better. The thought brought a sense of gratification to Angeline as she opened the lunch box and brought out all the food and cakes she made. ¡°Dr. Bearbock, I''ve prepared extra for you. If you haven''t eaten, you''re wee to try my cooking.¡± ¡°Sure. I''ve been looking forward to it after hearing the others sing your- praises.¡± Wearing a gentle smile, Anna picked up a small cake and stuffed it into her mouth. ¡°Mmm, it''s delicious.¡± She shed Angeline a thumbs-up with a satisfied look on her face. ¡°With such amazing cooking skills, it''s no wonder you won Evander''s heart. Why didn''t you start a restaurant?¡± When Anna inadvertently brought up Evander''s name. Angeline''s expression took a grim turn. ¡°Oops, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said that.¡± Anna covered her mouth with her hands while her eyes had an apologetic look in them. ¡°It''s okay.¡± Angeline tried tough off the matter. Nevertheless, it wasn''t the first time Anna had mentioned Evander on purpose. She seemed to be particrly close to Evander during their university days and would often mention him in their conversations. Despite the suspicions she harbored, Angeline didn''t reveal any of it. Instead, she began to feed Sebastian with a small bowl she had brought. After eating a few mouthfuls, Sebastian suddenly stared at the bowl and murmured, ¡°Girl... Girl...¡± His words filled Angeline with astonishment, and her eyes lit up in delight. ¡°Sebastian, did you just speak?¡± With blushing cheeks, Sebastian gathered the courage to tug at Angeline''s sleeve and stare at her hopefully. It was then tliat Anna walked up to Angeline and spoke with a solemn tone. ¡°Actually, this isn''t the first time he has spoken, but every time he did, he would only manage to say the word ''girl.'' Do you know of any other child he has yed with whom he is close to?¡± The question triggered the image of Floretta to appear in Angeline''s mind, causing a bitter glint to sh across her eyes. ¡°Yes, there''s one. I can guess who he''s referring to.¡± ¡°That''s good. From his reaction, he seems to care a lot about this little girl.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Angeline was stumped for words. After observing the former''s expression, Anna added in an earnest tone, ¡°Now that Sebastian''s condition has improved significantly, you should arrange for him to see the girl. It would definitely aid in his emotional recovery.¡± This time, Angeline kept mum for a long time as a conflicted look appeared in her eyes. Sebastian isn''t alone in his feelings. I miss Floretta a lot and think of her every single day! But what can I do? Given the current state of my rtionship with Evander, going to the Golding residence to see Floretta is no different from humiliating myself! Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Knock! Knock! At that moment, Nancy entered with big bags of toys in her hands. Ever- since she left Angeline''s home, she was so busy that there was no sign of her for a couple of days. ¡°What bring you here all of a sudden?¡± Angeline was delighted to see her friend. ¡°Also, why did you buy so many things?¡± Nancy responded with a snort before cing the items on Sebastian''s bed. Grinning widely, she exined, ¡°Stop being so narcissistic. I bought all these for my godson. Although a long time has passed since he was discharged from the hospital, I, his godmother'', haven''t had the opportunity to visit him before this.¡± She then gave Sebastian''s hair a tousle. ¡°Darling, open them up and see if you like them!¡± Sebastian looked up at Nancy before ncing in Angeline''s direction. ¡°Go ahead.¡± With her approval, he mustered the courage to begin unwrapping the gifts. Given how short a child''s attention span was, Sebastian was now focused on the toys in contrast to moring for Floretta earlier. As for Nancy, she was more ecstatic than he was when he didn''t seem to resent her gifts. After settling Sebastian down, Nancy was about to discuss business with Angeline when she noticed Anna''s presence. In an apologetic tone, she greeted tiretter, ¡°Oh, I didn''t realize you were here, Dr. Bearbock. I''m sorry to have missed you.¡± ¡°Don''t worry about it.¡± Hands in her pocket, Anna shed a casual smile. ¡°We just finished for today, and I was about to take my leave.¡± ¡°But you haven''t eaten...¡± Just when Angeline wanted to persuade her to stay, Nancy''s frosty voice rang out. ¡°In that case, thanks foring, Dr. Bearbock. I''ll let you show yourself out.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Without another word, Anna picked up her medical bag and left the room. Watching her leaving silhouette, Angeline couldn''t help but frown at Nancy. ¡°She''s Sebastian''s psychologist. Couldn''t you have been more courteous?¡± ¡°I can''t put my finger on it, but I just can''t bring myself to like her.¡± Nancy settled down on the couch before taking a sip of coffee. ¡°You had better not let your good nature get the better of you. Don''t forget that she used to go to the same university as Evander, and who knows, they might have already had a thing for each other back then. That''s why I doubt her sincerity toward Sebastian.¡± Nancy''s words served as an implicit reminder to Angeline. Thinking back to Anna''s asional strange behavior, Angeline fell into a brief silence as a glint of suspicion shed across her eyes. However, the thought of her break up with Evander caused her expression to dramatically darken. ¡°That''s Evander''s business and has nothing to do with me now. I can also say the same about Anna''s past. All that matters to me is that she''s a good psychologist.¡± Shaking her head in resignation, Nancy shot Angeline a sympathetic look. Ever- since that fateful night, Angeline stopped crying over the breakup and never mentioned Evander in front of anyone. In spite of tliat, Nancy, who had known the former for a long time, was well aware that Angeline hadn''t moved on at all. Instead, she was just enduring the pain until she could find a reason to do so. ¡°Anyway, don''t you have business to discuss with me?¡± With her digressing mind pulled back by Angeline''s cue, Nancy retrieved a contract from her bag and handed it over. ¡°Here''s the agreement for the contract cancetion.¡± ¡°Contr act cancetion?¡± Unable to believe her ears, Angeline''s eyes sparkled with surprise as she quickly opened the agreement. It wasn''t until she saw thepany''s stamp and the management''s signature that she finally believed it to be true. ¡°What happened? Why did they waive the termination fee? This isn''t consistent with thepany''s usual attitude at all!¡± Angeline eximed as her eyes brimmed with shock. She found it harder to believepared to winning the lottery. All this while, thepany has milked its employees dry, so why would they give up on their final opportunity to do the same to me? Is it due to my long service? Nah, that''s even more ridiculous! Meanwhile, the solemn-looking Nancy was rubbing her hands anxiously. ¡°I, too, found it unbelievable until I went through the agreement in detail. It was at the end when I saw that the termination fee had been paid for.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That''s right. You can go through it yourself. There really is a use saying so. That''s the reason why I rushed here to see you. It''s a whopping twenty million, Angeline! Have you gone mad?¡± The sight of the huge figure on tire agreement caused Angeline''s hand to tremble. It wasn''t until she gulped that she managed to forcefully calm herself down. ¡°I didn''t pay it.¡± ¡°What? Are you kidding me?¡± This time, it was Nancy''s turn to be shocked. ¡°No.¡± A grave look descended upon Angeline''s face. ¡°I''m sure you know my style by now. I would rather not tenninate the contract if thepensation amounted to such a massive sum.¡± Realizing that Angeline was telling tire truth, Nancy fell into deep thought. ¡°But who can fork orrt so much money on your behalf?¡± ¡°Who else can it be?¡± Wearing a wry smile, Angeline borated in an unsettled tone, ¡°It has to be him.¡± Other than Evander, no one else is capable of paying so much money on such short notice. However, isn''t he about to be engaged to Olivine? Shouldn''t he be so preupied with the preparations to bother about something like this? So, what''s this supposed to mean? Is he trying to make amends? Angeline''s response conjured up the image of Evander in Nancy''s mind. It was then that thetter regretted her earlier words. ¡°In tliat case... What should we do? Thepany even transferred the final payment of the advertising fees into your ount. It''s probably toote to terminate the agreement now,¡± Nancy reminded Angeline warily. ¡°Tenninate the agreement?¡± Angeline chuckled. ¡°Wiry should I tenninate tire agreement when I''m not the one in the wrong?¡± Nancy didn''t know what to say. ¡°Since hepensated me with such a huge amount of money out of guilt, why shouldn''t I ept it?¡± Angeline''s words inadvertently delighted Nancy. ¡°Angeline, have you finally seen the light?¡± "Mmm-hmm.¡± As Angeline looked out the window, her eyes filled with bitterness. ¡°Besides, he must have done so in order for me to can get orrt of his sight by leaving the entertainment industry as soon as possible. The least I can do is fulfill his wishes.¡± This time, Angeline''s words triggered a frown from Nancy. ¡°Perhaps...¡± Nancy hesitated briefly. However, she swallowed her words in the end when she felt what she wanted to say was inappropriate. That didn''t change the fact that she knew how much Evander cared about Angeline. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 His action of paying the termination fee on her behalf implied he might still have feelings for her. Can it be that he''s in some sort of predicament that he can''t talk about? Unfortunately, from the way Angeline is behaving, there''s just no getting through to her right now. ¡°Anyway, let''s talk about something happier. Have you seen the news today? Jacob stood up for you and almost got into a fight with the paparazzi.¡± Nancy couldn''t help but burst into heartyughter the moment she finished. As for Angeline, it was clear that she was clueless about it. Whipping out her phone, she checked the trending topics on Twitter right away. Just as expected, the very first one read: Jacob Zane gets into an altercation with the paparazzi. Angeline proceeded to watch the short video clip. Jacob was dressed stylishly while attending a fashion show. It started out with him posing for the media. Thereafter'', one of the reporters asked him, ¡°Mi; Zane, what do you think about Angeline being exposed for her indiscretions and the fact tliat she has had a child before?¡± Jacob''s expression drastically changed as he questioned tire paparazzo, ¡°What do I think? Are you acting so confident because you experienced it?¡± The paparazzo answered defiantly, ¡°But Angeline admitted to it herself.¡± ¡°So what? How does that make it your business?¡± Jacob raised his voice in a hostile maimer. ¡°Aren''t you friends with Angeline? I''m sure you know what''s going on.¡± ¡°Wiry should I tell you even if I do? Do you want me to satisfy that disgusting imagination of yours or help youplete the baseless article you''re going to write?¡± Jacob spoke candidly with rage burning in his eyes. Chaos subsequently erupted at the scene, with all the reporters bing infuriated at his words. The reporter who had been insulted bellowed furiously, ¡°Jacob, who do you think you are? Don''t forget who it was tliat made you famous. You had better not push your luck!¡± ¡°F*ck you!¡± Jacob cursed as he threw a kick at the reporter. ¡°Do you still think we live in the past where you can judge a woman just for having a child? If not for unscrupulous reporters like you, Angie wouldn''t have needed to leave the entertainment industry!¡± It was then tliat an altercation broke out. Just when the situation was about to go out of control, a few bodyguards suddenly emerged and led Jacob away. Feeling touched and concerned after watching the video, Angeline asked Nancy, ¡°How is Jacob now? Is he all right?¡± ¡°Don''t worry. He''ll be fine. With his current poprity, the worst thepany will do is reprimand him.¡± Nancy patted Angeline on the shoulder to reassure her and added, ¡°Your time would be better spent worrying about yourself instead.¡± With tliat, Angeline''s concerns were eased. Little did she expect Jacob to be such a loyal friend. As she tinned around, a gentle look entered her eyes when she saw Sebastian ying with his racing car on the hospital bed. ¡°What else can I do? The only choice I have is to try and live a good life with Sebastian. Don''t worry. I''ll be fine,¡± Angeline promised with a smile as the sunlight tliat pierced through the window lent a gentle air to her. Given how unpredictable the future was, Angeline couldn''t be certain of what it held for her. The only thing within her control was to live her life to the fullest in the present. The next day, Angeline decided to officially start work at Forrester Group. Making the transition from acting to fashion design was undoubtedly a bold decision for her. Even though she was greatly influenced by her mother when she was young, it was undeniable that she would be seen as someone inexperienced. Therefore, it wasn''t going to be easy for her to earn her employees'' respect. As a result, she instructed Lillian to send over thetestpany reports before the meeting and to join her in it. On tliat day, Angeline was dressed in a white suit and a pair of matching ck cks. With her hair burned up behind her head, she exuded the aura of a professional woman. The moment she stepped into the office, she was greeted by the sight of the employees doing their own tilings in anguid maimer. In fact, they paid no heed to her arrival and were not even bothered to greet her. The scene caused Angeline''s face to darken as she strutted over. It seems that apany tliatcks a leader will result in ack of passion fi''oni the employees. With tliat, she walked up to the frontmost desk and stared at the female staff who was in the midst of freshening up her makeup. Knocking on the desk, Angeline reminded her, ¡°Don''t you have anything better to do during office hours?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Thedy was new and had never seen Angeline before. ¡°What''s with tliat attitude? Who do you think you are?¡± she retorted with a contemptuous look on her face. In response, Angeline almost sniggered out loud. With employees like these, it''s no surprise that Forrester Group is facing ruin. ¡°As a professional, shouldn''t you maintain some basic decorum in front of your client?¡± Unfortunately, thedy sneered, ¡°We have plenty of clientsing and going every day. Even my boss doesn''t give a d*mn, so who are you to interfere?¡± What a b*tch! Do all those bom in the nies behave this way? In no mood to waste time arguing, Angeline picked up the inte on thedy''s table and instructed, ¡°Everyone, gather in the conference room in ten minutes for a meeting.¡± The moment Angeline finished, the stunneddy mumbled, ¡°Who are you?¡± With no intention to interact any further with her, Angeline tinned around and strutted off in her stilettos. Ten minutester, a crowd gradually filled the conference room. Angeline had taken a seat in an inconspicuous corner to observe howckadaisical the staff were. ¡°What''s going on? What''s with the sudden meeting? Is someone from management here?¡± ¡°I have no idea. No one heard anything about it.¡± ¡°Hopefully, it isn''t a prank, but who knows? Let''s just wait patiently.¡± The conference room was extremely chaotic due to the ongoing chatter. Although the meeting was supposed to have started five minutes ago, the noise refused to die down. Consequently, a man with a bald patch, Carl Lipton, who was also thepany''s finance director, stood up from his seat angrily. ¡°Who in the world called for this meeting? Come out here right now. Do you think you''re still a child to be ying such a prank?¡± The conference room fell silent the instant his temper red. ¡°It was me.¡± Angeline''s crisp voice echoed through the conference room. Subsequently, she got up from her chair and sauntered toward the front. After putting the documents in her hand aside, she ced her hands on the table and stared into Carl''s eyes fearlessly. ¡°Do you have a problem with it?¡± Chapter 265 Chapter 265 The room fell into a pin-drop silence right after Angeline spoke. They weren''t cowed by her intimidating aura but were instead shocked. The surprise that brimmed in their eyes gradually evolved into disdain and mockery. With a deep frown on liis face. Carl spoke in an exasperated tone. ¡°Are you a new manager here?¡± ¡°Mr. Lipton. I know who she is. She''s a new client!¡± The crisp sound of a woman''s voice rang out. It was none other than thedy with whom Angeline had a brief disagreement earlier. With a vengeful expression, she bellowed. ¡°She was the one who called for the meeting just now! When I asked her what it was she needed, she even criticized me for no reason at all.¡± The instant the words rolled off her tongue, the conference room broke into an uproar again. ¡°That scared the heck out of me! Here I was, thinking that someone from management was here. It turned out to be someone insignificant.¡± ¡°Is she nuts? Why is she calling for a meeting unnecessarily?¡± ¡°Of course she is! Otherwise, why would she be wearing shades to hide her face? She must be a criminal afraid of being arrested by the police.¡± Disparagingughter began to echo throughout the room. Even though she heard the ridicule clearly, Angeline remained silent with both arms folded across her chest. However, the various managers couldn''t care less about the chaos as they continued to fiddle with their respective phones. Only Carl, who was annoyed by Angelinas behavior, mmed the table with his palm as he barked. ¡°This is the office, not somece where you can pull a prank. Get out right now, or I''ll have to call security.¡± Angeline let out a scoff before she unleashed a scathing retort, ¡°I''m surprised that you didn''t forget we''re in the office. Let me ask you, do you still know what thepany policy is?¡± ¡°S-Stop wasting time! It has nothing to do with you.¡± Despite being embarrassed by the criticism, Carl was as defiant as ever. ¡°You don''t have the right to speak to us when you don''t even dare show your face!¡± With a slight cock of her brow, Angeline raised her hand to the rim of her sunsses and removed it under everyone''s watchful gaze. The moment she revealed her face, all the young staff in the room stared stupidly at her as they let out gasps of disbelief. ¡°Oh my God! Isn''t that... Angeline Sorelie?¡± ¡°Isn''t she a star? I loved her in The Journey. Why is she here all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I heard some of the old timers in thepany mention that Angeline sold our products once on a livestream. Can this be a repeat of that? But didn''t she retire from the entertainment industry?¡± Angeline simply smiled in response to everyone¡¯s questions. The truth was she had appeared in thepany once before during the livestream. The reason everyone was surprised was that Hanson had discreetly transferred in new staff from Yiurk Group, recing all the old-timers. That was why Angeline was in such a hurry to return to Forrester Group. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Any dy on her part would allow Hanson to gradually make Forrester Group his. With an icy sneer, Angeline retrieved a stack of documents from her bag and handed them to Carl first. ¡°Let me introduce myself. I''m sure all of you already know me as Angeline Sorelle, but I have another role¡ªthe general manager of Forrester Group.¡± Her words sent a chill down Carl''s spine. ¡°Impossible. How can it be?¡± Unable to believe his ears, Carl flipped through the documents with trembling fingers. It wasn''t until he saw the transfer stamped with thepany''s seal that he felt as if he was woken up from a dream. Patting him on the shoulder with a gentle chuckle, Angeline proceeded to distribute copies of the agreement to the other staff. Given Carl''s reaction, it went without saying that thedy who offended Angeline earlier was in even greater shock. Sensing the deep trouble she was in, she couldn''t help but wish for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Angeline, with an indifferent smile, shot a sharp gaze at her as if she was able to read thedy''s mind. ¡°Go to the finance department and settle your outstanding sry. Today will be yourst day here.¡± Stunned, the panickingdy began to beg, ¡°Ms. Sorelle, y-you can''t abuse your position to exact revenge for a personal grudge!¡± ¡°I don''t need someone who puts on makeup during work hours or employees who don''t have any ambition at all. I''m not running a retirement home here.¡± Angelinas expression turned wintry as she spoke with a scathing tone. ¡°What''s wrong? Do you think I''m being unfair to you? Do you need me to get security to y back the surveince feed as proof of the behavior you showed just now?¡± Despite biting her lip in utter humiliation, thedy had nothing to counter Angeline with. She was utterly helpless against Angeline''s overwhelming pressure. After walking up to her and turning around, Angeline swept her icy gaze across the room before saying sternly, ¡°Everyone, let me first apologize for showing up at Forrester Group unannounced. I admit it wasn''t appropriate to do so.¡± Silence ensued during her brief pause. ¡°However, Forrester Group was left behind by my mother, while my grandfather transferred it to me right before liis death. That''s why I''m duty-bound to run it sessfrilly. From now on,zy employees aren''t wee here!¡± After losing her job and being made an example in public, thedy ran out of the conference room in tears. While everyone else looked on sympathetically, only Angeline wore a grim expression with her hands behind her back. Staring at her quiet staff, she asked in a frosty tone, ¡°Does anyone of you have any questions?¡± After the tant disy of power on her first day. no one dared to question her authority anymore. In fact, all of them were relieved they hadn''t gotten on her nerves. Just as Angeline was about to end the meeting, an indignant voice suddenly rang out. ¡°I have some concerns!¡± It was none other than Carl. With liis eyes spitting fire, liis body was trembling from rage after being ridiculed by Angeline. ¡°Even if you''re the new general manager, you shouldn''t forget that Forrester Group is a fashion design company. It will take more than making a few movies or posing for photo shoots to actually make money.¡± ring at Angeline, Carl didn''t hide liis disdain for her. ¡°All of us have been sent over from Yiurk Group. Even the least qualified among us has graduated from design school and is an extremelypetent professional. As for you, you''re nothing but an actress.¡± Carl wore a scornful expression as he tapped the pen he was holding on the table. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you have never been formally trained in design, so how do you expect us to respect you? After all. it takes more than throwing your weight around to be a tme leader.¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Angeline''s lips pulled into a tight and cold smile. As expected, what she worried about most still happened. In everypany, there would always be a few old-timers who loved stirring up trouble. Since the industry she was previously engaged in had nothing whatsoever to do with design, it was inevitable that her capability would be questioned. Carl must have been certain that she would not be able to refute him. If not. he would not have ced her in a tough spot and risked offending her. Standing at the front of the conference room, Angeline was just about to answer him when someone pushed open the door to the room. ¡°She''s qualified simply because she holds the property transfer agreement of Forrester Group.¡± A man''s gentle and elegant voice sounded. d in a white suit, Hanson walked into the room with steady strides. Compared to thest time Angeline saw him, he had obviously lost a significant amount of weight. He was still wearing the same gold-rimmed sses as before, whichplimented the soft gaze in liis eyes. Following closely behind him was Lillian, who held a folder in her hand. She nodded at Angeline. ¡°It''s been a while, Ms. Sorelie.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at Hanson. Angeline could not help but furrow her brow. Her tone was polite and distant. ¡°I just came for a small meeting. Since you''re busy with other matters, you don''t really have toe.¡± She had personally invited Lillian, but she hadn''t expected that Hanson would follow along. Hanson walked up to Angeline and looked at her tenderly as though she were an old friend. ¡°Today''s different. This is your first day at Forrester Group. Even if I had more urgent matters to attend to, I would postpone them toe and support you.¡± Listening to his words, Angeline did not feel it was right to humiliate him either. She merely responded in an aloof tone, ¡°Thank you, then, Mr. Yiurk. I''m grateful for your support.¡± Hanson looked at Angeline''s face, liis gaze filled with scrutiny. Upon noticing the maturity in her expression, he seemed rather surprised as well. ¡°Why are you all still standing around? Don''t you see that Mr. Yiurk is here? Quickly grab him a chair!¡± Carl ordered liis subordinates at once. As soon as Hanson arrived, Carl seemed to havepletely transformed into another person. His face was filled with undisguised eagerness to please Hanson. ¡°What an honor to have you here, Mr. Yiurk. I''m sorry that I wasn''t anticipating your presence, or I would''ve prepared everything for you beforehand.¡± ¡°No need for the trouble.¡± Hanson''s expression was quite serious, but liis voice sounded as gentle and soothing as before. ¡°I just stopped by on my way to deal with other matters. I heard your discussion as I wasing in earlier. It seems you''re not happy with Ms. Sorelle''s arrival.¡± ¡°Nothing like that!¡± Carl immediately denied it, waving liis hands before him. Smiling ingratiatingly, he went on. ¡°How would that be possible? We wouldn''t dare to do that. It''s just that Ms. Sorelie doesn''t have experience in design, and we were worried that this isn''t the most suitablepany for her.¡± Hanson chuckled lightly. ncing at Angeline''s calm profile, he could not help being impressed by her mental strength. ¡°In that case, you''ve severely underestimated her.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Taken aback. Carl looked at Hanson in confusion. At that moment, Lillian stepped forward from behind Hanson and exined in a solemn tone. ¡°Although Ms. Sorelie didn''t major in design during her university years, she was influenced by Mrs. Sorelle since she was a child and is very artistic herself. For instance, Ms. Sorelle was the creator of Gxy, the fashion series that was produced by Forrester Group and blew up seven years ago.¡± As she spoke, Lillian took out a CD from her folder and inserted it into the projector, ying the footage of Gxy''s fashion exhibition from back then. At the same time, it also brought Angeline''s memories back to the past. In her memories, her mother, Cynthia, had brought her along to every design ss. Angeline seemed to have a natural talent for design as well and created the designs for the Gxy series when she was merely fifteen. Back then, when Cynthia saw her work, she had been so excited that she almost skipped an entire night''s sleep and spent the whole night refining the design instead. Later, she also hired professional models, turning that series into the highlight of the exhibition. Gxy quickly became a global phenomenon. Somepanies even bought the copyright of the design, using it for magazines, phone cases, pendants, and other simr ornaments. The design was a work that Angeline and her mother had created together. It was also one of Angeline''s aplishments that gave her the most pride. As the footage of the exhibition came to an end, she remained immersed in her memories, unable to snap out of her reverie. The footage clearly hit a nerve in her. and tears slowly began rolling down her cheeks. She reached out and wiped them away quickly. As a fifteen-year-old, she had seen the world through rose-colored sses, and the Gxy series bore all the hopes she had for the world. Back then, she had never expected that ten yearster, both her parents would leave her side forever and that her life would be so miserable. Despite all the emotions that had emerged within her, on the present asion, she could only pull herself together swiftly and continue fighting the battle she was facing. ¡°Although the Gxy series gained poprity as a product created by Forrester Group, I was the designer who was responsible for creating it. Feel free to investigate the matter if you don''t believe it, and I promise to cooperate with your efforts.¡± Feeling more confident now, Angeline turned toward Carl with a sharp gaze. ¡°As someone who handles financial matters, your expertise doesn''t seem to have anything to do with designing either. Yet, you''re questioning me so boldly and self-righteously, which makes me wonder¡ªdo you have some work to show us as well?¡± Carl instantly blushed in embarrassment when he heard her words, feeling especially humiliated since this was happening in front of liis subordinates. Never had he expected Angeline to have such a significant experience in design, and he now had no way of finding fault with her anymore. ¡°I don''t.¡± Gritting liis teeth, he could only swallow liis grievances. ¡°Please forgive my ignorance.¡± ¡°It''s fine. Such conflicts are normal in the workce.¡± Angeline chuckled lightly, gazing at Carl squarely as though she could see through liis thoughts at a nce. Although liis attitude seemed positive on the surface, liis eyes were brimming with hatred. It was apparent that the two would continue to be at odds with each other in the future. Even though Carl was difficult, he was a long-time employee that was transferred from Yiurk Group and was considered one of the more experienced professionals in thepany. As someone who had just taken over Forrester Group, Angeline was in desperate need of capable employees. She had no ns to fire Carl, but she would not allow him to cross the line with her either. With that, she took out a document and handed it to him. ¡°Mi\ Lipton, since this is our first meeting, let''s not end on a bad note. Here''s a gift for you,¡± she stated in a slightly softer tone. Her words sent goosebumps all over Carl''s body, and he felt as if the room had turned cold suddenly. However, since there were so many eyes on him, even if the document was a bomb, he still had no choice but to ept it. ¡°Why, thank you, Ms. Sorelle.¡± He forced a smile, which somehow made him look even uglier than if he had simply cried. Angeline raised her eyebrows faintly. What a relief now that a big problem has been solved!Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 ¡°Congrattions.¡± Hanson smiled, pressing his warm hand on Angeline''s shoulder. ¡°From today onward. Angeline will be in charge of the management of Forrester Group. I hope everyone will cooperate with her. If any help is required, Yiurk Group will do its best to assist.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± the employees eximed in unison. No one dared to look down on Angeline any longer. At that moment, Angeline recalled what had happened thest time in the cafe. I''ve made preparations for the matter Jonathan reminded me of. Since Hanson''s here today. I might as well mention it. She rposed herself and wore an amiable smile. ¡°Thank you for your support, everyone. Now that I''ve returned to Forrester Group, the rules shall be strictly enforced. I''m nning to hold a fashion show next Wednesday, and I expect everyone to attend when the time conies.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Excitement was visible on the employees'' countenances. Forrester Group was originally a small, unremarkablepany. It had been a long time since the company was that lively. Angeline blinked at Hanson in a friendly manner. ¡°You''ll support my decision, right, Mr. Yiurk?¡± ¡°Why didn''t you discuss this significant matter with me beforehand?¡± Hanson looked at her with dissatisfaction. She was unsurprised to see his grave expression. He''s reacting exactly the way I expected him to. If something involves benefits, regardless of who he''s dealing with, he''ll immediately turn into a different individual. Honestly, I''m only able to face him calmly right now because I saw thising. ¡°We''re currently partners, so I still have the right to decide on many matters. The fashion show will only benefit Forrester Group, and I doubt you would mind spending a small number of funds to make it happen.¡± At his silence, she continued, ¡°Or are you saying you aren''t willing to use your connections to help Forrester Group?¡± Angeline grinned at him. She lifted her hand and naturally swept away the lint on Hanson''s tie. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Then, raising her head, she saw the scowl on his face and thought it was amusing. What a hypocrite! ¡°I''m fine with it,¡± Hanson replied in a deep voice. ¡°Whatever you need, Yiurk Group will provide. I merely hope the results won''t be too disappointing.¡± The most important tiling about Angeline''s statement earlier was that she didn''t give him a way out. That was why he was ticked off. ¡°Rx. I''ll do my very best with the fashion show so as to not disappoint you. Mr. Yiurk.¡± Angeline beamed. She didn''t care if he was happy about it or not. It was enough for her as long as she could achieve her goal. After the meeting was officially over, the employees returned to their stations happily, still relishing Angeline''s appearance. No one dared to look down on her anymore because she had had the guts to argue with Hanson in public. Bang! When Carl returned to his office and saw Angeline''s gift, he mmed his documents on the table and growled, ¡°That evil, vicious woman!¡± ¡°That''s enough. Why are you shouting? Aren''t you afraid the employees will hear you?¡± It was then a man wearing a pair of ck-framed sses and with a long beard entered the room. ¡°You have some guts to say that to me, Mr. Valentine! You people from the design department didn''t utter a single word back in the conference room and allowed that woman to say whatever the heck she pleases to embarrass me!¡± The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He had thought he could live his life in peace as the finance director and that Angeline''s arrival would pose no threat to him. However, because of his rash actions today, she had got dirt on him. Alexis Valentine calmly listened to Carl''s furious questioning. He reached out to open a folder and when he saw the content, the look in his eyes turned frigid. ¡°This woman''s quite capable.¡± I can''t believe she even managed to get her hands on important information like this. It''s undeniable that she has himpletely cornered. ¡°Stop kicking me when I''m down!¡± Carl pulled his hair with a look of despair. ¡°Don''t forget, both of us did it. If she decides to look deeper into the matter, you and I are going down together.¡± A cold glint appeared in Alexis'' eyes, but he quickly put it away. With a chuckle, he said, ¡°Look at your bad temper. Do you think getting yourself worked up can solve the problem? The design department kept quiet in the conference room because we couldn''t be bothered to argue with a half-witted leader like Angeline. Didn''t Ie here to see you right after the meeting ended?¡± Carl snorted. ¡°Do you have a solution, then?¡± Alexis walked toward the door, shut it. and returned to the desk. He whispered, ¡°Rather than allowing someone to get a hold of your dirt and spending the rest of your days here with worry, why not end tilings instead?¡± Carl was shocked, but when he saw the determined expression on Alexis'' face, he wavered. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± ¡°If you do exactly as I say, I promise you''ll lead a blissful life in the future. However, if you follow Angeline. you may get booted out of thepany one day.¡± Carl hesitated but ultimately agreed, ¡°Fine! It''s a deal!¡± I''m just an insignificant finance director, and I doubt Angeline will throw away the dirt she has on me. Since I can''t win against someone as powerful as her, I might as well find myself a backer and take her out! Over the next few days, Angeline took care of Sebastian while preparing for the fashion show. To reorganize thepany effectively, she implemented a series of rules and regtions. On her first day. she enforced a clocked-in system. Everyone, regardless if they were an employee or the leader of the organization, had to arrive at thepany before ten in the morning. One hundred would be deducted from an individual''s sry for every minute they werete. The employees were used to beingzy, so after a few days, they startedining about the system. Some even started calling Angeline ¡°The Ice Queen" behind her back. Angeline felt rather resigned when she heard that. I didn''t expect to be the employees'' public enemy only after taking over thepany for a few days. However, I won''t relent. This is necessary. Otherwise, they''ll only continue to act however they please, and Forrester Group will never achieve greatness. Soon, the day of the fashion show arrived. While Hanson was still upset about her decision, he did promise her he would back her up. He had no choice but to get everything done properly. Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Hanson invited the representatives of many big-name brands. Despite Joseline''s influence and Yiurk Group''s long-term low- profile status, many of those representatives still showed up to pay their respects to him. The fashion show was held on a cruise ship along the coastline. At night, the entire ship was brightly lit. Visitors could enjoy a panoramic view of the sea and its wonderful breeze from a distance. It was in line with the series of costumes Angeline had brought to the fashion show. It was thest set of clothes her mother designed¡ªOcean. As her mother''s passing was very sudden, the set of clothes didn''t see the light of day until the fashion show. Angeline had only found it after looking through everything in the storehouse. Even though it was made a long time ago, the style didn''t seem outdated. There was more than an hour left until the opening of the fashion show. Models were putting on their makeup inside the busy dressing room on the ship. Angeline was examining every piece of clothing and engaging in a handover process with the models. There were five series of costumes to be presented, with Ocean being thest. Angeline was very strict with the models to avoid any mistakes. She was wearing a white, long suit with high heels while her long hah rested on her back, which made her look like a career woman. Even though she had exined everything clearly, she was still worried. As she faced the models in the dressing room, she uttered, ¡°Everyone, keep your spirits up. This fashion show is exceptionally important to Forrester Group, so I hope everyone will treat this event seriously. If it''s well-received, rest assured that all of you will earn a well-deserved bonus. ¡° ¡°You''re too kind, Ms. Sorelie.¡± ¡°We''ll cooperate with you to the best of our abilities to avoid any mistakes, Ms. Sorelie.¡± Everyone was slightly surprised by her humble attitude, so they hurriedly replied to her respectfully. Their assurance put Angeline''s worries mostly to rest. After she finished her work in the dressing room, she left to wee the guests. She had investigated all the attending guests beforehand, so even though it was her first time meeting them, she could socialize with them smoothly. Inside the presidential suite on the upper floor. Hanson was standing in front of a window with liis hands behind liis back. He was staring at the scene downstairs intensely. Dissatisfaction swirled in liis eyes as he watched Angeline interact with the crowd in aposed manner. ¡°Be careful not to catch a cold. Mr. Yiurk.¡± It was then Lillian''s caring voice rang inside the room. She proceeded to ce the coat in her hands on liis shoulders. ¡ö''Thank you.¡± His warm voice sounded distant. ¡°You should head downstairs and help her.¡± ¡°I''m your subordinate. Mr. Yiurk. I should serve only you.¡± An aggrieved expression surfaced on her countenance. After a brief moment of contemtion, she reminded him, ¡°Besides, Ms. Sorelle seems confident. I don''t think she needs¡ª¡± ¡°How long have you been working for me, Lillian?¡± Hanson interrupted coldly. ¡°Three years,¡± said Lillian, slightly stunned. ¡°Three years, yet you still don''t know my rules?¡± Hanson tinned around, facing her with disapproval. ¡°You''ve talked too much earlier.¡± Lillian''s heart dropped. She felt aggrieved, as she didn''t expect to be reprimanded. ¡°I''m simply angry on your behalf about the unfair treatment you received. Mr. Yiurk. Ms. Sorelie''s intentions are obvious. Why are you cooperating with her when she''s just trying to exploit your resources?¡± Closing liis eyes, he uttered slowly, ¡°Because she''s Angeline.¡± I kept quiet even though I saw through her tricks because she''s Angeline, the woman I owe so much. The investigator I hired recently told me Angeline seemed to have broken up with Evander, so this is my chance to let her know how much I regretted what happened and to bring her back to my side! Angeline,pletely oblivious to Hanson''s thoughts, was still exchanging pleasantries with the guests downstairs. She was holding a ss of red wine, blushing slightly due to her drunkenness. ¡°I have high hopes for you, Ms. Sorelle. We must coborate more often in the future!¡± The person speaking to her was a balding forty-odd-year-old man. and he was staring at her lustfully. ¡°Don''t w¡¯orry. We''ll definitely have the chance to work together in the future. I only hope you won''t forget about me when the timees.¡± A gentle smile hung on Angeline''s face as she emptied her ss after toasting him. He ced his hand on her shoulder. As he spoke, a thick alcohol scent wafted into her nose. ¡°You''re so beautiful that no one can forget about you. Ms. Sorelle.¡± Angeline''s eyes glinted as she turned sideways and ducked away from liis aim. ¡°I think you''ve drunk a little too much. I''ll call for a security guard to take you down to rest.¡± Before the man could reply, she had already used the w7alkie-talkie on her chest to summon a security guard. After he left, Angeline let out a subtle sigh of relief as a look of disgust shed past her eyes. The man talking to her earlier was the general manager of an advertisingpany. If not for the fact that Forrester Group needed the publicity, she wouldn''t have wasted her time with him. It wasn''t until she took over her current position that she realized how heavy was the head that wore the crown. The position wasn''t as morous as it appeared, as one had to endure countless trials while holding that title. It''s only nowr that I realize I wras too well-protected by Nancy. That''s why, from now7 on, I must wrork even harder so I can bear the responsibilities on my shoulder and make my deceased elders proud. Right then, a luxury car came racing by on the beach. Under everyone''s gaze, it came to a steady stop. The driver alighted from the vehicle and went to open the door to the passenger seat. The limited edition off-road vehicle attracted plenty of attention as everyone wondered wdio the owner of the car was. Angeline was intrigued by the discussions, so she approached the railings and looked down from the cruise ship. After the driver opened the door, a pah of ck leather shoes firstnded firmly on the sand. A handsome face then appeared before everyone. When they saw7 wdio he was, they took in a deep breath. ¡°Oh my god! Isn''t that Evander Golding?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°It''s him! What is he doing here?¡± ¡°Didn''t he have a falling-out with Angeline?¡± ¡°It seems that Forrester Group does have a backer! My husband really has to step up liis game.¡± Everyone was excited except Angeline, w''hose expression couldn''t get any darker. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 What is he doing here? I checked the guest list Lilian sent me. and liis name isn''t on it. Besides, he''s not the type who would bother attending a small event like this. I don''t understand why he came here. While Angeline was in a daze, the driver pulled out a ck, pristine coat from the vehicle and draped it over Evander''s shoulders. Evander looked around the ship, paying no attention to everyone''s gaze until his eyesnded on Angeline. He paused, but only for a few seconds before he averted his gaze and stepped onto the ship. ¡°Mr. Golding/¡¯ everyone greeted him enthusiastically when he walked past them. ¡°Mm." Evander nodded with a grim expression. No one could ignore him, for the aura he exuded was simply too powerful. He didn''t stop walking until he arrived in front of Angeline. ¡°Ms. Sorelle,¡± he stalled, staring fixedly at her. It was a simple greeting, yet Angeline was unhappy to hear it. She trembled violently, her face pale. Ms. Sorelle... I can''t believe there wille a day when we''re this distant. Is he here to taunt me? Ridicule me? Meanwhile, Nancy and Roger had arrived in fancy clothes as they had also received Angeline''s invitation. They were at each other''s throats again the moment they met each other. It wasn''t until they noticed Evander''s presence that they stopped for a while. Nancy was standing at the spot closest to the sea breeze with a ss of red wine in her hand as she stared at Evander with surprise. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°What''s going on? Why is he here?" She turned her sharp look to Roger. ¡°Did you call him here?¡± ¡°I didn''t," he answered helplessly. ¡°Didn''t the two of them break up already? Why would I do something like this?¡± After thinking about it briefly and carefully, Nancy concluded that, indeed, he wasn''t someone who would do such a tiling. In that case, Evander must''ve made liis way here without someone prompting him. Why, though? At that moment, she saw Evander approaching Angeline. She muttered anxiously, ¡°Evander definitely won''t say anything pleasant to Angeline. What if she gets bullied? No. I can''t allow that to happen." Just as she was about to move toward Angeline, Roger blocked her path. ¡°You shouldn''t interfere. Angeline''s not even as anxious as you. Just let her deal with it herself.¡± His words sessfully persuaded her to stay, but she was still worried as she gazed at Angeline and Evander with a frown. Roger ced his hand on Nancy''s shoulder familiarly with a mischievous smile. ¡°Evander''s a sensible guy. There''s no way he''ll give your best friend a hard time in public. Instead of thinking about them, you should focus on us. Look at how beautiful the night is. You know, I''ve already booked a couple''s room on the second floor...¡± His stark reminder caused her to blush. ¡°Shut up, you scoundrel.¡± Roger chuckled. ¡°It''s not the first time we did it already, so why are you still all shy?¡± As he spoke, he ced his hand on Nancy''s waist and then moved it to her butt. Before he could finish enjoying the moment, she suddenly grabbed liis aim and used her other hand to squeeze liis crotch. ¡°Ow!¡± he cried out. ¡°Are you trying to kill me, Nancy?" Nancy''s expression had turned grim as she pushed Roger away and looked at him seriously. ¡°This is my final warning to you. What happened that night was just an ident. I suggest you forget about it as soon as possible. A rtionship between us is impossible.¡± Then she turned around and left, leaving him behind. Roger watched her leave with a dumbfounded look as he endured the pain. She doesn''t seem to be joking about it. As he tightened liis grip on the railing, a hint of sadness crept onto his face. The moment Nancy turned around, the icy expression on her face had already vanished. She forced a faint smile that looked more like a grimace. It wasn''t difficult to spot traces of despair in her dazed look. Roger''s not in the wrong. I was the one who decided not to fall in love with anyone. Meanwhile, Angeline was on pins and needles as she faced Evander. Every second she spent with liim felt torturous to her. However, she couldn''t act out of character with so many people looking at her, so she simply nodded at him. Then, putting on a warm smile, she said, ¡°It''s an honor to have you here. Mr. Golding." The change urred so fast that it was as though they had never broken up or even met before. Even Evander couldn''t help but narrow liis eyes dangerously. Angeline''s actions made liim see her in a different light. ¡°There''s no need to be that polite, Ms. Sorelle. This is not our first meeting, after all." As he spoke with liis deep, maic voice, he smiled teasingly. ¡°You invited me to plenty of dinners before. It''s only natural that Ie bearing a gift.¡± The smile on Angeline''s countenance froze as she cursed Evander in her mind for being too sly. When did I shamelessly invite him to multiple meals? He was the one who brought Floretta to freeload on food when he had nothing to do! Is he intentionally saying that in front of everyone as payback? ¡°Angeline may be stubborn, but that''s also her strength. I hope she didn''t trouble you. Mr. Golding." A gentle, masculine voice rang out right then. It was then everyone noticed Hanson had left his room in a high-ss suit, which made him appear extraordinarily graceful. Compared to before, he seemed much more mature and disciplined. Standing in front of Evander, he stretched liis hand toward liim with a smile. ¡°Forrester Group is a company jointly owned by Angeline and me. Hence, I have the right to participate in this event. If you have any requests, just let me know7.¡± Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Evander stared at Hanson''s hand coldly and mocked. ¡°You¡¯re not a three-year-old who doesn''t know how to read the room. Mr. Yiurk. I''m simply here today to present a gift to Ms. Sorelle.¡± There was no fault to be found in his words. While he sounded friendly to outsiders, he, Hanson, and Angeline were painfrilly aware of the contradiction present in his statement. Hanson''s appearance only made the atmosphere around them even more awkward. Hanson''s expression darkened slightly. He was about to reply to Evander, but Angeline beat her to it. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Golding. Of course, I wee your arrival since you''re already here. However, I''m curious about the gift you mentioned, Mr. Golding.¡± At that, Evander shot a look at the driver. The driver immediately understood his employer''s intention and hurried downstairs. Angeline was stunned as she gazed at Evander. I was merely joking. Also, I thought the gift was just an excuse he randomly came up with to justify his presence here. However, it seems that he actually did prepare a gift. While she was deep in thought, she saw the driver approaching her with a giant card covered in red cloth. Evander sessfully drew the crowd''s attention in an instant. Everyone stepped closer to the object and stared at it with curiosity as they spected on what it could be. Angeline was also wondering what it was. However, she couldn''t help but feel exhausted. Evander''s appearance here is already irking me, yet he''s disrupting the event further with liis gift. Is he intentionally doing this to ruin my fashion show? Frowning, she cut straight to the chase. ¡°What are you trying to do, Mr. Golding?¡± It was supposed to be Forrester Group''s fashion show that day. yet everyone''s focus was now on Evander''s mysterious gift. She didn''t want him to keep hogging the limelight. ¡°Open it,¡± Evander ordered in a deep voice. ¡°Understood.¡± The driver nodded and removed the red cloth. When Angeline saw the number on the card, her eyes widened, and her breath quickened. On the card was the introductory cover of Forrester Group''s fashion show, some written well-wishes, and a small piece of ss affixed in the middle with a check inside. The number on the check was eight eights. While that amount of money wasn''t a rare sight for the guests, they were surprised Evander would present such a gift to Angeline. Angeline, too, was stunned by the unexpected mary gift. With tightly knitted eyebrows, she questioned. ¡°What''s the meaning of this, Mr. Golding?¡± ¡°Don''t misunderstand anything. This is just a gift,¡± Evander answered expressionlessly. ¡°Your gift is too extravagant. I cannot ept it,¡± she rejected as she did her best to remain collected. Even though he makes it sound like tliis almost ny million check is unremarkable, no gifts of this nature are ever this expensive. Is he trying to paint me as an enemy? A look of dissatisfaction swirled in Evander''s eyes because of Angeline''s rejection. ¡°I never take back anything I gift to someone.¡± She was aware of his temper and that he definitely wouldn''t take his gift back if he said so. ¡°We''re honored that you''re willing to grace your presence here, Mr. Golding. However, if you understand Angeline, you should know that she won''t ept it.¡± Once again. Hanson spoke up to smooth tilings over. He even draped an aim around Angeline''s shoulders. For a few seconds, liis action made her feel ufortable. While she frowned, she didn''t push him away. He''s right. That''s exactly what I was thinking. Evander looked at Hanson''s hand that was on Angeline''s shoulders and shed a smirk. ¡°Do you think you understand Angeline?¡± Hanson''s face clouded over slightly. ¡°I don''t understand what you mean. Mr. Golding.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°That''s enough.¡± Angeline spat, her sharp look trained on Evander. That scheming smile on liis face... Clearly, he knows something that may be detrimental to my current situation. When she thought about that, her face turned cold. I must not allow him to ruin the fashion show! ¡°The fashion show is about to begin, Mr. Golding. Let''s not waste any more time here and head to our seats, shall we?¡± In response, Evander stopped troubling her. He nced at her before ambling toward liis seat. The fashion show officially stalled. The security guards allowed reporters to enter the venue to take pictures as tall, slender models showed off Forrester Group''s clothes on the catwalk. The audience had a great time watching the show. Some started taking photos of the models with their phones. Angeline was the only one with a stunned expression. While her eyes were on the models, she was thinking about something else. Her worries had intensified after Evander appeared. Jonathan mentioned he was going to give Hanson a surprise today, but he refused to tell me what it was about, so I have no idea what''ll happen. Seeing how sessful the fashion show currently is, I admit. I regretted promising Jonathan so quickly. I should''ve had a backup n. She gripped the hem of her suit as unease bubbled in her heart. ¡°Wow, that looks so beautiful!¡± It was then the crowd suddenly eximed in awe. That snapped her back to reality. Reflexively, she raised her head and looked at the catwalk. Angeline saw the models she handpicked appearing on the stage with clothes fr om the Ocean fashion line. While each piece of clothing had a different style, they were fashionable and beautiful enough to gamer exmations fr om the audience. ¡°Oh my god! It''s like I see an ocean of stars! It''s so beautiful!¡± ¡°I can''t believe my eyes! Who''s the designer? Tliis is so stylish. I love it.¡± ¡°Incredible! Look at each of the designs! They perfectly conceal the ws of the models'' bodies! I''m thoroughly impressed by Forrester Group.¡± Angeline was, naturally,forted by the crowd''spliments and was happy for her mother. I bet Mom will be proud if she can see what''s going on fr om the heavens. Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Because of Angeline''s preference for simplicity, the fashion show was soon nearing its end. The host walked up to the stage with a microphone and smiled. ¡°Now, let us wee the general manager of Forrester Group for a speech.¡± Even though Angeline''s speech had been pre-nned and listed on the event itinerary, Angeline still froze for a second as the cameras turned to her. Only after encouraging herself in her mind did she slowly rise to her feet. She put on an elegant smile, then strode up the stage. At that very moment, the reporters in the front surged toward Angeline, the cameramen clicking their camera shutter buttons rapidly. Fortunately, Angeline had been in the entertainment industry for many years. She knew how to be even more graceful in front of so many cameras. Gripping the microphone, she shed a gentle smile. ¡°Good evening,dies and gentlemen. Thank you for taking the time toe to Forrester Group''s fashion show. The hard work everyone has put into tliis project cannot be discounted from its sess. I sincerely thank everyone who has participated in this.¡± Right as those words came out of her mouth, everyone lifted then arms to p their hands. The reporters were the only ones who continued watching her with sharp eyes as if she was a piece of meat in the eyes of hyenas. ¡°Angeline Sorelie¡ªoh, wait, no, I should be referring to you as Ms. Sorelle. Did you not just announce your retirement from the entertainment industry? Why have you appeared in public so swiftly after that? I mean, there was some bad news about you previously. Yet. you''ve now shaken off your identity as an actress and stepped into the fashion industry. Do you not fear ruining your own brand? ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you''re someone who has no knowledge about the fashion industry. Are the rumors that you have someone backing you as you enter this field true?¡± The remarks from the reporters were exceptionally nasty. An awkward look crossed Angeline''s face as she stood in the spotlight. Her hands resting by her sides clenched into fists as she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay calm. In her panic, she noticed Evander in the crowd. Although she could not decipher whether he was happy or angry by studying the look in liis eyes, she could see that he had no intention of helping her out of the situation. That only made Angeline even more determined to make it through the event. She had already been humiliated in front of Evander once: she would not let herself show fear in front of him again. With that thought in mind, a wave of courage swelled up in her chest. After taking a deep breath, she looked right at the cameras. ¡°First of all, I think that your standards for women are too difficult to achieve. Any trace of sess, and people will start wondering if someone is backing her up. May I know if you have any evidence for this?¡± The reporters were displeased by her retorts. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you hid the fact that you''ve given birth to a child from your fans before. Is tliis¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, tliis is true,¡± Angeline interrupted in an angrier tone. ¡°However, I admitted to the matter when it was exposed, and I''ve paid the price for it. I left the entertainment industry. Now, I''m just a mother. Am I not allowed to have a life?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± The reporters were growling and hissing, for they could not find any words to respond to her. Angeline''s words had dragged the topic of the discussion back, and she had made the reporters seem as though they were the viins of the day instead. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Even though Angeline felt she had more to say, whatever she had uttered made her feel relieved nheless. The look in her eyes grew even more determined as she continued. ¡°Also. Forrester Group is the business my mother and my grandpa have left behind. I did not get it via underhanded means.¡± Right as she said that, silence enveloped the area. ¡°That is correct.¡± Just then, Hanson stepped out from within the crowd. He walked up to the stage and pulled Angeline into his arms before a soft look entered liis eyes. ¡°Angeline and I are childhood friends, and I''ll swear on Yiurk Group about her good character.¡± Angeline was bound to emerge as the victor from the start, but Hanson''s words made the spotlight shine on her again. They were acting far too intimate, and the way Hanson was defending her was as if he was her significant other. Evander''s expression darkened as he began to exude a murderous aura. The gaze he had on her was piercing. It was as if he was going to sear a hole in Angeline. Angeline shuddered, and fear started growing in her. But Evander''s getting engaged to another woman soon. What right does he have to intervene in my business? At that thought, Angeline steeled herself again. She reached out to hook her aim around Hanson''s and gave him a sweet smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± She had neither made any word of agreement nor disagreement with liis actions, but her expression of gratitude was as though she was admitting to the others that she was in a romantic rtionship with Hanson. However, to the rest of the world. Angeline was still Joseline''s sister. Hanson was technically her brother-inw. It was such a strange sight. The reporters lifted their cameras to film them again, afraid that they would miss a good scoop. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°I have no idea! Why is it so dark suddenly? Is tliis a power outage?¡± Chaos had erupted on site all of a sudden. At the same time, Angeline was getting paler and paler as she looked at the screen with bewilderment in her eyes. ¡°Mi\ Yiurk, I''ve settled the matter for you. Now, the focus is on Sorelle Group. No one will suspect you at all. Isn''t it time for you to pay the amount you''ve promised?¡± came a deep voice of a man with a hint of greed in liis tone. Then, the screen on the stage lit up again. In a quiet cafe, Hanson was stirring his tea, sitting opposite a man with an arrogant face who was smoking. As Hanson pushed a cup of tea over to the other man, he uttered, ¡°No worries. It will be paid by tomorrow night at thetest.¡± The other man grinned in satisfaction. ¡°Aman of his words, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Suddenly remembering something, he flicked the ashes of liis cigarette onto the ground and let out a sigh. ¡°Still, I''m impressed by you. Mr. Yiurk. Not even your wife matters when it conies to reaping profits. I doubt anyone in tliis world can be more ruthless than you.¡± Right as the man said that, Hanson lifted liis head to look at him in displeasure. ¡°Don''t say any foolish words.¡± The man lifted a brow. ¡°I understand. Come, let''s drink.¡± With that. Hanson lifted the cup before him and sipped on it. ¡°How''s the family of three that was in the ident?¡± ¡°There''s no way the man''s going to survive after getting hit by the metal board. The woman was making a fuss at the start, but what else does she want after getting thatrge sum of money that will let her livefortably for the rest of her life? Chapter 272 Chapter 272 The man snorted andmented disdainfully, ¡°Mr. Yiurk, you were right. There is nothing in this world that money can''t solve!¡± ¡°Yeah. Wrap tilings up properly. Don''t let those people suspect Yiurk Group.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Yiurk. I''ve already tampered with the scene. No one will be able to tell that the ident happened because of Yiurk Group''s mis¡ª?¡± Immediately, Hanson raised liis hand and knocked on the table. Realizing liis slip-up, the man chuckled and pped liis own cheek. ¡°I''m sony. I spoke unnecessarily.¡± With that, the video on the screen came to an end. Silence filled the room as everyone tried to recover from their shock. Angeline was also surprised, but she did not react with exaggeration as the others did. Her brows were deeply fun''owed as she appeared deep in thought. This must be the surprise Jonathan was talking about at the cafest time. He really went all out! He knows how much Hanson cares about his reputation, yet he exposed thetter so bluntly. At that moment, Hanson was standing frozen on the stage, his face terribly grim. He had specially ordered his subordinates to carefully examine the surroundings that day. and they did not find anything suspicious. He had no idea how this video was taken. ¡°It turns out that the ident involving Sorelie Group was Yiurk Gioup''s doing. Mr. Yiurk. why don''t you give us an exnation?¡± ¡°Mr. Yiurk, you even schemed against your own wife. Don''t you feel guilty at all?¡± ¡°Does Sorelie Gioup''s bankruptcy also have something to do with you?¡± Hanson was bombarded with harsh questions, and he could not escape at all as people encircled him on the stage. Rapid camera shes hit him in an instant, giving him no time to dodge at all. Angeline was unfortunately stuck in the middle of the crowd, helplessly shoved around as people jostled against each other. ¡°Wait! Cahn down, everyone!¡± she yelled, but her voice was drowned out by the mor. Amidst the chaos, someone pushed her forcefully. As pain shot up from her ankle, she lost her bnce and toppled over the side of the stage. ¡°Ahh!¡± She gasped instinctively, her eyes widening in honor. Right when her body was inches away from the floor, she closed her eyes in despair and prepared herself for the impact. At that crucial moment, she felt someone''s arm wrap around her waist securely and pull her away from the floor. Thud! Angelinas eyes watered as she mmed into a man''s broad chest. His chest was so firm that she felt as though she had bumped into a rock. ¡°Carefill.¡± A man''s deep voice sounded beside her ear. Despite the noise around them, liis voice was clear. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. In an instant, Angelinas mind began buzzing. She had heard this familiar voice countless times in her dreams. The man pressed Angelinas head against liis chest and left the venue with her. Although she couldn''t see what was going on, liis steady heartbeat gave her a sense of security. Not long after, themotion around them faded into quietness. ¡°You can open your eyes now.¡± The icy voice snapped Angeline out of her thoughts. After scanning their messy surrounding, she realized they were in the dressing room. Evander had brought her to the safest ce he could find. Angeline felt a warm sensation in her heart. Nevertheless, she still felt awkward when she lifted her head to look at him. ¡ö''Thank you for helping me. I would have fallen from the stage if it weren''t for you.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± replied Evander. He did not spare a nce at Angeline as he spoke. It was as if she was a total stranger to him. When she noticed liis cold attitude, a sad look crossed her face. Does he not want to see me at all? Then why did he evene here? Angeline tried her best to keep her emotions at bay and pretend to be calm. Gazing at Evander solemnly, she said, ¡°Mr. Golding, it probably won''t take long for today''s news to trend.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yeah? His nonchnt answer threw Angeline off guard. She clenched her jaw and added. ¡°I won''t mind if someone snaps a photo of you holding me in your aims, but it won''t be good if your fiancee finds out.¡± She purposefully put her emphasis on the word ¡°fiancee.¡± Evander turned to look at her intently. There was an unreadable look in liis eyes. He asked casually, ¡°You''re scared?¡± ¡°Scared? Why should I be scared?¡± retorted Angeline with a prideful expression. ¡°I didn''t do anything wrong. On the contrary, you better stay away from me. Mr. Golding. I won''t be responsible for dealing with your family affairs for you.¡± ¡°You can rest assured. Olivine isn''t the type to be unreasonable,¡± Evander said, liis voice as maic as usual. Although he did not say much to defend Olivine, Angeline wasn''t pleased to hear liis words. He''s protecting her, isn''t he? Indeed, childhood sweethearts have a deeper bond. Is he subtly showing off how understanding his fiancee is? With that in mind. Angeline felt upset. Her voice turned frosty as she snapped back, ¡°Well noted on you and your fiancee''s loving rtionship, Mr. Golding. If there''s nothing else, I''ll return to the venue to deal with the matter.¡± After saying that, she lowered her eyes to hide her emotions and tinned around to leave. It just urred to her that she and Evander had long drifted apart without her knowing. Since tilings could never return to the way they were before, it was best for them to cut off their ties completely. As Angeline came to terms with that, she looked a bit relieved. Since Evander has already let go, what''s the point of holding on so tightly? While Evander watched Angeline walk away, liis eyes dimmed. A throbbing pain filled liis heart as if someone was squeezing it with all their might. From the very beginning, he had always made choices that were beneficial to Angeline even if it meant being apart from her. Yet at the sight of Angeline and Hanson standing on the stage together, he felt utterly bitter and envious. He was gradually realizing how possessive he actually was over Angeline. Sadly, he did not have any right to stop her. Just like what Angeline had mentioned, they had long broken up. Evander''s figure looked forlorn as he remembered that. Even when the faint light hit liis side profile, liis eyes were dull and spiritless. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 The reason he did not hesitate to turn down the job and prepare the cheque gift was that he wanted to take another look at her. The ctuise ship was inplete chaos. Security guards moved out in unison and ced dividers around the stage to separate the paparazzi from them. Hanson was escorted away by the security guards Lillian had sent over. Throughout the entire journey, his expression was horrifyingly dark, as if there was a dark cloud hanging above his head. After themotion, Angeline had no other option but to end the fashion show early. She went to take care of the models and send off the business partners. Although things did not end well that day, Angeline managed to expand herwork in the fashion industry. She used Hanson to bring herself exposure while he was humiliated because of the fashion show. However, even though Hanson was the one who brought it upon himself, Angeline still felt bad about it. Then again, she was not exactly a nice person. Once the crowd left the ctuise ship, Angeline could finally rx. She sipped on a ss of red wine while enjoying the sea breeze. ¡°Roger, didn''t I make myself clear enough? Stop bothering me.¡± Nancy''s growl could be heard in the distance right then. That caused Angeline to snap out of her thoughts. She lifted her head and nced downstairs, only to find Nancy strolling on the beach barefooted, dressed in a long, red dress and holding a pair of high heels. Roger was following closely behind her, attempting to grab her arm. ¡°Nancy, calm down. I know you''re only saying that out of anger. I¡ª¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Nancy shrugged his hand off, turned around, and red at him. ¡°We''re all adults. Besides, you''re more of a yer than I am and have slept with countless women. Why should I be with you?¡± Roger''s expression darkened as he stood frozen to his spot and allowed Nancy to reprimand him however she wanted. ¡°You''ve never taken me seriously in the first ce, have you?¡± he asked. Nancy fell silent for a few seconds before she scoffed, ¡°Duh! What do you think? It''s not like you''re any different. You treat women like clothes.¡± ¡°Very well, Nancy.¡± Roger looked up and when he saw the fury in her eyes, he chuckled in exasperation. ¡°I''ve never thought of anyone else ever since I met you. You''ve really given me a valuable lesson. Fine. I swear I''ll never appear in front of you ever again!¡± As he spoke, he raised his voice. Nancy trembled in anger, but there was no change in her expression. In fact, her tone was icy cold when she said, ¡°Great.¡± Roger''s hands resting by his sides were curled into tight fists, and his eyes were burning with rage. He walked away without saying anything. Nancy stared at his back for some time before her body suddenly swayed. Just as she was massaging her temples, she copsed to the ground. Angeline paled at what she saw. Shoot. She''s having a rpse. Angeline hurriedly tossed her wine ss aside, lushed toward Nancy, and helped her up from the sand. Angeline held Nancy in her amis. She realized thetter''s body was curled up and trembling violently. ¡°Nancy, wake up.¡± She patted Nancy''s face. ¡°Do you have your medicines in your bag? Don''t scare me like this.¡± Nancy held Angeline''s ami tightly with her cold hands. Although she seemed to be in tremendous pain, she still managed a slight nod. Angeline instantly understood what Nancy meant. Immediately, she opened Nancy''s bag, took out a tiny case of pills, and stuffed a few into thetter''s mouth. After taking the pills, Nancy gradually calmed down, and her dull eyes regained focus again. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± asked Angeline as she helped Nancy to sit up and mb her back. Her eyes were brimming with worry. ¡°Wait here for me. I''ll get the car and send you to the hospital.¡± With that, Angeline got to her feet. Before she could take a few steps, Nancy grabbed her ami. ¡°It''s fine. I''m feeling much better. I don''t want to go to the hospital.¡± ¡°Nancy...¡± Angeline was terribly worried. However, Nancy looked much calmer than before. Despite her paleplexion, she still managed a smile. ¡°You know me. I''ve been to all sorts of hospitals for so many years, and every doctor says the same thing. I''ve long given up on hope.¡± She got up from the sand and stood facing the breeze that made her chestnut-brown hair flutter. A look of relief spread across her face. ¡°I know I can never be cured, and as time passes, my memory will gradually deteriorate until I have an IQ of a three-year-old child. I''d rather explore this world before I forget everything instead of wasting my time getting treated.¡± As she said that, her eyes reddened, and she began to choke up. Angeline''s heart wrenched when she heard her friend''s words. They had been friends for many years, and she was well aware of Nancy''s condition. Sadly, there was nothing Angeline could do apart from feeling bad. She walked over and hugged Nancy''s frail body from the back. ¡°I also know you love Roger, but you don''t dare to show it. You must be having a hard time, too, hull?¡± Nancy''s body shuddered at the mention of Roger''s name, and the brave front she had been showing crumbled immediately. ¡°Don''t tell him about this,¡± said Nancy, with panic in her voice. She quickly held Angeline''s hand. ¡°It''s actually better that he misunderstands me. At least I never showed him my embarrassing side.¡± Angeline advised her gently, ¡°Nancy, you don''t have to be strong all the time... I used to think Roger was unreliable, but I noticed a change in him when you two were together He truly loves you and¡ª¡± ¡°Please stop...¡± Nancy cut her off. Her lips were pale. ¡°My condition won''t allow me to love someone, nor do I intend to show my feelings to anyone.¡± Not knowing what to say, Angeline could only stay quiet. ¡°I''ve already decided, so don''t bother giving me advice. Even if Roger has feelings for me, that''s only a momentary impulse.¡± Nancy''s tone was firm. Clearly, she had already seen through the situation and did not n on fighting for anything. Angeline sighed heavily and hugged Nancy again. ¡°Okay. You have my support no matter what decision you make.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Most importantly, she could not change Nancy''s mind. Although Nancy was a cheerful person, deep down, she was fragile and stubborn because of her illness. Even so, Nancy had already made a decision. That meant that Angeline had no right to interfere with anything. Well, I guess we can only let nature take its course. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Angeline guessed it right. The news about Hanson that suddenly broke out had indeed affected Yiurk Group. In just one night, their shares had plummeted. Many people were dissatisfied with the news, and they began wreaking havoc at the stores under Yiurk Group. It did not take long for the stores to close down. And with the sudden investment withdrawals from the investors, Yiurk Group''s finances were greatly affected. The higher-ups gathered for a meeting that very night and began criticizing Hanson. In order to defuse the situation, Hanson had no choice but to promise the higher-ups he would settle the matter within three days without affecting their profit. Only then did those sly foxes let him off for the time being. Of course, they were not the type who would let tilings slide so easily. They were all waiting to see him mess up and seize Yiurk Group when the deadline came. After the incident, Hanson could not sleep that night. He stayed at thepany to the point that there was stubble on his chin. Knock, knock! Suddenly, there was a knock on the office door, and in came Lilian with a document in her hand. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, I''ve gathered the information as instructed. However, I''ve made a rough estimation, and it looks like the total of immovable properties under your name aren''t enough to cover the losses,¡± she said. The color drained from Hanson''s face when he heard tliat. He rested his forehead on his hands and said weakly, ¡°Okay. Just leave it on the table.¡± ¡°No matter how difficult tilings are, you should still get some rest, Mi¡¯. Yiurk. You haven''t been getting enough sleep for some time.¡± Hanson shut his dry eyes and muttered hoarsely, ¡°I can''t sleep. Anyway, have you called all our business partners?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Lillian nodded. ¡°It''s just that those who are extremely powerful gave ambiguous answers when they heard ourpany was in trouble. I didn''t dare to call them again.¡± "Okay.¡± Hanson''s eyes were filled with exhaustion as he furrowed his brows and thought of a way to resolve the matter. Seeing tliat, Lillian pursed her lips. She, too, felt conflicted. After all, Hanson was currently in a tough situation. Not only did he have to endure the public''s criticisms, but he also had to deal with the old-timers. If he failed toe up with a solution to cover the losses, the hard work he had put in would be all for nothing. Right then, Lilian suddenly thought of one person. Her face lit up with joy, and she said hurriedly, ¡°Oh, right, Ms. Sorelle called me when she heard about what happened to you. She says she wants to meet you. Apparently, she wants to talk to you regarding a business.¡± ¡°Why didn''t you tell me that sooner?¡± Hanson''s eyes brightened, and his sullen expression faded a little. With an innocent gaze, Lillian said, ¡°You''ve been busy all this while, so I didn''t dare to bother you. It just came to my mind.¡± Hanson knitted his brows, but he did not scold her. Instead, he lifted his hand and nced at his watch. ¡°Get the car ready. I''m going to Forrester Group.¡± Lillian quickly followed behind him. ¡°I''ll go with you, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Hanson merely nced at her without saying anything. All he thought was tliat she could be of help and that bringing her along would not be a big deal. At Forrester Group, Angeline was still busy at work although it was already noon. Ever since Sebastian was discharged from the hospital, Angeline could not bear to leave him alone at home. She brought him along wherever she went. At the same time, Nancy had reduced her workload ever since her rpse on the cruise ship. She would asionally pop by the office to entertain Sebastian. Although Angeline was officially appointed as the director, many employees secretly resented her. A very good example would be the director of tire design department in Forrester Group, Steven Jenkins. On the surface, he looked kind and approachable, but he was actually against every idea Angeline had. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Angeline had originally wanted to ride on Forrester Group''s poprity tounch a set of matching outfits for parents and children. Based on her observation, Forrester Group had alwaysunched high-end female clothing, which many females could not afford. Entering tire market ofmon citizens would allow them to feel cared for. s, after looking at tire designs sent by thepany several times, she found they were all the same and nothing special to them. On top of tliat, Steven, who believed Angeline was nitpicking, would enter her office with the designs and pick a fight with her. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, although you became an authoritative figure in Forrester Group thanks to your mother, this is not a reason for you to fool around!¡± At tliat time, Nancy was drawing in the office to keep Sebastianpany. The way Steven suddenly barged in gave Sebastian a fright. Frowning, Angeline eyed Steven and responded in a displeased tone, ¡®Tm only giving my opinion. Why are you making such a huge fuss? Is it because you don''t have confidence in your own work?¡± Steven scoffed. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, stop diverting my attention. Everyone on my team is a graduate of the design school. We have a professional judgment on clothing. You, on the other hand, are just an actress with a terrible reputation¡ª¡± Utterly furious, Nancy could not help but rebuke, ¡°Hey! Watch your mouth. So what if Angeline''s an actress? I think she''s achieved more than any of you. Where exactly are you getting tliis sense of superiority from?¡± Steven''s face turned crimson red when he heard her words. He firmed, ¡°Who the heck are you? How dare you interrupt us so rudely? This is ourpany''s business. What does it have to do with you?¡± ¡°I don''t care. I want to get involved. What are you going to do about it?¡± Nancy snapped, looking not the slightest bit fearful of him. Angeline had no choice but to step in. ¡°That''s enough. Stop arguing.¡± Nancy rolled her eyes, but she stopped talking for Angeline''s sake. However, it only spiked Steven''s anger. He mmed tire documents on the table and spat, ¡°My department has edited tliis draft five times. If you''re still not satisfied with it, that only shows you don''t understand fashion.¡± Angeline scowled and questioned calmly, ¡°So, what do you want?¡± With a threatening gaze, Steven said, ¡°The design department won''t make any more edits. If you''re really capable, then you should handle it yourself. Ms. Sorelle, surely you know the saying about rtionships being useless when ites to money? Unless you can double our pay, why should we y along with your games?¡± The only reason he''s tliis mad is because of one motive. He wants a raise. However, Steven''s sry was the highest in Forrester Group. On top of tliat, he had special treatment in terms ofmission, which was rare for apany to grant such a high rate. Even so, a person would never be satisfied with what they had. The fact that Steven dared to cause such a ruckus was because he believed Angeline was not professional enough and would not be able toe up with a solution. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Themotion in the office soon drew the attention of many employees. Many stood outside the door and peered into the office. Taking a deep breath. Angeline strolled to the desk and scanned the awards on the wall, including the group picture of her mother with the directors of various fashion shows. Those were the achievements of Angeline''s mother: they had nothing to do with Angeline. Now that Angeline was in her mother''s shoes, she finally understood the difficulties thetter had had to go through. "Don''t just stay silent, Ms. Sorelie. Say something and stop dying my department''s work,¡± Steven urged with a smug smile. He had absolutely no respect for Angeline when she was the leader of thepany. In fact, he even picked up the cup on the table and took a sip from it. Angeline turned around and red at him with disgust. With a smirk, she said. ¡°I don''t agree with it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Steven frowned. He did not expect Angeline to reject liis request. Angeline rested her arms on the edge of the table, her eyes filled with hostility. ¡°I won''t give you any form of raise. In fact. I''ll deduct yourmission from your sry this month for your unruly behavior today.¡± Steven''s expression instantly darkened. After mming the cup on the table, he said with displeasure, ¡°Don''t go overboard. Ms. Sorelle.¡± Angeline''s eyes brimmed with dissatisfaction. She had always been someone who would take revenge whenever someone offended her. She snatched the cup and sshed the contents onto Steven''s face. ¡°I find you a little too arrogant. Do you think we won''t be able to hire new people if your team is gone?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°You¡ª?¡± Steven covered liis eyes, grimacing from the searing pain caused by the hot liquid. Angeline gave him an expressionless gaze before shifting her attention to the employees outside. Following that, she purposely raised her voice as she said, ¡°I''ve always treated capable employees with respect and will never mistreat them. As for employees who never perform well and only care about their profits, they''ll be fired!¡± She uttered each word clearly. Although she was skinny, she exuded a powerful aura. All the employees who gathered near the door shuddered with fear and hurriedly dispersed from the spot. Steven never expected Angeline to be so tough. Panic began to flood liis eyes, and liis lips trembled. He could not utter a single word. Just then, a security guard knocked on the door and entered. Noting the look in Angeline''s eyes, he immediately dragged Steven out of the office. Then, with a bang, the door mmed shut. Finally, there was silence in the office. Angeline leaned against the table and massaged her pounding temples. ¡°Mmph!¡± Right then, she felt a weight on her thighs. As she looked down, she saw Sebastian had run to her. hugged her thighs, and gazed at her with his puppy dog eyes. The concern in liis gaze sent a warm feeling through her heart. Patting Sebastian''s head, she asked softly, ¡°Darling, you were worried about me, weren''t you?¡± Sebastian nodded firmly. He pointed at the strawberry cake Angeline had bought for him, gesturing for her to eat it. Sadly, he did not know how to speak. All he could make were sounds with liis forehead covered in sweat. "Thank you for your kind intentions, Sebastian, but I don''t want to eat it now.¡± Angeline squatted and gently squeezed liis shoulders. Her eyes that were fixed on him were tender. ¡°Don''t w¡¯orry. I''ll do my best to earn loads of money to let you live a better life. Soon, you''ll be able to y under the sun like the other children.¡± She did not mention about liis sickness to his face. Sebastian blinked as if he understood her words. Smiling shyly, he lifted liis hand and caressed her face. The sight of liis cute faceforted Angeline greatly that all the grievances she experienced in the company were nothing. ¡°Sebastian, run along and y. I''ll be with you in a while.¡± Nancy approached with a smile. Once Sebastian left, she shot Angeline a look of admiration. ¡°Babe, your response just now was perfect. There''s no need to be so polite with people like them.¡± Angeline shook her head helplessly and crossed her anus with worry written all over her face. ¡°I only taught them a lesson. The problem now is that there''s less than a week''s time until this month''s product getsunched into the market, and there''s no originality in these designers'' drawings.¡± That was what worried her the most. She needed a professional designer with great ideas who could help raise Forrester Group''s performance and make aeback. As if suddenly remembering something, Nancy said, ¡°Speaking about that, I have someone to rmend to you.¡± She bent over and pulled out a name card from her bag and handed it to Angeline. ¡°Here. This is a senior I got to know when I was abroad. Back then, he was a genius in the design academy. In fact, liis first collection of clothes was featured on the international runway show.¡± ¡°Wow, really?¡± Angeline took the card from Nancy and nced at the name¡ªJoel Quinn. She had never heard of that name before. Nheless, it was normal since she never did her homework on the industry before. A hesitant look emerged on Angeline''s face. After thinking about it, she said, ¡°If he''s that capable, then it should cost a lot to hire him. Thispany started not long ago and we''re really tight in terms of finance¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, of course. I''ve considered your troubles.¡± Nancy ced an arm on Angeline''s shoulder and harked back to her past. ¡°Joel might be incredible, but he has an odd personality. The sry is the least of liis concern for signing a deal with apany. The impression is what matters the most. He could''ve made aeback two years ago, but he hid in the mountains during the most crucial period and hasn''t stepped out ever since.¡± Angeline was surprised. She took another nce at the name card and deduced he was probably in liis thirties. He has such high-level thinking at such a young age. That''s impressive. ¡°You''ve always felt that the design department''s draftsck originality, so I''m rmending him to you. Think about it. I''ll send you liis address if you decide to hire him.¡± Angeline tightened her grip on the name card, her heart wavering at the offer. Knock! Knock! Just then, a knock sounded on the door. Lilian pushed it open and entered. ¡°Ms. Sorelle. are you busy? Mr. Yiurk is in the cafeteria. He''d like to talk to you.¡± The moment Angeline heard that, she turned around and exchanged looks with Nancy. They saw the smug look in each other''s eyes. Looks like Hanson''s finally desperate enough to y liis trump card. Meanwhile, drama was still unfolding at Golding Group. Although Evander had suppressed thepany''s internal strife using liis marriage with the Sherrock family, Julius was not the kind who would give in easily. He initiated a shareholders'' meeting and managed to ce Hubert into Golding Group, making the latter thepany''s vice CEO after getting votes from the shareholders. Chapter 276 Chapter 276 As powerful as Evander could be, he could not object to the decision in front of so many people. In the end. he had no choice but to ept it. Thanks to Ss'' investigation, Evander found out that Hubert had secretly done many things to rob him of his interests. Knock! Knock! A knock came on his office door, and Ss stepped in. His expression turned grim as he nced at the muscr figure standing by the window. Ss stepped forward and reported respectfully, ¡®¡®You guessed it right, Mr. Golding. Remember that winery project on Linlow Ind we invested in? Hubert has been interfering with it under Golding Group''s name. It has brought problems to the quality of wine and displeasure from the higher-ups. This won''t end well.¡± Evander turned around and took the document from Ss. After flipping it through, he instructed grimly, ¡°Get me the earliest flight ticket you can find. I''m going to Linlow Ind.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Surprise shed past Ss'' eyes. ¡°Mr. Golding, this is a small matter. You can just let me handle it. It''s a bit of an overkill for you to make a trip there.¡± Looking calm. Evander muttered, ¡°It''s fine. Hubert''s a crafty one. We''ve got to be careful.¡± He could use the opportunity to find out how Hubert nted a spy behind his back. The longer Hubert remained in Golding Group, die greater the tlireat he possessed to thepany. Meanwhile, Angeline had walked over to die cafeteria under Lillian''s guidance. Upon arriving there, die former instantly spotted Hanson sitting on die couch with his back leaned against the seat and his eyes shut. Perhaps die past few days had been too tough, for he looked utterly exhausted. While sitting in an upright position, he still fell asleep. There was nothing inappropriate to his posture. As soon as Angeline opened die door and walked into the cafeteria. Hanson awakened and gazed at her with liis bloodshot eyes. ¡°Are you done with work?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Angeline returned his gaze, feeling a little guilty. Nheless, when she recalled how he had used her in the past, the hostile look returned to her face. ¡°Why didn''t you get some rest beforeing here if you''re so tired?¡± Hanson massaged his temples with his slim fingers, concealing the fatigue in his eyes with augh. ¡°I can''t sleep. I came here the first thing when I got your message.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Angeline responded. Lillian, who was still at the door, was great at reading the room. Sensing where the conversation was going, she greeted Hanson politely and excused herself from die cafeteria. The moment she left, a pin-drop silence ensued in the cafeteria. Seeing Hanson had no intention of speaking. Angeline took out a document from her bag and pushed it to him. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, let''s not waste each odier''s time. Have a look at this contract. If you don''t have any problems with it. then sign it.¡± Hanson frowned in response as if not understanding Angeline''s intentions. However, he still flipped through the contract when he saw her serious expression. After studying it carefully, he widened his eyes. ¡°There''s a limit to fooling around, Angeline!¡± He mmed the contract on die table. At diat moment, his usual warm amber eyes glinted with fury. ¡°You want to buy my shares for three million? Do you know that diis is not a small amount? How are you going to pay for it?¡± He was already feeling frustrated because of work. He had zero patience to deal with such an absurd deal. ¡°Did you get me here just so you can mess with me?¡± Angeline was unfazed, for she had expected that reaction from him. She picked up die cup from the table and blew on it before taking a sip. ¡°You don''t have to know so much. Mr. Yiurk. I know you''re in need of money. All you need to do is sign diis contract, and die money will be transferred to your ount.¡± Hanson did not believe her until he saw the calm look on her face. He gripped the contract as liis heart wavered. Three million. That''s enough to cover the hinds Yiurk Groupcks. Little did he expect Angeline to be die one negotiating with him in die end. As he recalled the incidents at the fashion show, he felt liis back drenched in a cold sweat. ¡°Did you know anything about diose videos diat were suddenly yed?¡± he asked in a hushed voice. Angeline''s eyes glinted. After a moment of silence, she said calmly, ¡°I didn''t do it.¡± However, she did not deny her knowledge of the videos. Hanson was no fool. He figured out the trudi and let out a self-deprecatingugh. ¡°You''ve changed. Angeline.¡± Lifting liis head, he stared at Angeline with a gaze full of reluctance and regret. It took him a long time before he finally parted his lips. ¡°I still remember diis girl in the ponytail from my university days. She stood in the middle of die track under the sun and handed me a bottle of water. She was¡ª¡± ¡°Enough. If you''re here to reminisce about the past, dien I have no choice but to send you away,¡± Angeline interrupted icily. The frostiness in her tone pulled Hanson back to reality. He picked up the pen on the table, uncapped it, and signed his name on the contract. He took a long time to sign itpared to contracts diat involved hundreds of millions. When he was done, liis broad shoulders shuddered, and liis eyes turned red. With a hoarse voice, he murmured, ¡°You''ve been nning to make me sell my shares in Forrester Group, haven''t you?¡± Angeline did not deny it. Instead, she penned her signature on die contract before putting it away, secretly feeling relieved. ¡°I''m looking forward to working with you. The funds will be transferred to your ount by tonight,¡± she informed formally. Truth was, she could not pay liim three million if she relied solely on her pay from her celebrity days. Thankfully, she still had the stores left behind by Wilfred before he passed away. Instead of letting diem go to waste, she would rather sell them off and retrieve all her mother''s properties. Only when Forrester Group''s scale had expanded would she be able to rebuild Sorelle Group''s reputation. Now diat the contract was settled, she got up from her seat and turned around to leave without sparing Hanson another nce. Just then, he grabbed her wrist with tremendous force. His tone was thick with anger when he said. ¡°Do you really want to run away from me so badly. Angeline?¡± ¡°You''re overthinking, Mr. Yiurk.¡± Angeline turned around, casting liim a distant nce. ¡°I admit it. We did have a wonderful time, but diat was all in die past. Besides, you never trusted me back then. You even married Joseline for profits, did you not?¡± Hanson''s eyes shed with guilt as he hung liis head. Still, he did not release Angeline''s hand. ¡°I''m sony, Angeline...¡± His apology made Angeline''s stony expression falter. She knitted her brows tightly as the bitter emotions flooded her heart. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 She seemed to have been waiting for liis apology for many years. However, the moment Hanson said it. Angeline felt a sense of relief all of a sudden. She took a deep breath to calm herself down before pushing liis hand away. ¡°Mr. Yiurk, since you have already signed the contract, there will be no need for us to have any more interaction in the future to avoid any misunderstanding," said Angeline nonchntly. She did not hold back and went straight to the point. Then she pushed Hanson away without even looking at liis expression and left the cafe. Just as Angeline was about to close the door, her shoulders trembled, and there were tears in her eyes. She was not upset because she was cutting off ties with Hanson. Instead, it was the sudden emergence of the wonderful memories of their younger days that caused her mncholy. During their school days, Hanson used to deliver breakfast to her. Then again, he was no longer the same boy who used to send her to and from school on his bicycle. Back then, when she found out that Hanson was dating Joseline, she admitted that she was indeed furious. That was also why she refused to have anything to do with the Sorelie family for so many years. However, she realized right now that she had long forgotten about those memories and did not n to spend more time hating them. When she got back to her office, Nancy, who was ying with toy blocks with Sebastian, walked up to her and asked caringly, ¡°How was it? Did Hanson make things difficult for you?" ¡°No," replied Angeline with a smile. ¡°I was only there to make a deal. I bought all of liis shares in Forrester Group with three million." ¡°Three million?" ¡°Yes, that''s what my grandpa left for me in liis will." Angeline seemed so cool. It was as if she had only spent a small sum of money. She patted Nancy''s shoulder and teased. ¡°Now, I''m really broke. Forrester Group is my final gamble. You have to find me the best designer." When Nancy heard that, she smacked herself on the forehead. ¡°You''re crazy. Wliat if your n fails?¡± ¡°There''s nothing to be worried about. Back then, my mother wasn''t afraid of anything and went all out to set up Forrester Group." Angeline shrugged. ¡°It''s no big deal. In the worst-case scenario, I''ll just return to the entertainment industry." ¡°Forget it. I won''t take you back." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Nancy rolled her eyes. Although she was tough with her words, deep down, she was still very considerate of Angeline. ¡°My senior is living in seclusion on Linlow Ind. If you really want to hire him, send someone there immediately." ¡°Send me the address." Angeline looked grim. ¡°I''ll go over personally.¡± She could not trust any of her employees in Forrester Group. She would have to do everything by herself and choose the best designer. Angeline spent the night packing her luggage. The next day. she flew off to Linlow Ind after booking her air ticket. Before leaving, she entrusted Sebastian to Nancy. Even though Angeline hadbeled all of Sebastian''s things and left an instruction, she was still worried. ¡°Nancy, please take care of Sebastian once I leave. It can be a little difficult trying to get him to take liis medications. You can mix his medicine into liis milk." ¡°Got it, olddy!" Nancy nibbed her earlobes. Unable to stand her nagging, she pushed Angeline toward the car. ¡°You''ll be away only for three days. Don''t nag like an olddy. I promise you I will take good care of Sebastian." There was no response from Angeline. With her hand on the car door handle, she frowned and tinned to look at Sebastian with worry. The boy walked up to her and tugged at her clothes to get her to kneel down. He then tiptoed and gave Angeline a peck on her cheek. His clenched fists seemed to be egging her on. Angelinas heart melted, and she kissed liim on liis forehead too. She said gently, ¡°Don''t worry. I will come back safely. Be good and wait for me, okay?" Sebastian nodded with a serious expression before he dug into his pocket. He took out the phone that Angeline had given liim and shoved it in front of her. Angeline did not understand what he was trying to tell her until she saw his chat window with Floretta. Although Sebastian could not talk, he was a very thoughtful child. He wanted to let her know that he would be waiting with Floretta for her toe home. During that time, Angeline had never mentioned Floretta because she did not want to upset liim. However, a day did not go by without her thinking of that little girl. ¡ö''Thank you." Angeline caressed liis head and looked reluctant to leave. ¡°I will do my best and return with Floretta to see you. okay?" Even though Sebastian could not talk, he understood her difficulties. He nodded. Since it was gettingte, and Angeline did not want to miss her fight, she got into the taxi and headed to the airport. It was a gloomy day. Before she boarded her ne, there was a small thunderstorm, causing the flight to be temporarily dyed for a few hours. Angeline only arrived at Linlow Ind on the second night. The location of Linlow Ind was very remote, and there was only one vige. Other than the acres of peach trees, there were no other viges. Linlow Ind was known for its peach wine. The vigers there made a livelihood out of it. Once Angeline got off the ne, she got into a taxi and went to the vige. By the time she arrived at her destination, it was already after seven in the evening, and the sky was getting dark. Angeline felt a sense of fear as shended in a foreign ce. Nevertheless, she braced herself for the unknown. With one hand holding onto her luggage and the other holding a shlight, she ventured toward a small thatched hut near the entrance of the vige. Knock! Knock! There was a soft yellow glowing from the hut. She raised her hand to knock on the door. After a short while, she heard a creak, and someone opened the door. An elderly man wearing a bamboo hat walked out. ¡°Miss, you aren''t from our vige, are you? How can I help you?" ¡°Nice to meet you, Sir," Angeline greeted liim politely. She showed him a piece of paper and pointed to the address written on it. ¡°Do you know someone by the name of Joel Quinn? Or perhaps you can tell me where this address is located?¡± ¡°So, you''re here to look for Joel too." The face of the elderly man darkened. ¡°Is he the one who used to work as a designer overseas?¡± ¡°That''s right. Do you know him?¡± Angeline looked at the elderly man and was a little confused. ¡°Linlow Ind is a very small ce. There''re only so many households here. Everyone knows everybody''s background here.¡± The man eyed her with pity and sighed. ¡°If you''re also trying to hire liim as a designer or get some guidance from him, I advise you to drop the idea.¡± ¡°Wliat do you mean?¡± Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Angeline seemed confused. Judging from the old man''s words, she figured he had quite a good knowledge of Joel. ¡°It shouldn''t be a problem letting you know."¡¯ The old man tightened liis grip on liis crutches, and his eyes gradually darkened as he began speaking. ¡°That youngd has no parents and only has liis sister to depend on since he was a child. Even though life was tough for them, they eventually became quite capable. His sister became a nurse in the county, while he became a famous designer.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Angeline''s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Unfortunately, liis sister suddenly died because of an ident justst year. That left him so devastated that he returned to Linlow Ind.¡± That undoubtedly left Angeline at a loss for words. The old man heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Ever since then, he became extremely entric. He never interacts with liis neighbors and only locks himself home to work on his design drawing. There were businessmen like you who visited him to ask for coborations previously, but he chased all of them out.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± A frown formed on Angeline''s face, and her tone had a tinge of concern. "Does he not have any friends?¡± ¡°No one is willing to befriend him. You''ll know once you visit him. He''s a fine young man with a bright future but, sadly, very unmotivated and shows no desire for sess. He''s no different from a beggar.¡± Angeline wore a thoughtful expression upon listening to those words. Deep down, she was incredibly shocked. I can''t believe Nancy has such a weird senior. I wonder how capable he really is. Nancy has ttered him so much and made him sound so impressive. Was she only trying to reassure me? Despite her doubts, she thought she should still go and take a look since she had traveled all the way there. Sensing Angeline''s persistence, the old man lifted his finger and pointed to a mountain path not too far away. ¡°Joel stays on the other side of that mountain. You have to climb over to get there. I see that you have a suitcase with you, Miss. The route is a steep and treacherous one. It''s not going to be easy for you...¡± ¡°I''m all right. Thank you for your help. Sir.¡± After showing her gratitude, Angeline pulled her suitcase and walked in the direction of the mountain road. Only after she embarked on her journey did she realize that the old man was right¡ªthe route was indeed steep and treacherous. As the rain had just stopped, there were many muddy puddles around. The rocks made the road uneven and bumpy, blocking the wheels of the suitcase from rolling forward smoothly. Angeline had a hard time advancing. Swoosh! Just then, the branches in the bushes suddenly moved. She pulled herself together and shifted her gaze toward the swaying leaves. Fear started to arise from deep within her. It was a dark and windy night, and she was climbing the mountain alone. It was a situation she had never been through before. It was no wonder why even the slightest noise would make her anxious. By now. Angeline was trembling violently, and a sheen of sweat had formed on the hand that was clutching onto the suitcase handle. She could not help but gulp in anxiety. Nothing will happen. I must''ve watched too many suspense movies. There''s no way that there are so many baddies around. Stop scaring yourself, Angeline. Only after giving herself some encouragement did Angeline step forward and make her way toward the bushes. Lifting her hands, she pushed the branches away. What came into her vision was a ck cat with a pair of green eyes. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Meow. The ck cat purred at Angeline and jumped out of the bushes. Angeline patted her chest lightly to soothe her heart, which felt as though it was about to leap out. Oh gosh, it''s merely a ck cat. Why did I freak out so badly? Angeline was still mocking herself for her ridiculous reaction when the sound of stic fabric ripping apart resonated in the air from below her feet. It''s all rocks and muddy grounds around this ce. Why is there such a strange noise? Angeline''s brows knitted into one line. Out of instinct, she stomped her feet where she stood, and at that very moment, the ground below her gave way without warning. ¡°Ahh!¡± She let out a scream as she fell into the cer. Following a loud thud, her bodynded on the ground heavily. It was lucky that the ground in the cer was much softer, thus preventing her from suffering any severe injuries. identally ingesting some mud, Angeline choked and began coughing incessantly. After calming herself down, she fished out her phone and turned on the shlight to check the injuries she had sustained. Although she suffered a few abrasions, they were luckily not too serious. As she shone her shlight around the cer, she realized that her surrounding was full of jars of peach wine. Even though she was not an expert in brewing wine, she knew that there was a need to bury good- quality wine in the underground for some time so that it would be a good-tasting brew. This is probably the ce where the vigers bury their wines. Angeline felt a lot more relieved after her analysis. Since there are so many wines here, the vigers will probablye here often enough to patrol, right? With that in mind, she immediately raised her head and shouted toward the entrance, ¡°Help! Is anyone out there? Help me!¡± She yelled for a long time, and her voice was hoarse from all the shouting. Yet. there was no reply. All she could see at the edge of the entrance above her was her suitcase. Well aware that she would only waste her energy if she continued screaming, she decided to stop and instead think of another solution. With a hopeful mindset. Angeline turned on her phone. Sadly, just as she expected, there was no signal at all. The cer was wet and cold. Unable to withstand the cold. Angeline eventually wrapped her arms around herself. At this point, her stomach was also grumbling nonstop. However, there was nothing she could do other thanugh in helplessness. ¡°Hang in there a while more. I don''t think we can get out tonight.¡± Who would evene up here to patrol in the middle of the night? If I''m lucky enough, perhaps someone may pass by this ce tomorrow morning and discover that I''m in here. But for now, since there''s nothing I can do. I might as well preserve my energy... Well, reality proved that Angeline sure was one luckydy. A warm yellow stream of light suddenly appeared on the pitch-dark mountain. Shortly after some rustling noises, three men pushed aside the branches and made their way toward the area where the cer was located. The man leading the group had an immensely oppressive aura. Despite the old fisherman outfit and ck rain boots, the man still had the bearing of a big shot. ¡°Mr. Golding, it''s sote now. There''s no need for you toe up the mountain for inspection at this time. Isn''t it better to wait for tomorrow morning?¡± Nigel Maguire, the second-inmand on Linlow Ind, shed a ttering smile while following behind respectfully. ¡°I can''t wait till tomorrow,¡± Evander coldly responded with a deadpan expression. ¡°I''ve booked the earliest flight to return.¡± He had spent the whole day resolving the dispute between Linlow Ind and the government. All that was left to do was thest step¡ªan on-site inspection at the brewery. If there were no other issues, he would start preparing forunch matters after returning to the office. He had nned liis schedules so tightly that he barely had any free time to take a breather. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 upying liis time with work was the only way for Evander to stop thinking about superfluous matters and contain the heartache he would get from his longing for Angeline. With a torch in liis hand. Nigel followed closely behind and imed. ¡°Mr. Golding, you''ve worked really hard. We actually intended to prepare a feast to wee you.¡± ¡°No need to waste time on that.¡± Evander showed no trace of emotions on liis handsome face. ¡°Just get everyone to get ready for the subsequent packaging procedures will do.¡± ¡°Don''t worry. Linlow Ind may be small, but we will make no mistakes.¡± At this very moment, Evander heard a woman''s soft voice calling for help. His expression went taut, and he paused in his tracks at once. ¡°Hold on. Did you hear a voice?¡± Evander tilted liis head and carefully listened to liis surroundings. ¡°Voice?¡± Nigel''s face was clouded with bafflement. ¡°Is there?¡± Evander was pretty sure he did not mishear things. After all, he had always had a stronger perceptual sensitivity than others. ¡°Let''s split up and look for the source,¡± he ordered Nigel while wearing a stem look. Even though he had only heard the voice calling for help once, he somehow felt liis heart lurch, almost as if a hand was gripping it tightly. Nigel was undoubtedly at a loss. He dared not refute Evander and could only follow the instructions to go the other way and begin the search. Evander pulled out liis phone from his pocket, turned on the detector, and started looking for a red crowd signal on the mountain. As he had expected, there was someone else present on the mountain, and that person was not too far away from him. With that realization. Evander immediately turned on the torch and began searching in that direction. Not long after, he spotted trample marks on some bushes. Behind, there was a pink suitcase. At the sight of that suitcase, Evander''s gaze turned grim. A sense of familiarity rose in his heart. Walking up to the suitcase, he flipped over the fabric on the other side of the handle, only to find the letter ¡°A¡± printed on it. This belongs to Angeline! Evander tightened his grip on the suitcase. Since liis suspicions had been proven right, he began to sense a fear giowing within him. Only her suitcase is left behind here. Could she have run into some danger? ¡°Angeline!¡± He raised his voice to the point he was almost growling. Momentster, he saw a stray cat zoom past him. It stopped before a shrub not too far away, crouched down, then stared at him intently. A thought popped up in liis mind, and he made liis way to where the cat was. Just as he was nearing, the cat leaped up and left. There, he spotted the entrance to the cer. Shining liis torch inward, he saw Angeline on the ground with her head resting against the cold wall, drifting off to sleep. She probably sustained quite some injuries after falling from tliis height... A multitude of worries flooded Evander''s mind. Unable to wait any longer for Nigel''s arrival, he decided to go ahead and open Angeline''s suitcase, where he found a first aid kit inside. Holding onto the first aid kit and some food supplies, he used the rope he brought along and swiftly jumped down into the cer. ¡°Angeline! Look at me!¡± Without any deliberation. Evander hugged Angeline tightly. Her skin felt cold to the touch, and he could not help but wonder how long she had been exposed to the cold weather. It seemed that Angeline had heard the man''s voice as, in the next second, her finger moved a little, and her eyebrow''s squeezed into a line because of the pain. ¡°Mmm...¡± She had only moved a little, yet she was already moaning in pain. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± The concern Evander had in him was overflowing from his eyes and voice. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Tell me.¡± While the man was throwing her a barrage of questions regarding howr she was doing, she merely stared at him and shed a look of bewilderment. ¡°Evander?¡± Her voice was full of skepticism. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She blinked hard as she dejectedly mumbled to herself. ¡°The fall must''ve made me dumb. Tliis ce is in the middle of nowhere. Howr can you possibly be here?¡± The more she thought about it, the more she deemed it was impossible. Overwhelmed by disappointment, she lowered her head. Pain surfaced in Evander''s eyes as he took in Angeline''s mud-covered face. He pulled her into liis embrace, inched closer to her ears, and firmly uttered, ¡°Do you believe it now?¡± Astonishment filled Angeline''s eyes. Her hands froze in mid-air. She was unsure of how to react. For some time, she remained in Evander''s arms. It wasn''t until she sensed the warmth he was radiating and liis vigorously pounding heart that she slowly returned to her senses. He''s really here. Here I am. all alone in a foreignnd. I even have to spend my night out in the wild. And he suddenly appears before me now? Angeline kept reminding herself to stay strong. However, Evander''s w''ords had seemingly triggered her emotions, leaving her on the verge of tears. ¡°You jerk! Don''t touch me!¡± Mustering all her strength, Angeline pushed herself free from Evander''s embrace. She then turned around and wiped her tears as she did not fancy showing her weakness to him. Despite the frown on his face. Evander allowed Angeline to resist as she wanted. In truth, every of her move made liis heart gripped in pain. The next moment, he domineeringly pulled her close to his side, grabbed her ankle with one hand, and rolled up her trousers. Angeline''s face grew bright red. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Stop moving.¡± Evander stared at her in exasperation. ¡°We''re in the middle of nowhere, and the environment here is so nasty. What can I do to you?¡± Angeline could not find w''ords to retort the man. Left w ithout a choice, she watched him open the first aid kit, take out an ointment and some gauze, and begin to help her treat her wound. ¡°I can do it myself...¡± Tliis time, Angeline''s voice was much softer. It was apparent she wras no longer as insistent as earlier. Just as she tried to snatch the ointment from Evander''s hand, the man cidly shunned her hand, then dipped the cotton bud in some disinfectant and began cleaning her w¡¯ound. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Sit still.¡± It was easy to tell from Evander''s expression how focused and attentive he was at treating the w''ound. His every move with the cotton bud was extra careful. ¡°There is some food on your right. Eat some to replenish your energy first.¡± Perhaps he was very gentle with the application of the ointment. Angeline became a lot better as her wround felt icy and cool. Or perhaps it was because she was too hungry to even think about rejecting the man. She first gulped down half a bottle of mineral water, then tore apart the bread wrapper and devoured the contents. After applying the ointment, Evander lifted liis head to look at Angeline while wrapping the bandage around her wound. Angeline''s face was as dirty as a stray cat. and with her umvashed hands, she grabbed a chicken drumstick and shoved it into her mouth. As someone with extreme mysophobia, Evander could not stand watching that scene and reminded in a deep voice, ¡°It''s unsanitary.¡± ¡°I don''t care.¡± Angeline ate the food with relish and even stuffed her cheeks with so much food they looked like dumplings. ¡°I haven''t eaten anything since I got on the ne. I''m so hungry I can eat anything you tlirowr my way.¡± Chapter 280 Chapter 280 She knew there was no way she would look decent when she ate. but she just couldn''t care less. I would rather look ugly than starve to death. Furthermore, I''ve already broken up with Evander, so why should I care about how I look? Seeing that Angeline was eating so happily, Evander kept mum and took a wet wipe to wipe off the dirt on her face. The moment the wet wipe touched theer of Angeline''s lips, she suddenly stopped eating. Evander continued wiping her mouth as if he didn''t notice her reaction. His eyes were aze when his fingers brushed across Angeline''s lips, and he swallowed a lump in his throat. Angeline immediately turned away and reminded in a distant tone. ¡°Have some self-respect, Mr. Golding.¡± Evander regained his senses when he heard what she said. He acted naturally and threw the wet wipe away. ¡°Is there any part of your body that I haven''t seen?"¡¯ he asked tly. Angeline felt ufortable, and she instinctively covered her chest with her hands as she red at him. ¡°Stop it! We''ve already broken up, so you''re not allowed to touch me.¡± At that moment, her wariness grew, and she was afraid that Evander would lose liis self-control. Little did she know Evander found her actions rather amusing. ¡°You sound energetic. Looks like you''re actually fine,¡± he replied in a deep voice, looking more rxed. Angeline snorted. ¡°I was fine since the beginning, so don''t expect me to be grateful for your treatment.¡± She ced her weight on the wall and slowly stood up. Indeed, she was feeling fine after having replenished her energy. She only passed out in the cer because she was exhausted. However, she wasn''t entirely honest with Evander. Deep down, Evander''s emergence was a pleasant surprise for her. If not for him, she would have totally fr eaked out because she had been all alone in the dark cer. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Angeline rose to her feet. She was slightly confused when she saw that no one else was around. She turned toward Evander and asked, ¡°What are you doing here on Linlow Ind? Could it be¡ª¡± ¡°Golding Group is introducing a new batch of peach wine, so I came to check tilings out,¡± Evander interrupted expressionlessly. ¡°Oh. That''s what I guessed.¡± Angeline chuckled awkwardly. ¡°However, I didn''t expect someone of your status toe to the ind personally.¡± Most importantly, something bad seems to happen every time I meet Evander. Is that why I ended up falling into a cer? ¡°I''m also surprised to see you here.¡± Evander squatted down and started scrutinizing the peach wine in the cer. ¡°I came to look for Joel Quinn. Nancy told me he has unique designs, so I came to see if I could get him to work for Forrester Group,¡± Angeline said honestly. Since we''re in the same boat, I don''t see why I shouldn''t tell him. ¡°You came all the way here for a designer? You''re quite invested in Forrester Group, aren''t you?¡± ¡°Well, I can''t afford to lose my only bargaining chip. By the way, I need you to promise me something.¡± Evander''s interest was piqued when he saw the serious look in Angeline''s eyes. With a smile on liis face, he said. ¡°Go on.¡± Angeline humbled herself and put on a gentle expression. ¡°Sebastian misses Floretta a lot. You know how innocent rtionships are between children, right? I hope the kids won''t get affected by the rift between us.¡± Evander did not respond. Seeing that the man didn''t turn her down immediately, she continued, ¡°So I was wondering if Floretta coulde over to stay with me once everything in Forrester Group settled down.¡± Without a change in expression. Evander agreed readily, ¡°Sure.¡± Angeline was surprised by his response. In a suspicious tone, she asked, ¡°Are you saying it''s okay?¡± ¡°I''m okay with Sebastian and Floretta meeting up. but for safety reasons, they can only see each other in the Golding residence. Floretta likes the food you make, so you should cook whenever youe over. That''s something you can do in return.¡± In response to liis cunning proposal, Angeline couldn''t help but re at him. Is he expecting me to show'' up with Sebastian at the Golding residence? Doesn''t that mean I''ll most probably bump into Olivine? What is this man up to? ¡°Don''t you think that''s inappropriate, Mr. Golding?¡± Angeline suppressed her anger. ¡°Considering our past rtionship, I''m not interested in seeing you and your fiancee showing up in front of me.¡± ¡°You won''t see her,¡± Evander answered casually. What does that mean? Angeline seemed confused. Aren''t they getting married soon? Judging by liis response, it seems that he''s not nning to stay with Olivine. That''s a wreird lifestyle for a married couple, no? Angeline wanted to get to the bottom of it, but she saw how focused he was on the peach wine. In fact, she even saw him whipping out a notebook and a pen to make notes. Angeline decided to not interrupt him after seeing how¡¯ focused he was. Nevertheless, Evander''s response made her feel inexplicably better, and she used a hand to hide the smile that crept up her face. ¡°Where are you, Mr. Golding?¡± Right then, Nigel''s concerned voice rang out. Evander was brought back to liis senses, and he picked up a rock next to him before hurling it against the wall. Soon, Nigel found the entrance to the cer. He peeked inside and uttered in a baffled tone, ¡°Hey, Mr. Golding! How did you end up inside here? Are you all right?¡± ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Evander''s expression wras cold, and there was a hint of frustration in his eyes. Nigel immediately put on a serious expression and pointed in the innermost direction of the cer. ¡°Mr. Golding, that''s where we keep thedder. If you can''t climb up on your own, I''ll go down to help you.¡± Evander wrent to fetch thedder and ced it under the entrance to the cer. He looked at Angeline and said, ¡°After you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Instead of refusing the offer. Angeline shot Evander a grateful look before putting her hands on thedder. Following Nigel''s guidance. Angeline began to climb up thedder. Although it wasn''t a gruesome task. Angeline gasped in pain shortly after she stalled climbing the ladder because she had injured her legs prior to that. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Just then, she slipped. Right at the moment she was about to fall off thedder, she felt a hand on her butt that prevented her from falling. ¡°Be careful!¡± Evander said caringly. Angeline blushed because she could feel Evander deliberately giving her butt a squeeze. He molested me! Angeline was angry and frustrated, but knowing that she was still on thedder, she dared not make any sudden movements. She had no choice but to endure the embarrassment and slowly continue her climb to the top. Although Evander had taken advantage of her, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of security. After climbing out of the cer, Angeline felt she could breathe more easily. While patting off the dust on her body, she nced at the sky. What? I''ve been in there the whole night? By the time I get off this mountain. I bet the sun is going to be up. ¡°Are you all right, Mr. Golding?¡± Nigel ran toward Evander. ¡°This is my fault. You don''t know the way around. I should''ve stayed by your side. That way, you wouldn''t have fallen into the cer.¡± ¡°That''s enough.¡± Evander was annoyed by liis speech. ¡°I''ve already inspected the peach wine. Now, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Nigel replied with a straight face. When Evander raised his head, he saw how infuriated Angeline was and felt a little helpless. Ever since we broke up. she has never been nice to me whenever we met. Indeed, she was the only person who dared to behave as she wished around Evander. Yet, not only would he not get angry at her. but he would also still look out for her in return. ¡°Is there a designer called Joel Quinn living on Linlow Ind? Where is he staying at?¡± Evander asked. The mention of Joel''s name caught Angeline''s instant attention. With a frown, she looked at Nigel in anticipation. ¡°Joel Quinn? Yes, he''s on Linlow Ind, but he''s living in istion. He''s kind of weird.¡± Nigel heaved a sigh. ¡°To be frank, that fellow has a miserable life. Mr. Golding, if you wish to meet him, I can bring you to him.¡± ¡°Okay. Lead the way,¡± Evander said. ¡°Wait!¡± Angeline piped up. She was ticked off when she saw Evander intended to tag along. I''ve already broken up with him. By right, we should go our separate ways. Although there''s nothing I could''ve done to prevent bumping into him on Linlow Ind by chance, it would be a mistake to let him tag along in my search for Joel. Moreover, the date for the wedding between him and Olivine has been set. I can''t allow the possibility of me bing a mistress! Angeline put on a serious expression, pulling her own suitcase toward herself. ¡°Mr. Golding, thank you for your help, but I think I should probably go forward on my own.¡± She made it obvious she didn''t want Evander to apany her. Evander noticed her intention to keep a distance. With a solemn expression, he replied. ¡°Okay. Let Nigel bring you there, then.¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary.¡± Angeline didn''t want to have anything to do with Nigel either. She lifted the handle of the suitcase and turned around to leave. After only taking one step forward, she heard Evander reminding her indifferently. ¡°I don''t mind you refusing my help, but you might run into wolves along the way. and I won''t be able to guarantee your safety.¡± Angeline immediately halted in her tracks, and she lifted her head to look at the night sky. At that moment, images of unfortunate events shed across her mind, and she gulped in fear. Although dawn is breaking soon, Evander is right. I don''t know'' my wray around. I would rather swallow my pride than get eaten by wolves! ¡°Okay. I owre you a favor, then. Once I get off Linlow¡¯ Ind, I''ll tiy to repay you,¡± Angeline said incoherently after turning around. Because of the guilt, she didn''t dare to look Evander in the eyes. Her palms were beginning to sweat. Luckily for her, Evander didn''t give her a hard time. Instead, he took off his jacket and put it over her shoulders. In response, Angeline took a step backward. ¡°Return me the jacket while you''re at it,¡± Evander said authoritatively, his eyes dark. ¡°I...¡± Angeline was tongue-tied. She had no words to reject the man. She merely stood rooted to the spot and let Evander put his jacket over her shoulders. As soon as he did that, she felt a wave of w¡¯annth surging through her heart. After that, Evander turned around and headed in the opposite direction to get to the bottom of the mountain. While staring at his retreating figure, Angeline was racked with guilt. After all, he had saved her life. Was I being mean for doing what I just did? Conflicting emotions wrarred in Angeline''s heart, and she just couldn''t bring herself to say the w¡¯ords on the tip of her tongue. Forget about it. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. What''s the point? In the end. I''ll still be on my own. Nigel and Angeline spent the next two hours descending the mountain before arriving at a hut Joel stayed in. When they were walking, Nigel suddenly became a chatterbox and kept singing Evander''s praise in front of her. Obviously, Nigel was hoping that she would say positive tilings about himself to Evander. Angeline tried telling Nigel she had nothing to do with Evander, but Nigel wouldn''t believe her. In the end. she gave up convincing Nigel. ¡°Ms. Sorelie. this is where Joel stays. He used to stay with his sister, but after liis sister passed away, he''s been staying on liis own,¡± Nigel said truthfully. Angeline couldn''t help looking at the state of the hut. Although the ce is old. it seems tidy and clean. Instead of seeing nts in the courtyard, she saw countless racks with all sorts of fabrics on them. ¡°All right. Thanks.¡± Angeline nodded at Nigel. She then checked out the courtyard and got curious about the furnishings inside the hut. All of the sudden, Nigel shouted, ¡°Are you in there, Joel?¡± Angeline wanted to stop him, but it was toote. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Momentster, a creaking sound could be heard, and the door was pushed open as a man walked out. ¡°What is it?¡± the man asked. Angeline was stunned when her gazended on the man. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 The man was dressed in a white robe, and he had long and messy hair. His beard was all over the ce, making him look disheveled. If Angeline hadn''t learned from Nancy that the man was about the same age as them, she would''ve thought that Joel was in liis forties. What exactly happened to him? How did a talented designer fall so hard from grace? ¡°I knew you would be home! Come over! Thisdy here is looking for you."¡¯ ted, Nigel quickly waved at Joel. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. As the rumors imed. Joel had a grim expression on. and he looked uncongenial. With heavy footsteps, he made liis way toward Angeline and Nigel. ¡°Yes? Wliat do you need me for?" Joel looked at Angeline indifferently and without a trace of surprise in liis eyes. It was as if he was used to getting interrupted by people. He wasn''t fazed by Angeline''s appearance. Angeline was still sizing him up when he arrived in front of her. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Quinn. I''ve heard a lot about you. You''re truly a genius of a designer¡ª" ¡°I stopped being a designer a while ago," Joel interrupted in an annoyed tone. ¡°Didn''t you hear about that?¡± Angeline kept quiet for a moment before letting out a chuckle while looking at Joel. ¡°I know what you mean. Mr. Quinn. However, if you have really given up being a designer, you wouldn''t keep so many fabrics at home, would you?" The fabrics were freshly dyed, and they were all exquisite. I thought Joel was only good at designing. Not only can he design, but he can also dye fabrics. He''s truly a genius! Now, I know Nancy was serious about what she said to me. A scowl appeared on Joel''s face, and he had fury in his eyes. ¡°I didn''t expect a sharp tongue from a person as young as you. You aren''t here to ask for a favor, are you? It seems that you''re here to mock me." ¡°You''re overthinking, Mr. Quinn." Angeline shed a faint smile. ¡°I came a long way to look for you. and I even fell into a cer and spent an entire night there. I''ve gone through hoops to have a conversation with you." Joel was slightly taken aback by those words. He looked at Nigel dubiously. Nigel didn''t waste a second to butter Angeline up. ¡°She''s telling the truth. Thisdy has gone through hardships to see you. If not for me, she would have still been stuck underground. Perhaps you should hear her out." Joel''s expression softened a little. In a less hostile tone, he asked. ¡°So? Wliat do you want to say to me?" Seeing that Joel was willing to hear her out, Angeline was overjoyed. ¡°Mr. Quinn. I''m a friend of Nancy. Nancy Yandell. She introduced you to me. Do you still remember her?" ¡°Nancy?" Joel furrowed liis brows. ¡°I do, but we haven''t contacted each other for a long time." ¡°I know, but Nancy and everyone else in school remember you as a genius designer. You''re very famous." Upon buttering Joel up and seeing that he wasn''t offended. Angeline took a deep breath. ¡°I have a simple reason foring to look for you. I started a fashion designpany, and now I need a creative designer. If you''re willing to help, the sry can be¡ª¡± Right away. Joel knew what Angeline wanted. He unhesitatingly cut her off by asking, ¡°Are you inviting me to join yourpany?" ¡°Yes." Angeline shot him a sincere look. ¡°Mr. Quinn, although we don''t know each other, I believe we can have a fruitful coboration.¡± ¡°Ms. Sorelle, don''t you realize how silly you look?" Joel folded liis arms and looked at Angeline mockingly. ¡°I''ve had all sorts of peopleing to me, and I''ve turned each and every one of them down regardless of how much they offered me." Angeline remained silent. ¡°Also, you''ve never studied my designs, have you? How dare you act so haughtily? Why should I trust you?¡± Joel added. His words were so harsh that Angeline froze and couldn''t find the words to reply. She merely looked at Joel''s pair of shaip eyes and liis disheveled appearance. At that moment, Angeline was utterly impressed, and her desire to recruit him intensified. I have a strong feeling that if I can get Joel to join mypany, he''s going to surprise me even more. She gritted her teeth and promised, ¡°Mr. Quinn, I admit that I''ve acted rashly bying to see you. However, I really want to invite you to join mypany, and I can double the sry." Unfortunately for her, Joel didn''t seem tempted. Instead, his eyes were filled with disdain, and he was ready to end the conversation there and then. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, thank you for traveling all the way here to see me, but I don''t think we''re on the same page. See you." With that, he turned around and walked toward the hut. Inparison with other young men, Joel looked skinnier, but the aura he exuded was iparable. Angeline pursed her lips as she watched him leave. Although I''ve just been rejected. I don''t regret it at all. The rumors are tine. Joel has a unique character, and liis confidence in the fashion design industry is genuine. He''s truly amazing! ¡°Ms. Sorelle..." Nigel froze on the spot, and he felt rather embarrassed. ¡°As I''ve told you, Joel is a loner. Especially after his elder sister passed away, he''s been isting himself. He''s not someone easy to deal with." ¡°I''m not ming you." Angeline frowned. ¡°Did you say liis elder sister? Wliat happened? How did she die at such a young age?¡± Nigel let out a heavy sigh before pulling Angeline to the side. ¡°It was a tragedy. She was a nicedy, but for some reason, she crashed her car against the railing by the seate one night and died before the authorities could get to her." Angeline listened attentively. A hint of confusion shed across her eyes as she asked. ¡°How did something like that happen?" ¡°We found it weird as well. When she was alive, she seldom mixed around with people she didn''t know; We couldn''t help but think foul y was involved in her death." Nigel shook liis head helplessly. ¡°However, none of us dared to speak of it. It''s such a shame, though. Joel never recovered from that tragedy." Angeline was also weirded out. It seems that Joel''s sister''s death wasn''t just an ident. Why would she crash into the sea? It''s simply unbelievable. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 She was lost in her thoughts when a man''s deep voice rang out behind her. ¡°Please hold on, Mr. Quinn," the man said. That familiar voice brought Angeline back to her senses. She lifted her head and turned to the man. She was bbergasted when she saw Evander. Didn''t he leave already? Why is he still here? Although Evander didn''t speak loudly, everyone at the scene heard him. Joel abruptly halted in his tracks before turning to look at Evander. ¡°I didn''t expect you to bring someone along. Ms. Sorelle." ¡°I didn''t¡ª" However, Evander cut her off by saying. ¡°I understand where you''reing from, Mr. Quinn. However, a genius like you shouldn''t be trapped here." Joel didn''t say anything in response. ¡°I know Angeline well enough to know that she''s not someone who would act rashly. It''s obvious that she''s genuinely hoping that you would join herpany," Evander added. Angeline couldn''t help but smile gleefully when she heard that. After so long. Evander finally said something nice. On the other hand, Joel was slightly stunned when he heard those words. In fact, he seemed to have abandoned the intention of leaving the scene. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Nevertheless, something was wrong with the look he had on his face when he looked at Evander. Joel slowly walked up to Evander and sized him up. "Who are you?¡± ¡°Let me introduce myself. I''m the CEO of Golding Group. Evander Golding," Evander patiently introduced himself to Joel. To Evander''s surprise, Joel''s face darkened the moment he heard Evander''s name. With fire burning in liis eyes, Joel asked. ¡°Are you really Evander Golding?" Evander furrowed his brows slightly and hummed in acknowledgment. Before Evander could say anything else, Joel suddenly grabbed liis cor and punched liis face. ¡°You b*stard!¡± Joel finned. Without knowing what was going on, Evander was sent crashing to the ground upon receiving that powerful punch. Joel seemed to have gone berserk. Not only did he not back down, but he immediately got on top of Evander''s body and started punching him relentlessly. ¡°Stop it!" Angeline was the first to react, and she shoved Joel aside. ¡°What''s the matter with you? How could you hit someone as you wish? What did Evander ever do to you?" What just happened? Joel was fine just now, and he suddenly became a madman! ¡°He doesn''t owe me anything, but he owes my sister everything he has!" Joel pointed at Evander, trembling uncontrobly. What? What did Joel mean by that? How is Evander indebted to Joel''s sister? Angeline was still in a daze when she saw Evander rising to his feet. There was no way Evander would back down from a fight. He quickly threw a punch at Joel''s face. Soon, they were raining punches and kicks on each other, and neither of them was backing down. ¡°Hey! What''s going on? Why can''t you guys just talk it out? Why must you guys resort to violence?" Nigel said helplessly. He didn''t dare to break them apart because it was an intense fight. No one could hear his words because liis voice had been drowned out by the intense arguments. Evander held Joel''s cor tightly and red at him. ¡°You''ve got the wrong person! What do I have to do with your sister?" ¡°You''re Evander! It''s you! Even if you were to turn into ashes, I would still recognize you! If my sister hadn''t risked her life for you, she wouldn''t have died such a gruesome death!" Joel wras getting angrier by the second, and he somehow'' gathered enough strength to punch Evander''s face once again. Thud! Evander crashed onto the ground after getting punched. At that point, theer of liis lips was bleeding, but he couldn''t feel the pain anymore. He gradually raised liis hand to wipe the blood away, liis eyes bloodshot. ¡°Are you okay, Evander?" Angeline yelled before jogging towrard him. Her eyes were filled with concern. ¡°You''re scaring me! Why are you bleeding so much?" Evander ignored her question and pushed her hand aw¡¯ay before continuing liis fight with Joel. Angeline could only stand by and wratch the men fight as though they were a couple of kids. She held her own forehead in helplessness. If I let them cany on. one of them will really get hurt. Angeline took a deep breath before rushing toward them, hoping that she could stop the two of them. ¡°That''s enough. You guys can ahvays talk it out. Don''t¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Joel, wdio failed to contain liis temper, reached out and shoved her aside. "Buzz off!" Angeline was caught off guard, and she ended up falling to the ground. Since she was unprepared, she failed to support her own weight and crashed into a tank next to a well. The tank shattered on the spot. ¡°Alili!" Angeline suffered a cut on her forehead due to one of the shards. She turned pale because of the pain, and w''hen she reached out to touch her forehead, her hand was drenched in blood. ¡°Angeline!" Evander immediately stopped fighting and dashed tow''ard her. While looking at her worriedly, he asked. ¡°Are you okay?" ¡°It hurts..." Angeline mumbled. Evander started to breathe heavily. He turned toward Nigel and ordered. ¡°Call for an ambnce!" ¡°Oh! I''m on it!" Nigel wras on the verge of peeing himself. Joel was stunned when he saw Angeline getting hurt. While frowning slightly, he said, ¡°I have a medical kit at home. I can lend it to you guys first." ¡°No need!" Evander''s eyes were filled with murderous intent. ¡°You better pray that Angeline''s all right. If something bad happens to her, I''ll kill you and destroy the entire ind!" Upon saying that, he earned Angeline in his arms and left the courtyard. Angeline gripped Evander''s cor as she rested in his embrace. At that moment, she could feel a great sense of security. Whenever Evander is around, there''s nothing to be scared of. After they arrived at the hospital, she remained in Evander''s arms when the doctor ran tests on her. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Luckily. Angeline only got a cut by identally touching the broken pieces of the well. She did not suffer any internal injuries. However, Evander was in a panic. He ordered the doctor to use the best medications on her and wrap a fewyers of gauze around her forehead. After putting the medication on her, he went through the process to admit her to the hospital so she could rest peacefully. Angeline felt helpless as she looked at Evander, who sat beside her. She said in a low voice, ¡°I''m all right. You don''t have to be in such a panic...¡± ¡°Sit properly.¡± Evander reached out to hold her shoulder. He left no room for negotiation as he said, ¡°The doctor said you need to stay in the hospital for observation.¡± Angeline was speechless. Why didn''t I hear the doctor say that? However, her head hurt, and she did not want to argue with Evander. She held a hand to her forehead and leaned against the wall to rest. I''m so unlucky. I went on a business trip but ended up hurting myself. I must be extremely clumsy. I keep getting hurt wherever I go! Knock! Knock! Just then, someone knocked on the door of the ward. Joel stood at the entrance with a fruit basket in his hand and looked ufortable. ¡°I''m here to visit you.¡± ¡°There''s no need.¡± Evander rejected coldly. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. However, at that moment. Angeline reached out to smack liis arm. A smile appealed as she hurriedly greeted, ¡°Mr. Quinn, you didn''t have to bother bringing a fruit basket along with you. Come and take a seat.¡± Joel paused as he stared at Evander before walking into the room. He ced the fruit basket on the table. He sounded apologetic as he said, ¡°I didn''t mean to push you. I''m sorry for hurting you. I''ll take responsibility for all your medical fees.¡± His apology was sincere, which made Angeline feel a little embarrassed. She quickly replied, ¡°Mr. Quinn, you don''t need to be so polite. However, there''s one tiling I still don''t understand. Why did you suddenly attack Evander?¡± She asked her question in a soft tone and could finally heave a sigh of relief when she noticed no sign of rejection on Evander''s face. Joel''s expression darkened, and liis tone turned cold. ¡°It''s none of your business, Ms. Sorelle. There are some tilings that you are better off not knowing.¡± Angeline frowned as her suspicions grew. Seeing how unwilling he was, she did not question further. ¡°I''ve done what I was supposed to. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving first.¡± Joel was cold as usual. After he ced the fruit basket on the table, he left the room. Angeline knew it was useless to stop him and she was toozy to waste any more energy on him. Not long after Joel left, Evander got up from his seat and bent down to rearrange Angeline''s nket. In a deep voice, he said, ¡°I''m heading out to buy some oatmeal. You shouldn''t rest on an empty stomach.¡± Angeline knew7, he was leaving to talk to Joel alone, so she nodded. She reached out to grab liis arm, looking worried. ¡°Be careful.¡± Two simple words were enough to sum up everything she wanted to say. Evander''s expression softened, and he nodded before leaving the room. With a bang, the door shut behind Evander. Angeline leaned against the pillow'' as tiredness consumed her. She believed that Evander would not take action against others before the truth was revealed. Evander had only taken a few steps outside the room w''hen he saw Joel smoking at the stairwell. Smoke surrounded thetter, making him look older than he was. Evander made his w7ay tow''ard Joel and stood in front of him. His height made it easy to assert dominance as he looked down at Joel. ¡°Are you not going to tell me the truth? Who the heck is your sister?¡± Joel looked angry as he coldly reminded Evander, ¡°Wow, do you have amnesia because you have too many benefactors? My sister did many things for you, yet you''ve forgotten all about her? I won''t throw'' her under the bus.¡± Evander was expressionless as he replied, ¡°There are a lot of people wrho hate me. Do you wrant me to count them one by one?¡± Joel looked at Evander with disdain. ¡°You must be so proud of yourself.¡± ¡°Just get straight to the point.¡± Evander''s gaze turned cold. ¡°If there''s anything,e after me. Don''t you dare hint Angeline.¡± ¡°You care about her that much?¡± Joel suddenly chuckled. Evander frowned and tucked his hands inside liis pockets as he stared at Joel coldly without replying. An amused smile appeared on Joel''s lips as he purposely lowered liis voice and reminded him, ¡°The more you wrant to know; the more I won''t tell you. My sister''s life is on the line, so wrhy should I let you atone for your sins so easily?¡± Evander''s expression darkened. However, Joel wras not afraid of Evander. He even raised his eyebrow7 to try to provoke thetter. In the next second, he threw'' the cigarette butt in liis hand onto the ground and stepped on it to crush it. He left after that. Evander watched him leave. His hands at the sides of liis legs were clenched into fists. He finally understood something. Angeline rested at the hospital for a night. She was allowed to leave when the doctors cleared her of any side effects. However, she underestimated Joel''s cold attitude. The fruit basket he sent seemed to be an apology to her. Yet, he would not meet up with her when she was discharged no matter what. Angeline was exhausted from dealing with him. Although I will have to wait for some time, he''ll eventuallye around. Now7 that I think of it, he''s such a bore. However, Forrester Group could not be left alone without anyone managing it, so she had to pack up and get ready to settle tilings back home. Just as she arrived at the boarding hall at the airport, a male voice urgently called out to her, ¡°Ms. Sorelle. please wrait a moment.¡± Joel was holding onto a suitcase as he walked tow7ard her. However, the most surprising tiling was not liis sudden appearance at the airport. It was because he looked like a whole different person. He had changed into a sleek suit and cut liis hair short. The buzz cut made his facial features more exquisite. ¡°Mr. Quinn, w''hat are you...¡± Angeline was confused. Joel walked up to her. and liis eyes were filled with determination as he said, ¡°I''ve thought about it. Your company may be more suitable for me, and I shouldn''t stay on Linlow Ind. I agree to sign a contract with you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Angeline did not know'' how7 to react for a moment as surprise shed through her face. ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you could be a trustworthy coborator. If you can promise me one tiling, I''ll make sure to produce designs that are to your satisfaction.¡± Angeline did not feel repulsed as she looked at how7 confident he was. She let out a small smile and. wdth the same confidence, said, ¡°Name it.¡± Chapter 285 Chapter 285 ¡°I don''t like to restrict the creativity of my designs. I''ll hand in the drafts on time, but I hope you won''t interfere with the designing process.¡± Angeline''s expression darkened, and she could not help but hesitate. From an outsider''s perspective, she admired an independent designer like Joel. However, she was the leader of Forrester Group. She must put the benefits of the group above everything else. Joel noticed that Angeline felt troubled. He took out a thick portfolio and handed it to her. ¡°This is my portfolio. You can review it first.¡± Angeline shed him a heartfelt smile. She opened the portfolio and flipped through the pages to see many colorfill and floral designs. She got more surprised as she flipped through each page. Joel had chosen to stay at such a secluded yet beautiful ce to distance himself from the concept of expensive spending in the city, yet liis designs had a certain uniqueness. Angeline skimmed through the portfolio and could not help but be filled with admiration. ¡°All right. Wee to Forrester Group, Mr. Quinn.¡± She held out a hand to Joel. In her heart, a voice reminded her that Joel was indeed the designer that she wanted and he could bring her profits through liis designs. ¡°Mm.¡± Joel''s expression was as dull as ever as he shook Angeline''s hand. At that moment, Evander lugged a suitcase and strode toward them from the airport entrance. He wore sunsses that covered half of liis face, but they could not conceal liis charming aura. He attracted the attention of many surrounding women. They whispered among themselves. No one knew what they were discussing. Angeline was surprised to see that, but frustration soon filled her. This isn''t fair. Some people only need to appear to attract everyone¡¯s attention! Wlien she saw that he was walking toward her, she asked. ¡°Evander? Are you on this flight too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Evander''s tone was indifferent as he looked at her. A hint of anger could be seen in his eyes. Angeline subconsciously lowered her head as she felt guilty. She had been swamped after her discharge from the hospital. She did not notify Evander before making her own decision. However, she did not think that what she did was wrong. With my rtionship with Evander now, I don''t think I need to report everything to him, right? Angeline''s eyes dimmed. ¡°Mr. Golding, what a coincidence. Let''s board the ne before the gate closes.¡± Evander turned to look at Joel, and they locked eyes for a moment. Dangerous intent shed past liis eyes. ¡°Mr. Quinn, you changed your mind so soon?¡± Evander asked in a deep voice. His tone was cold and laced with sarcasm. Joel''s grip on liis ne ticket tightened as he noticed the agitation in Evander''s eyes. ¡°Ms. Sorelie is so sincere. How could I refuse her kindness?¡± ¡°I hope you''re only going there for work.¡± Evander''s words had different meanings. ¡°Mr. Quinn, I believe you''re a smart man.¡± Joel could feel the threat behind his words. His lips slightly curved upward, and he smirked. He tightened his grip on liis suitcase and turned to walk into the boarding hall alone. Angeline looked at liis retreating figure, and her eyes were filled with worry. She elbowed Evander before saying, ¡°Hey, what did you talk about with Joel at the hospital? Why did he suddenly hit you?¡± Evander looked at her and answered cidly, ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± He took Angeline''s suitcase from her and brushed past her. Angeline stood rooted to her spot. Her face turned ashen at liis words. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. What a petty man. Is it because I didn''t tell him that I was discharged? Now he''s just taking revenge by doing the same. Whatever. I don''t care if he doesn''t want to tell me. It''s not like I really want to know. The flight took more than twelve hours before Angeline and the others arrived in Hallsbay. It was already eight o''clock at night when they arrived, and there weren''t many people at the airport. At first nce. Angeline noticed Nancy holding hands with Sebastian, who had a banner in his other hand. The banner was written in Ustranasion: Wee home, Mr. Quinn! Joel''s expression softened, but liis tone was still harsh. ¡°She''s the same as she was when we were in school. How childish.¡± Angeline chuckled. ¡°It seems that you know her quite well. She''s very excited to wee you. She told me she would be here when we were boarding.¡± Joel kept quiet and only raised his eyebrow. It was obvious that he was in a good mood. Nancy brought Sebastian over to wee them. She reached out and pulled Joel into her warm embrace. ¡°Joel, wee back. I was wondering if you had be a caveman.¡± Joel wrapped his arms around her and answered without hesitation. ¡°Nancy, if you were better at talking, you would''ve already gotten yourself a boyfriend.¡± ¡°You...¡± Nancy felt hurt and punched liis chest. ¡°Jerk.¡± However, she forgave him after rolling her eyes at him. She smiled as she said, ¡°Let''s not stand here anymore. I made a reservation at a restaurant. Let''s go there.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Angeline stopped them. She then turned to look at the hatch of the ne. Evander. who had gotten off the ne with them, looked more lonely. Only Ss was there to wee him. ¡°Mi\ Golding.¡± Ss hurried forward and respectfrilly took Evander''s suitcase from him. ¡°Mm,¡± Evander answered. His expression was cold as usual. ¡°How''s thepany?¡± ¡°On the surface, everything is going well. However, Hubert has started to take action against the company. I heard he fired several employees and hired a few of his men to be spies.¡± Evander''s expression turned as ck as thunder. ¡°Let''s go back to thepany and have a meeting.¡± Although Angeline was standing beside Joel, she was observing Evander''s situation. Wlien she noticed that he was hurrying to leave, she could not help but call out to him, ¡°Evander. how about Floretta...¡± Upon hearing that. Evander stopped and turned to look at Sebastian, who was eagerly staring at him but did not dare to approach him. He replied in a low voice, ¡°I''ll let Francesca know. You guys can go visit Floretta.¡± With that, he left the airport with no time to waste. Sebastian''s eyes sparkled in excitement as he jumped up and down when he heard the news. Angeline breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to hug him as sheforted him gently. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 ¡°All right, stop jumping, or the security guard wille to catch you.¡± Sebastian only calmed down after hearing that. He then looked up at her and touched the wound on her forehead that was hidden behind her bangs. ¡°Pain...¡± he said with a worried look in liis eyes. Nancy''s eyes went wide with shock when she turned around and saw the wound. ¡°Oh, my goodness! He''s right! How did you get your injured?¡± Angeline and Joel exchanged nces upon hearing that. Noticing the apologetic look in his eyes. Angeline said, ¡°I guess I just have a natural tendency to injure myself. Fortunately, it isn''t anything serious, so you don''t have to worry.¡± ¡°Fair enough. You always manage to get lucky somehow.¡± Instead of arguing with her, Angeline absent-mindedly kept her gaze fixated on Evander until he was completely out of sight. Nancy wrapped an arm around her neck and whispered in her ear, ¡°Tell me the truth. What happened? How did you two end uping back together?¡± ¡°It was a coincidence. He happened to be doing business on Linlow Ind. That''s how we bumped into each other over there,¡± Angeline replied. Nancy clicked her tongue. ¡°It looks like you and Evander are fated to be together. After all, you two are always bumping into each other everywhere.¡± ¡°Don''t say that!¡± Angeline said while ncing cautiously at Joel, who was standing behind them. Nancy then dropped the topic and drove them to a restaurant. She was really going all out to officially wee Joel to the team. Angeline was a little surprised when she entered the private room and saw Roger sitting in there. He looked a little bit like a hooligan with a pink T-shirt and floral shorts. He was scrolling through his phone when he saw Angeline and the other''se in. ¡°Hi, Mi''s. Golding! Hi, Nancy!¡± he greeted them with a smile. As Angeline was not expecting to see him here, she stood in tire doorway and shot Nancy a questioning nce. ¡°I-It''s a coincidence. This restaurant is really popr, so it''s hard to even get a reservation here. Roger happens to be an investor in this establishment,¡± Nancy exined with a pout. ¡°Oh, I see. I remember you two getting into a huge fight the other day. It looks like you two are quick to kiss and make up, huh?¡± Angeline teased her with a mischievous grin. Nancy burned bright red when she heard that. ¡°No, we haven''t! Don''t you go saying that now! We haven''t made up, so we''re just friends at the moment.¡± Of course, Angeline didn''t believe a word she said. However, she could tell that Nancy was trying to keep it a secret, so she decided to keep her thoughts to herself. There was a hint of helplessness in Roger''s smile as he weed them to have a seat. Due to his friendly nature, the atmosphere at tire dinner table was amazing. Roger was so good at socializing that he even managed to chat up Joel, who was usually cold and quiet. Angeline shook her head when she saw them happily chatting away. Feeling a little dizzy from all the drinking, she excused herself to the restroom. After fixing her makeup, she was about to head back when she saw Roger standing outside the door. He leanedzily against the door frame and let out a drunken burp. "Hey. Mi''s. Golding...¡± Angeline let out a chuckle when she heard that. ¡°You know, you really need to stop calling me that. Evander is going to get married soon.¡± Roger shook his head helplessly before saying with an exceptionally solemn look on his face, ¡°Do you really think Evander willingly epted that marriage?¡± The look in Angeline''s eyes turned gloomy, and she tightened her grip on her handbag. Of course, I have wondered about his reasons for epting that marriage. However, Evander never told me his reasons, so I didn''t bother asking him about it either. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Roger pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a lighter. "On the day Evander publicly announced his engagement, Old Mi''s. Golding fainted in the office due to a sudden heart attack. Despite how powerful Evander may seem, there are countless people trying to get at him. His worst enemy is liis cousin, Hubert, who used this opportunity to join Golding Group and has been abusing liis power ever since.¡± Angeline took a deep breath and asked in a somewhat unnatural tone, ¡°So?¡± Roger''s gaze bore into hers as he continued, ¡°I know you''ve been mad at Evander for leaving you, Mrs. Golding. I''ve been friends with him for many years now, so believe me when I say that he did not make that choice willingly. Now, I''m not asking you two to get back together or anything. I just want you to understand why he did it.¡± As Roger worked in public rtions at Golding Group, he was really good at delivering his point while maintaining a neutral tone. Angeline found herself starting to waver as she recalled how Evander had mentioned Hubert when talking to Ss at the airport. If he is being forced into this, why didn''t he tell me about it? I would definitely understand if he''d just exin everything! At the end of the day, it was all due to ack of trust between them. Having trust issues could be extremely devastating for just about any couple in existence. Meanwhile, the lights were still on in a certain high-rise building in the center of Hallsbay. It was already past two in the morning when Evander ended his meeting and returned to his office. Feeling exhausted, he slumped against his chair and massaged his aching temples with his fingers. Given how things are, I can''t afford to let my guard down. Hubert must''ve been well-prepared if he had the guts to do all of that under my nose. Dealing with him won''t be easy... ¡°Here you go, Mr. Golding. Have some stew to warm yourself up,¡± Ss said as he walked over with a bowl of steaming hot stew. There was a hint of worry in liis eyes as he set the bowl down on the desk. As Evander took a few sips of it, he recalled something and looked up at Ss with bloodshot eyes. ¡°There''s someone I need you to help me investigate,¡± he said in a deep voice. ¡°Who is it?¡± Evander then opened his drawer and retrieved a photograph. ¡°Joel Quinn. He''s the new designer at Forrester Group. I need to know about histe sister,¡± he said while handing it over to Ss. ¡°Understood,¡± Ss replied with a nod as he took the photograph over. ¡°Huh... Why does he look oddly familiar''? I feel like I''ve seen him before,¡± he mumbled while staring long and hard at Joel''s facial features. The look in Evander''s eyes turned slightly gloomy when he heard that. ¡°Don''t make any baseless assumptions. You need proof to back up all of your theories,¡± he reminded his assistant in a deep voice. Chapter 287 Chapter 287 ¡°Got it.¡± Ss then hesitated for a bit before continuing. ¡°Mr. Golding, are you worried about Ms. Sorelle''s safety? Is that why you''re having me investigate Joel?¡± Evander simply pursed liis lips without saying a word. However, the icy-cold look in liis eyes eased up a little as he tapped his slender fingers rhythmically on the desk. Joel definitely has ulterior motives for getting close to Angeline. I mean, he agreed toe all the way to Hallsbay on such short notice just to work as a designer. I know that it must have something to do with me. but Angeline has worked really hard to hire him. so I don''t want to disappoint her. Angeline gave Forrester Group all she had. so I have to keep a close eye on Joel to ensure her safety! Ss nervously took a deep breath as he observed Evander''s expression from the side. He then retrieved a nner from his folder and said, ¡°Mr. Golding, here''s a wedding nner that Ms. Sherrock told me to hand you. She wants you to pick out a venue...¡± Those words had barely left liis mouth when Evander''s face clouded over with displeasure. ¡°Just pick the one on the beach. There''s no need to ask me about such minor things in the future,¡± he said casually as though it didn''t mean a tiling to him. ¡°Understood,¡± Ss replied cautiously while wiping the sweat off liis forehead. He didn''t want to bother Evander with such questions either, but Olivine had been abusing their engagement to have her way in thepany. Naturally, Ss was caught between a rock and a hard ce. He had no choice but to put up with her because of Valerie. Fortunately for him, however, that was no longer the case as he found Evander to be the most terrifying of them all. Evander waited until Ss had left his office before retrieving a design draft from liis drawer. It was a draft of a wedding gown, which was something almost all women dreamed of wearing. Although he had only sketched the outlines, it already looked beautiful and unique. The faint, yellowish lighting from the deskmp added a hint of warmth to Evander''s face. He grabbed a pencil from liis desk and spent the rest of the night outlining the sketch. It wasn''t until the sun started rising on the horizon that he switched off the lights in liis office. As Roger kept getting Joel to drink that night, he ended up needing the help of several bodyguards to get Joel back to the hotel. After getting herself and Sebastian dressed. Angeline personally drove to the hotel to pick Joel up the next morning. Joel soon came out of the hotel wearing a white casual shirt and a pair of slim-fit pants. He had liis hands in liis pockets as he made liis way toward them. He frowned slightly when he opened the car door and saw Sebastian, who was dressed in a ck tuxedo with a red bow tie, sitting in the back seat. ¡°I forgot to ask you yesterday. Is this your son?¡± Angeline shed him a smile as she replied, ¡°Yeah. Judging by how much you drankst night, I bet you haven''t eaten anything, hull?¡± Those words had barely left her mouth when Sebastian retrieved a box of buns from the side and stared nervously at Joel. As though he wasn''t used to people being so nice to him, Joel fi¡¯oze for a few seconds when he saw that. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said awkwardly while taking the box of buns from Sebastian. Angeline rested her hands casually on the steering wheel and shed Joel a friendly smile. ¡°Hallsbay is famous for its cinnamon buns. A lot of touristse here just to tiy them out. Sebastian and I spent the entire morning queuing up just to buy these. Go ahead and tiy some.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Joel then took one from the box and stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°Not bad,¡± he mumbled while munching on it. The tense look on his face eased up a little as he nced at Sebastian in the back seat. ¡°Are you nning on bringing him to the office? I don''t think it''s very appropriate.¡± ¡°I don''t have a choice. Sebastian is a special child, so I can''t just leave him at a kindergarten. I need to keep him with me at all times. I''m just dropping you off at the office, though. Sebastian and I have other stuff nned for the afternoon, so we''ll leave right after that,¡± Angeline replied while starting the car and turning the steering wheel around. ¡°Okay,¡± Joel replied nonchntly as he leaned back against liis seat. As Angeline maneuvered the car toward the center of the road, she nced at Joel and noticed the exhausted look on liis face. She then retrieved a bottle of water from the glove box and handed it to him. ¡°Here, this should help a little. I know that Roger is a very friendly guy, but you didn''t have to drink as much as he did.¡± ¡°I was surprised to find out that he''s Nancy''s type. Almost everyone in school knew her for being a cold and stoic type,¡± Joel replied with a sneer. Angeline simply let out a chuckle withoutmenting on the matter. Nancy''s taste in men was a personal tiling, so she felt it wasn''t her ce to say anything about it. It wasn''t long before they arrived outside the office building. Angeline then earned Sebastian out of the car and led Joel into the office. Naturally, the three of them gained a lot of attention from the other employees along the way. Instead of exining herself to them, Angeline simply gave Joel a quick tour around the office to familiarize him with the ce. ¡°And that pretty much sums up our office tour. If you have any further questions, I''ll have my secretary take you on another tour,¡± she said with a smile. There was a hint of disdain in Joel''s eyes as he nced at the cubicles from the second floor. ¡°That won''t be necessary. It''s really small, so I already have everything memorized.¡± Angeline felt herself burning bright red with embarrassment after hearing liis reply. Joel gently tapped on the handrail as he said calmly, ¡°All right, you can go ahead and show me my office.¡± ¡°Sure tiling.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Angeline then led him over to the design department. Sebastian had been really obedient and quiet as he walked hand-in-hand alongside her. Angeline had just opened the door to the design department when she noticed the strong smell of instant noodles. Her face clouded over when she looked up and saw the messy environment around her. There were pieces of paper scattered all over the floor, and the wall was covered in drawings. The employees were all busy working at their desks. Steven Jenkins, the director of the design department, however, was casually smoking a cigarette while reading the entertainment news on his phone. Despite being the core of thepany, the design department looked more like a joke than anything else. Chapter 288 Chapter 288 ¡°Ms. Sorelle, is this what you meant when you said you wanted to work on improving the design of your brand?¡± Joel eximed with a chuckle when he saw that. Angeline was starting to panic a little after being humiliated twice in a row. ¡°I''m terribly sorry, Joel! I should''ve managed my subordinates better!¡± I''ll have to make things right if I am to have Joel work for mypany! With that in mind, she red at the employees in the design department and asked sternly, ¡°What do you guys think you''re doing?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The employees all looked a lot more energetic when they saw Angeline. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Sorelle!¡± they greeted her in unison. ¡°What exactly is going on here? I am paying you guys to help generate revenue, not to ck off and create a mess!¡± Angeline continued with a frown. The employees were all so scared that none of them dared make a sound. ¡°Why are you in such a bad mood so early in the morning, Ms. Sorelle? Does taking your anger out on my department make you feel better about yourself?¡± Steven asked with a disdainful frown as he lifted his legs off the couch. ¡°Your department?¡± Angeline shot Steven an icy-cold re as she reminded him, ¡°I think you should go through the company''s employee handbook again. You and this entire department are beneath me!¡± She deliberately emphasized thest two words in order- to crash Steven''s ego. Livid with rage, Steven snapped back at her in a threatening tone, ¡°You... Don''t get cocky just yet! You only have three more days before theunch of the matching family outfit!¡± He liked using Angeline''s work to put pressure on her as she would always concede unconditionally. This time, however, Angeline dragged Joel over by the ami and replied with a confident smile, ¡°Oh, that reminds me, I need to make an introduction. This is Joel Quinn, a designer I just hired!¡± ¡°What? How could you just hire someone into my department without first seeking my opinion?¡± Steven protested with displeasure written all over his face. ¡°Why should I? Now, I suggest you stop being so nosy and focus on keeping your job!¡± Thanks to her high heels that were over ten centimeters tall, Angeline was able to stare him down at eye level. Her level of confidence was so high that even Steven went pale all of a sudden. ¡°What''s that supposed to mean? You don''t have the right to fire me without a valid reason!¡± ¡°Don''t worry; I would never do something like that! I do, however, have the right to hire new employees as I see fit! Like you, Joel here will be a director of this design department!¡± Angeline replied with an icy-cold grin. Steven exploded with anger when he heard that. ¡°You... This is simply uneptable!¡± Angeline let out a chuckle and leaned slightly forward to further assert her dominance. ¡°You''re right. This is indeed uneptable. Do you know what else is uneptable? Thepany''s recent performance!¡± She then turned toward Joel and waited for his response. Instead of frowning in disdain or annoyance, he looked a little excited as he replied, ¡°That''s fine by me. So, where''s my desk?¡± Feeling relieved that he was supporting her- fully, Angeline pointed at therge desk of the design department''s director. ¡°Over there.¡± It even had a pen holder that was made of imported sandalwood, which was most likely paid for by the company. ¡°Mr. Jenkins is busy reading the entertainment news, so he isn''t really using that desk anyway. It''d be a waste of resources if we don''t put it to good use.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Joel went along with her suggestion and made his way toward tire desk. ¡°What horrible taste!¡± hemented while tearing down the stickers and posters on the wall behind it. Steven got so mad that he nearly fainted on the spot. ¡°You... You won''t be able to keep that position of yours forever, Angeline! When the timees, I''ll be there to witness your downfall!¡± he yelled furiously before turning around and storming out of the design department. Angeline''s lips curled into a smile as she watched him leave. It feels so good to finally get my revenge on Steven! Still, that guy is a cunning one, so having him around is a huge risk factor. Since I don''t have a valid reason to fire him, I can only try to keep him suppressed for the time being. ¡°Um...¡± Angeline was snapped out of her train of thought when she felt someone tugging on the hem of her shirt. Upon lowering her- gaze, she saw Sebastian looking up at her while pointing at his watch. Huh? What time is it... Oh, it''s already eleven! I need to get going, or I''ll bete to visit Floretta! ¡°I''m sorry, Sebastian. I was a little busy earlier. I''ll take you there right away!¡± Angeline then held Sebastian''s hand and walked up to Joel as she said, ¡°I need to get going now. Will you be okay on your own?¡± Joel was still busy tidying up the books on Steven''s bookshelf at the time. ¡°Yes, I''ll be fine. I''m not a kid,¡± he replied without even looking at her. ¡°That''s good to hear. I''ve already told my secretary to prepare a set of office supplies for you. Just let her know if you need anything,¡± Angeline reminded him with a relieved smile. In contrast with her chatty nature, Joel was a man of few words. He was focused on the documents in hand and appeared to be immersed in his work already. Angeline didn''t seem to mind, though. If anything, she believed that Forrester Group needed hardworking employees like Joel. After leaving the office building, Angeline drove Sebastian straight to the Golding residence. Evander had Floretta take a few days off from school as she had caught a cold. That was why Angeline had the chance toe to visit her. She saw Floretta ying on the swing the moment she arrived at the Golding residence. Floretta was wearing a pink dress and had her brown hair tied in pigtails, which made her look adorable as her legs swayed back and forth. ¡°Mmph!¡± Sebastian was so excited that he started smacking the back of the seat even before Angeline stopped the car. Angeline let out a helpless sigh as she quickly drove into tire garage and parked it properly. Sebastian then hopped out of the car and ran toward Floretta with his arms outstretched. ¡°Sebastian!¡± Floretta''s excited scream was so loud and high-pitched that it nearly raptured Angeline''s eardrums. The two kids then hugged each other- tightly. Angeline''s lips curled into a relieved smile when she saw how the pure friendship between them helped improve Sebastian''s mood tremendously. It was as though he had transformed into apletely different person altogether. Seeing him jump around happily brought a tear to Angeline''s eyes as she finally realized what Sebastian needed most. She was making her way toward the kids when the front door of tire Golding residence opened all of a sudden. Chapter 289 Chapter 289 The look on Angelinas face turned extremely gloomy when she saw who it was. Olivine! She was not expecting to run into Olivine so soon. Thetter looked as though she had just woken up with her dark green spaghetti-strap nightgown and her slightly curly hair resting on her shoulders. However. Angeline noticed that she had put a lot of effort into her makeup. Did Evander let her move into the Golding residence so soon? Olivine gleefully arched an eyebrow at Angeline when she saw her. ¡°All, you''re here? Evander told mest night that you''d being over. I know we had our differences, but the Golding family treats all guests with respect. Come on in!¡± she said while fanning herself with a folding fan. Huh... She''s already acting like she''s thedy of the house here... Also, did she really have to emphasize the words st night¡±? Angeline clenched her fists and tried her best to maintain a calm expression as she suppressed her jealousy and pain. ¡°I''m just here to pay Floretta a visit. I''ll be leaving in the afternoon.¡± Olivine let out a sarcastic chuckle as she said, ¡°Come on. there''s no need to rush! Evander told me to wee you with the wannest hospitality. After all, you are going to cook for us!¡± Angeline frowned when she heard the insult. I''m only here to visit Floretta, so I don''t want to start a fight with Olivine here. With that in mind. Angeline took a deep breath to rpose herself before retrieving a box of cake from the car. She then brought the box, which was designed like an animal, over to Floretta. It wasn''t until Angeline got closer that she saw how skinny Floretta''s face had gotten. On top of that, she seemed a lot less cheerfill than usual. ¡°Angel...¡± Floretta called out to her with a pout. Angeline felt as though she had been hit in the chest with a sledgehammer. Her eyes teared up a little as she gently caressed Floretta''s cheek. ¡°Hey, Floretta. You haven''t been eating well, have you? How are they treating you?¡± Floretta instinctively stole a nce at Olivine before nodding profusely as she replied, ¡°Yeah, Daddy has been treating me really well. I just miss you and Sebastian, that''s all.¡± Despite what she said, Angeline had noticed the look of fear in her eyes and her unnatural tone of voice. With a frown on her face. Angeline quickly rolled up Floretta''s sleeves, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw no bruises or wounds whatsoever. Even so, Angeline still remained on high alert as she knew Floretta was clearly unhappy. She then handed Floretta the cake and said with a smile, ¡°Here you go, Floretta. I made you your favorite cake. Go share it with Sebastian while I prepare lunch. I''ll let you two know when it''s ready.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Floretta nodded and shed her a huge smile. ¡°Floretta, didn''t I tell you not to ept food from strangel''s? We don''t know if it''s clean!¡± Olivine called out to her in a high- pitched voice. The look of displeasure in her eyes scared Floretta so much that her hands began trembling in fear. ¡°It''s fine. Floretta. Go on.¡± Angeline gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and motioned for her to leave with Sebastian. She then waited until the two kids were indoors before shooting Olivine an icy-cold re. ¡°I made that cake with margarine and purely organic ingredients, so it''s safe to consume. Some people, however, have hearts which are rotten to the core.¡± Olivine jabbed a finger at Angeline and yelled angrily, ¡°Hey! What do you mean by that? Are you talking to me. Angeline?¡± ¡°I''m warning you. I saw how depressed Floretta was. You''d better treat her well, or I wille after you even if you''re married to Evander!¡± Angeline snapped back at her with a menacing look in her eyes. At that very moment, Angeline was exuding such a terrifying aura that it left Olivine petrified for a good few minutes. By the time she snapped out of her dazed state, Angeline had already made her way into the Golding residence. Olivine''s face was red as she stomped her feet in anger and frustration. F*ck! I''m thedy of the Golding residence, not her! How dare Angeline act all arrogant even though she has lost to me? The first thing Angeline did upon entering the Golding residence was to check on the kids on the second floor. Feeling relieved when she saw them sharing the cake in the yroom, she went into the kitchen, put on an apron, and started preparing lunch. ¡°Ms. Sorelie? Why didn''t you tell me you wereing over? I could take care of the cooking for you,¡± Francesca, who was just done watering the nts, eximed in surprise when she came in. Angeline shed her a faint smile as she replied, ¡°That won''t be necessary. I came here specifically to make Floretta lunch because I want to cheer her up.¡± ¡°That''s very thoughtfill of you, Ms. Sorelle. If only you were the one looking after Ms. Floretta instead...¡± Francesca said with a sob. Angeline tensed up the moment she heard that. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Did something happen, Francesca? Is Olivine mistreating Floretta? Please let me know if that''s the case, and I''ll take care of it.¡± ¡°I... Well. Ms. Floretta is...¡± Francesca was about to say something when Olivine opened the front door with a loud bang. Like a bird that had just been startled. Francesca said with a panicked look on her face. ¡°Please stop asking me about this, Ms. Sorelle. Here, I''ll help bring you the tes...¡± Angeline furrowed her brows when she saw Francesca''s response. Judging by Floretta''s and Francesca''s reactions, it''s clear as day that life hasn''t been great for them. In fact, Francesca looks like she has been threatened into keeping quiet about it. If that''s the case, then what could a mere defenseless child like Floretta do to protect herself? Meanwhile, a ck car had just pulled up inside the courtyard. Ss, who was sitting in the driver''s seat, turned around and said respectfully, ¡°We''re here, Mr. Golding. I''ve canceled all of your appointments for the afternoon, so you can spend the rest of the weekend with Ms. Floretta.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Evander mumbled as he closed the folder in his hand. ¡°I had you investigate Joel the other day. Did you manage to find anything?¡± ¡°Yes, I was just about to report my findings to you. Mr. Golding. I had someone investigate all the vigers on Linlow Ind. From the information we managed to gather, he''s just a designer who excelled academically. His sister, Eve Quinn, however, is a huge problem.¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Evander¡¯s face fell, and he rubbed his chin. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Joel lost his father when he was five. His sister raised him. They survived on donations from their fellow vigers. He worked hard and got epted into a design academy while his sister became a nurse. She was assigned to a hospital in a county.''¡¯ Everything about the siblings'' lives sounded normal up until that point. But then everything changed when Ss took a file out of his briefcase and handed it to Evander. ¡°Coincidentally. Joel''s sister is the nurse who... worked with us five years ago.¡± A giim look filled Evander¡¯s eyes, and he said solemnly, ¡°So you''re saying this has something to do with that woman who went intobor back then?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Yes,¡± answered Ss. ¡°I ran into that nurse once five years ago, and I still remember what she looks like. That''s Eve.¡± A hint of surprise reced the solenmity in Evander¡¯s eyes. If that''s true, then that exins why Joel wanted to hit me. Evander slept with a random woman five years ago. It was an ident, and he would swear his life on it. He had no interest in that woman. All he wanted was to get rid of that baby, so it wouldn''t get in the way of his life. The nurse was the only one they bribed. Joel should know what happened and why she was paid. But then the nurse drove into a river and died in an ident a year before. The cops said there were no signs of drunk driving or suicide. It was still a mystery until now, so Joel thought Evander was the one behind this. The air itself was filled with the scent of tension. A moment of silenceter, Evander said, ¡°Find out the real reason Eve died and tell Joel I''ll be meeting him.¡± There''s something sinister behind Eve''s death. Someone we don''t know has found out what happened five years ago, and I need to know who the enemy is. I''ve been keeping Floretta safe all these years and don''t dare to imagine what would happen if her biological mother''s identity were exposed. I''m sorry, Joel. The most I can do is provide rpense. It won''t bring your sister back, but I hope it''ll help. Fortunately, Joel was directing all his fury at Evander and only Evander. Angeline was nothing but a checkpoint for him to get closer to Evander. He wouldn''t hurt her. With that little problem out of the way, Evander got out of his car and entered the residence. Once inside the house, he saw a pair of familiar shoes on the shoe rack, and the air was filled with the aroma of home-cooked food. A silvery voice came from the kitchen, lending a hint of warmth to the otherwise cold residence. The frown on Evander¡¯s forehead disappeared, and he felt a surge of warmth enveloping him. Olivine was in the lounge, watching some TV. ¡°Oh. you''re home, Evander.¡± She looked delighted to see him. ¡°Mm.¡± Evander resumed his aloof persona and unbuttoned his suit. Olivine managed to move in only after she pleaded with Valerie. She said she needed to get closer to Evander since the wedding was drawing nearer. Evander didn''t refuse the proposal, but ever since Olivine moved in. he almost never came back. Even when he did, he was only there to see Floretta. Obviously, Evander refused to entertain Olivine, but she ignored it. Quickly, she rose from the couch and trotted over to him. ¡°Just in time, Evander. It''s almost lunchtime. Go on and take a shower. I picked up a little trick up from a masseuse. Old Mis. Golding said it''s really grea¡ª?¡± ¡°Thanks, but no thanks.¡± Evander didn''t even look at her. His gaze was fixated on the kitchen, and he was upset. She must have heard all themotion. So why isn''t Angelineing out? Olivine noticed where he was staring, and a hint of envy filled her heart, but she kept her smile up as best she could. ¡°We''re getting married soon, Evander. You really don''t have to hold back. Why don''t we go to the lounge and have some fruits?¡± She was trying to tell him not to pay other women any heed, for they were going to get married soon. And yet Evander ignored her. Absentmindedly, he said, ¡°You want fruits, you can have them yourself. Don''t follow me around.¡± He held his impatience down and rolled his sleeves up. Then Evander headed straight to the kitchen. Olivine was frustrated by his indifferent attitude, and now she was surprised that he would go into the kitchen. ¡°Why are you going into the kitchen? The oily stench is going to stick to your outfit.¡± Oh goodness, she''s so annoying! Slowly, Evander turned around and asked, ¡°Because I want to cook. Would you like to help?¡± ¡°I-I don''t know how to deal with food.¡± A look of contempt welled in her eyes. I''ve never stepped into the kitchen my whole life. I expected as much. Evander sneered and entered the kitchen. Olivine was at a loss for words. A kitchen of all ces? That''s not the kind of ce he should go. And yet he looks like he knows how to hold his own. D*mn it. He''s not going to the kitchen to cook. He just wants to see Angeline! Angeline was kneading her dough and teaching Francesca how to make a cake. Floretta loved the cakes she made, but she couldn''te over every day. so she thought she should teach someone how to make them. The mold was inside the cab above her. She stood on her tiptoe, but she still couldn''t reach it. And then, the light dimmed for a moment as someone took the mold for her. Angeline wondered who it was. And then she noticed the subtle scent of sandalwooding off the man. Surprised, she snapped, ¡°Why are you in the kitchen? Your fiancee is out there. Go to her.¡± ¡°I''m here to help. I don''t want everyone calling me an exploitative guy. What if they think I''m using you as a free cook?¡± He spoke, his voice sexy as usual. And then Evander ced the mold on the workstation. ¡°So, what do I need to do?¡± Angeline stared right at him, sizing up his shirt and pants. They looked mismatched whenpared to the backdrop. Someone like him trying to help me? What is he thinking? Well, he is offering, and I won''t reject a good offer. Chapter 291 Chapter 291 The light of guile glimmered in her eyes. ¡°Hey, you''re offering your help voluntarily, right? I never forced you to do anything.¡± Evander said nothing. Instead, he whipped out an apron from the cab and tied it around his lower body. Then he slid liis hands into a pair of gloves. Angeline was surprised he''d do that. So he''s serious about this? Very well, then. She quickly took the ingredients for her cake from the cab andid them out on the table. ¡°If you''re making cakes for kids, then you have to go with nt-based cream, just enough sugar, and superfine flour.¡± Angeline was exining the steps to cakemaking patiently as she taught him how to whip the cream. Thanks to his prior¡ªalbeit scarce¡ªexperience in the kitchen. Evander was no longer a total klutz. Soon enough, he produced a small basin of whipped cream. ¡°Does this work?¡± Despite her surprise at how quickly he was learning, Angeline coolly said, ¡°Yes.¡± She tried to stay calm and put some distance between them. And then the microwave trilled. Angeline quickly snapped out of her thoughts and slid some mittens over her hands. Then she took the cake''s base out of the microwave. ¡°vor isn''t the only tiling that matters in this case. You want the child to love it, so you have to also make the cake look pretty.¡± She ced the cake''s base before Evander and solemnly said, ¡°Give it your best shot. First, spread some cream on it.¡± Oh, this reminds me of that time he somehow made a poop pattern. Beautifying a cake is a slow process that requires painstaking effort to create. I wonder if a guy like him has enough patience to do it. To her surprise, Evander agreed to the task. ¡°Very well.¡± He was calm. Inscrutable. Then, Evander started making different patterns on the cake''s base with the tube of cream he had in liis hand. However, he was a newbie, and he moved at snail''s pace. Angeline could barely make out what he was trying to create, yet she was astounded by his sheer patience. She blurted, ¡°You''d never spend so much effort on cakemaking.¡± Evander did not look at her. Focusing on the task at hand, he answered, ¡°I''ve been really busytely. Barely spent any time with Floretta, and she got a bit sad.¡± Oh, so he''s doing this for Floretta. Angeline was reminded of the girl, especially how thetter looked so dejectedtely. The thought itself made her heart hurt, and sheined, ¡°And I thought you''d ditch your own daughter after getting a new fiancee.¡± Evander''s face turned as dark as thunder, and he squeezed a big pile of cream on the cake. Icily, he hissed, ¡°Do you think I''d neglect my own daughter. Angeline?¡± ¡°Oh no, of course not.¡± She shot him a scornful, mocking look. ¡°Francesca''s been taking care of Floretta since forever. She was never sad that you weren''t around for her.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. There was more to that than Angeline let on, but she refrained from any furtherments. If she went straight to the point, it''d look like she was trying to sabotage Evander''s rtionship with Olivine. Evander didn''t need any more hints, either. He was smart enough to get what she was implying and turned liis attention to Francesca. ¡°Did something happen to Floretta?¡± Francesca froze for a moment, then she quickly bowred. ¡°Sir, I didn''t mean to hide this from you. but ever since Ms. Sherrock came, Floretta has been crying for days. She even went on a hunger strike.¡± Evander''s face fell, and he hissed. ¡°And yet you hid it from me anyway.¡± Francesca could feel the anger that was radiating from her employer, and she shivered. She responded aggrievedly, ¡°I would''ve told you, but Ms. Sherrock told me you were busy and that you had to focus on your work. She promised she''d take care of Floretta.¡± Her defense failed to turn her employer''s mood around, so she added. ¡°She''s your fiancee. She wouldn''t hurt Floretta, but the girl misses Ms. Sorelle. She would even mumble Ms. Sorelle''s name in her sleep.¡± Silence swooped down upon them. Evander said nothing, but liis eyes were gleaming with dark fury, and liis hands were clenched into fists. Angeline, too, felt upset. Floretta wasn''t her real daughter, but after so long, she was already treating the girl like her own. She felt sad for the girl. Floretta must have suffered under that witch. ¡°Mr. Golding, if you''re reluctant to send your fiancee elsewhere, I don''t mind taking Floretta in.¡± Evander shot her an icy look. ¡°Don''t tempt fate. Angeline.¡± he w¡¯anied her. Hurt from the contempt, Angeline gripped the hem of her shirt tightly and held her pain down. She retorted. ¡°Don''t just berate me. You should look at yourself. I think you''re too selfish to be a father. Floretta''s just a five-year-old girl. She should not have to face this treatment.¡± Evander mmed the bowl of cream on the table, liis face utterly grim. A boom erupted across the air, sending shudders down thedies'' spines. I''m selfish? If I didn''t care about them, I wouldn''t have set work aside just to have lunch. But w¡¯hat does she care? She doesn''t know'' a thing. Furious, Evander took the apron off and stormed out of the kitchen, and the air itself seemed to freeze for a moment. Angeline saw him off, her heart beating painfully. Worried. Francesca said, ¡°You didn''t have to go that far, Ms. Sorelle. If you just talked to him calmly, perhaps you could''ve salvaged a little of the rtionship.¡± ¡°No need for that.¡± Angeline raised her head. Proudly, she said, ¡°I came for the girl. Only the girl.¡± She never expected to get back together with Evander. Also, not to mention he already had a change of heart. He''s going to many Olivine. I''m never going to stoop so low¡¯ and not going to beg someone to take me back. Olivine was hiding behind the kitchen''s entrance. She saw¡¯ everything that transpired, but she remained in hiding until Evander made liis wray to the lounge. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 There was panic in her eyes. She gripped the kitchen door so tightly she could''ve pulled it off. her gaze dripping with venom. D*mn it. Evander''s going toe after me. He cares about that brat too much not to. Olivine had the urge to storm into the kitchen and tear off Angeline''s head, but if she did that. Evander would only dislike her further. She wouldn''t do that. Not when the wedding was drawing ever nearer. I have to cover this up somehow. No. I have to do it no matter what. At the same time, Floretta was on the second floor, excitedly holding Sebastian''s hand. ¡°I have a present for you. Sebastian. It''s in my room. Here, I''ll take you there.¡± She then led him to her room. Olivine saw the kids, and she hatched a n¡ª one that would allow her to get back at Angeline by putting the kids in danger. Her gaze turned even more menacing at that. Fine. Angeline. You want to dance? Then I''ll give you a dance you''ll never forget. Floretta took Sebastian into the room, and the boy stared around curiously. The room was decorated in pink, and a big bed sat in the middle, surrounded by beautiful dolls. ¡°Give me a second, Sebastian.¡± Floretta marched over to her cab and bent over to rummage through the drawers. A momentter, she whipped out a supersized model race car and dragged it all the way to Sebastian. A smile curled her lips. "Daddy and I picked this up at the toy store. We were going to give you this after you got out of the hospital, but Daddy got into a fight with Angel, so we never had the chance to give this to you. Do you like this?¡± Sebastian listened to the girl quietly. He did like the race car, but on his little whiteboard, he wrote: Mommy said I couldn''t have this. He... has a mother, huh? ¡°Mommy, huh?¡± Floretta was a little envious of her friend. ¡°I want my mommy too. I wonder why she abandoned me.¡± Her sadness was not lost on Sebastian. He quickly tugged on her hem. Floretta rested her cheeks in her hands, a hint of mncholy welling in her eyes. But still, she assured. ¡°Oh, it''s all right. I''m used to it. I envy you, really. Angel is a good mother, so don''t make her angry.¡± Sebastian mused over his reply, and then he wrote: She''s our mommy. A big smile curled Floretta''s lips, and she patted Sebastian''s head. ¡°Just take the toy. Sebastian. My daddy''s not good for much, but he''s rich.¡± Always eager toin about her father, the girl pouted angrily- ¡°If he had just spent more time with Angel instead of going to work all the time, Ms. Sherrock wouldn''t have had a chance to date him.¡± Olivine had just arrived at the girl''s room holding a tter of fruits, and she overheard the girl''s comments. Fury red within her soul, and she clenched the tter so hard her knuckles turned white. Ever since she came to this residence, the girl had never shown her any respect. She''d put on the victim act in front of everyone and made it look like Olivine was torturing her, though that was not the case. At least Olivine didn''t think so. She thought the girl was too smart for her age. Sometimes she wondered where the girl got all the ideas of saboteur from. For a girl her age. she did a great job at making Olivine suffer. Olivine gnashed her teeth in anger, but she couldn''t do anything about it, at least not before the wedding. Once she got married to Evander, she would make the gill''s life a living hell. I can''t wait. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She put on a fake smile and knocked on the door. ¡°Having fun with Sebastian, Floretta? I got you some fruits.¡± The mere sight of Olivine wiped the smile off Floretta''s face, and she shot Olivine a look of annoyance. ¡°Ms. Sherrock, how many times do I have to tell you not toe into my room?¡± Olivine gritted her teeth and held her rage down. Smiling, she said, ¡°Well, we have a little guest here, so I thought you''d like some fruits.¡± ¡°We don''t need it.¡± Floretta scoffed. ¡°And besides, you''re a witch. We all know7 what witches do to fruits. I bet they''re poisoned. Angel''s making a cake for us,¡± she bragged. Olivine felt humiliated, but she still kept her smile on. ¡°Angeline wanted me to tell you she made some more snacks. However, she needs someone to bring them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The mention of snacks easily distracted Floretta. ¡°Your father is helping her. It''s the truth.¡± Olivine entered the room and added. ¡°Go. I''ll keep an eye on Sebastian. I saw the cake too. It''s lovely.¡± Floretta was going to drool. She didn''t like Olivine, but it should be fine if she went out for a moment. I''ll just take the snacks ande back. The girl told Sebastian to have fun and be careful, and then she left the room. Once she was gone. Olivine mmed the door shut and heaved a sigh of relief. D*mn that brat. She''s so hard to distract. Then, she turned her attention to the boy wdio was building the model race car. A glint of malice glowed in her eyes, and she quickly approached the boy. With a kick, she sent the model car flying, and its parts scattered everywhere. ¡°You''re just like your mother. Beggars, both of you.¡± Sebastian raised his head, but all he saw was a face contorted by jealousy and rage. Rivulets of sweat poured down liis back, and he quickly retreated on all fours. But then Olivine gripped him by his cor and sneered. ¡°Oil, don''t run. Your mother''s a homewTecking b*tch, and you? You''re no better than her...¡± There was only malice and evil in her gaze. If looks could kill, the boy would have died countless times. However, her words alone were destructive enough for any child, especially special needs children like Sebastian. Driven by fear, he mustered all liis courage and. with difficulty, blurted. ¡°No!¡± The boy opened liis mouth and chomped down on Olivine''s arm. A stab of pain charged into her head, and she gasped. ¡°D*nm you!¡± she cursed. Then, she raised a hand against the boy. Sebastian stared at her in the eyes, fear already grasping liis heart. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and liis face wras as pale as a ghost. Back in the kitchen, Angeline cleared the workstation up, then she ced the cake in the microwave. She wasn''t in the best of mood, but still, she wanted to show'' some love for the girl. I have to finish this. Suddenly, the little girl went to the kitchen. ¡°Ooh. Angel.¡± Smiling, she tilted her head. ¡°Are you making a cake?¡± Angeline turned around and saw'' the girl sniffing the air like a hungry cat trying to feast. The sight of the girl melted her heart, and she softly said, ¡°Yes. But it''s not lunchtime yet, so w''hat brings you here?¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Floretta raised her head and rested her chin on her hands. There was anticipation in her eyes, and she said, ¡°Oh, I can smell the cake. It''s nice. Did you make a ton of desserts. Angel?¡± ¡°But of course.¡± Angeline smiled. She slid some gloves on and opened the food wanner, then carefully, she took out a slice of cake. ¡°Do you want to tiy some?¡± Driven by herpulsive desire to eat, Floretta took the cake from Angeline and blew on it for a moment. Then she took a bite. ¡°Oh my, it''s so good.¡± She held the cake closer and stared at it. Curious, she asked, ¡°But this one looks weird. What kind of animal is it?¡± Angeline arched her eyebrow and chuckled. ¡°It''s not an animal. Your father made this for you himself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Floretta''s eyes shone with surprise. ¡°He can make cakes? So he''s not a total clueless cook now.¡± ¡°Well, you can say that.¡± Angeline patted the girl''s head. Patiently, she said, ¡°Your father''s working hard for you. So you can be happy. He might be busy, but that doesn''t mean he doesn''t love you.¡± Angeline was a smart woman. Whatever feud she had with Evander. it would remain between them. A child like Floretta should never be involved in a grudge. She would never tiy to talk badly about Evander in front of Floretta. However, she wouldn''t lie and tell her that Evander was perfect, either. Floretta puckered her lips, her eyes filling with annoyance. ¡°I hate Ms. Sherrock. I don''t ever want to talk to her. Can you take me away, please?¡± she asked cutely. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Angeline frowned. That was a hard request to fulfill. Suddenly, the girl tugged on the hem of her clothes, her gaze shining with an unspoken plea. Angeline felt something tugging on her heartstrings, and she felt like taking the girl with her. Just then, a loud bang erupted on the second floor, and Angeline shuddered. Fear grasped her heart, and she asked nervously, ¡°You didn''t bring Sebastian with you?¡± Floretta stuffed her mouth with bread, and she shook her head. ¡°No. He''s still in my room. Ms. Sherrock said she could keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°What?¡± All color was drained from Angelinas face, and she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Of all people, why her? She hates my guts, and now she''s alone with my son in a room? Who knows what kind of torture she would inflict on him? Angeline felt her heart sink. She put down all her baking tools and trotted out of the kitchen. The first tiling she heard was the gasps of paining from the second floor. They were from Olivine. ¡°Ow, that hurts!¡± The moment Angeline took the stairs, Evander rose from the couch and went up the stabs with her. He looked positively grim. Is he worried about his fiancee? The thought of that angered Angeline. They''d better hope nothing happens to my son, or there will be hell to pay. Angeline arrived at Floretta''s room and opened the door. The first tiling she smelled was the stench of blood wafting in the air. She clutched her chest and coughed violently, her heart sinking deeper. When she looked around, Angeline saw Floretta''s table overturned, and her books and stationery were strewn across the floor. On the floory a woman. A familiar one nheless. Olivine. The table was pressing down on her leg. and blood trickled down to the floor. She clutched her bleeding wound, her face pale as a sheet. ¡°H-Help. It hurts...¡± The situation was a surprise for Angeline. She wondered what Olivine was trying to do. though she didn''t even lift a finger to help. Instead, she looked around the room once more, but her son was still nowhere to be found. Stricken by fear, she searched every coiner of the room, shouting, ¡°I''m here. Sebastian. Come out!¡± Following that, she heard a quiet sounding from the cupboard. Quickly, she approached it and opened the cupboard up. Inside it was her son, all curled up and shivering in fear. He was hugging himself, his forehead drenched in sweat. Angeline saw him murmur, but liis voice was too quiet for her to hear. ¡°Are you all right, Sebastian?¡± This is all my fault. I should''ve been more careful with him. She quickly checked on him, and to her relief, all he suffered were slight wounds. I guess he''s just shocked. Angeline heaved a sigh of relief, but still, seeing her son so scared didn''t sit well with her. She took him out of the cupboard and gently promised, ¡°It''s okay. Nobody''s going to hurt you. I''ll make sure they don''t.¡± As if he understood what liis mother told him, Sebastian calmed down and hugged his mother. In silence, hey in liis mother''s arms, looking for sce. Evander had arrived at the room as well. The moment he showed up, Olivine choked up. ¡°Help me. Evander. It hurts.¡± A frown creased Evander''s forehead, but he approached Olivine and pushed the fallen table anyway. He held her arm, but before Evander could even help her up, Olivine pounced into his embrace and cried. ¡°Thank goodness you came. I thought you''d leave me behind. Quick, check my leg. I hope this won''t leave a scar.¡± Her cries did nothing but frustrate Evander. He would''ve pushed her away if he could, but s, she was hurt. So instead, he held her ankle and looked at the wound. ¡°It won''t leave a scar. Just a shallow'' wound. Francesca will get the family doctor.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Even though she was confirmed to be fine, she still held on to Evander, refusing to let go. Worried, she said, ¡°That''s good to hear. Our w¡¯edding is just around theer. It''d be bad if I had a scar.¡± She was bragging about her eventual marriage to someone. And that someone was Angeline. Angeline was holding her son, w''atching helplessly as Evander took careful care of Olivine. A hint of sorrow7 filled her eyes. Why did I even care? All he cares about is her. She''s everything to him. I''m nothing. She smirked. ¡°Mr. Golding, she scared my son. I''ll need her to exin herself. Or you can do it for her if you''d like.¡± Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Evander helped Olivine to the couch. He stared at her, asking, ¡°What happened?¡± Olivine held his arm and put on a puppy pout. With a sad, broken voice, she responded. ¡°I did nothing, Evander. Trust me. I couldn''t help you guys since I couldn''t cook, so I cut up some fruits for the boy. However, he tossed them away and shoved me to the table.¡± Angelineughed mirthlessly. Boy. she''s getting better at making up stories. ¡°As if,¡± she interjected adamantly. ¡°Sebastian''s a quiet boy to start with, and he''s harmless. Also, he''s a good kid. He never threw any tantrums. Yet you say he tossed fruits around the room and shoved you, an adult, into a table?¡± As if shocked, Olivine quickly huddled closer to Evander. Sarcastically, she said, ¡°So you''re saying I''m using a child for no reason? Oh no, I have a reason. Yes, they aren''t grown up enough toe up with plots or schemes, but their parents? That I can''t say for sure.¡± ¡°Oh, please. You''re not even worth my time.¡± A wave of fury swam within Angeline''s voice. She took a step forward and demanded. ¡°Even if you wish to use me, you''d need proof. Or else I reserve the right to sue you for nder.¡± Olivine was no match for an aggressive Angeline, so she turned to Evander and cried again. ¡°You have to believe me, Evander. I wouldn''t have hurt myself, so someone else must have done it. And the child is... different to begin with. Who knows what he would do?¡± Incensed and furious, Angeline felt like biting Olivine''s head off. but Evander remained calm. He listened to Olivine''s lies, but not once did he even spare her a look. Angeline pursed her lips¡ªpale as paper¡ªand stayed silent for a moment. Then, beset by frustration and a desire to know, she asked, ¡°Do you believe her?¡± she said, almost in a whisper. It sounded like she didn''t have confidence. Evander frowned. He noticed the look in her eyes. The look of determination and sadness mingled together. Subsequently, he felt something squeezing his heart. Noticing Evander''s look. Olivine panicked and touched her leg. Then she moaned. ¡°Ow...¡± That snapped Evander out of it, and he rposed himself. ¡°You should get that treated at the lounge,¡± he said. Then Evander picked her up from the couch. ¡°Thank you, Evander.¡± Olivine leaned on him, her eyes twinkling with bliss. Then, she limped behind him. They''re leaving? Angeline was disappointed, especially at Evander. seeing how he chose to solve matters. She felt like her whole world was spinning. He didn''t even ask for our side of the stoiy. She protested, ¡°Are you going to take her away just like that, Mr. Golding?¡± Angry and disheartened, she grumbled, ¡°I would''ve let it slide if she had juste at me, but she went after my child. I''m sorry, but I cannot let that slide.¡± ¡°Angeline!¡± Evander shot her a look of disapproval. ¡°Stop throwing a tantrum. Grow up.¡± He thinks I''m throwing a tantrum? She was hurt by his remark once again. Angeline looked up at the ceiling and held her sadness down by force. So that''s what he thinks of me. ¡°I am not throwing a tantrum. All I''m asking for is an exnation.¡± Angeline stayedposed as best she could, and she stared right into Evander''s eyes. ¡°I will not allow anyone to use my child of something he didn''t do.¡± The air itself seemed to freeze, and everything was plunged into a pit of awkwardness. Angeline wasn''t someone this petty, but this time, she would not back off. Part of it was for her son, and part of it was because she wanted to know what Evander would really do. She wanted to know if he would pick her side over his fiancee''s. Sadly, she had an answer, but Angeline refused to face the truth. She was holding on to a sliver of hope that he still cared. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Your son injured me. Angeline. I''m already letting it slide, so can''t you do the same?¡± Olivine''s eyes glistened, and she put on another victim act. ¡°He''s already tiled from all the work he has to do. Can you stop bothering him with your personal problems?¡± The audacity. It was brazen of Olivine to speak so boldly of Angeline''s actions and even bolder of her to even use Angeline of being unreasonable when Angeline had the right to demand an exnation. ¡°Hey, Ms. Sherrock. Honesty is the best policy, didn''t you hear? Stop the lies.¡± An angry Floretta came in and berated Olivine, ¡°You said you''d take care of Sebastian. He was fine with me, so why would he attack you?¡± The girl tilted her head and blinked innocently. Then she feigned surprise. ¡°Oh, and not even I could push that table, and you im Sebastian pushed it down on you? I didn''t know he was Superman.¡± Angeline was touched that the girl would speak up for her. and she teared up. It''s like she knows what I''m thinking. What a joke. I have to rely on a child to save me. Worried that Floretta might face further abuse after this, Angeline pulled the girl into her embrace. ¡°All right, that''s enough. Floretta.¡± ¡°No it''s not. She''s lying. I''m not scared of her!¡± Floretta spoke of the truth in a jovial, almost joking manner, but she pointed out the gist of the situation. Angeline gave her a look of praise. She''s smart. After all, she''s her father''s child, so she would inherit his intelligence. ¡°I...¡± Olivine frowned. Getting exposed by the girl made her panic, but she held it down and forced a smile. ¡°Sweetie, you don''t know that woman''s true colors. If she''s really nice to you, she wnuld''vee to you a long time ago.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Floretta screamed like a banshee. Nobody talks like that about Angel. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 ¡°I''m telling you all this for your own good. Floretta. As much as you like Angeline, she''s not your birth mother. Your father is the one who loves you the most.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Floretta was so enraged by her words that she reached out to shove Olivine away, panting heavily as she did so. ¡°Shut your mouth,¡± she growled. ¡°You''re not fit to say those things about Angel.¡± Evander grabbed her arm. His scowl was frightening. ¡°That''s enough, Floretta. Under no circumstances should you ever strike somebody. Apologize!¡± Floretta''srge, watery eyes were filled with shock. ¡°Daddy...¡± ¡°I will not repeat myself.¡± Evander allowed no room for negotiation. Being already fearful of her father, Floretta began to weep piteously from only the slightest disy of anger on Evander''s part. ¡°I-I''m Sony. You''re mean, Daddy. I won''t speak to you ever again!¡± At that, she wiped the tears off her face and ran out of the room without another word. Evander frowned as he gazed at her departing silhouette. His heart ached. He was about to inn after her, but his meticulously made n surfaced in his thoughts. It would not be worth it if I were found out at this juncture. That stopped him in his tracks. His features became taut with helplessness. ¡°Why don''t you check on Floretta, Evander? I''m fine,¡± Olivine suggested gently with an aggrieved expression, apanied by an asional moan of pain. ¡°No need. Francesca is taking care of her downstairs. We''re going to have your injury looked at.¡± Evander''s tone was stiff as he helped Olivine out of the room. It sounded as if he had removed himself emotionally. Still in a daze, Angeline remained rooted to the spot with Sebastian in her arms. She gave a self-deprecatingugh at the recollection of Olivine''s look of glee at her. How ridiculous. Evander would even abandon his daughter to protect Olivine, so why would he even care about my feelings? Upon witnessing Evander''splete transformation after the events of that day, Angeline became thoroughly disillusioned. ¡°D-Don''t...¡± It was only then that Sebastian dared emerge from her bosom. Panic-stricken, he lifted a hand to wipe Angeline''s cheek. ¡±C-Cry...¡± With great difficulty, he uttered those words, which roused Angeline from her reverie. She touched her cheek and discovered she had shed tears without realizing it. Despite all her spoken resolve, she could not suppress her instinct to care for Evander. Back then, when Angeline was the subject of public debate and faced the inconvenience of having reporters swarming over the entrance of her home, it was Evander who had taken her hand without regard for much else to bring her away. Evander is protecting Olivine by taking her away just like he once did for me. He is no longer my knight in shining armor, and it is about time I roused myself from that fahy tale. ¡°Let''s go. I''m taking you away, and nobody will ever bully you again.¡± After pulling herself together, Angeline carried Sebastian and hastened to leave. When she arrived in the corridor, she heard a meek voice behind her. ¡°Angel...¡± Angeline stopped abruptly in her stride when she heard tire voice. Feeling as if her mind had frozen, she turned around slowly and found Floretta hiding behind a door not far away. Sobbing, Floretta ran to her with open arms to hold her thigh as she asked pitifully, ¡°Where are you taking Sebastian? Do you not want me anymore too?¡± Despite Angeline''s efforts to contain her emotions, she still choked out, ¡°Nonsense, Floretta. How could I not want you?¡± ¡°Why are you only taking Sebastian away?¡± Floretta sniffled as she tugged on her sleeve. ¡°You always cast me aside. Is what Ms. Sherrock said true? Do you not love me because I''m not your real daughter?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Like a knife to her heart, Floretta''s words caused Angeline''s breath to catch in her throat. Of course, I want to take Floretta away. However, as I am now separated from Evander, taking her away without his permission makes it a kidnapping. Furthermore, even if I did take Floretta away, Evander would track me down within an hour, given his abilities. By then, everything would be irreparable. ¡°I''m sony, Floretta. I cannot take yorr away right now.¡± Angeline bent down to hold Floretta''s cheeks with her warm palms and wipe away the child''s tears. ¡°You must believe I wille back and take you away someday. Before then, you have to take care of yourself, have regr meals, and attend school. Do you understand?¡± Being a sensible child, Floretta coxrld tell Angeline was in a predicament she could not discuss, so she pulled herself together and loosened her grip on Angeline''s thigh. Then she squatted down, lowered her head, and hugged her tiny body. Large droplets of reluctant tears began to spill from her eyes. A single nce at that sight was sufficient for Angeline to feel her heart shatter. Although she was unrted to Floretta by blood, the period they had spent together forged between them a bond stronger than a mother'' and her daughter''s. Not daring to look a second longer- to avoid tire inevitable copse of her resolve, she quickly walked out of the Golding residence. The family doctor, newly employed, rushed to the Golding residence, opened his medical kit, and tended to tire wound on Olivine''s leg. ¡°How is it? Will it leave a scar?¡± Olivine asked, her gaze filled with trepidation. An ugly scar left on her leg was thest thing she wanted. Although she had already controlled her strength when smashing the table, the amount of blood pouring forth from her leg frightened her. She had made every effort to capture Evander''s heart. ¡°Don''t worry, Ms. Sherrock.¡± The family doctor gave her aforting smile. ¡°They''re all external wounds, which are nothing serious. Just remember not to let theme in contact with water throughout your recovery, and you''ll be fine.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Olivine heaved a sigh of relief. The family doctor bandaged her leg and prescribed her several boxes of ointment before departing the Golding residence. Olivine studied the bandages on her leg with disgust. After so much effort, including banning myself, Evander must surely be moved. ¡°There''s nothing wrong with my leg, Evander. Don''t feel bad.¡± Smiling, Olivine turned around but found Evander standing before the tall windows with his unfathomable gaze studying the scenery outside. Chapter 296 Chapter 296 His solemn demeanor, coupled with the frosty atmosphere surrounding him, made approaching him impossible. Olivine frowned. She knew what Evander was thinking, and dissatisfaction shed across her eyes. Just when she thought Evander was not going to speak, his mild voice sounded. ¡°Mm.¡± He then turned around indifferently. It only took a second for Olivine to retract all traces of suspicion from her expression. She poured a cup of coffee, stood up from the couch, and limped toward Evander. ¡°Floretta is only a little girl, Evander. and shouldn''t be med for being a little reckless. You shouldn''t have been that stem with her,¡± she said with a benevolent smile. Evander wore a scowl as if her trick did not work on him. He studied her expression carefully. Olivine began to feel guilty about the way he was scrutinizing her. ¡°Is there a stain on my face. Evander? Don''t look at me like that. Here, have some coffee.¡± ¡°There''s no one else here. Olivine. You can drop your act,¡± Evander sneered. With his domineering aura, he looked as if he had be another person. Olivine''s hand holding the coffee cup shivered slightly, and a look of hurt appeared on her face. ¡°What are you talking about, Evander? I don''t¡ª¡ö¡± ¡°You can feign ignorance all you want and remain one of Grandma''s pawns, but please stay away from my daughter and refrain from using her to gain my favor, or I will have Mandel kicked out of Golding Group in Hubert''s ce.¡± Evander sounded cold. His hawk-like eyes were filled with warnings. Olivine shuddered violently at his threat. Her gaze at Evander was flooded with tenor. Does he know everything? Indeed. Mandel Sherrock was her elder brother and the current CEO of Sherrock Group. Having taken advantage of her engagement with the Golding family, he had derived huge savings from Golding Group. Not long before, Evander. in an attempt to avenge Floretta. had begun investigating Mandel though his efforts were in vain. In a fit of rage. Mandel began colluding with Hubert. Despite Olivine''s reservation about the overly risky maneuver and repeated reminders not to go through with it, he was not dissuaded, so the best she could do was to help him conceal it. However, Evander was so terrifying that nothing could be kept hidden from him. ¡°I don''t understand what you''re on about, Evander. I have no idea what my brother is up to. Have you misunderstood something?¡± Olivine grabbed his arm, and tears of panic began to flow down her cheeks. Evander would not give her the opportunity to exin herself. He flung her aim aside and strode out of the room. Gazing at his departing silhouette disappearing from sight, Olivine parted her lips but did not dare call out to him. Deathly pale, she copsed lifelessly onto the couch, her fingers gripping the cushion. How did this happen? Since Evander has already found out that the Sherrock family is colluding with Hubert behind liis back, why would he still openly aimounce the date of our marriage? Knowing Evander, there''s no way he would engage in an exchange against his interests. Olivine did not dare think about it any longer, but a myriad of worst-case scenarios came tumbling one after another into her mind in an instant, sending chills up her spine. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Initially convinced that she had managed to gain control of every aspect of the game through her tricks, she realized now that she was merely a pawn of Evander. ¡°Ms. Sorelle has already left the Golding residence with Sebastian. Mr. Golding. Floretta has just eaten and gone to sleep after taking her medicine,¡± Francesca reported to Evander, who was seated on the couch in the living room. Evander massaged his temples with his slim fingers. The fatigue in his eyes was in to see. ¡°Thank you. Floretta must have thrown a tantrum.¡± ¡°Not at all, Mi; Golding,¡± Francesca saidfortingly while waving her hand. ¡°Before Ms. Sorelle left, she told Floretta something, and it made her much more amodating. She didn''t ciy or throw a tantrum this time.¡± Evander''s brows furrowed. Surprise shed across liis eyes. ¡°Floretta only listens to her.¡± ¡°That''s right. Ms. Sorelle is genuinely good to Floretta.¡± Francesca surreptitiously studied Evander''s reaction and saw worry creasing liis features. He was obviously worried about Floretta. I wonder why he said those hurtful tilings to Floretta in the bedroom. ¡°Lunch is being heated up, Mr. Golding. Would you like some?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Evander answered and rose to exit the living room. Francesca had prepared liis lunch. She only had to take it out from the thermal container, so it was served very quickly. It was a typical meal in their household, plus a te of cake of liis creation, which shape he could not discern. Evander picked up the spoon and tasted the pork stew first. The richness of the broth tingled liis tastebuds. He recognized it at once. Angeline must have made it. Evander''s expression softened. Before he realized it, he had emptied every te before him. Even Francesca was stunned. After an internal debate, she began gingerly. ¡°Ms. Sorelle has suffered quite a lot today. Mr. Golding.¡± Evander''s face clouded over. He lowered liis fork, sped liis hands tightly before him, and ced them on liis thighs. Of course, I could tell that Angeline has suffered. I wish I were just Evander, but I am also the CEO of Golding Group, and many decisions are not mine to make. Wait for me, Angeline. I''ll apologize and make it up to you when the time conies, and we''ll have a giand wedding that will shake the entire entertainment industry. I''ll officially make you Mis. Golding. Since her return from the Golding residence, Angeline had shut herself off in a shell. Her days revolved around the office, home, and factory. Aside from delegating tasks to her employees, she interacted with no one else. However, the fruits ofbor proved the sweetest. In preparation for the exhibition, Angeline''s inclusion of Joel in every fashion show andpetition allowed them to secure many connections. Her goal was to hasten Forrester Group''s visibility in the public eye. In contrast, Forrester Group''s chief designer was locked in her office and forced to study the drafts for the sake of thepetition. She was livid at Joel''s smooth progress. As the date of the exhibition loomed closer, the chief designer began panicking. In turn, a list of vicious ideas came to her. Angeline, on the other hand, remained busy. She was processing some documents in her office one day when she suddenly received a call from Jonathan. ¡°I have made contact with the director of the orphanage who rescued Sebastian. Angeline. You can go there soon.¡± Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Angeline paused for a while before asking, ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? I''m a very reliable person. Are you hesitating because you''re scared?¡± Jonathan replied teasingly. ¡°A little. I suppose...¡± Sweat formed on her hand that was clenching the phone. Previously, when herwyer said the orphanage couldn''t find Sebastian''s parentage, she had asked Jonathan in private to help her build a connection with the orphanage so they could investigate more easily. However, now she was starting to hesitate. If Sebastian really never went to the orphanage, that means Joseline lied to me. There will be changes to Sebastian''s parentage! Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°When did you be so cowardly? You have to face the music sooner orter. It''s not like you to be so weak. You can pick a time. I will kindly apany you,¡± Jonathan advised. Angeline calmed down a little, and after pondering for a moment, she replied. ¡°Thank you. I will wait for you at Forrester Group at three in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Jonathan answered before hanging up. Knowing someone would be apanying her. Angeline sighed in relief and pressed her forehead against her clenched fists. She couldn''t face the result herself. In order not to lose control of her emotions, she thought it was best for Jonathan to go along. That afternoon, after Angeline gave her orders to her subordinates, she left thepany and got into the ck car parked in the parking lot. Jonathan wore white leisure wear and had cut his sideburns. His fringe fell casually against liis forehead, and a pair of ck sunsses covered half his face. Nevertheless, he was still handsome. ¡°It''s been a while, Ms. Sorelle. Yourpany is doing so well. No wonder you''re no longer in the entertainment industry,¡± Jonathan teased as he ced his aims on the steering wheel. Angeline arched her eyebrows and red at him through the rearview mirror. ¡°Shut up. If you''re interested, you can work for me.¡± If Jonathan joined Forrester Group, he could get lots of resources for them, which would greatly benefit her. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Starting the engine, he turned the steering wheel. ¡°I''m very satisfied with my current job.¡± Angeline knew his personality, so she did not reply. She furrowed her brows, and a hint of suspicion appeared in her eyes. I don''t understand. If he''s really an average employee of apany like he said, how can he be so free and have luxury cars and branded watches? None of them said a word throughout the journey. After nearly two hours of driving, Jonathan finally stopped at the entrance of a secluded orphanage. It was a safe location geographically, as it was at the foot of the mountain. Angeline and Jonathan got out of the car and stared at the orphanage. Many kids were ying with the teacher in the courtyard. ¡°This is the orphanage Ms. Carden said she stole Sebastian from. She said she crawled in through the wall and carried him away when all the kids were ying.¡± Jonathan removed his sunsses and gazed at Angeline with doubt. ¡°I don''t know what details yourwyer gave you. but if Ms. Carden is wrong, we can return and interrogate her.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied gratefully, amazed that he could be so thoughtful and well-prepared for all kinds of scenarios. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Just then, the security guard of the orphanage saw them. ¡°Hello, we have scheduled an appointment with your director. Please tell her that we''re here.¡± ¡°So it''s you two.¡± Smiling kindly, the security guard waved them in. ¡°Come here and register your details. I''ll bring you inside.¡± After they registered themselves, the guard led them into the orphanage, and after a few turns, they reached the director''s office. The guard left. Angeline stared at the wooden door before her and took a deep breath before reaching out to knock. ¡°Come in.¡± A gentle, feminine voice rang out from inside the room. Angeline pushed open the door and sized up the office. The facilities inside were old. and the colors had faded. There were various badges hung on the wall. ¡°Ms. Evans, it''s been a while,¡± Jonathan greeted a curly-haired, middle-aged woman as he walked in with Angeline. ¡°Johnny, you''re here,¡± Felicia Evans, the director, replied with a smile before pulling the chair before her. ¡°Come and take a seat. I remember you said you were bringing your friend along on the phone. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jonathan nced at Angeline. ¡°This is her. She came here to ask you about some private matters.¡± Immediately, Angeline stepped forward and said politely, ¡°Hello, I''m Angeline Sorelle.¡± Holding her hands. Felicia replied with a smile, ¡°You don''t need to be so polite. Since you''re Johnny''s friend, you''re not an outsider.¡± ¡°You two know each other?¡± Angeline asked in surprise. ¡°Johnny is a big client of all the orphanages in this city. He owns a charity foundation, and every year, he donates to all the orphanages and buys gifts for the kids. We all know him,¡± Felicia shared happily, gratefulness evident on her face. ¡°There are not many young people like Johnny nowadays who are so charitable.¡± At those words, the way Angeline looked at Jonathan changed. Although her face remained nonchnt, her impression of him had gradually shifted. ¡°You have so many secrets, Mr. Johnny,¡± Angeline teased. So he donates to these orphanages. No wonder he knew so much. He must have put in lots of effort to build liis connections. After all, nothing is free in this world. We all must make an effort to see a result! ¡°Well, I''ll take that as apliment.¡± Jonathan schooled liis expression and ced his hands on liisp. ¡°Let''s get down to business.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Angeline gathered her thoughts, and her face turned serious. Retrieving a folder from her bag behind her, she slowly untied the string and took out an old newspaper. ¡°Ms. Evans, I''m sorry for visiting you out of nowhere. I just want to confinn something with you.¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 ¡°This is the news regarding a child being kidnapped from an orphanage. I searched for a long time before finding it. Do you have any memory of it?¡± ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Felicia put on her sses and took the newspaper from Angeline. As she read it, her expression turned grim, and a hint of sorrow shed across her face. ¡°I remember this article, but it didn''t happen at this orphanage.¡± ¡°Could you tell me more specifically? This matter is crucial to me,¡± Angeline pleaded. Seeing how sincere she was, Felicia let out a sigh and answered resignedly. ¡°That child was around two years old back then. I don''t know what happened, but he was abandoned at the back of the mountains. Unfortunately, a criminal gang saw him and took him away in their car.¡± Angeline frowned and hurriedly retrieved Sebastian''s childhood photo from her folder. ¡°Take a look at this. Is this the kid who got kidnapped back then?¡± After examining it, Felicia showed no sign of recognition. ¡°I''m not sure. The kid who got kidnapped didn''t stay in this orphanage.¡± Angeline''s head started throbbing, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. ¡°He didn''t stay here?¡± ¡°Yes. One of our chefs here went to pluck some vegetables from the mountain early in the morning and saw that scene when she was returning. She said she wanted to bring that kid here, but she was scared when she saw the intimidating gang. We didn''t interact with that kid and only called the police,¡± Felicia said. Seeing the bemused look on Felicia''s face. Angeline was finally sure she was telling the truth. Her face turned pale, and countless scenes shed in her mind, making her head pound. I remember Joseline told me that after the man I had a one-night stand with realized that I gave birth to a child, he wanted to dispose of my child, but she found out coincidentally and saved the child by sending him to an orphanage. But in the end. the child got lost. However, after verifying, I now know that Joseline had lied to me! If Sebastian is a child they forced me to take care of, what about the DNA records in the hospital? Who is behind it all? Numerous questions regarding Sebastian flooded her mind, and she felt her blood run cold. Only now did she realize that perhaps there was also someone else who knew the truth. This matter was not as simple as she had thought. After saying goodbye to Felicia, Angeline got into the car with Jonathan. He turned on the ah conditioner, and the gust of cool air calmed her a little. ¡°Have some water,¡± Jonathan offered, retrieving a bottle of mineral water from the drawer of the car and handing it to her. ¡°Since you now know the truth, don''t overthink it. Your spections may not be urate and will only affect your mood.¡± Angeline found some sce in his words, and after taking a sip of water, she said, ¡°Thank you for today. I probably... have to ask you for another favor.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I want to meet Ms. Carden, who abducted Sebastian.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Jonathan replied rxedly. He ced his arm on the steering wheel and casually tapped it with his fingers. ¡°But now that tilings are in such a state, we can confirm that Joseline lied to¡ª¡± ¡°I think what you should suspect most now is the DNA report. Did you encounter any strange things or people when you went to the hospital to get the test report?¡± Angeline''s muddled mind slowly cleared up when she heard Jonathan''s words. Funowing her brows, she contemted for a while before eximing, ¡°Yes! I went to get the report with Nancy, but the elevator broke down, so we climbed the stairs. I remember she told me that she saw someone who looked like Olivine!¡± Jonathan did not respond and only gave her a meaningful nce. Realization dawned upon Angeline. Back then, I thought Nancy''s eyes were ying tricks on her. Plus, I was focused on the results of the report, so I didn''t think much about it. Now that I think about it, howr can there be such a coincidence? Unless Olivine wras really at the hospital! Goosebumps appearing on her skin, Angeline said through gritted teeth, ¡°I will check the surveince footage. If they messed with the DNA. I would never let them off!¡± Her eyes were filled with hatred. After all, she had spent so long trying to find her child''s whereabouts. Nowr that she had finally seen hope, she suddenly realized that she had been fooled by two women all along. Naturally, she could not forgive them. Jonathan sat aside silently, and a calctive glint shed in liis eyes when he saw the hateful look on Angeline''s face. ¡°It''s not difficult to find Joseline. I believe she''s hiding somewhere nearby. She cares about Hanson and Sorelie Group, and you can start by dealing with the former first,¡± he suggested casually. Angeline was not foolish. She immediately understood that Jonathan wanted her to mess with Hanson. This is wrhy he''s been helping me! Butst time on the cruise ship, he has already schemed against Hanson, which made thetter lose most of his connections. Yiurk Group is also not doing as well as before. Yet, he still refuses to let Hanson off! Gradually, Angeline rposed herself and gazed at Jonathan, her eyes darkening. ¡°Actually, I don''t understand why you despise Hanson so much. I thought he was a tactful man. He couldn''t have confr onted you head-on.¡± ¡°You don''t understand,¡± Jonathan muttered as he tightened liis grip on the steering wheel. ¡°Have you heard that the son should pay for liis father''s debts? His family owres my family a life. If not for them, we wouldn''t have been treated with disdain by everyone.¡± Angeline was speechless, and her eyes wrent wide as she tried to process the information. A life? What a serious dispute between the two families. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Before Angeline could voice her questions, Jonathan mmed on the elerator, and the car sped off like a bullet. ¡°All! You''re crazy!¡± she screamed in terror. The car was going at top speed, and she could no longer see the sights along the road. All she heard was the howling of the wind. Frightened, Angeline squeezed her eyes shut and cowered against the passenger seat, not daring to move. After some time, the car gradually slowed down. Chapter 299 Chapter 299 ¡°We''ve arrived.¡± Jonathan''s teasing voice sounded. Angeline noticed that the air around her had quietened and slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the Forrester Group building in front of her, she breathed a sigh of relief ¡°Ms. Sorelle, you''re really lucky to be able to have a free racing experience. Is your mind clearer now?¡± Angeline was rendered speechless. She cast a re at the man as she tried to tamp down her irritation. ¡°You''re crazy!¡± She could not believe that Jonathan was still in the mood to joke with her given that she was almost scared to death earlier. His brain must be wired wrongly. The gratitude Angeline had for the man diminished. Smoking with anger inside, she opened the door and got out of the car. Before she walked away, Jonathan said. ¡°Ms. Sorelle. you''re a smart woman. I trust you will make the right choice.¡± The smirk on the man''s face disappeared and was reced with a serious expression. ¡°Joseline hasmitted heinous crimes. She shouldn''t just get away scot-free.¡± After saying that. Jonathan shut die car door on the passenger''s side and drove off. Angeline froze for a moment and remained in a daze as she watched Jonathan''s car disappear into die distance. She clenched her fists tightly. Even though she was upset widi die man''s actions, she had to admit that she shared the same sentiments as him. He''s right. Angeline hated Joseline to the core and could not wait for the day when the woman was finally punished by thew. Only dien would she be able to have a good night''s sleep. However, in addition to liis mysterious identity, Jonathan was also extremely unpredictable. Angeline was hesitant to take the risk and coborate with him. It was already past midnight when Angeline got home. As she opened the door, she saw a lighting from the living room. Nancy was lying on the couch while looking at her phone widi a cucumber mask on her face. ¡°You''re back?¡± Nancy looked up upon hearing die door open and cast a nce at the woman. ¡°Yup.¡± After removing her shoes at die door. Angeline entered the living room and said, ¡°I''m sote today because I had somest- minute tilings to settle. Why are you not sleeping yet?¡± ¡°Only old people sleep this early.¡± Nancy picked up die face roller on die table and started massaging her face. ¡°Why do you look so troubled? What happened? Tell me about it,¡± she asked casually. Angeline did not intend to hide the trutii from her friend. She sat down on the couch and told Nancy everything about Sebastian''s case. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. After Angeline finished speaking, Nancy replied with a grim expression, ¡°Actually, I''ve found Joseline suspicious right fiom the beginning. After all, she has never liked you. Why would she make it so easy for you to find your child?¡± Angeline''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. ¡°So, do you also think that Sebastian is not my son?¡± Nancy nced at die woman meaningfully. Even though she did not give a verbal response, it was obvious what her answer was fiom die look in her eyes. Angeline''s face fell, and a crease appeared between her brows. At tiiat moment, she could not help but feel extremely dejected. ¡°Rather than wallowing in regret, isn''t it better for you to put your energy into investigating what exactly happened? What you heard from the orphanage was just their one-sided story. There might be more than meets the eye.¡± Nancy removed a piece of cucumber fi om her face and popped it into her mouth. ¡°By die way. there''s sometiiing else tiiat I wanted to confinn with you. Are you sure you saw Olivine near the staircase on the day we went to collect the DNA results from the hospital?¡± Angeline asked while staring at Nancy intently. Nancy furrowed her brows and gave it some careful thought before replying, ¡°I did see someone who resembled Olivine talking to a doctor, but I''m not entirely certain that it was her. We can always check die surveince footage at die hospital to confinn.¡± I guess that''s the only way. Angeline had an ominous feeling, but she had been trying her best to suppress die anxiety and fear inside her heart before the trutii was out. After talking to Nancy, she headed to the bathroom to wash up. She was exhausted after a long day. When she was on her way back to her room after showering, she stopped outside Sebastian''s room. She ced her hand on the doorknob and hesitated for a while before opening the door. A bedsidemp in the shape of a star was lit, and a small figure was lying on a loft bed that had a slide attached to it. Angeline walked toward die bed and saw tiiat Sebastian was already asleep. The boy was a messy sleeper and had kicked liis nket aside. After tucking Sebastian in, Angeline fixed her gaze on his pale, tiny face and fell into a daze. She had difficulty facing die boy after her visit to die orphanage. She was afraid she would find out tiiat Sebastian was not her son. If tiiat was die case, she did not know if she could bring herself to tell him die trutii, as she did not want to disappoint him. The boy had gone tiirough so much, and diere was finally some hope in liis life. Angeline did not want to be the one to take that away from him. She sat next to Sebastian''s bed for a while and was about to tidy liis desk when she spotted a sketchbook. As she flipped tiirough the pages, tears started to well up in her eyes. All of Sebastian''s drawings portrayed the daily lives of Angeline. Floretta, and himself. There were pictures of them spending time together at the park, having meals, and ying games. Sebastian was a talented artist, and liis drawings were full of life and color. Even though he could not speak, he was much more sensitive and perceptive than other kids. The drawings in his sketchbook were all that he hoped to experience in real life. Angeline felt her nose sting and tears started streaming down her face. Not wanting to wake Sebastian up, she covered her mouth and nose widi her hands before turning around and crying silently. Angeline was experiencing an array of emotions after getting a glimpse of Sebastian''s inner world. Suddenly, she seemed to have understood sometiiing. So what if he''s not my biological child? Sebastian was a sensible and considerate boy. Since he had epted her as liis mother, Angeline decided that she would be responsible for him until the end. Although die woman hade to terms widi the situation, she was still determined to investigate thoroughly and get to the bottom of the matter. The next day. Angeline contacted Liam. After setting up a time to meet, she bought some fruits and headed to the hospital. As usual, dieboratory, which was located on the top floor of the hospital, was bustling with activity. Liam was holding a test tube in liis hand and seemed to be in the midst of an experiment. His hair was disheveled, and he looked as though he had not slept for days. Angeline approached the man and greeted him cautiously. ¡°Dr. Kingsley.¡± ¡°Oh, Angeline, you''re here.¡± Liam put down die test tube and looked up at Angeline. ¡°You must be very busy. I''m really sorry to have to trouble you so suddenly. I brought you some fruits as a small token of appreciation.¡± Angeline ced the fruits in front of die doctor with an apologetic look on her face. ¡°Thanks! But you really didn''t have to bring anything.¡± Liam said with a smile as he epted the fruits. Noticing howr anxious Angeline was, Liam wrent straight to the point. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 ¡°I won''t invite you to have a seat, as time is of the essence. Let me take you to the control room now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Thank you so much.¡± Angeline was delighted. Usually, only the police or senior medical officers are allowed to enter the control room of any hospital. However, Liam was a renowned researcher at the hospitalb. and that was exactly why Angeline had come to ask him for help. With Liam backing her up, no one would dare to hide any information from her, and she would be able to cany out her investigation smoothly. At the control room, Angeline pleaded with the staff to retrieve the past surveince footage, particrly that time when she collected Sebastian''s DNA report near the stairwell. ¡°This can''t be it. Something is wrong. Howe the footage from that day ispletely gone?¡± eximed the staff after searching for the saved file for a very long time. Angeline''s heart sank when she heard that. ¡°Are you sure?¡± A few more people came to help as soon as they heard her query. Yet, they all told her the same disappointing answer. Later on, Liam called up the maintenance staff and learned that the surveince camera located at the stairwell had been out of order on that particr day. It had taken them three long days to get it fixed. How can there be such a huge coincidence? Someone must have done something fishy on the day I collected the DNA report. Angeline''s eyes darkened as she bit her nails and tried to wrap her head around the matter. Then she made a request. ¡°We shall look in two directions. Search along the hospital entrance as well as the hallway leading to the Department of Hematology.¡± She was confident about discovering the slightest evidence as long as she checked each surveince camera. Angeline sat in front of theputer and stared at all the footage. It was not until nearly four in the afternoon that she finally found a new clue. She saw the doctor from the Department of Hematology leaving liis office multiple times between one to two that day and hanging around the hallway while using his phone. He was there for the longest at twenty minutes to two. At that time, he acted suspiciously and checked liis surroundings. Then he disappeared into the blind spot. Angeline guessed he was heading in the direction of the stairwell. Logically, one in the afternoon is the busiest period in the hospital. Why was he so free to walk around the hallway? Angeline whipped her phone out and invited Liam to the control room. She then showed him the face of the suspect. Liam scrutinized the image for a while and said. ¡°I do remember this fellow. He was transferred from another city less than two months ago. The peeps at the Department of Hematology love to gossip. Sometimes, they''d chatter during meetings. I overheard them saying that this guy is quiet and rarely joins them for any gathering.¡± ¡°Sounds like an introvert to me,¡± Angeline muttered as a hint of wisdom shed across her eyes, although her expression was grim. Since the doctor is new here, he has got nothing to lose. He''d take the bait if anyone were to bribe him. Angeline was so sure that something was off with the doctor, but she had no solid proof. There was no way she could interrogate him based on her suspicion. The only thing she could do was find a way to retrieve the lost surveince camera footage. Liam seemed to have figured out her dilemma and offered, ¡°I do have a friend who owns aputer shop that I can rmend to you. Apparently, he''s quite knowledgeable about this kind of stuff. I can help you contact him.¡± ¡°That''s awesome!¡± Angeline was very thankful. The next second, she continued sheepishly, ¡°Dr. Kingsley, you''ve helped me so much. I don''t even know how to repay you for your kindness.¡± ¡°Don''t mention it. It''s nothing.¡± As they spoke, they exited the control room together. Subsequently, Liam walked her to the elevator and then to the parking lot. ¡°There''s only so much that I can do to help. Retrieving the lost footage isn''t a small project, and it might take some time. It''s also best that you don''t have your hopes up too high.¡± He tried tofort her. ¡°It''s fine. I''ll wait,¡± Angeline responded without any hesitation. Her eyes were filled with determination. Since she had been unswervingly looking for her child all these years, waiting for a little while more made no difference. All she wanted was closure. Who on earth is orchestrating this nasty n to confuse me? Meanwhile, Olivine was at the golf club with her client. She took a breather in the lounge when the client was so engrossed in the game. Olivine was dressed casually in white. Her dark eye circles remained obvious even though she attempted to hide them beneath her cap. She took a sip of her watermelon juice to refresh herself, and it instantly relieved her tired eyes. ¡°Ms. Sherrock.¡± Peter, her assistant, hurried over and approached her. ¡°Peter?¡± Olivine was taken aback. ¡°It''s been a while, Ms. Sherrock.¡± He nodded politely while staling at her. Worried, he asked. ¡°You seem tired. Didn''t get any good rest?¡± ¡°Tell me about it. Thanks to that b*tch from the Golding family!¡± said Olivine through gritted teeth. She was infuriated whenever that dreadful name was mentioned. Floretta had always been her nemesis, and things had gotten worse between them since she faked her injury and forced Angeline away. Floretta was her nightmare. She would make her work tirelessly from the moment she was picked up from kindergarten. She even requested that she make her ravioli at midnight. s, when Olivine was cooking for her, she met a mishap. Her foot was burned by the hot bubbling oil. and it hurt so much that she dared not wear high heels anymore. As if that was not the worst, Floretta would never affirm or praise her no matter how much she had done for her.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Whenever she was displeased with Olivine, Floretta would hurl insults at her.menting that she was not as understanding as Angeline. In addition, Floretta remarked that Evander ignored Olivine because she was clumsy and insensible. How is it possible that a five-year-old can behave like that? As a daughter of the wealthy Sherrock family, who was used to being respected and superior to others, Olivine had endured a lot of hardships in the Golding residence. ¡°Why do you need to go through all these, Ms. Sherrock? What''s so good about¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Olivine interrupted Peter in a cold tone and shot him an angry look. ¡°You''re in no position to talk behind Evander''s back!¡± ¡°Duly noted. I''m so sorry.¡± ¡°By the way, aren''t you supposed to keep an eye on Angeline as per my instruction? Why did youe here all of a sudden? Did something happen?¡± Peter was responsible for observing each and every of Angeline''s moves. Normally, he would not show up where Olivine was unless something went wrong. Her questions snapped Peter back to his senses. He became wary and checked liis surrounding before leaning toward Olivine and whispering into her ear. ¡°What did you say? Angeline sent someone to look into the DNA report?¡± Olivine got so worked up that her face turned ghastly pale. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!