《Falling in Love With A One-Night Stand》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Im burning up Anna Gabriel felt that her entire body was getting increasingly hot perhaps due to the alcohol she drank. Drowsily, she heard the door open. Anna tried to open her eyes to see who opened the door but the door was quickly closed and it was too dark to see anything. She could hear the footstepsing closer to the bed. Suddenly, someone touched her with his cold and mmy hands. She tried to push him off but failed. He stiffened up in the darkness. After a while, he started to prate her and dominate her. Ouch Anna moaned painfully and arched her body, Harry, its painful Harry please dont be with her The man paused. It was the first time that a woman called out another mans name on his bed. Rx. The unfamiliar voice snapped some sense into Anna. Hes not Harry! Harry is already with my best friend so how could he be on my bed? You who are you? Dont touch me Anna desperately wed at him and her long nails scratched his neck, causing him to groan in pain. She also managed to yank something from his neck in panic. However, the man didnt intend to stop at all. As he went deeper and faster, the pain dissipated with the onset of pleasure. Their erotic moans grew louder and louder in the luxurious suite. The bodyguards at the door remained stern as if nothing was happening. Ah! Anna suddenly woke up and her back was covered with sweat. She dreamed of that night again. She gasped and wiped the sweat from her face. She could still hear the mans voice, feel his cold chest, sense his stare into her eyes, and That night a couple of months ago was her most shameful night. After she saw her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend, she went to a pub to drown her sorrows. However, her drink was spiked by someone and she was taken to a luxurious suite and lost her virginity as a result. Anna blushed and felt hot all over and dared not think any more of it. She quickly changed her clothes. Anna was busy preparing ab report when her colleague brought back a tuna sandwich. Mmph! She threw down the unfinished report, ran to the restroom, and retched for a long time. Anna, are you pregnant? Anna was stunned by what her colleague said and she instantly turned pale. Im pregnant? How could it be? She thought. However, at the hospital, the doctor handed her a report and pointed to her abdomen, Congrattions, Ms. Gabriel. Youre 10 weeks pregnant! The fetus looks healthy. Annas vision blurred and she staggered. She quickly held onto the wall to steady herself. Pregnant Im really pregnant? Anna mumbled in disbelief. But whos the childs father? Whos the man I slept with that night? She lingered along the hospital corridor and finally rushed into the doctors office, Doctor, I cant keep this baby. I want an abortion. What? The doctor gasped, But I I cant have this baby! Anna grabbed the doctors hand and begged, I want an abortion now! In the operation room, Anna took off her shoes andy on the operating table. Although she was mentally prepared for it, her entire body turned icy cold. She could not have this baby as she was still in college Baby, Im sorry Anna whispered as she ced her hands onto her abdomen. Just when the procedure was about to begin, the door was forcefully kicked open. Then several men in ck suits rushed in. Who are you? The doctor and nurses were startled. Before Anna could react, a man walked over and injected her with an anesthetic. The men threw wads of cash at the doctor and warned, This woman has nevere to the hospital and you have never seen us. Understood? Yes understood. The doctor and nurses stammered. Anna woke up after the anesthetic wore off and found herself inside a luxurious bedroom. Is Ms. Gabriel awake? A middle-aged man walked in with a tray of food. He smiled as Anna looked at him in surprise. How, how do you know my name? Anna asked, Why did you take me here? Ms. Gabriel, what happened that night was an ident. They arranged a surrogate mother for the young master but Anna was brought in by mistake. The butler was very apologetic, Our master said that since you are pregnant, then he wants the child. Anna now understood that he was referring to the wretched man who took her virginity. Why? What say does he have? Its my child. I will abort it if I want to! The butler handed a piece of newspaper to Anna, Why dont you read this first? Anna was unwilling to but then she saw the headlines, The Gabriel Group was exposed to have used fake materials. Its stock value crashed this morning. How would the Gabriel Group handle this? Anna snatched the newspaper and her face turned pale. She yelled at the butler, Your master did it, right? How can he be so unscrupulous? The butler replied calmly, Ms. Gabriel, if you give birth to this baby, not only will the Gabriel Group be saved, but you will also receive four million dors. You dont want your family business to go bankrupt, do you? Anna tore the newspaper into pieces. The butler handed her a document silently. Anna looked through the document for a long time and then said through her gritted teeth, Ill sign it! 8 monthster Rumble! This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. A thunderp woke Anna. Anna suddenly felt a sharp pain and she reached for the bell on the bedside table. Itsing! The babysing out! Anna huffed and puffed and heard the baby crying. She struggled to open her eyes to see the baby but the nurse had already taken the baby away. A few minutester, Anna was in the ward as the butler walked in. Anna was still in pain when she asked, Where is my baby? He is with my master. Its a healthy boy. The butler said and ced an envelope on the table, Heres a check for four million dors. Thanks for everything. After that, the butler turned to leave. No. Stop! Please let me see my child Anna panicked and struggled to get out of bed. After all, the baby was hers. However, she was too weak and copsed on the ground immediately. Her abdomen throbbed frequently, causing her to squeak in pain. As she saw him walking away, Anna said in a pleading tone, I beg you! Please let me see my baby A few minutester, a nurse came to deliver the medicine to Anna. She panicked as there was a lot of blood on the ground. Anna was barely conscious when she heard the nurse yell, Doctor Sanchez, theres another baby inside her! Chapter 2 Chapter 2 I dont like it but my son loves it, Wayne said and took out a box of the same chocte from his bag. I bought a lot for my kid. Heres a box for you. Wow! Tammys eyes lit up when she saw the box of candies but she hesitated, Mommy said I shouldnt ept anything from strangers. But Tammy then leaned towards Wayne, kissed his cheek and then grabbed the box of candies, Now I can. Wayne was stunned and then grinned. Gabe looked at the time and said, Sir, its time to go. Okay. Little girl, goodbye. Wayne got up and left with Gabe. Bye bye! Tammy waved at him as she gasped at how handsome Wayne was. Tammy! Her mother yelled. The next moment, ady rushed over, grabbed her little hand, and gently smacked it. She said angrily, Didnt I tell you to stay where you were? Why did you wander off? Ouch, stop hitting me! Tammy exaggerated and said, I dropped my chocte and went to pick it up. Thedy saw the box of candies and asked, Where did you get this? Tammy pointed, A man gave it to me. A man? A stranger? Didnt I tell you not to receive gifts from strangers? Anna was furious and wanted to s***k Tammy. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Seeing that, Tammy immediately put on a lovely smile and said, Mommy, I was wrong. Ill give myself a 3-minute time out. 10 minutes! 10 minutes is too long! 15 minutes if you continue to haggle! Tammy kept quiet immediately and pouted as she left with Anna. Southside City had changed so much since she left five years ago. There were countless skyscrapers in the city. The next day, Anna woke up early. Having made sure Tammy was taken care of, she then took a taxi to the Carousel Group. It was Carousel Groups seasonal recruitment drive. Hey, wait a minute! Anna yelled when the door of the elevator almost closed. Im so sorry, I came for Argh! She rushed in, lost her bnce, and lunged forward. Out of instinct, she grabbed onto the person in front and her face was buried in his chest. And Anna was instantly dazed by his manly scent. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Who are you? Why did you take the VIP elevator? Im sorry. Im here for an interview and Im in a hurry. Anna tried to stand upright but her long hair got caught by his button. Once again, she tripped forward and her hands grabbed his firm chest. Anna quickly pulled back her hands as if she was electrocuted, Im sorry, I didnt do it on purpose. Ha Several of them chuckled but shut up when they saw the CEOs stern expression. Wayne obviously tensed up and frowned. He had never experienced something so absurd. Im sorry, really Can you give me a hand? Anna tried desperately to untangle her hair. Somehow, she gave Wayne an intense feeling of familiarity but clearly, they had never met before. Although her hands kept rubbing his chest, Wayne, as a neat freak, strangely did not mind it at all. He paused for a moment before looking down and carefully untangling her hair. Dont move, just rx. He said softly. His voice is so familiar! I think Ive heard it before! Anna was stunned. Suddenly, she recalled the night at that hotel five years ago. Although she could not see that mans face clearly, she saw his thin lips. He told her to rx but then thrust hard in and out of her. The erotic scenes in which they had s*x flooded her mind, which made Anna blush. Gosh! What is wrong with me!? Thanks! She said and looked at him curiously. Wearing a well-tailored business suit, Wayne looked tall and handsome. Miss. Gabe quickly reacted and said, So, you were in a hurry to flirt with Mr. Wright? Hearing that, Anna was dumbfounded. At the same time, Wayne was looking down at her. Over the years, there were countless women who tried their best to attract and even seduce him. However, after that incident five years ago, he was not interested in any other woman. The only woman that he had slept with was his sons birth mother. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. When Wayne realized that Anna was obviously trying to get his attention, he became very frosty. He was upset that she almost fooled him. Anna was upset, I said that I was in a hurry. What are you using me of? I cant believe I just thanked him for helping me untangle my hair from the bottom of my heart! Gabe, press the button, Wayne said sternly and ignored Anna. Gabe pressed the button of the next floor and said when the door opened, Miss, please exit the elevator. Please dont resort to these stunts again. Oh please, I really didnt Anna tried to exin but Gabe insisted that she stepped out. Anna gritted her teeth, red at Wayne, and mumbled as she left, Who does he think he is? Why the hell does he think that I would flirt with him? What a cheap gigolo! Gabe was shocked by what she said. He thought, How dare you! How dared you call our boss a gigolo! Wayne was furious and fumed. Gabe noticed it immediately and said frantically, Ill get the security to throw her out! No! Wayne said after the elevator doors closed. He could not help thinking about what the woman said. Somehow, he felt curious about her. She used her hair to entangle in my button and then called me a cheap gigolo? Interesting! Wayne narrowed his eyes and wanted to see how she would react when seeing him in the interview. Call Keh and tell him that Ill attend the interview at 10 oclock. Yes, Mr. Wright. Anna arrived at the waiting room and was surprised to see so many fellow job seekers. As she was waiting, she heard someone saying, Hey, do you know that Mr. Wright will be attending the interview today? Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Wow, really? I heard that Mr. Wright has a son but he is single. He is so handsome. Could he be looking for a mother for his son in the interview? Maybe. I heard that he might have troubles in bed Otherwise, howe he has never had a steady girlfriend? Perhaps they despised his inability to After finishing gossiping, the female interviewees still hoped to join the wealthy family more than anything else. Anna rolled her eyes when she heard them gossiping. She thought, A typical boss would be around his mid-thirties and with a beer belly. Would someone so wealthy use an interview to find a stepmom for his child? Perhaps he is looking for a mistress! Anna began to think poorly of her potential boss. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna Gabriel! Here! Anna walked out of the crowd when her name was called. She took a deep breath before opening the door. There were five interviewers in the panel. Anna was shocked to see that the man sitting in the middle turned out to be the gigolo she met earlier in the elevator. Isnt isnt that the man in the elevator? What should I do? Anna panicked. It seems that this man is the superior of other interviewers. Is he the manager, General Manager, or Seemingly having noticed her anxiety, Wayne looked at Anna, and asked, Did you graduate from Wharton School? Notnot really. Im a dropout. Anna stammered. Anna imed that she had graduated from Wharton School in her resume so that she could make it to the interview stage. She really needed the job. The other interviewer was surprised, You mean that your resume is fake? He quickly apologized to Wayne, Mr. Wright, Im sorry, our background checks Wayne gestured for him to keep quiet. He then asked Anna sternly, So, you are trying to get a job based solely on your experiences working in Hotel Mn in Germany? Have you seen the job requirements? He tossed her resume and saw through her lies. Then, with a darkened face, Wayne shouted, Get out! Feeling upset, Anna picked up her resume and left. She then heard Wayne say, Dont try your schemes here. Nopany would want a liar like you! Anna stopped her pace. She was pissed. I have never met anyone as arrogant and cocky as he is! She turned around and walked towards Wayne and mmed her resume on the table. Themotion caused all the interviewers to look at her in surprise. How dare she do that in front of Mr. Wright? Is she looking for death? Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 The Bet Chapter 6 The Bet Wayne looked at her, What do you want? Since you think that only a degree can prove a persons abilities, then lets have a bet. Anna smiled and challenged him, What do you think? Karl Xavier was bored by the interviews and his eyes immediately lit up when he heard what Anna said. He couldnt help thinking, Wow, this is the first time that someone dared to bet with Wayne with such a challenging attitude. Girl, what do you intend to bet? Karl asked curiously. Wayne immediately red at Karl. Anna took a deep breath, looked directly at Wayne, and said, Ill work at a hotel under the Carousel Group for three months and I guarantee a monthly profit of at least thirty percent. If | achieve this, then I want to be confirmed at the position. Moreover, my sry has to be tripled and I want She paused and then emphasized the words, An Apology! Hearing that, all of them gasped. They all wondered, She has only worked at Hotel Mn for a year and she only created a profit margin of about 10 percent. What makes her dare to guarantee a profit margin of more than thirty percent? Wayne pushed the resume aside, crossed his arms, and asked, What if you fail to do it? Anna smiled radiantly, Then Ill work for the Carousel Group for free for three years. Ill do anything you say. Do you ept this bet? ept it! ept it! Karl instigated, Wayne, dont chicken out! Wayne shot a re at him and Karl pursed his lips. Go back and wait for further instructions, Wayne said and left. He paused as he walked past Anna. He noticed her delicate features and her alluring fragrance which started to arouse him. He seemed to be intrigued by this woman. I ept this bet! He then walked away briskly. Karl ran after Wayne and winked as he said to Anna, Girl, youre something. I really hope that you win this bet! Hearing that, mixed feelings emerged from the bottom of Annas heart. She was angry. anxious, nervous and confused at the same time. But at least she got this far. To her, being employed in this way was better than being rejected. It was already lunchtime when Anna went home. Mommy, youre finally back! Tammy hugged Anna and said, Ive memorized the stories and prepared the sd. You can do the rest. +25 Points Chapter 6 The Bet How sweet of you! Anna kissed her cheek. After Anna finished cooking, they had a hearty meal. Back then, Anna was shocked when the doctor informed her that she had a baby girl after she regained consciousness. Her daughter was very cute. And she did not want to give her daughter away to that man. Thus, Anna quickly snuck out of the country with her daughter. She even broke her ties with the Gabriel family to protect her daughter. It was very tough for Anna to raise a child on her own while she was living overseas. But all her hardships were worth it when she saw Tammy smile.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Tammy was very intelligent and could converse very well. At three years old, she could dress herself and brush her teeth. Soon after, she was able to do some housework and even take care of herself when she was home alone. When they finished their lunch, Tammy suddenly said to Anna, Mommy, you should divorce dad. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Divorce, Mommy Anna was amused and chuckled, Why did you say that? Because I dont think that daddy loves mommy. Tammy continued, Other daddies kiss their children every day but my daddy visits us only once or twice a year Each time, he just says a few words and then leaves. He doesnt even hug you. He doesnt love me. I dont want this daddy anymore. Annas heart sank. She did not dare to tell Tammy the truth for fear that it woulde as a terrible blow to her. So, Anna asked someone to help her out and pretend to be Tammys father. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not expect Tammy to be so intelligent and considerate. Tammy continued, Mommy, dont think that Ill be upset by a divorce. Why dont you look for another man? As long as he loves me, Ill also be able to ept him! If he has children, Ill get along with them. Silly girl. Annas eyes turned red on hearing that, Mommy doesnt need anyone other than you. But I want a brother. Tammy smiled, I want mommy and daddy to pamper me and an elder brother to take care of me. Anna patted her head and remained silent. She thought of her son who was taken away from her and wondered how he was doing. She wished that she could see her son one day and hug him. When Tammy saw Anna being sad, she swore in her heart that she would look for a considerate and caring man for her mother. That night, Anna received an eCmail from the HR department of the Carousel Group which informed her to start working at Hotel Carousel the next Monday. She was tidying up the apartment when she saw Tammy busy ying with the iPad. What are you ying, honey? Tammy quickly hugged the iPad, Im not telling you. Okay, fine. I wont look at it. Tammy continued to fill in the information after Anna walked away. It turned out that Tammy was registering Anna on a dating website. She was satisfied with some of the men she saw on the website. However, she really liked the man she met at the airport. He was definitely suitable for her mother. But she could not find him on this website. As for Anna, she hadpletely no idea that her smart kid was seeking a new husband for her. The day that Anna reported to work was the tenth anniversary of Hotel Carousel, which was why she was very busy throughout the day. Just as she was busy with arranging the staff to work in the hall, she heard someone calling, Chapter 7 Divorce, Mommy Anna? Anna was startled by the familiar yet somehow strange voice. Anna turned around and saw a young couple. The man was handsome and looked unsettled. And the woman clung to his arm tightly. Even though it had already been five years, Anna still felt hurt when seeing her ex-boyfriend walking hand in hand with her ex bestie. She would never forget what her ex boyfriend did to her five years ago. Clenching her fists, she managed to control her temper and smile, Its been a long time. Harry looked at Anna and wanted to say something, but eventually, he did not utter a single word. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Attend My Engagement Party Lilian Hart held onto his arm tighter and said to Anna, Why didnt you tell us youre back? I dont think its necessary. Anna replied. I heard that you went overseas and broke all ties with the Gabriel family. Lilian appeared concerned but had evil intentions, You should go back home and reunite with your family. Noticing that Anna was ufortable, Harry said, Lets go, Lilian. Whats the hurry? We havent seen each other in years. I want to have a good chat with Anna Lilian said as she forced Anna into the elevator. When the elevator opened, Lilian dragged her inside. At the same time, someone in a business suit brushed past Anna and she felt that she had met him before. Before Anna managed to look up to see who he was, Lilian was already ahead of her and asked, Anna, will youe? What? Anna asked. Will youe to our engagement party? Lilian said while showing Anna the diamond ring on her finger. With her eyes lit up and the corner of her lips tilting upwards, Lilian looked smug and condescending. Its on the eighteenth of next month. I hope that you can attend the party. The familiar and expensive ring stung Annas eyes. She once visited the jeweler with Harry and pointed to a ring, saying that it would be the designated engagement ring for them. Little did she expect that the ring would end up on her best friends finger. I just started working at this hotel and I wont have the time for it. Anna looked away from the ring. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna, you muste! Lilian held onto Annas hand and then said, Ive always hoped that someday you will be my bridesmaid. Hearing that, Anna was speechless. She thought to herselfSo, you mean that you have had the intention of stealing Harry from me for a long time? Lilian continued, I know that you might be embarrassed abouting to my party without a partner. But its okay. I can introduce my friends to you. I do have a boyfriend. I just dont have the time for it. Anna pushed away Lilians arm, Besides, my ex-boyfriend, aka your fiance, might not want me to go. Hearing that, Harrys face darkened. Lilian paused and then held Annas hand, Anna, why dont you introduce your boyfriend to us? Id like to thank him for taking such good care of you. Dont bother. Hes very busy. The pulling and shoving between Anna and Lilian threw Anna off bnce, forcing her to fall. Meanwhile, Lilian just stood there, not intending to help her at all. A few secondster, Anna fell on someones firm chest, which hurt her immensely. Chapter 8 Attend My Engage Ha! Anna found that the chuckle sounded familiar Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 He Is My Boyfriend This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna looked up and saw Wayne. She tilted her head slightly and wondered how she bumped into Wayne twice at the elevator. Lilian asked, Anna, are you alright? Anna wrung her hands anxiously. Lilian had been very sarcastic to Anna since they entered the elevator. She would be even more delighted if Anna did not have a boyfriend. Anna was pissed off and started to think of a way out. The next moment, Anna leaned onto Waynes shoulder. And she felt that he obviously tensed Then she said coyly, Honey, what a surprise! You must have been waiting in the elevator for a long time to surprise me, dont you? Everyone, apart from Anna, was speechless. Lilian, in particr, gritted her teeth, wondering. This man is young and handsome. From the business suit hes wearing, I can tell that hes clearly a wealthy boss. How did Anna find such a handsome and sessful boyfriend? Lilianughed, Anna, just now he did not even look at you. How could he be your boyfriend? You should have hired someone who is more convincing to act as your boyfriend. Anna was dumbfounded and looked at Wayne. She could not read his thoughts and did not know what she should say next. Wayne then said loftily, You really think that she has the money to pay me to pretend to be her boyfriend? Anna was stunned. Did Wayne just admit that hes my boyfriend? Gabe, who was standing next to Wayne, flipped the documents and then said, Mr. Wright, this is the speech for the celebrations Mr. Wright? Lilian gasped. Hes Wayne Wright!? Ive heard a lot about him but I never have the chance to see him in person. Wayne was never ascivious person. Some of his indiscreet business partners sent women to his bed, hoping that it would satisfy him. To their surprise, it only triggered his wrath, making them end up losing everything. A few years earlier, he suddenly had a son but he had never mentioned who the mother was. Some spected that his son was born via a surrogate mother. Countless women wanted to be his sons stepmother but no one even managed to get close to him. Chapter 9 He Is My Boyfriend Looking at Anna, who was in Waynes arms, Harry knew that Wayne was better than him in all aspects. And his face turned green. Lilian said as she was pulled out of the elevator by Harry, Anna, you muste to my engagement party with Mr. Wright! Anna heaved a sigh of relief when the elevator doors closed. Wayne rolled his eyes, You dared to challenge me yesterday and now you cower in fear? Sensing Waynes domineering aura, Anna dared not move, with her back clinging to the wall and her hands clenching. Being so close to him, she could even feel his warm and alluring breath You Why are you so close to me? Ste Step back! Anna stammered and became flustered Wayne could feel her hands on his chest, which were soft and warm. Somehow, he had a hardCon. Who on earth are you? How did you manage to turn me on just like that woman whom I had S*x with five years ago? Wayne became upset because he did not like losing hisposure. It was clear that this woman could cause him to lose his cool. Werent you closer to me thest time you flirted with me in the elevator? Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Five yearster at the Southside City airport. A young man walked out of the crowd. He looked conspicuous in a ck shirt and business suit. He also wore a pair of sunsses and looked like the Men in ck. As soon as he walked out from the luggage pick-up area, his assistant, Gabe Lesley, rushed forward to carry his suitcase and said, Mr. Wright, little master has not eaten for a day. Shall we head to the mansion first? Why didnt you tell me earlier? He red at the assistant. Everyone in the Wright family knew how precious little master was to Mr. Wright. And Mr. Wright was always gentle and affectionate towards his boy. But Gabe felt guilty but braced himself up as he replied, You went to Chicago to sign the important business contract. I was worried that Id distract you so I did not call you. I didnt expect little master to refuse eating for an entire day Wayne stopped suddenly, took off his sunsses, and then red at the assistant. Seeing Waynes eyes, which were dark yet burning with fire, Gabes knees went wobbly. He could tell that Wayne was definitely angry Oh, god Is he going to fire me? Thinking of that, Gabe shuddered. So, now youre making the decisions for me? Wayne asked coldly. Im, Im sorry Gabe looked down and was prepared for the worse. At this moment, a small chocte rolled next to Waynes shoes. Wayne looked at the chocte and frowned. He bent down to pick up the chocte. Sir, thats my chocte! A little girl ran over. The little girl was around four to five years old. Her eyes were big, round, and beautiful. Even when Wayne squatted down, she had to look up at him. Wayne was astonished by her cuteness and stared at her. And his heart skipped a beat. Surprised, he thought to himself. How strange! Its the first time Ive met the little girl. But why do I have the feeling that we have met each other before? Tammy Gabriel tilted her head and extended her hand towards Wayne, Sir, if you like eating chocte, you can buy your own chocte. I only have three. I dont have spare ones to share with you. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was amazed by how cute she was. Do you like this brand of chocte? Wayne handed her the chocte. Meanwhile, Gabe was surprised by the scene. Apart from little master, Mr. Wright does not like any other children. Why does he squat down to speak with this little girl so tenderly as if he is talking to his son? Tammy nodded and smiled, revealing her cute bunny teeth as she asked, Do you also like this brand of chocte? Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Who who flirted with you? I already said that it was an ident! Then, is what just happened today an ident, too? Or did you use me as a shield? Anna was Waynes subordinate and he would not allow anyone to bully her. That was why he helped her. Wayne leaned down towards her ear and whispered, I hope that this is thest time you flirt with me. If you dare to do it again, Ill fire you immediately. Waynes stare sent a chill down her spine. After the elevator chimed and the doors opened, Wayne immediately turned to leave. Anna heaved a sigh of relief and thought to herself, Im not flirting with you! Stop ttering yourself, okay? As soon as Anna reached her department, she was called by her assistant, Vivian Welsh, who appeared flustered. What happened? Anna asked. A child in the VIP suite on the 20th level is throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat. No one could control him and now the room is in a mess. Our hotel would be responsible if anything goes wrong with him. A child in the VIP suite alone? Did he just check in? Vivian nodded, Sort of. Hes five and has a bad temper. No one could coax him. He is throwing a tantrum and trashing the room. What? Where are his family members? They are supposed to look after him! Anna remarked and then ordered, Lets go. Vivian followed Anna and continued, He has not eaten for a day and were afraid that something may go wrong. Its normal for the child to feel insecure without his parents. Anna said as she was waiting for the elevator, What kind of parents would leave their kids alone at a hotel? Vivian nodded in agreement. Smash! They heard something break along with the screams of the staff as they approached the room. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Ms. Gabriel is here. A staff announced. Anna walked into the suite which was trashed. The seat cushions were on the ground and the juicer smashed. Brokenmps, spaghetti, broken tes, and trash were everywhere. Anna gasped and wondered how a fiveCyearCold boy could be so destructive. Wheres the kid? She asked. A staff member pointed to the bedroom, He is in the bedroom. What should we do? Chapter 10 Little Masters Mi +25 PO Anna frowned and asked, Have you contacted his parents? We have. But we couldnt get through to them Someone replied. Forget it. Anna rolled up her sleeves and ordered, Tell the cooks to make some pancakes and chicken soup. And get this room cleaned. Anna then walked through the mess towards the bedroom. After that, the staff members started chatting. So you just let her go in? Do you want to go instead of her? No. Anyone who offends that little master would be fired. Anna slowly opened the door. In the room, the pillows and nket were on the floor. And a small boy was sitting on the cold floor, as still as a statue. Anna greeted the boy, but the boy ignored her. Just as she managed to take a couple of steps forward, she saw something flying towards her. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Anna swiftly dodged it and the ss smashed behind her. She had never seen a kid as unruly as this one. Anna frowned angrily but then her anger dissipated when she saw the boys face. The kid sat behind a wall made up of pillows and bedding. He looked adorable and clearly would grow up to be a very handsome man in the future. However, at the moment, he looked very upset. Whats wrong, buddy? Anna advanced a couple of steps and squatted down, Did anyone bully you? Matthew looked at her and then pushed her hand away. Seeing that, Anna avoided touching him. She just sat quietly on the floor with him. Soon, someone knocked on the door and said, Ms. Gabriel, the pancakes and soup are ready. Do you need us to send them in? No. Anna said, Leave them outside. The fragrance of the pancakes drifted into the room. Matthew did not speak but asionally looked at Anna. He also swallowed his saliva several times. He must be hungry after throwing tantrums and trashing the room for quite a while. Anna waited for a while and then said, Im hungry. Can I eat something here? Matthew frowned and looked away. Anna went out to take in the tray of pancakes and chicken soup. She started to pour the maple syrup onto the pancakes and eximed, Wow! They smell so good! Growl Matthews stomach growled audibly. Anna looked up and saw Matthew looking eagerly at her pancakes. She then asked, You know, pancakes are my favorite food. Do you want a bite of it? Matthew hesitated for a few seconds before nodding. Okay then, Anna sat beside him and fed him a piece of pancake, Does it taste good? Matthews eyes lit up and nodded. Anna continued to feed him. Matthew ate and looked carefully at Anna. He thought to himself, Youre so good to me! Unlike the people who fear me and hate me, youre very kind and gentle. Soon, he finished the pancakes and started to drink the chicken soup. Anna handed him a napkin and said, Now that youre full, youll have enough strength to throw a tantrum again, right? Feeling upset and embarrassed, Matthew looked away. It seemed that he did not like being lectured by anyone like that. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna chuckled and was about to take out the empty tes when she felt that someone Chapter 11 Shes Very Gentle holding onto her. She looked down and found that it was Matthew. He looked rather sad and reluctant for her to leave. Anna thought of Tammy when she looked into his eyes. She also had no time for Tammy when she was busy at work, which saddened her very much. Im not leaving. Im just taking out the dishes. Anna assured him in a gentle voice. Matthew still did not release her. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Anna ced the dishes down, squatted, and asked Matthew, You want me to stay with you, right? Matthew nodded shyly. Okay, Ill stay. Anna smiled and Matthews eyes immediately lit up. But we cant sit on the floor. Shall we sit on the sofa? Anna asked and Matthew quickly nodded. Anna smiled and brought him to the sofa. Anna started to tell him some jokes and Matthewughed happily, but he still would not speak Anna asked, Can you tell me why youre unhappy? Is it because no one yed with you and you feel lonely? At this point, Matthew began to gesture and point as if he was signaling to Anna for a pen and paper. Anna looked around and saw a notebook and pen on the table. She handed them to Matthew. Matthew scribbled, Daddys bad. He promised to y with me but did not. Anna was surprised that such a small kid could write so many words. She then realized that his parents must have taught him how to write. However, it looked like the kid could not speak So you are trying to say that you are upset because your father didnt y with you? Matthew firmly nodded and frowned angrily. Anna sighed and patted his head. Perhaps your daddy is very busy. Daddy wants to give you a better life and thats why he doesnt have time to y with you. Matthew did not ept this. He huffed and puffed angrily and wrote, I did not see daddy for days. I hate him. Anna frowned and was shocked that his father left him in the hotel for days. Ill speak to your father when he gets back. Anna held Matthews hand and fumed, How could he leave a kid alone at the hotel? Matthew nodded in agreement. Were you alone in this room all these days? Anna asked. Matthew nodded. Anna asked, Shall I take you out for a walk and get some fresh air? Matthew nodded happily All kids love to y. Although the VIP suite was huge, even an adult could not stand being cooped up for days, not to mention a kid. Therefore, Anna decided to take him out for a stroll Oh, whats your name by the way? Anna asked as they were leaving. But then she remembered that the boy could not speak. She then rushed back to the bedroom to retrieve the notebook and pen, leaving him alone in the sitting room. Only two staff maids and Vivian remained there. Suddenly, there was a clunk and someone yelled, The chandelier! Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anna just came out of the bedroom and saw a chandelier above Matthew began to swing violently and was about to fall off. Ah! They screamed when the chandelier fell off the ceiling. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Little master! Ms. Gabriel! The hotel staff yelled frantically. Anna rushed over, pulled Matthew towards her, and protected him with her body. However, her arm was crushed under the chandelier and she fainted due to the intense pain. When the rest froze, Anna dashed without consideration of her own safety and protected Matthew Just before Anna passed out, she seemed to hear Matthew utter faintly, Mommy. The rest panicked. Hurry up! Call 911! Little master refuses to let Ms. Gabriel go! Let him go together. We cant just leave him here! Okay, call Mr. Wright! At the Pinnacle Private Club. Wayne just signed a business contract and was waiting for Gabe to say goodbye the guest. He enjoyed a cup of coffee in the private room while he was waiting. This was a regr urrence for him. Wayne. Someone called out to him in a sweet voice. Hearing that, Wayne frowned. The beautifuldy entered the room happily as she said, Its really you! I just finished a negotiation. I saw Gabe just now and I wondered if youre still here. Wayne just nodded without saying a word. I went to see grandfather a couple of days back. Ada sat opposite him. Having made sure that Wayne didnt look angry or annoyed, she continued, Grandfather said that you had been taking care of Matthew by yourself over these years. He wondered if you are willing to let him take care of Matthew. Waynes face darkened, Matthew is safer with me. You dont have to speak for my grandfather. Im not speaking for Grandfather. Im just letting you know about his thoughts. Ada smiled and exined, Grandfather also said that it would be good to have someone care for Matthew. Then youll be more relieved when you work. Before Wayne could respond, Gabe rushed in frantically Mr. Wright Gabe was surprised to see Ada What? Wayne asked. The hotel called and said that there was an ident in little masters room. The chandelier Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. +25 Points Chapter 13 You Dont Have L in the suite crashed down. Adas eyes lit up momentarily when she heard it. Wayne sprung to his feet and demanded, Wheres Matthew? Is he alright? Dont worry. Matthews fine. A hotel staff saved him. But he insisted on going to the hospital with the staff. Gabe exined. Wayne headed for the door and Ada grabbed his jacket, ran after him, and said, Wayne, Ill go with you. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 When Wayne arrived at the hospital, Anna was still unconscious. His precious Matthew was still in his pajamas and was drawing next to the bed. Wayne was stunned by what he saw and called out, Matthew! Matthew turned around, saw Wayne, and quickly raised his drawing for Wayne to see Matthew could not speak and his vocabry was limited. So he would draw if what he wanted to express was tooplicated. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The first picture was of ady feeding a boy The boy smiled happily The second picture was ady leading a boy out the door. Next to their heads was a cloud-like bubble with a yground inside. Thest picture was a golden chandelier that crashed. Thedy protected the boy and her hand was crushed. There was blood everywhere. Okay.. Matthew led Wayne to the bed. He pointed at Anna and then at the woman in his drawing, telling Wayne that Anna was the one who saved him. Wayne was surprised to see Annas pale face. Anna? Why did she protect Matthew at the risk of her life? Wayne wondered with amazement. He felt guilty when he recalled the scenes in which he was mean to her. Noticing Ada, who was standing behind Wayne, Matthews face turned pale immediately. He then released Waynes hand and backed towards the bed. Matthew, whats wrong? Wayne did not see the change in Matthews eyes and thought that Matthew was upset with him for not taking him out and the ident. Wayne said tenderly. Daddys sorry for what happened today. I guarantee that I wont go back on my words from now on, alright? Matthew appeared reluctant and would not approach Wayne. Butler. Wayne called out to the butler, Itste. Take Matthew home. He needs to rest. Matthew kept shaking his head and refused to let go of the sheet. Wayne could not understand why and asked, Matthew, whats wrong? Let me try. Perhaps he was shocked by what happened today. Ada said. She squatted and gently patted Matthews head, Matthew, shall we go for dinner? Matthew shuddered and looked terrified and tried to avoid Ada. He quickly ran behind Wayne and grabbed his leg He must be terrified. Ada said and sighed, Wayne, why dont you let the butler handle things here and well go back to put Matthew to bed. Its gettingte. And Matthew needs to rest Wayne looked at Anna and ordered the butler, Make sure that the hospital takes good care of her Wayne came out of the bedroom after the nanny coaxed Matthew asleep. He still seemed to be upset with what happened to Matthew and Anna. Meanwhile, Ada was still in the sitting room.Is Matthew asleep? Yes, Wayne nodded and said, Its late, Ill have the driver drive you back home. No, thanks. My driver is on his way to pick me up. Ada continued, Matthew is so young and he needs to be taken good care of when you work. Just look at what happened today. Grandfathers right. You should find someone to take care of him. Wayne looked at her as if he was considering her suggestion. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Ada walked out of the vi and entered the car. Drive, Ada ordered. After the car left the highCend viplex, the driver said, Miss, everything went as nned until the new hotel manager ruined it. Its okay. Ada put on a vicious smile. It would be worse if the boy was killed. Its better this way. Wayne would be more worried and take marrying me more seriously in this way. Then that kid Dont do anything for now. There will be other opportunities. Ada said dismissively as she was looking at her newly manicured nails. Tell Gabe that Ill go to thepany to visit Wayne. Prepare some goodies that kids like. Yes, Miss. Anna was awakened by the intense pain when she moved her arm. Mommy, youre awake! Tammy held onto her uninjured arm with her eyes reddened, Mommy, you really scared me. Anna paused and then recalled that she was injured after saving Matthew. Afterwards, she was taken to the hospital. But she didnt know howe her daughter was there. Tammy, how did you get here? I went to the hotel to surprise you but they said that you were at the hospital. I was so worried! Anna felt both touched and guilty and quickly said, Im sorry that I made you worry, honey. You taught me to take care of myself before taking care of others. What if you were hit in the head? Tammy pouted, Im still depending on you to raise me. If you die, my life will be miserable. Anna was amused by what Tammy said and retorted, Little imp, is that what youre worried about? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Of course! Tammy folded her arms and said, Where else can you find a five-year-old who can cook and do housework? Okay, okay, youre my precious girl. Anna smiled. Then someone knocked on the door. Come in. Anna looked towards the door. Ms. Gabriel, A middleCaged man entered with tworge bags of health supplements. it was the butler who took care of Matthew. Chapter 15 Im No Trouble My master ordered me to bring you these health supplements. You have a fracture and these supplements are good for bone regeneration. Also, my master sends his gratitude He sent Matthew home so he could not wait for you to wake up. Please ept his apologies Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Its alright. This is my duty. Anna looked at the bags and there were lots of expensive health supplements that amounted to thousands of dors. These are just a small token of appreciation. Master also said that since youre injured, you need not go to work until youve fully recovered. You will still be paid during this period. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anna remarked, No need to work? Howe that man was so influential to arrange for her sick leave? ording to the hotels regtions, sick leave cannot be more than a month and she had not even been confirmed to her job. Whos your master? Anna asked. Dont you know who my master is? The steward looked surprised. Anna was suddenly puzzled by the stewards reaction and asked, Should I? Our master is the hotels CEO, Mr. Wright. The steward replied. Anna frowned on hearing this. So Matthew is Waynes er hem. Mr. Wrights son? Yes. The steward replied politely. It was only expected of Mr. Wright to grant you time to recuperate since you saved his son. Do let me know if you need anything. Anna was stunned that the kid was Waynes son. She pondered about how wealthy he was and yet his son was mute. Anna began to sympathize with him. Just when Anna was feeling sorry for Wayne, Tammy had a totally different idea. Tammy looked at the valuable gifts and deduced that her mothers boss must be very rich. She felt that they had struck the jackpot! What is mommys bosss name? Wayne? She thought. Wayne never visited Anna during her stay at the hospital due to his busy schedule. Anna never expected a visit from Wayne. She was more concerned about recovering After her discharge, Anna could spend some time recuperating at home and decided to make the best of it to be with her daughter. Anna was having an afternoon nap when Tammy went to her room with the iPad. She used Siri to search the name, Wayne. There were several results and Tammy chose the most handsome man. She used the reading function and gasped when she heard his aplishments. Wow, mommys boss is not only handsome but also so wealthy and powerful. Tammy remarked to herself. This was the chance she had been waiting for. Hang on! She stared at the photo and realized that she had seen him somewhere, but where? Her mind went into overdrive and then she looked at the dating profiles that she had downloaded Chapter 16 So Its Really Him ue enough! It was him! True Love dating site, tens of thousands to choose from. So, mommys boss is also looking for a partner! Tammy grinned Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Mommy, Im going out! Tammy yelled and walked out naturally. Anna asked drowsily, Where are you going? To buy some ice cream. Anna was barely awake, Be careful, get me one. Tammy regrly bought the groceries on her own and Anna was not worried that she went out. Tammy started to run excitedly towards the caf. A stretched Bentley stopped at the caf and an old man got out with an assistant. Sir, this way! The old man looked around and frowned, I even need to get a date for my grandson at this age. Why cant we get someone to impersonate him? Once we find the right girl then well discuss the marriage details. Thats impossible. So many people in Southside City recognize Wayne. No one would believe it when we put him on the website. For those who believed, theyd think that were a cheat if he did not turn up. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Thats true. The old man sighed and walked towards a table next to a window. Forget it, Ill do this for the sake of my grandson. Oh yes, ice cream. The steward quickly ordered the ice cream and then ced it in front of the old man. It was amusing to see a stern old man with arge bowl of strawberry ice cream. The steward chuckled. Laugh and Ill make you sit here. The old man rolled his eyes as he fumed. Then, the door opened but they could not see anyone enter. They then looked down and saw a cute girl skip into the cafe. She looked around and then saw the ice cream. She hesitated for a moment before going over. Hi. Her cute voice caught old master Wrights attention. This little girl was so beautiful and strangely familiar. You cant be Wayne! Tammy looked doubtfully at him. Tammy could see some resemnce in the old man with Wayne. Are you Waynes family member? Tammy asked. Old master Wright was very impressed by her and said, How do you know? Tammy climbed onto the seat and introduced herself, Im Anna Gabriels daughter. Im trying to find a husband for my mother. So I was the one who asked you out. Old master Wright gasped, So at this age, youre looking for a husband for your mommy? Tammy rolled her eyes and replied, Grandpa, at this age, arent you looking for a wife for your son? AM Chapter 17 Help Myself Look d master Wright was stunned for several seconds before bursting out in laughter, Yes, this has nothing to do with age. My mistake. Tammy said respectfully, Sir, tell me what kind of woman youre looking for and Ill see if my mother is suitable. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 The old man described his requirements. So youd like someone who is pretty and has great personality and abilities. Most importantly someone who can take care of others, right? Tammy summarized. Based on what you said, I feel that my mother fulfills all your requirements. I need to find a husband for my mommy while you want to find a wife for your son. We share the same objectives. You can see that Im a good girl and how well my mother had raised me. Tammy felt guilty when she said that Anna was good at taking care of her. Although her mother was very capable at work, she actually needed others to help her through the day Old master Wright was increasingly impressed by this little girl and wondered how her mother could raise such a confident child. Did you bring your mommys picture? Yes, of course! Tammy opened her bag and handed a picture of her mother to old master Wright, My mothers beautiful. Old master Wright looked at the photo and handed the photo to his steward. The steward said, She looks wonderful. So its decided. Heughed and said, Make arrangements so that I can meet her. Okay! Tammy was surprised at how well this went and added, Grandfather, if my mommy ends up with your son, then Ill definitely be filial to you. What a great kid! Old master Wright remarked happily. They started to exchange stories about Wayne and Anna. Tammy rted many interesting events that happened to Anna. Old master Wright was increasingly eager to meet Anna. Thereafter they sent Tammy home. The steward asked, Sir, should we be looking for a single mother for master? Try to look for someone who is wealthy and not spoilt by her parents! Do you think shell be able to take care of Matthew? Whats wrong with single mothers? I feel that we are lucky to meet this girl. Old master Wright red at the steward. The steward quickly replied, Thats true. Old master Wrights main objective was to find a stepmother for Matthew. Tammy was well raised. Can you imagine if Wayne had known her much earlier? Then our Matthew would be well taken care of and the incident three years ago would not happen! Old master Wright sighed regretfully. The steward quickly consoled him, Sir, you cant keep ming yourself for it. It had been three years. Furthermore, Master Wayne never med you for it. Old master Wright replied, Of course he mes me. Otherwise, he would leave Matthew with me and not take him together on his business trips.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 The following days, Tammy kept using the excuse of buying ice cream to leave the house and secretly meet old master Wright. Each time she returned, her bag would be full of little gifts. One day, Anna noticed the new toys as she was cleaning up, When did you buy this little mermaid bracelet? Tammy was arranging her toys and said nonchntly, It came with the ice cream. Anna frowned and remarked, Theyre giving toys with ice cream now? Anna was suspicious but Tammy was a good kid and those were only some harmless toys. Oh yes, Ill take you to the kindergartens nearby to have a look this afternoon. See which one do you like and Ill register you. You cant be staying at home all the time. Tammy nodded, Okay. All the kindergartens did not meet Annas expectations. Anna was more particr about the kindergartens medical facilities because of Tammys asthma. The medical staff at the kindergartens barely knew what to do during an asthma attack. Anna became rather vexed. Mommy, I want to have some Japanese cuisine, Tammy said as they walked out of another kindergarten. Okay, lets go. Anna smiled. They picked a table next to the window and had amanding view of the city Mommy, I think that you can go back to work, Tammy said. Why cant I rest for a couple more days? Such paid vacations did note easy. Mommy, youll need to seize the opportunity, Tammy said. Seize what opportunity? Anna asked curiously. Your boss. Hes handsome, rich, and single. Im sure many single women at the office are dying to get him. What will I do if you dont work hard?! Rascal, what did you say? Anna red at her and pinched her nose, Whats in that mind of yours? Youve not met my boss so how do you know that hes handsome? Tammys eyes lit up, sprung to her feet, and waved frantically, Sir, over here! Here! What? Anna turned around and her expression froze. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. At the entrance was a tall man holding onto a handsome little boy. They both appeared lofty and cool as they looked towards her. It was Wayne and Matthew. Damn it, she just recovered and came out for lunch and was discovered by her boss! But wait, how did Tammy recognize him? What was going on? Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Nas Wayne was surprised to hear someone shouting at him. He was stunned to see the little girl waving at him. She appeared so familiar. As he hesitated, Matthew broke free and ran towards Tammy. Wayne just followed. Anna tried to cover her face but felt something tugging her leg. She looked down and saw a pair of big round eyes. Matthew hugged her leg and was overjoyed to see her. Sir! Weve met! Tammy looked happily at Wayne. Wayne then recalled the scene at the airport and his expression warmed up significantly How do you know each other? Anna was puzzled. He was the one who gave me the box of choctes. Tammy exined, What a coincidence to meet him here. Mommy, do you know him? Anna tensed up and replied, This he is mommys boss. Wayne stood beside the table and asked, Shes your daughter? Yes. On hearing this, Wayne was inexplicably upset that she was married and had a child. He asked, Youve recovered? Anna felt guilty and then looked at Matthew hoping to use him as an excuse, my arms movement is still restricted. Then rest a while more, theres no hurry to return to work. Waynes reply surprised her. When did he be so understanding? Mommys arm has recovered, she can go back to work tomorrow! Tammy interrupted. Tammy! Anna red at her for ruining her ns. Wayne did not take it to heart and said, Thanks for saving Matthew. I didnt have the time to visit you at the hospital. I heard you have left the hospital and I wanted to visit you together with Matthew to show our gratitude. No need. Anna shook her head, You had already given me the sick leave. Furthermore, it was my duty to ensure the safety of the hotel guests. Wayne looked at Tammy and said, Despite your sick leave, dont forget our 3Cmonth bet. I dont wish to dy it. Anna was stunned. What did he mean by not dying it? Then the sick leave was wasting her precious time. Her good impressions of Wayne vanished immediately This man really knew how to ruin someones hopes. Matthew, lets go. Lets not interrupt their lunch. But Matthew frantically held onto Annas arm and refused to let go. Matthew! Wayne frowned. On seeing the father and son struggling, Anna quickly said, You may join us if you dont mind. Wayne had no choice but to sit down. Anna felt amused to see him losing out to his son, +25 Points 25 Points Chapter 20 You Asked Too M Tammy was delighted and said, Have a seat, Ill go and get some fruits. Buddy, do you want to go with me? Matthew hesitated but started to like Tammy and went with her. This shocked Wayne as Matthew never liked to y with girls. Matthew had a bad temper and did not have any friends. He tried to let him y with other kids but Matthew rejected all of them. Wayne had always been concerned about his sons istion. Your daughters very adorable, Wayne said. Tammy? Anna smiled, Shes a little imp. Sometimes Im not even sure whats on her mind but she is very good with her peers. Mr. Wright, you need not worry. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Matthew seems to like you a lot, Wayne then ordered some dishes. The kids brought the fruits back and then went to y at a slide. Anna and Wayne could chat in a more rxed atmosphere. Anna remembered Matthews tantrum and asked, Was Matthew born with the speech impediment? Hows his mother doing? Waynes expression darkened and appeared upset. Im sorry. Anna apologized when Wayne stared at her, I just asked in passing. Wayne was upset and retorted, You asked too much, mind your own business. Anna then realized that it was inappropriate for her to ask about his sons disabilities considering how proud Wayne was. The atmosphere immediately tensed up. Wayne looked in a daze towards the y area. Matthew was not mute at birth. He could speak a lot of sentences when he was two years old and was more intelligent than his peers. Due to his neglect, Matthew had a high fever and almost died. Thereafter he stopped speaking. All the various doctors that saw him since had the same diagnosis. His throat was not hurt in any way. Matthew just chose not to speak Chapter 21 Chapter 21 They concluded that Matthew had autism. Im sorry, I didnt mean to intrude. Anna apologized, Ill pay for this meal as an apology. Wayne came to his senses and could see that she was genuinely sorry. He also realized that his reaction was too strong considering that she had saved Matthew. He softened his tone and said, Matthew can speak. He just chose not to. Anna nodded and did not ask any further. At the y area, Matthew sat among the sea of colorful balls and looked worried when he could not find Tammy. Suddenly Tammy jumped up from under the balls andughed, Im here! Matthew was startled as if this was the first time he had yed with another kid. Tammy was stunned, Whats wrong, buddy? Matthew shook his head, grabbed her hand, and pointed to the table. Tammy nodded, Are you hungry? Lets go! Matthew insisted on sitting with Anna at the table regardless of what Wayne said. Let him sit with my mommy since he likes my mommy so much. Ill be fine here. Tammy said. Wayne then said, His name is Matthew. Hi, Matthew. Tammy nodded and asked again, How old is Matthew? Five years old, his birthday is on August 14th, Wayne said. Anna was stunned, the same day as Tammy? What a coincidence! What about you? Wayne asked. Tammy looked at Anna as she could not remember when her birthday was Somehow Anna said that she was a month younger than Matthew, Tammy was born on September 14th. Tammy and Matthew seemed to like the same type of food. They both like sweets. Tammy spoke as she ate while Matthew kept quiet. But they were both happy to see the desserts. After lunch, both of them went to the y area again. Anna noticed that it was gettingte and said, Tammy, for thest time, we need to go home now. Tammy emerged from the sea of balls and said, No, I want to y with Matthew. Tammy Gabriel, Anna called her full name sternly whenever she was naughty. Usually, Tammy would relent but this time Tammy ignored her and continued to y with Matthew Anna stepped into the y area and carried her out, Look at the time, its time to go home. Tammy managed to grab Waynes jacket and begged, Sir, save me! +25 Points Chapter 21 Let Tammy y Wayne had set aside his entire day to apany his son and did not mind how long he yed. He swiftly carried Tammy in his arms and said, Its all right for them to y a while longer. Tammy clung to his neck and made faces at Anna, Mommy, you dont have anything to do at home anyway. Why dont you chat with this handsome man? Anna almost had a stroke when she heard that. What nonsense are you saying? Tammy,e down and apologize to Mr. Wright or Im going to s***k you Tammy clung to Wayne like a chimp. Anna felt that it was inappropriate for her to s**** Tammy when she was in Mr. Wrights arms. Mr. Wright, please forgive her, Ill discipline her when we go home. Its okay. Wayne smiled, Tammys really adorable and very active. Its a rare opportunity for them to y together. Tammy was very intelligent and seized the opportunity, Then can mommy bring me to y at Matthews house? Annas face turned blue and yelled, Tammy! How could she be so bold as to invite herself to someone elses house? Ill go home with you if you promise. Anna was about to forcefully grab Tammy and leave. Matthew quickly took a notebook from his bag and scribbled for Wayne, Let Tammye home to y. Wayne was stunned by Matthews request as he rarely requested to y with other kids. He then remembered the doctors advice to let Matthew interact with more people, especially kids of his age. He then said, How about Saturday? Ill have someone to pick you up and you can y with Matthew at our house. What? Anna was stunned. Tammy quickly got down from Waynes arms and gave Matthew a high five, Yay yay! Matthew, I can y at your house. Anna could not refuse and epted the arrangements. They then left the restaurant together Waynes driver arrived with the car as soon as they stepped out of the mall. Ill send you back. Wayne offered. Before Anna could respond, Tammy already jumped into the car and waved for Anna to get in, Get in, Mommy, this car is sofortable! Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anna narrowed her eyes and red at Tammy. She was sure that Wayne would think that she failed as a mother to discipline Tammy! Chapter 22 Chapter 22 After sending Anna and Tammy home, the car was caught in a traffic jam, Matthew would usually be very frustrated when he was stuck in traffic. But today he quietly drew on his notepad. Wayne was still pondering in disbelief at what happened at the restaurant. He could understand Matthews fondness for Anna because Anna saved him. But what about her daughter? Although Tammy was very likable, he had never seen Matthew epting another child that easily. Wayne snapped back to his senses when Matthew excitedly tugged his sleeve. Wayne looked at what Matthew drew. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. On the notepad was a drawing of a man and a woman each holding onto a boy and a girl. The sky was blue and the grass was green with a golden sun. It looked picture perfect. Wayne looked at the picture for a while before asking, Matthew, do you want a mommy? Matthew frantically nodded and his face turned red as he struggled to say the word, Mommy! Wayne was shocked with his eyes and mouth wide open. He then smiled radiantly and eximed, Matthew, you spoke! He had not heard Matthew speak a word since that high fever three years ago! This was the first time in three years he heard Matthews lovely voice! Matthew held onto the book tightly and waited for Waynes answer. Wayneposed himself and assumed Matthew was envious after seeing Anna and Tammy together, which made him feel guilty. When he decided to have a child to satisfy his grandfather, he was young and did not consider the consequences thoroughly. Now that he loved his son so much, he was determined to give Matthew the good life that he deserved. He understood the importance of aplete family. He patted Matthews head and said tenderly, Daddy will find a mommy for you. Matthew was overjoyed. Anna spoke to her friend, Peace Brooks, when they went home. Peace was her friend when she was overseas. They were very close and Peace became Tammys godmother. The apartment they stayed in belonged to Peace, I made some inquires. I have a distant rtive working as a teacher at a private kindergarten. Its opposite a General Hospital. Is it difficult to get in? Anna asked. Peace replied, Yes, Ill send you the registration form and you can have a look. Okay. It waste when Peace sent her the form and Anna was shocked at how difficult it was. +25 Points 25 Points Chapter 22 Matthew, You Sp The registration for the private kindergarten still required approval from the local authorities! Could all the kids there be rted to highCranking government officials? Anna was troubled by this and could not sleep the entire night. The next day, Anna went to work and was struggling to stay awake when someone knocked on the door. It was Gabe. Anna was surprised to see him, Gabe, what brings you here? It was rather far from the Carousel Group to her hotel. Gabe smiled, Im here for another issue and took the opportunity to speak to you. Please go ahead, Anna said. Mr. Wright asked when you can submit the n for the hotel anniversary celebrations, Anniversary celebrations? Anna asked in surprise, Am I in charge of this? This is the hotels policy. Perhaps you dont know because youre new. Gabe exined. The anniversary celebrations are attended by all the middle and senior management. It is voluntary for the regr staff but mandatory for the management. This is also our tradition. Mr. Wright was afraid that you dont know about it and sent me here to remind you. Anna was doubtful to be talking about something in two months when her bet with Wayne had not been determined and she was not confirmed to the job. But she still answered politely, Okay, Ill start with the nning. Wait a minute, Gabe. Anna took out a box of sandwiches and handed it to him. I made some sandwiches for lunch. Mr. Wrights son seemed to like these. Since youre here, can you give him these? Gabe was stunned and he normally would not do these for colleagues who tried to find favor with Mr. Wright. But he was unsure about Anna. Recently there had been numerous gossips about her and the boss. He asked, Then what about your lunch? Ive been busy with registering my daughter for kindergarten and have to leave during lunch. I wont have the time to eat. Gabe could not refuse and took the box of sandwiches. Back at the office, Gabe began to report to Wayne on the several hotels that the Carousel Group owned. Wayne asked, Matthew, what are you eating? Gabe was startled and looked around only to see Matthew holding onto the box of sandwiches, Ms. Gabriel asked me to bring this for him, Gabe exined. Wayne looked relieved after he was told that the box was from Anna. On seeing Waynes reaction and the typically fussy Matthew, Gabe became even more puzzled regarding the rtionship between his boss and Anna Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Have you asked her about the anniversary n? Wayne asked about the thing he ordered this morning. Gabe nodded, Yes, Miss Gabriel said that she would soon finish it. She really didnt know that we have this tradition. Luckily, I reminded her. But she has been pretty busy these days. I dont think she has much time for it. What is she busy about? It seems that she is looking for a kindergarten for her daughter. Gabe was able to remember everything that he saw, so he told the name of the kindergarten that Anna Gabriel was applying for. I didnt expect that Anna Gabriel, at such a young age, has already had a child big enough to go to the kindergarten. Wayne had just be rxed, but somehow, he started frowning again after hearing Gabes words and looked gloomy. At this moment, Matthew suddenly ran to them from behind Gabe and put his drawing board in front of Wayne. It reads, All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. I want to go to the kindergarten Wayne frowned, The kindergarten is too crowded for you. You have your teachers at home. Matthew suddenly lost his temper and immediately pushed all the documents off the table. He then quickly wrote something on his board and put it in front of Wayne again. the same kindergarten as Tammy Waynes furrow deepened, No way. Matthew couldnt speak. If he went to a kindergarten, other small kids would definitely bully him. Thest thing he would do was to send him to a totally strange ce where he would encounter other idents before his ASD was cured. Matthew made a big fuss. Gabe had just picked up all the documents, and Matthew suddenly dropped them on the ground again. Matthew wrote something on the board. TELLING PAPA YOU ARE BAD DADYY. MOVING TO LIVE WITH PAPA !!! Wayne was speechless. He supported his forehead with his hand and didnt know what to do. Gabe had to hold back hisughter. He thought, Who will believe that the CEO of Carousel Group is having headache because of his own 5CyearCold son? After a prolonged stalemate, Wayne had to relent, Let me think about it for a few days. OK? Matthew didnt seem to be satisfied with Waynes answer, but someone opened the door and disturbed his remonstrance. Wayne. Ada stood at the door, smiling, Did I disturb you? Ive brought lunch for you and Matthew. +25 Points Chapter 23 Prepare To Get M Matthew flinched when she heard Adas sweet voice and suddenly ran to the lounge next door with his drawing board. Wayne ignored him and took it as a consent to his previous proposal Its alright,e in. Wayne nced at Ada. Mr. Wright, Ill leave if youll excuse me. Gabe was ready to leave Wayne and Ada in the room, but Wayne stopped him. Gabe, drop the work that is not urgent. I want you to n a wedding. Wedding? Gabe was confused, Whose wedding? Mine. Wayne answered calmly as if he was talking about some verymon thing. Ada, standing behind Gabe, was also stunned, Wayne, you Get prepared. Lets get married after I clear up the business at hand. Wayne was too calm. But this news was jawCdropping for Ada, who had been his fianc for five years, and Gabe, his assistant that knew him the best. Gabe left in astonishment. Ada felt that she was in a dream and came to herself after a while, Wayne, are you serious? Do you think that Ill make jokes about this kind of thing? But I wont push you. You can tell me if you dont want to. No. Of course no. Ada was gratified, Its just a big surprise for me. Waynes cold face didnt show much happiness. Youre right. Matthew needs a mother. In this family, you are the woman Mathew knows the best. Youre the most suitable mother for him. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 There was a bang outside the lounge. Matthew stood there and smashed the drawing board on the ground. He looked at Wayne in astonishment and stamped angrily with a red face. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Matthew? Wayne didnt know what happened and quickly walked to him, What happened? Did you hurt your feet? Matthew anxiously grabbed Waynes sleeves and shook his head desperately. Whats wrong? Are you okay? Wayne wanted to touch his forehead, but Matt pushed his hand away and fell to the ground because he lost his bnce. Matthew.. Matthew wasnt able to express his anger. When he heard that Wayne was going to get married to Ada, he was furious and felt that Wayne deceived him. No matter what Wayne did to console him, he was still in a rage. He went back to the lounge like a baby lion that fluffed up and smashed all the things that he could reach The lounge was soon in a mess. This kind of thing had happened many times before, so Wayne had been used to it. But he stood at the door and still get worried. He understood that Matthew gave vent to his anger because he couldnt express it through words. He needed an outlet once in a while, but he would hurt others and himself this way. The lounge was silent for a long time. Matt, can I get in? Wayne knocked on the door. Matthew locked himself in the room and wouldnt open it no matter how Wayne called him. Matthew Wayne, let me have a look. Ada stood by his side and looked concerned, Matthew has been in good terms with me. Let me have a try. Wayne frowned and looked at the shut door. Then he nodded. Ada pushed open the door leisurely. Matthew, its Aunt Ada. Ille inside. Matthew was curling up in a corner of the room. When he heard Adas footsteps, he was suddenly consumed by fear. He curled up into a very selfCprotective posture. Ada closed the door with a click. She indifferently stepped on the dolls and toys on the ground and approached Matthew, her shadow covering Matthews little body Matthew was trying to control his body from shivering. Little Matthew. 24 Dont Be Afraid, Matthew +25 Poin Dont be afraid. Its Aunt Ada. With the faint lighting from the floormp that was toppled down, the room was dim. Ada looked at Matthew, a soft smile broke at her crimson lips. Didnt I tell you to behave yourself? Matthew pushed himself against the wall. He was terrified and helpless. A lot of memories bout this bad woman shed back But daddy wanted this bad woman to be his mommy. Matthew, good boy, you will remember my words clearly, wont you? Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Ada smiled softly. Her smile was only the nightmare in Matthews memories. Come on, give me your hands. She reached out her hands. Her nails were painted with pink polish and decorated with diamonds, giving out a cold light, which seemed to be a daggers light in Matthews eyes. He trembled and put out his hands. Then she grabbed them and led him out of the room. Hes probably afraid that you wont have time to y with him after we get married. Ada held Matthews hand and stood in front of Wayne. She said with softness and affection, I have exined to him that Ill shoot less movies and take care of him with you. We will take him to the ygrounds. Then he finally calmed down. Seeing that Matthew put his head down and control his temper, Wayne wasnt suspicious at all. He was relieved and became more certain that he needed to get married as soon as possible. In the evening of Friday, Anna came home from work and habitually took the newspapers and the magazines she subscribed from the mailbox. Tammy ran out of the bedroom and greeted Anna with a big hug. Blue Castle Bilingual Kindergarten? Anna suddenly shouted in surprise and stared at a thick envelope between the newspapers and magazines. Mommy, whats wrong? Feeling confused, Tammy moved closer. Anna quickly opened the envelope and poured out a pile of documents from it. A letter of admission? Anna shouted even louder than just now. What? Tammy could only read few words, so she looked at Anna in more confusion, her delicate eyebrows frowning. Free tuition? Anna almost broke the window with her scream. Mommy! Tammy dug her ear discontentedly, Youre scaring me! Whats going on? Anna murmured in disbelief, Why are you admitted by Blue Castle Kindergarten? Do you know Blue Castle? Tammy shook her head nkly. Anna patted on her head, Well, of course you dont know about it. Anna grew up in Birmingham and was familiar with all the well-known schools in the city. Blue Castle Kindergarten was the most expensive luxury school in Birmingham. It was like the Hermes bags in all the fashion industry. It was the top kindergarten that only the richest kids could get into The tuition fee alone was a hundred thousand dors, let alone the cost of clothes, food and school activities. No one would dare to send their kids to this ce they didnt have about four hundred grand in their pockets. I can go to such a good kindergarten without paying? Tammy blinked and also feit +25 Points 25 An Invitation Card confused. But I didnt even apply for it. How did they have your personal information? Anna frowned and felt this was too weird, Could it be your god mother? Peace Brooks had a lot of friends. She had suggested that Tammy should go to a good private school and proposed to cover Tammys tuition fee. But Anna refused her. Did she do it without telling Anna anyway? Then she called Peace to confirm her guess, and Peace was also blown away by the news. Blue Caste? How would I do that to you? Sister, youre thinking too highly of me. I couldve pulled some strings and got Tammy admitted by the kindergarten. But the problem is that you werent willing to use my money. And I was afraid that you couldnt afford the fee there by yourself. I wouldnt do that. What? Its free? You dont need to pay anything? Am I having an illusion? Youve just hit the jackpot! Anna couldnt bear Peaces loud screaming and had to put the phone away from her ear, OK, Ive got it. Its not you. Ill hang up now. I need to think about it. Have you hooked up with a rich man or what? Peace suddenly made a joke with Anna before she hung up. Annas words suddenly lit up a sparkle in her mind. Could it be? Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The only person who was so rich and powerful and had a reason to help was that man. After hesitation, she dialed that number in her phone. Hello? Mr. Wright Sorry to bother you sote. She couldnt think of anyone else who would spend almost a million dors without hesitation except Wayne Wright. Wayne answered coldly, What do you want to say? It may sound presumptuous, but I couldnt think of anyone else. Ive just received an admission letter from Blue Castle Bilingual Kindergarten. Did you do this for me? Yeah. Yeah? That was all he could say? Anna got into a muddle, What? Why? You saved Matthew. Its a little favor. You deserve it. This favor is too much for me. I cant ept it. All that I did was to make a phone call. But Anna didnt know how to exin what she was upset about. She hemmed and hawed for a while, but she just couldnt find the right words. She was afraid that she would sound too ungrateful and annoying. Is there anything else you want to say? Wayne asked impatiently. 25 Points 25 An Invitation Card No Then Ill hung up. I still have some work to do. Then Anna heard the busy signal in the phone. She looked at the phone in a daze and suddenly felt morose. Anna thought, Whats wrong with this man? If he wants to help me, at least he should ask what I need. If he was willing to help her about that private kindergarten and let the government approve Tammys admission, she wouldve sincerely thanked him. But why does it have to be Blue Castle? Though he has solved the problem of the fee, how can Tammy get adapted to the kindergarten that is full of rich kids? Who the hell does he think he is? Anna sat on the sofa angrily, What was he thinking? Getting you into Blue Castle? Does Blue Castle belong to him? Tammy was eavesdropping beside Anna and basically understood what had happened. Secretly feeling pleased, she said gleefully, Maybe because that uncle likes me. He thought that I was cute, so he helped me to get into the kindergarten. Maybe I will be his daughter in the future. Whats wrong with helping his daughter? Stop the nonsense! Anna patted on her bottom, I havent punished you for what you did in that Japanese restaurant. Dont push my button! Im in a bad mood now! Tammy twitched her mouth and murmured, Its not nonsense! All sorts of signs show that the uncle is very concerned about mommy. As the old grandpa said, Uncle Wright never cared about women. Treating mommy differently must be the first sign of love! Tammy was immersed in the joy of getting close of sess. She looked at her mom, who was still sighing and mourning, and felt that her mom somehow didnt meet her expectation. Mommy, when will you be more brave and smarter? How can you eat delicious food and put those women to shame and then marry into a wealthy family if you dont try hard enough? Anna, feeling gloomy, impatiently threw that pile of documents on the side table. Along with the p sound, she identally swept all the magazines and newspapers to the carpet. A touch of dazzling red color suddenly caught Annas eyes. It flew from the pile of magazines and fell on the top of her feet. She was busy looking at the admission letter of Blue Castle and didnt even notice it. She bent to pick it up and frowned after ncing at it. It was an invitation card of an engagement party, Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Broom-to-be, Jacob Palmer, and Bride-to-be, Lilian Hart sincerely invite Anna Gabriel to join them in celebration of their engagement. The italic letters on the cover were particrly conspicuous. There were cartoon images of the two on the inner page. Anna held the corner of the invitation card, with no enthusiasm in her eyes. On second thought, it was not surprising for them to get engaged. Last time when Anna met Lilian in the elevator, she saw the ring that was invaluable to her on Lilians finger. What was surprising was that they dared to send this invitation card to her. Anna leaned back on the sofa and smiled sarcastically. She could still feel a pain in her heart when she thought about that thing five years ago. If it werent for Jacob Palmer and Lilian Hart, she wouldnt end up living like this. It was said that ones life was neverplete without falling in love with a douchebag. What was more, if a friendship couldnt be considered asplete without her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend, Anna thought that her life couldnt be moreplete. Atst, she threw the card under the side table and never looked at it again. If you identally step on the dogs poop, will you get closer to it and smell whether it is stinky or not? The next day, Anna was going to think about the anniversary event n, but she was woken up by the doorbell on the morning of the weekend. She opened the door to see a man and a woman. The man was handsome and looked stable, and the woman was pretty and gentle. They both wore a neat suit with a briefcase in one hand. Sorry, we dont need insurance service. Anna sighed impatiently and was about to close the door. The woman said hurriedly, Are you Ms. Gabriel? We are the management assistants of Blue Castle Kindergarten. Anna opened her eyes wide in astonishment. The woman smiled and reached out her hand, Im Eleanor Hudson, and hes Patrick Craig. This is only a routine home visit before Tammy enters the kindergarten in order to get to know her habits, daily routine and medical history and so on. Five minutester, Anna walked out of the bathroom and embarrassedly looked at the man and the woman sitting by the side table. Sorry, I dont know you have the tradition of home visit. Eleanor still said in a gentle manner, It is written on the admission letter. Maybe you havent had time to read it yet. 1 Anna looked awkwardly at the scattered documents on the table, To be honest, I have read only half of it because Im not going to send my daughter to your kindergarten. Not going to? Eleanor couldnt believe what she just heard, Is there anything about our school that youre dissatisfied about? No no no Anna hadnt even been to Blue Castle Kindergarten. She continued, I just think that Tammy isnt suitable for the environment in Blue Castle. Well, obviously, you can tell it at the sight of my ce. She naturally pointed at the room. Peaces apartment had two bedrooms and a living room. It was about 1200 square feet and spacious enough for them to live in. But the whole apartment maybe was only as big as a bedroom of the family that could afford the cost of Blue Castle Kindergarten. If that is what youre worried about, I dont think it is necessary. Eleanor pushed the sses on the bridge of her nose and looked relived. She smiled and said, As you know, you dont need to pay the tuition fee. You dont need to pay for anything after Tammy enters our kindergarten. This is what Mr. Wright ordered. I really dont need Wayne Wrights reward was too big for her, which was exactly the reason why she resolutely refused it. Ms. Gabriel, I dont think any other school will be more attractive to you than us. The man sitting beside Eleanor suddenly said in a low voice. He opened the ck folder in his hands without hurry and said, Our kindergarten has been cooperating with Presbyterian Hospital. Their best pediatricians all provide medical service in our school. For example, Doctor Carey Turturro work here. You can google her on the Inte. Annas eyelids twitched when she heard Presbyterian Hospital. Then she was totally stunned when she heard the name of Doctor Carey Turturro, What did you just say? We have known a little about Tammys medical history. Congenital asthma still cant bepletely cured now, which is still aplicated problem in the world, so we cant guarantee that we can cure Tammys disease. But Doctor Turturro is an expert in this field. If Tammy enters our kindergarten, we could let Doctor Turturro treat her. The mans voice echoed in the living room. Annas eyes lit up as if she had just caught a life-saving straw.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Anna decided to take Tammy back to treat her asthma because the doctors in other countries didnt know how to treat her. And Tammys condition worsened and worsened. Then she thought that maybe she should try herbal medicine. It was said that Doctor Carey Turturro was the most famous pediatrician for treating asthma. She asked a lot of people and finally heard that she retired and came back to Birmingham, which was the reason why she came back here too. After looking for the doctor for so long, she didnt expect that she was hired by the Blue Castle Kindergarten. She began to waver in her resolution. Well, Ms. Gabriel, if youre not sure about us, you can let Tammy stay in our kindergarten for a few days first to see for herself. If theres something youre not satisfied about, you can then make the decision to leave. We will rmend you to other kindergartens that youre interested in. Do you think that will work? Eleanor said so sincerely that Anna couldnt refuse her. Anna felt that though the two didnt sell insurance, they were smoother talkers than those insurance salesmen. Okay, okay. I can have a try. I have nothing to lose, Anna thought, If Doctor Turturro cant heal Tammy, I can leave the school. Besides, they can make a rmendation for us. Then we can directly go to that private kindergarten that I was going to apply for. Eleanor and Patrick asked about Tammys basic information before they closed the deal. Then they left Annas apartment and got into a car. As the car went out of the neighborhood, they made a phone call, Mr. Wright, we have settled everything that you offered. Yeah, we first signed a contract with Doctor Turturro. u We will take good care of the children. You dont need to worry. After Wayne hung up the phone, the CEO office of Carousel Group had fallen into silence again. Wayne looked at the medical history form and thought of Tammys cute bright-pink face, finding it impossible to connect her with asthma. If it werent for Annas reluctancest night to let Tammy go to Blue Castle, he wouldnt have thought of finding out the reason why she was so anxious to find a kindergarten. At first, he thought that she was too demanding. But it turned out that she was only taking Tammys health condition into consideration. While he was thinking, he heard a knock on the door. Come in. Ada, with two cups of coffer in her hands, walked in, Wayne, Ive bought Americano for you. I know you like it. What are you doing here at this time of the day? He looked drily at her. Arent we going to tell Grandpa about our marriage tonight? Im a little nervous. Ada pursed her lips and looked a little shy. Didnt you often go there before we decided to get married? Wayne wouldnt cooperate with her and quickly stripped away her lie. Ada was embarrassed, but she still brazened it out, Honey, I was helping you to fake our rtionship before. But now that it is true, I will certainly feel worried. Wayne, what do you think of my clothes today? Are they appropriate? Will grandpa like them? Wayne didnt even look at her, Whatever. Wayne. Ada walked closer to him. She seemed to be dissatisfied and was about to lose her temper. But suddenly she saw a copy of a medical record on the table from the corner of her eye. The name Tammy Gabriel was quite conspicuous on the paper. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Who is Tammy Gabriel? Ada blurted out the question. Wayne nced at her and answered indifferently, The daughter of one of the employees. Why do you need to read the medical record of an employees daughter? Which employee? On hearing Adas words, Wayne closed the documents he was reading and put it on that medical record. He asked in a tone that brooked no argument, Do I need to tell you each and every thing that I do? Ada looked stunned, No, I didnt mean that. Its just a casual question. You have too many questions. Wayne said impatiently, I still have a lot of things to do. We will have dinner with grandpa. We can directly go there. Ill arrive on time. He was suggesting that she should leave now. Ada immediately regretted that she had asked too many questions without thinking. She wanted to say something to make Wayne feel better, but he still looked very impatient, so she found an excuse and left the office. However, before she left, she somehow repeated Tammy Gabriel in her heart. Wayne took the initiative to help you get into the kindergarten? In the house of the Wright family, the old man was holding the phone and said energetically, He has already tried to help your mom. Its faster than I expected. It seems that our n works well. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The voice on the end of the phone was very childish, Grandpa, thank you for telling me Uncle Wrights location. Otherwise, I couldnt let mommy and Uncle Wright run into each other in the restaurant. I think thats because your mommy is really outstanding and special. There are few women that Wayne is concerned for. So you mean that mommy stands a chance of marrying Uncle Wright? Not a chance. Many chances. While they were chatting happily, the butler walked inside and reminded him, Sir, the young master and Miss Xavier have arrived. The old man said happily, OK, Wayne hase back. Ill take the chance to ask him what he thinks about it. Ill call you again, little Tammy. Okay. Goodbye, grandpa. The cheerful voice in the phone had pleased the old man. He smiled for a long time after he hung up the phone. I really like that little girl, Tammy. If her mom marries into our family, our family will be lively. And Matthew will have apanion. Sir, arent you worried that the one who has her own child wont care enough about other peoples child? Havent you seen them in that Japanese restaurant? Tammy had a great time with Matthew, and her mom was attentive to him. The butler was a little rxed when they talked about that day in the Japanese restaurant. The old man wasnt surprised that Wayne brought Ada home. Since he urged Wayne to get married five years ago, Wayne would take her back once in a while to shield himself from his urging. At first, the old man thought they were really in a rtionship. But after a long time, he knew that she was only his buckler. Why doesnt Matthewe back with you? The old man asked about Matthew at the dinner table. Thinking of Matthews naughty behavior at home, Wayne slightly frowned and said, He has a bad temper recently. I was afraid that he would annoy you. The only one who will annoy me is you. The old man shot an angry nce at him and said in a dissatisfied tone, How can he have a good temper staying with a bunch of servants every day instead of a mother? If you dont get married soon and find him a mother, he will possibly be a Hooray Henry. And thats all your fault. At this moment, Wayne put down the fork and knife. I have considered about it. Youre right, Grandpa, so Ive decided to get married. Get married? Before the old man started getting excited, Wayne continued, Sol bring Ada home to have a talk with you. What? The old mans face changed, You mean you want to get married to her? His face darkened. Wayne couldnt understand him, frowning, and said, Ada has been with me for many years. If you want me to get married, then Ill do it. Wait a minute. The old man was a little confused. He thought for a while and calmed down, What about Matthew? Has Matthew agreed with your marriage? Wayne answered resolutely, The thing that I considered mainly about was Matthews opinion. Thats impossible. The old man was livid with rage and said frankly in front of Ada, I dont agree with it. I wont say yes unless Matthewes to me and tells me that he agrees with it. Wayne was a little surprised. He thought that grandpa would be happy if he told him that he would get married. Why was he so angry? Adas face turned purple with anger, but she didnt dare to show it. She tried to constrain her temper and said softly, Grandpa, I will take good care of Matthew after we get he grew up. The old man nced at her and snorted coldly. He looked at the butler who was standing by him, Henry, I want you to get Matthew here in person. The old mansion wasnt far away from where Wayne lived. It only took half an hour for the butler to go there to pick up Matthew ande back. Matthew flinched when he walked inside and saw Ada. He was a little timid. The old man waved to him and said benignly, Matthew,e here. Come to great grandpa. Matthew finally ran to the old man. Your father told me that you wanted a mother. Is that true? Matthew shook his head, but when he glimpsed at Ada from the corner of his eye, he shivered and nodded. Wayne was astonished at Matthews reaction. Matthew is too small to understand this kind of things. But he knows who is good to him. Ada said and pped her hands, smiling softly, Come here, Matthew,e to auntie. Matthew unconsciously shrank behind the old man. The old man took it all in. He looked at Ada coldly, Youre wrong. Kids can understand much more things that we expect. The way youmunicate with them will determine what kind of people they will be. Ada forced a smile on her face and said awkwardly, Yes, grandpa. Ill pay attention to the way I speak in the future. The old man didnt say more negative things. He looked at Wayne, Youre thirty years old now. You didnt hurry to get married before. Why do you have to be in such a hurry now? You have to think through everything before getting married. We should discuss this at some other time. The old man has clearly expressed his disagreement. What else is left to discuss? Ada almost dug her fingernails into her palms. However, Wayne seemed to have no special feelings about it. All the people ended up in a bad mood after the dinner. Ada was supposed to leave with Wayne, but grandpa let her go first because he had something to say to Wayne. That cranky old man obviously wont agree with me marrying Wayne. All of my efforts of going to the mansion to visit him have all gone in vain. Ada pounded the seat the moment she got into the car. The driver said, Ada, dont be angry. The old man cant change anything if Mr. Wright insists on it. Dont you know about Mr. Wrights personality? When his grandfather forced him to get married and have a child a few years ago, he just randomly had a child with some stranger and then took Matthew back. Judging from this, I dont think Mr. Wright cares about his grandfathers opinion. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The drivers words had reminded Ada. She thought, Wayne always goes in his own way no matter what other people say. He seemingly obeys his grandfather, but privately he still does what he pleases, which means that all I need to do is to make sure that Wayne doesnt change his mind. That night, Wayne and Matthew stayed in the mansion. Wayne thought that grandfather had something to tell him, but he suddenly answered a phone call and waved to the servants to let them clean up a room for Wayne and Matthew. Then he locked himself in the study. Has grandpa been busy recently? Wayne looked at the butler suspiciously. The butler answered calmly and unhurriedly, Mr. Wright has beenmunicating a lot with his friend. I dont know much about the details. Sir, you can go back to your room first. Mr. Wright wille outside after he finishes the call. However, grandfather didnt hang up the phone until midnight. Wayne read a whole book for Matthew while waiting for grandfather. Then Matthew fell asleep, and he kept yawning, realizing that it had already been eleven oclock. He didnt wait anymore and went to sleep. Anna got up in the middle of the night to drink water. Standing in the living room, she saw that Tammys room was still lit up. She frowned and walked over. Then she heard Tammys voice in the room, You have never told me about this person. Thats too complicated. If you had told me, I wouldnt let my mommy go. Tooplicated. Anna directly opened the door and asked her in dissatisfaction, Tammy? What are you doing in the middle of the night? You shouldve been asleep now. Tammy hurriedly hung up the phone and turned around in fear. She rolled her eyes and said, Nothing. I was just talking to my godmother. On hearing this, Annas eyes were lit up. She said, Really? I happen to have something to say to her. Give me the phone and let me talk to her. No. Tammy hid the phone behind her, Ive hung up. She said she was going to sleep. What? Anna was a little disappointed, but she wasnt suspicious about Tammys words. Well, you should go to bed now. Do you know what time it is now? Children should go to bed early. I know. Tammy nodded. With her brows knitted, she seemed to be worried, Mommy, I have just learned a bad news? Do you want me to tell you? Annas face changed. She asked, Did Peace fight with her client again? Unlike her name, Peace wasnt peaceful at all. She had a hot temper and an agile body. She would frequently fight with the customers who couldnt y well with her, so Anna suddenly became nervous. No. Tammy quickly shook her head, Its not about Peace. Its about you. Me? Anna pointed at her nose. Yeah. Tammy nodded and sighed with a long face, Mommy, I think your second marriage is finished. My second marriage? Anna asked with a totalck ofprehension. I heard that your boss, Uncle Wright, is going to get married. Anna was slightly surprised by Tammys words. It was widely spread in thepany that Wayne Wright was going to marry Ada Xavier. The rumor with a lot of details seemed to be true. Besides, Ada frequently came to the groups headquarter recently, totally ignoring the rumors in thepany. Wayne Wright didnt make any effort to exin about it. Everybody took it as a sign that they did n to get married. But what did Wayne Wrights marriage have to do with Anna? What are you talking about? Uncle Wright is handsome and rich. He is definitely a prince charming. If you can marry into his family, I can go with you and eat all the delicious food and enjoy the luxury life. Look. Hes going to get married with other woman because you didnt seize the chance. Anna finally understood that Tammy hadnt given up on finding a husband for her. Amused and annoyed, she softly poked her finger on Tammys forehead and said, Whats exactly in your little head? Whether he gets married or not has nothing to do with me. He is my boss. And only my boss. Stop daydreaming. Go to sleep now. Tammy quietly climbed into her bed, upset about the missed opportunity. Shaking her head helplessly, Anna turned off the light and closed the door. After that, Anna gradually prepared all the things that Tammy would need in the kindergarten. She decided to send her to the kindergarten on next Monday morning. Blue Castle was quite different from other kindergartens. She was still worried that Tammy couldnt get adapted to the new environment. Coincidentally, Wayne also picked this day to send Matthew to school. I thought Matthew did well with tutors teaching him at home. Why do you suddenly decide to let him go to the kindergarten? Ada asked a seemingly random question in the car. Since Wayne told her about his n to get married, she became more and moreisant. She regrly went to Waynes house and Carousel Group. After she heard that Matthew was going to school today, she specially came to Waynes home early in the morning to stay with him, as if she cared a lot about Matthew. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Communicating with more people can be helpful for his recovery. Wayne answered in a cold tone. If Matthew hadnt insisted on go to the kindergarten, he wouldnt really send him to school. There were too many people in the school, which meant that there could be too much trouble for him. And he wouldnt have enough time to deal with the problems in the future. If Matthew wants to y with other children, we can have more children in the future. He will have younger brothers and sisters. Matthew paled on hearing the words and cowered in the child seat with the little drawing board in his arms, thinking, The children of the wicked woman must also be wicked. Wayne also frowned and said, I dont n to have more children for the time being. Im happy enough to have Matthew. Feeling embarrassed, Ada turned pale and then green. She thought, What does he mean? So he doesnt want to have a child with me after we get married? It was a little awkward in the car. Fortunately, the school wasnt far away from home, and they had already arrived at the destination. The driver opened the door for them. Wayne took Matthews hand and led him to the gate of the kindergarten. After a few steps, Matthew suddenly threw away Waynes hand and ran at full speed to a woman. Anna was talking to Eleanor Hudson, the management assistant, who came to wee her and Tammy. Suddenly, she felt that someone grabbed her shank. She lowered her head and saw a cute face. It turned out that Matthew was holding her legs, pouting to her with grievance. Matthew, said Anna, squatting, Do you also study in this kindergarten? Why do you look unhappy? Feeling sleepy? Matthew shook his head sadly. Beside them was Tammy, feeling rather excited. She immediately grabbed Matthews hands and said, Will you alsoe here to study? Great! Then Ill have a friend here. You can count on me in the future! Wayne and Ada walked to them side by side. Having seen that Matthew was very familiar with Anna and Tammy, Ada stared at Annas face for a long time, feeling that she had met this woman before. Miss Xavier. Anna quickly stood up when she saw Ada and said, Nice to meet you. Do you know me? Ada frowned. Everyone knows you. Ada Xavier, the best actress. Anna smiled. Besides, I led the employees to greet you when you stayed in Carousel Hotelst time. Do you work in Carousel? Ada asked in surprise. She suddenly thought of something and asked, Is yourst name Gabriel? Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Anna didnt feel anything wrong about the question. She nodded and said happily, I cant believe you still remember me. Ada ignored her and kept asking, Whats your daughters name? Adas eyes fell upon Tammy. She looked at her cute pink face, suddenly seized by fear. Why did this little girl look a little like Wayne? Thats impossible. The voice in her mind reminded her. Im Tammy Gabriel. You can call me Tam. Tammy suddenly broke in their conversation. She looked up, and her eyes roamed over Ada. Tammy Gabriel? Ada clenched her hands when she heard the name. She thought of that medical record that she saw in Waynes office that and felt more suspicious. Then she directly asked, Why do you take your mothersst name? Tammy turned around to look at her mommy, looking confused. It was normal that Anna didnt feel anything wrong when Ada asked her daughters name. But now that Ada was asking about her privacy, only fools would still take it as a normal question. She immediately pulled Tammy behind her and said coldly, Tammy is still small, and I have never exined this kind of thing to her. She cant understand your question. Besides, we are in the 21st century. No matter whosest name she takes, no one will feel weird about it. Ada was slightly stunned. She was more displeased especially when she saw that Matthew hid behind the woman and seemed to like her a lot. She said harshly, Its certainly not a problem whosest name she takes. I just wonder how Miss Gabriel, a manager-in-training, can afford to send your daughter to such a luxury kindergarten as Blue Castle. This is not a school for ordinary people. I guess you must have a rich husband. I really cant think of another reason. Anna was embarrassed. She didnt think she had offended Ada before. But Ada sounded aggressive and managed to hit her soft spot with only one sentence. Ada was right. She didnt have the power to send Tammy here, so she could only stood there silently. This is her private matter. Wayne suddenly interrupted and saved Anna from embarrassment. He shot an angry nce at Ada, Does everyone have to make a report to you about how they get their kids here? You have been sticking your nose where it doesnt belong too often recently. Ada paled on hearing Waynes words because Wayne spoke up for this woman and humiliated her in front of other people. Wayne, I only did it for Matthew. She tried to save her face, I was afraid that all kinds of people would come to the school, and I thought I should ask more questions to make sure that there werent evil people here. Dont bother. Wayne said coldly without looking at her, You can go back to the car. Ill take Matthew inside. The doorman wouldnt let Ada in after Wayne, the parent of the students, said so, which was a rule in Blue Castle. Wayne! Ada stood outside the gate and stamped her feet with anger. She watched Wayne and Anna walk into the gate, neither of them looking back. Ada now looked vivid. Tammy and Matthew walked in front of the two adults. When Tammy looked back and saw the angry expressions on Adas face, she squeezed her shoulders back and whispered to Matthew, Matthew, do you really like that woman? I think shes a little scary. Since that old grandpa told her that Wayne was going to get married to Ada Xavier, she googled Ada, who was as beautiful as a goddess in the pictures on the Inte. But now when Tammy saw her in person, she secretly curled her lips and thought, She just looks more fashionable than mom. But look at her face and how mean she looks when she talks. She cant beat mommy in any part. Uncle Wright really has a poor taste. Matthew suddenly shook his head in agitation. You dont like her? Tammy was surprised by him, And you still want her to be your stepmom? Matthew shook his head more intensely. So you mean you dont want her to be your stepmom? Tammys eyes were suddenly lit up. Matthew nodded. Well, Tammys eyes widened, What about my mom? Would you prefer my mom to be your stepmom? My mommy and I can cook really delicious food. Matthew nodded vigorously. Tammy so was happy that she almost jumped up. She seemed to see the silver lining in the clouds of theplicated situation. She earnestly held Matthews hands, blinking her big eyes, and said to Matthew, From now on, you are my brother. Rest assured, Ill cover you and wont let any other one bully you as long as Im here. If I can eat the delicious food, I wont let you eat the leftovers. OK? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Matthew nodded and suddenly shook his head. He wrote something on his drawing board and showed it to her. Tammy hadnt learned many words. She frowned and asked, Matthew, what did you write? Matthew turned around and trotted to Wayne. He put the drawing board in Waynes hands, pointing to the board and then to Tammy. He meant that he wanted Wayne to read the words out loud. After looking at the board, Wayne took a weird look at Matthew. Seeing that Matthew was grasping the corner of his clothes and shaking it and looking anxious, Wayne could only frown and utter the words, My family is rich. We can both eat the delicious food. No leftovers. Matthew, did you write this? (U Matthew took a cold nce at him and took away his board, not talking anymore. Then he walked to Tammy and blinked to her. Tammy beamed with joy and nodded to Matthew happily, Yeah, right. Hahahaha. Wayne looked at the two kids and couldnt understand their strange behaviors. However, in his opinion, kids behavior wasnt worth thinking over, so he ignored them. Having a lot on her mind along the way, Anna was finally woken up by the two noisy kids. She hesitated and finally said to Wayne, Mr. Wright, thank you for helping Tammy and letting her study here. With eyes forward, Wayne said deadpan, You dont need to think too much about it. Ive seen that Matthew get along well with Tammy. She is actually Matthews first friend, so as a father, I want Tammy to be hispanion in the kindergarten. After hearing this, Anna was speechless. So he paid so much money and let Tammy study here only because he wanted Tammy to be his sons studying partner. Rich people can really do whatever they want. If it werent for Doctor Turturro here, I would never agree to send Tammy here. But now I have no choice. Anna walked behind Wayne and clenched her fists so angrily that they rattled. Whats that sound? Wayne suddenly turned around to look at her. She loosened her hands and put a wide smile on her face, What sound? I didnt hear anything. Wayne looked down and said calmly, Really? Maybel misheard. The admission procedures had long been finished, and the two kids were taken away by the management assistant and went to their ss. Anna came into the kindergarten with Tammy because she wanted to take a look of the ce. So did Wayne. However, Anna didnt have as much time as him. She had to arrive at thepany before nine oclock, so she walked at a fast speed. She took a quick glimpse of the y area and was about to leave when she suddenly heard a voice questioning something. And she stopped walking. No safety measures have been taken on the swing set. Wayne looked at the assistant who was following them and said in a deep tone, Are you sure this is safe? Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Eleanor, the beautiful assistant, quickly answered seriously, The swing isnt high, and there are soft cushions underneath. There has never been a swing-rted safety incident in the kindergarten before. Wayne pointed to the swing frame, looking displeased, The fact that no idents happened before doesnt mean there is no safety concern. Then Wayne turned around and looked to the rainbow-color running racetrack solemnly, And the running racetrack. The corner of the track hasnt beenpletely covered by the rubber, and you havent removed all the weeds. Children tend to forget about everything when they y. What if a poisonous snake appears in the weeds? Eleanor went pale, not knowing how to answer the criticize. Thave never met a more difficult parent in Blue Castle before. I mean look at those weeds. They are not as high to reach my ankle! I think its alright. A clear female voice suddenly broke the silence. Anna walked down from the hallway to them. Tam once fell off the swing, breaking her arm. But I dont take it as a bad thing. She gently looked at Wayne as if she thought of something warm, Because she would cling to the rope every time she yed on the swing after that and has never fallen off the swing since then. Even when I sat on the swing, she would tell me, Mommy, remember to hold on to the rope. Kids will learn and grow. Wayne was a little relieved by Annas words. He stared at Anna for a long time with aplicated look. Eleanor said carefully to him, Mr. Wright, if youre still worried about the safety issue, we will remove the swing set. Then well cover all the parts of the racetrack with rubber and pull out all the weeds. Wayne pondered for a while and said in a deep voice, Forget it. If there is anything wrong with Matthew, just call me as soon as possible. Eleanor was finally relived. She cast a grateful nce at Anna before responded, Sure, Mr. Wright. Ill go back and give a report to the principle. It was still early. Anna took a deep breath and sat on the swing. Mr. Wright, I didnt expect that you are willing to take other peoples advice. Wayne looked up and saw the sunlight on Annas face. She slightly narrowed her eyes in the sunlight, which were sparkling with pleasure and a little tease. Surprisingly, he wasnt averse to her reaction. Then he stated, In your opinion, Im an arbitrary man who wont listen to anyone. Anna denied in a ttery tone, Absolutely no. Everyone knows that youre a young and promising leader. How can I think you as an arbitrary tyrant? Tyrant? Waynes eyes narrowed. Ahem Anna suddenly realized that she had said her secret thoughts out loud and quickly changed the topic, I just think that kids also need their own space. Really? Wayne asked with an inquiring look. Anna exined, Its alright if a child has a mild injury. We cant stay at home forever only because of the fear of the world outside. You shouldnt keep Matthew in a safe bubble. He cant see the sunlight outside, and he will never know what kind of life he wants. But we are born to live in our own unique way, arent we? These words suddenly hitWaynes heart. The sentence we are born to live in our own unique way echoed in his mind. Seeing that Wayne looked strange, Anna asked him carefully, Is it possible that youre so nervous because Matthew cant talk? Wayne fixed his eyes at Annas face, his eyes deep as the ocean. Sorry. Anna quickly zipped her lips and said, Emmm. I know I shouldnt ask this question. I forgot it just now. Sorry. She looked at the watch on her wrist and stood up from the swing. Itste now. I have to go to work. See you, Mr. Wright. Matthew is reluctant to speak, and its all my fault. There suddenly came a deep voice full of guilt from behind, stopping Annas hasty steps. She turned around in surprise. Wayne Wright didnt look like someone who would casually talk about his family with others, not to mention talking about Matthews speaking problem. Do you mean that Matthew can talk, but he is just unwilling to? She asked tentatively. Wayne slightly nodded with aplicated look on his face, Matthew is a smart Ikid, he could already say a lot of words when he was two years old. But he suddenly stopped talking after a high fever. ording to the doctors examination, neither of his vocal cords nor his nerve system was hurt. He just wouldnt talk. The doctor said that it was a psychological problem. Psychological problem? Anna felt sorry for Matthew, Has he experienced anything bad? Wayne looked more guilty and sighed, I dont know. He med himself more for his ignorance. Matthew suddenly had a high fever with no reason, and no one knew what happened to him that night. The servants who shouldve taken care of Matthew in the mansion also had no idea. That was why he wanted to take Matthew away from grandfather, he had decided to take care of Matthew himself. Wayne furrowed his brows and looked remorseful, which surprised Anna. No wonder youre so nervous about Matthew now. But the past is the past. You dont need to me yourself for it. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna realized that her littlefort didnt work, and Wayne still looked upset. She immediately regretted hitting his sore spot and felt uneasy. Is he going to cry because I minded him of his sad story? Mr. Wright, have you ever yed a swing? Anna wanted to get Waynes mind out of the regrets. Wayne looked at her, confused. And before he could realize it, Anna pulled him over then forced him to sit on the swing. You can forget all your trouble when you swing. Mr. Wright, just sit on it. Let me push you. I dont need that. Its alright. Mr. Wright, I know Ive made you sad. All you need to do is sit here. Anna. Gabriel. Wayne twitched his mouth and uttered the words through his teeth, Stop it. Now. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 At first, Anna thought that Wayne refused to y because he didnt want to trouble her, so she kept telling him that it was alright. After pushing the swing for a few rounds, she finally sensed the anger and reluctance in his tone. He said, Anna Gabriel. Stop it. Now. She quickly let go of the rope, WhatWhats wrong? Wayne stepped on the ground and controlled the swinging ropes, his expensive leather shoes leaving two skid marks on the ground. He turned around and red at Anna, said word by word, Did I say I want to swing? Didnt you just think it was not safe? You should try it for Matthew. Anna still hadnt realized what a wrong thing she had done and said naturally, Besides, staying with a child means ying the things they like. Havent you yed with Matthew before? And thats the reason why you think I should swing right here right now? He stared at Anna with annoyance in his eyes. Anna looked at Wayne up and down in confusion. Then the smile on her face froze. His suit was certainly ipatible with the colorful swing. Besides, she was busy thinking about comforting him and totally forgot how cold and scary he usually looked. And she just put the cold scary CEO on a childrens toy Well, ahem I suddenly remember that Im in a hurry. I need to go to work. II must go now. Anna pretended to look at her watch and took a few steps back, quickly running away. As Anna ran out of his sight, the anger on Waynes face gradually faded. It seemed that his face was lit up and there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes when he put his fingers on the ropes after making sure there was no one around. Anna didnt stop running until she stepped out of the gate. Then she stood there to catch her breath with her hands on her chest, embarrassed and frightened. She thought, That was close. If I stayed there for a few more minutes, I would be killed by Wayne Wrights sharp eyes. Ms. Gabriel, did youe outside alone? Anna raised her head and saw that Ada Xavier who just walked out of Wayne Wrights MPV was giving her a hostile stare with arms folded. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Frowning, she thought of the aggressive words that Ada said to Tammy, which had aroused antagonism in her body, so she only nodded and snorted drily. Then she waved her hand by the street to get a taxi. I suppose you must know that Im going to marry Wayne, do you? It seemed that Ada didnt want to let her go so easily. Anna could only turn around and answered, The rumor is all over thepany. Its impossible that I dont know about it. Thats great. Ada stroked her hair and raised her chin loftily, Though we havent made an official announcement, we will hold a press conference soon. Our marriage will be a sensational news in our whole country. If anyone still holds the delusion that she could do something to our rtionship in this period of time, she should be prepared to get spat on by millions of people. Dont forget that old saying, Many go out for wool ande home shorn Mr. Xavier, I think you have worried too much. Anna pretended that she didnt understand what Ada said in order to evade a conflict, I dont quite understand what you said. However, Ada wouldnt y along and directly said in a cold tone, I meant I wanted you to stay away from Wayne. Ada had known Wayne for over six years. She had never seen him care about any woman. Once she thought that this could her advantage. Since he wasnt interested in women, all she had to do was to upy the position of Mrs. Wright so that she could obtain everything she wanted. Besides, she didnt even need to worry that he would like another woman. But this woman in front of her managed to make Wayne willing to solve her daughters education problem in person. This was too weird. Now the gloves were off once Ada said so. Anna took a deep breath and clenched her fists. She said angrily, Miss Xavier, I suggest that you take back what you said. Why? Ada snorted coldly, Do you feel guilty? Do you think that every woman around Mr. Wright would like to seduce him so that they can get his money? I think nine out of ten will do so. Who knows what was on your mind when you saved Matthew? Or can you tell me how you, a manager in training, was able to send your daughter to Blue Castle? You just wanted to make more chances to get closer to Wayne. Im no stranger to the filthy thoughts of you people. I have seen a lot of women like you. Seeing that Adas mind was full of evil thoughts and listening to her acerbic words, Anna asked with a dark face, A woman like me? Yes. A shameless woman who achieves her goal by seducing rich men. Ada twitched her mouth and sneered at Anna, Im warning you now. Dont cast your greedy eyes on the man and the things that dont belong to you. Otherwise, you need to be careful about your daughter. Annas hands clenched involuntarily when she heard Adas words. She said, Miss Xavier, you are responsible for what you said. Im not interested in Mr. Wright at all. All your suspicion is only an illusion because of nervousness. When Ada was about to say something more, she saw from the corner of her eye that a man she was quite familiar with came out of the kindergarten. She immediately put a bright smile on her face and turned around to greet him, Wayne, why are you sote? I got held up. Wayne looked at her perfunctorily and then looked at Anna, who was standing behind Ada. He asked, I have some work to do at the hotel. Are you going with me? . Ada had already warned her. If she didnt keep a distance from Wayne Wright now, Ada would take her action as a deliberate provocation. She didnt want to make any trouble, so she shook her head quickly, No, Ill take a taxi. Wayne didnt insist. He got into the car with Ada and went to the hotel. Ada kept staring at Wayne on the way and saw that he seemed to be in a good mood. She was more and more suspicious that something happened in the kindergarten. I She carefully asked, Wayne, I know Ms. Gabriel saved Matthew, but dont you think that you have been too kind to her? Looking out of the window at the street, Wayne said unemotionally, Have I? You are Ehinking too much. It must be you who made the arrangement to get her daughter into Blue Castle. Waynes face darkened. He looked at the driver and said coldly, ? Gabe has been more and more careless in hiring people. Go to the ounting department this afternoon to clear your sry. You dont need toe tomorrow. Mr. Wright. The driver panicked, ISorry. I asked him first. Ada hurriedly exined, It just came out of my mouth. I didnt mean anything. Why are you so serious about it? Will you admit now that you care too much about Anna Gabriel? Ive told you, said Wayne in an annoyed tone, ncing at her impatiently, You are thinking too much. Really? I just think I dont care what you think. Wayne shot a warning nce at her, If you wont stop talking about this topic, you can get out of the car now. You have had too many questionstely. Ada closed her mouth. Her hands unconsciously gripped on the purse on her knee, her knuckles white. She had an instinct that Anna Gabriel was definitely not that simple. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Wayne looked out of the window, but he wasnt in a mood to appreciate the street scenes. Adas words had reminded him. Thinking back on his behaviors during this time, he suddenly realized that he did treat Anna Gabriel differently. Was it because she saved Matthew? No, that was not all. His assistant, Gabe, and the butler had already shown thanks to her. It was not part of his n to help her daughter to go to Blue Castle and to let Matthew study with her. These thoughts lingered in his mind and made him confused. He was caught up in the heavy traffic, and it had been noon when they arrived at the hotel. The hotel manager and the foremen stood in two neat rows. Wayne walked between the staff and took a nce at them. He saw that Anna stood at the end of the row. When he passed her, he couldnt help but check her out twice. How odd. The ordinary uniform looked inexplicably beautiful on her. Anna became worried since Wayne didnt go away and kept staring at her, so she asked, Mr. Wright, is there anything wrong? Wayne stopped looking at her, frowning, Your name tag is awry. Then he strode into the hotel, leaving Anna looking down at her name tag clipped upright on her uniform. She looked at Waynes back and was confused. My tags not awry.Picky boss. Wayne gathered the managers of the hotel on the second floor to have a meeting about the anniversary at the end of next month. It had been determined that the events would be held in the hotel, but detailed ns hadnt been finished.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. When Wayne took over the Carousel Group at the age of twenty, he initiated the move into hotel industry and founded Carousel Hotel. After ten years of development, the hotel chain had made great achievements and could be found everywhere in the country. The one Anna worked in was the first Carousel Hotel that Wayne took the lead to build. This hotel meant a lot to him, so it was natural to celebrate the centennial anniversary here. The centennial anniversary is also a great opportunity to publicize our group Anna was drowsing while the managers were talking passionately. As a manager in training, she sat at the end of the row. She pretended to take notes, but in fact she had drawn a full page of turtles on the notebook. These ns are too oldCfashioned. Does anyone have other suggestions? Waynes voice echoed in the conference room. (o Anna covered her mouth and lowered her head to yawn without other peoples noticing. When will this meeting end? Im starving. Gabriel, what do you think? What? She raised her head, not aware of what was going on. Under the gaze of the people in the room, she quickly stood up and said, Mr. Wright, did you call me? Wayne looked at her, stonyCfaced, and said, Everyone has expressed their opinions. Dont you have anything to say about the centennial anniversary? Anna took a deep breath and said slowly, Ive been thinking about it, but I havent finished yet. My idea is not as considerate as those of the managers. Please give me some more time to make a better n. Whats that? Wayne narrowed his eyes and then looked at her notebook, I saw you write a lot of things on your notebook. You mustve written many ideas on it. No. Its nothing. She hurriedly put her hands on the notebook. Let me have a look. Wayne said resolutely, not allowing anyone to refuse him. Anna turned pale, and her hands froze there. She couldnt refuse her boss in front of so many people, which meant she didnt have another choice. Before she handed the notebook to Wayne, she secretly turned a few pages and prayed to God that he wouldnt see what she drew. After taking the notebook, Waynes face changed. He nced at her with a frown. It was the minute of the meeting indeed. Anna breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile, Its really just some notes of the meeting. Ive got no bright idea. Wayne didnt say anything. His index finger suddenly lifted a corner of the notebook and directly turned to the page full of turtles as Anna stared at him in astonishment. Anna touched her forehead, feeling extremely embarrassed and worried. Drawing some turtles shouldnt be counted as malpractice. Besides, Im the one who saved his son. He wont punish me, right? This is just a fault of not concentrating in a meeting.. I think I have ignored your talent before, Gabriel. He was secretly mocking her drawing. Hearing Waynespliment, all the people in the room nodded and agreed with him unctuously, which made Anna more anxious. She knew she had offended him by pushing him on the swing this morning. Now she was caught drawing turtles in the meeting. What a bad day! This idea ofbining tradition with innovation is excellent. It is in line with the original business philosophy of Carousel Hotel. I see. Gabriel has done a lot of research. The meeting room resounded with Waynes deep voice. Anna was stunned. What? Combining tradition with innovation? Is that what I write? Since you havent got any special ideas or a suitable n, Wayne closed the notebook and gave it back to Anna, Ill let Ms. Gabriel take charge of the anniversary. Anna felt that her head was going to explode. What does he mean? I dont have any SUI Pian nem Emmm, really? But I dont have any experience in nning an event. I dont think Im suitable for this job. You can gain more experiences through practice, but you cant get excellent ideas through practice. Is there anyone who disagrees with this decision? Wayne asked. All the people shook their head. The people in the meeting room naturally wouldnt disagree with Wayne. They even admired Anna because Wayne barelyplimented anyone on their project n. Even Annas superior was looking at her with appreciation and looked proud of this subordinate. After the meeting was over and all the people left the meeting room, Anna followed Wayne out of the hotel, Mr. Wright, please wait a second. What? Hmmmm. Anna frowned, Why do you let me take charge of the centennial anniversary? Wayne slightly raised his eyebrows, Havent I said it in the meeting? Is there any problem with your ears? The thing you wrote on the notebook is useful. I think it is in line with the theme of the anniversary. But what I wrote on the notebook What can it be if the thing you wrote on the notebook isnt the idea about the anniversary? Wayne looked amused by her, If the managers knew that you painted them as turtles during the meeting and did nothing else, do you think you could still work here? Anna understood that Wayne was telling her to ponder her words thoroughly. Anna twitched her mouth, 1. Of course, I was taking down notes and writing down my own idea on it. OK. I want you to hand in the first draft of the event n to my office before the end of tomorrow. Tomorrow? Cant do it? You dont work as slowly as a turtle, do you? I can I can After Anna left, Gabe followed Wayne into the car and went back to the headquarter. He asked Wayne doubtfully, Mr. Wright, why did you suddenly give the project of the anniversary to Ms. Gabriel? Her probation is still not over yet. I bet she must be very busy improving her performance Gabe suddenly realized something before he finished the sentence. Performance? Centennial Anniv Mr. Wright, are you helping Ms. Gabriel? Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Gabe immediately stopped talking under Waynes dark gaze, fastening his seatbelt silently and starting the car. It was not difficult for Gabe to figure it out. Anna Gabriel has a bet with boss. If she cant achieve the KPL in three months, she has to leave the hotel. All the interviewers present that day were the witnesses of the bet. Although Anna has gained great performance since she started working here, it is still far away from the target she promised. After two months passing and staying in hotel for a while, she doesnt have much time left. It seems that she wont be able to reach her goal. Then boss lets her take charge of the anniversary, which means that she will have two more months and she can take credit for the achievements of the anniversary. But the thing that Gabe couldnt figure out was why his boss paid so much attention to Anna Gabriel. Is it only because she saved his son? Boss, didnt you say you were satisfied with the drivers skills? Why did you suddenly want to fire him? He talks too much. Gabe didnt dare to ask more and started feeling worried because he talked too much too. Out of Annas expectation, after she took over the task of nning the anniversary, her superior, Manager Kaley Williams, turned most of her job in the hotel lobby over to others so that she could fully concentrate on the n. Anna, none of the people in the nning department met Mr. Wrights standard, but you did. He was impressed by your capability. You have to work hard and do a great job. This is also an honor for our hotel. Kaley Williams didnt teach her much in normal times, but she seemed to sit up and notice her after the meeting, which made Anna feel ttered. She said, Ill try my best. Hence, she was running around here and there for the next whole week. She had never nned an anniversary before, so she decided to see how otherpanies or shopping malls nned their celebration events to get a sense of what she could do. Miss, anything I can do for you? Anna turned around and saw an attendant of the shopping mall looking at her politely but alertly. Anna had taken a lot of photos with her phone. The attendant must think that she was apetitor or an officer from the government. She soon put away her phone and answered calmly, Nothing. Im just looking around. Where are the jewelry stores in the shopping mall? The attendant hesitated and pointed to a direction, There. Anna thanked her and directly went towards the jewelry stores, ignoring the attendants doubtful gaze. She knew people would pay attention to her if she took too many photos, so she got prepared. In a jewelry store, the manager wearing a pair of gloves took a ne that Anna gave to her. The ne had a silver Singapore chain with a clear emerald dangling from it. The emerald was surrounded by a cluster of diamonds, dazzling. This is one of our products. Really? Anna tried to restrain her excitement, Was it sold in this store? The Singapore chain is one of our ssic styles. And here, the manager pointed at the sp of the silver chain, there is a logo of our brand carved at this ce, just like every other piece of jewelry in our store, though the logo is quite small and inconspicuous. Then do many people buy this ne in your store? The manager shook her head and smiled, This is the best emerald with an old age and a really high value. We dont have this kind of emerald in the store, so the customer mustve brought the gemstone here and let us customize it. Anna asked happily, Can you find out who the customer was? It must be a long time ago. Itll take some efforts to find out. Ill try my best. Anna kept thanking her. Youre wee. Here you are. To be honest, this is the first time that I have seen such a fine emerald since I worked here many years ago. I think there must be a record for it. After packing up her ne, she walked out of the store with a thrill of excitement. Five years ago, she gave birth to two children in Birmingham. She took Tammy with her, and the other one was taken away by the doctor. She had been hoping that she could find that child back. The only clue she had was the ne. She pulled it from the mans neck at that night. She couldnt help but shiver whenever she thought of that night six years ago. While she was thinking wildly, a woman in green suddenly stood in her way, Anna Gabriel. The voice was soft but acerbic. Anna subconsciously raised her head. Her face changed slightly when she saw clearly who the woman was. Its really you. I thought it was my illusion. The woman sneered at her and folded her arms. She said sarcastically, You havent been back for five years and never contacted us. We thought you died somewhere. The woman was Annas half-sister, Allie Gabriel. She always spoke with an air of superiority. It seemed that her arrogance and her vicious tongue had be even worse than years before. Anna quickly calmed down and gave her a cold stare, Apparently, I havent died yet. 212 Are you disappointed? Why should I feel disappointed? Allie kept talking in a sharp tone, Have you been back for a long time? Imagine how disappointed dad will be if he knows that you arent willing to tell him that you are back. His beloved daughter easily gave up her family and went away. Now shese back without telling anyone. I guess home only means a ce to sleep in for you. Thats between me and dad. Its none of your business. raised her chin and gave Anna a sidelong nce, Who knows what kind of people you have been hanging out with? You said you were going away to study. You must be kidding. You havent even finished your college. What kind of courses can you take? Only dad would believe in this nonsense. Anna clenched her fists after hearing Allies nasty words. She sneered, If I havent learned anything at all and fooled around with men, you must feel happy. Your mom and you willugh in your dreams if I dont scramble for dads money with you, wont you? Allie suddenly went pale, Thats a tant nder. You know better than me whether it is a nder. Anna warned her coldly. Its only up to me whether I go back or not. You are only my half-sister. Dont pretend to be a real sister and give me orders. Im not a little girl anymore. You cant bully me even if your dear mommy can protect you. Allie was livid with rage, Who do you think you are talking to? You Get the hell out of my way. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna pushed curtly past Allie. Almost falling to the ground, she stamped her feet behind Anna and shouted, Anna Gabriel, just you wait! Ill let you have a good time if you dare toe back one day! Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Standing on the esctor, Anna turned around andughed, Im very busy. Unlike you, I have a lot of things to do other than thinking about how to inherit the family fortune and marry into a rich family. Allie was furious, almost digging her nails into her palm. Six years ago, she almost racked her brains to frame Anna in order topletely ruin her. In Allies n, father would loathe Anna, and she wouldnt be able to inherit the fortune of the family. However, Allie didnt expect that she managed to escape and hid for six years. During this time, Allie had felt free and rxed without Anna. But now, Anna hade back. What is she nning for? D After returning home from work, Anna was cooking dinner for Tam. Suddenly, her phone rang. She wiped her hands on the apron and took out her phone. The look on her face froze when she saw the caller ID. It was her father. Dad. I heard youvee back. Her father said in a deep voice. She hadnt contacted him for a long time. He sounded tired. Yeah. She answered in a low voice, scraping her fingers on the chopping board. Obviously, Allie told father after she went back home. She definitely wouldnt say nice things about Anna. Move back home now that you havee back. You dont need to live alone. Anna frowned, No, dad. Ive been fine living here. Anna, I know you haveints about me because of your mother. But this is still your family. Im worried that you will run into danger when living alone. You should Dad. Anna interrupted her father, Ive really had a good life. I I have a job, and I live near my company. I have something to do now. Ill hang up. Ill go back to visit you sometime. Her father didnt say more and told her to keep safe before he hung up. Anna had always been a stubborn girl, and she didnt know how to pretend to be nice in front of adults like Allie. Besides, her mother died when she was born. The adults all thought that she was a jinx, so no one in the family liked this withdrawn girl. She stood in the kitchen for a long time after hanging up the phone. Mommy. A cute voice from outside distracted Anna. She tried to smile at the sight of her daughter, What? Are you hungry? Wait a second. Dinner will be ready. Tammy walked inside and pointed at the phone, Is it grandpa? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Yeah. Anna nodded. She crouched down to touch Tammys head and asked irresolutely, Tam, do you want to see grandpa? Tammy blinked her big eyes, What about mommy? If you want to go back, I will follow you. Ill stay with you no matter where you go. Ill always be mommys sweetheart no matter what happens. Anna felt that her heart was filled with warmth. She pulled Tammy into her arms, Youre right. Youll always be my sweetheart no matter where I go. She left with Tammy five years ago because she wanted to hide from the man who bought her child and because she didnt know how to tell her family about it. If she suddenly brought a child back to home, she would have to face the condemnation of everybody in the family, so she chose to hide. Now that five years had passed, she couldnt hide Tammy in the darkness anymore. Besides, even if she didnt want to put herself into trouble, there was someone else who wanted to make trouble for her. A big city as Birmingham was, it was likely that Allie found out about Tammy one day. She had to be prepared for it. It waste at night. Ada was supporting Wayne at the gate of a restaurant. She seemed to be worried about Wayne, but in fact she was looking at a minivan in a distance from the corner of her eyes. The HD camera had frantically captured every move of Ada and Wayne after they walked out of the restaurant. Ada tightened her hold on Waynes hand and leaned over to him. Her breasts wrapped up by the evening gown were directly pressed on Waynes arms and almost popped out. Wayne looked a little drunk. He slowly felt something, frowning, and pulled out his hand,No, I can go myself. Wayne. Ada hurriedly lifted the hem of her dress and followed him, Youre drunk. I cant let you go by yourself. Ill send you back before I go. The people in the minivan took more pictures of Ada getting into the car with Wayne. Wayne normally lived in the townhouse in Kingsford neighborhood. The wine he drank today seemed to be much stronger than before. He staggered after getting out of the car and could hardly stand up. Ada called the servants to support him and walked him to the bedroom on the second floor. Mr. Wright is too drunk. Miss Xavier, thank you for sending him home. The maid said politely. You dont need to thank me. Wayne and I are going to get married. Im the one who should take care of him. Ada sat by the bed and brushed over Waynes shoulder with her slender fingers. She nced at the maid and said, We are alright here. Let me take care of him. What? The maid asked in surprise, Miss Xavier, dont you need to go back? Did you not hear me? Adas face darkened. She said, This ce is going to be my home in the near future. Where do you want me to go? Realizing that she said the wrong thing, the maid hurriedly shook her head, I didnt mean that, Miss Xavier. Ill leave Mr. Wright to you. You can call me if anything happens. Ill go now. Ada snorted loftily as if she had already be thedy of the house. The maid left, and the room fell into darkness again. Ada slowly turned around, with acent smile in her eyes, and put her hands on Waynes chest. Wayne Heavily drunk, Wayne impatiently removed his tie and said in a husky whisper, Hot. You feel hot? Ada bent to whisper in his ears, Let me unbutton your shirt. As she spoke, she had easily undone his cor. Thepletely unbuttoned shirt showed Waynes tan firm chest. Looking at his body passionately, Ada took off her shoes and straddled him, slowly moving her hands downward. There suddenly came a click of the doorknob, which sounded very clear in the dark silent night. The light from outside came through, casting a shadow of a small figure on the bedroom ground. It was Matthew. At the sight of him, Ada said in a low voice with great wrath, Who allowed you toe in? Get out! Normally, Matthew would immediately run away when he saw Ada, but he stood there with a pale face, grinding his teeth, because he heard the maids conversation just now. Though livid, Ada had to stop her move and got out of the bed. She grabbed Matthew by his cor and pulled him outside. After making sure that there was no one around, she pinched his face and warned him, Little Matthew, I think I have told you before that Ill make you suffer if you ruin my n. Feeling painful, Matthew started struggling with her. Ada was afraid that the noise would attract other peoples attention, so she pushed him hard, Stop it. Immediately after the words left her lips, she lost hold of Matthew. Then he slipped and fell downstairs. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 The sound of Matthew hitting the ground echoed in the house. He had fallen fainted on the ground of the first floor with his body covered by blood when Ada realized what just happened. Ada turned pale. She quickly looked around and ran back to the bedroom before the servants came. She pretended that she didnt know what happened and walked to the bed, taking off her clothes. Soon, the servants started shouting anxiously. Matthew fell down the stairs. Call the ambnce! Where is Mr. Wright? We should immediately tell Mr. Wright! Mr. Wright. The door of the bedroom was pushed open with a bang. The maid immediately turned pale when she saw the two people on the bed. Her words stuck in her throat. Ada suddenly screamed in a high pitch and quickly pulled the sheet to cover her body. Wayne was startled out of his sleep. He opened his eyes and frowned. He suddenly sobered up when he saw Ada who was lying beside him half-naked. He asked unpleasantly, Why are you here? Ada was so aggrieved that tears almost fell from her eyes. She said with a red face, Wayne, you, you were drunk. You made meI Wayne touched his forehead in a headache and was not able to remember what happened before. Then he asked the maid impatiently, What are you doing here then? The maid finally remembered what she came here for and said anxiously, Matthew Matthew fell down the stairs and bled a lot. What? Wayne suddenly raised his head. His face was as dark as the cloudy sky. He immediately jumped out of bed and strode out without putting on his shoes. Ada also put her clothes on in a hurry and followed him. Matthew was rushed to the hospital, still in aa. It wasnt before long that Waynes grandfather knew about it. How did it happen? The old man stood at the door of the operation room and asked Wayne anxiously, How did he fall downstairs? Did any of those servants take care of him at all? Wayne sat silently on a sofa in the doorway, covered by the smell of alcohol. How much wine did you drink? The old man was extremely angry now, Look at yourself. How can you be a good dad this way? Sir, Mr. Wright has to socialize with other people. The butler exined for Wayne. It was a dinner party held by the Chamber of Commerce of Birmingham. I had to go. When they were talking, the door of the operation room suddenly opened, and the doctor walked outside. Wayne quickly stood up, Doctor, how is my son? His right forearm fractured, and his left arm was dislocated. There are some wounds on his skin. Fortunately, his head wasnt hurt. Basically, there is nothing serious. Kids can recover at a fast speed. Despite the doctors words, the old man still felt that his heart was broken. After the doctors and nurses pushed Matthew outside the operation room and sent him to the ward, he sighed in front of Matthews bed, Matthew has suffered a lot since he was born. Hes so little, but he has to stand so much pain. A broken bone. Oh, how painful must he be! Wayne twisted his eyebrows. Seeing that Matthew was sleeping soundly, he was finally relieved. He asked the butler of his house in Kingsford neighborhood, What happened today? How did he fall down the stairs? Normally, he should be sleeping in his own room at that time. The butler also had no idea, I was checking the doors and windows in the house. Suddenly a maid shouted that Matthew fell down. When I went to the living room, I saw Matthew lying on the ground of the first floor, covered by blood. I asked all the people, and they all said that they werent staying with Matthew when it happened. He probably slipped and fell down. Wayne became more and more gloomy, Fire the servants who shouldve taken care of Matthew today. Go find some more responsible people. I dont want this to happen ever again. The butler quickly nodded, Yes, Mr. Wright. Meanwhile, Anna was having a good sleep. Tammy suddenly opened her bedroom door and ran to her. She crawled onto the bed and lifted Annas nket. Mommy, mommy. Something bad happened. What? Anna turned around and struggled to open her eyes to look at Tammy, Arent you here with me, safe and sound? Not me. Its my brother. My brother is injured. What brother? When did you have a brother? Anna was first surprised and then closed her eyes. She pulled her nket back and murmured, You must have a bad dream. Tammy pulled Annas arm and tried to get her out of bed. She shouted anxiously, Its Matthew! Matthew fell down the stairs and hurt himself! Thats impossible. Anna couldnt keep her eyes open. She weakly pushed Tammys little hands and begged her, Mommys really sleepy. Let me sleep, OK? Its just a dream. Matthew falling off the stairs at midnight? What is she thinking? Tammy stamped her feet angrily because Anna wouldnt believe her, Mommy, if you wont go with me, Ill go by myself. There are a lot of bad people out there at night. If you dont worry about me, you can go back to sleep. Then she ran out of the room. At first, Anna thought she was only joking. Then she walked out of the bed and saw that Tammy was really packing her school bag and putting on clothes. Are you really going outside? Do you know what time it is now? Anna ruffled her hair and looked at the clock, God, its two oclock in the morning. Where are you going? The hospital. Tammy angrily put on the socks, Mommy, you have no empathy. I dont want to talk to you. Speechless, Anna supported herself with one hand on the door and put the other on her waist, What empathy? You only have a bad dream. Ill be crazy if I go to the hospital with you only because of a dream. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Its not a dream. Matthew really fell down the stairs. Its true. OK. Anna didnt know what to say, Even if Matthew really fell down the stairs, why are you so anxious? Hes not your real brother. Look at yourself. All panic. Mommy, youre in my way. Tammy got dressed and carried her school bag, standing in front of Anna. She pushed away Annas hand and walked out of her bedroom. Wait, are you really going? Anna finally realized that Tammy was serious when she saw Tammy putting on her shoes at the door. OK, OK. Wait a minute. Let me put on some clothes. Ill go with you. After they finally caught a taxi on the street, Anna hesitantly asked Tammy, Which hospital are we going? Birmingham Hospital for Special Surgery. Tammys cute voice echoed in the car and sounded quite serious. So she knows which hospital Matthew is in? Anna felt confused and asked, Are you sure it isnt a bad dream? How do know Matthew is staying in hospital? Who told you that? Tammy pouted, I just know. What? This is pure madness. Anna was totally at a loss. Once again, she felt that it waspletely crazy to go outside without sleeping and rush to a hospital with her daughter at midnight. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 After getting to the hospital, Tammy dragged Anna all the way to the inpatient department Tammy, slow down. Youre going to pull off my arm. Anna reluctantly followed her out of the elevator. She couldnt believe what Tammy said until they walked into the ward and saw Matthew lying in bed. What happened to Matthew? There was no one other than Waynes grandfather in the ward. He was delighted to see Anna and quickly stood up. He asked deliberately, Im sorry, you are? Anna hurriedly introduced herself, Im Anna Gabriel, the manager of Carousel Hotel. My daughter goes to the same kindergarten with Matthew. Are you Matthews rtive? She seems to have a clear mind and is very polite to me. Besides, she somehow looks like Matthew. The old man really came to like Anna. He looked at Tammy, who was making a face, from the corner of his eyes and said amiably, Im Matthews great grandfather. Youre the president of Carousel Group? Anna immediately stood straight up, Im sorry I didnt recognize you. Its alright. The old man invited her to sit, Sit down please. Matthew has mentioned you before. He likes you a lot. I know you because you saved Matthew once. Anna was less nervous seeing that the old man wasnt as mean as he was in the rumor, so she sat on the chair next to him and asked worriedly, How did Matthew get hurt so badly? I dont know many of the details. He was hurt in Waynes house. Its said that he fell down the stairs from the second floor. The doctor has just finished the operation and told us that Matthews right arm was broken and his left arm was dislocated. There are many wounds on his body. Well, Matthew has never been taken care of by his mother. Yet he has to suffer from the disease and the injury. After hearing this, Annas heart ached for Matthew. She hadntmunicated with Matthew a lot, but he was as old as Tammy. Besides, she had a lost son who was of the same age as him. Matthew always reminded her of that son. Has my little boy been adopted by someone kind? Does he have a mother? If he doesnt have a mother, maybe he is living a life like Matthews. Fortunately, kids can recover quickly. He needs to eat more nutritious food. The old man looked awkward, Really? But Wayne has fired all the servants in anger. I dont trust them either. These servants arent careful enough. Its alright. Ill have a rest on the weekend. I can make some food for him. Thatll be fantastic. Thank you, Ms. Gabriel. You dont need to thank me. Anna looked at Matthews pale face, Matthew and I hit it off when we first met each other. I want to do something for him. Its not a big deal. While they were talking, the door was pushed open from the outside. Wayne walked inside, followed by Ada. Waynes face changed when he saw Anna, Why are you here? I heard that Matthew had an ident, so I came to see him. You heard? Wayne was in a bad mood because of Matthews idents. Now his face darkened, and he questioned Anna, How did you manage to hear about the ident at two oclock in the morning? It hasnt been half an hour after the operation, and you have already rushed to the hospital. What do you want? Anna was perplexed by his strident questions, and she also felt upset after Matthews great grandfather told her how Matthew fell down the stairs. She immediately stood up and said relentlessly, Is it the right time to investigate in how I heard about the ident? You son is lying in bed. I cant believe you can still spare time to see whether I have an ulterior motive. This is a family affair of mine. Dont forget that youre only a mere manager in the Carousel Hotel of my group. I certainly have no right to ask about your family matter. You have such a big power that you can kick me out of my job with one sentence. But this isnt work time. I onlye here to see my daughters ssmate. At first, I thought he had some little wounds because he was too naughty. But when I came here, I finally knew that he had to stay in hospital for a few days. He fell down from the second floor. How can you be so careless? Are you aware that you may have lost your son forever if his head hit the ground first? Maybe because she had suppressed too much emotion or because she had too much pressure from work these days, she suddenly lost her temper especially when she knew that Matthew had been injured twice for no one took care of him, Do you know why Matthew wont call you dad? You dont care enough about him. Try ask yourself this. Can he rely on you? Do you make him feel safe? Hes your son. If youre not willing to stay with him and love him, why did you give birth to him in the first ce? Annas words hit Waynes sore spot, which made him speechless. He looked down and frowned with a gloomy expression. At first, he only wanted to use Matthew to cope with his grandfathers pressure on him so that he could take over Carousel Group. He felt more and more embarrassed because Anna identally approached the truth. When he was about to say something, Ada standing beside him said unhappily, Ms. Gabriel, dont you think you have overstepped the bounds? This is his family matter. Its none of your business. You have no right to tell him what to do. Who told you she has no right? The old man suddenly said, his voice resounding through the ward. She is telling Wayne how to be a father from the perspective of a mother. She has a right to do so because she has taught her daughter well. Wayne, you should reflect on what you have done. You are a good CEO, but do you think youre a good father? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ada couldnt believe that the old man stood by Anna Gabriel. She was so angry that her eyes opened wide and her hands were trembling. Why does this woman keep haunting me? She first made the annoying boy like him, and now even that old man stands by her side. Ada blurted, Even so, shes not a family member of Wayne. What is she doing here in the middle of the night? Tammy, who had been silent, suddenly interrupted, But auntie, youre not a family member either. What are you doing here? Ada turned pale because of anger, Little girl, what are you talking about? Im Waynes fiance. Of course, Im a family member. Fiance? So you havent got married with Uncle Wright yet. Tammy shrank behind Anna, blinking her eyes innocently. You Ada didnt know what to say. Sitting behind Anna, the old man secretly high-fived Tammy, still looking as calm as usual. Enough. Matthew needs to rest. Wayne frowned and nced at Ada, Itste. You can leave. Ill stay here and take care of Matthew. Ada certainly knew that Wayne was impatient. She still had a lot of things to do, so she didnt stay longer. But when she walked to the door, she suddenly realized that Anna and her daughter were still there, so she slowed down. How can I leave and let them stay here? Then Waynes voice came out from the ward, You can also leave now. You dont need to stay here. She was finally relieved and left leisurely. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 What Ada didnt expect was that Waynes grandfather criticized Wayne after he told Anna to leave, so eventually Anna and Tammy stayed. I think it is more likely that Matthew doesnt need you. The old man said coldly, giving an angry nce at Wayne. He scolded him bluntly in front of Anna, What Ms. Gabriel said is true. Look at yourself. Can you say that youre a good father? How much wine have you drunk? Where were you when Matthew fell down the stairs? Were you lying in your room? How careless you were! Having been ming himself, Wayne felt more and more guilty as his grandfather criticized him. He didnt insist on Annas leaving, frowning restlessly, She can stay if she wants. Grandpa, you can also stay here if you want. OK? Why am I supposed to do staying here? The old man snorted coldly, Im too old to clean up the mess for you. I still want to live for a few more years. Then he called his butler and left. Before he left, he secretly made an OK hand gesture to Tammy, and Tammy blinked really hard to respond to him. My mom and my future dad can stay together this way! After Waynes grandfather left, Anna pulled a chair to the bedside and touched Matthews forehead to feel his temperature. Wayne frowned, He doesnt have a fever. Why do you touch his forehead? Anna gave him a withering look and said scornfully, Kids tend to have a high fever when they are sick, especially when the surgery causes infection. A high fever may lead to pneumonia and other complications, which will be a big trouble. Do you know anything about kids at all? Wayne sat on the sofa in embarrassment and said in a low voice, What do you know? Are you a doctor? My mommy was going to be a doctor. Tammy suddenly walked to Wayne and crawled onto Waynes thigh with both her hands and feet and sat there casually. Wayne had nothing against this little girl. In fact, he liked her quite a lot. He lifted her upwards so that she could sit more steadily, but he only took her words as a kids babble. He asked her in disbelief, Why didnt she really be a doctor? Because she had me and didnt have time to take care of other children. Tammy looked cute and na?ve, but her exnation made Wayne more certain that Anna probably bragged about herself to her daughter. He immediately found his pride back and snorted, As far as I know, it takes at least seven years to finish the medical courses and residency training to be a real doctor. Its not that easy for everyone. Ive known in the interview three months ago that Anna fabricated her academic credentials. She didnt even go to college. What doctor can she be? Maybe she learned some nursing knowledge in the high school and then beguiled her daughter. Out of Waynes expectation, Annas eyes darkened a little and didnt retort upon him. She looked a little dispirited. His heart suddenly pounded and found it boring to make fun of her. The sarcastic jokes he prepared to say were all left unsaid. Anna sat by Matthews side for the whole night. She would put the nket back on him whenever he kicked it away. She felt more and more sleepy and couldnt open her eyes. Finally, she fell asleep and put her face on the bed. When the sunlight came through the window in the morning, she woke up with a sore back. The scene she first saw gave her an inexplicably mixed feeling. Tammy was sitting on Waynesps with her two little hands holding a Nintendo switch. She seemed to get stuck in a certain level and looked up at Wayne for help, Uncle Wright, I cant pass this level. How can I do it? Wayne took the switch and put his arms around her. Then he showed her how to y the game, Here. This way. You have to be fast at this part. After ying for a long time, Wayne finally realized that Anna was looking at them, the gentle smile disappearing on his face, Youre up?. Anna punched her waist andined, Im too sleepy. I have to go back to work on that anniversary project. I can give you a day off if youre too tired. After ying games with Tammy for the whole morning, Wayne was in a good mood, his anger swept away. Its alright. Anna curled her lips, Some people thought that I have some secret n even when I did nothing. If I dare to take a day off without a reason, others may really think that Im a social climber. By the way, Mr. Wright, I have to make it clear that Ie here only because of work and the friendship between Tam and Matthew. Please dont think that youre so attractive that everyone wants to seduce you. Waynes good spirit was immediately ruined. He looked at Anna with a frown, and his gratitude to her completely disappeared. Seeing that there was going to be another fight between the two adults, Tammy quickly said, Mommy, you can go home now. I can stay here with Matthew. Anna frowned, Arent you going with me? Why should I go? Tammy sat on Waynes legs casually as if she was sitting on a chair and not even raised her head. Arent you going to cook some food for Matthew and bring it here at noon? Ill be too tired going home and thening back. Its Sunday anyway. Why does she still remember about the food? Anna fell into an awkward silence because she was afraid that Wayne would think she was fawning over him for some reasons. Wayne said calmly, Im not going to thepany today. Ive put off all my work. Tammy can stay in the hospital. Ill take care of her. Itll be alright. Go where youre needed. hat? Anna was a bit surprised. Is he really going to take care of my child? Which means you need to bring lunch. For the three of us. Waynes words took a load off her mind. Sure, this is the real Wayne Wright, who wont ept to lose anything. Taking care of Tammy for a free cook. What a great deal. In order to help Anna with the project, Peace Brooks made an appointment for her with a friend in advertising who specialized in event nning. Anna was in a hurry, so she didnt say more and left Tammy in the hospital. She talked with that friend for a whole morning, yawning and drinking several cups of coffee. At noon, she went to the supermarket and bought some vegetables and meat. She made a delicious meal and put all the food in a fouryer lunchbox and took it to the hospital. Matthew had woken up. His one arm was put in a cast, and the dislocated joints of the other one was just reced and didnt seem to be flexible. He looked at the food pathetically. Let me feed you. Wayne put a spoonful of soup in front of him. However, the little boy wouldnt eat it and turned away his head, only looking at Anna. Just as grandfather said, Matthew wouldnt need him after he woke up. Let me do it. Anna reached out her hands to Wayne and let him give her the bowl and the spoon. Not surprisingly, Matthew was immediately cheerful when Anna took the spoon and ate a bowl of soup. A little jealous, Wayne said seriously, Matthew, you need to be clear that Im your father. Matthew looked at him and suddenly stretched out his foot to kick on his thigh. His face was twisted, clouded with anger. What are you doing? Wayne was irritated by Matthews behavior though the kick wasnt painful. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Youre scaring him. Anna frowned and reminded Wayne. Matthew soon took back his feet and leaned on Anna. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Wayne looked at Matthews pale face and realized that Matthew was looking at him with bitterness. Regretted, he secretly drew a sigh and asked Matthew carefully, Do you me me for not taking care of you? Wayne didnt respond to him and leaned into Annas arms, with his left hand tightly gripping Annas clothes. Anna found that Wayne looked a little frustrated. She was kind of sorry for him and had to console him reluctantly, Maybe he was scaredst night. Give him some time to calm down and hell be alright. You dont even care about your son. Its reasonable that he is closer to other people than to you. What a normal thing! As they stayed silent in awkwardness, Tammy suddenly rolled her eyes and pulled Waynes sleeve. She said in a cute way, Uncle Wright, I cant pass this level. Can you help me? Wayne slowly stopped frowning when he was distracted by Tammy. He turned to her, Which level? Here. Here. I cant beat the boss. The situation was lightened up. Anna rubbed Matthews fluffy head and said in a low voice, Matthew, are you ming your father because you fell down the stairs? The little boy shook his head and looked up at Anna with sadness in his eyes. Then why? Anna was confused. Matthews dislocated arm couldnt move flexibly. He tried to gesticte but still couldnt raise his arm, tears in his eyes. Do you want to write? Anna asked him. Matthew quickly nodded.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hold on. She took out a notebook and a pen from her purse and gave them to Matthew. He held the pen with his left hand. Anna recognized the words from his crooked handwriting, which said, I dont want daddy to marry another woman. Anna subconsciously looked at Wayne, who was ying games with Tammy, and frowned. Kids are inevitably opposed to their mothers or fathers remarriage. I guess Wayne havent taken Matthews thoughts into consideration since hes always so careless. The worse part is that Matthew cant talk. Anna was sad for Matthew, but she couldnt say anything since she was a nobody to them. She could only console him in a low voice, Your father loves you very much. Even if he gets married to another woman, he will still be your good father. 2 Matthew shook his head sadly again. What? Anna held his shoulder, You dont like Auntie Xavier? Matthew hesitated and seemed to make up his mind. Then he nodded and wrote something quickly on the paper, I want you to be my mommy. Anna was speechless at the sight of the words. She didnt know how to exin to a child that marriage wasnt that simple a thing and that it couldnt be decided by a childs preference. Having won the game for Tammy, Wayne stood up and asked Anna, What did Matthew write? Anna immediately ripped the piece of paper off her notebook and folded it to put it in her purse. She said guiltily, Nothing. Hes telling me what he wants to eat for dinner. Ill keep the note to remind myself what to cook in the evening. Seeing that Anna was flustered, Wayne looked at her suspiciously and was about to ask her. But she had already stood up and said hurriedly, Emmm, I need to go back to think about the project. Ill leave now. I mayete tonight. If you are hungry, you can order something to eat first. Then she ran away. The door was closed, and there were only the two kids and Wayne in the ward. Tammy was busy ying games on the sofa, not worried that her mother had left. However, Matthew stared at the door and seemed to expect Anna toe back soon. Wayne felt guilty again when he saw the look on Matthews face. He couldnt help but think about the thing that Anna said to him. I must be such an irresponsible and bad father that my own son has to rely on a woman who he barely knows. Does he really hate me? Matthew. He called him patiently and softly. Matthew saw that Anna wouldnte back, so he started writing and drawing on Annas notebook, still ignoring Wayne. Wayne started thinking how to make Matthew happy. Then he saw Tammy from the corner of his eyes and remembered that Matthew always wanted to invite Anna and Tammy to their house, so he asked Matthew timidly, Matthew, how about we hold a little party at home after youre discharged from hospital? And we can invite Auntie Gabriel and Tammy. As he expected, Matthew immediately raised her head with his eyes lit up by happiness. Are you still angry with dad? Wayne touched his head. Matthew wrote something on the notebook and handed it to him. Dad, you should say sorry to me. Wayne was surprised. Then he admitted to himself that he had drunk too much and didnt even know that his son fell down the stairs outside his bedroom. It was his fault to be so careless. OK, I should apologize to you. Sorry, Matthew. Ill never let it happen again. But what Matthew wanted him to apologize that he brought Ada Xavier home. Although they were talking about totally different things, Matthew slowly felt better since Wayne had apologized to him and he thought Wayne promised not to bring her home again. Kids could be easily distracted. Soon he started ying with Tammy. He could happily watch Tammy y games in excitement though he didnt y himself. Waynes grandfather woke up in the morning and let the butler, Henry, report to him, who had juste back from Waynes house in Kingsford neighborhood. Have you found out? Is Matthews fall a set-up or really an ident? I think its an ident. Henry said seriously, I have asked all the servants. When Matthew fell down, the maid who shouldve taken Matthew to sleep was making milk for him. There was no one in the hallway on the second floor. What? No one? It was hard for the old man not to be suspicious. There were over ten servants in the house, and there was no one around Matthew when the ident happened. He mustve made a big noise when rolling down the stairs, but it took a while after he hit the first floor for others to find out. Miss Xavier was there that night. She brought some gifts, and the servants were all taking their gifts at that moment. Ada Xavier? The old man frowned, his face darkening. He asked, Where was she when Matthew fell? If Matthew was hurt by someone, he could think of no one other than her who had a motive. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Sir, I think Miss Xavier has nothing to with the ident. Henry frowned in embarrassment Nothing to do with her? The old man asked in disbelief, Why are you so sure about it? Miss Xavier was in Mr. Wrights bedroom when the ident happened. The butler bit the bullet and said, A maid broke in his bedroom and saw them on the bed. The old man was livid when he heard it and pounded on the wooden table, Shameless! He never really liked Ada. He often heard about all kinds of her gossips these years. Besides, after Wayne introduced her to the family six years ago, he ordered his men to investigate in her background. She was first a waitress selling alcohol in a nightclub. How was she able to be the top star in the industry with such a bad start? He didnt think opportunity was the most important reason. This woman is ambitious. Sir, do you want me to continue the investigation? The old man took a deep breath and said deeply, Not necessary. I have something else for you to do. On the way back home, Tammy kept chattering, which annoyed Anna. Uncle Wright is handsome, rich and humorous. Mommy, you have got a good one. Oh, you should really shut up. Opening the door and giving Tammy a withering look, she pushed her in and retorted while taking off her shoes, He is handsome. But not that handsome. Do you think hes more handsome than Uncle Grosz? Tammy frowned and said with round eyes, Of course not. Scott is a super star. Hes the most handsome man in the world. Ill marry him in the future. There you have it. Anna corrected her with a sly smile, Scott is old enough to be your uncle. You wont marry him in the future because he cant wait for so long. Thats not true. He promised he would wait for me to grow up. He was lying. Anna rolled her eyes, I cant believe you took it seriously. I dont care. Scott Grosz is mine. Alright. Alright. Hes yours. Anna wasnt going to have a debate about it with her. She was only using Scott to distract her from Wayne Wright, By the way, Scott called me a few days ago and said he will soone back on tour. Do you want to go? Of course! Tammy said in excitement, Scottse back! Not yet, but soon. Behave yourself if you want to go. Anna bent over to pat on Tammys shoulder and said in a menacing tone, If you keep thinking about those crazy things, I wont take you to the concert. No! Tammy was frightened. Now have a shower and go to sleep. After Anna yed the Scott card, Tammy obeyed all her orders like a soldier and didnt dare to mention about Wayne the whole night and directly went to sleep. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After having a long day, Anna soon fell asleep. It was a fine day next day. Anna went to the supermarket in the morning to buy the vegetables and then came back to cook. Then she took the food to the hospital with Tammy. After hesitation, she decided to take her draft of the project n. I madesagna today. I guess he may get tired of soup, so I made something different. Lasagna is also nutritious. As soon as Anna opened the lunchbox, the ward was filled with the tasty smell of cheese and beef. She first cut a slice for Tammy and then took a fork to feed Matthew. Wayne, eating a sandwich, kept looking at the lunchbox withsagna in it. Anna may have forgotten to cut a slice for him or didnt intend to let him eat at all. She didnt say anything. Wayne found it embarrassing to take a fork and eat it himself without Annas invitation, but thesagna smelled so good. Tammy soon noticed Waynes look. She put her fork in front of Waynes mouth, Uncle Wright, my momssagna is really good. Taste it. Wayne was surprised, but the fork was already put on his lips, so he ate the food on His face changed after he ate it, because the food was much more delicious than he expected. This woman is really good at cooking. Is it good? Uncle Wright? Tammy asked expectantly. Wayne slightly nodded, Yes. Tammy quickly called Anna, Mommy, Uncle Wright said yoursagna is delicious. Cut a slice for him. Anna finally remembered Wayne. Hes not a kid anymore. Doesnt he have a hand? Why should I cut the food for him? While eating thesagna, Wayne looked at Anna, Youre really good at cooking. Have you secretly learned from the chef of the hotel? Its the advantage of being a hotel manager. I dont need to secretly learn from them. Anna said calmly, Even though there are lots of chefs in the hotel, they dont easily tell others their secret recipes. Not everyone is resourceful enough to get their recipes. Wayne made no furtherments. By the way, Mr. Wright, I have modified the anniversary n ording to your advice. Can you have a look at it? Anna put down the bowl and fork and took out her draft form her purse and handed it to Wayne Wayne hadnt finished his meal, so he was reluctant to look at it. But as a boss, he shouldnt discourage his employee. The only thing he could do was to stop to read the project n carefully. Staying in the room full of the delicious smell of food, even Wayne Wright couldnt fully focus on the boring project n. He only read it for a little while and then closed it. Its not bad. You can leave it for now. When youe to the headquarter next Monday, well have a meeting and lets see what others say about it. Then I can give you some detailed advice. Annas eyes were lit up, Really? Not bad? Only once in a blue moon could people hear Wayne say so. The first time she went to the headquarter to attend a meeting, she saw Wayne chew an advertisement manager out in his usual cold tone. The manager was so pale that he could faint at any minute. Therefore, not bad was a greatpliment for him. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 She was suddenly gratified and tried to say something nice, Mr. Wright, you can eat as much as you can. There is enoughsagna. I can cut more slices for you if you want. Wayne was eating. He unconsciously twisted the end of his brows when he heard her words. After Anna left at noon, Tammy kept asking Wayne questions, Uncle Wright, dont you think my mommy is really good? She can make delicious food and take care of others. Matthew also likes my mommy. You cant find another woman like her in the world. Isnt she much better that that big star? Wayne could only smile to her, Yes, your mommy is good. It is understandable that kids think no one is better than their mom. Tammy obviously didnt mean that. When she heard Waynepliment her mom, her face was suddenly lit up. Uncle Wright, do you think my mom could be your wife? Wayne was stunned by her suggestion. v :v?I VIRUS: Although Wayne knew that Tammy liked to stay with him, he never expected that this little girl wanted to be a matchmaker for her mother and him. He paused for a while and only touched Tammys head, not answering her question. Matthew also likes my mommy a lot. Tammy yed her trump card and blinked, Ask Matthew. He must want my mommy to be his mommy.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Wayne looked at Matthew on the bed and hesitated to ask, Really? Matthew? Matthew nodded vigorously. Wayne frowned. And Tammy kept saying, Uncle Wright, Matthew doesnt like that big star at all. Shouldnt you consider his opinion if you want to get married? My mommy said that she would ask my opinion if she nned to find me a stepfather. Does this mean that if I say yes Anna would probably agree with it? Confused and amused by Tammy, Wayne asked, Tam, havent you already got a father? Well, yeah. But I could only see my father once or twice a year as I grew up. Tammy sighed like an adult and said with a bitter face, Im pitiful, arent I? Tammy was secretly surveying him with her eyes while speaking. Now Wayne could understand why Tammy would say so. No wonder Tammy takes Annasst name. I guess Anna mustve separated from her husband a long time ago because they werent on good terms. How can she me me? Does she care enough about her daughter and know what her daughter really wants? While Wayne was analyzing the rtionship between Anna and her husband, Tammy and Matthew looked at each other, with a light of happiness of victory in their eyes. Are you sure no one saw what happened that night? In the caf of a golf club, Ada, in a golf outfit, was drinking coffee leisurely and waving to the producer who was swinging the golf club outside the window once in a while, a bright smile on her face. However, her face darkened when she turned around to look at her agent. Dont worry, Ada. The agent looked rxed, I have people ask the servants. All of them in the house were busy taking their gifts that you gave them. No one was on the spot at that moment. When they arrived, the boy had been lying on the ground for a while. Its not a difficult thing to hide it from those fools. Even though one of them have seen it, I can buy them off. The problem is that the old man ordered his men to investigate in the house that night. Are you sure they havent found anything? Its impossible to know what the old man is thinking. Of course, they havent found anything. Do you know what those servants said to my men? What? They said they had never seen Mr. Wright bring any woman home, let alone stay overnight. A maid saw you on his bed! How can you not be clear from suspicion? Ada suddenly becamecent, Having pretended to be Wayne Wrights fiance for six years, I certainly know how to y it by ear. Everyone in Birmingham knows that Wayne Wright was careful with women. It seemed that he had never been involved in a rtionship with other women except Ada, his gossip girlfriend. His sexuality was a puzzle in many peoples eyes. Adas agent always suspected that he was gay, but Ada didnt care about it. I dont care whether he likes men or women. What I want is not his love, but the title of Mrs. Wright. While they were chatting, a woman stood in a distance and walked to them enthusiastically when she saw Ada clearly, Ada, what a pleasant coincidence! Hearing a familiar voice, Ada looked up and also said in surprise, Allie, I didnt expect to see you here. Allie was wearing a Chanel blouse and carrying a Chanel limited edition bag. She took off her sunsses and put a big smile on her face with exquisite make up on. Adas agent offered the seat to her. I have just arrived. Allie put down her handbag, My friend and I were going to y here. But my friend suddenly had something to do, so I was going to leave too. Now look who I run into. We havent seen each other for more than a year I think. Yeah. You are busy shooting films. Unlike me. I dont have much to do. Oh, save it please. You are the daughter of Gabriel family. You certainly dont need to make a living like us in the entertainment industry. The two first saw each other in a business cocktail party and were good friends though they hadnt been in contact recently. Then Ada asked Allie how things were goingtely, Allie sighed, It was all good. But Ive been in a bit of troubletely. What trouble? Have I told you before? I have a half-sister who has juste back and attracted all my fathers attention again. He has agreed with my mom that I can go to thepany, but he started to hesitate and said that he would give me some time to think about it. I know what he was thinking. He actually wanted to think about letting another one to go to thepany. Sister? Ada was surprised, Howe you have a sister? I have never heard about her before. Is she a love child? Allie frowned and said ambiguously, Something like that. Her name is Anna Gabriel. She was a loner and never really got along well with us. Then she went to college and took pre-med courses. She lived in the college, so she never took part in our activities. Its natural that no one knows about her. Adas face changed when she heard Anna Gabriel. Anna Gabriel. Allie Gabriel. Howe I never thought of it? I hate her. Allie said gloomily, If it werent for her, my mom and I would live a happy and easy life. But now shes back, my father feels guilty and is always afraid that he treats her unfairly, so he wants to give her everything. Oh, shes so annoying. Shes only your half-sister anyway. Ada said carefully, Your mother and you hate her, and shes a love child who can never be taken seriously. You can just think of a way to kick her out. Thats very common, isnt it? Allie didnt exin the love child thing, but she felt delightful when Ada said so and told her what happened six years ago, I have tried to kick her out. Six years ago. I have set her up to humiliate her. She was supposed to be a disgrace to our family and my father wouldnt give her the family property. But she disappeared at the critical moment. Shes good. No one could find her, and six monthster, she went away without telling us and has nevere back in the past five years. Adas heart pounded when she heard this. She felt that something was wrong. Allie was still chattering, Ok. She left. But why did shee back after five years? What does she want? Has she been preparing for five years and now shes ready to scramble for the family property with me? Ada suddenly thought of Annas little girl and asked after a while, Has your sister got C married? Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Allie smiled and quickly took a cup of tea to the sofa, Dad, have some tea. Allies father was reading newspaper on the sofa. He put it down and looked at Allie lovingly, Its too late. You should wash up and go to sleep. Girls cant stay up toote. OK. Allie nodded sweetly, I know, dad. You should also take care of yourself. By the way, her father took a sip of tea and looked up and asked, you said you had seen your sister in the shopping mallst time. Do you know where she lives now? The smile on Allies face froze. She tried to repress her displeasure, How should I know? I wanted to talk more, but she seemed to be busy and wasnt willing to talk to me. If I hadnt met her in the shopping mall, we would not know that she has alreadye back. Her father sighed, Well, we shouldnt let her live alone. If youre not busy, I want you to inquire where she lives. I want to have a look. I think Id better persuade her to live with us. Otherwise, Ill worry about her. Frowning, Allie was about to say something when she heard a cough behind her. Sherley winked at her and walked to them with a big smile, Youre right. Its not safe for a single woman to live alone. Ill have someone inquire about it. Birmingham isnt a big city. Itll be easy to find her. OK. Allies father picked up the paper. After going back to the bedroom, Allie sat on her bed, livid with rage, Mom, why did you promise to dad that you will find her back? It was the samest time when I told you ! saw that b***h and you told father afterwards. Why do you keep getting us in trouble? Shirley locked the door calmly and said slowly, Whether you tell your father or not, she wille back. Its impossible that she wonte to this house. Wed better take the initiative to tell it to your father rather than let her take us by surprise ande back by herself. In this way, your father will think that we are thoughtful and kind. Is that useful? Dad will reconsider about the heiress if shees back. On hearing the words, Shirley frowned, with an ugly look on her face, and snorted, If I had been lucky enough to have a son, I wouldnt have let him choose between you and that girl. Fortunately, its not a big problem now. What could she have achieved having fooled around for so many years? As long as you can marry a good man, youll be the only choice of the heir of the group. Allie was mollified by her mothers words. She said proudly, Of course. I bet she has only hooked up with some guy during the time she was away. Maybe she didnt dare toe back because she feels ashamed. 4 ? The weekend had quickly passed. Anna sent Tammy to the kindergarten on Monday morning and went to work. She needed to go to the headquarter to attend a meeting, after which she called Wayne in the corridor Mr. Wright, please wait a second. JOLI LLUITICU IUULI Wayne and his assistant, Gape, VOLI LUMTI What is it? asked Wayne. Are you going to the hospital at noon? Yeah. Anna breathed a sigh of relief and gave him an insted lunch box, I made the chicken soup this morning. The lunch box can keep it warm till noon. Its for Matthew. Wayne nodded and took the lunch box from Anna. Gabe, standing aside, goggled at them. This isnt the first time. The rtionship between Mr. Wright and Ms. Gabriel is really interesting. Why does she care about Matthew and make food for him? Why does Mr. Wright allow her to do so? Oh, and this. Anna gave him a notebook the size of a hand. These are the ingredients needed and the detailed instructions of making soup. You can show it to your cook. I may not have time to cook for Matthewtely. I have to work out the project n. Im really sorry. Wayne also took it, Its all right. Then Ill go back to the hotel. Anna nodded and smiled naturally. Then she went to the elevator. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna Gabriel. Wayne suddenly said in a low voice, stopping her. Anna turned around confusedly, Anything else, Mr. Wright? Ill send people to pick up Tammy and you this Saturday morning. Matthew hope that you cane over and have some fun. What? Anna was astonished, AtAt your house? Have you got a n already? UmNot really. But the anniversary project. You can do it there. Ill count it as overtime. Wayne said resolutely as if he wouldnt take no for an answer, Is there any problem? | never force others. Forget it if you dont want to. No No problem. Anna said in awkwardness. Never force others? We are in a totally unequal situation right now. With the bet and the unsigned contract, what else could I do? . biele mnout of thenanu whenever he wants? Can I say no to my boss? Chapter 42 Chapter 42 On Saturday morning, while Anna was still sleeping, Tammy pulled her up. Mommy, time to get up. Anna looked at the rm clock drowsily and said desperately, Tam, its only seven oclock. What are you doing? Tammy held her arm and wouldnt let go. She said firmly, Mommy, its the first time that you go to Uncle Wrights house. Shouldnt you get dressed up? Come on. Have a shower. Put some makeup on. Get changed. Holding the pillow in her arms, Anna felt hopeless. Why does my daughter keep pushing me to every man she meets? With Tammy badgering her, Anna put on a light makeup and took out a T-shirt and a pair of jeans that she usually wore on weekends from the wardrobe. Before she put them on, Tammy had taken them away. Mommy, how can you wear these? What else can i wear? This one. Tammy pulled out a burgundy backless dress, This one is pretty. Are you crazy? Anna patted on her forehead angrily, Im not going to a night club. Besides, this is a cocktail dress. Were only going to your ssmates house. Do I need to dress so formally? What about this one? Tammy wouldnt give up and pulled out another gray-blue dress, This one must be suitable. Anna took that dress and looked at it carefully for a while. She agreed that it was pretty, but she still hesitated, Wont it be inconvenient to wear a dress? You two will jump up and down. No, we wont. Tammy raised her hand and promised, I promise I will behave myself today. Yeah, like I will believe you. Anna was going to ignore her suggestion, but she kept pestering her and wouldnt let her wear the T- shirt and the jeans. Atst, she could do nothing but to wear that blue dress. When Anna just cooked the breakfast at nine, Waynes butler had arrived at their apartment to pick them up to the house. Mr. Wright has an important meeting, so hes not at home now. He told me to drive you and Tammy there first. Alright. Anna said. The butler was a man in his early forties. He looked stable and drove steadily. Too many idents happened to Matthew during this time. Mr. Wright has been upset and changed almost all the servants. He didnt trust anyone now. Im quite surprised that he invited you to the house. Probably because I saved Matthew once, he didnt think I would hurt him. Anna smiled, though she couldnt believe what she said. Im surprised, too. Who knows what he was thinking. Tammy sat up in the child seat and sighed like an adult when hearing them talk about Matthews injury. Anna noticed and asked, Why did you sigh? Youre still a child. Im worried about Matthew. Tammy twisted her eyebrows, Look. Matthew cant talk, and he is so unlucky. I have never seen an unluckier child than him. Mommy, our teacher said Mercury retrograde made us feel unlucky. Has the Mercury affected Matthew? What Mercury? That astrological thing is so superstitious. Which teacher told you so? I cant believe you take it seriously. Anna didnt know whether Matthew was unlucky, but she did feel sorry for him. Thave only known him for two months, and he has already had two severe idents. If I hadnt warded off the chandelier, he would probably lose his life. If he had hit his head this time, he would also lose his life. Are these really idents? She suddenly became suspicious. Once they arrived at the house in Kingsford Neighborhood and got out of the car, a little boy rocketed out of the house and held Annas legs. The maid followed the boy, Matthew, you havent washed your face yet. Anna lifted Matthew from the ground, Havent washed your face? Its alright. I can take him to wash. Where is the bathroom? The maid quickly pointed to a direction. She followed Anna while looking at her up and down and ncing at Tammy and said, You must be Ms. Gabriel. Youre really young to have a daughter as old as Matthew. After walking inside, Tammy looked around with sparkles in her eyes. Matthews home is so big! Look at the staircase! You can walk up the stairs from three entries! There are even elevators in the house! She immediately started talking with the young maid. Anna certainly didnt know what her daughter was thinking. She took Matthew to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. She asked, Ive brough some snacks I made this morning. Do you want to have a bite with us? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Matthew nodded happily. Anna and the two kids sat at the dining table and opened the lunch box she brought. The maid saw that Anna was going to feed something to Matthew, she suddenly stopped her in panic, Please wait, Ms. Gabriel. Matthew is not allowed to eat food from outside. What? Anna asked in surprise, with a scone in her hand. The butler glowered at the maid and rounded on her, Stop talking nonsense. Mr. Wrights invitation is a sign that he trusts Ms. Gabriel. Why cant you understand? What food from outside? In Mr. Wrights and Matthews eyes, Ms. Gabriels food must be safer than yours. The maid went pale. The butler then ordered, OK. You can leave. You dont need to look after Matthew now. Mr. Wright has told us to make Ms. Gabriel and Tammy feel at home. Ill call you when necessary. After this, the few maids all left. Anna was finally relieved. She gave the butler a thankful nce, They finally leave. I feel ufortable to eat under their gaze. The butler bowed his head apologetically, Its my fault that I havent given them the order. Please take your time. You can call me or any other servant if you want. OK. After this incident, Anna finally rxed and enjoyed her breakfast. Matthew ate a lot this time, two scones and a banana pudding and a ss of milk. The maids were astonished by his appetite, so they started whispering to each other. These maids were just hired after the ident, so they were not familiar with the rules in the house and didnt realize how imprudent they were to gossip about Anna. Why does Matthew like Ms. Gabriel so much? It is said shes the mother of Matthews ssmate. That little girl there. That little girl is so adorable. She gave me some sweets just now. Does Matthew have a crush on that little girl? Stop it. They are still little children. Just kidding! But Ms. Gabriel seems really special for Mr. Wright. The maid who worked here before said that Mr. Wright never brought women back. Even his fianc, Miss Xavier, has onlye here for a few times in the past five or six years. Wait. Does Mr. Wright and Ms. Gabriel Chapter 43 Chapter 43 How is that possible? Mr. Wright is going to marry Miss Xavier. Its said that Mr. Wrights grandfather doesnt like Miss Xavier and doesnt approve their marriage. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. What? A maid covered her mouth in surprise and said in a low voice, Really? Now Ms. Gabriel appears, and Matthew really likes her. Does this mean? Behave yourself and be respectful. Maybe she will be thedy of the house. Anna was busy eating with the two children. She didnt know that Matthews friendly attitude towards her had aroused the servants wild imagination andbelled her as the future Mrs. Wright. It was already three oclock when the meetings were over, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Gabe had already ordered some food for him and put it on the table in his office. Mr. Wright, why dont you eat first? I will put the copy of the meeting minutes in yourputerter. Wayne pinched between his eyebrows and slightly nodded, exhausted. He had been working nonstop and hadnt eaten anything since seven in the morning. After resting for a while, Wayne called home. He put his phone aside and opened the speaker while eating. His butler quickly answered and asked respectfully, Mr. Wright, have you finished your meetings? Yeah, just finished. How are things at home? Everything has been fine. Please rest assured. Ms. Gabriel and Matthew are having a good time. Her daughter also gets along well with him. While they were talking, Wayne heard Tammysughter on the other end of the phone. Matthew, your toy is really funny. Hahahaha. Although he didnt hear Matthews voice, he could naturally imagine how happy Matthew was with Tammys happyughter. Wayne soon stopped frowning. Well, look out for the children. Mr. Wright, do you still need to work? Ms. Gabriel asked me whether you wereing for dinner. No, Ive had n tonight. Wayne said calmly, Ill go back after dinner. If Im toote, remember to tell the driver to send Anna and her daughter home. Hanging up the phone, he was overwhelmed by mixed feelings. Holding the fork and ing at the delicious food, he suddenly lost his appetite. Somehow, he thought of the food that Anna brought to the hospitalst weekend. She must be preparing for dinner now. She will definitely cook by herself though there are lots of servants in the house. What will they eat tonight? Mr. Wright, the restaurant said they forgot the soup. It has just been sent here. Gabe suddenly knocked on the door and came in, with an insted food box in his hand. Wayne stared at the silver food box and suddenly put down the fork. He suddenly stood up, Gabe, cancel the dinner for me. I dont want to go. What? Gabe asked, still holding the food box, Why not? Do you have any important thing to do? Its the banquet of the Birmingham Trade Fair! However, Wayne ignored him and took his coat and went outside. He burned up the road on his way and saw a bakery halfway. He bought two boxes of snacks. It was still not nightfall when he arrived home. He stepped out of the car in the glow of sunset and heard the laughter in the yroom on the second floor. When Wayne pushed the door open, Anna was standing there, her hands covered by flour, and pointing to Tammy, who was excitedly jumping on the trampoline, Come down, Tammy Gabriel. Cut it out! Im going to make dinner. You cant jump on it without my watch. Youll fall down. Matthew, you havent recovered from the injury yet. Dont monkey around with Tammy. With one hand on the door, Wayne was astonished by the scene. Matthew had always been a quiet boy. But now he was rolling on the trampoline with Tammy. He was wearing a Spider-Man costume and made the Spider-Man iconic hand gesture once in a while. Did my son really break his arm? With Annas warning, the two children looked at each other, stuck out their tone and finally got out of the trampoline quietly. Thats it. Dont mess around. You can y after I finish cooking. Alright? Anna pointed to Tammys nose, Take care of Matthew. Dont y crazily with him. He hasnt recovered yet. His arm is still in the cast. Tammy smiled broadly, OK, mommy. I know. We wont jump on the trampoline. Anna finally turned around in satisfaction. She didnt see that there was a man at the door because she was still looking at the children from the corner of her eyes, and then she collided with him. Ouch! Anna shouted, her forehead hitting a firm chest. She raised her head in pain and finally saw clearly who that man was. She took a few steps back in a fluster. Sorry. Sorry She saw that there were two white handprints on Waynes ck shirt while flour was still falling from it. Wayne stood there angrily. Sorry. Anna quickly walked to him, Let me help you clean it. She patted on his chest. The handprints were surely gone, but now the whole shirt was covered by flour. Wayne choked and coughed, covering his mouth, and pushing her away. Anna Gabriel, are you taking revenge on me? Ahem ahem Anna gave a shake of her head, No Of course not. I was going to cook dinner. I was making a dough. How could I know that you were standing at the door? So it is my fault? You shouldnt have stood there without even making a sound. Anna whispered guiltily. Face darkening, Wayne said in a deeper voice, Anna Gabriel, have I been too friendly to youtely? No. No. No. Anna shook her hand and exined leisurely, You see, I was making a dough because I wanted to make some snacks for your son. I got your shirt dirty also because I wanted to make some snacks for your son. Think about it. Which is more important, your shirt or your son? Wayne was speechless. He frowned and didnt bother to retort her. He suddenly changed the topic, Ive got servants at home. Is it necessary for you to cook? I invited you here to y. Not cook. Now you may look happy. I guesster you will me me for forcing you to work on the weekend. What you make is definitely different from what the servants make. Anna rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrows, Believe it or not. If you can make some snacks for Matthew, he will be thrilled, even if they are not as delicious as the food the servants make. Dont bother. Ive bought some. Wayne showed her the dessert box in his hand. Its different from homemade food. Anna suddenly thought of something, Wait, are you free tonight? Wayne looked at her and answered casually, Yeah. Great. Lets go to the kitchen. I can teach you how to make a dough and cookies. Come on. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Anna authoritatively pushed Wayne into the kitchen. You should spend more time with Matthew. Look how happy he was when he was ying with Tammy. Your servants taking care of him said that he had never been this happy before. Thats crazy. While Wayne was ming himself again because of Annas words, Anna suddenly put an apron in his arms, Put this on so that you wont get flour on your clothes. His eyes twisted when he saw the pink apron. When he was about to say something, Anna suddenly urged him, What are you waiting for? Go wash your hands. Its five oclock. The kids are starving. He somehow followed her orders, put on the apron, and washed his hands. Then he started to make a dough ording to Annas instructions. Usually, we can make cookies in all kinds of shapes. Round, square, whatever. But kids dont really care about the vor. They pay more attention to the appearance than the taste of the food. Therefore, we can use a cookie mold or make some animals with our hands when making cookies. Anna tried to show him and extruded the dough on the baking paper. Look, now we have a little duck. Remember not to put too much dough on one cookie, because it will expand in the oven, and it will eventually look too fat. Anna was very serious when teaching Wayne. She stared at the baking paper, and soon there were all kinds of animals on it. Wayne stood by her side and stared at her face, suddenly having a strange feeling. He suddenly found she interesting, much more interesting than the women he met before. She was not vain or highfalutin. She was excellent in work and in life. She was kind, brave, and straightforward. And she was patient with children. Uncle Wright, what do you think of marrying my mommy? Tammys sentence that he took as a childs babble suddenly struck him. His hand shook and suddenly extruded too much dough. A weird ugly thing appeared on the baking paper. chocte dough, Im sure no one would like to eat a cookie that looks like poop. Waynes face froze. He looked at his work in embarrassment and put down the things in his hands. You can do it yourself. Dont be upset. Anna raised her eyebrows and gloated over the thing he made, Come on, its not the end of the world. We can still save it. Then she picked out a tiny cranberry from the bag and put it on the poop-shaped cookie and used a toothpick to stretch one end of the cookie. Now it looks like a little snake. Wayne took a look at the little snake that she made. Ityzily on the baking paper, with a cute cranberry eye that gave a glow and a long thin tail in the behind. His eyes were first fixed on the cookie and then moved to Annas face. Her satisfied look somehow pleased him. At dinner, Matthew was much happier than usual. His active attitude today surprised Wayne. It had always been a big problem to make Matthew eat. If no one fed him, he would rather stay hungry. Even if someone did, he would only eat a little. He looked thinner than other kids at the age of five. Matthew, can you eat by yourself? Wayne couldnt help but ask. Of course, he can. Hes five years old. Anna said in an exaggerating tone, Matthew can do a lot of things, cant he? Matthew nodded and gave Wayne a scornful look as if he had been hiding his abilities from Wayne. Both angry and amused at Matthews look, he could do nothing but put more food on Matthews te and said gently, Its my fault not to pay enough attention to you. Have some more food. After the meal, Anna wanted to leave since it was gettingte, but Tammy wouldnt go and kept saying that she wanted to y video games together. There was a big screen TV in Waynes living room, and there was a tank game in it. They could y the game together, each one holding a game pad. Five minutes into the first round, Wayne had upied the territory of other three. Game was over. Anna was frustrated, This is not fair. This is your TV. You must have yed for a lot of times before. Not fair. Its my first time, too. Wayne said with no expression, Dont try to find excuses for your crushing defeat. Matthew immediately kicked Wayne, stood up, and waved his hand for a long time. But no one understood him, so he took his sketch board and wrote, Daddy is bad. Wayne was dumbfounded. He touched Matthews head and asked, Im bad because I win? Thats not right. We have to be gracious losers. Still displeased, Matthew lightly pushed away Waynes hand and sat there angrily with his arms and legs folded. Wayne didnt know how to make Matthew happy and could only suggest that they y another round. This time, he carefully yed with them for almost half an hour and waited until thest minute to fight back. However, Matthew kicked off the gamepad in his hand in the nick of time. Meanwhile, Anna broke in his camp in a tank and instantly overwhelmed his Yay, we win! We win! Tammy stood up and shouted cheerfully. She tore off a slip of paper and stuck it on Waynes forehead with a snap, Punishment! Wayne asked, Why werent you punishedst time? It was a tryst time. We werent really ying, so we shouldnt be punished. This round is for real. Anna said naturally. Wayne turned to his son, who nodded and took Annas side. Wayne was speechless. You little boy. Do you still remember who your father is? They yed a few more rounds. Wayne wanted to win, but he could do nothing when the two kids disturbed him. Atst, his face was covered by slips of paper, which would dance up and down whenever he breathed out. They could barely see his face. Annaughed so hard that she had to hold her belly andy on the mat. She shouted, Im afraid we cant y any longer. There is no room on your face for more paper. The two kids pped their hands and jumped on the couch. Tammy even let out a heartyugh.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. OK, its reallyte. We should go. They hadughed enough and yed enough. Anna supported herself on the sofa and stood up. She reached out her hand to Tammy, Tam, we should go. Its almost ten oclock. Its toote. We cant stay any longer. Tammy immediately stoppedughing and pouted, No, mommy. Why dont we stay here tonight? Its sote after all. Annas face changed. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Tammy Gabriel. Anna said in a deep voice, staring at the little girl. Do you think it is OK to stay here? Tammy set her mouth in a line with a guilty look on her face. Usually, Anna was really angry when she talked to Tammy in this way. Mommy. Tammy pulled Annas sleeves, I just want to y with Matthew a little longer. Anna looked at her with great seriousness, Do you know what time it is now? Havent | told you that you can y but you cant wear out your wee? Itsmon courtesy. While Anna was snapping at Tammy, Matthew suddenly crawled to her and held one of her legs with one hand, with the sketch board in the other hand. Anna felt it and looked down subconsciously at Matthew, who was holding the board up high. She saw the words that Matthew wrote, I want Tammy to stay. Matthew. Anna frowned and suddenly didnt know what to say. It always seemed difficult for her to refuse Matthews request. Matthew, we have to go. Its toote now. Next time I will bring Tammy here to y with you again. OK? Seeing that Anna still insist to leave, Matthew became agitated. He quickly wrote some words on the board and pulled Waynes pants to let him read it. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. If you dont let Tam and Auntie stay, I wont eat. Matthews request took Wayne by surprise and struck a church with him. He hesitantly looked at Anna, Uhm, why dont you stay tonight? I will have them clean a room for you and Tam. Astonished, Anna said, No. Its a little inappropriate. Dont get me wrong. Wayne nced at her and exined calmly, ? If you leave now, Matthew will refuse to eat tomorrow. His arm hasnt recovered yet. He can only stay at home and rarely see his friends. Waynes words didnt leave much choice for Anna. Tammy seized the moment of Annas hesitation and said, Mommy, tomorrow is Sunday. I dont need to go to school, and you dont need to go to work. I promise I wont ask you to stay here tomorrow. I just want to stay with Matthew for a little longer. Now Anna could do nothing but to agree. She poked Tammy on the forehead and cast a significant look at her, Youre a big girl now, trying to keep your friendpany. After Anna decided to stay, the servants cleaned a guest room for them. Anna first took Tammy to have a shower. Tammy was crazily excited,ughing and ying wildly in the bathtub, and getting all the towels in the bathroom wet. Alright. Alright. Enough. Is it really this good to stay here? Yes. Tammy looked at Anna with smiling eyes, Mommy, Ive always wanted to have a brother. Anna frowned and said in a low voice, You do have one. Tammy realized that she had reopened an old wound and regretted, Sorry, mommy. Its alright. Anna touched her head resignedly, Stay in the water quietly. Or youll catch a cold. Ill find a dry towel for you. OK. The son that was taken away had always been a pain in Annas heart. She knew that it was unlikely to bring him back even if she found him. But she hoped that she could see him again, if possible. She only wanted to know whether he was happy. If he was living a happy life, she didnt need to disturb him. She went out of the bathroom and let out a sigh of sadness, feeling hard to breathe. Wayne was drinking water in the living room. He turned around when he heard the sound and saw Anna walking downstairs. Her dress was drenched to the skin on the chest part, vaguely showing the outline of her bra. He was suddenly nervous, his mouth dry. Uhm, where are the servants? Anna hesitantly asked him, seeing that he was staring at her. Wayne came to himself and avoided Annas gaze, Just went outside. Throwing the rubbish, I guess. What are you looking for? Towels. Anna pulled her cor and smiled resignedly, Tammy was naughty in the servants whether they can find some dry towels. Wayne nced at the door. The rubbish bin was far away from the house, and the servant on duty today had just left. It would take her a while toe back. Ive got some in my room. Ill take it for you. He put down his ss and walked to the stairs. JAnna, following him, was a bit nervous when she walked into the master bedroom and unconsciously clenched her hands. She looked at Waynes back and shook her head to clear her mind from thoughts. What are you thinking? Do you need bath towel or facecloth? Come and have a look. Wayne stood at the bathroom door and called her. She quickly walked over, Both. There were neat stacks of towels in the cupboard near the washbasin. Anna first took two bath towels but didnt find the facecloths on theyer below. It seemed that they were on theyer above her. She tiptoed to reach the facecloths, but it was difficult for her since she wasnt tall enough. A hand was suddenly reached out over her head, and she heard a deep voice in the darkness, Two? She nodded in a daze, not knowing whether he saw her. She just felt that the shadow that covered her was darker. Wayne took the facecloths and when he lowered his head he met Annas wandering eyes, which were sparkling in the darkness. His heart beat, but his hands stopped. In the dim light of the bathroom, Waynes action of taking the towel was more like intimately holding her in his arms from behind. Anna felt that the temperature of the room had risen a little in this romantic atmosphere. She breathed heavily and caught a whiff of the cologne on his body. She couldnt resist taking a sniff of it. He smells good. Mr. Wright A servant suddenly knocked at the door, breaking the romantic silence in the room. Anna suddenly came to her senses and lowered her head to avoid Waynes straight gaze. She took a step back to keep a proper distance from him. Wayne also came back to himself. He shot a displeased nce at the door, Whats wrong? He handed the facecloths to Anna. Anna contained her emotions and took them in embarrassment, her heart still beating fast as if they were going to pop out of her chest. This is weird. I just went to the guest room. Ms. Gabriels daughter was alone in the bathroom. She asked where her mommy went. I have looked around the house but didnt find her. Anna quickly looked at Wayne. Before she stopped him, he had walked out of the bathroom calmly and answered, Shes here with me. There was a moment of silence outside the room. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 I. Im leaving now. Sorry to interrupt you and Ms. Gabriel, Mr. Wright. The servant outside hurriedly exined. Anna heard her hasty footsteps. Its not like that. Anna ran to the door to exin to her, but there was no one in the hallway when she opened the door, as if it was only her illusion. She felt like crying but had no tears. Great. Now Im the real social climber who tries to seduce Wayne Wright. Do your servants alle and go like ghosts? She turned around to look at Wayne with a scrunchedCup face. Wayne frowned and looked at her in confusion, What? Nothing. Just forget about it. Anna wanted to tell him that people would talk. But on second thought, she didnt bother to do so since he wouldnt understand it. When she was going to take the towels and leave, she suddenly thought of something and stood still on the hallway and turned back to him, By the way, if youre not too busy, youd better spend more time with Matthew. He always feels insecure. You mustve seen how happy he is today when ying with Tammy. He needs someone to stay with him. But letting all those servants taking care of him is not enough. He needs someone that he likes. She wanted to ask whether Wayne had to marry Ada Xavier because Matthew really seemed to dislike her. Besides that woman didnt look kind or nice. After hesitation, she decided not to say it out loud. It would be weird to ask this kind of question, and she was afraid that Wayne would mistake her concern and think she was interested in him. After all, this is his family affairs. Seeing that Anna looked concerned for Matthew, he suddenly had an idea and said automatically, Then you stay here and take care of him. His deep voice echoed in the spacious house. Anna was surprised and asked, What What do you mean? Wayne frowned slightly. He also seemed surprised by his words. He quickly looked away to avoid Annas eyes and said in a calm voice, I can pay you three times as much as your sry as the hotel manager. Anna was relieved when hearing this. She only took it as a joke, so she answered, halfCjoking, I wont agree even if you pay me ten times as much as my sry. Considering the future of the career, I think a hotel manager is much more promising than taking care of your child. Mr. Wright, you may rest assured that I will focus on the job in the hotel. Dont test me in this way. Wayne didnt say more, his face unemotional. After she left, Wayne closed his door and thought about the thing he just said. The mixed feelings came back to him, much stronger than when he saw her at home in the iet her stay? I must be overthinking. How did it ur to me? Shes only one of my employees, a managerCinCtraining. Besides, Ive only known her for a few months. Its unreasonable to have this kind of idea. I would never do that before Its only because Matthew likes her and her daughter. That must be it. Although he had found the answer, he lost sleep, tossing and turning for a whole night. Meanwhile, Anna was having a great time. After the shower, she looked in the mirror and used all the expensive skin care products in the guest room. Then she applied a luxury facial mask with such an exorbitant price that she decided to forget about her dignity and put the whole box in her bag. Then sheyfortably on the bed with Tammy in her arms. Its sofy. Mommy, do you feelfortable? Tammy, lying in her arms, asked her timely. Anna nodded with the facial mask on her face, Yeah. So Ive decided to take all the facial masks with me tomorrow. See. Money is everything. As long as you marry into this family, all these will be yours! Tammy gave her a look of encouragement and turned around to put the head on her chest, looking forward to the bright future. Anna raised her eyebrows and poked Tammy on her forehead, How can you trade me for these petty things? I guess I need to take you to see the world more in the future. You know, I used to be rich too. Tammy covered her forehead and pursed her lips, I know. Youre not rich now because you have me. Thats why I hope you can be rich again. The man, whom I call father and meet once or twice a year, told me that mommy was the daughter of a rich family. She couldnt go back because she gave birth to me, so I have to be a good daughter and never make mommy angry. So were not rich. But were living a happy life now. Anna closed her eyes leisurely. Even if were rich, we can only sleep on one bed in one bedroom. We can only have three meals a day. Besides, we have to watch out for other peoples malicious scheme. Compared to the past, I prefer to live like this.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Tammy heaved a sigh like an adult for her mothersck of ambition. Mommy, this is not right. Mommy. Anna didnt answer her because she had already been far away in dreand. Tammy had no other choice. It seems unlikely that mommy will wake up to reality and seize the opportunity. I can only put my efforts on Uncle Wright! The next day, Anna and Tammy stayed in Waynes house for a whole day. Wayne drove them back home at night by himself, which surprised Anna. Thank you, Mr. Wright. After getting out of the car, Anna held Tammys hand and stood at the gate of the apartment building. Wayne stood in front the car and said with a deep powerful voice, Its alright. You can go. Tammy looked up at Wayne, and her voice resonated round the block, Uncle Wright, will you and Matthewe to our apartment next weekend? Anna looked at her in surprise. This little girl. How can she invite other people to our home without my permission? But well, that is Wayne Wright. He must have a thousand things to do every day. It will be weird if he says yes. OK. Wayne answered clearly while Anna was still thinking. Her astonished gaze fell on him. Still calm andposed, he crouched down and touched Tammys cheek, I will take Matthew here next Saturday, OK? OK! Tammys face lit up. She put her arms around Waynes neck and gave him a loud peck on the cheek, Deal. You have to keep your word. Wayne froze for an instant, touching his face, and suddenly smiled, I will. His smile was so soft that Anna bit back her scolding that sprang to her lips. She stared at him for a while and got lost in his smile. She suddenly felt that Wayne had a good reason to remain unsmiling and austere. Women would line up to be his sons stepmother even though he didnt smile at all. If he did smile, those women would even be willing to be his mistress. Somehow, she suddenly thought of the hot half minute in the bathroomst night. She felt herself reddening. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Mommy lets go. Anna heard Tammys words, and the next thing she knew, Waynes car had vanished around the corner of the street. She coughed in embarrassment. On the way back home, Tammy held Annas hand and said with a sly grin, Mommy, did you just have a crush on him? What? Who? Anna denied firmly, What crush? Then why did you stand there and kept staring at Uncle Wright? I was embarrassed by you! Tammy! She was speechless, a feverish blush on her cheeks. When they got out of the elevator, she suddenly remembered what Tammy did, so she pulled her cor and looked at her coldly, I havent asked you yet. How could you casually invite other people to our home? Have you asked for my permission? Tammy struggled and said with no regret, Mommy, let me go. One good turn deserves another. Thats what my teacher taught us. Anna didnt know whether Tammys teacher really taught her this kind of thing. On Monday, Anna met Wayne at the gate of the kindergarten after school, who also came to pick up his child. Let me drop you home on the way. Waynes ck car was parked under an inconspicuous old tree. Seeing that there were too many people here, Anna knew it was impossible to catch a taxi here and difficult to take the subway, so she agreed. When they arrived, she said politely, Thank you so much, Mr. Wright. If you were not always busy, I would ask you to stay for dinner. Her tone clearly sent a message that she was only being polite, so clearly that it was impossible for Wayne to misunderstand it. However, someone would waywardly pretend that he did when he wanted to. Im not busy. Wayne said in a powerful tone, Matthew happened to say that he wanted to eat the food you made. He wont eat properly at home anyway. Lets go. Then he got out of the car. Anna really wanted to p herself in the face. Why cant stop talking? Do I really need to be so polite? Though she regretted inviting him, she still cooked a delicious meal after she led Wayne and Matthew into her apartment. She took all the food from her fridge, but her great cooking skillspensated for theck of special ingredients. Its a little crowded here. I hope you dont mind. Its better than I thought. Stop walking around. Take a seat and eat. Wayne was putting the food in the kids tes as if he was at his own home. Anna felt weird about his words. But she took off the apron and sat opposite him. It was a little awkward, so she tried to say something. She said, Gabe said this afternoon that you always have business dinner at night. Yeah. What about tonight? Not doing anything tonight. OK. After this short, boring conversation, Anna decided to stop finding topics and shut up. Obviously, Wayne wasnt a chatty person. Finding a topic and insisting on talking to him was more embarrassing than eating quietly. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After a while, Tammy swallowed her food and started chittering about what happened at school. Surprisingly, Wayne was interested in it and asionally asked her some questions. Matthew, beside him, also nodded or shook his head as a response. The atmosphere gradually warmed up. After the meal, Wayne was talking to the kids in the living room while Anna was washing dishes in the kitchen. It was almost nine oclock when she finished. Its gettingte. We should leave now, said Wayne tly, standing up from the sofa. Anna was slightly stunned. It turned out that she neednt have thought about how to tell him to go for a long time. In retrospect, she was embarrassed by herself. When she walked them to the door, she, again habitually, said politely, It was all in a hurry, and I didnt prepare much for the dinner. I hope you have a good meal today. You are wee to visit us at any time. Wayne took Matthews hand and slightly nodded to her, Mmm hmm. Annas heart missed a beat. Why does it seem that he still doesnt understand Im only being polite? No way. Does he take it seriously again? The next day, the ck car was parked under the old tree outside the kindergarten again. Wayne dropped Anna and Tammy home and went inside to have dinner again. Wayne had taken his son to Annas apartment to have dinner for three days in a row before she realized. She found it a little inappropriate, so she avoided the tree and took Tammy to take the subway on Thursday. Naturally, they had dinner without Wayne that night. Anna made steaks and soup. She cut the steak for Tammy and said, This is delicious. Tammy was as happy as usual and didnt look any different from the days when Wayne and Matthew came. However, Anna suddenly had an empty feeling in her stomach. Why does the apartment be so quiet without the two silent persons sitting opposite me? They didnt make much sound when they were here, The next day, Anna came to the kindergarten to pick Tammy up, While she was hesitating whether to go to that old tree with Tammy, her phone rang It was Wayne Mr. Wright? Are you at the kindergarten? He said in a sonorous tone. Yeah. Take Matthew with you. I have an emergency in thepany. I cant leave now. What? Anna was at a loss for a second and subconsciously looked at the crowd of the children. Matthew was in the center of the crowd and waving to her. He must have been waving for a long time since he was sweaty. OK, I know. Dont worry. Thank you. Ill pick him upter. Alright. After exining to the teacher, she took Matthews hand and went into the car under the old tree. Waynes butler drove them to the apartment. While driving, the butler looked into the rearview mirror with a bright smile on his face, Ms. Gabriel, you cant imagine how thankful the servants in the house are. Why? Anna asked confusedly. Because Matthew would often refuse to eat, Mr. Wright was always angry and dissatisfied with the servants. But now that Mr. Wright often takes Matthew to your ce to have dinner, we are all relieved. The cook asked me yesterday whether she could learn something from you. Anna was surprised, Does he take Matthew to my ce because of Matthews eating problem? Yes. The butler said in confusion, What else do you think he did this for? Ah, I think so too. Anna hurriedly said, with mixed feelings in her heart. Recollectingst Saturday when Wayne said she could be Matthews nanny at the house, she finally understood why Wayne often dropped by her house to have dinner. He only wanted his son to eat more. I was being insane thinking that he did it for other reasons! Fortunately, I didnt refuse him too explicitly. Otherwise, it will be embarrassed. When Wayne came to pick Matthew up at night, Anna walked them to the door and said sincerely, Mr. Wright, you can take Matthew here to have dinner at any time you want. Wayne still looked as calm as usual and nodded sedately, OK. When the car drove out of the block, Matthew fell asleep in the safety seat. With a hand on the steering wheel, the butler looked into the rearview mirror and whispered, as if he was talking about a big secret, Mr. Wright, I have talked to Ms. Gabriel as Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Hmm. Wayne answered drily. But when he looked out of the window, a light of delight shed in his eyes. He felt that he had understood something at the night when he lost sleep. But he needed some time to confirm his thoughts. He figured it would be easy. But after Anna deliberately avoided him yesterday, he realized that he still needed a good reason to get close to her. Matthew could be the good reason. After that day, Wayne would always visit Anna with Matthew and invited Tammy and her to his house on weekends. Sometimes, they even went to a park to have a pic or went to a yground together. They had a good time during this time. Anna naturally felt that what attracted Wayne and Matthew was her cooking skills. And when they were together, Wayne could give her some advice about the anniversary n, which saved her from the embarrassment in the meetings when her proposal was denied by her colleagues. Anna thought it was fair since they both took what they needed. Nice to meet you, Miss Xavier. A young man put down his briefcase and sat opposite Ada in a private room of a caf. Ada had got impatient when waiting for him. After she saw him, she became even angrier, You are the private detective that Bob talked about? Pearson Ray? The man nodded and looked at Ada calmly under her suspicious gaze, I am. Agitated, Ada looked at her watch and took her purse, ready to leave. Bob must be crazy. Where did he find you? Are you a grownCup? You look like a makeup people instead of a detective. This is not a little boys game. The man in front of Ada was in his early twenties. He had fair skin and a baby face. He couldnt be underage, but he must be less than 25. How could anyone believe that this young man was the most famous private detective in Birmingham? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Pearson sat on his seat calmly, without the slightest intention of getting up, and said drily, I will delete all the things that I found after you leave. Dont worry. I wont leak the information to anyone. I have my work ethic. Ada stood still and looked at him with a frown, What did you find? I thought you were not interested. Ada stood there for a while and finally sat back at her seat. OK, tell me what youve found. I can believe that you are able to work for me only if you got something valuable. Pearson unhurriedly put a document on the table and slowly pushed it to Ada with his slender fingers. ording to your request, I have investigated in the woman, Anna Gabriel, and her daughter. Ive found out that six years ago, the night after her eighteenth birthday was thest time she appeared in front of her friends. Six years ago Ada looked at the date on the document, her brow wrinkling, How could it be that night? Although you havent rified what you want to know, I think you must be interested in this part. Anna Gabriel was drugged that night, but she wasnt taken to the room that Allie Gabriel ordered. Instead, she was taken away. And Wayne was also at that hotel at that night. What do you mean? I have every reason to suspect that the surrogate mother that Wayne chose is Anna Gabriel. Adas face turned pale, and her hand holding the document was shaking. Whats the odds of that happening? It took her a long time to find out that Matthew was born by a surrogate mother. She thought that Wayne wouldnt contact that woman anymore, which was why she didnt worry at all. But now that woman could be Anna Gabriel. She is a Gabriel. Its impossible for her to be a surrogate mother. Thats impossible. Ada immediately dismissed this idea as unrealistic, She is the second daughter of the Gabriel family. She has everything. Why should she do such a thing? You said that she was drugged by her sister. One thing led to another, and it just happened. Nothing is impossible. Im only telling you where Im going with this. If you dont believe me, I can stop the investigation. Pearson gave her a contemptuous nce. Ada said with a dark face and clenched fists, No, I never said I wanted to stop. I have to figure it out. Well, then Ill look for the former butler of the Wayne family. He must be the one who was responsible for the surrogacy. Ill contact you if I find anything new. Pearson looked at the document in Adas hand, You can keep it. Call me if you have any question. By the way, Miss Xavier, it is not a good idea to judge people by their appearances. What a private detective needs is his sharp insight instead of age. Pearson stood up and left with an imperious look on his babyface. If it werent for the investigation of Wayne Wright, he wouldnt have bothered to take the case. Just as people say, actresses are twoCfaced creatures. Ada Xavier is really annoying He went out of the caf, put his hands on his forehead, and looked up at the sky. What a find day today! Its a good time for a surprising encounter. We can stop by the supermarket to buy some food. Do you want to eat meatloaf? Having just picked the children up from the kindergarten, Anna, sitting in the car, asked Wayne. Alright. Anna nodded and prompted the butler to turn right before they crossed the street, That way to Costco. The two adults were only nning to go to the fresh produce department and the meat department, but Tammy naturally would not be so easily satisfied. She directly pulled Matthew to the candy and snack aisles. Wait, where are you going? Ill go with them. Wayne turned around and followed them. Anna had to push the shopping cart and take the vegetables by herself. Wayne followed the two kids and got another cart. Tammy first took a box of chocte and looked at him tentatively with her big watery eyes, Mommy wont let me eat much chocte. Both Matthew and I like this one. There are a lot here! Wayne took a whole set from the shelf with every vor in it, Then just buy it. Wow, is this what being rich feels like? Eyes lit up, Tammy jumped and cheered, Uncle Wright, youre the best! Matthew also looked at her with a smile and pointed at other snacks in front of them. After the two kids picked all the things they wanted, they met Anna at the checkout counter, and their cart was piled up with all kinds of snacks. Anna asked them with round eyes, Oh my God. What did you buy? When can you finish eating all those things? Tammy, you little Its not me. Tammy waved her hands quickly. Who else could it be? Anna frowned, Not like you, Matthew barely eats snacks. When Anna was going to pull Tammys ears, she hid behind Waynes legs in fear and shouted, Help, help, Uncle Wright. Wayne stood in front of Tammy and felt a little awkward. He suddenly stopped Anna with hic low voice Its me. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 What? You? With Wayne hindering, Anna could only stop. She gave Tammy an angry stare, Youll have those this time. But only this time. And your pocket money for next month has just gone. Tammy pursed her lips in grievance, but Matthew pulled her sleeves and blinked to her, hinting that he still had money. Tammy started smiling again. When Anna was about to tell Wayne that he shouldnt spoil the children like that, her phone suddenly rang. She answered the phone and heard the noises in the background and a womans guilty voice, Anna, are you at home? I need you toe now. What happened? Anna asked a few questions and suddenly became nervous, What? How can you She couldnt say too much with Wayne staying with her, so she quickly hung up. She looked at him, I have something to do know. Can you look after Tammy for a while? Okay. Thank you. Without waiting for Wayne to finish his sentence, Anna hurriedly passed the queue in front of the checkout counter and ran to the gate of the supermarket. She seemed to be in a hurry. Wayne wanted to say What happened? I can drive you there. But he didnt have the chance to say it. It happened to be rush hour now. The taxi was caught in a traffic jam, and it took her almost an hour to get to the airport police department. On stepping into the room, she saw a woman sitting straight and haughtily on a chair, in ck and white and a pair of sunsses. Her white shirt was tucked into a ck fishtail skirt. The 4Cinch redCsoled ck high heels had perfectly ented her slender and strong legs. She was holding a silver sequin purse, which reflected cold light and gave her an air of arrogance and indifference. Peace. Anna quickly walked to her, What have you done again? What have I done? Peace took off her sses and showed her pretty little face, still angry. Im only a brave citizen who tries to help others. I have never seen another man who dared to drop his pants in the airport parking lot with all the CCTV cameras above our heads. What? Drop his pants? Anna was surprised. She hurriedly let Peace turn around and looked at her un and down and asked quickly, Are you alright? Are you hurt by anyone? On Oh, its not me. She took Annas waving hands and said angrily, I said I tried to help others. The woman bullied was picked up by her friends. That p*****t is still here. Which one? Anna looked around and didnt see anyone. He was arrested. We wont let this kind of man get off without detention. Otherwise, he will get outside and keep harming the society. I know. I know. Anna sighed, Since its all over, Ill go sign the paper. Lets go. Tammy is waiting for me at home. Peace had a hot temper and a strong and agile body with the experiences in the army. She could beat several men by herself. The first time Anna met her she was fighting a guy to help a girl outside a bar. After she knew more about Peace, she realized that it was amon thing to get her in the police station. Where is your luggage? Anna asked Peace after they walked out of the police department. With only a purse in her hand, Peace suddenly thought of something and said in a harry, Ah, I left it in the parking lot! Atst, the staff in the airport took them to the left luggage area and found it. It was a burgundy aluminum suitcase, which stood out among the pile of lost ones. I told you we will find it. Peace pulled the suitcase calmly and mocked at Annas overreaction, Alright, Ive had a good day today. We can pick Tammy upter and eat some delicious food. They went back to the parking lot. Peace would always park her car in the airport here before she travelled so that she could drive home after she came back. Peace put the suitcase into the trunk, and they were going to get into the car. Anna suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind, You should go to the hospital. No, I should go find mywyer. Raven Snow is a lunatic. Are you sure youre alright? The deep voice echoed in the parking lot. Anna turned around with her hand on the car door, and she saw two tall men talking in front of a BMW. One of them was Wayne. Wayne Wright? Anna shouted in astonishment. Isnt he supposed to be at home with the two kids now? What is he doing here? Wayne also heard Annas voice and looked over at her. His face changed at the sight of d her. Why are you here? Anna closed the door and walked to him. Then she saw a man hiding behind him, with bruises on his face that couldnt cover hisddish manner. Mr. Xavier, whats wrong with your face? Karl Xavier covered his face with both hands and said bitterly, How do you know who am with my face covered? Youre wrong. Im not Karl Xavier. While Anna was still wondering what happened, Peace walked to Anna and put her hand on Annas shoulder and said with a smile What? You know them? Is this your friend? Well, Anna soon introduced them, This is my boss, Mr. Wright, the CEO of Carousel Group. And this is Im Peace Brooks. Peace directly interrupted Anna and reached out her hand to Wayne, Im Annas best friend. Youre Wayne Wright. Ive heard a lot about you. Wayne nced at Anna and shook hands with Peace politely, Nice to meet you. And this is? Peaces gaze fell on the man behind Wayne. Meanwhile, Karl Xavier slowly raised his head. They looked at each other in the eyes, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Lunatic! p*****t! Peace and Karl almost shouted at each other almost at the same time. Anna immediately pulled Peace back who was going to lose her temper, Hey, what are you doing? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Its him. Peace pointed at Karl, Hes the p*****t I told you about in the airport police department. Whos p*****t? Karl shouted angrily and blushed though he was still hiding behind Wayne, You lunatic. Look at my face. Look what youve done to me. Wait for my legal letter. Now I remember you, Peace Brooks, right? There were bruises on his face, and his eyes were ck. Even Anna gave him a pity look though she was used to Peace beating others. Wayne took a few steps back to keep a distance from Peace. Youre not a p*****t? Wasnt that you who tried to r**e a woman here? Ive seen you take off your pants! Oh, disgusting! Both Anna and Wayne looked at Karl in astonishment. Karl looked gentle and polite. Although he liked to flirt with the women in thepany, no one would expect that he would do such a filthy thing. Why are you looking at me like that? Karl said anxiously, Do you believe her? Its not like that at all! Chapter 50 Chapter 50 There must be some misunderstanding, Peace. Anna tried to ease the tension between them. Besides, she couldnt believe that Karl would really do such a thing Although she hadnt been in thispany for a long time, she knew that Karl had a good reputation. He liked to flirt with others, but she never heard that he really did something bad. I saw it with my own eyes. I knew he wouldnt admit it, so I took a video. Seeing that Anna didnt believe her, Peace took out her phone and yed a juicy video for them. The scene of the crime was at the backseat of the BMW behind them. In the video, the car door was half open. Karl put his arms around a womans shoulder, their clothes in disarray. As the camera zoomed in, they saw that Karl was going to take off his pants and that the woman suddenly struggled and shouted Help. Karl was about drop his pants. Its.. Anna couldnt look at it anymore. She lowered her head and put her hand on her forehead with one hand pushing Peace. She said in a low voice, Its enough. Stop it. Hey, why do you still keep this video? Delete it. Karl shouted furiously, This is a vition of my privacy. Peace raised her eyebrows, Vition of your privacy? You p*****t. You wouldve seeded if I werent there. You think you can buy your way out of trouble and avoid being detained? Ill beat you whenever I see you. You crazy woman. Youre talking nonsense. If you dont stop, Ill sue you for nder Anna and Wayne pulled them apart since they were going to fight again. Okay, okay. Peace, please, ease up a bit. Anna was extremely embarrassed now. Even if Karl was a bad guy, she would still meet him in thepany. How could she face him if Peace beat him up again? Thats Karls girlfriend, Raven Snow. Wayne exined, with one hand pulling Karls arm,Shes not a passerby. Girlfriend? Anna was surprised. The atmosphere was less tense now. Of course she is my girlfriend. Do you think Im crazy? What do you think I wanted to do?r**e a woman and then go to jail? Karl shouted to Peace in sheer exasperation, Besides, I didnt initiate it. It was her scheme. All of them were stunned. In order to prove his innocence, Karl took out his phone to show them the photos of him and his girlfriend and reluctantly exined them how they had an ugly breakup before. Then they finally understood him. From Peaces perspective, when she just went to the parking lot from the airport and was going to put her suitcase into the trunk, she saw the car opposite her was shaking. She looked at it again and heard a womans struggling. She took out her phone and filmed the process and captured the scene of a pretty woman being forced to lie under a man. The woman suddenly started screaming for help. Peace couldnt ignore her, so she pulled Karl out of the car and beat him up and eventually pushed him to the airport police department. However, it was apletely different story from Karls perspective. I have juste back from a business trip. Before that, I broke up with Raven. She said that she had something to give me, so she came to pick me up. But she suddenly started touching me in the car. When she saw this woman, she suddenly screamed. She must have borne grudges against me because of the break-up, so she came here to set me up. Anna nodded. Thats possible. On second thought, even if Karl really wants to do such an evil thing, he wont choose the parking lot to do it with so many people walking around and all the CCTV cameras. How can we be sure that she took the initiative? You said shes your ex-girlfriend. Maybe you want to have break-up s*x with her. Peace said in an offhand manner and gave Karl a withering look. You Okay, thats enough. Anna held Peaces arm. She said, Now we have made it all clear. Great. Mr. Xavier, youre injured. Youd better go to the hospital now. I should also go back .home. Peace was not a fool. Although Karl didnt look like a righteous man, she knew she did a wrong thing today, so she calmed down and stopped talking. When Anna and Peace turned around to leave, Wayne suddenly said, Tam is staying at my house tonight. Ill send her to the kindergarten tomorrow. Anna stopped walking. This was the reason why she was in a hurry to leave just now. This was exactly what she was afraid of. Not surprisingly, Peace smelled a possibility of gossip and didnt want to go now. She turned around and asked, Tam? Why is Tam at your ce? Whats the rtionship between you and Anna? We were in the supermarket. She got your call and needed to pick you up, so she let me take care of Tam. I also got Karls call, sol let the butler take the children to my ce. Wayne exined expressionlessly. But the thing he said was quite interesting. Karl was stunned. I have only been on a business trip for a month. Why does it seem that the whole world has changed? Did I mishear? Wayne looking after someones kid? Wayne, why do you look after her kid? You two On hearing this, Anna hurriedly pulled Peace to go, Thank you for today, Mr. Wright. And for tomorrow. See you. Before Peace realized, she had been pushed into the car. Anna quickly climbed into the drivers seat and locked the door. Never had she started a car as quickly as today. In the twinkling of an eye, she had driven out of the parking lot. Anna, are you dating Wayne Wright? No. Thats nonsense. Then why are you so nervous? Peace gave her a prating gaze, I havent asked anything yet. Why did you wanted to leave so quickly? Why do you act like this if there is nothing between you two? I was afraid I would lose my job if you kept talking. Anna nced at her angrily, Its like this every time. You just beat others without figuring out what happens and let me clean up your mess. Dont change the subject. Peace folded her arms and said expressively, You trust him with Tammy. There must be something special between you two. Youre overthinking it. I saved his son before. He is thankful to me. Thats it. Well, how to thank you for saving his sons life? Peace fingered her jaw thoughtfully, I guess he wants to give himself to you to show his gratitude. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Oh, God. Enough. Anna rolled her eyes, Im done with this topic. Believe it or not, theres nothing between us. Well great, because I find him very attractive. Can I pursue him? Annas heart lost a beat on hearing Peaces words. She thought for a second and said, Go for him if you like. F.Y.I, he was born with a cold face. Im afraid youll only get the cold shoulder no matter how passionate you are. With that hot temper of yours, you will give up on the first day. Peace eyeballed her and didnt make anyments about Annas kind advice. Then she suddenly blinked and said seriously, Anna, ording to the theory of behaviorism, the fact that you hesitated for a few seconds just now means that you want to refuse me. And then you kept talking after that only to cover up your real thoughts deep in your heart. You do have a crush on him. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 When hearing what Peace had said, Anna was dumbfounded and her mind went nk. Peace means that I have feelings for Wayne? How is that possible? Besides, there is no pure friendship between a man and a woman. Wayne is the CEO of the Carousel Group. He is very busy every day but he spares time and takes care of your child. Except for that he also has feelings for you, I cant find any other reason for his behavior. Thats all. Matthew likes the food that I cook so he often takes Matthew here to have dinner. And he takes care of Tammy just to express his thanks to me, Anna said. Maybe he has made up his mind to be with you for the rest of his life, Peace said. Thats impossible. Anna denied it without hesitation. Hearing Annas denial, Peace tutted and chuckled with a meaningful look as if she had seen through Anna. That night, Anna was sleepless. The words that Peace had said today and the memory of these days when she stayed with Wayne ran through her mind again and again. In the middle of the night, she got up and went to the living room to drink water. When she got to the living room, she saw a new set of tea sets on the table. Then she remembered that once Wayne came to visit her before, she poured water for him and let him make do with the cup that was a little broken. On the second day, Wayne brought this new tea set. In addition to the tea set, Wayne would also bring her many things every time he came. And she could see the stuff that Wayne had given her almost everywhere in the apartment. Annas heart beat fast when she thought of this. The next morning, Anna received a message from Wayne on her way to work. Ive sent Tammy to school. Dont worry. On the crowded subway, Anna managed to type Thank you and couldnt help smiling sweetly. Since Peace came back from her business trip, she had been living with Anna. Wayne still often came to have dinner as before, On the first day Peace met Wayne, she almost asked about everything about him and his family. In the kitchen, Anna felt awkward when hearing their conversation. She wished she could put the spoon in her hand in Peaces mouth to let Peace shut up. Fortunately, Peace didnt stay at home every day. She established a design studio and was very busy every day so she would have dinner at home once a week at most. At night, Anna went out of Tammys bedroorn after coaxing Tammy to sleep. It was rare for Peace to have a day off and she was idle at night. After applying a facial mask, shey on the sofa and y with his mobile phone. When she saw Annae out, she suddenly sat up and asked, I heard from my assistant in the studio that Wayne and Ada are going to get married. Is it true? Yes, thats true, Anna said calmly and took a sip of water. Oh, God! Peace said in surprise and the facial mask on her face wrinkled. Then why does hee here to please you every day? What a twoCtimer! Hees here to please me? You must be joking. He has a fiancee. And he and I are just superior and subordinate. I told you about it before but you didnt believe me, Anna said as she rolled her eyes at Peace and turned around. The next moment, a hint of disappointment appeared on her face and she thought, How is it possible that he has feelings for me? He is going to get married soon Then she forced herself to abandon her unrealistic notion before. When Peace was about to ask more, Annas phone suddenly rang. Anna took a look at the caller ID and ignored the call directly. Why dont you answer the phone? Peace asked. Its just a sales call, Anna said. Then with a gloomy expression, she took out the clothes from the washing machine and went to the balcony to hang them. The screen of her phone which was on the table suddenly lit up and a text message popped up. Peace got up from the sofa and saw part of the content. The engagement party will be held on this Saturday. Anna, dont forget that Jacob and I are Seeing Jacobs name, Peace frowned at once. If my memory serves me right, Jacob is Annas exCboyfriend who cheated on her. Anna mentioned him once we had a drink abroad. So the woman who sent the message to Anna is most likely to be Annas best friend who shamelessly seduced Jacob! After hanging her clothes, Anna came back from the balcony. Seeing that Peace was still sitting on the sofa, she said, Why dont you take off the facial mask? Its almost dry. It doesnt matter, Peace said with her arms folded and sat upright. Anna,e and sit here. Whats up? Anna was amused by her serious look and asked. Its in the middle of the night Dont y tricks on me or frighten me. Whats this? Peace asked as she took out a red invitation card from behind her back and put This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. it on the tea table. Just now, after reading the message, she knew that Anna had received the invitation card so she rummaged through the pile of newspapers and magazines under the tea table and then found the invitation card at the bottom of them. It could be seen that Anna had received it for some time. Looking at the red invitation which was offending to the eye, Anna frowned and asked, Where did you find this? 0 Under this pile of magazines. If I remember rightly, Jacob is the shameless bastard who cheated on you and dated your best friend, right? Peace couldnt help but roll her eyes at the mention of Jacob. Then she continued, When I saw the invitation card, I thought that they were going to get married. But actually, they are just going to hold an engagement party. Humph. Does that woman want to get married so much? | Anna said helplessly, They have had nothing to do with me. I know that you dont care about them. But that woman is provoking you. What are you going to do? Peace asked. Im not going to their engagement party, Anna said without hesitation. Why? Peace immediately stood up from the sofa and said, You must go to the party! This is a great opportunity to revenge yourself on them. Ive got an idea. Ill make a customized dress for you. I promise you that everyone at the party including your bastard exCboyfriend will be fascinated by you as long as you wear it. And Ill make him break up with his fiancee and beg you toe back to him. You dont need to do such a thing for me. Just let bygones be bygones, Anna shrugged her shoulders and said casually. It has nothing to do with me whether they live a happy life or not. I dont want to see him. Out of sight, out of mind. Your expression shows that you still cant let go of the past. Dont you feel aggrieved when thinking of the past? Jacob hasnt apologized to you for his cheating, Peace said. Hearing this, Anna had mixed feelings. She certainly felt aggrieved. Back then, if it werent for Jacob, she wouldnt have been a surrogacy mother. By the way, I have epted the invitation for you. Peace said as she blinked with acent look. What did you do? Annas face froze and she asked in disbelief. The next moment, she saw the bright screen of her phone which was on the table. She picked up the phone at once and saw the message that Lilian had sent to her as well as Chapter 52 Chapter 52 By the time they got there, Wayne and Matthew, who seemed to be there for a long time, nau already collected arge basket of leaves. The father and son were sitting on the pic nket and talking about Matthews painting When Matthew saw Tammy, his eyes brightened. He stood up at once and looked around. However, he didnt see the person that he had expected to see for a long time. Then he frowned, turned to look at Wayne, and tugged at Waynes sleeve. Shes busy and wonte. I told you this morning before we went out, Wayne caressed Matthews head and said patiently. Ive told him that Anna wouldnte when we went out in the morning. Did he think that I was lying to him? Wayne thought. Hearing that, Matthew pouted with a gloomy expression. Peace walked towards them hand in hand with Tammy and then greeted Wayne and Matthew, Hi, Mr. Wright. Hi, Matthew. Wow, the weather is so good today. Its a pity that Anna cante here. Does she have anything urgent to do today? Wayne asked casually while picking up the leaves messed up by Matthew. Mommy went to a wedding, Tammy said, tilting her head and blinking at Wayne. She went to her exC boyfriends wedding! Wayne was a little stunned and looked up at Peace for confirmation. How did you know that? You eavesdropped on my conversation with your mother before? Peace pinched Tammys cheek gently, pretending to be angry. Tammy screamed and threw herself into Waynes arms. Help! Uncle Wayne, help! Holding her in her arms, Wayne looked absentmindedly. Then he asked, Did she go there alone? Of course, Peace sighed and said. Anna has always been goodCtempered. She didnt intend to go to the party, but his exCboyfriends fiancee was so annoying that she called Anna every day. Anna had no choice but to go to the party. Im afraid that Anna will be bullied at the party ande back crying. Come back crying? Will she cry? Wayne asked. It was hard for her to imagine that Anna would cry. In his impression, Anna was smart and brave. And she had an aura of authority when she worked in thepany. Anyway, Wayne didnt believe that Anna would let herself be bullied by others. Yes, Peace said and sighed again. You may noi know what Anna was like before. She used to be weak. Back then, she was cheated on by her exCboyfriend andter she went abroad. Living abroad alone, she had to be brave and independent so gradually she became what she is now. Wayne didnt know when Peace and Anna had known each other so he didnt find anything wrong with Peaces words that were full of loopholes. At the same time, he suddenly felt a little worried about Anna. Uncle Wayne, I heard that people would bring theirpanions with them when they want bulunul Waynes arms. At the same time, Matthew quickly raised his small drawing board, pulled Waynes sleeve, and showed him the words on it. If you dont help Auntie Anna, I wont let you be my father anymore. Wayne was amused by them. He smiled helplessly and said, What do you want me to do? She didnt ask me to be her malepanion. And I may not be helpful even if I go there. Anna always deals with everything without asking for help. She is afraid that if she asks others for help, she will bring trouble to others, Peace exined. She will be grateful to you if you can go to the party to apany her. Heres the thing. Annas exCboyfriend dated her best friend Lilian behind her back but Lilian actually had the nerve to invite Anna to their engagement party. Anna didnt want to go to the party but Lilian texted her to satirize her. Lilian has gone too far. And if Anna didnt go to the party, she might speak ill of Anna in front of others. When Wayne heard this, his expression changed. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Peace and said, Peace, please help me send Matthew home. Where is Anna now? Seeing that Wayne was so decisive, Peace was happy and then said, Ill text you the address. Dont worry. I promise I will take good care of the two kids. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Wayn told Matthew to be obedient and then drove away. The tree farm was still a little far from the center of Birmingham. On the way to the city, Wayne received a call from Ada. Wayne, the wedding dress designer wille at seven oclock tonight. Dont forget it, Ada said. Wayne took a look at the time, pressed his wireless earphone with one hand, and said in a deep voice, I have something urgent to deal with now. Lets reschedule it to another day. Whats the matter? Ada asked. Im driving. Lets talk about itter. Before Ada could speak anything more, Wayne hung up the phone. On the other end of the line, Ada looked at the screen of her phone with her face darkened, and the joy on her face faded away Ada frowned tightly and suddenly stood up and said, Tell the director of the program that! have something else to do now and have to go. What? Ada, where are you going? the agent asked in astonishment. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Drive me to Kingsford Neighborhood, Ada ordered the driver as soon as she got into the car, completely ignoring her agent Jason, who had run out of the studio to stop her. Today I will try on my wedding dress for the first time. Wayne knows how important this day is to me. How could he suddenly break the appointment? Besides, he hasnt had a wedding suit yet. The designer wille to measure his size soon. What on earth is Wayne going to do? It must be that Matthew who has done something to stop Wayne from seeing me! Ada thought. When Anna arrived at Birmingham Grand Hotel, she showed her invitation card and then entered the hall with the gift that she had prepared. The whole first floor of the Birmingham Grand Hotel had been reserved for the engagement party. The hall was magnificent, with colorful balloons all over the ceiling. And the guests were either rich or powerful. Anna looked around and didnt see anyone that she knew. She didnt like such a noisy environment so she quietly walked to a corner to have some food. In the dressing room on the second floor, a group of people in formal attire stayed with the bride-to-be Lilian. They were all Lilians college ssmates. Although they hadnt seen Lilian for a long time, they all ttered her and congratted her as if they were Lilians good friends. Lilian, you are the most beautiful girl in our ss. Jacob and you are a perfect match! Let me be your bridesmaid when you get married, Lilian. Maybe Ill meet my future boyfriend at the wedding. Wow! Lilian, you are so beautiful. I heard that Jacob specifically asked a famous designer from Italy to make this dress for you. Its worth about a hundred thousand dors, right? Let me touch it. Ive never seen such high-end fabric. Lilian chuckled and touched her dress. Then she said, How much the dress is doesnt matter. What makes me satisfied is that the dress is unique in the world. And I heard that the designer is a master in the design field and only serves rich families in the world. Sitting aside silently, Jacob felt left out and became more irritable when hearing Lilians words. So, he left the dressing room. Leaning against the rail on the corridor, he lit a cigarette and smoked while looking idly at the people downstairs. Somehow, he felt as if he was an outsider. Handsome groom-to-be, you look unhappy. Whats the matter? Jacobs friend Sean came at this moment Then he put his arm around Jacobs shoulder and joked, Dont tell me that you suddenly dont want to get engaged. Jacob flicked the ash from his cigarette, looking depressed. What if I tell you that I indeed dont want to get engaged? he asked. Sean was stunned. Are you out of your mind? You have been with Lilian for six years. Why dont you want to get engaged with her? Six years ago, when he had an affair with Lilian behind Annas back, he had a feeling of freshness and enjoyed such an immoral rtionship so much. Lilian was more passionate than Anna and could always make him happy in many kinds of ways. At that time, Anna was busy with medical research and rarely had time to apany him. Therefore, he almost stayed with Lilian every day and even forgot that he had a girlfriend. Later, Anna suddenly went abroad and cut off contact with everyone. He guessed that Anna had known the rtionship between him and Lilian so she left out of sadness. After Anna left, Jacob felt guilty and broke up with Lilian. However, Lilian didnt give up on him and still treated him well as before. He was touched and then was together with Lilian. However, so many years had passed and the feeling of freshness and his passion for Lilian had faded away. Besides, Lilian was controlling and self-centered, making him unable to bear to live with her. These days, he always couldnt help but think about Anna. Sean patted Jacob on the shoulder, understanding what Jacob meant. I know what you are thinking about. A rtionship always starts with freshness and excitement and bes boring as time passes by. Dont think too much and just ept it. Jacob didnt say anything. Look! There are a lot of beautiful girls with a good family background at the party today. Ill Hearing that, Jacob was amused and said with a smile, Have you had a crush on someone here? I can make a match for you. Look at that girl. Shes beautiful, isnt she? Sean said and motioned Jacob to look in the direction of a corner on the first floor. With a meaningful look, he continued, I think shes the most eye-catching one at the party. Her figure and appearance are perfect. The point is that her extraordinary temperament makes her look both mature and pure. Tut-tut, it will feel good to have s*x with her. Following Seans gaze, Jacob icoked at thedy in the corner and then was stunned when he saw that thedy that Sean was referring to was Anna. At this moment, Anna was wearing a silver-gray strapless dress which was short in the front and long in the back, revealing her slender ankles. And her long curly hair was hanging down her shoulders. Sitting quietly at a table in the corner, she was eating the dessert on an exquisite te. In the noisy hall, her quietness made her look special and made people inexplicably want to get close to her. I cant wait to talk with her. Lets talkter. Sean said and was about to go downstairs. Hold on. Jacob grabbed Seans arm and warned him, Dont chat her up. Whats wrong? You can chat up anyone else at the party, except for her, Jacob said. After Anna finished three portions of desserts, the waiters nearby couldnt help but take a few more nces at her in surprise. After all, at such a grand party, no one would eat so much food. Anna was drinking water when a familiar voice suddenly came from behind. Hi, Anna. She turned around and then saw Jacob in a white suit with neatlybed hair. Jacob looked more mature and steady than he used to be. At this moment, he was looking at Its really you. I didnt expect you to be here. Anna frowned and said bluntly, Im here because your fiancee sent me an invitation card and called me every day to ask me toe to your engagement party. I have no choice but toe. Otherwise, what do you think Im here for? Do you think Im here for you? Stop daydreaming. Im sorry, Jacob said and felt embarrassed. And the excited look in his eyes disappeared. Seeing that he was polite, Anna felt less aggrieved and said, Its okay. After all, we were college ssmates and its my pleasure toe to your engagement party. This is the gift for you. As she spoke, she picked up a gift box beside her and handed it to Jacob. Its not worth much, but its a token of my regard, she said. Thank you, Jacob said and took over the gift box quickly, fixing his eyes on Annas face all the time. Its the thought that counts, he said in a trance. Thest time they met, they didnt talk much and he didnt have a chance to look at her carefully. At this moment, looking at Anna closely, he found that Anna was more beautiful and charming than she was six years ago. Well, I wish you and Lilian a happy life forever, Anna said gently and smiled. She thought that the only meaning for her to attend this party was to say goodbye to the past. Anna, I Jacob seemed to want to say something and gazed at Anna with a hesitant look. A few secondster, he plucked up his courage and said, In fact, I have been thinking about you in the past years. I tried to look for you and asked many people about your whereabouts but no one knew where you were. How have you been these years? Im fine. Well, thats thats good. Jacob stammered and clenched the gift box in his hand subconsciously. He had many words to say to Anna but didnt know where to start, Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Darling! A sweet voice suddenly came. Anna and Jacob turned at the same time and saw that Lilian came down the stairs slowly and walked toward them. I was looking for you, Jacob. Oh, its you, Anna. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Since Jacob and Lilian appeared in the hall at the same time, many people gathered around, including Lilians college ssmates, two of whom were Annas roommates when she was in . college. Lilian held Jacobs arm on purpose and said to Anna with a fake smile, Jacob told me that you wouldnt want toe to our engagement party and said that there was no need to invite you. But I didnt think so. I knew you woulde to our engagement party as long as I invited you. After all, we are not only college ssmates but also good friends. Anna looked at her with the same fake smile and said, Congrattions. With a frown, Jacob tried to pull his arms out of Lilians hand and said, Well, we still need to entertain other guests. Lets go. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Whats the rush? I still want to talk with Anna. Lilian said as she pulled Jacobs arm again to stop him. Then she raised her voice and said, Anna, why didnt your boyfriende here with you? Anna has a boyfriend? Ady behind Lilian asked and walked out of the crowd arrogantly. She was wearing Channel haute couture and her hair was well arranged. And the diamond ne that she wore was shining and dazzling. Her dressing style was so exaggerated as if she was afraid that others wouldnt know that she was rich if she didnt dress up like this. Thedy was no other than Allie. Anna was surprised when she saw Allie. But then she remembered that the Palmer family and the Gabriel family had been in a good rtionship and realized that Allie mighte to the engagement party on behalf of their father. Allie, you dont know that? Lilian deliberately asked with a surprised look. You are Annas sister. Dont you know that she has a boyfriend? Didnt she tell you about it? With a ss of wine in her hand, Allie said with a contemptuous look, My sister doesnt live with us and rarelyes back home. I dont even have a chance to talk to her. How is it possible that she tells me about it? If she dates an average person, it doesnt matter that she doesnt tell you about it. But the one that Anna is dating is Wayne, the president of the Carousel Group. How could she hide it from you? Lilian said in an exaggerated tone and then observed the reaction of the other people secretly As soon as she finished her words, the crowd was in an uproar. Everyone present knew that Wayne, the president of the Carousel Group, was rich and powerful. It was said that many women wanted to seduce him but no one could get close to him. Therefore, when they heard that Anna was Waynes girlfriend, they all looked at Anna with doubt in their eyes. Being stared at by others, Anna felt embarrassed and clenched her handbag subconsciously Thest time she met Lilian and Jacob, she lied to them on the spur of the moment and said Wayne was her boyfriend. Thanks to Waynes cooperation at that time, she didnt lose face in . front of them Anna didnt expect that Lilian would mention it in such a situation. Sure enough, Allie sneered when hearing Lilians words and said to Anna, Oh, its the funniest joke that Ive heard recently. Anna, who do you think you are? You didnt even finish college. Do you want Wayne to be your backer? Dont tter yourself! Even if you are willing to be the stepmother of his son, he wont marry you. Besides, Ive heard that Wayne and Ada are going to get married. After she said that, the others began to gossip about the rtionship among Anna, Ada, and Wayne. Some said that Waynes son was born by Ada, and some said that Anna was so vain and greedy that she even wanted to seduce Wayne. I dont make a fool of yourself here. As your sister, I have to remind you that if our father knows that you are so shameless to deceive others by pretending to be Waynes girlfriend, he will be very angry. Allie said sharply with her voice heavy with sarcasm. It could be seen that she didnt treat Anna as a sister at all. The guests only knew Allie was the daughter of the Gabriel family and few of them had seen Anna before. Therefore, they all thought that Anna was the illegitimate daughter of the Old Mr. Wright and no one spoke for her. I havent heard that Miss. Gabriel has a sister. Is she really Allies younger sister? Who knows? The Gabriel family is rich and powerful. Its not strange that Old Mr. Wright has illegitimate children. .. Anna didnt care what others thought of her. But when the others misunderstood that she was an illegitimate daughter because Allie distorted the fact, she was irritated. Besides, Allies words made her think of her sad past. The next moment, she clenched her fists and said coldly, Allie, you have no right to say such words to me. Who do you think you are? Im the elder daughter of the Gabriel family and your sister. You did the wrong thing and disgraced our family so I certainly have the right to scold you, Allie said. Hearing this, Anna sneered, Only the child born by our fatherswfully wedded wife can be called the eldest daughter of our family, she said with a meaningful look. Dont talk nonsense! Allies face turned livid with rage and she immediately raised her hand to p Anna. Whether she is talking nonsense, you shouldnt hit her. Suddenly, Waynes low and deep voice came from beside her. As Wayne spoke, he pulled Anna into his arms and then grabbed Allies arm before she could p Anna. Mr. Wright? What is he doing here? The crowd was in an uproar again and the hall became noisier. Surprised, Anna raised her head and saw Waynes side face. At this moment, he was staring at Allie coldly. Wayne? Lilian and Allie spoke at the same time and their faces turned pale. Back then, When Lilian said that Anna was dating Wayne, Allie didnt believe it at all because she knew that Wayne was going to marry Ada. Therefore, Lilian and Allie believed that Anna had lied so they had nned to join hands to humiliate Anna and expose her lie in front of everyone at the party. However, when they saw Waynee and speak for Anna, they were dumbfounded. Are you Mr. Wright from the Carousel Group? Allie felt embarrassed and couldnt help asking Wayne for confirmation.. Wayne said coldly, Do you need me to show you my ID card? No, no, no, Im not doubting you, Allie said immediately and shook her head. I dont care whether you doubt me or not. I just want to know why you wanted to hit my fiancee in front of so many people just now. Youd better give me an exnation. Fiancee? Allies face froze and stared at Anna while asking in disbelief, How could it be possible? She she is your fiancee? Anna was also stunned. She didnt expect that Wayne would say such words in front of so many people. Why is it impossible? Wayne said calmly and put his arm around Annas shoulder. Do you have any problem with it? Pursing her lips, Allie still didnt believe what Wayne had said. Then she asked, Then why didnt Anna exin your rtionship to us when I misunderstood her just now? At this moment, Anna came to herself from the shock and immediately said, You kept talking just now and I didnt have a chance to speak at all. You and Lilian embarrassed me in front of so many people on purpose. Even if I exined it to you, you wouldnt believe me. No, I didnt mean to do that. Its not me, Lilian said in a hurry, indicating that it was Allie who plotted everything. She was afraid that Wayne would vent his anger on her. Hearing that, Allie red at Lilian angrily. Since Wayne was here, Anna was emboldened and said, As you can see, Wayne is indeed not my boyfriend. Hes my fiance. What else do you want to say about it? I have never done anything to offend the two of you but you two ndered me in front of so many people. Youve gone too far. Lilian, no wonder you invited me to the party. It turns out that you and Allie have nned to embarrass me in front of everyone. One of you isiny best friend, and the other is my sister. Im so unlucky to have you two in my life. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 After Anna retorted Allie, Wayne also said bluntly, Anna doesnt care about her identity as the daughter of the Gabriel family. If you deliberately make trouble for her because of her identity, 1. will have to have a talk with Old Mr. Gabriel about what happened here. Guess what he will do when he knows that his elder daughter bullies her younger sister arrogantly in front of so many people. Hearing what Wayne had said, everyone changed their attitude in an instant. Those who knew the truth about Annas identity but dared not speak before began to whisper I heard that Allies mother is Old Mrs. Gabriels second wife. And Old Mrs. Gabriel had a daughter with his first wife before. This girl called Anna may be that daughter. Ive also heard that. That was to say, Allie is an illegitimate child, right? Maybe. Old Mr. Gabriels daughter with his first wife never showed up in public ces with him so no one knows about her existence. But it can be seen that the Old Mr. Gabriel protected his younger daughters privacy well. Allie trembled with anger when the fake image that she had maintained for so many years was destroyed. And her boyfriend Bill, who had been standing beside her all the time, suddenly turned around and left. Seeing this, she stamped her feet and shouted, Bill, where are you going? Then she immediately followed him. Soon, Old Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, who heard what happened here, rushed over. They were a little stunned when they saw Anna. But since they were sophisticated, they reacted quickly and then kept apologizing to Wayne and Anna. Old Mrs. Palmer pulled his sleeves, red at him, and said, Look at what you have done! Apologize to Mr. Wright now. Jacob looked at Wayne with a frown and said reluctantly, Im sorry, Mr. Wright. Facing the sudden change in the situation, Lilian immediately changed her attitude, held Annas hand intimately, and said with a smile, Anna, Ive misunderstood you. Dont be angry. I didnt mean to offend you. Both you and Mr. Wright are my honored guests. Well, its time to open the champagne. Yes. Its time to open the champagne, Old Mr. Palmer nodded and said. Then the other guests around all dispersed. Anna didnt know what was on their minds. But she was clear that after this farce, the rumor that she was Waynes fiancee would be spread. Thank you, Mr. Wright. And Im sorry to bring you trouble. What are you going to do with the rumor? After the engagement ceremony, Anna asked Wayne in a low voice as they walked side by side in the hall. She wanted to know what Wayne would do to suppress the rumor. Wayne didnt seem to take it seriously and said calmly, You dont need to worry about it. Anna misunderstood that Wayne meant that he would deal with it and she didnt need to worry about it. However, Wayne didnt mean that Anna then was relieved and changed the topic, By the way, what are you doing here? Shouldnt you be at the tree farms with Matthew? Peace will take care of him and send him home. I heard that you are here for your ex-boyfriends engagement party, so I came here out of curiosity. Out of curiosity? Anna was confused. Im curious about what you look like when you cry. Cry? How is it possible? Anna said helplessly. Ive let go of the past. Did you think I would drink and make a scene at the party? If you had the nerve to do so, Tammy and Matthew wouldnt have threatened me toe here, Wayne said lightly. Anna was stunned and then pulled a wry face, saying, So it was Tammy and Matthew who asked you toe? Yes, Wayne said with a nod. Anna felt more helpless. At the same time, Anna was a little disappointed. She knew that Matthew liked her very much and Tammy wanted to bring Wayne and her together so she could understand why they asked Wayne toe here. What disappointed her was that Wayne came here not because he wanted to see her but because he was forced by the two children. While she was lost in thought, Wayne said in a joking voice, Theres another reason for mying. Compared with picking up leaves and watching Matthew doing homework on the farm, Im more interested in why youe here alone to attend the engagement party of your jerk ex-boyfriend and hypocritical friend. Hey, let it go at that! Anna became angry from embarrassment and pushed his arm. s, thanks to Waynesing, I didnt embarrass myself just now. I didnt know that Allie also came. I was caught unprepared, Anna said. Are you afraid of her? Wayne said. Afraid of her? Of course not! Anna replied to him and red at him with her eyes wide open. After a while, she suddenly came up with something and asked suspiciously. Youve known that Allie is my sister before, right? Did you investigate me? Why dont you trust me? Wayne raised his eyebrows and said, For my sons safety, its necessary for me to investigate everyone who gets on well with him. You and Matthew are close to each other and you often cook for him. Dont you think I should investigate your background? Anna was speechless and didnt reply to him Wayne then continued, As the daughter of the Gabriel family, you applied for a job in the hotel of the Carousel Group with a fake resume. However, I didnt suspect you or fire you when I found it, which means that I trust youpletely. Dont you think so? I have no evil intentions, Anna immediately shook her head and said. I just want to find a job to support my family. Hearing that, Wayne looked at her thoughtfully. After a few seconds, he suddenly raised his hand and help Anna smooth the slightly messy hair on her forehead and tuck them behind her ears. Then he leaned over and whispered, I believe you. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Anna blushed at once when he approached her. Not far away, Jacob saw all the intimate interactions between them. Watching Annas bright smile and their intimate interaction, he clenched his fists with a darkened face. If it werent for his cheating, the woman engaged to him today should have been Anna. At this time, Lilian, who was talking about Jacob with her friends, turned around and happened to see Jacobs unhappy face. Following his gaze, she saw Anna in the distance. Then the smile on her face gradually turned into a cold look. No matter how well she treated Jacob these years, she still failed to make Jacobpletely forget about Anna. Thinking of this, Lilian felt bitter. Lilian, what are you thinking about? Suddenly, Lilian wrenched her mind back to the present when she heard her friends voice. Staring at the ss in her hand for a moment, she came up with an idea and sneered. Then she raised her head and said, Lena, please do me a favor. During the party, Wayne received a call from the butler. Since the hall was too noisy, he went to the balcony, leaving Anna alone. Feeling bored, Anna could only eat and drank to kill time. Suddenly, someone came and greeted her. Hi, Anna. When Anna raised her head, she saw two of her college roommates and two strange young men in front of her. The one who greeted her warmly was her college roommate. Anna, we havent seen each other for a long time. You are more beautiful than before, the other of her roommates said. Thank you, Anna smiled and replied to her politely. She had only lived with them for one year, so she was not familiar with them and could only barely call out their names. After a few greetings, someone suggested, Since you havent seen each other for such a long time, you should have a drink. One of Annas roommates then proposed a toast and Anna had to drink a ss of wine. However, when she had just drunk up the wine in her ss, the other one of her roommates immediately raised her ss and proposed a toast again, Anna, Im so happy to see you here. Cheers! Then she drank up the wine first and then motioned Anna to drink the wine. Anna couldnt refuse her and had to drink another ss of wine. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Soon, more and more people came to propose a toast to Anna. As a result, Anna drank a lot, bing unsteady and unable to see things clearly When she was about to lose her bnce, someone suddenly held her waist tightly and said, Come on. One more drink. When arriving at the gate of Kingsford Neighborhood, Ada opened the door in a hurry and got out of the car before the driver opened the door for her. Then she walked into the house in her twelve-centimeter high heels. Miss Xavier, are you here for Mr. Wright? He is not at home now. The butler stood in front of the door and blocked her way. Hes not at home? Ada frowned and looked into the house. The next moment, she heard theughter of the children. You are lying! she said angrily. Wayne never leaves Matthew alone at home. Now Matthew is at home so Wayne must be at home too! Then she pushed the butler away, changed her shoes, and walked towards the second floor. Following the voice, she came to the entertainment room on the second floor. When Ada opened the door, she was stunned by what she saw and her face darkened. Who are you? she eximed. At this moment, Peace was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a pile of toys. Hearing Adas sharp voice, she was so frightened that she almost jumped up. After a while, she calmed down and looked at the door. When she saw Adas angry face, her face also changed and she said with displeasure, Its none of your business who I am. Why did you shout suddenly? You scared me. Ada was speechless, with her face turning livid with anger. Watch your mouth. Do you know who I am? I know, Peace said as she stood up holding the handrail of the chair, and let the two frightened children stand behind her. Then she continued, You are Ada, the superstar. What are you doing here? Why did you break into others house with a fierce look? The others house? Ada said and clenched her fists. Im Waynes fiancee. This is my future house. Who on earth are you? What are you doing here? Peace was beautiful and charming, and as a designer, she always wore fashionable clothes. This day, she wore an off-the-shoulder T-shirt and hot pants, which made her look sexy and Lad Chapter 56 Hl Anumaty Ada kept staring at Peace with a wary look. She was always wary of the woman around Wayne. At this time, when she saw a strange woman in Waynes ce, she felt uneasy. Since all her attention was on Peace, she even didnt notice that the girl hiding behind Peace was Tammy. You are the one who should watch your mouth, Peace said as she straightened her sleeves and nced at Ada contemptuously. No wonder Wayne still doesnt want to marry you after being with you for so many years. No man can stand a rude woman like you. Seeing what happened on the second floor, the butler immediately called Wayne. Mr. Wright, Miss Xavier is here. When she saw Miss Brooks, she got angry. The two of them are arguing. Im afraid that they will fightter. Standing on the balcony, Wayne frowned and said, Take the two kids to another room and keep them safe. OK. I see. What about Miss Xavier and Miss Brooks? the butler asked. Just ignore them. After saying that, Wayne hung up the phone. He knew that Peace was good at fighting so he didnt worry that she would get injured. As for Ada, he had told her on the phone that he had something to deal with in the evening but Ada didnt believe him and even went to his house without his permission, which made him unhappy. Since Ada had crossed the line, he thought that she should be taught a lesson. After returning to the hall, Wayne looked around and saw a group of people surrounding Anna and asking her to drink wine. At this moment, Anna seemed to be drunk and couldnt stand steadily. And the man beside her was holding her waist. The scene was rather chaotic. Waynes face was darkened at once. He strode over, forged through the crowds, and pulled Anna into his arms. Then he stared coldly at the man who held Annas waist just now and said, If you dont want your hand to be broken, get away from her. Hearing that, the man shivered with fear and ran away immediately. The others didnt expect that Wayne woulde back so soon. When facing Waynes icy gaze, they all dispersed embarrassedly. Nestling against Waynes chest, Anna shook the ss in her hand and said, I remember you. Lets have a drink. Cheers. Do you still want to drink? Wayne said unhappily as he grabbed the ss and put it on the table. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Then he held Annas waist with one hand and then patted her face gently with the other, asking, Anna, are you okay? He was both angry and helpless when seeing Anna drunk like this. Im not drunk. Lets go on! Anna said excitedly and struggled in his arms. After saying that, she lost consciousness. And the flush on her cheeks made her look cute. Somehow when Wavno saw her cute fare hic andar cuboidodo little Thon with a balnlnen look, he carried Anna in his arms and left the hall under other peoples gaze. Jacob felt distressed when seeing such a scene and couldnt help but follow them. However, after a few steps, he was stopped by Lilian. Jacob, what do you want to do? Lilian asked. Anna is drunk. Im going to see her. Going to see her? Didnt you see that Wayne has taken her away? Dont forget shes Waynes fiancee now and your fiancee is me, Lilian said unhappily with a darkened face. Jacob felt extremely irritable this day and also drank a lot at the party. Hearing Lilians words, he shook off her hand rudely and said impatiently, I know shes Waynes fiancee. I dont need you to remind me again and again! Lilian lost her bnce and fell backward. The next moment, she screamed and hit the table behind her. At the same time, the champagne tower on the table copsed, and the wine sses fell to the ground and were broken into pieces. As soon as Wayne walked to the door with Anna in his arms, he heard the loud bang and peoples screams behind him but he didnt look back. Soon, the hall was chaotic and very noisy. Someone cried out, Blood? Lilian, you are bleeding. Oh my God! Why is there so much blood? Blood Lilian! Lilian, whats wrong with you? My child The moment Wayne walked out of the hall, he heard Lilians weak voice and sneered with coldness in his eyes. After he carried Anna into the car, the driver started the vehicle and drove away. Hows the investigation going? Wayne asked. The driver answered respectfully, Ive finished the investigation. The woman called Lilian had a prenatal checkup in a private hospital three days ago. But the baby was diagnosed with fetal anomaly and the doctor suggested she have an abortion. When Wayne heard this, his face darkened. On the way to the engagement party, Wayne received a call from Peace. Peace said that three days ago, she apanied her friend to the hospital for prenatal checkups and happened to see Lilian. Peaces friends husband was a doctor in that private hospital so she asked him about Lilians condition. Then she learned that Lilian was in such a hurry to get engaged because she was pregnant and that the baby was diagnosed with a fetal anomaly. My friends husband told me that Lilian asked him to keep the babys condition a secret and not to tell Jacob about it. There must be something wrong with Lilian. Then I remembered that she invited Anna to her engagement party again and again. Im afraid that she will take advantage of her baby and do something to hurt Anna, Peace told Wayne about her worry on the phone. Her intuition told her that Lilian was plotting to harm Anna. That was also why she wanted Wayne to protect Anna at the engagement party. As a result, the fact showed that her intuition was right. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Lilian was so scheming. To get engaged to Jacob, she hid the truth about the baby from Jacob. To frame Anna, she plotted an ident to fake her miscarriage. Besides, she colluded with Allie to nder and humiliate Anna. If I didnt go to the party, Anna would have been framed by them. Wayne turned to look at Anna, who was drunk and lying next to him, and then breathed a sigh of relief. Shes always smart and rational. How could she make herself so drunk today? Couldnt she see that those who proposed a toast to her were with evil intentions? When he was lost in thought, Anna suddenly lifted one of her legs and put it on Waynesp. Waynes face changed. Before he could push her leg away, Anna put her hands on his shoulders and sat on hisp. Then she held his face and asked drunkenly, Who are you? Wayne was speechless. Gritting his teeth, he said, Anna, let go of me. However, it was meaningless to say anything to a drunk person like Anna at this moment. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Befor Wayne could say anything else, Anna suddenly patted him on the cheek, breathing alcohol fumes all over him and saying, Wow, you can speak! Smelling alcohol of her breath, Wayne wished he could open the car window and throw her out of the car at once. Soon, Anna became more excited. She sniffed, put her arms around Waynes neck, and wriggled. Its so hot!, When she was wriggling, her soft body clung to Waynes, making Wayne have a hard-on. Anna, stop moving, Wayne said in a low and hoarse voice as he held her waist to stop her. However, Anna didnt realize what she was doing and didnt listen to him at all. She leaned over and pressed Waynes face against her neck, as if only in this way could she feel cooler Waynes hands on her waist froze and he didnt know what to do. The driver nced at them through the rearview mirror secretly and was shocked. Feeling embarrassed, he shifted his gaze at once and didnt dare to look at them again. The next moment, Waynes deep voice came from the rear seat. Drive us back to Kingsford Neighborhood first. The driver nodded and stepped on the gas, heading to Kingsford Neighborhood. By the time they got to Kingsford Neighborhood, the butler and the maids had been waiting at the gate. Where is Peace? Wayne asked. Mr. Wright, Miss Brooks said that it waste so she left with Tammy just now. RUPILI TUUNIL UU TURIU Wayne nodded slightly. He didnt ask anything about Ada. When the maids saw Anna lying in the car, they wanted to help carry her out but Wayne stopped them. He carried Anna out of the car in person, went to the second floor, and took her into the guest room where she once lived before. Seeing such a scene, the maids stood there dumbfounded. The butler nced at them and said, Why are you standing here and doing nothing? Youre here to work. Dont talk gossip and forget about what you saw just now, got it? The maids nodded and immediately went back to the vi to work. The butler then looked at the closed door of the guest room and took out his phone, and made a call. Old. Mr. Wright, Mr. Wright came back with Miss Gabriel just now and Miss Gabriel is drunk. On the other end of the line, Old Mr. Wright seemed to ask about something. Yes, they are in the same room and Mr. Wright hasnte out yet, the butler answered. In the guest room. After putting Anna on the bed, Wayne wanted to go out and ask the maids to take care of Anna. When he was about to get up, his sleeve was suddenly pulled by Anna. The next second, he lost his bnce and fell on her body. Through Annas thin clothes, Wayne could feel that her soft breasts were attached to his chest and he stiffened. I need water, Anna pulled his sleeve and muttered. Im so thirsty. Frowning, Wayne tried hard to keep calm and said in a hoarse and maic voice, Anna, let go of me if you want to drink water. A momentter, Anna finally loosened her grip on his sleeve. Wayne then walked to the table and poured a ss of water for her. After putting the ss on the bedside table, he said in a deep voice, Heres the water. You may drink it when you sober up. Then he turned to leave. However, just after he took a few steps, he heard a rustling behind him. When he turned around, he saw Anna fumble for the ss with her eyes closed. Be Before he could say the word careful, the ss was knocked over with a bang and then fell on the bed. At the same time, the water spilled out of the ss onto Annas body. Ah! Anna screamed and suddenly struggled on the bed. Then she shouted, Help! I cant swim Wayne, who had been frowning, was amused by her and couldnt help smiling. However, the next moment, his smile disappeared because Annas voice became louder. If others heard her voice, they would misunderstand that Wayne was doing something to her. Help! Help! Wayne hurried to cover her mouth, lowered his voice, and said, Shh. You didnt fall into the water. Dont shout. Hearing that, Anna stopped shouting and looked at him with an innocent look, like a startled deer. Somehow, Waynes heart beat faster. I feel hot, Anna said softly. Feeling hot and ufortable, she suddenly wriggled her body again. When she moved, the strapless evening dress slipped and her breasts were almost exposed. Dont move. Wayne tried to restrain himself and said in a more hoarse voice. He pressed Annas fair- skinned shoulders to stop her from moving but in vain. Suddenly, Anna wrapped her arms around his neck, sat up, and pressed him against the bed. Holding Waynes face, she said drunkenly, You are so handsome. Wayne didnt expect that she would treat her like this and his mind went nk He stared at Anna nkly, watching her get closer and closer to him and kiss him. The sweet wine and Annas hot and moist lips made him unable to suppress his desire anymore. Wayne moved his big hands from her back to her waist and began to take off her dress. As he did this, he suddenly thought of the unforgettable s*x in the dark room six years ago. Ah Ah. The womans joyful moan which echoed in his mind sounded the same as Annas moan at this momeni Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Ah Annas moan wrenched Waynes mind back to the present. Looking at Annas hot figure and her fair-skinned legs that wrapped around his waist, he was overwhelmed by his passion and lost control. Holding Annas waist, he began to thrust quickly, making Anna moan louder and breathe quickly. Soon Anna reached her 0****m. The whole night, the two of them had several rounds of s*x. The next morning, when Anna woke up, she felt sore all over. She was so tired that even turning over made her feel as if her body would fall apart. When she slowly opened her eyes, she found that she was in a familiar room with magnificent decorations. After looking around with a dull look for a while, she remembered that it was the guest room of Waynes house. Then she threw back the quilt and was about to get up. Suddenly, Anna felt something wrong and was stunned. She lowered her head slowly and looked down at her body. When she saw herself naked, her eyes widened in shock and she screamed, Ahhhh! However, the sound of running water in the bathroom drowned her scream. Anna stiffly turned her head and looked in the direction of the bathroom in astonishment. Through the frosted ss of the door, she could vaguely see a tall and strong figure. Oh, no. What did I dost night? She thought as she grabbed the quilt to cover her chest. While Anna was recalling what had happenedst night, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped. A momentter, Wayne, who was wrapped in a bath towel, opened the door and came out of the bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel leisurely. Obviously, he didnt hear Annas scream just now. After he took a few steps, he saw Anna sitting on the bed and looking at him in shock. Seeing him like this, Anna knew what she had donest night. When their eyes met, Anna forced a stiff smile in embarrassment and stammered, We What happened Did we do anythingst night? Cant you feel it? Wayne asked, putting a towel over her shoulder casually As he walked closer, Anna could see his eight-pack abs. It could be seen that he had a habit of exercising. Donte over! Anna said in fluster and covered her eyes, fearing that Waynes bath towel would loosen and fall to the floor the next second. 50 Points Why? Standing by the bed, Wayne looked very calm. We have done everythingst night. Dont tell me that you dont remember that. Lowering her head, Anna blushed with embarrassment. She was too nervous to say a word. She certainly knew what had happenedst night. At this moment, she felt sore all over her body, which showed that she had had sex with himst night. Besides, her private parts were swollen and she guessed that the two of them must have had S*x almost the whole night. I I dont remember that, Anna stammered, not daring to look at Wayne. Hearing her words, Wayne chuckled and didnt say anything. Anna thought she had misheard. When she raised her head, Wayne had taken a bathrobe from the wardrobe, turned around, and walked towards the door. The maids will bring you clean clothes and medicer. Go downstairs for breakfast after you change your clothes. Medicine? Anna was stunned, What medicine? Contraceptive pills? she wondered. While she was lost in various conjectures, Wayne said in a meaningful voice, Medicine for trauma. At first, Anna didnt know why she needed medicine for trauma. But when saw the bloodstain on the bed sheet and then felt a sharp pain in her private parts after she threw back the quilt and got out of bed, she blushed and immediately understood why she needed it. Oh, my God! How passionate were west night? My private parts even bled! After changing her clothes, Annaforted and encouraged herself in the room for more than ten minutes before she opened the door and went out. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. When she saw the maid who waited outside to clean the room, she pretended to be calm and greeted her with a forced smile, Good morning. The majd said with a meaningful smile, Hi, Miss Gabriel. Its already noon. Annas smile froze and her face turned red again. When she went downstairs, Wayne was not in the living room. Mr. Wright is working in the study. He said that he would have lunch with you when you came downstairs. Please wait a moment. Ill ask him toe out. Anna immediately waved her hand and said, Dont bother. I.. I have something important to do and I have to go now. I wont have lunch here. Miss Gabriel, please dont go. Mr. Wright said Anna was afraid that the maids and the butler would stop her, so she went out of the vi in a hurry without changing her shoes. When she was about to leave, a car was stopped at the gate. Seeing this, Anna stopped her steps and saw an old butler, who looked familiar, get out of the car and open the rear door respectfully. Then Old Mr. Wright got out of the car. Miss Gabriel, d to see you, Old Mr. Wright greeted Anna and looked at her meaningfully. What a coincidence! Im here to see Wayne. Are you here to see him too? d to see you, Old Mr. Wright. With a guilty conscience, Anna greeted him, wishing she could disappear from this ce at once. Oh, God. Its so embarrassing! Ive never felt so embarrassed since I was born! Old Mr. Wrights car was stopped at the gate and blocked Annas way. Obviously, he didnt intend to let her go. Two minutester, when Wayne came downstairs from the study, Anna had been sitting at the table. She was sitting upright and looked nervous as if she was a criminal waiting for trial. Grandpa? Wayne frowned and asked, What are you doing here? Old Mr. Wright looked affectionately at him and said, You havent gone back to see me for a long time. I happened to pass by here just now so I decided toe here to see you. I didnt expect to see Miss Gabriel here. Happened to pass by? Really? Wayne thought. He had seen through Old Mr. Wright but didnt expose him. Then he walked to the chair opposite Anna. When he was about to sit down, the maid beside Anna pulled out the chair next to Anna and said, Mr. Wright, please sit here. Anna pretended to cough violently and shook her head at Wayne, motioning to him not to sit beside her. She was like a young girl who stayed out all night and had a guilty conscience after being found out by her elders. Turning a blind eye to her hint, Wayne walked straight to her and sat down beside her. Grandpa, lets have lunch together. Old Mr. Wright nodded slightly and asked Anna to enjoy the lunch, but he didnt eat anything. Anna felt extremely uneasy and the delicious food was tasteless to her. All she wanted was to leave this ce as soon as possible. I know what happenedst night, Old Mr. Wright suddenly said. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Well, Im leaving now, Old Mr. Wright suddenly said as he stood up and looked at Anna with a smile. Anna, youre wee to go to my ce at any time. And dont worry, Ill arrange everything for the wedding. Feel free to tell me if you need anything. Anna couldnt say a word and could only watch Old Mr. Wright leave. After Old Mr. Wright left, Wayne and Anna looked at each other. Ill drive you hometer, Wayne said. Anna wanted to refuse. But on second thought, she didnt do that. She wanted to make their rtionship clear to Wayne and it was better to talk with him alone in the car than in the house where the maids and the butler were around. Soon, the car was driven out of Kingsford Neighborhood. And the atmosphere in the car was a little dull. Lowering her head, Anna yed with her phone and browsed news on Facebook. But in fact, she was absent-minded. Should we turn right at the next intersection? Wayne asked her naturally. Anna was stunned for a few seconds and nodded. Yes. After Wayne turned right, the traffic light turned red so he stopped the car. There were still sixty seconds left before the light turned green and Wayne tapped the steering wheel with his slender finger from time to time. Suddenly, he asked, I have something to ask you aboutst night. He still remembered the feeling when he touched Annas skin and had s*x with her. This feeling was so familiar. Therefore, the whole morning, he couldnt help wondering if she was the girl who had s*x with him six years ago. Last night Annas body suddenly tensed up. She clenched her fingers and interrupted him, Just forget about what happenedst night. Wayne stopped tapping the steering wheel. Anna sniffed and pretended to be casual, Were drunk and what happenedst night was just an ident. Dont take it too seriously. Were both adults. I know youre going to marry Ada so . I wont ask you to be responsible for that or pester you. Im not that sort. Hearing this, Wayne tightened his grip on the steering wheel and the leather cover around the steering wheel was sunken. He remained a calm look but the next moment he said coldly. Get out of the car. What? Anna was stunned. Didnt you say that I dont need to be responsible for it? In case others misunderstand our rtionship, you should get out of the car now. There was imperceptible anger in his cold voice. Anna then got out of the car at the intersection. Holding her bag, she stood still and watched Wayne drive away. Then the pretended expression of I dont care on her face disappeared. She sat down on the edge of the flower bed, depressed. Howe things be like this? What? She stayed at Kingsford Neighborhoodst night? In the dressing room backstage, Ada shouted and turned to stare at the assistant behind her in disbelief. The make-up artist was frightened by Adas sudden move and her hand shook. As a result, a long red lipstick mark appeared on Adas face. The make-up artist immediately apologized, Im sorry. I didnt mean to. Ada grabbed the makeup brush from her hand and threw it onto the ground rudely. What are you doing? Do you want to be fired? she said angrily. Seeing this, her agent Jason pacified her and motioned to the make-up artist to go out. With an aggrieved look, the make-up artist gritted her teeth and walked out of the dressing room speechlessly Ada, the program is about to begin. Calm down and finish your makeup as soon as possible, Jason said with a smile. Ada stared at him angrily and said, Didnt you hear what Millie just said? Anna stayed overnight at Kingsford Neighborhood. Wayne took her back home not long after I left! Dont you know what it meant? Speaking of this, Jason was confused, Didnt you go to Kingsford Neighborhood to see Mr. Wright yesterday? Why did you leave before he went back home? Humph! I wish I could tear that damn woman apart! Ada said sharply as she banged the dressing table with a darkened face when thinking about Peace. The woman that I met in Waynes house yesterday was so arrogant. She knew who I was, but she still talked to me impolitely. She even said that Wayne didnt want to marry me. If I met her again, I would tear her mouth apart first. Jason didnt know who she was talking about and couldnt understand a single word that she said. Besides, he was not in the mood to talk about these trifles with her. He looked at the time and urged Ada, Alright. Alright. You can do whatever you want when you met her. Now sit down and finish your makeup first. Its time for the show. Yesterday, you suddenly left and the director was very angry. Dont make him angry again. Im tired of apologizing to him. Anna clenched her fists and didnt say anything. She knew that it was meaningless to lose her temper and her top priority at this moment was to finish her job Anna is just a single mother but she can actually win Waynes heart. I can tell that she is by no means as simple as I thought. I have to find a way to deal with her. My intuition is right. I indeed should be wary of her. At the headquarters of Carousel Group, Wayne came back to his office after the morning conference. After reporting on the preparation of the centennial celebration, Gabe said, The decoration of the venue will be started next Monday. Miss Gabriel proposed to decorate the venue in the daytime. But it will inevitably lead to a decline in the turnover of the Carousel Hotel in the following days and the hotel will be understaffed. In this case, there will be manyints from guests. How about we ask Miss Gabriel to reschedule the decoration and make it on nights? No need, Wayne said and sped his hands together. If we decorate the venue at night, the guests will be disturbed and there will be moreints. Miss Gabriels decision is right. The decoration will be carried out section by section so it wont have a big influence on the turnover of the hotel. Just let her take charge of everything. You only need to report on the progress every day. Yes, sir. Only then did Gabe understand why Anna decided to decorate the venue in the daytime and he admired her thoughtfulness. By the way, I have something to ask you, Wayne said. How can I help you, sir? Wayne asked thoughtfully, Where is the surrogate mother six years ago? Surrogate mother? Gabe was a little stunned. He didnt know why Wayne would suddenly mention the past. He hesitated for a moment and answered respectfully, Shes in Austria. I heard that she still couldnt save her father back then and her father died not long after she got the money. The former butler Leo then sent her to Austria for further study. Three years ago, shepleted a masters degree. Andter she married a foreigner. Why are you so clear about it? Wayne asked. After all, that girl is Matthews biological mother. I thought you might ask about her so I kept an eye on her condition, Gabe answered. Actually, Wayne didnt ask him to do this. But since he had been working for Wayne for seven years, he was always so considerate. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. At this moment, Gabe was a little nervous because he didnt know if what he had done had vited Waynes privacy. Hearing Gabes words, Wayne nodded. Since he took over the Carousel Group, Gabe had been his assistant so he trusted Gabe. At that time, it was Gabe and the former butler Leo who was responsible for the arrangement of the surrogacy. That was to say, except for Gabe, the only one who knew the surrogate mothers identity was Leo. Back then, Leo suddenly resigned after sending Matthew to Wayne, which was very strange. And the more Wayne thought about it, the more he was suspicious of the identity of the surrogate mother. Go to the South Spring Town to find Leo and bring him to me. I have something to ask him, Wayne said. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 When Anna returned home, Tammy gave her a warm wee. Mommy, you are finally back! Did you enjoy yourselfst night? You must be very happy! . Tammy said excitedly. Although Anna knew that Tammy didnt know much about the adult world at such a young age, she couldnt help but flick Tammy gently, What makes you think that I must be very happy? And why did you ask Wayne to go to the engagement party? Tammy rubbed her head in pain and said with a pout, It was not me but Matthew and Auntie Peace who asked him to go to the party. Auntie Peace said that Uncle Wayne was a hero who saved you! Do you think I will believe what you said? Anna said and nced at her. Then she poured a ss of water for herself and asked casually, What else did your Auntie Peace say? She also said that in the fairy tales, the beauty would marry the hero who saved her, Tammy answered honestly. Poof! Anna was so shocked that she choked on the water and coughed. Then she walked to the master bedroom, knocked on the door quickly, and said, Peace,e out! I need to have a talk with you! It was the weekend and Peace should be sleeping at home. However, Anna knocked on the door for a long time but no one opened the door for her. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Anna felt something wrong and opened the door in confusion. Then she saw that the room was in a mess and Peace was not in the room. Auntie Peace is away on a business trip. She left early in the morning. Tammy ran over and said. She also said that when she wasnt here, you could invite Uncle Wayne to our home at any time. She wouldnt mind it. What? Who said I would invite him to our house? Anna raised her voice and said. With a guilty conscience, she blushed and covered her face at once. Forget it. Im so tired. Ill go to sleep now. Dont disturb me. Tammy, who was driven back to her room but peeped at Anna through the c***k of the door, covered her mouth and snickered. Auntie Peace is awesome! li seems that Mom and Uncle Wayne enjoyed themselvesst night! In the afternoon, Anna still felt sore in her waist and back. She tossed and turned in bed and couldnt fall asleep. At the thought of what had happenedst night, she blushed and pulled the quilt over her head. After a while, she came out from the quilt and gasped for air. Then she kept tossing and turning on the bed and sulked. If Peace hadnt asked me to attend the engagement party, everything aboutst night CHUPILI UUTUULLIUL have happened. Its all her fault! Thinking of this, Anna suddenly came to her senses and realized that it was plotted by Peace. At the airport Peace, whose flight had been dyed, was sitting idly and irritably in the lounge of the airport. Suddenly, her phone rang. When she saw the voice message from Anna, her eyes brightened and her mood get better. She unlocked the screen, clicked on the message, and then heard Annasints leisurely. Let me ask you a question. You deliberately egged me to go to the engagement party and then informed Wayne of it, didnt you? Hearing that, Peace couldnt help chuckling. She replied to her, No. How could it be possible that I did such a thing? Did anything happen between you and Waynest night? Why didnt youe back homest night? Nothing happened, Anna replied. You sound so angry. I dont believe that nothing has happened between the two of you, Peace said. Anna didnt reply to her anymore. Thinking about Annas angry tone, Peace could even imagine Annas red face and her embarrassed look. s. Its a pity that I cant see her expression now. Peace thought with acent smile. At this time, the staff of the airport told her that the flight was boarding. Peace then leisurely boarded the ne and found her seat. After taking a seat, she sent a voice message in a low voice, Ive boarded the ne. You can share your passionate night with me when Ie back from the business trip. Then she switched off her phone. Excuse me, Miss. Is the luggage in the overheadpartment yours? May I move it aside?! want to put my bag in thepartment. A deep male voice came from beside her. Without even raising her head to look at the man, Peace said casually, Its not mine. You can move it if you have to. Thank you. The man thanked her politely and began to move the luggage in thepartment. The next moment, he recognized Peace and paused. Meanwhile, Peace, who felt that the mans voice sounded familiar, put down her iPad and raised her head, Then their eyes met. Its you! The two of them called out in surprise at the same time. After confirming his seats, Karl sat down next to Peace and politely reached out his hand. Miss Brooks, what a coincidence that we meet again. d to see you. Peace rolled her eyes and didnt shake hands with him. Then she raised her hand to motion the stewardess toe. Miss, what can I do for you? I want to change a seat. Hearing that, Karl was very embarrassed and froze. The airline stewardess also sensed the awkward atmosphere and said with an embarrassed smile, Miss, Im sorry. The first-ss cabin was fully booked. We dont have any seats avable now. Peaces face darkened. She cast a cold nce at Karl and asked, What about the economy ss? I dont mind going to the economy ss. Anywhere is fine with me as long as I wont sit beside this man. What do you mean? Karl looked at her with a frown and said unhappily, Do you think I want to sit next to you? I wish I could change a seat too! Anyway, I dont want to sit beside a bad-mannered man like you! Peace said coldly. Sorry, the economy ss was also fully booked, the stewardess said, looking more embarrassed. Karls face was also darkened and he said snappishly, Do you think you are good-mannered? The ne is about to take off but you made an unreasonable demand to embarrass the airline stewardess. You are no better than me, you bad-mannered woman. You Frowning, Peace was speechless. She looked at the stewardess apologetically and motioned her to leave. Then she stared at Karl and said, I dont bother to talk to you. Just pretend that we dont know each other. And dont talk to me from now on. Hearing that, Karl didnt get angry and suddenly found it interesting to argue with her. Meanwhile, he couldnt help wondering why Peace was so dissatisfied with him that every time they met she would quarrel with him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the logo on the invitation card on Peaces table and his eyes brightened. Is she also going to attend the activity held by Orangelight Culture Media Co., Ltd? What a coincidence. No, it must be fate, Karl thought and couldnt help smiling. On the next day. It was Monday and Anna was very busy with the preparation for the centennial celebration of the Carousel Group She spent the whole day in the hall and divided the hall into different sections. The poster on the partition is not good enough. Make it more beautiful, or the guests will think that they will be disturbed by the noises during the decoration. Be careful and try not to cause any trouble to the guests. And dont pile up so many things here. Put all of them into the warehouse and take them out when we need them. At this time, a receptionists voice came from not far away. Miss Gabriel, a gentleman wants to see you. Anna was directing the workers to install the new chandeliers when she heard the voice.. Then she turned around and saw a familiar figure stand at the front desk. She hadnt seen her father Frank for many years. Frank looked much older than before. And because of aging, he stooped slightly. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 It was almost dinner time. In the cafe on the first floor of the Carousel Hotel, Anna and Frank sat at a table in the corner. Anna spent most of her working hours in the hotel lobby so she was familiar with the staff in the stores on the first floor. When the waiter served the coffee, he nodded at Anna with a smile as a greeting. Dad, what is it you want to see me about? Anna asked as she stirred the coffee, feeling a little uneasy. Frank was about fifty years old. He was refined in manner, wearing a brown suit, and a watch worth more than a million dors. And the hair at his temples was a little gray. Allie went to Jacobs engagement party on Saturday. She said that she saw you and told me that you worked here, Frank said. Anna had guessed that Allie would tell Frank about what had happened at the party. Thinking that Allie might exaggerate the details, she said coldly, What else did she say? She must have spoken ill of me. Frank frowned and said, She just told me that you worked here and didnt say anything else. Anna, is there any misunderstanding between you and Allie? Anna clenched the spoon in her hand with an unhappy look and said, There is no misunderstanding between us. Its just that we dont get along well. Frank said, Indeed, Allie has a bad temper. But she is concerned about you. After all, you are sisters. And she Dad, Anna interrupted him, Did youe here just to mediate the rtionship between Allie and me? Hearing that, Frank nced at her and said, I heard that you are dating Mr. Wright. Is that true? Anna was not surprised at his question. Since Allie told Dad that she met me at the party, she must have also told him about my rtionship with Wayne. Even if she hid it from Dad, Dad would hear of it from others and he might even learn what Allie has done to me at the party. Therefore, shrewd as Allie was, she knew that it was better to tell Dad about everything first Does it matter if it is true or not? Lowering her head, Anna didnt answer Franks question directly. Then she said, You have never shown concern for me these years. Since you dont care about me, then dont ask more about my life. I know what Im doing. Frank was not angry with Annas indifference instead, he said with a worried look, I heard that he has a child. Im afraid you will have a lot of things to consider in your rtionship. Anna raised her head slowly and asked, What iso have a cho Franks face changed Anna looked at him and waited for him to lose his temper Since she grew up. she had hoped that Frank would get angry at her and lost his temper so that she could take advantage of it and express her dissatisfaction with him over the years However, Frank just sat there with a surprised look After a moment, he picked up the cup with his trembling hand and took a sip of the coffee to calm himself down After drinking up the coffee, he looked calm and gentle again. When did you have a chilo? Five years ago. I didnt want to take her back home so I went abroad. Anna answered perfunctorily. Then The child is five years old now, Frank said with a frown, not calm as he looked To Annas surprise, Frank still didnt get angry or lost his temper. Instead, he asked a lot about the child as if he had forgotten that he was here to ask Anna about her rtionship with Wayne. Later, the two of them ended the conversation. After paying the bill, Frank hesitated for a while before he left and said, You maye back home with the child at any time when you have free time. You two can live there if you want After saying that, he left, looking lonely Anna lost her mother when she was young and it was her grandfather who raised her. Later, her grandfather passed away and she was taken back home by Frank At that time, Frank had already remarried and he had a daughter, Allie, who was a few months older than Anna Anna did not know what the existence of Allie meant when she was a child. But as she grew up, she heard the gossip about her family and knew about the affair between Frank and Allies mother. Frank had always felt that he owed Anna. Therefore, since he took Anna back home, he had always granted her whatever she asked to make up for her. Even when she suddenly brought back a homeless boy when she was fifteen years old and asked Frank to adopt him, Frank didnt refuse her. Frank almost did everything he could do for Anna. Even so, he still felt that he was not a responsible father. After the meeting with Frank, Anna was a little irritable. Fortunately, the work in the afternoon was about to be finished and she got off work soon When Anna walked out of the hotel with her handbag and looked at her watch, it suddenly urred to her that she was so busy this day that she forgot to pick up Tammy Then she took a taxi in a hurry. Sir, please take me to Blue Castle Bilingual Kindergarten! On her way to the kindergarten, she called Eleanor anxiously. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Tammy was picked up? Anna eximed in the taxi. Who picked her up? On the other end of the line, Eleanor exined to her nervously, Mr. Wright picked her up. Mr. Wright and you oftene to pick up each others children and we think that you two are friends. So when he said that he came to pick Tammy up, we let Tammy leave with him. Is there any . problem, Miss Gabriel? No, there is no problem, Anna said and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank you, Eleanor. After hanging up the phone, she saw an unread message from Wayne. Ive picked Tammy up. Shes at my home now. After reading the message, Anna immediately told the driver to take her to the Kingsford Neighborhood and then called Wayne. Soon, Waynes voice came from the other end of the line. Hello? His low and maic voice made Anna think of his whisper when they had s*x. Anna suddenly felt a little suffocated, so she opened the window to breathe in some fresh air. Thank you for picking up Tammy. Im so busy today that I forgot to pick her up. Youre wee, Wayne said calmly. I was just doing what I have promised you. What? Anna was stunned and asked, What did you promise me before? Since you are busy with the centennial celebration these days, Ill send Tammy to school and pick her up from kindergarten every day. And you and Tammy will live at my house these days. Have you forgotten the request that you made? Wayne said. What? Anna was surprised and asked anxiously, When did I make such a request? After a few seconds of silence, Waynes serious voice came from the other end of the line. The night before yesterday. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 When Waynes voice came from the other end of the line, Anna felt as if he was whispering in her ear and her face was flushed when she thought of that night. Did I make such a request? I have no impression of it at all. Anna summoned up her courage and said, Thats impossible. How is it possible that I make such a request? I was just drunk, not crazy. You are doubting me? Wayne asked. You mean that Im lying to you by making up a story? Anna was speechless. At the same time, she thought, Yes, there is no reason for Wayne to make up a story and lie to me. I might really make the request when I was drunk. Although Anna still didnt want to believe that she really made such an unreasonable request, she thought she was very likely to do so because she was so drunk that day. Then she stammered in embarrassment, I didnt mean that. I was drunk that day and I dont remember what I said that night. I Im going to pick Tammy up right now. Then she hung up the phone. The driver drove fast and soon Anna arrived at the Kingsford Neighborhood. It was getting dark. Wayne and Matthew as well as Tammy were in the living room. When Matthew saw Anna, he rushed over happily and held her legs Anna caressed his head and said, Matthew, be careful. Your hand is injured. Does it still hurt? Matthew shook his head and looked at Anna with attachment. His hand recovered nicely and the ster had been removed. But the doctor said that he still should be careful with his hand. The maid was putting the dishes on the table. When she saw Anna, she smiled and said, Hi, Miss Gabriel. The dinner is ready. You may have dinner now. Anna was stunned and then said with an embarrassed look, No, thanks. Im here to pick up Tammy Were leaving now Lets have dinner together. At this time, Wayne said as he closed the book in his hand and walked over from the sofa. Seeing this, Tammy nodded and said, Mommy, Im hungry. Thinking that it was impolite to refuse again, Anna had no choice but to sit down at the table helplessly Mommy, look at the smoked salmon. I told Uncle Wayne that you liked smoked salmon fish most and he specially asked the cook to cook it for you! Tammy said happily and blinked at Anna. Hearing this, Anna felt even more embarrassed. She took a nce at Wayne and said shyly, Thank you. Wayne just nodded as a reply. When he was about to get some food, someone suddenly tugged at his sleeve. Then he lowered his head and saw that Matthew was pulling his sleeve with one hand and raising his drawing board with the other hand. And on the drawing board was a big word, Juice. Wayne then poured some juice for Matthew. Seeing this, Matthew became anxious. He grabbed Waynes sleeve and kept shaking it while motioning Wayne to look at Anna. It was not until then that Wayne realized that Matthew was asking him to pour some juice for Anna. Then he raised his eyebrows and looked at Matthew with a helpless smile. While Anna was eating silently with her head lowered, a goodClooking hand suddenly came into her view and poured some juice into her ss. She raised her head in surprise and met Waynes calm gaze. She was ttered and immediately said, Thank you, Mr. Wright. Matthew asked me to pour you some juice just now. Have more if you like it, Wayne said naturally Although he said it as if he didnt do it voluntarily, his words made Anna have an illusion that she was a wife who was spoiled by her son and husband. Since Matthew liked the food cooked by her, Wayne and Matthew always went to her ce for dinner before and it was not the first time that they had had dinner together. However, due to what had happened the night before yesterday, Anna found it embarrassing to have dinner with Wayne. What she didnt know was that she had fallen into Waynes trap.. Yesterday, on the way Wayne sent Anna back home, Anna said casually that he didnt need to be responsible for her and asked him not to take the oneCnight stand seriously However, her attitude made Wayne feel displeased. The more he thought about her words, the unhappier he was. Dont take it seriously? Let me see if you can really pretend nothing has happened, Wayne thought The two kids seemed to eat slowly on purpose and it took them almost two hours to finish the dinner Finally, urged by Anna, Tammy finished the food on her te. It was dark outside. Anna looked at the time and surprisedly found that it was already ten oclock at night. Tammy, where is your schoolbag? Pack it quickly. We have to go now. Tammy blinked her big eyes and asked, Mommy, arent we staying here tonight? Hearing this, Anna blushed and said, Who said well ?iay here for the night? Well go home now. Go get your schoolbag now. At this moment, Waynes voice came from the living room Its sote now. Just stay here tonight. The guest room has been cleaned. As soon as he finished his words, Tammy cheered, Great! We can stay here tonights Matthew, lets go to the entertainment room! she said as she ran upstairs with Matthew happily. Tammy It was toote for Anna to stop her. Ann then turned to look at Wayne and said, Thank you, Mr. Wright. But we have to go now. And Im sorry that we bothered you today. Its no bother, Wayne said gently, standing in front of the cab where many antiques were disyed and taking out a jade in an unhurried way. Im not busy these days. Didnt you say that I should spend more time with Matthew? Ill spend more time with him and help you take care of Tammy these days. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. No, thanks. Mr. Wright Anna still wanted to say something but was interrupted by Wayne. I never go back on my words, Wayne turned around and said. Since I have promised you that I will take care of Tammy, I will keep my word. I was drunk that day. Please dont take my words seriously. Besides, its not appropriate for Tammy and me to stay here, Anna exined with a guilty conscience. She suddenly felt a little annoyed and regretted drinking so much at the party Didnt you tell me not to take what happened that night seriously? Wayne asked. Then why have you been avoiding me since that night? You and Tammy alwayse and spend your weekends here before, dont you? Why do you look so guilty? Annas heart jolted and she was speechless. Im not guilty. With a frown, she said frankly, You are going to get married soon. It will cause misunderstanding if I stay here. Your fiancee will misunderstand our rtionship. In fact, the main reason why she had asked him not to mind the oneCnight stand was that Wayne was about to get married to Ada. She didnt want to destroy the rtionship between Wayne and Ada and didnt want to offend Ada. Just because of this? Wayne asked carelessly. Isnt that enough? Seeing his careless look, Anna was confused. Then she repeated what she had said just now again, Its indeed inappropriate for Tammy and me to stay here. After thinking for a moment, Wayne walked closer to her with a meaningful smile and said in a low voice, But that is not a misunderstanding, is it? He stressed the word misunderstanding deliberately to remind her of what had happened between them. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Anna froze and couldnt say a word for a long time. After a while, she stammered, I Im going to see Tammy. Seeing her run upstairs in fluster, Wayne stroked the jade leisurely, with his serious expression slowly turning into a teasing smile. Dont take the oneCnight stand seriously? It seems that you care more about it than me, thought. he At Seriel International Airport. Ive arrived here and Im at the baggage reim now. Achoo! Peace sent a voice message and sneezed. She sniffed and continued, Lets talkter. Ill get my suitcase first. On the carousel, her red suitcase was getting closer and closer to her. When Peace put away her mobile phone and was about to get her suitcase, someone easily got the suitcase down the carousel for her. Youre wee. Before Peace could say thank you, she heard a familiar and annoying voice. Peace swallowed back the words on the tip of her tongue and took a deep breath. Then she raised her head, squinted at the man in front of her, and said bluntly, Did I ask you for help? Why are you always following me? Karl seemed to have been used to her bad attitude. He said calmly, Its raining outside. Is anyone coming to pick you up? If not, I can give you a lift. No, thanks, Peace said as she nced at him. Then she turned around and left with her suitcase. Karl then followed her and said, Miss Brooks, I think theres a misunderstanding between us and we need to have a talk. Do you know how much trouble I have suffered because of the matter at the airport before? Peace ignored him and walked towards the parking lot with her suitcase while talking on the phone. Hey, did you hear me? Karl walked up to her, blocked her way, and showed her the screen of his phone, Look at this. You are so annoying! Peace said angrily. With one sweep of her hand, both of their phones dropped to the ground at the same time. Im not interested in everything about you at all. Whether what happened before is a misunderstanding or not, we cant turn the clock back. I dont want to argue with you. And now, get out of my way After saying that, she picked up the phone, waved to the person who came to pick her up, and walked away quickly. Looking at her receding figure, Karl frowned speechlessly. OUPICI U ULOU is she so irrational? Depressed, he picked up the phone on the ground. Then he used his fingerprint to unlock the screen but failed. What is this? Karl stared at a huge green cactus on the lock screen and his face changed. The phone in his hand was not his at all. Peace was checking in at the front desk of the hotel when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Without seeing the caller ID, she answered the phone directly. You finally answered my phone! A sharp female voice came from the other end of the line immediately Startled, Peace quickly took the phone away from her ear. This is the final warning. If you dont marry me, Ill not only sue you but also post the video on the Inte. Ill let everyone know that youre a shameless r****t. By that time, your reputation will be ruined and even if you plead for mercy, I wont forgive you! Who are you? You called the wrong person, Peace frowned and said. Who am I? Dont you know who I am? Who are you? Wheres Karl? Put him on the phone! Karl? Peace was confused and took a look at the caller ID with a frown. Alice? Whos Alice? Peaces face suddenly changed and she suddenly remembered that half an hour ago in the parking lot, her phone and Karls phone fell to the ground at the same time. Oh no. I picked up the wrong phone! When Anna finished her shower and came out of the bathroom, Tammy had been asleep. Seeing Tammy lying in the middle of the bed with her arms and leg stretched, Anna shook her head helplessly and moved Tammy aside. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tammy, do you want me to sleep on the ground? Tammy turned over and was still in deep sleep. Suddenly she began to mumble in a sweet voice. Daddy Hearing that, Anna, who was tucking Tammy in, paused and tightened her grip on the quilt subconsciously. It seems that Tammy wants a father so much. No wonder she always tries to bring Wayne and me together. She must hope that she can have aplete family like other children, Anna thought with mixed feelings. But Wayne and I? She imagined the scene in which the two of them were together. The next moment, she shook her head violently. No, no, no. How is it possible that we are together? But she couldnt stop imagining and countless scenes flooded into her mind. Anna was very sleepy but she couldnt fall asleep and her mouth feltpletely dry. After tossing and turning in the bed for a long time, she got out of bed and went out to get some water. The lights in the house had been turned off. For fear of waking up the others, Anna groped her way to the living room. When she came to the table, she poured a ss of water for herself and then picked up a few small packets of cookies from the table. The dinner was hearty, but she felt uneasy and had no appetite when having dinner so she didnt have much food. At this moment, she was very hungry. When she turned around and was about to go back to her room, she saw a ck figure in front of her Oh my God! Anna screamed and fell back on the chair. Half of the water in the ss spilled. Its me. In the darkness, Wayne said and then turned on the light. You scared me, Anna said as she patted her chest and gasped for breath. She stared at Wayne and said angrily, What are you doing here? Wayne didnt answer her but just looked at her with a faint smile. Anna then realized that she was at his house and it was inappropriate for her to talk to him with such a rude attitude. What was more embarrassed was that she was holding a few packets of cookies in her arms, looking like a thief. And a few packets of cookies fell, rolled on the ground, and finally stopped at Waynes feet Well Anna tried to find an excuse. Im afraid that Tammy will be hungry in the middle of the night, so I came to get some cookies for her. I hope you dont mind. Wayne gazed at her with a meaningful look, without saying anything. Why is she asking for my permission on such a trifle? Am I that stingy in her eyes? He thought. Anna couldnt help clearing her throat and said, Im going back to my room now. After she took a few steps, Waynes voice came from behind. Im hungry, too, he said in a low voice. Anna was stunned and wondered if she had misheard. She turned to look at him and asked, Pardon? Im here to get some food. Is there anything to eat? Wayne asked. Anna then was sure that she hadnt misheard. At the same time, she was still a little surprised and confused. Did he alsoe here for food? Hes hungry? I remember that he ate a lot at dinner. Though she was confused, she didnt speak what she thought. Besides, she breathed a sigh of relief because what Wayne had said eased the embarrassment. Yes. Do you want to eat spaghetti? There should be food ingredients in the fridge, she said. Since both of them were hungry, she decided to cook some food so that they could fill their stomachs. Wayne nodded, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Anna then put down the biscuits, rolled up her sleeves, and went into the kitchen to cook spaghetti Amaid, who heard the noise in the kitchen, came from her room, Wayne turned his head and gave her a warning look. Seeing this, the maid immediately covered her ears and went back to her room Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The spaghetti that Anna cooked was not inferior to the dishes at the main meal. On the table were six beautiful tes on which there were traditional meatloaf,ired chicken shepherds pie, mac n cheese, roasted tacos, and tuna sd, Anna filled arge te with spaghetti for Wayne, added the sauce and the side dishes into it, and said, Stil the spaghetti, and then you can eat it. Its very delicious. Alter saying that, she couldnt wait to fill another te of spaghetti for herseli Holding the warm te with his hands, Wayne gazed affectionately at her, Generally speaking, those from rich families would always ask the maids and the cools to prepare food for them, and they just needed to wait to eat readyCcooked meals, And Wayne had also lived like this since he was a child, He seldom saw his family cool and rarely ate the food cooked by his family, At this moment, seeing Anna prepare food for him, he was touched and was reminded of both the happy and unpleasant memories of his childhood, After eating a few mouthfuls of spaghetti, Anna felt very satisfied, From the corner of her eyes, she saw that Wayne still didnt stir the spaghetti, Why dont you eat it? she asked in confusion. After thinking for a moment, she asked in a low voice, You dont like it? No, I like it. Wayne answered, Then go head and eat it before it gets cold. Then Anna said with an awkward smile, You dont know how to stir them in the right way? Let me help you stir it, will you? As she spoke, she reached her hand to Waynes te No, thanks, Wayne said as he picked up the fork and began to stir the spaghetti by himself. I was notughing at you Anna, who thought that she was quite impolite just now, tried to exin. In the past, when I lived at home, I never cooked or did housework. My stepmother and my sister were also like this because the maids would do anything for us. It was the first time that she had talked about her family with Wayne so Wayne was a little surprised Did your stepmother treat you well? he asked gently What do you think? Anna asked helplessly and gave him a meaningful look Il my stepmother treated me well, how could Allie and I be in such a bad rtionship? How could Allie nder me and humiliate me at the engagement party of Jacob and Lilian that day? Wayne frowned and asked, You dont care about their attitudes toward you? I dont care. Anna ate a big mouthful of spaghetti and said, They are not that important to me. Those that treated me well and were important to me have passed away. Hearing that, Wayne was slightly stunned, thinking that he had touched her sore spot and OPE feeling sorry for her. Then he immediately apologized, Im sorry. Its okay, Anna smiled bitterly and said. You know what? Everyone in the Gabriel family told me that my mother died of illness. Even my grandfather also said so. But if my father didnt do anything that made my mother heartbroken, how could my mother be ill and die? Allie was born before my mother married him and was two months older than me. Do you know what it meant? Do you hate your father? Wayne asked. Anna nodded, but then shook her head, saying, I dont know. If he had treated me badly, I would have hated him. But he had been treating me very well since I was a child and was partial to me. He has never done anything bad to me. But I cant let go of what he has done to my mother. Back then, Annas father started the business from scratch and established the Gabriel Group. If Annas mother hadnt given him all her savings as the startCup capital, the Gabriel Group wouldnt have be what it was now. So you dont hate your father, Wayne said, looking at Anna with mixed feelings. Maybe. And as his child, I have no right to interfere with the matter between my mother and him, Anna raised her eyebrows and said with a bitter smile. Besides, even if I hate him, I cant do anything to him. After all, hes my father. If you were me, what would you do? If I were you, Wayne said in a cold and deep voice, I would have kicked him and the mistress out of my home. Anna was stunned and looked at Wayne in surprise. Im full, Wayne said and then put down the fork on the table, making a slight noise. Somehow, Anna could feel the anger in his tone and action. Wayne then walked upstairs and went back to his room on the second floor. Watching his receding figure, Anna was confused and wondered, Did I say anything that offended him again? In the master bedroom on the second floor, the light was dim. Wayne opened a book at the bedside table and looked at the photo that was torn in two. Half of the photo was wrinkled and it was hard to tell the person on it. And in the other half was a little boy who rode on the shoulder of a handsome man, in high spirits. Wayne held the photo in his hand tightly with his knuckles turning white. Staring at the man in the photo, he felt a little irritable and thought of the past. For so many years, he had never thought that what he had done back then was wrong. A few years ago, Waynes mother betrayed his father and had an affair with another man, which indirectly caused the death of his father. Therefore, Wayne drove his mother away out of anger. He didnt think it was not wrong for him to do so. However, just now Anna said that children had no right to interfere with the matter between their parents, which made him annoyed. C. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The next morning, when Wayne went downstairs, Anna had made breakfast and was eating breakfast with the two children Good morning. The breakfast is ready. Anna looked at him and said with a smile. I cooked ereal. Its good for health. Wayne didnt say anything but just pulled out a chair and sat down quietly. And there was a certain coldness in his manner. Anna noticed the change in his attitude and felt a little embarrassed. She still couldnt figure out what she had done to make him unhappy. In her heart, it didnt matter that Wayne didnt let her stay here but she didnt want his attitude to affect her mood and work efficiency. The maid filled a bowl with cereal and ced it in front of Wayne. Without saying anything, Wayne picked up the bowl and ate all the cereal. Seeing this, Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Id better be cautious and not do anything to offend him these days. Ill work hard and finish all the work for the centennial celebration as soon as possible so that I can move back home with Tammy. In the following days, Tammy and Anna had been staying in Kingsford Neighborhood. In the morning, Anna and Wayne would send the two children to kindergarten together. And in the evening, Wayne picked the children up alone. Whether Anna got off workte or early, she was just in time for dinner when she came back every day She was quite surprised about it and didnt know why the cook could always prepare the dinner in time. It took half a month to decorate the venue of the centennial celebration. After all the work had been done, Anna arranged for the staff of the Financial Department to pay the sry of the workers. When Anna thought about whether she should get off work early to pick up Tammy, her phone suddenly rana Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Hey, Anna Its me. The voice of a young man came from the other end of the line. I know, Anna said gently, I have your phone number. You said you woulde back from abroad after finishing your performance. Have you decided when you wille back? Yes. When? Im not busy in the following days, Ill pick you up at the airport if I have free time Thank you. But dont bother. All right Anna said with a smile. You are a popr and famous violinist and the Mr. Medreamy in our country now. There will be a lot of people who want to pick you up. But Mr. Mcdreamy is going to live on the street as a vagrant. Anna, I need you. What do you mean by living on the street? Anna asked in surprise. Turn around Hearing this, Anna turned around and looked in the direction of the gate of the Carousel Hotel Then she saw a young man carrying a huge cello case with a suitcase beside him. He was looking at her with a bright and innocent smile. The young man opened her arms and shouted, Surprise! Anna was stunned at first and then she smiled. She trotted out of the hotel in her high heels, patted him on the shoulder, and said, Hey! When did youe back? Why didnt you tell me about it before? Ive juste back. I spent more than forty hours on the ne. Im so tired now. You may have a rest and well have dinner togetherter, Anna took a look at her watch and said. Ive finished my work and I can get off work early today. Wait a minute. Ill pack up my belongings first Hold on. The young man stopped her, then suddenly held her hand and pulled her into his arms. What are you doing? Its so hot, Anna said as she struggled. The young man rested his chin on her shoulder like a spoiled child and said in a pleasant voice, Im charging myself. Im about to be out of power and need to charge myself by hugging you Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. *Scott, how old are you? Why are you still so childish? Anna patted him on the back and said helplessly I just came back and have no ce to stay. Scott said to Anna with a pitiful look on the way to pick up Tammy Come on. Didnt your orchestra arrange amodation for you? Ive quit the orchestra, Scott blinked his eyes and said. The job in the orchestra is too easy and the sry is low. So I quit it. Ive been signed by a newpany. Your contract with the orchestra hasnt expired, right? Anna frowned and asked. I remember that not long ago you told me that your orchestra woulde back to prepare for a concert. Yes, the contract hasnt expired so I paid the liquidated damages andpensate for the loss of the concert. I have no work to do in the newpany so I have no money. Anna, Im homeless now. The only one that I can rely on is you. Please take me in. Hearing his words, Anna thought, He doesnt seem to be lying. Scott has never made a decision impulsively. He would rather pay such arge sum of liquidated damages than continue to work in the orchestral, which means that something must have happened to him. Did something happen to you? Anna asked with concern. No, Scott said carelessly and waved his hand. Nothing happened. Dont hide anything from me, Anna said. Im telling the truth. Ive been fighting in the underground boxing ring since I was ten years old. No one dares to bully me. Dont worry, Scott saidzily as he took one of Annas arms and naturally leaned his head on her shoulder. Then he changed the topic and said, Ill have a nap first. Wake me up when we arrive at the kindergarten. Seeing his tired look, Anna sighed helplessly and then helped him fix his cor with the other hand. Scott was two years younger than her and always took her as his sister. He always showed a smile and looked happy. And sometimes he would act like a spoiled child. But Anna knew that he would never be able to get rid of the bloody memories of the past and that most of the time he was just pretending to be happy. Mommy! After Anna waited at the gate of the kindergarten for a while, Tammy rushed out and held her legs. She raised her head and said happily, Mommy, have you finished your work? You got off work so early today. Anna nodded and said, Yes, Ive finished all my work. So well go back to our home today. What? Tammy was stunned and showed an unhappy look as if what Anna had said was a big blow to her. Then she pouted and asked, Cant we live in Uncle Waynes house all the time? Of course not, Anna said. Wayne, who was being pulled by Matthew and walking towards Anna, happened to hear their conversation and was slightly stunned. Then he asked, But you still have to be busy with the celebration these days. Anna nodded and said, Yes. But I wont busy as Ive been in the past few days and I can get off work on time every day. Thank you for taking care of Tammy for me in the past half a month. h2WT Mbackbomen *SO Points a) So Points Then she remembered that the clothes and daily necessities of Tammy and her were still at Waynes ce so she added, Ill go to pack up our belongings at the Kingsford Neighborhood on Saturday. Hearing that, Matthew became anxious and unhappy. He kept pulling the hem of Waynes suit while ring at him. Tammy was also unhappy. She lowered her head and murmured, I want to y with Matthew. Anna looked at her with a frown, pretending to be angry. When she was about to say something, Scotts voice came from behind them. Tammy, long time no see, he greeted Tammy with a clear and pleasant voice. In an instant, Tammys eyes brightened. She cheered up and threw herself into Scotts arms. Scott! Little Tammy, do you miss me? Scott asked. Yes! I miss you so much! Tammy said. I miss you too. I have brought you many gifts. Do you want to have a look? Yes! Tammy said excitedly. Seeing her cute look, Scott chuckled and picked her up. Tammy was so happy that she giggled. Scott was in his early twentys. He was wearing a white T-shirt and ck trousers, looking energetic and handsome. The breeze gently blew the hair on his forehead, making him look more charming. Many young girls on the road were attracted by him and some of them even took photos of him with their mobile phones. Seeing Scott lift Tammy up, Anna reminded him, Scott, dont lift her too high. Its dangerous. And Tammy, Ive told you many times that you should call him Uncle Scott. No, hes my brother! Hes young. Why should I call him uncle? With an excited smile, Tammy said as she held Scotts face and kissed him on the face. Scott, dont leave us anymore! OK. And from today on, Ill live with you and your mom. Scott winked at Tammy and said smilingly. Tomorrow is Saturday. Feel free to tell me if you want to go out to have fun. Seeing this, Matthew pulled the hem of Waynes suit more anxiously. However, Wayne just looked down at him and said in a cold voice, Its obvious that she likes her Uncle Scott more than you. Let go of my clothes. Lets go home. Hearing that, Matthew red at him with his face flushed with anger. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Youll live in Peaces room for the time being. Anna opened the door of Peaces bedroom and said to Scott Ive told Peace about your situation and she said that you could live here. Peace is always kind and generous. I knew she would allow me to live here, Scott said as he leaned against the door, looked around, and then nodded with satisfaction. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I just said you could live here for the time being. Youd better find a new ce to live as soon as possible. After all, this is not my home. Its not appropriate for you to live here all the time. I see Scott put his arm around Annas shoulder and asked, Anna, what will we eat for dinner? Noodles with soybean paste. Great. I love the noodles with soybean paste that you cook the most, Scott said. At this moment, Tammy was sitting on the carpet and eating the chocte brought back by Scott from abroad with satisfaction. She had been listening to the conversation between Anna and Scott. Thinking of Waynes reaction at the gate of the kindergarten, she thought with her big eyes rolling, Mommy and Uncle Wayne lived together for so long, but there was no progress in their rtionship. It seems that! have to do something to change the situation! The next morning, Anna went out to the market to buy food. Since Scott and she hadnt seen each other for a long time, she nned to cook some delicious food to wee him. Not long after she went out, the doorbell of the apartment rang. Scott went to open the door and asked, Did you leave anything at home? To his surprise, when he opened the door, he didnt see Anna but Wayne and Matthew Excuse me. May I ask who Im talking to? Scott asked. Wayne was holding Matthews hand and standing at the door. This morning, Matthew got up early and insisted on going to Annas ce for breakfast Therefore, Wayne brought him here. However, Wayne didnt expect that Scott was here. When he saw Scott, his face was a little darkened. After a moments silence, Scott suddenly recalled that he had seen Wayne and Matthew before and said, We met at the gate of the kindergarten yesterday, right? And you are the father of Tammys ssmate. Do you also live in this building? At this time, Tammys cheerful voice suddenly came from the room. Hi, Uncle Wayne! Hi, Matthew! Tammy ran out of the bedroom and said, Scott, Uncle Wayne is Mommys boss and good 50 Points Chapter 66 Age Gap Doesnt friend. Matthew is my ssmate. They oftene here for dinner. I see, Scott said with a smile and then warmly weed Wayne and Matthew. Come in, please. Seeing him behave as if he was the host of the family. Matthew frowned and stared at him. with hostility. However, Scott didnt notice him at all. He looked at Wayne and said with a gentle smile, Anna just came back from abroad and doesnt have many friends. I heard from her before that she worked in the Carousel Group. You must have helped her a lot in work. She is capable, Wayne answered perfunctorily. Then he asked, Whats your rtionship with her? Yesterday I hear that Tammy called you uncle. You are her uncle? He had never heard that the Gabriel family had a son. Yes, Scott raised his eyebrows slightly and said. Many years ago, Anna took me in when I was homeless before. She took me as her younger brother. But to be exact, Im her future boyfriend. Future boyfriend Wayne was speechless. He had never seen a man introduce himself in You are humorous, he said coolly. Humorous? Scott looked at him and said, Do you think Im joking? Im serious. Anyway, Anna will be my girlfriend in the future. If you dont believe me, you can ask Tammy about it. The next moment, Wayne, Matthew, and Scott shifted their gazes to Tammy at the same time. Tammy was stunned for a moment. Then she blinked her eyes, nodded, and said seriously. Yes, Mommy has a good rtionship with ScottIf Scott could be my dad, that would also be very great. Wayne was displeased when hearing thest sentence. With a darkened face, he said sullenly, Well, really? But dont you think Scott is too young for your mommy? We are living in a world of diversity. Besides, Im only two years younger than Anna. Scott said with a smile as he looked at Wayne with a hint of vignce in his eyes. Have a seat. Im going to get you something to drink. After saying that, he went into the kitchen and thought, It seems that Wayne is a strong rival in love. I should take him seriously. After Tammy took Matthew into her bedroom, she showed a Rubiks Cube to him, Matthew, I cant recover this Rubiks Cube. Could you help me? she said. Matthew stood aside with his arms folded and ignored her. Matthew? Tammy looked up at him, scratched her head, and asked in confusion, Whats wrong with you? Seeing her innocent look, Matthew got even angrier. Then he wrote a lot of words on his drawing board. My father is so rich and handsome. How could you say that you wanted that man to be your dad2 Uimah I dont want to tell to ou aware 50 Points Chapter 66 Age Gap Doesnt Tammy stared at the drawing board for a long time, unable to understand the sentence. What do you mean? There are many words that I dont know, Matthew, she said. Matthew inhaled deeply, then drew two pictures on the board, and handed it to her again. In one picture, a man in a suit and a woman with long curly hair were holding hands, each of them with a child beside them. In the other picture, a man in sportswear and a woman with long curly hair were standing together with a girl between them. Matthew pointed at the pictures and then pointed at Tammy, looking very angry. Tammy them understood what he meant and asked, You mean I didnt keep my promise? Matthew nodded and stared at her. We have agreed on making efforts together to bring my dad and Auntie Anna together! How could she go back on your words and change her mind when he saw that goodClooking man? Shes so fickle! Haha, Tammy suddenly burst intoughter. It seems that Im a good actress. Hey hey Matthew, I was just acting just now. Matthew frowned in confusion. Its been so long time but my mom and Uncle Wayne havent been together. Dont you want them to be together as soon as possible? Tammy sat upright on the carpet and exined, Your Grandpa told me that pressure could help make things happen so I said those words on purpose just now. I hope that Scottsing can make Uncle Wayne feel pressure so that Uncle Wayne will express his love to my mom and they will be together soon! Matthew pulled a long face and didnt believe her words at all. Did you notice that Uncle Wayne looked unhappy when he saw Scott just now? He takes Scott as a rival in love, Tammy said with a proud smile as she pulled Matthews sleeve. Im sure that Uncle Wayne must have fallen in love with my mom. Lets make a push to get them together! Hearing this, Matthew recalled Waynes reaction just now and his serious expression softened a little What Tammy said makes sense. Daddy is so serious and even seldom smiles. Hes not a person who will take the initiative to chase after a woman. It seems that he does need a rival in love who can make him under pressure. Thinking about this, Matthew was suddenly enlightened and nodded at Tammy. When Anna came back home and opened the door, she saw Scott and Wayne sitting on the sofa silently. Except for the asionalughter of Tammy from the bedroom, the apartment was quite quiet Whats going on? she wondered. Seeing her back, Scott immediately stood up from the sofa and said, Anna, youre back. Then he went to the door and took the food bags from her hands, Let me relieve you of the bags. Wayne also stood up from the s. Anna put down her handbag and asked, Hi. What are you doing here? Wayne said lightly, Matthew wanted toe here so we came. Anna looked in the direction of the bedroom and said naturally, I see. Ive bought some food. Lets have lunch togetherter. When Scott heard that, his smile froze. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 By the way, youve known each other, right? Anna asked as she looked at Wayne and then at Scott. Do you want me to introduce you to each other again? No, thanks, Wayne said with a hint of jealousy in his tone while looking at Scott with a meaningful look. Your future boyfriend has introduced himself to me just now. Anna was stunned. She turned around, red at Scott, and asked, What did you say to him? Dont talk nonsense anymore. Frowning, Scott was dissatisfied when hearing her words but only dared to mutter under his breath, It was not nonsense. I was telling the truth. This is my younger brother, Anna exined to Wayne, He is a violinist. But now he is jobless. So you have to support him now, Wayne said and cast a scornful nce at Scott. I dont need Anna to support me. I just live here temporarily, and I will get a job soon, Scott retorted and red back. I hope so, Anna nced at him and said helplessly. Im going to the kitchen to prepare lunch. You guys feel free to talk. When Scott was about to exin that he was not penniless and could earn his living, Wayne had gone into the kitchen with the food bags on the ground. What are you doing? Anna caught up with him. Ill help you with cooking, Wayne said naturally. Then the two of them entered the kitchen one after the other. Scott stood there in a daze for a few seconds before he came to himself. Then he frowned and walked quickly toward the kitchen too. Ill help you too. The kitchen is not big enough. You dont have to help me here. Go y with Tammy, Anna said and then closed the ss door of the kitchen. Scott was a little annoyed. Dont always treat me as a child. After he knocked at the door for a long time, Anna finally opened the door and stuffed a bag of bean sprouts into his arms. Okay. Then as an adult, you may help me trim them. After saying that, she closed the door again. What? Scott was looked at the whole bag of bean sprouts in his arms, helpless and speechless. He meant that he wanted Anna to treat him as her boyfriend rather than her younger brother. However, Anna misunderstood what he meant. Then he nced at Wayne and thought, That guy inust beughing at me in his heart! When Wayne, who was washing tomatoes by the sink, saw Anna close the door of the kitchen, he was in a better mood and the displeasure caused by Scott before disappeared all of a sudden. Even he himself was surprised by such a change in his emotions. Let me do it myself. You are my guest today. You may go out to have a rest in the living room, Anna said in embarrassment when seeing Wayne wash the tomatoes. Points Wayne put two washed tomatoes on the cutting board and said leisurely. Its okay. Id like to help you. Well, thank you. Anna didnt say anything more. After cutting up the vegetables, Wayne didnt go out but still stayed in the kitchen. Anna was confused and asked, Why dont you go out? When I cook, there will be a lot of fumes. Didnt you say that you would teach me how to cook? You mean you want me to teach you now? Anna asked in surprise. I offered to teach him how to cook when I lived in Kingsford Neighborhood, but at that time he didnt seem to be interested in it at all. Why does he suddenly want to learn to cook today? Yes, Wayne said. Hearing the answer, Anna was stunned for a moment and then said, Okay. Let me show you how to cook braised chicken wings first. C She picked up the ss food container with chicken wings and showed it to Wayne. Then she said, We should deal with the chicken wings before cooking. Look at this. Ive dealt with them before. Let me introduce the process briefly. I nched the chicken wings first and then mixed them with soy sauce, sliced gingers, and starches. After that, I covered the food container with stic wrap and stored them in the fridge for about an hour. And now Ill begin to cook. Got it. To cook braised chicken wings, we should put some oil in the pot. When the oil is hot, put chopped scallions, sliced gingers, and garlic into the pot and fried them for a few seconds, Anna said. As soon as she finished speaking, she put the chopped scallions, sliced gingers, and garlic into the pot. Then a sizzling sound came from the pot To avoid the sshed oil, Anna subconsciously took a step back and her back happened to hit Waynes chest. Sorry, she turned around and said in a hurry. Unexpectedly, her feet slipped and she lost her bnce. Wayne quickiy held her waist with one hand to stop her from falling. Then he asked with concern, Are you okay? . Im okay, Anna stammered and swallowed. At the same time, her heart was beating faster, With her waist being held by Wayne, she looked up at his handsome face and was fascinated by him. The two of them were so close that she could smell the faint smell of cologne on his body. Suddenly, the door of the kitchen was opened. What are you doing? Scott eximed. Hearing that, Anna immediately pushed Wayne away in fluster. However, the next second, she slipped and lost her bnce again. When she was about to fall, Wayne leaned over and held her waist more tightly. Seeing this, Scott was boiling with anger. He shouted at Wayne, Hey, let go of Anna. Dont +50 Points Chapter 67 You Were Taking touch her! Wayne helped Anna stand steadily and released his hand calmly. Then he turned around, nced at Scott, and said lightly, Now you know what we were doing just now? You you were taking advantage of her, Scott said angrily. Scott, shut up, Anna red at Scott with a red face. I almost fell just now because of you screaming. With an aggrieved look, Scott opened and shut his mouth. Then he said to her while staring at Wayne, I want to learn to cook too. Ohe on! When you get a new job in your newpany, you will be very busy and wont have time to cook. He is also busy. Isnt he the CEO of yourpany? Does he have time to cook? Besides, a CEO like him doesnt need to cook in person at all, Scott said and still stared at Wayne with hostility. How could a CEO of a bigpany speciallye to his subordinates home to learn to cook? Humph. Men know men best. Dont think I dont know whats on your mind It was Anna who offered to teach me to cook, Wayne nced at him and said casually. Anna couldnt help shivering slightly when she heard Waynes words. Why did Wayne say that in such a natural way as if we are very intimate? Scott ignored Waynes words and insisted on staying in the kitchen and learning to cook. It was almost lunchtime. To finish cooking as soon as possible, Anna had to let him stay. Then Wayne and Scott stood on both sides of Anna respectively and watched her cooking. Ill put the chicken wings into the pot and the oil will ssh. You two step back and stay away from the pot, Anna said. As soon as she put the chicken wings into the pot, the oil sshed in all directions in an instant, making a sizzling sound. Watch out! Scott eximed, immediately pulling Anna in his arms and turning his back to the pot to protect her. Wayne wanted to pull Anna to his side too. Unfortunately, he waste. When he reached out, Anna had been pulled into Scotts arms. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Scott, what are you doing? Anna said angrily and pushed Scott away. Are you acting in a TV y? It is just oil, not a bomb. Why did you overreact like that? Well, you two go out now and leave me alone. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Anna was annoyed and drove the two of them out of the kitchen. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. They are so strange today. Why are they suddenly so interested in cooking? If they stayed : here, Im afraid that I wouldnt have have finished cooking until night! she thought speechlessly. Outside the kitchen, Wayne and Scott looked at each other with disdain in their eyes. Tammy and Matthew, who popped their heads around the bedroom door and watched what happened in the kitchen, couldnt help covering their mouths andughing. See? Pressure indeed can help make things happen, Tammy said proudly. Matthew nodded approvingly with joy on his face. It was the first time that he had seen Wayne go after a woman. The lunch was particrly hearty. Anna cooked fish, braised chicken wings, fried meat with bamboo shoots, and tomato and egg soup. When she put the dishes on the table, the air was filled with the fragrance of food immediately. The food were so delicious that all of them were eaten up. After lunch, the two kids went back to the bedroom to y. Scott cleaned up the table and offered to help Anna wash the dishes. Anna, let me do the dishes. I promise Ill wash them clean. Anna happened to want to have a rest so she didnt refuse him and said happily, OK. Be careful not to break the dishes. I see. You may rest assured, Scott said. Then he happily took the dishes and bowls to the kitchen and began to wash them. After a while, he suddenly found that something was wrong. I shouldnt have offered to wash the dishes. How could I let Wayne have the opportunity to stay with Anna alone? Thinking about this, he turned around, looked in the direction of the living room, and found that neither Wayne nor Anna was there. Where did they go? In Tammys bedroom, Wayne and Anna were sitting around a chessboard with Tammy and Matthew, and the four of them were ying Aerone Chess. I arrived at the destination first! Im the winner! You all lost. Each of you should stick a sticker on your face! With her face almost full of cartoon stickers, Tammy said excitedly and then stuck stickers on the faces of Wayne, Anna, and Matthew respectively. At this time, all of them had many stickers on their faces. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves, Scott stood at the door and said angrily, The four of you y games here and enjoy yourselves while I have to wash the dishes in the kitchen alone. Youve gone too far. Hearing that, the others turned to look at him at the same time. Anna felt a little embarrassed. After all, Scott had juste back from abroad and was her guest. No matter how familiar they were, she couldnt treat him like this. Then she asked gently, How about you y with them and I wash the dishes? I dont want to y with him, Scott said with a frown and took a nce at Wayne. At the thought that Wayne was Annas guest and she wouldnt ask him to wash the dishes, Scott said with an aggrieved look, Wait a moment. Ill join you after washing the dishes. After saying that, he turned around and went into the kitchen, continuing to do the dishes quickly Seeing him like this, Anna couldnt help but smile. Ten minutester, Scott came back and joined the game. The five of them yed Aerone Chess at first. Later, they yed Five in a Row, Go, and chess. Atst, all of them were tired and quit the game except for Scott and Wayne. Both Wayne and Scott were good at ying board games. Scott was better at ying chess while Wayne was better at ying Go. And the two of them kept ying board games until the evening. Scott didnt even know when Anna went out. It was not until Anna asked them to have dinner that he realized that he had spent the whole afternoon with Wayne and he felt annoyed. After dinner, Scott asked Wayne straightforwardly. Its gettingte. When will you go back with your son? With a teacup in his hand, Wayne took a sip of tea leisurely and said We wont go back tonight. What? Scott was surprised and stood up at once. Why dont you go back? This is not your home. Anna was also stunned by Waynes words, not knowing what he meant. He wont stay here tonight, will he? Matthew doesnt want to go back home today. Wayne looked at Anna and said, Before we came here, he said that Tammy had lived in our home before but he had never lived in Tammys home so he wanted to stay here tonight. No way! You cant stay here tonight! Scott said bluntly without hesitation. He had just known that Anna and Tammy had been living in Waynes house for the past few days. If he knew it earlier, he wouldnt have weed Wayne warmly in the morning. In his heart, Wayne was his number one rival in love now. This is not your home and you just live here temporarily. Therefore, your opinion doesnt matter. After taking a nce at him, Wayne said and then shifted his gaze to Anna. Anna was in a dilemma. She was not the owner of the apartment and it was inappropriate to put up so many people. But it was more inappropriate for her to refuse Wayne. After all, in the past half a month, she and Tammy had been living in Waynes house and Wayne picked Tammy up from kindergarten + Points Chapter 68 We Wont Go Bac every day. She didnt want Wayne to think that she was ungrateful After she hesitated for a long time, Tammy suddenly came out of the room and trotted over, asking, Mommy, Matthew is asleep. Will he and Uncle Wayne stay at our home tonight? Anna had to nod and said, Yes. Scott said quickly, Although Matthew is asleep, Mr. Wright just needs to pick him up, carried him into the car, and take him back home. They dont have to stay here tonight. Matthew is not in good health. Its cold at night. If I carry him out when he is sleeping, he will catch a cold, Wayne said slowly. Hearing that, Anna nodded immediately and said, Yes, its cold outside now. Just let Matthew stay here. What about him? Scott asked with gritted teeth and looked at Wayne. Will there be any problem if he goes home? My son has never lived separately with me since he was born. He will cry if he cant find me when he wakes up, Wayne said lightly. Scott was speechless and pissed off. He couldnt retort because what Wayne had said was reasonable. After deciding to let Wayne stay, Anna cleaned up her room. There are not enough rooms so you will sleep in my room tonight and Ill sleep in Peaces room, she said. Wayne nodded, having no objection. However, Scott was displeased again and said, How could you let him sleep in your room? Anna, the bedroom is a private space. You should protect your privacy. Dont let him sleep in your room. Then where else can he sleep? Anna looked at him and said. There are not enough rooms. Ill share my room with him, Scott stared at Wayne and said reluctantly as if he had made a great sacrifice. Tdont want to share a room with others, especially with a man, Wayne nced at him and said. You Scotts face was flushed with anger. He still wanted to say something but was interrupted by Anna. Stop it. Wayne will just stay here for one night. It doesnt matter that he lives in my room. Besides, theres nothing private in my room. You two go out first. Ill change the sheets and quilt covers now. Then she pushed Scott and Wayne out of the room and closed the door. Leaning against the wall with his arms folded, Scott stared at Wayne and said discontentedly, Mr. Wright, as a CEO, why do you have toe here and share a small apartment with us? Is it because you are tired of living a luxurious life and want to experience the life of ordinary people? Will you believe me if I say yes? Wayne said meaningfully and walked towards the bookshelf. Obviously, he didnt take Scott seriously at all. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Of course I wont believe you! Scott thought and stared at Waynes back with his face full of hostility As the CEO of the Carousel Group, you can get everything you wants. What do you have toe to such a small apartment to experience the soCcalled ordinary peoples life? Humph!! wont believe it if you say that you didnt have other intentions. Anna quickly finished making the bed in the room. When she came out, she prepared a new towel as well as toiletries and gave them to Wayne. At night, Tammy and Wayne brushed their teeth in the bathroom. Tammy was standing on the small stool with bubbles in her mouth, looking extremely happy. What are you smiling at? Wayne asked. After spitting out the water, Tammy crooked her finger to beckon him. Wayne knew that she had something to tell him and bent down. Tammy patted him on the shoulder, sighed as if she was a grownup, and said, Ive told you that my mommy is very excellent. She has countless pursuers at home and abroad. Thinking of Scott, Wayne was a little unhappy and asked, Then what do you think I should do? Work hard, Uncle Wayne. Be more passionate, Tammy straightened her back and said in high spirit. Its not toote for you to work hard to go after my mom now. And if you are with my mom, you will have a lovely daughter like me. If you dont work hard, you will have to marry Auntie Ada in the future. You know Matthew doesnt like her. Moreover, even if you have a daughter in the future, she will not be as lovely as me. Hearing her illogical and childish words, Wayne smiled helplessly. Then he wiped Tammys mouth with a towel, stroked her soft hair, and said, Okay, I see. Go to bed early.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Uncle Wayne, remember to be more passionate. Im with you all the way, Tammy said, kissed him on the cheek, jumped off the stool, and bounced to her bedroom. Why is Tammy so excited? What did she say to you just now? Anna asked casually as she walked into the bathroom after hanging her clothes on the balcony. Wayne looked at the two of them in the mirror. At this moment, they were sianding side by side. And his toothbrush and cup were blue while Annas were red. And Anna asked him about Tammy naturally. All this made him feel as if they were a couple. Anna didnt get Waynes response so she looked at him in the mirror. When she saw that he was also looking at her, she was stunned and then said in a muffled voice while brushing her teeth, Whats wrong with you? Wayne wrenched his mind back to the present and said, Nothing. The toothbrush is too hard. Let me see, Anna said awkwardly and looked at his toothbrush. I usually pay more m Dereve O Points oss Points attention to the price than the brush head of a toothbrush. This toothbrush is cheap so I bought it. There is a convenience store downstairs. How about I buy you a new one? No, thanks. Ill make do with it, Wayne said lightly and went back to the room after brushing his teeth. In the room, Matthew was rolling on the bed in high spirits. Matthew, its time to sleep. Wayne said as he pressed Matthews shoulders to stop him and tucked him in. Matthew theny in his arms in afortable position. It was rare for him to be so obedient. Lying on the bed and at the thought of his special feeling for Anna, Wayne frowned and stared at the ceiling nkly, unable to fall asleep. He thought that he had such a feeling for Anna just because Matthew liked her. After all, there were few people that Matthew was willing to get close to but Anna was an exception. After meeting Anna, Matthew was more goodCtempered and outgoing than before. Previously, he had decided to marry Ada because Matthew wanted a mother. But now, he could see that Matthew liked Anna more than Ada. Maybe Matthew doesnt simply want to have a mother. He wants Anna to be his mother and has taken her as his mother, right? Thinking of this, Wayne was suddenly enlightened. Matthew, you want a mother like Auntie Anna, right? Matthew had closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep. Hearing Waynes words, he opened his eyes and got up from Waynes arms immediately. Then he picked up his drawing board, wrote some words, and mmed the board down on Waynes belly I do hope that she can be my mom, so what? Shes not your wife yet. I can see that she let us stay here tonight just for my sake. Tammy said that Uncle Scott had a good rtionship with Auntie Anna. Wayne was speechless and felt somewhat depressed when thinking of the attitudes of Tammy and Matthew when they talked about Anna with him. Am I that unmorous in their hearts? he thought. You dont believe me? he asked. Matthew continued to write on the drawing board. Have you ever chased after a girl? Seeing this, Wayne didnt answer him and touched his nose awkwardly. He indeed had never done such a thing Matthew looked at him for a moment and then got the answer from his expression. He sighed heavily, lay on the bed, and tucked himself in, not in the mood to talk to Wayne anymore. Dad is always the one who is chased after by others. He has never chased after a woman. He even doesnt know how to pursue a woman. If it werent for Tammys help, we even wouldnt have had the chance to stay here tonight Seeing Matthew like this, Wayne was even more depressed and couldnt fall asleep. Before turning off the light, he picked up his phone and sent a message to someone. The next morning, when Anna was sleeping soundly, Tammy suddenly opened the door of the room and ran in She jumped onto the bed in her cute pajamas and woke Anna up. Mommy, wake up! There are many people outside. With a drowsy look, Anna yawned sleepily and asked, What are you talking about? Many people carrying cameras are outside the door. What? Anna was suddenly wide awake. She sat up from the bed and asked, How many people are there? I dont know. I only know there are so many people, Tammy said. Anna then came out of the room in pajamas. Wayne, who seemed to have been awakened by the noise outside, opened the door of the bedroom and looked in the direction of the door in confusion. What happened? he asked. I dont know, Anna said and hurried to the door. Tammy said there were many people outside. Ill go and have a look. Then she saw a small stool at the door. It was ced by Tammy when she stepped on it to check the situation outside just now. When Anna looked outside through the peephole to see what happened outside, she was scared by what she had seen and eximed, Oh my God! She was so surprised that she stepped back and staggered, losing her bnce. Fortunately, Wayne quickly walked to her and held her shoulder to help her stand steadily. Are you okay? he asked. Im okay, Anna said and then took a deep breath with a pale face. Someone outside was looking inside through the peephole and I happened to see an eye just now. It scared me to death. Let me have a look. Wayne walked to the door and looked outside carefully through the peephole for a while. Whats going on? Anna asked. There are many people in the corridor, but they are not here for us, Wayne said. Not here for us? Thats good. Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, she thought of something and said, But were the only residents living on this floor. Why did theye here? Wayne turned to look at Scotts room and asked, Obviously, they are here for someone else in this apartment. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Outside the door, there was a group of entertainment reporters and photographers. They came here early in the morning when they heard that the famous cellist Scott hade back from abroad and was living here. Not long ago, the news that the popr star Rita had specially gone to Vienna for Scotts cello recital and the two of them left the concert hall together hit the headlines. All the entertainment reporters in the city hoped to get first-hand information about Ritas rtionship with Scott. However, in the past half a month, Rita had never shown up in any public activities and the reporter had no news about her. Therefore, as soon as they knew Scott was here, they rushed here immediately to interview him and get more information about him. Are these reporters crazy? I have nothing to do with Rita. I dont even know who she is, Scott said happily as he closed the cover of the peephole and turned around. Why did theye to me? It is rumored that you are Ritas boyfriend. Its not strange that the reporters came to you, Wayne said and nced at him. You dont know who she is? Really? Even I know that she is a popr star. You Scott got anxious and was afraid that Anna would misunderstand him. He stared at Wayne and asked, What do you mean? Nothing. I was just asking casually. I dont think you need to disassociate yourself from Rita in such a hurry. After all, no one here cares about your rtionship with her. Upon hearing this, Scott flew into a rage and his attitude changed dramatically. Wayne, dont talk nonsense. I have nothing to do with her. Be quiet, Scott. Its not the right time to talk about this, Anna said helplessly, sounding troubled, The most important thing now is to think about what we should do to let them leave. Ill call the police, Scott said as he took out his phone. Its useless, Wayne said lightly. Even if the police drive them away, they wille back as soon as the police leave. When Scott heard Waynes biunt retort, his face turned livid with anger. Then he said with sarcasm, Then what do you think we should do? Since you are capable and clever, find a way to solve the problem now. Hearing this, Anna turned to look at Wayne. She was curious about what Wayne would do. After all, if the reporters knew that he was here, the news of the CEO of Carousel Group and his son staying at another womans home all night would also hit the headlines. Mr. Wright, what do you think we should do now? she asked. Wayne didnt beat about the bush and said calmly, Call the property managementpany 50 Points first and ask them to send security guards here to get these reporters out of themunity. Whats the difference between calling the police and calling the property managementpany? Do you think the security guards are more powerful than the police? Scott cast a scornful nce at him. At least the security guards wille here earlier than the police, Wayne said in a deep voice. You are arguing for the sake of arguing, Scott said. Scott, let Mr. Wright finish his words, Anna interrupted Scott. She knew that Wayne must have other ways to deal with the situation. Take it easy. Wayne looked at the time and said, The security guards should be here now. Not long after he said that, the reporters outside were dispersed by the security guards. The staff of the property managementpany knocked at the door and then apologized for their neglect of duty before leaving. Later, the corridor gradually quieted down. Have they left? Anna breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as she finished speaking, the doorbell suddenly rang. Did theye here again? Anna said and frowned with worry. Are the entertainment reporters all so crazy now? Wayne strode over calmly and opened the door. Mr. Wright, the reporters are downstairs now. But dont worry. They wonte here again, Gabe said respectfully when the door opened. Scott sneered and said with contempt, You called your assistant for help? What are you going to do next? He didnt believe Wayne at all. Why does Anna trust him so much? He is indeed rich, but it doesnt mean that he can handle everything. Besides, its not easy to send the entertainment reporters away. Wayne didnt want to talk to him. He looked at Gabe and nodded, seeming to be motioning Gabe to do something. Gabe nodded knowingly and walked up to Scott. Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr. Grosz? Yes, Scott raised his chin slightly and said proudly. Whats up? Mr. Grosz, pleasee with me and change your clothes now. What do you want to do? Scott covered his chest at once and took a big step back, looking vignt. Gabe said gently, Ill change into your clothes and distract the reporters downstairster. Then someone will pick you up and send you to a hotel. Youll stay there in the following days. Scott was slightly stunned. You mean Ill leave here? What about Anna and Tammy? He had wanted to leave here as soon as possible and lead the reporters away. However, when he was about to speak his thought, Wayne beat him to it. At this moment, he felt as if he was driven away by Wayne and felt displeased. They will be safe as long as you leave, Wayne answered him without much enthusiasm. til Scott couldnt help but re at him and couldnt can word in rotort honum had said made sense. He had to go back to his room and exchange clothes with Gabe. Ten minutester, Gabe went downstairs in Scotts casual clothes, carrying a cello case and pulling his cap low over his eyes. With the protection of the security guards, he finally forged through the crowds, got into the car, and left. Seeing this, the reporters immediately got into their cars and followed him. When all of them were gone, Scott walked out of the building with a mask and sunsses and got into another car with two bodyguards in ck suits and leather shoes. Then the driver started the vehicle, drove in the opposite direction of the reporters, and left themunity. The reporters finally left, Anna said, then breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the sofa. This is not the end, Wayne looked at her and said. You have to pack up your luggage now. Anna was confused. Why should I pack up? Do you think its still safe to stay here? If the reporter finds that the person that they follow is not Scott, they wille back again, Wayne said. Its okay. Anyway, Scott has left, Anna said. Don you think they will give up the opportunity to interview the woman and the child who live with Scott? Wayne said. His words made sense, which made Anna speechless. She sighed heavily and thought, if I had known it earlier, I wouldnt have agreed to let Scott live here. Its better to arrange for him to live in the Carousel Hotel and pay the bill for him than making myself homeless now. A few hourster, Waynes bodyguards carried Annas tworge suitcases and went downstairs. Mommy, where will we live? In the elevator, Tammy asked as she looked up at Anna and blinked her eyes with a worried look. Are we going back to Grandpas house? Anna frowned. If she were alone, she might go back to Gabriels House. But since Tammy was with her, she couldnt do that. She didnt want her stepmother and Allie to gossip about Tammy. At this time, Matthew pulled Waynes sleeve. When Wayne looked down and saw Matthew staring at him with warning eyes, he was speechless. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Then he said to Anna and Tammv. Dont worry. I have arranged a ce to stay for you. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Youve arranged a ce for us? Anna was stunned and asked, Where will we live? Carousel Hotel? She thought that it would be good if she could live in the Carousel Hotel so that she didnt need to commute to work. Perish the thought, Wayne said directly. Theres no vacant room in the hotel now. No vacant room? But when I checked the upancy before Get into the car. Before Anna could finish her words, Wayne interrupted her, urged her to get into the car, and asked the driver to drive. Soon, the car stopped at the gate of the Kingsford Neighborhood. Looking at the vi in front of her, Anna thought speechlessly, Oh, God. After staying at home for a day, we came back to Kingsford Neighborhood again Then she asked Wayne, Mr. Wright, is this the ce that you arranged for me to stay in? Yes. Before Anna could say anything else, the maids had already carried her suitcases into the vi quickly. I dont think its appropriate for us to live here, Anna said in embarrassment. Wayne looked at her and said, There are enough rooms in the vi for you. The driver will send Tammy to the kindergarten and pick her up after school. And this ce is not far from Carousel Hotel. Its convenient for you to go to work from here. Its appropriate for you to live here. After a pause, he added, l.wont let you live here for free. Matthew only likes the food that you cook so youll have to cook the breakfast and dinner on weekdays and all meals on weekends.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hearing that, Anna couldnt find any reason to refuse him. It is fair and reasonable that I cook in exchange of amodation nodded. , Anna thought and OK. Then well live here for the time being. Thank you, Mr. Wright, she said. Wayne nodded expressionlessly. Lets go inside. The maid then led Anna to the room next to the master bedroom. Anna had lived there before. In her impression, it was just an ordinary guest bedroom before. But when the door was opened, she surprisedly found that it had changed a lot. There were more decorations in the room, and the dresser was filled with all kinds of expensive cosmetics What surprised Anna most was that there was a stuffed toy husky at the head of the bed. Is this for Tammy? Thank you, Anna said. The maid said respectfully, Miss Tammy will live in another room. Mr. Wright said that you +25 Points Chapter 71 Sell the Dummy might work overtime ande backte and it was inconvenient for you to live in the same room with Miss Tammy. This room is only for you. This toy is also prepared for you. Anna, who didnt expect that Wayne would be so considerate, was touched. She shook the toy husky in her hand and smiled, Why did you prepare this for me? Im not a child anymore. I thought that you may be not used to sleeping alone so I prepared it for you, the maid, who was about twenty years old and looked very shy, answered nervously There are many toys in the entertainment room so I picked one randomly. Sorry. I dont know that you dont like it. Ill take it away right now. Its okay. Anna immediately said, Dont be nervous. I didnt say I dont like it. The maid breathed a sigh of relief. After staring at the toy husk for a long time, Anna suddenly burst intoughter. This toy husky looks so serious, just like Mr. Wight. Do you think so? What? The maid was shocked. It was the first time that she had heard someonepare Wayne to a dog. Then she stammered, I I dont know. Anna felt helpless when seeing the maid so nervous and stopped joking with her. She thought that it must be because Wayne was too serious that the maid was so nervous and afraid at the mention of him. She talked with the maid for a while and then learned that the maid was called Ca. After Ca left the room. Anna walked around and looked at the furnishings in the room. Seeing the newlyCchanged purple curtains, she smiled and thought that Wayne had a good taste in decoration. Scott was arranged to live in a branch of the Carousel Hotel which was located in the east of the city and far away from the city center. When seeing Gabe talking on the phone with Wayne, Scott grabbed the phone and said to Wayne angrily, Wayne, you cunning old fox! You asked me to leave on purpose just now, right? Hearing his loud voice, Wayne put the phone far away from his ear and said lightly, No, I did not. Didnt you see the reporters? Dont you think you should leave the apartment at once in that situation? Do you think Im a fool? Not long after the reporters arrived there, you arranged everything for me. Then after I left, you asked Anna and Tammy to live at your ce. It was you who exposed my whereabouts to the reporters, right? Wayne raised his eyebrows and smiled. This guy is not stupid. He saw through what I did so soon. Scotts confirmed his guess via the silence from the other end of the line. Then he immediately raised his voice and said snappishly, You old fox! How could you do such a thing? Ill let others know that the president of the Carousel Hotel is a man of no scruples! How could you deceive an innocent and kindC hearted girl like Anna? You are so shameless! Wayne had never been scolded like this but he was not angry. Instead, he corrected Scott in a good mood, Shes not an innocent girl. +25 Points Chapter 71 Sell the Dummy Almost everyone in the Carousel Group knew that Anna was very vigorous and effective in working and was capable of dealing with all kinds of people. Since she took office, many people didnt believe in her ability. But she did all her work excellently and finally gained recognition among the executives of the company. That was not what an innocent girl could achieve. Yes, she is not innocent! Scott immediately said on purpose. She is shrewd and deep. Stay away from her. Dont trust her and dont let her live in your house, or you will regret it! Wayne was speechless and couldnt help thinking. Why are Annas friends all so extraordinary? Her best friend Peace is good at fighting bareChanded and almost beat Karl to death before. And now her younger brother who said that he was her future boyfriend is threatening me because of her. Its so interesting. I asked her to live here just because Matthew likes the food that she cooks. I mean no harm Dont think too much, Wayne said. Do you think I will believe you? As long as you want it, you can hire all the famous cooks around the world. Why do you have to let Anna cook for your son? Scott said and snorted. Believe it or not, Matthew only likes the food cooked by her, Wayne said lightly. Then he continued in a serious tone, By the way, Im familiar with the boss of Prosperity Entertainment. If you want to join Prosperity Entertainment, I can rmend you to him. Think about it and let me know if you want to join it. I dont need your rmendation! Scott snapped back angrily. Im very popr. Countless companies want to sign me! Wayne didnt bother to talk to him anymore and hung up the phone. After a while, Gabe called him again. Mr. Wright, everything has been done. The agent of Enlight Media will contact him and sign him, Gabe said. Got it. After hanging up the phone, Wayne, who took up twentyCthree percent of the shares of Enlight Media, showed a meaningful smile. Just now, he deliberately said that he wanted to rmend Scott to the boss of Prosperity Entertainment though he knew that Scott would refuse him. Scott is talented in music and always in a roll so he is inordinately proud of his ability To prove to me that he is very popr, he will sign a contract with anotherpany as soon as possible In such a situation, as long as Enlight Media provides him with more liberal wages and benefits than otherpanies, he wont refuse to sign with it. Are you sure? Have you showed him the photos? -Linibar. XX In the independent dressing room, a man wearing sses sat upright, put a folder on the tea table, and said seriously. Im sure. When I showed him the photo, Leo recognized at a nce that the woman in the photo is the surrogacy mother. He thought I was Waynes subordinate, so he told me many things about what happened before. Adas face darkened when she heard this. She clenched her fist so tightly that her knuckles i +25 Points . Chapter 71 Sell the Dummy turned white. Then she said with gritted teeth, I didnt expect that the surrogacy mother is really her. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 But Anna is the daughter of the Gabriel family. How could she be willing to be a surrogate mother? Ada frowned and said with doubt, If Anna was really the surrogate mother, how many children did she give birth to back then? Why does she still have a daughter? Pearson adjusted his sses, slowly opened a document, and said, ording to Leo, six years ago, they took the wrong person to Waynes room. But it was not until Anna came from the room the next day that Leo knew it. After that, Leo had been keeping an eye on Anna. When he knew that Anna wanted to have an abortion, he sent people to stop her. Then he threatened her with Gabriel Group and forced her to sign an agreement about the child. At that time, he didnt know that Anna was pregnant with twins. And when the boy called Matthew was born, he was taken away by Leo. Later, Leo learned from the doctor that Anna gave birth to a girl after he left and the girl had been taken away by Anna. Leo felt guilty for Anna and didnt dare to tell Wayne about the truth so not long after that, he resigned and went back to his hometown. So Wayne doesnt know the surrogate mother is Anna, Ada said thoughtfully and unclenched her fists with her expression softening a little. Yes. And Leo is the only person who knows about the truth. As for other Waynes subordinates who had ever seen Anna in the hospital back then, they are no longer working in Waynespany and no one knows where they are, Pearson said. I cant let Wayne know the truth, Ada said. If Wayne knows that Anna is Matthews biological mother, he wont marry me. I cant let him know about it Thats none of my business. After sorting out the documents, Pearson stood up and said, Ive finished my work. Pay the bnce as soon as possible. Super detective, why do you care about money so much? Dont worry. Ill pay the bnce, Ada said as she cast a scornful nce at him. Pearson said frankly, I care about money because money is worth being cared about. The only thing that wont betray me in the world is money. It was the first time that Ada had heard a person express his love for money in this way. With a sneer, she gave a sniff of disapproval and said to Jason, Jason, transfer the money to him. While Jason was transferring the money, Ada looked at the pile of documents in her hand, tore them into pieces, and threw them into the trash can. Then she said, These are all copies. Where are the originals? Where is the agreement that Anna signed with Leo back then? Leo is not a fool. When he found that I couldnt prove that Im Waynes subordinate, he put away all the documents and refused to show them to me. I could only take some of the documents secretly. You only asked me to do an investigation and didnt ask me to collect the originals when we signed the contract. You cant deduct my wages, Pearson said. Ada felt irritable when she heard his words. SI 25 Points Money, money. His mind is full of money! Suddenly, she thought of something. Then she turned to look at him and said, Since you love money so much, how about you do another thing for me? I will give you eight hundred thousand dors after you finish it. Eight hundred thousand dors? Pearson looked her up and down and asked cautiously, What do you want me to do? I hope that the truth of this matter would be a secret forever, Ada said meaningfully with her eyes full of viciousness, I wontmit murder no matter how much money you give me, Pearson refused without hesitation. Im just a detective. You should hire a killer to do it for you. Ada said, Who asked you tomit murder? I just want you to destroy all the originals in Leos hands. Cant you do it? Hearing this, Pearson hesitated. He could do it but it was a hard task. I want one million dors. After thinking for a moment, he said as he looked up at Ada. Its risky to do such a thing. Besides, trespassing into others houses is illegal. No problem, Ada agreed without hesitation. Its a deal. After Pearson left, Jason locked the door of the dressing room and said, Are you sure you will let him do that? He seems to be not good at doing such a thing. What if he hurt Leo? Thats just what I want, Ada said with coldness in her eyes. Jason, hire a killer to go with Pearson. Ask him to kill Leo after Pearson destroys all the documents. You mean Only the dead will keep the secret. The next morning, when Wayne got up and went out of his room, he smelled the aroma of pies. Then he saw Mathew and Tammy sitting at the table and having breakfast in the dining room. And on the table was a te of steaming hot pies. Good morning. Come here and have breakfast. Anna said to him when she came out of the kitchen with a pot of cereal in her hand. Well have cereal with red dates and pies for breakfast today. Wayne nodded slightly and turned around with a faint smile on his face. Miss Gabriel, let me do it for you. You may take a seat and have breakfast. Seeing that Anna was ladling out the cereal, Ca hurried to help her. After serving the two children and Anna the cereal, she carefully put another bowl of cereal in front of Wayne. Mr. Wright, please have some cereal, she said. Wayne took a look at the others who were eating pies with their hands and asked casually, Where are the forks? However, Ca thought that he was ming her and was frightened. Her hand shook so violently that she identally knocked over the bowl in front of Wayne, and the hot cereal spilled Chapter 72 Only the Dead Wi.. out on Waynes pants. Waynes face changed and he stood up immediately. Frowning tightly, Wayne stared at the cereal on his trousers and asked in a cold voice, What is with you today? Ca was so frightened that she felt weak in her legs and slumped to her knees with the rims of her eyes turning red. Then she said in a trembling voice, Mr. Wright, Im sorry. I didnt mean to do that.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Anna was taken aback by the harsh sound of the chair rubbing the floor and looked at Wayne. When she saw the cereal on his pants, she hurriedly walked to Wayne and asked, Are you okay? Wayne frowned more tightly and didnt say anything, looking displeased. Meanwhile, he felt a little embarrassed when Anna looked at his pants. Seeing Ca trembling with fear, Anna frowned and said to Wayne, You are too hard on her. She is just a young girl. You scared her. Hearing this, Wayne asked with a darkened face, Im hard on her? I just said What is with you today? Am I hard on her? Yes. Look, Ca is so frightened, Anna said as she helped Ca up. Then she suddenly realized that she shouldnt talk to Wayne in such a way and immediately exined, Well, I didnt mean that you are wrong. I just want to say that Ca is just a neenCyearCold girl. I heard that she has just been here for more than a month. Youd better be gentle to her. The more she exined, the more she felt that what she had said was adding insult to injury Forget it, Wayne said impatiently and waved Ca away. Then he left the dining room and strode upstairs. Seeing this, Matthew and Tammy looked at each other. Tammy nodded knowingly and said with a worried look, Mom, Uncle Wayne seems to be scalded. Ill go to see him. Anna immediately looked back at her and said, Stay here and have breakfast. You dont know how to deal with scalds. Ill go and see if hes all right. After asking a maid for the scald ointment, Anna went upstairs and knocked on the door of the cloakroom. Come in. Wayne had changed his clothes. And the pajamas that he wore just now were casually thrown on the floor. Are you okay? Ive brought you the scald ointment, Anna said, standing at the door. Wayne nodded and said, Thank you. Youre wee. You may apply it now. Ill go out first. Okay. After putting down the scald ointment, Anna turned around and walked out of the cloakroom. After taking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something. She turned back, pushed the door open directly, and said, Remember to Before she could finish her words, she froze when she saw what Wayne was doing. Wayne, who was taking off his pants, didnt expect that she would suddenlye back and he was taken aback. His hands shook, and the belt slipped from his hands. The next moment, his trousers dropped, revealing his long and strong legs. Anna covered her eyes, turned her back to him, and said in embarrassment, Why are you taking off your pants? Wayne was also embarrassed. He said, How can I apply the ointment if I dont take off my pants? I didnt know you woulde back all of a sudden. Why didnt you knock at the door beforeing in? Anna retorted with her face flushed, I came back to tell you how to use the scald ointment. How would I know that you were taking off your pants? Seeing her so flustered, Wayne suddenly found it funny. He casually covered his legs with a towel, sat down, and said, Well? Then please tell me how to use it. With her back to him, Anna asked, Have you put on your pants? Wayne looked down at the towel on his thighs and said seriously, Yes. Really? Anna frowned and turned around carefully. When she saw Wayne sitting on the sofa with his legs covered with a white towel, her face turned red again. She immediately turned around and said, Didnt you say youve put on your pants? Did you see anything that you shouldnt see? Wayne asked. No. I didnt see anything. Anna said quickly Then why did you turn your back to me? Wayne asked. Hurry up. I have something else to doter. Arent you going to apply the scald ointment for me? You You apply it yourself, Anna stammered, suddenly regrettinging to see him. If I had known it would be so embarrassing, I wouldnt have been so nosy toe. There were so many maids here and they will help him. I didnt need toe here at all! The cereal that you cooked scalded me, Wayne said lightly. +25 Points Chapter 73 Let Go of My Wri.. Upon hearing this, Anna was speechless. She turned around and said angrily, Why are you so unreasonable? You mean I cooked cereal just to scald you? I didnt mean that, Wayne said and gazed at her with a faint smile. I dont know how to use the scald ointment. Help me. Being stared at by him, Anna felt her face butning hot. After hesitating for a while, she picked up the scald ointment and walked to him. Then she bent down and lifted a corner of the towel. When she saw arge area of his thighs scalded, she was shocked. Ill demonstrate how to use it for you. You should squeeze the ointment to your palm first, then gently apply it to your skin little by little and slowly spread the ointment over. As she spoke, she squeezed a small amount of ointment into her palm. When she was about to apply the ointment to Waynes skin, she hesitated. Youd better do it yourself, she said, then straightened up and stepped back. Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed by Wayne. Wayne pulled her back to his side and said, Help me. Why? You can do it yourself, Anna said. Its troublesome. I cant be bothered doing it myself. Anna was speechless. Mr. Wright, you just need to wash your hands after applying it. Why are you sozy? she said. Hearing that, Wayne just gazed at her without saying anything. Thinking that Wayne had been living a wellCoff life, Anna guessed that maybe Wayne had never done such a thing by himself. Looking at the ointment on her hand, she sighed and said helplessly, All right. Ill help you with it. Let go of my wrist first. Wayne then loosened his grip on her wrist. When Annas warm hand touched his thigh, he looked down at her and happened to see a wisp of her long hair flow down over her shoulders and cover her face. Subconsciously, he reached out his hand and helped her tuck the wisp of hair behind her ear. As he did this, Anna gave an involuntary shudder and raised her head in shock The next moment, their eyes met. After the two of them gazed at each other for a long time, Anna reacted and said in fluster, Ive finished it. You you may wait until it is dry and put on your pants. Ill go out first. However, when she was about to leave, Wayne pulled her again with more strength than before. Anna screamed, lost her bnce, and then fell back on his left leg. Wayne, you Anna struggled at once and then heard a gaspe from behind her. She didnt know if she had touched Waynes scalded skin and asked in a hurry, Did I touch your scalded skin? Then she stopped struggling, not daring to move. Wayne held her waist with one hand and said in a hoarse and maic voice, It doesnt matter. You Let go of me, Anna stammered, blushing with embarrassment. Sitting on Waynes thigh, she could feel that he had a hardCon. Whats he doing? It will be awkward if others suddenlye in and see us like this! However, Wayne ignored her words and said in a lower voice, That night, you were more passionate than you are now. Hearing that, Anna blushed to her ears and said with an awkward look, Let go of me. I dont know what you are talking about. What happened that night was an ident. Ive been trying to forget about it. Why did Wayne mention it again? she thought. Annas attitude made Wayne displeased. At the thought that she didnt care about what had happened that night at all, he suddenly felt a burst of anger. Then without thinking, he pinched Annas chin and kissed her. Hmm Anna was stunned by his sudden move. Her mind went nk and she stared nkly at Waynes face with her eyes wide open. As Wayne kissed her, he moved his hand from her back to her waist and reached into her shirt, making her tremble subconsciously. When he was about to take off her dress, Anna suddenly shuddered and struggled. However, Wayne pressed her waist with one hand to stop her from moving. Then he lifted the hem of her dress with his other hand and reached between her thighs. His behavior made Anna feel a deep sense of shame. The next moment, she pushed Wayne away with all her strength and then pped him hard in the face. The sound of the p was so loud that it echoed in the cloakroom. Anna breathed heavily with her hands trembling. She didnt expect that Wayne would suddenly do such a thing to her and was frightened by his abrupt behavior just now. After taking a few deep breaths, she held back her anger and tried to calm herself down. Then she said, If the cost of living here is selling my body, Ill leave here with Tammy immediately. I will never cross my moral bottom line and interfere in other peoples marriage. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 After asking a maid for the scald ointment, Anna went upstairs and knocked on the door of the cloakroom. Come in. Wayne had changed his clothes. And the pajamas that he wore just now were casually thrown on the floor. Are you okay? Ive brought you the scald ointment, Anna said, standing at the door. Wayne nodded and said, Thank you. Youre wee. You may apply it now. Ill go out first. Okay. After putting down the scald ointment, Anna turned around and walked out of the cloakroom. After taking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something. She turned back, pushed the door open directly, and said, Remember to Before she could finish her words, she froze when she saw what Wayne was doing. Wayne, who was taking off his pants, didnt expect that she would suddenlye back and he was taken aback. His hands shook, and the belt slipped from his hands. The next moment, his trousers dropped, revealing his long and strong legs. Anna covered her eyes, turned her back to him, and said in embarrassment, Why are you taking off your pants? Wayne was also embarrassed. He said, How can I apply the ointment if I dont take off my pants? I didnt know you woulde back all of a sudden. Why didnt you knock at the door beforeing in? Anna retorted with her face flushed, I came back to tell you how to use the scald ointment. How would I know that you were taking off your pants? Seeing her so flustered, Wayne suddenly found it funny. He casually covered his legs with a towel, sat down, and said, Well? Then please tell me how to use it. With her back to him, Anna asked, Have you put on your pants? Wayne looked down at the towel on his thighs and said seriously, Yes. Really? Anna frowned and turned around carefully. When she saw Wayne sitting on the sofa with his legs covered with a white towel, her face turned red again. She immediately turned around and said, Didnt you say youve put on your pants? Did you see anything that you shouldnt see? Wayne asked. No. I didnt see anything. Anna said quickly Then why did you turn your back to me? Wayne asked. Hurry up. I have something else to doter. Arent you going to apply the scald ointment for me? You You apply it yourself, Anna stammered, suddenly regrettinging to see him. If I had known it would be so embarrassing, I wouldnt have been so nosy toe. There were so many maids here and they will help him. I didnt need toe here at all! The cereal that you cooked scalded me, Wayne said lightly. +25 Points Chapter 73 Let Go of My Wri.. Upon hearing this, Anna was speechless. She turned around and said angrily, Why are you so unreasonable? You mean I cooked cereal just to scald you? I didnt mean that, Wayne said and gazed at her with a faint smile. I dont know how to use the scald ointment. Help me. Being stared at by him, Anna felt her face butning hot. After hesitating for a while, she picked up the scald ointment and walked to him. Then she bent down and lifted a corner of the towel. When she saw arge area of his thighs scalded, she was shocked. Ill demonstrate how to use it for you. You should squeeze the ointment to your palm first, then gently apply it to your skin little by little and slowly spread the ointment over. As she spoke, she squeezed a small amount of ointment into her palm. When she was about to apply the ointment to Waynes skin, she hesitated. Youd better do it yourself, she said, then straightened up and stepped back. Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed by Wayne. Wayne pulled her back to his side and said, Help me. Why? You can do it yourself, Anna said. Its troublesome. I cant be bothered doing it myself. Anna was speechless. Mr. Wright, you just need to wash your hands after applying it. Why are you sozy? she said. Hearing that, Wayne just gazed at her without saying anything. Thinking that Wayne had been living a wellCoff life, Anna guessed that maybe Wayne had never done such a thing by himself. Looking at the ointment on her hand, she sighed and said helplessly, All right. Ill help you with it. Let go of my wrist first. Wayne then loosened his grip on her wrist. When Annas warm hand touched his thigh, he looked down at her and happened to see a wisp of her long hair flow down over her shoulders and cover her face. Subconsciously, he reached out his hand and helped her tuck the wisp of hair behind her ear. As he did this, Anna gave an involuntary shudder and raised her head in shock The next moment, their eyes met. After the two of them gazed at each other for a long time, Anna reacted and said in fluster, Ive finished it. You you may wait until it is dry and put on your pants. Ill go out first. However, when she was about to leave, Wayne pulled her again with more strength than before. Anna screamed, lost her bnce, and then fell back on his left leg. Wayne, you Anna struggled at once and then heard a gaspe from behind her. She didnt know if she had touched Waynes scalded skin and asked in a hurry, Did I touch your scalded skin? Then she stopped struggling, not daring to move. Wayne held her waist with one hand and said in a hoarse and maic voice, It doesnt 25 Points Chapter 73 Let Go of My Wri matter. You Let go of me, Anna stammered, blushing with embarrassment. Sitting on Waynes thigh, she could feel that he had a hardCon. Whats he doing? It will be awkward if others suddenlye in and see us like this! However, Wayne ignored her words and said in a lower voice, That night, you were more passionate than you are now. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Hearing that, Anna blushed to her ears and said with an awkward look, Let go of me. I dont know what you are talking about. What happened that night was an ident. Ive been trying to forget about it. Why did Wayne mention it again? she thought. Annas attitude made Wayne displeased. At the thought that she didnt care about what had happened that night at all, he suddenly felt a burst of anger. Then without thinking, he pinched Annas chin and kissed her. Hmm Anna was stunned by his sudden move. Her mind went nk and she stared nkly at Waynes face with her eyes wide open. As Wayne kissed her, he moved his hand from her back to her waist and reached into her shirt, making her tremble subconsciously. When he was about to take off her dress, Anna suddenly shuddered and struggled. However, Wayne pressed her waist with one hand to stop her from moving. Then he lifted the hem of her dress with his other hand and reached between her thighs. His behavior made Anna feel a deep sense of shame. The next moment, she pushed Wayne away with all her strength and then pped him hard in the face. The sound of the p was so loud that it echoed in the cloakroom. Anna breathed heavily with her hands trembling. She didnt expect that Wayne would suddenly do such a thing to her and was frightened by his abrupt behavior just now. After taking a few deep breaths, she held back her anger and tried to calm herself down. Then she said, If the cost of living here is selling my body, Ill leave here with Tammy immediately. I will never cross my moral bottom line and interfere in other peoples marriage. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 A red palm print appeared on Waynes face and he could feel how angry Anna was, It was the first time that he had seen Anna so furious. And he couldnt help but feel regretful for his abruptness just now. Im sorry, he said. Hearing this, Anna was stunned. She didnt expect Wayne to apologize to her She had thought that he would be angry with her. After all, no one had ever disobeyed or pped him. She clenched her aching hand and felt a little uneasy. Forget it. I.. Ill move away with Tammy soon. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hold on, Wayne stopped her and said. You dont have to move away. Ill go on a longCterm business trip and will take the flight at three this afternoon. Please help me take care of Matthew when Im away. Anna stopped her steps, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. If she moved away immediately, she had no ce to live. And even if she wanted to rent a house, it took time. After changing his clothes, Wayne went downstairs. He didnt continue to have breakfast but just told Matthew to be obedient when staying with Anna and then left. Soon, the sound of the engine in the yard was heard and then gradually disappeared. Anna stared at her hand with mixed feelings and her heart beat fast. She had to admit that she had feelings for Wayne. But Wayne was about to get married, and she couldnt destroy his rtionship with Ada. Because of the affair between Jacob and Lilian, she knew how hateful a third party in a rtionship was. She couldnt do the same thing as Lilian. At night, Wayne didnte back. Anna learned from the butler that Wayne had gone to Seriel on business. It was said that Wayne would cooperate with a big client from New York and would be away for half a month to one month I shouldnt live here anymore, should I? Late at night, Anna leaned against her pillow, pinched the nose of the toy husky, and said, Tell me, what should I do? Shaking the head of the toy husky with her hand, she pursed her lips and said, You dont know? Anna let out a long sigh. The next morning, after sending the two children to the kindergarten, Anna went to work. Not long after she arrived at the hotel, the manager of the Housekeeping Department Joanna came to her office and said in a hurry, Miss Gabriel, something happened in Room 1023. Please go and have a look. The guest is kicking up a fuss. Liews Chapter 74 Deal with It Ass What happened? Anna frowned and asked an alle walked out of lies online chly The guestin Room 1023 said there were cockroaches in her 100111 Aller we got to loer room just now, we did see iwo cockroaches and then immediately killed them dont know it out waiters service attitude was not good enouglo beloon Anyway, the great is very angry now Soon, the two of them got to Room 1023 At the door of the room, there were a group of onlookern and some stat members of the hotel Anna said to the staff with a frown. What are you doing licie? Go back to work Joanna then waved her hand, motioning the others to leave The crowd then dissolved. At this time, a womans sharp voice came from the 100m. Dont let them youll let them see how rude the staff here are and how bad your service is! Miss Hazel, dont be angry Calm down. Joanna humicaly went into the room and said gently to the woman, However, the woman ignored her and said snappishly. Where is the general manager? Didnt I ask you to let hime here? I must have a talk with him and tell him how snobbosh duis subordinates are. When Anna followed Joanna into the room, she saw a stillce created by excessive stic surgeries The woman had a vCshaped face, a pointy chin, and wide double eyelids And she was in heavy makeup with starCshaped sequins at theers of her eyes. In a gingerCcolored camisole and short pants, she was sitting cross legged on the marble table, swinging her legs from time to time and looking very arrogant, Anna had been working in the hotel industry for several years and had seen many kinds of people. Therefore, she was very calm at the moment Miss Hazel, our general manager is away on business. If you have anyints on problems, please let me know. And ill do my best to serve you well. After that, if you are still dissatisfied with our service, Ill contact our general manager for you. What do you think? she said politely Who are you? Why should I listen to you? The woman called Miss Hazel said and squinted at Anna with disdain. When she saw the employee II) card on Annas chest, she asked with a darkened face, Anna, the lobby manager? Yes, its me. Following her gaze, Anna took a look at her card and nodded politely Then she reached out her hand and said, The lobby manager and the housekeeping manager of our hotel are on duty by turns. So if you need anything, you can also tell me Cut the crap. Im not interested in the hotel management, Miss Hazel said with an impatient look and changed her posture. Carousel Hotel is a fiveCstar hotel known for providing the top hotel service in the country. But actually, it cant even reach the hygienic standard Its a cheat on customers. Miss Hazel, the cleanliness of our rooms is absolutely up to standard. If you dont believe 25 Prints 25 Points Chapter 74 Deal with It As S. me, I can ask someone to turn the whole bed over to you. I promise that there is no dust under the bed. You cant find another hotel in our country with such a strict cleaning standard, Anna said firmly. However, Miss Hazel didnt believe her at all and said with disdain, Whats the use of seeing whats under the bed? I dont sleep under the bed. Anyway, youd better give me a reasonable exnation on the matter of the cockroaches. Anna frowned and said, Miss Hazel, our hotel is clean enough and there cant be cockroaches in such an environment. The cockroaches that you saw might get in from the trash can or somewhere outside. But anyway, its our fault that we failed to make you satisfied. We will change a new room for you and your amodation these days will be free of charge. What do you think? Do you think Im short of money? Miss Hazel said aggressively as she jumped off the table and nced at Anna. You spoke as if Ive wronged you. Did I bring the cockroaches myself? Besides, if you have no sincerity to apologize, then there is no need for us to talk. Ill call the industrial and commercial bureau and the consumer protection bureau and let them close the hotel and investigate it. Hearing that, Joanna got anxious and said, Miss Hazel, please dont do that. Lets sit down and talk things over first. The service and the hygiene condition of the Carousel Hotel could stand the test, but if the news that the Carousel Hotel was closed down by the industrial andmercial bureau and the consumer protection bureau because of this matter was spread on the Inte, the hotels reputation would be influenced and the turnover of the hotel would decline in the following days. Miss Hazel, lets sit down and have a talk. You can tell me if you have any im on this matter, Anna also said anxiously. She was good at handling PR crises and was clear that she must deal with this matter as soon as possible. She still remembered her bet with Wayne in the interview. Her priority was to preserve the reputation of the hotel and ensure the turnover during the centennial celebration wasing soon. OK. Since you have said so, I wont be too mean and make things difficult for you, Miss Hazel said. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Miss Hazel sat down on the sofa and said slowly, Ten thousand dors. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The moment Anna heard this, her lipspressed into a thin line and she didnt say anything Joanna frowned and said, Miss Hazel, are you kidding? Two thousand dors? Its nothing short of ckmail! she thought. Compared with her, Anna was calmer. She pulled Joannas sleeve and motioned him to calm down. Then she said, Miss Hazel, weve known yourpensation im. How about we change a room for you first? As for thepensation, Ill report to our general manager about it and reply to you as soon as possible if theres any update. I havent finished my words, Miss Hazel said with a smile. Ten thousand dors for one cockroach. I saw two cockroaches just now, so the totalpensation is twenty thousand dors. Joannas face turned livid with anger when she heard that. She had never seen such a difficult guest. When she was about to lose her temper, Anna grabbed her arm to stop her and said to Miss Hazel with a calm look, Okay. Miss, Hazel, Ill tell your im to the general manager and give you a satisfactory reply before you check out of your room. Is it all right with you? OK. Im not an unreasonable person. Ill wait for your reply, Miss Hazel said. Thank you, Anna said. John, arrange a new room for Miss Hazel. After giving an order calmly with a forced smile, she pulled Joannas sleeve and left Room 1023 with Joanna. , Are you crazy? As soon as the two of them returned to the office, Joanna pounded the desk in anger. Anna, I wanted you to help me solve the problem. But what did you do? You endured her unreasonable demands! If money can solve all problems, the hotel doesnt need a PR department at all. C Joanna was several years older than Anna and had worked in the Carousel Hotel for a long time. She is a goodCtempered person. But at this moment, she was furious and couldnt help losing her temper Anna frowned and said, Joanna, the situation this time is different. The centennial celebration is going to be held soon. We cant let anything influence the reputation of our hotel now. Joanna knew what Anna had said was right. But she still felt indignant when thinking about Miss Hazels unreasonable demand. She couldnt help but sigh and said, Then what should we do now? We wont pay herpensation anyway. I know. I didnt n to pay herpensation, Anna said seriously. There is something rather strange about this matter. We have to conduct an investigation first. After Joanna left, Annas assistant John came with the monthly report of the hotel and said, *25 Points Chapter 75 Malicious Negati Miss Gabriel, our hotel had a high negativement rate in the past half month. The room is dirty and messy Anna saw many same negative reviews in thement area. After she reviewed severalments, a differentment attracted her attention There are cockroaches in the room. John. is there any problem with the hotels sanitation recently? Has anyone ever seen cockroaches in our hotel before? Theres no problem with the hotels sanitation. After seeing thisment, I asked the staff and the cleaners about it. No one has seen cockroaches in our hotel before. We dont know which guest gave us such a review because it is from an anonymous user, John muttered with a frown, We thought it was a just malicious negative review before and didnt expect there were really cockroaches in the guests room today. Its so weird. Anna nced at the report and found that all the negative reviews these days were all from anonymous users and were surprisingly almost the same. Most of the reviews were The room was dirty and messy and two of them were There were cockroaches in the room. Looking through the reviews, Anna smelled a rat and then asked, John, leave Room 1023 as it is. Since you said the room needed a further investigation, I locked the room directly. Everything in the room remains untouched after the guest moved to another room, John said. Good. Now you go back to the room, put the dead bodies of two cockroaches into a bag, and bring them to me. What? John widened his eyes and said. Me? Im afraid of cockroaches. Anna red at him and said, Youre afraid of cockroaches? You are a man. How can you be so timid? The cockroaches are so big! They are so scary, John said with his eyes full of fear. Forget it. Ill do it by myself. You may go back to work, Anna said. Thank you, Miss Gabriel, John immediately said and breathed a sigh of relief. However, the next moment, Anna nced at him and said meaningfully, Since I can do everything by myself, Ill tell the department of human resources tomorrow that I dont need an assistant anymore. Hearing that, John was stunned. When Anna was about to stand up, he said at once, Miss Gabriel, Ill go and fetch the bodies of cockroaches immediately. Wait a moment. Looking at John who was afraid but trying to ovee his fear, Anna shook her head helplessly and thought, Are all the young men nowadays so timid? Finally, the two dead cockroaches were put in a sealed stic bag and taken to theb of the nearby medical university by Anna. She hired a student from theb to do a test on the cockroaches and paid fifty dors for it. And the result of the test was almost the same as she expected. Mr. Wright, there seems to be something wrong with Carousel Hotel. In a presidential suite of a fiveC star hotel in Seriel City, Gabe reported the situation of the Carousel Group to Wayne after MA +25 Points Chapter 75 Malcious Negati.. ending a phone call. Hearing that, Wayne, who was reading a contract, put down his pen, raised his head, and asked, What happened? Recently, the branch of Carousel Hotel in the downtown area of Birmingham received a lot of negative reviews. It seems that some people have maliciously given those reviews. And a guest was causing trouble in the hotel today. Wayne frowned and asked, Whos so bold to do such a thing to Carousel Group? The reviews are not targeting Carousel Group but only Carousel Hotels branch in the downtown area of Birmingham. It seems that Miss Gabriel will be very busy in the following days, Gabe said. At the mention of Anna, Wayne was lost in thought. When he was on the ne, what had happened in the cloakroom upied his mind and he kept thinking about Anna all the way. He didnt know why he cared about Anna so much. Mr. Wright, do we need to help Miss Gabriel deal with it? Gabe asked tentatively. Wayne thought for a while and said seriously, No. I dont think the manager of Carousel Hotel cant even handle such a small problem. At noon of the next day, Miss Hazel came to the hotel reception with a shining backpack on her back to check out. As soon as she came, one of the two receptionists at the reception went to Annas office at once. Soon, Anna came and said politely, Miss Hazel, are you checking out now? You just stayed here for one night., Yes, Miss Hazel said with a scornful look. One night is enough. I dont want to stay in such a hotel any longer. OK, Anna said and then looked at the receptionist with a nod. Soon, the receptionist went through the checkCout procedures seriously and returned the deposit to Miss Hazel. After that, the receptionists said in unison, We look forward to serving you again. Hearing that, Miss Hazei couldnt help frowning and then asked, Thats all? Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Yes, thats all, Anna said seriously and looked at Miss Hazel, The next moment, Miss Hazels face darkened. She pointed at Anna and scolded, You broke your word! How could you be so shameless? Do you think Ill let go of what happened yesterday? Hearing her shouting, a group of people gathered in the hall to see what happened. Anna said straightforwardly, Yesterday, when we received yourint that there were cockroaches in your room, we immediately dealt with it and changed a room for you. And we promised to compensate you. But after the investigation, we found that the cockroaches have nothing to do with our hotel. Miss Hazels face turned livid with anger when she heard this. Ive never seen a shameless person like you. Are all the staff in Carousel Hotel so unreasonable? The hotel has infringed my rights and interests as a consumer. Ill call the industrial andmercial bureau and the consumer protection bureau immediately. Go ahead, Anna said with a calm look. Last night, I took the cockroaches in your room to the medical university nearby for a test. The test result shows that the cockroaches bodies have been dried and they have been dead for at least five days. But yesterday you said that you killed them on the carpet of your room half an hour after you checked in. Its really strange. As soon as she finished her words, the crowd burst into an uproar and scolded Miss Hazel when they realized that she was a ckmailer. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Seeing this, Miss Hazel couldnt say a word and ran away quickly with her head down. After this matter, the other staff members of the hotel admired Anna more, especially John. He admired Annas braveness so much. Miss Gabriel, you are so brave that you are not afraid of those cockroaches! I was almost scared to death when I put them in the bag yesterday, John said. So you still need to improve yourself in an allCaround way. Now go back to work. Our next priority is to deal with the negative reviews. Come on, Anna said with a calm look, patted John on the shoulder gently, and went back to her office. As soon as she closed the door, she leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, Anna was also afraid of cockroaches. The cockroaches made her feel sick and she didnt have the appetite to eat anything since she came back from the medical university. But for the sake of the reputation of the hotel, she had to bite the bullet and ovee her fear. In the following week, the hotel still received many negative reviews. One day, Anna checked every room in the hotel in person. After confirming that there was no problem with their sanitary conditions, she went back to her office in confusion. Thinking about the poor performance of the hotel, she sighed with worry. The turnover of the hotel was not only far from what she had promised before but declined sharply in the past few days. Chapter 76 This Is Murder What the hell is going on? Whos secretly scheming against Carousel Hotel? A few minutes before she got off work, Anna received a call from Frank who said that he was waiting for her at a cafe near thepany When she arrived at the cafe, she saw Frank sitting in the seat with an uneasy look. Drinking too much coffee is not good for sleeping so I ordered a cup of hot milk for you. If you dont like it, you can order something else. Anna shook her head and said, Its okay. Milk is fine. Frank breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. Anna, I was both surprised and happy when you called me. Anna lowered her head and stirred the milk with a spoon without looking at him. After hesitating for a while, she said, Dad, I called you because I wanted to ask you a favor. What can I do for you? Frank asked. Anna seldom made a request to him so he was happy that he could finally do something for her. Six years ago, you gave me a house as a gift on my eighteenth birthday. Do you still remember that? Anna asked. These days, she had been thinking about moving out of Waynes house. She still thought that it was not appropriate for her and Tammy to live in his house and that she should find a new ce to live as soon as possible. Then she thought of the house that Frank had given her before. After thinking it over again and again, she made up her mind and contacted Frank. Sure, Frank raised his eyebrows slightly and said with a delightful smile. The house is under your name. It belongs to you. Thank you, Dad, Anna said awkwardly. Although she tried to talk to Frank in an intimate manner, her tone was still full of a sense of alienation as if she was not talking to her father but to an unfamiliar person. I didnt take the key with me when I left. Will you be at home this weekend? I want to go back to fetch the key, she said. Whether Im at home or not, you can go home at any time. Tell me in advance when you go home. Ill ask the maids to prepare your favorite food and we can have dinner together then, Frank said. Dont bother, Dad. Its no bother, Frank insisted. After hesitating for a moment, he said, Take your daughter with you when you go home. After all, she is my granddaughter. I want to see her. Speaking of Tammy, Anna pursed her lips and said, Id better go back alone. Tammy is still young and cant listen to too much gossip. When she gets older, Ill take her to see you. Frank frowned, wanting to speak but giving up on second thought. ISTRETTA. After leaving the cafe, Frank got into the car and couldnt help coughing violently. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed for a long time. Then he saw blood on the handkerchief. Sir, are you okay? The driver saw it from the rearview mirror and asked worriedly. Frank nodded and held the handkerchief tightly, saying, Its okay. Im used to it. Drive me Chapter 76 This Is Murder back home. In Seriel City The negotiation between Wayne and his partner didnt end until midnight After returning to the hotel room, Wayne sat on the sofa for a rest. Leaning against the backrest of the sofa, he nced at the dinner served by the waiter and suddenly remembered the food cooked by Anna. At this time, Gabe came out of the kitchen and put a te of fruit on the tea table. Then he said with a mixed feeling, Mr. Wright, the people sent to South Spring Town called me just now. He said that Leo was dead. Wayne frowned and asked, What happened? The night before they arrived, Leo died in a fire. And very little of the house remained after the fire. Speaking of this, Gabe sighed. Lewis sent me the photos of the scene. Due to the big fire, the houses nearby were also burnt. ording to Lewis, the houses are vacant and no one lives in them. Therefore, it was not until early in the next morning that someone passing by found that Leos house was on fire. When the firemen arrived, Leo had been dead. Hearing this, Wayne frowned more tightly. What a coincidence. Why did Leo suddenly die just after I sent someone to investigate the surrogacy mother? Its so coincidental. You mean someone set fire to the house and killed Leo? Gabe said surprisedly. This is murder! Is that so surprising? Wayne nced at him and said. There is something rather strange about his death. After we finish the work in Seriel City, you go to South Spring Town and investigate Leos death thoroughly. Wayne wanted to investigate Leos death not only because he believed that Leos death must have something to do with the surrogacy mother but also because Leo was the former butler of the Wright family. Leo worked for Old Mr. Wright for many years and they were like friends. Since Leo died in suspicious circumstances, Wayne thought that he had the responsibility to figure out the cause of Leos death. Yes, sir. And dont let Grandpa know about Leos death. Got it, Gabe replied. Wayne nodded. Then he thought of another thing and asked, Has Scott signed the contract with Enlight Media? Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Yes, he signed the contract with Enlight Media without hesitation. The term of the contract is five years. If he breaches the contract, the liquidated damages will be enough to make him bankrupt, Gabe said and couldnt help wanting tough at the mention of Scott Compared with Mr. Wright, Scott is still too simple and innocent Mr. Wright almost took no effort to let his rival in love be his employee. I dont want him to breach the contract, Wayne said leisurely. Isnt it better that he works in the company all the time and makes money for me? Hearing this, Gabe was a little stunned and then couldnt help but sympathize with Scott more. Scott is so pitiful that he not only became Mr. Wrights employee but also has to work to make money for Mr. Wright. Moreover, he can only get a minority of the money to support himself while most of the money he makes will belong to Mr. Wright. In the Gabriels House. Anna specially chose to go home on Monday noon so that she wouldnt see Allie because Allie would go to work on weekdays. Her stepmother Shirley was not a good person but would be polite to her and would not make things difficult for her. Anna decided that she would leave as soon as she got the key. Miss Anna! Seeing Anna, Harriet, an old maid of the Gabriel family, almost burst into tears. She said excitedly, Miss Anna, you are finally back. Where have you been all these years? Harriet had worked for Annas mother for many years. After Annas mother died, she had been taking care of Anna Later, Anna came back to Gabriels House and she also came here. When Anna saw Harriet, the rims of her eyes turned red. She held Harriets hand and said in a choked voice, Auntie Harriet, Ive been back from abroad for some time. Its just that I didnte back home. Im sorry to make you worried about me. Thats all right. You must have suffered a lot these years. If your mother knew that, she would me me for not taking good care of you. Im fine, Auntie Harriet. Dont worry about me, Anna said gently. Anna? Suddenly, a womans voice interrupted the conversation between Anna and Harriet It was Shirley Standing on the stairs in a blue and gray dress, she looked elegant. Since she was well-preserved, she looked like she was only thirty years old. The moment when she saw Anna, she was astonished. But she quickly recovered herposure and said enthusiastically as she went downstairs, Anna, long time no see. You should tell me in advance before you came back so that I can ask the maid to prepare your Chapter 77 You Are not Her favorite food. Anna let go of Harriets hand and said, I just came back to fetch something. Ill leave as soon as I get it. Dont bother, Auntie Shirley. For so many years, she had been calling Shirley aunt Shirley had everined to Frank that she took Anna as her own daughter and treated her well but Anna didnt appreciate her at all and didnt call her Mom, Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. However, Frank just said, You are not her mother. She is polite enough to call you aunt Hearing that, Shirley was angry but didnt dare to lose her temper in front of Frank But after Frank went out, she smashed a lot of things in the house and hit and scolded the maids in her bedroom. Im not her mother? Then dont expect me to be good to her anymore! she cursed. Anna had always known how phoney Shirley was since she was a child. And she always felt helpless at the thought that Frank still couldnt see through Shirleys hypocrisy after they had been married for so many years. After exchanging the usual pleasantries with Shirley, Anna went upstairs and Shirley didnt stop her. Her room looked as same as before. After entering the room, Anna opened the drawer on the right side of her desk. The next moment, she frowned when she found that the key was not in the drawer. She remembered that she had put the key in it back then. Someone must have taken it away. Did you find your stuff? Seeing Anna go downstairs, Shirley stood up from the sofa and asked gently No, Anna answered straightforwardly. Auntie, the key to my house is not in my room. Did anyone take it away? Shirleys smile froze and there was a hint of fluster on her face. Then she deliberately asked with a puzzled look, The key to your house? What house? Dad gave me a house in Golden Ocean Community six years ago. I put the key to the house in my room but now its missing. Oh, I dont know about it, Shirley said with an innocent look. I never go to your room. Harriet often enters the room to clean it, and sometimes your father goes there and stays there for a while. You may ask your father about the key. Maybe he put it away for you. Okay. I see. Anna didnt say anything more. When she was about to leave, Shirley said, Anna, why dont you stay for lunch? Ive asked the cook to cook your favorite dishes. With her back to Shirley, Anna suddenly felt a little irritable when hearing that. Then she said, If I stay for lunch, Im afraid you will lose your appetite. Anna, what are you talking about? How is it possible Why isnt it possible? Anna turned around and interrupted Shirley. My father is not at home. You dont have to pretend to be kind and innocent. My father cant see through you and Chapter 77 You Are not Her. your daughter but I can. After saying that, Anna left the house without hesitation, Shirleys face darkened at once. Clenching the backrest of the sofa angrily, she turned to stare at Harriet who was standing at the door, and asked, What did you say to her? Lowering her head, Harriet answered with a certain coldness in her manner, Miss Anna stayed here for only a few minutes. What could I say to her? I mean, what did you say to her in the past? In the past? Harriet said as she raised her head and stared at Shirley, which made Shirley feel a chill. Mrs. Gabriel, you still remember what happened in the past? I thought youd forgotten it. When Shirley heard this, her hands couldnt help trembling and she thought, Anna has known everything? No wonder No wonder she never came home in the past years! Why does she suddenly come back today? Now she has Wayne backing her up. What does she want to do? After getting out of Gabriels House, Anna took a taxi and left, still feeling irritable. Back then, Anna was born prematurely and her mother died of hemorrhage a few days after her birth. And it was not until the year Anna was admitted to Birmingham Medical University that Harriet told her the truth about her premature birth. If Shirley hadnt gone to Moms ce and provoked her, Mom wouldnt have gone intobor early and died, Anna thought. After Anna went to university, she seldom went home even if her university was in Birmingham because she didnt want to see Shirley Her mother had been dead, and it was meaningless to me Shirley or hold her ountable for what she had done. But whenever Anna saw Shirley and Allie, she would remember her mothers death and feel sorry for her mother. Therefore, she decided to keep away from them. Sitting in the taxi, Anna calmed herself down, took out her phone, and wanted to call Frank. But somehow, she suddenly remembered Shirleys flustered look just now and thought of a possibility. Sir, please take me to Golden Ocean Community first, she said to the driver. Dad must have ordered the others in the family not to move everything in my room. Since Ive told him I would go back home to fetch the key, he would not take it away. But now the key is missing, which means that someone else in the family took it away secretly. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Golden Ocean Community was located at Middle Spring Road and near the business district, Since the housing price in Birmingham had soared in recent years, the price of Annas twoCstory vi in this community had risen to about ten million dors After getting out of the taxi, Anna went to her vi and rang the doorbell, Soon, the door was opened and she saw a middleCaged woman who was in her fifties, The woman looked at Anna and asked in confusion, Miss, may I ask who you are looking for? Anna nced into the house and an idea came into her mind. Then she asked calmly. Excuse me, are you going to sell this house? Sell the house? You are a real estate agent? My master wont sell the house. You may ask someone else if they have the intention to sell their houses, the woman said and shook her head. Your host? Isnt this your house? Anna asked, I heard that many old people here wanted to sell their houses in the city and moved to the countryside after they retired. Haha, if only I could have such a big house. Im not the owner of the house. Im just a servant here, the woman chuckled and said, May I know your masters phone number? Maybe he wants to sell the house. Ill give you a small gift if you tell me how I can contact him. Anna said as she rummaged through her handbag and took out a bottle of colorful candies. Look, this is the gift. Seeing the candies, the woman was overjoyed and said, My granddaughter likes candies of this brand best But the next moment, she sighed. Miss, Im sorry that I cant tell you my masters phone number. My master is an actor. But to tell you the truth, this house is not his. Although he is rich, he cant afford to buy the house here. Then she suddenly lowered her voice and said, This house is in the name of the daughter of the Gabriel family. She let my master live here. Hearing this, Anna was shocked. Allie is so bold. She actually keeps an actor as her toy boy! But why does she let her toy boy live in my house? I see, Anna said with a smile and put the bottle of candies into the womans hand. Aunt, please take it. Besides, could you tell me who your master is? Im curious about him. I promise Ill keep it a secret. The woman epted the candies happily and said mysteriously. His name is Herbert. He is not popr and always ys supporting roles in TV ys. You may have never heard of him. Anna indeed had never heard of this actor. She memorized his name, thanked the woman, and then left. Chapter 78 Her Performance Since the vi was upied, she had to postpone her n to move. On the way back home, Anna kept thinking about what Allie had done and thought that Allie was so ridiculous. Allie always wants to marry a rich and powerful man in the upper ss. She has had a rich boyfriend but still secretly keeps a toyboy. If her boyfriend knew what she had done, she will definitelye to no good end. After leaving Golden Ocean Community, Anna went to work and asked John for a summary of the hotels performance since she began working here. Miss Gabriel, here is a summary of the hotels performance in the past three months, John said. On the whole, the hotels performance was below Annas expectations and the turnover was still far from what she had promised Wayne. Looking at the data, Anna sighed and nced at the n of the centennial celebration on her desk. When she saw the prizes for the lucky draw part, she suddenly got a new idea. John, show me the budget sheet for the celebration. By the way, we havent bought the prizes for the lucky draw, right? she said. Not yet, John answered. Okay. Dont buy any prizes except for those for the third prize. As for the other prizes, I have another n. John was confused. Miss Gabriel, the celebration will be held next week. Do you have to modify the n? Im afraid we dont have enough time now. Ill take the me if anything goes wrong, Anna said briefly and firmly. If she didnt fight for herself and failed to keep her promise, she would be fired soon. At night, Anna searched the list of popr male stars on the Inte. Soon, she saw a list called Top 100 Most Popr Male Artists. She didnt care much about the truth of the ranking and picked some artists whose fans were willing to spend a lot of money on them. Anna looked at the photos of the artists with her eyes shining with excitement. She could imagine the spectacr increase in the turnover of the hotel. If she hadnt gone to Golden Ocean Community and known that Allie kept a starlet as her toy boy, she wouldnt have got a new idea about the celebration n. Nowadays, the fan economy drove a big part of the entertainment sector. As long as she could take advantage of it, she would definitely be able to reach her performance goal. It could be said that her performance in the following days was entirely up to it. In Seriel International Grand Hotel. Wayne was about to go to bed when his phone suddenly rang and the message from Anna popped up. He read the message and called her back directly Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. You you havent gone to bed yet? Anna said on the other end of the line. Chapter 78 Her Performance Hearing her voice, Wayne could feel that she was trying to suppress her excitement You texted me just to know whether Ive gone to bed? he asked in reply I want to ask you something about work. I was afraid that it would wake you up if I called you, so I texted you, Anna said. You want to modify the nning of the celebration? Yes, but there wont be many changes. I just want to modify the lucky draw part. Theres only less than a week before the celebration. Are you sure you can make it? As long as you approve my proposal, Ill start to implement the new n at once. I can guarantee that the new n will be far more effective in stimting consumption than the previous one, Anna said. What if you didnt make it? Wayne asked. If I failed, I would resign. You know you will be fired if you cant achieve your performance goal, so you are making every possible effort to boost the hotels turnover now, right? Wayne said. He was clear about what Anna was thinking. And even if you cant make it, you will be fired at most and not have to clean up the mess. Anna cleared her throat and said awkwardly, I admit that what I did is for myself. But I also did it for the hotels performance. If my n seeds, I wont be fired and the hotels performance will be better. Isnt it good? Anna was eloquent and clever but Wayne still could see through her easily. Both of them knew clearly about the risk of Annas n. However, Wayne still approved her proposal. Actually, he did not know why he approved such a risky proposal. Maybe it was because he hoped that Anna could have an opportunity to continue to work at Carousel Hotel. Thank you. I will try my best, Anna said. Its meaningless for me to express your gratitude verbally. How about inviting me to a meal after the celebration? Wayne said. Anna agreed without hesitation. After hanging up the phone, Wayne drew the curtains and the bright moonlight came into the room. He suddenly wanted to go back to Birmingham very much. Before going to bed, he called Gabe. Tell the Finance Department of the Carousel Hotel tomorrow morning to increase twenty percent of the budget for the celebration. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Three days before the centennial celebration, the tag Mandel and the Carousel Hotel centennial celebration topped the hot search list on Instgram and upied the first ce for the whole day. Anyone who checks in the downtown branch of Carousel Hotel during the celebrations can participate in the lucky draw of that day. There will be five quotas for the first prize, and the prize is a fiveCday holiday in Maldives with Mandel! As soon as the tweet was posted, it became a hot topic on the Inte. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Mandel was the champion of a popr talent show and always hit the headlines in the past two months. And the young stars who had made debut in that show were all very popr and had crazy fans with unprecedented purchasing power. Every time their albums were released on the market, they would sell out in an instant. It could be said that traveling alone with Mandel who was the most popr was the dream of his millions of fans. Therefore, after the tag about Mandel and Carousel Hotel topped the hot search list, the ordering hotline of Carousel Hotel received countless calls. That woman actually came up with such an idea! In the hotel room, Ada said furiously when she saw the hot research tag of Mandel and the hotel. These fans are too irrational! For those young stars, they are willing to spend a lot of money to live in a hotel with so many negative reviews! Are they crazy? Jason said awkwardly, Its not strange. The fans nowadays are all very crazy. Even the cheapest room in Carousel Hotel costs five hundred dors per night. Since they are so rich, why dont they buy the tickets to the concert of their idol but spend the money on a lucky draw? Not everyone can win the first prize! They are so ridiculous! Ada said snappishly. Its said that Carousel Hotel has invited five male artists. The five fans who win the first prize will travel with their idols. And the professional photographers will videotape the whole process. Theard that Enlight Media ns to make it into a traveling variety show, Jason said. Enlight Media? Why does ourpany also get involved in it? Adas face turned livid with anger. After all, Mr. Wright is a major shareholder of ourpany. Enlight Media and the Carousel Group have always had a long partnership. Since the ceremony of the Carousel Hotel is so popr now, our company will certainly take the opportunity to cooperate with it, Jason said and sighed. Ada, wed better not go against that woman for the time being, or else the senior executives of thepany will think that we deliberately damage thepanys interests. Hearing that, Ada, who was reconciled, smashed all the things on the table. In the hotel, Anna paid close attention to the feedback from the fans on the Inte. Although the hotels turnover had doubled, she still didnt dare to take it lightly. After deducting the excess budget for the ceremony, she calcted the profit +25 Points Chapter 79 You Still Remem Fortunately, the young stars invited had just started their careers, and their appearance fees were not high, which made her much relieved, Miss Gabriel, there is still one quota for the male artists to be invited. Have you decided who we will invite? We have to decide it and discuss cooperation with the artist as soon as possible, John reminded her. Anna nced at the resumes of the stars and said, Ill handle it. After John left, Anna looked at Scotts resume on the desk with a meaningful smile. She decided to invite Scott to the ceremony She had been very busy these days and had just known that Scott had signed up with Enlight Media. Recently, Scott participated in a music program and had changed his career from a cellist to a singer. And he had also got a lot of fans. Although he didnt have as many fans as the other four artists, the appearance of a famous cellist like him could help add another dimension to the celebration. On the day of the celebration, thewn in front of Carousel Hotel was decorated with colorful balloons and ribbons and the atmosphere was very lively. The hall of the hotel was also decorated in exquisite taste. In addition to the longCterm partners of Carousel Hotel, the guests who checked in the hotel these days were also invited to the celebration. The police had set cordons around the hotel in advance to ensure the safety of the artists and the guests. As the director in charge of the celebration, Anna would give a speech on the stage before the celebration. She was wearing a long, smoky gray strapless dress with white lotus patterns at the end of it. Lifting the hem of her dress, she went on the stage elegantly, looking so charming that many people couldnt take their eyes off her. Are all the senior managers of Carousel Hotel so young and beautiful? She is very capable. It seems that she is in charge of the celebration. On the stage, Anna looked at the guests with a smile and then bowed gracefully. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you foring to the centennial celebration of Carousel Hotel. Im Anna, the housekeeping manager of Carousel Hotel. Ive been working here for only about three months so most of you may not know me. But I hope in the future, Ill have more opportunities to provide the best service for you. She had practiced the speech many times before she went on stage so she was rather calm. The ceremony was enlivened by her witty speeches and all the guests looked at her smilingly with appreciation. Not long after the beginning of Annas speech, a man who was 1.87 meters tall with a remarkable temperament appeared in the crowd. Mr. Wright, we have to discuss business in Seriel City tonight. Is it because you are worried about the celebration so you came back in a hurry early in the morning? You can rest assured. Miss Gabriel will arrange everything well, Gabe said. Wayne fixed his eyes on Anna. Really? +25 Points PS Porto Chapter 79 You Still Remem Gabe hesitated for a moment and then said, But if you hadnt asked the finance department to increase twenty percent of the budget, the preparation of the celebration wouldnt have gone so smoothly. Wayne nced at him and said, You talked too much today. Gabe shrank his neck and wondered, Did I say something wrong? When the two of them were talking, an old and deep voice came from behind, Hi, Mr. Wright. Wayne turned around and saw a man in his fifties. The man was dressed in a suit and looked very decent, standing up straight. However, he seemed to be in low spirits. His eyes were sunken and he looked a little tired. Mr. Gabriel? Wayne recognized Frank at once. Yes, its me. I didnt expect that you still remember me, Frank nodded and said. May I have a word with you? Wayne frowned and nodded. Before leaving the venue, he looked in the direction of the stage. Anna had just finished her speech and the host of the celebration went on the stage. Wayne and Frank went to the openCair cafe on the second floor of Carousel Hotel, where there was no one except the waiter. They ordered two cups of coffee and sat face to face under the sunshade. Why dont you ask me why I came here? Frank spoke first. With a calm look, Wayne said, The Gabriel Group is engaged in highCend tourism while Carousel Hotel is a highCend hotel chain. And we have a long partnership with each other. You came here because you were invited to the celebration. Im not in good health and seldom attend social activities these years. Its usually my daughter who attends the activities on behalf of me, Frank said. Wayne raised his eyebrows and said, You didnt ask your eldest daughter to attend the ceremony this time because your younger daughter is working here. By the way, Anna is in charge of the celebration and she did a good job. Hearing this, Frank was a little displeased and thought that Wayne was deliberately mentioning the feud between Anna and Allie. After all, what had happened between Allie and Anna at the engagement party of Jacob and Lilian had been almost spread throughout highCsociety circles in Birmingham. Mr. Wright, it seems that you have done a thorough investigation about my family. But as a boss, its not appropriate to gossip about the family rtionship of your employee, Frank said. After he finished his words, the atmosphere between the two of them turned frigid. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Wayne remained calm, took a sip of coffee, and put down the cup Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Mr. Gabriel, you misunderstood me. I just specte that you came to the celebration for the sake of Anna, he said. His words were tactful and Franks serious expression softened. Speaking of Anna, Frank said proudly, Anna has been stable since she was a child. And she is conscientious and capable in work. But the working condition at home is different from that abroad. Mr. Wright, Anna has juste back from abroad for a few months. It must be because you have helped her a lot that she could do her job well. No, its because shes excellent, Wayne said as he remembered that on the day when Anna came here for the interview, she confidently promised him that she would achieve the performance goal within two months. I have never specially provided help for her. I just gave her necessary assistance as her boss. There was nothing wrong with his words, but it was not what Frank wanted to hear. With a frown, Frank took a sip of tea and didnt say anything. Seeing that Frank still didnte straight to the point, Wayne looked at the time and said, Mr. Gabriel, I have to catch aer. Im afraid I can only talk with you for a few minutes. Hearing this, Frank took a deep breath and looked him up and down. Then he said, You should know why I came to you. At the engagement party of Jacob and Lilian, Wayne announced in public that Anna was his fiancee, which had been widely spread in high society. In fact, the moment Wayne saw Frank just now, he knew the aim of Franksing. He knew that Frank came because he was concerned about his daughter and wanted to see what kind of person his future sonCinw was. Anna told me everything, Frank sighed and said slowly with a sad look. Anna lost her mother not long after she was born and didnt live with me when she was young. As a father, I owe her a lot. Before she went abroad, I thought about her marriage. She can marry whoever she wants in the future as long as her future husband treats her well. I hope she can live a happy life. Hearing this, Wayne asked curiously, What did she tell you? You two are together and are going to get married, arent you? Frank asked. Waynes expression froze for a second and somehow, he nodded and said, Yes, we are. Frank breathed a sigh of relief and said earnestly, Youre wee toe to my house with Anna at any time. I know you are busy, but I still hope you cane when you have free time. At the moment, Wayne had mixed feelings. He wanted to know why Anna told Frank that they were in a rtionship and were going to get married. He couldnt help but wonder if Anna did so because she had a crush on him or something else. Chapter 80 She Told Me Ever. If you get married to Anna, I will leave the Gabriel Group to the two of you. With you managing the Gabriel Group, I can rest assured, Frank said, Hearing this, Wayne was a little surprised. After thinking for a while, he could understand why Frank said so The Gabriel Group was a bigpany in Birmingham. A few years ago, due to health problems, Frank began to delegate power to his eldest daughter and his nephews. However, consecutive incidents urred that year and the reputation of the group was influenced. Later, Frank had to take charge of thepany again to turn the tables. For a family business like the Gabriel Group, a capable and trustworthy manager was the most indispensable for its development. But unfortunately, there was no such person in the Gabriel family Frank had two daughters. His elder daughter Allie was goodCforCnothing and all she liked to do every day was to buy luxuries and show off her wealth at various parties. Fortunately, his younger daughter Anna had a good working ability. ording to her working performance, she waspetent for the future president of the Gabriel Group though she had never run a Wayne then changed the topic tactfully and began to talk about something else with Frank Later, Gabe came and told him that it was time to leave for the airport. When Wayne stood up and was about to leave, Frank suddenly stopped him and said, Mr. Wright, the fifteenth of the next month is Annas birthday, and its also the death anniversary of her mother. If convenient, please spend more time with her on that day. Wayne paused and nodded seriously. When he went downstairs, it was very lively in the venue and the celebration came to the lucky draw part. The male celebrities performed on the stage while their fans cheered and screamed excitedly, which made the celebration look like a fan meeting Gabe couldnt help praising her, Miss Gabriel is awesome. Ive heard that since the news of the lucky draw activity was released online, the rooms of Carousel Hotels branches all over the country have been fully reserved in the next few months. Awesome? Wayne nced at Annas slender figure in the distance with appreciation in his eyes. But then he pretended to disapprove of Anna and said, She invested too much in the activity, and there are many uncertain factors and risks about it. If she didnt take advantage of the celebration and fan economy, she couldnt have been able to increase the turnover of the hotel. Moreover, her idea is not helpful for the long term development of the hotel and may have a negative impact in the future. Ah? Negative impact? Then why did you ask me to call the finance department to allocate more money for the celebration? Gabe asked in confusion. As soon as he finished his words, he saw Wayne re at him coldly. Gabe couldnt help but tremble with fear, not knowing what he had said wrong. As the director of the whole celebration, Anna would entertain all the guests well. With a ss of wine in her hand, she had been busy greeting and talking with the guests and Chapter 80 She Told Me Ever. didnt notice that Wayne had been standing in the distance and gazing at her. Mr. Wright, dont we go to say hello to Miss Gabriel now? Well have to go to the airport soon, Gabe said Wayne looked away and said, No. Lets go. Are we leaving now? Dont you want to know the result of the lucky draw? Its unimportant, Wayne said coolly. Hearing that, Gabe, who was curious about the result of the lucky draw, was helpless and followed Wayne out of the venue. If I had known it earlier, I would have urged him! Ladies and gentlemen, now wee to the most exciting part todayCCC the lucky draw, the host announced loudly on the stage. Lets wee our superstars. They will draw lots and announced who will go traveling with them! There were red lucky draw boxes in front of the five male artists respectively. Before entering the venue, the guests put their admission tickets into the boxes in front of the male artists whom they wanted to travel with, and the male artists would draw the lots. The prize could be transferred. For those bosses who were not interested in traveling with the artists, they could transfer the prize to the staff of theirpanies as an employee benefit if they won the prize. OK. Every one of them has diawn an admission ticket. Now they will announce the winners names one by one! the host said. At this moment, the five handsome artists were standing on the stage side by side with friendly smiles on their faces. When they interacted with each other, their fans would scream more excitedly Standing off the stage, Anna was almost deafened by cheers. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 When the other four male artists announced the result of the lucky draw, the fans all looked at the winners with envy. Finally, it was Scotts turn to announce the result and Anna looked in the direction of the stage. Scott had arge number of fans. When he drew the lots, his fans fixed their eyes on him with expectant looks. The one who will go traveling with me is No. 28. His clear and pleasant voice echoed in the hall. The fans off the stage looked at their numbers and sighed. Suddenly, a childish voice came from the crowd, Im No. 28! Scott! Its me! The voice was so sweet that it attracted everyones attention. The crowd then all looked in the direction of the source of the voice. Then they saw a little girl in a yellow TCshirt and blue suspenders jump and cheer excitedly. After the crowd made way for her, the girl quickly ran towards the stage, climbed onto it, and threw herself into Scotts arms. Yeah! I can go on a trip with Scott! The winner is a little girl? Oh, how cute she is. Shes so lucky. Oh my God! That girl is so adorable! Everyone present liked the little girl very much and kept praising her. However, Annas face changed when she saw the girl. She lifted her dress, went onto the stage in a hurry, and said, Tammy, what are you doing? Go back to your seat. Tammy nestled in Scotts arms and said, No. I want to go traveling with Scott. The guests were amused and burst intoughter. Stop it! Frowning, Anna stepped up to the microphone and said, Im sorry, everyone. This is my daughter. ording to the rule, the hotel staff are not allowed to participate in the lucky draw, so the result is invalid. Scott will draw the lots again. Hearing that, Tammy pouted and said unhappily. I disagree. Im not a hotel staff! Mommy, youve gone too far! The guests burst into an uproar. Suddenly, someone said loudly, The little girl is right. She is not a hotel staff. Just let her go traveling. Yes. Just let her go traveling with Scott. Some others then echoed. Besides, seeing Tammy so lovely, Scotts fans all agreed to let Tammy go traveling with Scott. Anna exined awkwardly, Thank you for your kindness, but its not appropriate to break the rules. And I cant rest assured to let her go traveling with Scott alone. Chapter 81 We Are WellCmat. That shouldnt be a problem. You can go with them. A chubby girl said with a bright smile. We are happy that you and your daughter can go traveling with Scott It could be seen that Scotts fans preferred Scoll to travel with a hotel staff who had a child rather than with a young fangirl Anna, who didnt expect that such an incident would happen at the luck draw part, was both helpless and speechless. .. After the celebration, Tammy went back to the lounge of the hotel happily with a big bag of snacks from Scotts fans in her arms. Matthew, many pretty sisters gave me delicious snacks just now. Look! she said excitedly and motioned to Matthew to look at the snacks. Matthew sat on the sofa silently and looked at her with displeasure as if he was looking at a traitor. Tammy immediately realized something and sat down beside him. Matthew, I just wanted to go out with Scott, but I didnt expect that Mommy would also go with us. Dont be angry, she said. Hearing the exnation, Matthew was still very unhappy. He wrote a line of words on his newly bought drawing board and turned on the voice mode. Then a mechanical voice was sounded Why do you like him so much? My Dad is much more handsome and richer than him! Well, thats different. I know Uncle Wayne is handsome, and my mommy and him are wellCmatched. But Scott is also handsome. And the two of us are also wellCmatched. Hee hee. Tammy said happily Matthew, who was speechless when seeing her like this, turned his back on her, not wanting to talk to her. Then he took out his phone. Matthew, what are you doing? Tammy asked when she noticed that. She wanted to see what Matthew was doing but Matthew blocked her view with his body. Matthew then quickly typed a few words and sent a message. At the airport, Wayne, who had boarded the ne, received a message from Matthew before switching off his phone. He felt it strange because Matthew had never contacted him when he was with Anna. If you donte back right now, Auntie Anna and Tammy will be someone elses Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing the message, Wayne was confused. Then he thought of something and asked Gabe, Did anything happen at the hotel celebration after we left? Hotel celebration? Gabe took out his phone and quickly browsed the messages in the group chat of the hotel. Suddenly, he saw something and said in surprise, Oh my God! Miss Gabriels daughter won the first prize and will go to the Maldives with Scott for a trip of five days. And Scotts fans all agreed on letting Miss Gabriel go with them. What a coincidence. When he still wanted to say something, he suddenly felt that the atmosphere on the ne 75 Prunt Chapter 81 We Are Well mat turned gloomy. When he turned his head slowly, he saw Waynes darkened face. Then he couldnt help but shiver and subconsciously swallowed the words that he was about to say ording to the report on the hotel performance, Anna had achieved her performance goal Therefore, after the celebration, she became a regr employee of the Carousel Group. When she got the new employee ID card, she was relieved and happy. After going through the relevant formalities, Anna went home to pack up. She was granted a weeks holiday after the internship and would go to the Maldives with Scott and Tammy for the filming of a variety show called Travel with My Idol. Before leaving, Anna caressed Matthews head and asked worriedly, Matthew, are you sure you can take good care of yourself? I still think wed better go after your Dades back. Matthew shook his head and raised his drawing board with a serious look. Daddy said that he was on his way back from the airport. Hell be back soon. You dont have to wait for him. Have a good time. Anna was a little surprised at Matthews reaction. She had thought that Matthew would cling to her and didnt let her go. At the thought that the butler and the maids would take care of him, Anna nodded and didnt say anything more. Then she took a taxi to the airport with Tammy. As soon as Anna and Tammy got out of the taxi at the airport, two cameramen came over and followed them to the security checkpoint. Scott arrived early and had been waiting for them. At this time, he was surrounded by a group of his fans who asked him for autographs. There was also a cameraman beside him. Seeing Anna and Tammy, he handed thest autographed photo to his fans and walked up to them with a smile Scott! Tammy called Scotts name happily as she excitedly threw herself into his arms, looking very lovely Seeing this, some onlookers took out their mobile phones to take photos of them. Are they going to start the filming here? Anna said, feeling a little nervous. She didnt dare to speak until she saw the cameramen put down their cameras. Take it easy. Just take the cameramen as air, Scott said gently. However, Anna still felt very uneasy. When thinking that she would live such a life for five days, she felt helpless. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 More than ten hourster, the flight arrived at Mal International Airport As soon as Anna and the others got off the ne, they felt fresh and cool, and the breeze made them feelfortable. Tammy had been staying by Scotts side all the way. After getting off the ne, she felt tired andy in Scotts arms with her arms around his neck, dozing off on the way to the hotel. When they arrived at the hotel, Scott took Tammy, who was asleep to his room on the first floor and then moved the luggage into it. Then he arranged a room for Anna. Anna, you and Tammy will live in the room upstairs. That room isrger. And I live in this room. Anna handed him a ss of water and said, Thank you. Drink some water and have a rest first. Ill go upstairs to have a look. Scott couldnt helpughing and said, You dont have to be so nervous. Im not used to your politeness. Anna looked around and thought with a helpless look, How could I not be nervous? There are so many cameras in the room. And at the corner of the living room, a cameraman was hiding in a tent. Anna felt as if she was being monitored. I feel that I may break down at any time in the following five days, Anna said. Dont be nervous. Rx. Theyll mainly shoot the interactions of Tammy and me and theyll edit out your scenes. After thinking for a while, Anna came up with an idea and brightened up. Ill let Tammy stay with you during the filming from tomorrow. As long as you two dont have any interaction with me, I wont be filmed. Scott was speechless. Then please help me take care of Tammy in the following days, Anna said and went upstairs to her room leisurely. It was evening and the wind was blowing gently Pushing open the ss door of the balcony of her room, Anna could see the reflection of the setting sun in the sea which rippled and sparkled. There were coconut trees by the sea, and some couples were taking a walk on the beach. Anna leaned against the rail of the balcony and took a deep breath, feeling refreshed. She hadnt been so rxed for a long time. She was thankful that she identally got the chance toe here with Scott because she could not only travel abroad but also have paid holidays. While she was lost in thought, the phone in her pocket suddenly rang and she received a message. When she lowered her head and read the message, she suddenly saw a familiar figure downstairs from the corner of her eyes and her heart jolted. C +25 Points Chapter 82 I Wish I Could Ta. samt EL . .. Then she looked at the figure carefully. At the gate of the cafe near the swimming pool, a man in a beige casual shirt was sitting with his back to her. is that Wayne? Anna wondered. The next moment, she thought that her thought was so ridiculous. Anna, are you crazy? How is it possible he is here? At this time, her phone rang again and she saw a message from Scott. Tammy hasnt woken up yet. Im going downstairs to buy some food for dinner. Come here and keep herpany. Anna replied to him, Okay. Then she turned around and was about to go downstairs. She didnt notice that outside the cafe, Matthew was climbing onto the chair and sat opposite the man in a beige casual shirt. After sitting down, Matthew wrote a line of words on his small drawing board. Why dont we go to meet them? Wayne took a sip of coffee and said slowly, Theres no hurry. Besides, there are cameramen around them. Its inconvenient. Matthew was dissatisfied and pouted. Then he continued to write on his small drawing board. Anyway, Im not going back if I cant see them. And youre not going back either. Seeing the sentences, Wayne showed a helpless expression and said, All right. I see. Can you eat your dinner now? When Matthew hear this, his serious expression softened. He took a mouthful of food in front of him reluctantly andined in his heart, It tastes so bad. The food cooked by Auntie Anna is much more delicious than it. Whats good about this ce? When Scott came back to the room with food, Tammy woke up and Anna was with her. The three of them then had dinner together. Because of the long trip today, they were all tired. After dinner, Tammy and Anna went back to their rooms. It was at night and the starry sky was very beautiful. The curtain was not drawn and the sea wind blew gently into the room, bringing the smell of the salty seawater. On the balcony, when Matthew Saw Tammy and Anna sleeping in the room, he wanted to go into the room immediately but Wayne directly picked him up to stop him and said in a low voice, If you wake up them now, we will not be able to have fun with them tomorrow. Hearing this, Matthew had to abandon the idea and could only look enviously at Tammy, who was sleeping in Annas arms. Now youve seen them. Lets go back to sleep. Wayne lowered his voice and said gently. Then the two of them turned around and stepped lightly back to their room. The next morning, when having breakfast, Scott asked, Did you lock the balcony door iast night? No. Whats wrong? 25 Darts TATAVAT Chapter 82 I Wish I Could Ta Two rooms share one balcony in this hotel. And the guests living next door can get into your room from the balcony. I dont know if anyone lives next door. But do remember to lock the door and draw the curtain at night. I forgot to remind you of itst night, Scott said. Anna nodded and didnt care much about it. I didnt close the balcony doorst night. But it seems that theres no one next door. I stayed on the balcony for a long time yesterday afternoon and didnt see anyone next door. After hearing her words, Scott nodded and reminded her to pay attention to safety. Then he packed up the sunscreen cream, cups, hats, sunsses, and some other things that they needed. After a long time, at the urging of Tammy, the three of them finally went out. At the gate of the hotel, Anna watched Scott and Tammy get into the car. Are you sure you wont go with us? Scott asked with expectation in his tone before leaving You know Im seasick, Anna shrugged and said helplessly. If I go with you, you will have to take care of not only Tammy but also me. Its too troublesome. Id better stay here and wait for you. Scott whispered, I wish I could take care of you all the time. But his voice was so vague that Anna didnt hear that. This day, Scott would take Tammy to the sea. Anna was seasick and felt uneasy being followed by cameramen all the time so the night before, she told them that she wouldnt go with them. After watching the car leave, Anna went back to the hotel. Ill have a cup of coffee, please. At the cafe near the openCair swimming pool of the hotel, Anna ordered a cup of coffee and sat there leisurely until noon. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a little figure. In a distance, a little boy was stopped by a hotel waiter and they seemed to be talking about something. When she saw the boys face, she was stunned and straightened up in surprise. Isnt that Matthew? Matthew! She stood up and called Matthews name. Hearing her voice, Matthew turned his head at once. Then he broke free from the waiters hand, rushed to Anna, and held her legs. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Matthew, what are you doing here alone? Anna asked. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Anna looked at Matthew in disbelief. Shouldnt he be at home at this moment? Why is he here? At this time, the waiter came over and asked Anna if she knew Matthew. Anna picked Matthew up and exined, This is my friends child. He should be staying in this hotel. I will send him back to his roomter. Dont worry. Seeing Matthew clinging to Anna, the waiter didnt doubt Anna and left with relief. After the waiter left, Anna put down Matthew, squatted down, and asked, Matthew, what are you doing here? Where is your dad? With his eyes wide open, Matthew kept making gestures. Considering that he couldnt speak, Anna changed the way of asking questions. Did your dade with you? Matthew nodded. Anna frowned and asked, You two live in this hotel? Matthew nodded again. Then why are you here alone? Anna was confused. Hearing this, Matthew pouted with an unhappy look. Does he feel aggrieved? Anna wondered. She couldnt understand his gestures and had no choice but to call Wayne. Sorry, the subscriber you dialed can not be connected for the moment, please redialter. No one answered the phone. Anna frowned. Whats the matter with Wayne? Why didnt he answer the phone? While she was thinking, she caught a glimpse of Matthews reddened neck. Matthew, whats wrong with your neck? Anna asked as she hurriedly unbuttoned Matthews cor Then she found not only Matthews neck but also his chest was red. It was obvious that he was sunburned. After Anna asked a few more questions, Matthew took her phone and typed a few words. Yesterday afternoon, Dad took me to the beach. Too much sun made me hurt. Seeing the words, Anna wondered, They arrived here yesterday afternoon? She was not in the mood to think too much. When she saw just saw Matthews sunburned skin, she felt sorry for him and asked, Didnt your dad prepare sunscreen for you? Hearing that, Matthew pouted as if he was about to cry, looking more pitiful. Anna then took him to her room and decided to deal with his sunburned skin first and then try to contact Wayne. Otherwise, if not dealt with in time, his chest and neck would peel because +25 Points Chapter 83 He Wants You to of sunburn. When she was applying medicine to Matthews skin, the doorbell rang, Matthew, wait a moment. Ill open the door, Anna said. When she saw Waynes cold face through the peephole, she opened the door and asked snappishly, Why are you here? Is Matthew with you? Wayne asked calmly. Shouldnt your son be with you? Hes not here? Wayne asked again. Anna got furious and said, Wayne, dont forget you are a father. Since you took Matthew here to have fun, you should pay more attention to him and take good care of him. Do you know he is sunburned? Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Wayne was slightly surprised and said, Let me have a look. Of course you should have a look, Anna said as she subconsciously stepped aside to let him in. However, she didnt notice that there was a shadow of a smile on Waynes face when he entered the room. In the room, Wayne took Matthews hand and looked at his sunburned skin carefully. Then he frowned and ordered, Dont go out today. What dont you let him go out? Anna nced at him and said angrily. Dont you know there is a thing called sunscreen in the world? Even if you dont know about it, you should know about sunbo and sunCprotective clothing. I just asked Matthew. The sun was scorching hot yesterday afternoon. How could you let him y on the beach just in a pair of beach shorts without applying sunscreen? Why didnt you go to y on the beach with just a pair of shorts? Wayne looked at her and exined seriously, I didnt go to y on the beach because its too easy to build a castle with sand and Im not interested in it. Besides, I think it was too hot yesterday. Huh! Anna was speechless. You knew it was too hot but you still let Matthew y on the beach without applying sunscreen? She thought that Wayne was the most careless father that she had ever seen in her life. Seeing that Anna kept ming Wayne, Matthew gently pulled Annas sleeve and showed her what he had just written. Im hungry Anna then realized that it was past lunchtime. She frowned and said, Its past lunchtime. You didnt even know Matthew was hungry. You are always busy with your work every day. Is your work more important than your son? I was ordering food downstairs just now, but Wayne said and looked at Anna with mixed feelings. But when I finished ordering, I couldnt find Matthew. Hearing this, Anna was stunned. It was not until then that she realized what she had just done. Wayne had been downstairs all the time and the waiter would have sent Matthew back to Waynes side. However, she took Matthew back to her room. And as a result, Wayne couldnt find Chapter 83 He Wants You to geri Matthew Thinking of her attitude toward Wayne just now, Anna felt embarrassed She cleared her throat and said nervously, Well, I saw that Matthew was sunburned so I brought Matthew to my room in a hurry to deal with his sunburned skin. I didnt know you were downstairs. Im sorry Its okay, Wayne said casually and didnt care about her bad attitude just now. Then he reached out his hand to Matthew and said, Lunch is ready Matthew, lets go downstairs. After hesitating for a while, Matthew grabbed Annas sleeve and gave a hint to Wayne by blinking his eyes. Wayne took a look at him and then looked at Anna, saying, Matthew wants you toe with US. Thinking that Scott woulde back with Tammyte and she would be alone all day long. Anna didnt refuse. After all,pared with staying alone, she was more willing to have lunch with Matthew During lunch, Matthew asked Anna where Tammy had gone. She went to an uninhabited ind nearby with Scott, Anna answered him. Hearing that, Matthew looked at Wayne with an expectant look. Wayne took a sip of water and said lightly, You cant swim. Even if you go there, you can only build a castle on the beach. Matthew wants to go to the ind too? Anna asked. Matthew nodded at her. Anna then suggested to Wayne, Since he wants to go to the ind, just take him there. I heard that the ind is not far from here. It will take about only a quarter to go there by ship. Wayne thought for a while and lowered his head to look at Matthew. Seeing Matthew was also looking at him with expectation in his ck eyes, he nodded and said, Okay. Well go there after lunch. Thats more like it. Since you have brought him for fun, you cant just let him stay in the hotel all the time, Anna said, very satisfied with Waynes attitude. Although he doesnt know how to take care of a child, he is willing to take others advice on the parentC child rtionship. Its not bad. After lunch, Anna took out a tube of sunscreen from her handbag and handed it to Wayne. Take this with you. Apply it to his body before go to the beach and reapply it once an hour in case he gets sunburned again, she said. Wayne didnt take it. Instead, he looked at her and said seriously, Matthew wants you to go with us. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Me? I i wont go. Thinking of taking a boat, Anna quickly waved her hand and said with a hint of fluster in her eyes, I dont want to go there. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. As soon as she finished her words, she lowered her head and saw Matthew clenching the corner of her clothes with one hand and looking at her expectantly with a note in his other hand. I want you to go with me. Anna was stunned for a second. Then her heart was softened and she couldnt bear to see him disappointed. She caressed Matthews head and said, OK. Ill go with you. Ill go back to my room and change my clothes first. Matthew doesnt have a mother, and Wayne is indeed not an attentive father. They have been here for just one day and due to Waynes carelessness, Matthew was sunburned. What if they go to the ind but Wayne doesnt take good care of Matthew again? Besides, Matthew cant swim. Id better go with them. Okay. Wayne nodded and said. He looked expressionless and cool but actually, he was very delighted Early in the morning, he saw Anna drinking coffee alone at the cafe. Then he asked the crew of Travel with My Idol about the filming schedule. When he learned that Scott had taken Tammy to the ind, he was in a good mood the whole morning. After getting ready, the three of them went to the dock. They would go to the ind by speedboat. Seeing the life jacket, Anna couldnt help feeling a little dizzy. She braced herself to put it on and sat in her seat nervously, not daring to look at the sea. Sir, please slow down, she said to the boat driver with a trembling voice. Wayne, who sensed that there was something wrong with her, asked, Are you okay? Im okay, Anna said with a forced smile and tried to calm herself down. Buckle the wind rope of Matthews hat. Or it will be blown away if the wind gets stronger. Wayne nodded and buckled the rope for Matthew. Then he found that Anna tried to buckle the rope of her sunhat but failed again and again and that her hands were trembling. Are you sure youre all right? Wayne frowned and asked. Lets go back if you feel ufortable. Its okay. Im fine. The boat is wobbly and I cant buckle it, Anna said. After hesitating for a moment, Wayne leaned over and held Annas hand. Let me help you. Anna was stunned when her hand felt his warm palm, and the seasickness faded away a little. She stared nkly at Wayne who was buckling the rope of her sunhat. When his fingers touched her chin identally, she held her breath subconsciously. TA 25 Points Chapter 84 Dad Wanted to S Its finished, Wayne said. His deep voice wrenched Anna back to the present. Anna looked away and said, Thank thank you. Youre wee. Wayne gazed at her and asked, Are you hot? A little Your face is red. Anna covered her face at once and stammered, Really? Well, maybe Maybe its because the sun is too scorching. As she spoke, she pointed to the sky and said, The sun feels scorching. Help Matthew button his sunC protective jacket quickly. Wayne looked at her with a meaningful smile and nodded. Matthew was curious about everything that he saw, pointing at this and that and asking Anna what they were. Anna then patiently exined to him one by one. But there were some things that she also didnt know such as the speedboats mechanical equipment. At this time, Wayne would exin it and the operating principle of the boat to them. Mr. Wright, did anyone ever tell you that you looked like a professional when you talked about boats? Anna said. Hearing that, Wayne thought that she was praising him. But the next moment, Anna added, People who dont know you might think you are a worker in a ship repairing factory. Waynes face was darkened at once. Wayne had a smooth tongue and was an eloquent person. But somehow, when he heard Annas words, he was speechless and couldnt say a word to retort her. Seeing him like this, Anna was in a good mood and the ufortable feeling caused by seasickness was weakened. She asked, By the way, why did you suddenly bring Matthew to the Maldives? If you told me before you came, we could havee here together. Wayne answered expressionlessly, Matthew wanted toe here. Hearing that, Matthew red at him, speechless. Then he wrote a few words on his drawing board and showed them to Anna. Dad wanted to give you a surprise. When Anna saw the words, her heart skipped a beat. She looked at Wayne and saw that Wayne was also looking at her. When their eyes met, she froze. Anna had always thought Wayne treated her well because Matthew liked her. It was after the oneCnight stand that she vaquely perceived that Wayne might have feelings for her However, she was clear that there was no possibility of the two of them being together because Wayne was going to get married to Ada soon. Thinking about this, Anna quickly looked away. To ease the embarrassing atmosphere, she +25 Point Chapter 84 Dad Wanted to S said with a smile, Matthew, you are so good at making me happy Matthew looked at Wayne, motioning him to say something. However, Wayne turned a blind eye to his hint as if he didnt understand what Matthew meant, and then turned his head to look at the ind in the distance. Matthew was speechless and angry. He lowered his head and quickly wrote more words on the drawing board. You said that I made you happy. It means that my dadsing is a surprise that made you happy, right? The smile on Annas face froze when she saw the words and she didnt how to answer his question. She had to admit that she was very happy when she saw Wayne and Matthew. Yesterday afternoon, when she was on the balcony and saw the familiar figure of the man at the cafe, she hoped that that man could be Wayne. Seeing her lost in thought, Wayne was about to say something when the boat suddenly shook violently. Anna screamed, suddenly lost her bnce, and leaned to one side. Wayne quickly reached out to grab her arm. But before he could help her sit steadily, the boat shook again and he directly pulled her into her arms. Then he asked the driver, Whats going on? Annas face hit Waynes chest, and it hurt a little when her face rubbed his life jacket. Before she could react, she felt dizzy and sick and everything in front of her began to blur. At this time, the drivers voice came from the bow. Sir, the waves are too high. We cant go too far. And its going to rain. Shall we go to the ind or go back now? Wayne took a look at Anna who had fainted in his arms, and his face was more darkened. When they got onto the boat, he felt that something was wrong with Anna. But when he asked her, she said that she was all right. At the thought that she was seasick but still bit the bullet and came with them, he had mixed feelings. Thinking about the current situation, Wayne said to the driver, Go back to the dock. Then he took a look at Matthew and asked, Matthew, remain seated and hold the handrail. Matthew nodded seriously. Wayne then held Matthews hand with one hand and held Anna tightly in his arms with the other. Soon, it began to rain heavily and they all got soaked. Frowning, Wayne suddenly heard a whimper from Anna. Grandpa, please dont go Dont leave me alone Chapter 85 Chapter 85 No, I dont want to go there Annas whimper came from time to time. Holding her tightly in his arms, Wayne felt sorry for her. Annas life experience was different from that of him. When his father passed away, he was thirteen years old. Although his mother had left him, his grandfather brought him up and they were in a good rtionship, As for Anna, she lost her mother not long after she was born. Later, her father remarried and had a new family. And Anna had to live with her grandfather when she was young After her grandfather, who loved her dearly passed away, her father took her back to the Gabriel family. However, she was in an embarrassing position in the family. As a member of her family, she was like an outsider. Karl, Waynes only friend since he was a child, had ever said that Wayne was stubborn. Wayne always thought that it was the environment that he grew up in made him stubborn. In his opinion, Anna should have been more stubborn than him because she grew up in a worse environment. But she was not. Instead, she lived a free and unconventional life. She could abandon her identity as the daughter of the Gabriel family without hesitation and stand on her own feet by working as a manager in the hotel. Wayne had thought that he knew Anna well. In his eyes, she was a woman who was smart and capable at work but couldnt take good care of herself in life. But after getting along with her for so long, he felt that he didnt know her well enough. The rain was getting heavier and heavier. With a frown, Wayne looked at the sea and the heavy mist and asked, How long will it take to go back to the dock? Were almost there. Dont worry. The rain usuallysts only five to ten minutes, the driver said as he took a sudden turn and drove the boat as fast as he could. Half an hourter, Wayne had been back to the hotel with Anna and Matthew but it was still raining heavily outside. Meteorological authorities issued a temporary rainstorm alert. And the boats on the sea were urgently evacuated while some of them capsized in the sea. The local government had dispatched the rescue team to rescue the people in danger. Several staff members from Enlight Media, including the director of the variety show were waiting for Scotts news in the hotel hall. They were all stunned when they saw Waynee back with Anna. Mr. Wright, this is Get a doctor, Wayne said briefly and then went upstairs with Anna in his arms under the Chapter 85 I Dont Want to G +25 Points *25 Points gazes of the others who stood there dumbfounded. Shes seasick. Now that she has left the boat, she doesnt need to take medicine for seasickness. But she got wet in the rain and has a fever now. Dont worry. Shell be fine after taking some antipyretics and having a good rest, the doctor said after doing a checkCup for Anna. Then he left the room apanied by the director and Wayne followed them out After the doctor left, the director turned around and saw Wayne. Then he greeted Wayne at once, Mr. Wright. Wayne nodded. Hire a carer to take care of her tonight. Hearing this, the director felt a little embarrassed and said, Mr. Wright, it hasnt rained so heavily for many years, and many idents happened today. It is said that a cruise ship to the nearby ind capsized and caused heavy casualties. Now many people are being rescued in the hospital is busy and both medical facilities and medical staff here are scarce. Im afraid we cant hire a carer. When Wayne heard this, it suddenly urred to him that Tammy hadnte back yet. He tensed and asked, Which ship capsized? The director thought that Wayne was worried about Scott, so he immediately exined, Dont worry, Mr. Wright. Its not the one that Scott took. Scott and the daughter of Miss Gabriel have arrived at the ind safely. But they wont be able toe back soon. He just called us and said that they were safe. Waynes face softened when heard that. Mr. Wright, we really cant find a carer now The director was a little nervous. Forget it. Wayne waved his hand and let him go. Then he went back to the room. The greyCblue sheet set off Annas pale face, Sitting on the edge of the bed, Wayne gazed at Anna. He suddenly remembered that when she met Lilian in the elevator before, she unblushingly told Lilian that he was her boyfriend. The next moment, his eyes were full of tenderness and he thought. When she is bold, she always does something amazing, making me marvel at her courage. Now she is weak and helpless, making me want to protect her and take care of her Wayne leaned over and wanted to look closely at Annas face. But somehow, he couldnt help getting closer and closer to her. Finally, he kissed her on the lips. It was pouring outside and the wind was blowing the curtains violently. On the wall, their shadows looked like a romantic picture. Anna, who drifted off into a fitful sleep, could feel that someone tucked her in and put a cold towel on her forehead to help her reduce the fever. She knew there was someone beside her, but she couldnt open her eyes. Later, she fell asleep and dreamed of the past. the Back then, she was still young when her grandfather had heart failure and was about to die. Lying on the bed, her grandfather held her hand and looked at her with his eyes full of worry. Anna, remember to be obedient when you go back home. But remember not to let others bully N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Chapter 85 I Dont Want to G you. Your father still cares about you. If you are bullied, just tell him and he will protect you. Grandpa, I dont want to go there. I will be obedient and wont eat too much candy in the future. Dont let me go there, Anna said, feeling very aggrieved. At that time, she was still young and did not know that her grandfather was dying. She just thought that she was abandoned by him. Suddenly, there was a noise in the hospital and several men and women with mean looks broke into the ward. One of them was a fat woman with curly hair, wearing an expensive purple overcoat. She shouted at curses as soon as she saw little Anna, This girl is a jinx. Her mother died after she was born. Now her grandfather is also going to die. Stay away from her if you dont want to die. Send her away quickly. I dont want to see her anymore. I wont leave. Grandpa Grandpa Little Anna was dragged out of the ward by two adults. Before she left, she looked back at her grandfather. Her grandfather stretched his arm in her direction and fixed his eyes on her, seeming to want to say something to her. The next moment, amidst the sad cries of his children, his arm fell on the edge of the bed and he closed his eyes. Oh, is this the jinx? Oh, my God! She is the one who killed her family? Yes, its her. When Anna was a little older, she gradually knew what the people around her thought of her. There was one time when she was blocked to a corner by a group of children, she couldnt stand their curse anymore and finally roared hysterically, Im not a jinx! Then she pushed a little fat boy who spat pn her face to the ground with all her strength. How dare you push me? You jinx! Help! This Jinx wants to kill me! I am not a Jinx!. Anna shouted and suddenly woke up from the nightmare. The warmth on the back of her hand made her gradually calm down. When she opened her eyes with a drowsy look and saw Wayne lying beside her, she was stunned. Ah! A scream broke the silent night. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 It was already midnight. Wayne, who had been in a deep sleep, was awakened by Annas scream With a frown, he sat up with a drowsy look. After a few seconds, he became lucid and said with displeasure, Why did you shout? Rx. We are still dressed. After staring nkly at Wayne for a long time, Anna looked at his pajamas and then at hers The next moment, her face was flushed with embarrassment. Wayne knew what she was thinking at a nce. Then he said tonelessly, It was the hotel staff who helped you change your clothes. As for why I slept next to you, you took my hand and kept talking in sleep. I cant just sit there all night without sleeping. When Anna heard that, her face turned even redder, and she wished she could disappear in front of him at once. How did he know what I was thinking about? Its so awkward. Then why am I here? she asked in embarrassment. The decoration of the room that she was in was simr to her room, but there was no camera here so she could see at a nce that she was not in her room. Wayne got out of bed, poured a ss of water, and handed it to her, You know you are seasick, but you still insisted on going to the ind with us together. Did you go there for Matthew? Or did you deliberately Deliberately what? Anna asked in confusion. Wayne gazed at her with a meaningful look and said, Deliberately cause the current situation. Annas face changed when she heard that and she raised her voice in an instant, Who deliberately caused the current situation? Im not that shameless. Do you think that I want to lie in your arms? Do you think that all women in the world are obsessed with you? She retorted in a strong and angry tone as if she was greatly insulted. What if I say I hope you did it on purpose? Wayne said. His words extinguished Annas anger and made her confused. Are. Are you kidding me? Its not funny at all. Anna said with a stiff expression, not daring to look at him. Then she lowered her head and gulped down the whole ss of water. Do you think Im kidding? Uh Anna almost choked on the water, tried to restrain herself from coughing, and blushed. After a while, she said, I dont know what you mean. She was uncertain if Wayne meant that he liked her. If she misunderstood his meaning, it would be more awkward. Therefore, she decided to y the fool. Raise your head, Wayne said with a frown. Huh? Anna was stunned and raised her head subconsciously. Chapter 86 I Wont Be Your 25 Points 25 Pomes The moment she raised her head, a shadow fell across her face and the next moment, Wayne kissed her. She felt the warmth of his lips and the feeling of him gently biting her lips. When she opened her mouth and was about to scream, Wayne stuck his tongue into her mouth. All of a sudden, Annas mind went nk and she froze The kisssted for a long time. When Wayne let go of her, she could hardly breathe With her hand on her chest, she gasped for breath and even had no energy to me him Now do you understand what I meant? Wayne asked, standing straight at the bedside with his shadow enveloping Anna. When Anna heard his deep and hoarse voice full of desire, her heart beat faster. After a long time, she gritted her teeth, raised her head, and questioned him, If I say I dont understand, will you think Im stupid? When Wayne saw the disgust in Annas eyes, he was stunned. If I did something inappropriate to make you think that I am that kind of woman, I apologize for it. As for what you did to me just now, I hope such a thing wont happen again, Anna said coldly as she stood up and walked towards the door. Wayne grabbed her arm from behind and said, Make it clear. What do you Before he could finish his words, Anna pped him on the face. Then she shook off his hand violently and stared at him with shame and grievance in her eyes. I wont be so shameless to be a mistress, she roared. After saying that, she mmed the door and left. Bang! The loudsound of the door mming echoed in the room for a long time. Wayne slowly raised his hand and touched his pped cheek, and the astonishment in his eyes gradually disappeared. Thinking about Annas reaction just now, he showed a wry smile. The next morning, the sun rose and shone brightly into the room. In the room, Wayne dialed Gabes number. After getting through, he said briefly, Gabe, cancel the wedding. Yes, tell Ada I wont get married to her. After hanging up the phone, Wayne opened the window and the sea wind blew in. After the storm all night, the air was especially fresh. Why didnt she even ask me about my thought? Did she take me as a twoCtimer? he thought when recalling Annas behaviorst night. After going back to her room in anger, Annay on her stomach on the bed for a long time without moving. What on earth does Wayne want to do? Does he think Im a frivolous woman so he always +25 Poin: Chapter 86 1 Wont Be Your takes advantage of me? Hes gone too far, she thought, overwhelmed with shame and rage. At noon, Scott returned the hotel safely with Tammy. Tammy was still young and didnt know that she was in danger yesterday. After returning to her room, she excitedly told Anna about the thrilling scene that she saw yesterday. Mommy, the wind was so strong in the ce where Scott and I stayed. I felt that the house was almost blown away. And fish fell from the sky when it rained. Its so magical. With a lingering fear, Anna held Tammys hand tightly and said, Sorry, Tammy. I should have gone with you. Fortunately, you didnt go with us. I was so worried that I couldnt protect Tammy well. If anything happened to her, I would be guilty, Scott said as his face turned pale with fear when he thought about his experience on the ind. If you were there, I would have to worry about the two of you. In that critical situation, I might not be able to take good care of you two. Fortunately, Scott and Tammy came back safely, Anna thought. Later, Tammy said that she was hungry. Anna then immediately packed up and went to the restaurant downstairs with her to have lunch, regardless of the cameramen following them. Just after they ordered the food, Tammy suddenly saw two familiar figures entering the restaurant and walking toward them. Her eyes brightened at once and she eximed, Uncle Wayne! Matthew! When Anna heard that, her smile froze. She raised her head and saw Wayne and Matthew. Mommy, Uncle Wayne and Matthew are also here! Tammy said excitedly, grabbing and waving Annas arm at Wayne and Matthew. Im here, Uncle Wayne. Seeing Wayne, Scott frowned and muttered unhappily, What is he doing here? Its so annoying!Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 As soon as Matthew heard Tammy call him, his eyes lit up with joy. He loosened his grip on Waynes hand and rushed over, smiling at Tammy. Then like a chatterbox, Tammy began to tell Matthew what had happened in the past two days, including what had happened on the ne, the beach, and the ind, Wayne pulled out the chair next to Anna naturally and deliberately asked, Do you mind if I sit here? Anna forced a smile and said she didnt mind it. But the look in her eyes showed that she wished he could get out of here at once. Wayne turned a blind eye to the reluctance on her face and nodded at her with a smile. Seeing this, Anna was annoyed and speechless, roasting him in her heart. At the same time, Scott, who looked at the interaction between the two of them, felt very upset. Anna had always regarded him as her young brother for so many years. Although he always said that he wanted to marry Anna, she seemed to just take his words as jokes and had never thought about being together with him. Now that he had a rival in love who was a cunning old fox, the chance of them being together became slimmer. Scott then thought about his contract. It was not until several days ago that he learned that Wayne was a big shareholder of Enlight Media. Then he realized that Wayne deliberately yed a trick to let him sign with Enlight Media. Thinking about this, he stared at Wayne and gritted his teeth with hostility. He couldnt help but say with sarcasm, Mr. Wright, are you here to expand your business in person? As the CEO of the Carousel Group, dont you have subordinates to help you? Wayne nced at him and said, Thank you for your suggestion. I will consider expanding my business here in the future. But Im here with my son just for a You have many choices. Why do you have to choose the Maldives? What a coincidence that you came to the same ce with us! Scott said with displeasure. Wayne said calmly and bluntly, Matthew and I have always thought that this is a good ce, so we came here. Scott clenched his fists and asked with an annoyed look, A good ce? Whats good about it? There are so many people here and its lively. Wayne said tonelessly You Scott was speechless. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Lets have lunch, Anna suddenly broke in on their conversation and said, looking uneasy and embarrassed. The food will not taste good if they turn cold. Wayne raised his eyebrows and took a sip of water leisurely. On the contrary, Scott looked displeased and his face was darkened. Youll get married soon, right? Why dont you bring your fiancee with you? he asked. +25 Points Chapter 87 The Owner of the *** Por Hearing this. Anna was stunned for a second and then tensed Pretending to be calm, she didnt raise her head to look at Wayne but she pricked up her ears, Wayne put down the ss and said calmly, Ive never announced that Im going to get married. As for the soCcalled fiancee, where did you hear of that?? The next moment, Anna subconsciously raised her head to look at him in surprise. Seeing his serious expression, she knew that he was not joking. Then she thought with mixed feelings, Does he mean that he doesnt intend to marry Ada at all? Everyone in our circle knows that Do you still want to deny it? Scott asked. His question was also the one that Anna wanted to ask. What everyone knows may not be true. Everyone also knows that you are in a rtionship with the actress called Rita, Wayne said slowly as he cut the steak without looking at Scott Then he said meaningfully, Oh, I see. You are dating her, right? It seems that you dont need thepany to rify the rtionship for you. You Scott was speechless and his face turned red with anger. Then he said with his tone full of grievance, Dont threaten me with yourpany. I wouldnt have signed with yourpany if you hadnt shamelessly schemed against me. Speaking of this, Anna couldnt help saying, Scott, Enlight Media is a bigpany. I have read your contract carefully before. As long as you dont breach the contract, thepany is a good tform for you to promote your career. What Mr. Wright did is for your own good. Why do you say such words to him? Anna, he wants to control me and threaten me! Why do you still speak for him? Scott said Threatening you? Anna was confused and asked, For what? He wants to threaten me to Scott wanted to say something but suddenly bit the words back. Then he gritted his teeth and continued, Nothing. Anyway, when I earn enough money, Ill pay liquidated damages and quit this damnpany. While speaking, Scott red at Wayne, regardless that Wayne was for his boss. However, Wayne didnt get angry at all, still looking calm and leisurely as before. He put the te with the cut steak in front of Matthew as if he didnt hear Scotts words, and also refilled Annas ss with water. ording to the weather forecast, there would be heavy rain in the afternoon. Therefore, although it was sunny at noon, the crew of the program still decided to change the filming site to the beach near the hotel for the sake of safety. And Scotts task in the afternoon was to dive to collect starfishes. After lunch, Tammy and Matthew changed into their swimsuits. Then they rushed to the beach happily with small scoops and buckets. Tammy drew arge circle on the beach, saying that she would build a big castle in it. Matthew nodded. Then the two of them began to build the castle. Not far away, under arge sunshade, Anna and Wayne were lying on the deck chairs on both sides of a table with two sses of juices. Anna was wearing a yellow long dress, looking very beautiful. After hesitating for a long time, 25 Prir Chapter 87 The Owner of the she asked, The news that you are going to get married to Ada is fake? Its true, Wayne said in a deep voice. But I regretted it. Anna was stunned and then asked with mixed feelings, Why did you regret it? I decided to get married to her just for Matthew, but Matthew doesnt seem to like her, Wayne said frankly. Hearing that, Anna suddenly felt a little disappointed. In Waynes eyes, marriage doesnt matter at all. Either he decided to get married or break off the engagement is because of Matthew. Does it mean that all that he has done and said to me before is just because Matthew likes me? He has no feelings for me, right? On the beach, Tammy and Matthew seemed to have different opinions on building the castle. Tammy exined her thoughts like a chatterbox while Matthew, who couldnt say anything, could only keep gesturing. However, Tammy couldnt understand what he meant at all. Frowning. Anna tried not to think too much and decided to get her rtionship with Wayne back on track Suddenly, her phone rang and she answered the phone. Hello, is that Miss Gabriel? This is the manager of Forever Jewelry branch at East Birmingham Road. Do you remember me? A sweet female voice came from the other end of the line. When Anna heard that, she was a little stunned and then she walked aside with her phone. Hi, Miss. Is there any clue about the ne now? she asked. Yes, the manager said firmly. Annas heart skipped a beat and her breath became quicker. She asked anxiously, Youve figured out the one who customized that ne? Who is it? We have checked the jewelry customization records in the past ten years and found that the customized ne was ordered in April eight years ago by Wayne Wright. Wayne Wright? Annas face changed at once and she asked, Which Wayne Wright? The president of Carousel Group, the manager answered. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Hearing this, Anna was totally stunned and thought, How could the owner of the ne be him? But on second thought, she thought that it made sense. She should have guessed that Wayne was her childrens father when the butler threatened her with Gabriel Group and forced her to sign a contract because nobody in Birmingham had the power to pose a threat to Gabriel Group except Wayne. By the time she hung up the phone, Wayne had returned to the hotel. He seemed to have something to deal with Anna then looked at Matthews little figure not far away At this moment, Matthew was immersing himself in building a castle with Tammy. The more she looked at his face, the more excited she felt. Her son, whom she thought about every day in the past five years, was in front of her at this moment. And theyve known each other for several months. Anna wanted to walk to Matthew but her feet failed her. After a while, she finally took a step. At the same time, she could not help but feel sad and shed tears. Mommy! Tammy ran to her and said excitedly, Come and have a look at the castle we built Anna hurriedly turned around, trying to not let Tammy see her crying. But Tammy had seen the tears in her eyes. Mommy, why are you crying? Tammy asked anxiously. Im not crying. Anna was almost incoherent and said, The wind the wind is too strong here. Sand blew in my eyes. | At this time, Matthew also trotted over. When he saw Anna like this, he showed a worried look. Then he held Annas hand and looked at her with concern. It was not until then that Anna found his eyes looked the same as Tammys. The two children looked so simr but she didnt find it before. Thinking of this, she felt guilty and couldnt hold She slowly squatted down and carefully looked at Matthew with mixed feelings. Matthew was so anxious that he wiped Annas tears with his little hands and almost cried too. Im all right, Matthew. Dont worry, Anna took his hand and said, Im happy. With a puzzled look, Matthew didnt believe her words at all. He couldnt see that there was something wrong with Anna. Tammy then blinked and exined, Matthew, Mommy said sand blew in her eyes. Lets blow the sand out for her. Matthew nodded with a hesitant look. Then the two of them gently blew on Annas eyes one by one. 50 Points Chapter 88 Mommy, Why Are Feeling their warm breaths and looking at their cute faces, Anna couldnt help but hold the two children in her arms, broke down, and wept with tears of joy. Mommy, whats the matter with you? Seeing her like this, Tammy also felt that something was wrong and asked worriedly. Anna then let go of the two children. She wanted to tell them that Matthew was her son. But after hesitating for a long time, she just said with a forced smile, Im okay Matthew was not only her son but also Waynes. She believed that Matthew would ept her if she told him the truth about his identity. But she was afraid that Wayne wouldnt ept her. Back then, Wayne threatened me with Gabriel Group and took Matthew away from me. He cares about Matthew more than I can imagine. Even if I tell him that Im Matthews mother, he wont let Matthew come back to my side. Whats more, once Wayne knows that Tammy is also his child, he is very likely to take Tammy away from me. Thinking of this, Anna felt a chill all over with her eyes full of fear. I must not let him know Tammys identity. I cant lose my daughter. After wiping her tears, Anna picked up a little spade, forced a smile, and said, Tammy, Matthew, Ill go build the castle with you. Children are children after all. When Anna said that she was fine and wanted to y with them, Matthew and Tammy immediately paid all their attention to the beach and pulled her to their sandcastle happily. At dinner, Wayne noticed that the rims of Annas eyes were red and asked with a frown, Whats wrong with your eyes? Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Nothing. Anna ?aid, not daring to look into his eyes. She kept her head down and said in a low voice, Im not well today. Maybe I havent recovered from the seasickness and fever. Wayne frowned more tightly and gazed at her with his eyes full of concern. Have a rest after dinner. The crew of the program will take care of Tammy. Dont worry, he said gently OK, Anna replied in a low voice with an unnatural expression. At this moment, she had recovered from the shock. When she recalled the night six years ago, her blood froze and the shock was reced with fear. The Wright family is powerful in Birmingham, and Wayne is always unpredictable. If he knew that I was the surrogacy mother, my hardCwon peaceful life would be turned upside down. After dinner, Anna hurried back to her room and took out her suitcase in the corner without hesitation The next morning, Wayne and Matthew were having breakfast in the restaurant downstairs when Scott came with Tammy, Scott walked over withposure and sat down opposite Wayne, looking very rxed. Well have a cup oftte, a cup of milk, and two pieces of waffle, Scott ordered food when the waiter came. Wayne nced at the elevator behind him but didnt see Anna. Where is she? he asked. .: Chapter 88 Mommy, Why Are Who? Scott immediately asked in reply withcency in his eyes as if he had waited for Wayne to ask this question for a long time. Wayne looked at Scott with undisguised contempt for his childish attitude and said, Shes still in the room? She always dawdles. Anna does always dawdle, Scott said with a meaningful look. But she is the most capable and independent woman Ive ever seen. Even if she was in a hurry to go back home, she dealt with everything well without disturbing anyone before leaving. Shes back home? Waynes face changed slightly. Why did she suddenly go back home? You dont know that? Scott said in an exaggerated tone. I thought that Anna would inform you about it. After all, you are her boss. It turns out that she only told me. Last night, Anna said that she would go back to Birmingham in advance to move. Before leaving, she left a note for him and asked him to take good care of Tammy. Hearing Scotts words, Wayne frowned and asked, Did she say anything before leaving? Noment. I dont know anything. Scott deliberately said. Really? The next moment, the harsh noise caused by the friction between the chair and the floor was heard Wayne stood up straight, straightened the hem of his shirt, and said coolly, Even if you dont tell me, I will know it. What do you want to do? Scott asked. Go home, Wayne said briefly. What? Scott couldnt help raising his voice, Damn it! I shouldnt have shot myself in the foot by telling him about Annas whereabouts! he thought Seeing Wayne leave in a hurry with Matthew in his arms, Scott shouted at his agent not far away with a darkened face, I want to go back home too! Book the earliest flight for me! The agent was shocked and immediately said, The filming hasnt been finished yet. We cant leave here. I dont care. Ill go back home now! Scott said angrily. If you breach the contract, youll have to pay a penalty of three million dors! Scott rubbed his forehead and was speechless, regretting signing the contract with Enlight Media. He felt as if he was like a ve who had sold himself to Wayne. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 In the afternoon, all the flights were grounded due to the rainstorm Later, Wayne learned that the airport would be closed in the following two days. Therefore, he had to stay in the Maldives with Matthew for two more days. And it was already three dayster when they arrived home. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. At Kingsford Neighborhood. In the vi, Wayne stood at the door of Annas room and looked at the empty room silently with a frown. Mr. Wright, Miss Gabriel came back two days ago and took all her belongings away. She said that she had found a new ce to live, Henry said. What else did she say? Wayne asked. She said that she lived here for more than a month and should pay the rent. Then she left five thousand dors here. Henry showed the paper bag in his hand to Wayne and said, I didnt tell her your bank ount when she offered to pay the rent. Then on the second day, she brought this bag of cash. At the sight of the paper bag, Waynes face darkened. Does she want to make a clean break with me so much? At this time, Matthew pulled the hem of his clothes, looking aggrieved and flustered. Wayne said impatiently, Didnt you see the room has been empty? She has left. Its no use pulling my clothes., . Hearing that, Matthew pouted and then burst into tears. Seeing this, Henry and the maids were at a loss. They took turns tofort him but it was in vain. Wayne was both angry and distressed. He raised her voice and said, Is she so good? Shes not your mother. Why do you like her so much? Matthew kept sobbing and couldnt utter a word. Henry quickly asked the maids to take Matthew back to his room and then he persuaded Wayne, Mr. Wright, dont be angry. When Miss Gabriel came back, I could see that something was weighing on her mind. I dont know what happened to her. Didnt she enjoy herself when she was in the Maldives? At the mention of this, Wayne frowned more tightly and thought. There was nothing wrong with her when she was in the Maldives except for the day before she came back. She looked fine on the beach in the afternoon but looked absentCminded at dinner. Scott said that she had something to deal with at home. Did anything happen to her family? Henry, where does the president of Gabriel Group Frank live? Henry was stunned for a second and then answered at once, He seems to live at Lotus +50 Points Chapter 89 Make a Clean Bre Community. In a luxuriously decorated house that was worth more than ten million dors, a maid put down a cup of coffee on the table and said indifferently, Miss Anna, have some coffee. When she was about to walk away with the tray, Anna stopped her and asked with a frown. Why hasnt my unclee back yet? The maid gave her a lukewarm look and said, Mr. Miller is very busy. He usually deals with the cases in the Court at this time of day and doesnt have time toe back. Anna reminded her, Today is Sunday. So what? He always has social engagements on Sundays. Miss Anna, you can wait as long as you want. Maybe Mr. Miller wille back for dinner today, the maid said and walked away without looking at Anna. Anna took a deep breath with mixed feelings. She was only five years old when her grandfather died. When she went back to the Gabriel family, her auntCinw sent all her belongings to the Gabriels House without hesitation, wishing that they would never contact each other again. It was the first time that Anna had been here since she left this ce many years ago. If it werent for the custody of her children, she wouldnt havee back to ask for the heritage left by her mother. After a long time, there was a rustling sound from the second floor, and someone came downstairs. Anna looked in the direction of the stairs and felt nervous. After a few seconds, the sound of footsteps stopped. In the middle of the stairs, Annas auntCinw, who was in her fifties and a little chubby, looked down at her with her sharp eyes full of indifference. With a mean look, she said with sarcasm, Oh, I was wondering whos so annoying and disturbed me. It turns out to be you. You havent been back for almost twenty years. I have thought that I would never have the chance to see you. Anna clenched her fists nervously and said in a hoarse voice, Auntie Selina, sorry to disturb you. I didnt know you were at home. Anna had been here for more than half an hour, and the maids went upstairs from time to time. If it werent for that she insisted on staying here and waiting for her uncle, her auntCinw wouldnt havee downstairs to see her. Im napping just now. The maid went upstairs and woke me up. I hate to be disturbed when sleeping. Selina said with a displeased look. Feeling embarrassed, Anna didnt know what to say. Selina was born in a family of diplomats and was powerful in the political circle of the capital. In the past, her family provided much help for Annas uncle in his career, so she always condescended to Annas uncle. MUL Chapter 89 Make a Clean Rie Anna had been afraid of Selina since she was a child. Although she had grown up, she was still nervous when facing Selina, Have a seat Selima went downstairs and sat down in front of her with an indifferent expression, she came straight to the point and said, What do youe here for? Anna hesitated for a moment and said, Id beller wait for my uncle toe back and talk to him. Are you sure? Then you may wait in vain. I dont know when he wille back. Maybe he wonte back today. Selina said. Hearing this, Anna clenched theer of her clothes, thought for a moment, and said, I came here to take back the legacy that my mother left to me. I dont want anything else but that house. No wonder you suddenly came back. It turns out that youre here for money, Selina said with a sneer. Then she snorted and continued, Your mother left the Gabriel family without a penny and died after she gave birth to you. Who told you that she left a legacy to you? When Anna heard this, her face turned pale and she said hesitantly, Grandpa told me about that. Although I was young before, Grandpa had told me about it many times, so I remember clearly about what my mother has left to me. Back then, although Annas mother didnt take away anything when she left the Gabriel family, she still had a lot of assets under her name and part of them were given by Annas grandparents Really? Ive never heard about it. When you left here, you were only five years old. How is it possible that you still remember it clearly? Besides, Frank borrowed a lot of money from your grandfather before when hispany had a cash flow problem. And your mother also gave him almost all her money to help him run his newly startedpany. How is it possible that your mother left any legacy to you? Stop daydreaming! Selina said coldly. Annas face turned ghastly pale. She bit her lower lip hard and gritted her teeth, trying to hold back her anger. After a few seconds, she clenched her fists and said, Auntie Selina, if my memory serves me right, Grandpa told me that the house was in my name. I dont have the property ownership certificate now. But if you dont believe me, we can go to the Administration of Housing to check it out. As soon as Anna finished her words, Selinas face changed and she said snappishly, What do you mean? You mean Ive pocketed your property? Since you also dont believe me, you can go to the Court and sue me. Lets see if your uncle will file a case for you! Annas heart sank when she heard this. Her uncle was the president of the Court of Birmingham. Even if she wanted to sue Selina, her uncle wouldnt help her. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Mr. Miller is back. A maids voice came from outside, Then a tall man in a suit came into the house from the yard. He was in his fifties, looking very dignified and imposing. When the man entered the house and saw Anna, he suddenly stopped his steps with a stunned look. Staring nkly at Anna, he whispered in a barely audible voice, Marina Anna stood up immediately and greeted in a low voice, Hi, Uncle Joe Hearing that, Joe came back to earth but then was stunned again. He gazed at Anna for a moment and said happily, Anna, its you. Youve grown up. I heard that you went abroad a few years ago. When did youe back? Joes attitude made Anna feel better. She answered, Ive been back for several months and have been busy with my work. Youve found a job? What do you do? Joe asked. I work at Carousel Hotel now, Anna answered honestly. Its quite good, Joe nodded and said with a smile. He was very d to see Anna. I havent seen you for more than ten years. When I saw you just now, I thought you were your mother. Stay here for dinner. Tell me what you like to eat and Ill let the cook prepare it. Shes not here to have dinner with you. Before Anna could say anything, Selina interrupted Joe in a sharp voice, Your niece came back to ask for her mothers legacy. If it werent for the legacy, she wouldnt havee here. Do you think she specially came here to visit you? Legacy? Joe was slightly surprised. Anna bit her lower lip and didnt say anything. Seeing that she was silent, Joe understood everything. He took a look at Selina and asked Anna, You are here for the legacy? Yes. Anna had to admit it. Theres no soCcalled legacy at all. Even if there is, the money has run out. After she was born, she lived in our house and the money was all spent on her as living expenses, Selina said impatiently, ncing at Joe with an unhappy look The atmosphere became awkward. After a while, Joe said in a deep voice, Anna, Ill handle it. You may go back first. Hearing this, Anna smiled with selfCmockery and left angrily. I shouldnt havee here today. Why did I think they would help me? Its so ridiculous. She still remembered that after her grandfather passed away, Selina called her a jinx, drove her out of here, and couldnt wait to send all her belongings to the Gabriels House to break off with her. After Anna left, Joe sat down on the sofa with his hands on his knees and said, You didnt spend even a penny of her mothers legacy. Why did you say those words to Anna deliberately? What if she hates you because of this? 50 Points Chapter 90 He Is A Terrible P. I dont care. And the one she should hate is not me but Frank, Selina said with a hint of hatred on her face. Back then, Marin was too cowardly. She devoted all she had to Frank, but what did she get in return? She lost everything and died while Frank remarried and live a better life. Its unfair. Anna is always smart but sometimes she is as brainless as her mother. Since she isck of money, she should ask her father for money instead ofing to us. I saw Frank several days ago and he mentioned Marina when we talked I could see that he felt guilty for what he has done to her, Joe said. He still had the nerve to mention Marina? Selina gritted her teeth and said, Even if hes guilty, Marina wonte back to life. I sent Anna back to the Gabriel family just to let him see Anna every day so that he can remember that Marina died because of him. I want to make him live in guilt all his life. Hearing this, Joe sighed heavily and didnt say anything more. Before Marina passed away, the only one she worried about was Anna. But now Anna doesnt seem to be living a good life. If Marina knew this in heaven, she would be sad. he thought helplessly After leaving Millers House, Anna took a taxi and went back to Peaces apartment. When she arrived, Peace, who heard the door open, came from the bedroom with a facial mask and asked, How is it going? Have you got the house back? Last night, when she came back from a business trip, she helped Anna move and didnt go to sleep until after midnight. At this moment, she was still sleepy. Hearing her question, Anna shook her head and sighed helplessly. Peace took a cucumber from the fridge, took a bite of it, and said, You are so unlucky. The vi that your father gave you was upied by Allies toyboy, and the house that your mother left to you was upied by your auntCinw. Stop it. Its so annoying. Anna sighed and said with her head lowered. I just want a house. Why is it so difficult? You can live here as long as you want. I will support you all my life as long as you cook for me, Peace joked and sat down beside Anna. Why are you in such a hurry to get the houses back? Anna frowned and said, Im afraid that if I dont have a house, the Court will think that I dont have the ability to raise my child. The Court? Peace was stunned, Who are you going to sue? Is there anyone who wants to take Tammy away from you? Its not Tammy. Anna said and raised her head slowly. After hesitating for a long time, she decided to tell Peace about Matthews identity. The jewelry store called me two days ago and said that they had found the owner of the ne. The owner of the ne? Peace recalled the ne at once and asked, You mean you know whos Tammys father? Then you will find your son soon, right?. Anna nodded and said with a helpless look, But do you know who Tammys father is? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. 213 50 Points Chapter 90 He Is A Terrible P Hearing this, Peace tensed and felt something wrong. Who is it? Wayne, Anna said. After she said that, there was a long silence in the living room. Peace stared at Anna dumbfounded. After confirming that Anna was not joking, she eximed, Oh, my God! It must be fate! Anna frowned. Why do you show such an expression? Isnt it good? You are the biological mother of Waynes children. Seize the opportunity and marry him and then you will be the hostess of the Wright family! Why do you want to go to court to fight for the custody of your children? Are you out of your mind? Peace said as she became more and more excited. However, hearing her words, Anna felt more and more upset and couldnt help interrupting her, Stop it, Peace. Dont make fun of me. Im not in the mood. Whats wrong with you? I cant be with Wayne, Anna said. Peace was confused and asked, Why? Annas face darkened and she said, If it werent for him, I wouldnt have got pregnant when I was in college. To keep Tammy from being taken away, I had to go abroad in a hurry and couldnt even finish college. Because of Wayne, my life had totally changed. He took advantage of his power and took away my son from me but had never thought of the influence of what he has done on a girl who was under twenty years old. Hes a terrible person. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Anna had always hated the man who changed her life and took her child away from her six years ago. Therefore, since she knew that Wayne was that man, her good impression of him and her feelings for him faded away. Seeing Annas darkened face, Peace knew that she was serious and she also couldnt help frowning. After thinking for a while, she thought of something and her eyes brightened. Anna, theres another way to get your son back to you, she said. What is it? Anna asked. Ask Jasper for help. You are still his nominal wife. How about asking him for help? At the mention of Jasper, Anna was stunned and her expression froze. After pondering for a while, she shook her head and said, Id better not do that. I dont want to bother him. ive troubled him a lot when I was abroad in the past few years. Now that Ivee back, / shouldnt bother him anymore. Peace, who knew that she couldnt persuade Anna, signed and said helplessly, All right. Then she patted Anna on the shoulder and said, Anna, no matter what happens, Ill be always with you. Let me know if you need my help. Hearing this, Anna was moved and felt less depressed. She looked at Peace with gratitude and said with a smile, Thank you, Peace. Dont worry about me. By the way, why did you share so many photos on social media tforms recently? Are you in love? At the mention of this, Peace looked away uneasily and said, No, Im not. Well, I just remembered that I have to send an email. Im going back to my room. After saying that, she walked back to her room quickly. Looking at her back, Anna smiled helplessly. Three dayster, Scott came back to Birmingham with Tammy. To avoid Scotts fans, they left the airport terminal through the VIP passage. Anna went to pick them up and waited for them at the exit of the airport. Mommy! Tammy rushed to Anna happily as soon as she saw Anna. Did you have a good time, Tammy? Anna asked with a smile. The moment she saw Tammy, her depression in the past few days faded away. Yes! Im so happy! Tammy said, then wrapped her arms around Annas neck and kissed her on the cheek. Mommy, why did youe back in advance? Did you make an appointment with Uncle Wayne and Matthew? You all left without me. Hearing that, Anna was confused. Did they alsoe back in advance? Herees the car. Lets go, Scott cleared his throat and changed the topic. The shooting of the first episode of the variety show waspleted. To celebrate it, Enlight Media would hold a celebration party in the evening. All the artists, the guests, and the crew of the program would attend it. And as Tammys +50 Points Chapter 91 How about Askin guardian, Anna was also invited. The celebration party was not a formal air so everyone dressed casually and the atmosphere was rxing and lively. Anna ate and drank with Tammy, feeling rather rxed, In the middle of the party, the director of the program took Tammy to the other side of the hall and introduced Tammy to the others. Tammy was extrovert and talkative. At this time, she was talking with others with a bright smile on her beautiful and childish face. Anna kept watching Tammy quietly in a distance with a smile. Somehow, the more she looked at Tammy, the more she found that Tammy looked like Wayne. Such a thought made her panic and she immediately took a sip of water to calm herself down. Anna. Suddenly, Wayne called her with his deep voice. Anna stiffened when hearing the familiar voice and her heart jolted. Subconsciously, she held her ss tightly. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Wayne, in a straight ck suit, walked to her side and also looked at Tammy in the distance. With one hand holding a ss of wine and the other hand in his trouser pocket, he asked, Why did youe back from the Maldives in advance? I have something to deal with at home, Anna said, feeling a little nervous. Since she knew the truth, she had always felt a sense of repulsion when thinking about Wayne as if her nature of selfCprotection made her want to stay away from him. You came back in advance because of moving house or me? Wayne asked. Anna frowned, not knowing what he meant. Wayne took a sip of wine and asked calmly, Or is it because of me that you have to move? Annas heart skipped a beat when she heard this. What does he mean? Has he known everything? she thought nervously. Ive heard that you are living at Peaces ce temporarily and have been busy finding a new ce to live recently. Is that true? Anna breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. Yes. I cant live at your ce all the time. Do you need my help? Wayne asked. Hearing this, Anna was surprised. She had thought that he would ask her to move back to his house. Then she shook her head and said, No, thanks. I can handle it myself. How do I dare to ask him for help? If he knows that I want to get the house back to fight against him for the custody of the children, the consequences would be too ghastly to contemte. Anna refused Wayne so decisively that the repulsion in her tone attracted Waynes attention. Wayne turned his head to look at her with burning eyes and asked, Is something bothering you? 450 Poinde Chapter 91 How about Ask?n Anna looked at him with both confusion and surprise in her eyes, almost thinking that she had misheard Wayne frowned and regretted asking her the question For a moment, the atmosphere between them suddenly became awkward and they fell into silence. After a while, Scott waved his hand to Anna and walked toward her with a bright smile. He was in beige cks and a light blue TCshirt. When he came over, he handed a ss of juice to Anna and said, Anna, they are going to the karaoke barter. Will you go with them? Karaoke? No, Anna shook her head immediately and said, Tammy is with me. Its not appropriate to take her there. Waynes serious expression softened when he heard her answer. After taking a nce at Wayne, Scott blinked his eyes at Anna and said with a nod, I think so too. Ill drive you home after the party. Okay, Anna said smilingly. Seeing her smile at Scott, Wayne clenched his ss tightly and his face gradually darkened. The next morning, after Anna sent Tammy to kindergarten, she went to work. This day was the first day that she had worked as a regr employee at Carousel Hotel. While changing her employee ID card, she had mixed feelings. Previously, she had been working hard, wishing to be a regr employee here. Now her wish finally came true but she was not happy. Thinking of what might happen between Wayne and her in the future, she thought that she shouldnt continue to work at Carousel Hotel and should find a new job as soon as possible. Since she began to work in the hotel, everything went well with her work and she seldom met Wayne during working hours. But she still felt awkward thinking about working at the samepany with him. At noon, John came to her office. Miss Gabriel, today is the first day you work as a regr employee in our hotel. The hotel will hold a party in the evening to celebrate for you. Im here to confirm if you are free tonight. When Anna was hesitating about it, her phone suddenly rang. When she saw the caller ID), she answered the phone immediately. Hi, this is Anna. What? Annas face turned pale in an instant. Ill be right there! The next moment, she rushed out anxiously with her handbag. Miss Gabriel, what happened? John asked. Before he finished his words, Anna had been out of sight. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 After leaving the hotel, Anna went to Blue Castle Kindergarten in a hurry The school was about to be over. There were many luxury cars as well as butlers and maids at the gate of the kindergarten. When Anna forged through the crowd, she saw Eleanor who had been waiting for her at the gate for a long time. Eleanor then quickly took her into the kindergarten. How is Tammy now? Anna asked anxiously Shes better now. Fortunately, Tammy received timely treatment and didnt suffer from shock. But she was not in a good condition before, so I called you, Eleanor said, Then the two of them rushed to the infirmary all the way. The moment Anna saw Tammy, tears welled up in her eyes. She stood at the bedside at a loss and asked, Tammy, are you feeling better? Lying on the bed, Tammy looked a little haggard and was not as lively as before. And there were bruises on her forehead. Not to let Anna worry about her, she forced a smile and said, Mommy, Im fine. Hearing that, Anna held her hand gently with a lump in her throat. She felt distressed when seeing Tammys pitiful look but still couldnt help ming her, You promised me that you would be obedient and wouldnt make trouble at kindergarten. Have you forgotten that? Tammy felt aggrieved and said, I didnt do anything wrong, Mommy. While they were talking, Dr. Turturro came in and asked, Miss, are you Tammys mother? Yes, I am, Anna turned around and replied to her. Dr. Turturro was a grayChaired old woman. She was wearing ab coat and a pair of sses with gold wire frames, looking quite amiable. Hearing Annas reply, she motioned Anna toe out with her, and then Anna quickly stood up and followed her out. Dr. Turturro, is there anything wrong with Tammy? I have viewed her previous case report. Her asthma is congenital, and her fits are now controlled by drugs. But longCterm drug treatments can cause drug addiction and its not good for her health. So I suggest that you consider acupuncture treatment. Can she be cured with this method? If possible, we are willing to have a try. Anna said. A course of acupuncture will take a long time. And once it starts, it bears no interruption. Ill talk to you about itter. You may deal with the other things first. Dr. Turturro said gently. Her words reminded Anna of the bruises on Tammys forehead. The bruises were obviously not caused by asthma. Besides, Tammy hasnt had an attack of asthma for a long time. It must have been triggered by mood swing. Did she fught with others? she thought. 50 Points Chapter 92 Little Kid with Evi Then she remembered that Eleanor had asked her to the teachers office just now. Thinking of this, she said thanks to Dr. Turturro and went back to the infirmary in a hurry. After asking Tammy about what had happened, she went to Eleanors office, In the office, a woman was holding her sons hand and talking with Eleanor. Her sons face was ck and blue. As soon as Anna entered the office, she heard the woman speak in an arrogant tone, How could you recruit such a child? Can you afford topensate us if Lucas is seriously hurt by her? Eleanor said with an embarrassed smile, Dont be angry, Mrs. Primo. Theres a reason that Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. I dont want to listen to any exnation! the woman called Mrs. Primo said snappishly before Eleanor could finish her words. Anna knocked on the door gently, interrupting the conversation. Seeing Anna, Eleanor immediately stood up and said, Miss Gabriel, this is Mrs. Primo and this is her son Lucas. Mrs. Primo, this is Tammys mother. Mrs. Primo nced at Anna and said, You are havent I seen you before? Are you a local of Birmingham? Anna frowned and thought, Why does she ask if Im a local? Despite her confusion, she nodded and said, Yes, I am a local. Mrs. Primo then said with a sneer, You are a local? I heard that you are merely a hotel manager. Anna nodded speechlessly again. As an ordinary hotel manager, you must have done some indecent deeds to get the admission qualification for your daughter, right? Mrs. Primo said with heavy irony and a mean look. And her sharp voice made Annas ears hurt. Clenching her fists, Anna retorted, Mrs. Primo, watch your mouth. I know that Tammy was wrong and she shouldnt have fought with your son. But how could you nder me like that? Im indeed an ordinary hotel manager. So what? Why cant my child study here? You know the reason. Ive seen many youngdies like Annas face darkened when she heard this. She didnt bother to argue with Mrs. Prim and said with gritted teeth, Letse straight to the point. Just tell me what you want. Ill bear your sons medical fee. And you can also im for mental damagepensation. You want to settle this matter with money? Mrs. Primo sneered and said as if she had heard something ridiculous. Do you think Im short of money? I dont want your money. I just want you and your daughter to apologize to Lucas. And your daughter must drop out. Dont let me see her anymore. Hearing that, Anna looked at her in disbelief. Tammy did make a mistake but it is excusable. How could you ask Tammy to drop out? Youre so unreasonable! 50 Points Chapter 92 Little Kid with Evi No way. Anna calmed herself down and said with a darkened face. I dont think this matter is that serious. My sons face was scratched and beaten by your daughter but you said it was not serious? Ill let you see how serious it is now! Mrs. Primo said angrily. Then she nced at Eleanor who didnt dare to speak, and said arrogantly, If that girl doesnt get kicked out, the Primo Group will disinvest from the kindergarten. You are in charge of the kindergarten and should know how important the Primo Group is to the kindergarten. I believe youll know what to do. Eleanors face turned pale immediately. Standing aside, Anna clenched her fists with great anger, wishing she could beat Mrs. Primo. If the Primo Group disinvests from the kindergarten, I will double my investment in the kindergarten this year. Waynes low and deep voice came from the door all of a sudden, breaking the stalemate in the office. Then he took Matthews hand and walked into the office, staring at Mrs. Primo with his chin raised slightly and his eyes full of coldness. Mrs. Primo, I dont think that the Primo Groups investment is enough to have any influence on the kindergarten, he said. Mr. Wright, what What are you doing here? Mrs. Primo was stunned when she saw Wayne. I heard that my son made trouble in the kindergarten, so Im here to see what happened. After all, Im his father. I should apologize for his mistake, Wayne said. Make trouble? With a ttering smile, Mrs. Primo said, Your son is obedient and wellCbehaved. How is it possible that he causes any trouble? Hearing that, Matthew raised his head and red at her. Then he snuggled up to Anna. Mrs. Primo, youve been here for a long time. Dont you know why your son was beaten today yet? Wayne said and stared at her coldly. Your son said that Matthew was abandoned by his mother because she hated him. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Previously, it was just his guess that Anna was alienating herself from him. But at this moment, he was sure about it ording to Annas behavior. Matthew struggled in Waynes arms and even patted his face, both angry and anxious. The next moment, Wayne grabbed his little hands and said expressionlessly, She has her own child and doesnt care about you. Its meaningless for you to follow her. Lets go home now. After saying that, he held Matthew tightly in his arms and walked towards the school gate regardless of Matthews sobs. In the infirmary, after Dr. Turturro told Anna the dos and donts for taking care of an asthmatic. After that, Anna left with Tammy in her arms. When the two of them came out of the kindergarten, they saw Scott waving at them on the other side of the road. Im here, Anna! It was very hot this day but Scott was wearing a gray coat, sunsses, and a cap, which made him more conspicuous. Seeing him wave at them, Anna was speechless When she got into the car, she said, Why did you get out of the car? Arent you afraid that others would recognize you? Scott fastened his seat belt as he said, There are so you couldnt find me. Dont worry. Ive disguised myself and no one will recognize me. Seeing him dress up like this, Anna was more speechless. Scott then held Tammys hand and asked gently, Poor Tammy, you must feel ufortable now. Curled up in the child seat, Tammy answered in a muffled voice, No, Im fine. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. You are pretending to be fine. Your mom is also like this, Scott said. As soon as he finished his words, Anna patted him on the head and red at him, home now. If it werent for that Peace was busy, I wouldnt have let youe to pick us up. Scott then started the car and drove away slowly. In the ck MPV not far away, Wayne watched the car with sharp eyes until it was out of sight It was so quiet in the car. Holding the steering wheel, the driver from the rearview mirror and couldnt help shivering. Ah Seeing Scotts car driven away, Matthew let out a hoarse cry in dissatisfaction and kicked Waynes knee. Wayne nced at him coldly and said, As you can see, she has her own life and cant stay with you every day. No matter how angry you are, its meaningless. Even if you want a mother, it wont be her. Matthew seldom heard Wayne say such harsh words to him and was both shocked and angry. The next moment, he burst into tears. Drive us home now, Wayne ordered the driver coldly, ignoring Matthews cry. Just now, when he saw Anna get into Scotts car, he felt inexplicably irritable. He had never Chapter 93 Biological Father 30 Point had such a feeling before and didnt know why he was like this. It waste at night. Tammy nestled in Annas arms and asked, Mommy, I havent seen Uncle Wayne for a long time. What happened between the two of you? Hearing this, Anna was stunned. You seem to like him very much, right? Uncle Wayne is handsome and rich. Mommy, if you marry him, you will live a very happy life in the future. I have never thought about marrying him, Anna said, frowning with a gloomy expression. Then she suddenly thought of something and asked, Tammy, if one day you have to choose to live with Uncle Wayne or me, who will you choose? Hearing that, Tammy raised her head and asked with an innocent look, Cant I have the two of you with me? If you marry Uncle Wayne, then Matthew will be my brother! That will be great. What if Uncle Wayne is your biological father? If he wants to take you away from me, will you go with him? Uncle Wayne is my biological father? Tammy was stunned for a second and then suddenly became excited. Mommy, is he my daddy? Its just an assumption. If hes your dad, who will you choose? Anna asked. Of course I will choose you! Tammy answered without hesitation. But then she asked in confusion, But Mommy, if Uncle Wayne is my daddy, shouldnt you two be together? Anna was gratified by Tammys choice and held her more tightly. But at the same time, she felt a little helpless. Without answering Tammys answer, she said, Its time to go to bed, Tammy Well have to get up early and go to your grandfathers ce tomorrow. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The next day, Anna took Tammy back to Gabriels House with some health care products, When they got there, Harriet weed them warmly Frank had told her that Anna woulde back with Tammy so she cooked a lot of dishes for them. Miss Anna, wee back. Mr. Gabriel just asked me when you would arrive. Hes been waiting for you the whole morning. Harriet beamed. When she saw Tammy, she said with her eyes brightening with joy, Hi, Tammy! Tammy, this is Granny Harriet. Say hello to her, Anna introduced Harriet to Tammy Hi, Granny Harriet. Nice to meet you, Tammy said with a smile. Seeing her so cute and sweet, Harriet grinned from ear to ear. She was so excited that she subconsciously raised her voice and said loudly in the direction of the study, Mr. Gabriel, Miss Anna hase back with Tammy! Soon, the door of the study on the second floor was opened. Frank went out of the study and couldnt help quickening his pace whening downstairs. Anna, youre back, he said full of joy. When seeing Tammy holding Annas hand with a cute look, he felt a little nervous. Anna walked forward to Frank with Tammy and introduced them to each other, Dad, this is Tammy Tammy, this is your Grandpa. Tammy looked Frank up and down for a while and then said in a sweet voice, Grandpa is different from what I imagined. Different? Whats the difference? Frank asked nervously.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Tammy tilted her head and said, In my imagination, Grandpa should be very old and has much gray hair. Hearing this, Harriet and the other maids were amused andughed. Frank breathed a sigh of relief and smiled helplessly while gazing lovingly at Tammy. Then he bent over, took Tammys hand, and said, Im indeed very old, but Im not that old to have gray hair. But I will have much gray hair in the future. I dont want you to have gray hair, Tammy shook her head and said, Mommy said people with gray hair are old. When people get old, they may not be healthy as before and have no appetite to eat delicious food. What do you like to eat? Frank asked smilingly. I like to eat many kinds of foods. But my favorite is dessert! Tammy answered. I see. Ill ask Harriet to prepare desserts for you. Really? Really. Hearing Frank subconsciously speak with the same childish tone as Tammy, Anna suddenly Chapter 94 No Other Purpose thought of the past. When she came back to the Gabriel family, she was about Tammys age. At that time, Frank always talked to her in such a childish tone too. Anna used to get along well with Frank after she came back Butter, she found that Shirley and Allie would be jealous of her when she got closed to Frank. Therefore, out of selfCprotection, Anna talked less and less at home and didnt dare to be intimate with Frank However, Shirley was still dissatisfied and said that Anna was cold and ungrateful. The lunch is ready. You may talk while eating, Harriet asked them to sit down and have lunch. When she looked at Tammy, her eyes filled with tears of joy. Anna looked around and asked in confusion, Just us? She hadnt seen Shirley and Allie since she came. Shirley went back to her parents ce with Allie, Frank said tonelessly. Somehow, when mentioning Allie and Shirley, he looked a little helpless and tired. Whats the matter with you, Dad? Are you okay? Anna asked. Im all right. Dont worry. Well, lets have lunch, Frank said and put Annas favorite food in front of her. Have you found the key to the house in Golden Ocean Community? Do you need me to arrange someone to help you move house? Id better ask someone to clean it before you move By the way, the house has been vacant since I bought it. Ill buy some furniture for you. Thank you, Dad. But Ill handle everything myself, Anna said. Thinking of the house, she frowned. She had nned to tell Frank that Allie upied her house and kept a toyboy there. But seeing Frank in poor health, she gave up the thought because she didnt want Frank to get angry. After all, anger was also bad for his health. Forget it. Theres no need to tell Dad about it. Anyway, the house is under my name. Id better get it back by herself. Dad, I came back with Tammy just to visit you. I have no other purpose, Anna said, indicating that she didnt want to ask him for anything. I wish you could ask me for what you want. I know that youve suffered from many grievances these years. I didnt take good care of you, Frank said. With mixed feelings, Anna shook her head and said, Dad, Ive been fine these years. Frank then interrupted her with a wave of his hand. You dont need tofort me. Look Tammy is five years old now. If you really believed that I could take good care of you, you wouldnt have gone abroad six years ago without telling me what happened. Speaking of this, Anna frowned more tightly. Six years ago, she was mistakenly taken to Waynes rooin and became a surrogacy mother. But somehow, she always felt that there was someone behind it making this happen. She had no intention of telling Frank about it and then changed the topic. Tammy was happy to see Frank today. Therefore, Anna decided to let her spend more time with Frank. After lunch, Frank took Tammy to the study and yed with her. Harriet then arranged for the others to clean up the table. After that, Anna pulled her to the Chapter 94 No Other Purpose living room and they sat down on the sofa to have a chat. If Mrs. Gabriel were alive, she would be d when knowing that you have such a beautiful and lovely daughter, Harriet said. Just as she finished her words, they heard the sound of a car from the yard. After the car door was closed rudely, the sound of highCheeled shoes stepping on the steps was heard. Soon, Anna heard Allies arrogant voiceing from the gate. Where is everyone? Get my belongings out of the car quickly. Allie, keep your voice down. Your father is probably taking a nap. Dont wake him up, Shirley said in a gentler voice. He wont Before Allie could finish her words, she saw Anna sitting in the living room and her face changed. What are you doing here? she asked. Anna stood up calmly and said, This is also my home. Why are you so surprised when seeing me at home? Hearing this, Allie clenched her fists and snapped, You actually have the nerve to say this is your home! Have you ever been here since you came back from abroad? What did you suddenlye back for? Asking Dad for money? Or you were dumped by Wayne and became homeless so you can only come back? Watch your mouth, Allie. Im just here to visit Dad, Anna said. Visit dad? Allie said with a sneer. Then she looked behind Anna and said Why didnt you bring your daughter back with you? Humph. If Dad knows you have an illegitimate child, hell be pissed off! Hearing this, Anna wasnt surprised that Allie knew the existence of Tammy. She knew that Allie must have made an investigation on her when she came back from abroad. At this time, Frank opened the door of the study and walked out. Standing on the stairs, he said unhappily, Allie, why are you shouting? What are you doing? Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Allie said indignantly, Dad, Im not shouting. I just think that Anna came back with no good intentions. Dont be deceived by her. She is your younger sister, Frank said with a frown. She hasnte back for so many years. Why do you treat her like this when seeing her? Whats your problem? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. I dont have such a shameless sister! Allie said with a sly smile with her arms folded Dad, you may not know what shameful thing she has done. Six years ago, she said that she went abroad for further study. But actually, she went abroad because she was pregnant. She gave birth to a child before marriage and hid it from us. She even doesnt know who her childs father is. Allie and Shirley believed that Frank would get furious when he knew that Anna had an illegitimate child. Shirley, who was hypocritical, persuaded Frank, Frank, dont be angry with Anna. She was still young at that time and might not dare to tell you about it. Dont me her and just let it go. Hearing that, Anna didnt say anything but just sneered with her eyes full of contempt and irony Grandpa! Suddenly, Tammys childish voice broke the awkward atmosphere and extinguished the hope of Allie and Shirley. Tammy came out of the study with Franks most precious antique pipe and rubbed her eyes with a drowsy look. Grandpa, I want to eat cake. When Frank saw her, his serious expression immediately softened. He bent down, picked up Tammy, and went downstairs as he said, Okay. Lets go eat cakes. Then he took Tammy to the kitchen. Although he didnt respond to Allies words, what he did had shown his attitude and was undoubtedly a p in the faces of Allie and Shirley. Allie couldnt believe what she had seen and her face turned livid with anger. Later, when Anna left, Allie gritted her teeth and said, What did you do to make Dad ept your bastard? Allie, watch your mouth, Anna said, staring at her coldly. Then she lowered her voice and said, Think about what you have done. You keep a toyboy and upied my house. What do you think Dad will do if I tell him about it? In an instant, Allies face turned pale and she couldnt say a word, Anna, who didnt bother to talk to her anymore, got into the taxi calmly and said to the driver, Lets go, sir. Then the car was driven away. Standing at the gate of the vi, Allie clenched her fists and stared at the taxi with a darkened face, her nails sinking into her palm. 50 Points 50 Points Chapter 95 You Leave Me No At the same time, in the vi, Shirley went upstairs with a cup of coffee. When she got to the door of the study, she happened to hear Frank talking on the phone. Mr. Wood, Im putting you in charge. The stock right transfer may real estate can be finished soon, Frank said on the phone. Yes, Ill transfer all of them to my granddaughter. If I transfer them to Anna, she may not ept them. Outside the door, Shirleys hand trembled slightly when heard his words. After hesitating for several seconds, she threw a pill into the coffee. As the pill melted in the coffee, a vicious and cruel look appeared in her eyes. Frank, you leave me no choice. In the middle of the night, Anna heard the vague voice of a man and a woman outside her room. In confusion, she slightly opened the door of her room to see what was going on. When she saw Peace and Karl having s*x passionately, she was dumbfounded. Then she quickly closed her eyes and closed the door. The noise in the living room was hard to ignore. As a result, she didnt sleep well the whole night. Thanawa The next morning. Anna was preparing breakfast in front of the table when the door of Peaces room was opened. Then she sighed helplessly. Wow, I like fruit pie. As if nothing had happened, Peace came out of her room in her slippers and sat down at the table. Then she picked up a pie and began to eat happily Sitting opposite her, Anna said with her arms folded, Arent you going to exin what happenedst night? I saw Karl just now when he came out of your room. He looked so embarrassed and even blushed. Ive never seen him like this before. When Peace heard Annas words, her face froze and her chewing pace was obviously slowed down. Its just a oneCnight stand. We were drunkst night. Just a oneCnight stand? Anna said in a meaningful tone. Its good that you dont take it seriously I dont know what kind of person Karlis. But it is said that he is the heartthrob of the Carousel Group and has countless girlfriends all over Birmingham. Im worried that he will make you unhappy if you are really with him. Countless girlfriends all over Birmingham? Peace frowned and looked a little depressed. Anna was amused by her expression. Then she pretended to be serious and said, Yes. He almost chatted up nine out of ten female employees in thepany. And he has the title of Nightclub King. All the nightclubs in Birmingham regard him as their super VIP. The next moment, the egg in Peaces hand was crumbled, and her face was darkened. Ahem. Anna pretended not to see that and she said in the direction of her bedroom, Tammy, hurry up. Come and have breakfast quickly or youll bete. Since Peace came back from her business tripst time, she had always mentioned Karl Chapter 95 You Leave Me No when talking with Anna. Therefore, Anna had already known that Peace and Karl were together before. It was easy to start a new rtionship but difficult to stay rational in it. Anna was reminding Peace that Karl had many qualities that Peace might not be able to ept and that only when the two of them could ept each other could they keep a stable and longsting rtionship This day was thest day of the month. After sending Tammy to the kindergarten, Anna rushed to the headquarters of Carousel Group to attend a meeting As soon as she arrived at the hall of Carousel Group, a man in casual clothes called her. Miss Gabriel! Anna turned around and then recognized that the man was the producer of Travel with My Idol. The producer was called Owen and was in his thirties. With a gentle smile, he said to Anna, What a coincidence. I was just thinking about you. May I have a word with you? I have something to talk about with you. What is it about? Anna asked in confusion. The trailer of Travel with My Idol has been broadcast and we got a lot of positive feedbacks. So I applied to the senior executives of ourpany for turning the show into a longCterm program. Will you consider letting Tammy sign up with us as the longCterm guest of our program? A longCterm guest? Anna immediately shook her head and said, Sorry, Ive never thought about it. I have to work and dont have much time to apany Tammy for the filming of the show. You dont need to worry about this, Owen said calmly. I know you are excellent and capable. If you want, we willmunicate with Mr. Wright about it and let him hire you as your daughters agent in Enlight Media. Then you will have more time to apany Tammy. Thank you, but I have no intention of working as an agent, Anna refused without hesitation Are you worried about the sry? Dont worry. Well provide you with higher wages and better working conditions, Owen said. No, no, no, I didnt mean that. I just dont want to change my job for the time being, Anna immediately said In the end, she declined Owen politely. However, Owen was still unwilling to give up and gave Anna his business card before leaving Call me at any time if you change your mind. Nowadays, many mothers work as their childrens agents. I think that Tammy has the potential to be a child star and I hope that she can sign up with us. You may reconsider my proposal, Miss Gabriel, he said. Looking at the business card in her hand, Anna nodded and smiled helplessly. Not far away, Wayne witnessed the interactions between Owen and Anna. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 The man that talked with Miss. Gabriel just now is Owen, a producer from Enlight Media, Gabe said and stood straight in front of Waynes desk uneasily. The shortCterm variety showunched by the Carousel Hotel and Enlight Media has already attracted a lot of attention. After the trailer was broadcast, the tag went viral in various social media tforms. The audience like Scott and Tammy very much and many people be their fans, so Enlight Media intended to sign up with Tammy as a child star. A child star? Wayne frowned. Yes. Owen came here today to discuss the new program n with the investment department. And he wants to persuade Miss Gabriel to join Enlight Media and work as Tammys agent. He thinks highly of Miss Gabriel. After all, without Miss Gabriels idea of the lucky draw, the program wouldnt exist. Hearing this, Wayne clenched his pen, looked up from the contract, and asked, Did she agree to join it? I I dont know, Gabe said. He couldnt help feeling nervous when talking to Wayne because Wayne had been unpredictable recently. Hearing his words, Wayne didnt say anything. After a while, Gabe reminded him, Mr. Wright, the meeting will start soon. The representatives from the hotels have been waiting for you. Carousel Hotel nned to develop a youth hotel chain that would form a product line with the tourism company of Carousel Group. Therefore, the representatives from the branches of Carousel Hotel came to the headquarters of Carousel Group to have a meeting and discuss it. Wayne put down his pen and said in a deep voice, Lets go. In the meeting room, there were a lot of people. Anna was a junior employee in thepany and she sat in the corner. Carousel Hotel is mainly engaged in the highCend hotel chain and has never developed a lowCend product line. If we want to develop a youth hotel chain, we should do detailed market research first, someone said. Hearing this, Wayne, who had been silent all the time, nodded and said, Market research is necessary. But most market researchpanies are not reliable, so I think we dont need to entrust the research to thosepanies. I suggest each branch send a representative to do field research. Anna, who was busy taking notes, didnt notice that Wayne was looking at her when he spoke. Miss Gabriel, after the centennial celebration, you seem to have not much work to do. Im putting you in charge. Is there any problem? Wayne said. Chapter 96 I Want to Be with *50 Points is, Annas face changed and she raised her head at once. Me? Do field research? Wayne didnt answer her. But from the serious look on Waynes face, she got the answer. Could you send someone else to do that? Anna asked. Doing the field research means that I will have to go to another city on a longCterm business trip. Tammy needs me and I have to take care of her every day. How is it possible that I go on a business trip in this case? Wayne knew her concerns but still asked with an indifferent look, Do you have any problem with it? You dont want to go on a business trip? Anna was speechless. Since they came back from the Maldives, she had met Wayne several times. But every time she saw him, she coldCshouldered him. And she knew that she had offended Wayne again. Forget it. Now no matter what I say to reject the task, he will satirize me. I have no problem. Ill take the task, Anna gritted her teeth and said, Hearing this, Wayne nced at her and regretted when seeing her worried look. After the meeting, the representatives left the meeting room. When Anna hurriedly went out of the meeting room, she happened to see Henry and Matthew walking toward her. When Matthew saw her, his eyes lit up with joy. He broke free from Henrys hand and ran to Anna. Anna squatted down and asked in surprise, Mathew, why didnt you go to school today? Matthew held her silently, looking very pitiful. Henry exined, Mr. Matthew is not well and always coughs these days, so Mr. Wright asked him to rest at home. He is much better today and doesnt want to stay at home so I brought him here. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. You cough? Anna touched Matthews forehead to see if he had a fever. Are you still ufortable? Matthew shook his head with an aggrieved look as if he was going to cry. What happened, Matthew? Did anyone bully you? Anna asked. Matthew nodded, turned around, and took his drawing board from Henry. Then he wrote the word Dad. Did your dad bully you? Anna asked in confusion. Matthew wrote a sentence. He doesnt let me see you. At the sight of these words, Anna felt a lump in her throat and wanted to cry. Matthew then wrote another sentence, held Annas hand, and showed it to her. I want to be with you. Seeing this, Anna felt more and more distressed. Mathew,e here. At this time, Waynes displeased voice came from behind. In an instant, Matthew grabbed Annas trousers tightly. Anna lowered her head, sniffed, and held back her tears, saying, Mathew, I have to go to 50 Pering 10 Points Chapter 96 I Want to Be with work. I cant y with you today. I will spend more time with you when I am free. With a stubborn look, Matthew shook his head and still grabbed her trousers tightly Wayne nced at Henry and said coldly, What are you doing? Take Mathew to my office. Henry had no choice but to take Matthews hand off Annas trousers and forcefully picked him up. Anna couldnt watch this anymore and almost couldnt hold back her tears so she stood up and left in a hurry Matthew struggled in Henrys arms and suddenly shouted in the direction of Anna, Mommy! It was the first time that Anna had heard Matthew speak. She stopped her steps at once and looked back in disbelief at Matthew who was crying and struggling in Henrys arms. She is not your mom! Wayne suddenly said in a cold voice and his words sent a chill to Annas heart. After Henry took Matthew back to Waynes office, Gabe dispersed the onlookers outside the meeting room and the corridor fell into silence. Wayne then walked toward Anna with a cold look. Mr. Wright. Anna lowered her head, trying to calm herself down. Anna, what on earth do you want to do? Wayne asked. Anna frowned and said, Mr. Wright, I dont understand what you mean. As soon as she finished speaking, Wayne grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against the wall. She stumbled and eximed when her back hit the wall. With a darkened face, Wayne said coldly, You refused me, but got close to my son and behaved as if you are his mother. Are you ying hard to get? Anna struggled but couldnt break free. Then she said with a frown, You are reading too much into it. I get close to Matthew just because hes adorable. Do you think I will believe such nonsense? Wayne said as he tightened his grip on her shoulders and stared at her with coldness in his eyes. If youre trying to use this trick to impress me with your importance in Mathews heart and make me feel I can only marry you, youd better give up now. I will never be at the mercy of anyone. Anna felt as if her shoulders were almost crushed by him and her face turned pale in pain. She frowned more tightly and said, You thought too much. I dont have any feelings for you and just take you as my boss. Mr. Wright, please behave yourself. Hearing that, Wayne was stunned and the words behave yourself echoed in his mind. The next moment, he boiled with rage, and the studied indifference in his eyes was reced with anger. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Ah! What are you doing? Anna eximed. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. When he loosened his grip on her shoulders, she had thought that Wayne would let her go. But to her surprise, before she could stand steadily, she was dragged back into the meeting room by him. The next moment, the door was mmed shut with a loud bang and she was pressed against the big conference table by Wayne. Anna stared at him with her face turning pale, feeling ashamed and angry. What do you want? You asked me to behave myself? Wayne said in a deep voice as he loosened his tie, pressed Annas wrists on both sides of her, and looked into her eyes with a darkened face. Did you always behave as if nothing had happened after you slept with men and then ask them to behave themseives when they wanted to get close to you? He didnt believe that Anna really didnt care about what had happened that night. Anna turned her face away to avoid his gaze and said angrily, If you still felt bothered because of what happened that night, I apologize. I shouldnt have made you misunderstand our rtionship. If you feel I have feelings for you, then I have to say it is just your illusion. Mr. Wright, I dont like you, not to mention ying hard to get in front of you. Please let go of me. Hearing her words, Wayne was both annoyed. Then he moved his hand and touched her waist, saying, Youre really something. Feeling his touch, Anna couldnt help but shiver with her face full of horror. What are you doing? Let go of me. You dont care about what happened that night, do you? Then it doesnt matter to you if we have s*x one more time, right? When Anna heard this, her mind went nk. Then she struggled desperately without thinking but it was in vain. C Just now, her words ignited Waynes anger and made him feel that his dignity was trampled by her. At this moment, Wayne was overwhelmed by his anger. He had never cared about a woman so much in his life but she coldCshouldered him and didnt care about him at all. It was a shame for him. The moment Wayne was about to take off Annas skirt, Anna widened her eyes in shock. In desperation, she used all her strength to break free and then pped Wayne hard in the face. The sound of the p echoed in the meeting room and Wayne froze. Soon, a distinct palm print appeared on his face. You bastard! Anna pushed him away and ran out of the meeting room in fluster. After a long time, Wayne raised his hand to touch his aching cheek. Then he pulled out a chair and sat down slowly. ULUI Chapter 97 Dyd You Heally Hr what the hell were you doing? Are you crazy? Alter leaving the headquarters of Carousel Group, Anna went back to Carousel hotel and asked for a leave After she went home, she locked licinell in the room, unable to calin down Lying on the bed, she couldnt help thinking of Waynes crazy behavior this morning and leit imitable Meanwhile, she found that there were some other emotions on her mind except for anger. If it werent for what happened six years ago, perhaps b.. Realizing what she was thinking. Anna forced hersell not to think too much. She patted her face and told herself to forget about the ridiculous morning. Then she slept the whole afternoon In the evening, she woke up and went to the kindergarten to pick up Tammy At night Who assigned you the task of going on a business trip? Isnt Wayne chasing you? Why did he ask you to go on a business trip? Peace said, lying on the sofa with a facial mask, Anna lowered her head to avoid Peaces gaze and continued to pack up as she said, Dont talk nonsense. I have nothing to do with Wayne. Then she took a look at Tammy who squatted beside her suitcase and ate the lollipop quietly Tammy, Ill go on a business trip. Auntie Peace will take care of you these days. Be a good girl. Stay in the kindergarten and wait for her if she cant pick you up on time, okay? Anna said. OK Tammy nodded obediently and said, Mommy, may I ask you a question? Go ahead. Did you really break up with Uncle Wayne? Tammy asked. Annas face changed when she heard this. What do you mean by breaking up? We have never been together. But you once lived together! Werent you together with him? Tammy said and blinked her eyes. When did they live together? Peace asked. She was so shocked that she sat up at once and her mask almost dropped. When you were on a business trip! Tammy answered. Then sheined, Mommy. since you were not together with him, why did you live with him? I thought you two would get married. s. Ive rejoiced too soon. Anna was speechless. Dont talk nonsense, Tammy Then she exined to Peace, Scott attracted many reporters to here before so I had to live in Waynes ce temporarily to avoid unnecessary trouble. Peace looked at her suspiciously. Obviously, she didnt believe what Anna had said. After Anna exined to her for a long time, she nodded reluctantly and said, just because of the reporters, I still think that the rtionship between you and 29 50 Point Chapter 97 Did You Really Br. Wayne is not that simple. After all, six years ago you two Ahem! Anna interrupted her immediately It was not until then that Peace realized thatminy was still in the living room. Then she said to Tammy, Tammy, its time to go to bed. Go back to your room. All night! I dont want to stay here anyway. Tammy pouted and said. Mommy, Im angry Why did you break up with Uncle Wayne? I almost had a rich daddy After saying that, she stamped her feet and rushed back to her room. Peace looked at Tammys back, shook her head helplessly, and asked, When are you going to tell her that her father is Wayne? I havent decided yet. to live with Wayne in the future, Peace said. She wont. I know her well, Anna said. Peace took off her mask and said helplessly, Why dont you think about being together with Wayne? He treats you and Tammy so well. Cant you see that he has a crush on you? Karl told me that Wayne has broken off his engagement with that star. Wayne loves you. He loves me? Then why did he deliberately send me to a far ce for a business trip? Forget it. I really cant bear his love, Anna said. Come on, Peace curled her lips and said, Hes kind enough to you. He even broke off his engagement for you but you still gave him the cold shoulder. If I were him, I would fire you. Whose side are you on? Anna asked. Peace suddenly smiled meaningfully and said, Your attitude is interesting. What do you mean? Dont you feel that you two are like a young couple in love who quarreled and were in a cold war? Peace said. Anna was stunned for a few seconds and then said, Dont talk nonsense. Well, I cant persuade you. Think about what I said just now. Im going to sleep. Go to bed early. Good night, Peace said and went back to her room. Then there was only Anna in the living room. Sitting on the carpet, she stared nkly at her suitcase and frowned. It waste at night. In the MPV, Ada, who had just gotten off work, was talking with Jason. After she heard Jasons words, her face changed, Only Leos body was found? Where is the detective? Hes missing. I havent found him yet. You must find him as soon as possible! Adas face turned pale and she snapped. If he is not dead and calls the police, we will be in trouble. Ive been looking for him! Ive searched everywhere that he might go. I went to the hotel where he lived before. The hotel staff said that he hadnt been back there for two months. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Does anyone else know about it? After calining down, Ada asked Jason and clenched her fists, her nails sinking into her palm. Jason frowned and said firmly, No. The killers were sure that no one witnessed what they did. And they will keep it a secret. Except for them, only Pearson knows about this. The killers have promised me that they would find Pearson and kill him as soon as possible. But Im worried that something unexpected will happen before they find him. When Ada heard this, her face darkened and she said, Pearson is unlikely to be still alive. If he was alive, he would have gone to the police station to report the case. But now weve got no news about him. I guess that something might have happened to him. Ask the killers to go to the hospital or the shelter nearby to look for Pearson. He may hide in these ces. The fire was so big and even many houses around Leos were burnt Pearson was drugged and unconscious at that time. How is it possible that he escaped safe and sound? Ada tried tofort herself with her analysis and gradually unclenched her fists. The next morning. Anna set out to Laxis Town, a town two hundred kilometers away from Birmingham The first hotel that she came to do market research on was a B&B called Maplesugar Hotel which ranked first on the hot hotel list. Miss, your room is the first room on the right on the second floor. After Anna checked in, the receptionist returned Anna her ID card and said, Ill take you to your room. This way, please. Thank you, Anna said with a smile. The receptionist was a girl under twenty years old and was very enthusiastic. She was wearing a green TCshirt and shorts, and her words and behaviors were full of youthful vigor. Are you the only staff here? Can you manage everything alone? Anna asked. Im not the only staff. We have a manager. But the manager has gone somewhere else and hasnt come back for two months, the receptionist said. Hearing this, Anna frowned and felt a little disappointed. On the one hand, she came here to do market research. On the other hand, she wanted to invite the manager of Maplesugar Hotel to join Carousel Hotel. The decoration of Maplesugar Hotel was much better than she had expected, which made her more determined to poach the manager. She believed that if the manager could participate in the youth hotel project of Carousel Group, the project would definitely be aplished more efficiently Well, when will the managere back? Anna asked. I dont know. Our manager is always very mysterious. Most of the time hotel. Miss, do you want to see our manager?. Yes, Anna said with a smile. The decoration of this hotel is unique so I think the manager HONDA Pourits Chapter on it is so Weird TO Peres here must have good taste and hope I can have a chance to know him. Our hotel is designed by Ms Wilson and our manager MS Wilson produced many ideas during the decoration. Shes at the hotel now. You may have a talk with herter, the receptionist said. Really? Annas eyes brightened at once. You can this hotel was mainly designed by Ms. Wilson? Yes, shes the owner of this hotel. After a short conversation, the receptionist went downstairs and continued to work. With an expectant look, Anna was overjoyed and thought, Generally speaking, it is easier to persuade a woman than a man. If only I can persuade the owner to join Carousel Group. In the evening, the setting sun was shedding a golden light over everything in Laxis Town. C In a corner on the first floor of Maplesugar Hotel, a middleCaged woman was making coffee leisurely. In a customized dress and with her long hair coiled up, she looked chic and elegant. Besides, she looked much younger than she was and it was hard to tell her age. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Good evening, Ms. Wilson, Anna walked over and said, Wow, the coffee smells good. Hearing her voice, Jennie, the proprietress of the hotel, raised her head and smiled gently at her, saying, Would you like some coffee? It will be done soon. Anna nodded and sat down. What do you think of our hotel? Jennie asked as she focused on making coffee. Its quite good. I can see the whole town from the window of the second floor. The scenery is so beautiful, Anna said. . Have some coffee, please, Ms. Wilson said as she handed Anna a cup of coffee. Anna thanked her and took it over. She took a sip of coffee and enjoyed its smooth, rich taste. Youre not here for a trip, right? Jennie asked. Anna was a little surprised and she asked, How do you know that, Ms. Wilson? If youre here for a trip, you wouldnt have stayed in the hotel all day long, Jennie said. Anna couldnt help smiling and said, You are so meticulous. Jennie smiled and didnt say anything else. Ms. Wilson, dont you want to know why Im here? Anna asked. Im not curious about it. Curiosity killed the cat. But if you want to tell me, Ill be a good listener. Anna was stunned. After thinking for a while, she said, Let me introduce myself first. My name is Anna, and Im a hotel manager of Carousel Group. As she spoke, she handed her business card to Jennie. When Jennie heard the words Carousel Group, she tensed up immediately and looked at Anna in surprise. Carousel Group? Yes, Anna nodded and said. SO Points Chapter 98 It is so Weird She breathed a sigh of relief and thought, Although Laxis Town is far away from Birmingham, it seems that Mr. Wilson knows about ourpany. Maybe it will be much easier to persuade her to join us. Ms. Wilson, I heard that you have personally designed and decorated this hotel, so Im wondering if you want to join ourpany and participate in our new project on the youth hotel chain. Without responding, Jennie frowned and stared at the business card, lost in thought After a while, she asked, May I know who asked you toe here and invite me to join your company? It was proposed by Strategic nning Department and finally approved by the president of our group in a meeting, Anna answered honestly. *The president of yourpany is Wayne? Jennie asked. Yes. You know Mr. Wright? Anna asked hesitantly and suddenly felt that there was something wrong with Jennie. I just heard of him. Jennie looked at her and asked, Are you familiar with him? Anna was stunned again. Why does she suddenly ask such a question? Well Yes, she answered after thinking for a while. How is he now? I heard that he has a son. Is he married? Jennie asked. He is fine. He does have a son, but he is not married yet. Maybe he will get married soon, Anna said. Thinking of Matthew, she got into a state of preupation. Really? How is Old Mr. Wright now? Have you ever seen him? Jennie asked again. Anna wrenched her mind back to the present and looked at her suspiciously, Ms. Wilson, you seem to be very concerned about Mr. Wright and his family With an uneasy look, Jennie said, Well, Im just curious about them. After all, there are many rumors about the Wright family. Hearing that, Anna was even more confused. Just now when I asked her if she wanted to know why Im here, she was not curious at all and even said curiosity killed the cat. But now she says that she is curious about the Wright family. It is so weird. In Wrights House, Wayne and Matthew were having dinner with Old Mr. Wright. I heard that you sent Anna on a business trip, Old Mr. Wright suddenly said. Hearing this, Wayne, who was picking up food, paused and nced at Matthew who was sitting next to Old Mr. Wright. Matthew then immediately grabbed Old Mr. Wrights clothes. At the same time, he stared at Wayne without fear as if saying Yes, I told grandpa about it. Dont look at me like this. Im not afraid of you. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Grandpa, you are so well informed that you even know such a tulle about thepany. Wayne said expressionlessly What do you mean? Youveken over thepany and are in charge of it so I have no right to ask about the affairs in thepany now? Old Mi. Wright said with a darkenedce Anna has a child to take care of. Why did you have to send her on a business trip? You are also a parent Why didnt you spare a thought for her? Hearing that, Matthew kept nodding approvingly. Wayne nced at him and said calmly. Its not only my decision to send Anna to go on a business trip. The other representatives were all unanimous in this decision in the meeting Grandpa, when did you be so familiar with her? Anna is really something. She got close to Mathew and made him like her and depend on her companionship. Then she left a good impression on Grandpa and made Grandpa pay more attention to her. Now even Grandpa even speaks for her. But when I doubted her and questioned her, she pretended to be innocent and indifferent and said that she had no feelings for me. What does she want to do? Anna is a good girl. Mathew likes her. And I think that shes the right person for you. Is there anything wrong with me getting familiar with my future granddaughterCinw? Old Mr. Wright said. I didnt say I would marry her, Wayne said lukewarmly. His attitude broke the cozy atmosphere in the dining room. If Mathew wants a mother, there are many ideal choices except for Anna. To be exact, I have never considered marrying Anna. And I dont think a single mother like her is good enough to marry into the Wright family. When Matthew heard this, his face turned livid with anger. Old Mr. Wright was also very displeased, Anna indeed has a child but she is a good person. Anna is not good enough? Then who do you think is good enough? Do you still want to marry the star called Ada who is always involved in various gossip? Perish the thought. Wayne put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth slowly, and said coldly, Im full. I dont think Mathew wants to go home with me. Hell stay here tonight. After saying that, he left. You Old Mr. Wright was so angry that he couldnt say a word and could only watch Wayne leave. Besides him, Matthew kept pulling his sleeve anxiously. Seeing this, Old Mr. Wright held Matthew in his arms and let Matthew sit on hisp. Then he sighed and said helplessly, Mathew, its not that I dont want to help you. Your father is too stubborn. He has always been like this since he was a child. Once he makes a decision, no one can change his mind. Matthew pouted with grievance and was about to cry. Dont cry. I will think of a way. Dont cry. While pacifying Matthew, Old Mr. Wright shouted in 90 Point Chapter 99 It Sounds Familiar the direction of the living room, Henry, have you found out where Anna is? Yes, Old Mr. Wright Henry hurried into the dining room, stood straight, and said respectfully, Miss Gabriel went to Laxis Town on business and shes staying in a B&B called Maplesugar Hotel. Laxis Town? Old Mr. Wright frowned and asked, It sounds familiar, Henry hesitated for a moment and reminded him, Mrs. Wright is there Old Mr. Wright was stunned and frowned more tightly The town is big and its not likely that she will meet Anna, Henry said cautiously as if talking about a taboo Does Wayne know that shes in that ce? Old Mr. Wright asked. Judging from the current situation, I dont think he knows about it. Otherwise, he wouldnt have developed business there. Hearing that, Old Mr. Wright nodded slightly with mixed feelings. At night, Annay on the bed, staring at the ceiling and lost in thought. Ms. Wilsons behavior was so strange when we talked about Carousel Group, especially when she mentioned Wayne. At that time, she looked guilty and her voice was full of concern. She was like a gossiper who was curious about him but like an old friend who had known him for a long time, she wondered. Besides, she felt that Jennie looked familiar but couldnt remember where she had ever met Jennie before. After thinking about it for a while, she felt sleepy and then fell asleep. In the following days, Anna checked in at almost all the inns and hotels in Laxis Town one after another to do market research. Among them, she thought that Maplesugar Hotel was the most impressive and it made people want to live here again. Before leaving the town, she still couldnt persuade Jennie to join Carousel Group and she had to give up. Then she packed her belongings and checked out, preparing to go to Hulf River Town, a town which was three hundred kilometers away from here. Not long after Anna drove away from Laxis Town, she entered a highway near a remote vige. While she was operating on the navigation system, a ck figure suddenly appeared and staggered to the middle of the road. Seeing this, she hurriedly mmed on the brakes and her face turned pale. Then a squeal of brakes was sounded on the road. Anna was frightened and broke into a cold sweat. With her hands trembling, she opened the car door and got out of the car. Then she saw a man lying in front of the car unconsciously. While trying to calm herself down, Anna squatted to check his condition. The man was in rags and dirty-faced, and he seemed to be a tramp. At this moment, his head was bleeding. Anna called the ambnce immediately. Hello? Ambnce, please. Sounds Farruh Ambnce Do you get your bearing? Im at the highway about thiee kilometers away from Laxis Town. Theres been an ident Please send an ambnce at once. In the CEO Office of Carousel Group. Mr. Wright, this is all the documents about the market research on Laxis Town and Miss Gabriel has ssified the hotels. She asked me to send them to you. John said nervously, standing in front of Waynes desk with a stack of documents in his arms. Wayne gave him a lukewarm nce and asked, Where is Anna? Why didnt she bring the documents here in person? C Miss Gabriel hasnte back yet because a car ident happened on her way back. She asked me to send the documents to you first, John said. When Wayne heard this, his face changed and he stood up immediately, asking, She had a car ident? Did she get injured? John was taken aback by his reaction and stammered, Miss Miss Gabriel is fine. She hit someone identally while driving. That person is still being rescued in the hospital. Hearing that, Wayne breathed a sigh of relief, but his face was still darkened. Which hospital? What? John was a little stunned. The next moment, he saw Waynes cold expression and couldnt help shivering. Then he hurriedly told Wayne the name and address of the hospital. Mr. Wright, are you going to that hospital? John asked cautiously. Wayne nced at him and asked, Who said Im going to the hospital? Dont you think you asked too many questions? John was scared and his legs felt weak, fearing that Wayne would be unhappy and fire him. You can go back to work now, Wayne said as he waved his hand impatiently to ask John to go. After John left, he fidgeted in his chair for a long time with his mind in a mess. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Is she all right now? Did she get injured? Mr. Wright, here is a document that Ten minutester, Gabe knocked on the door and came in. But there was no one in the office. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 I have something to attend to and wonte to thepany until tomorrow afternoon, Wayne said on the phone. Then he hung up the phone, stepped on the gas, and drove onto the highway. It was already evening. He drove at a fast speed all the way and arrived at the hospital two hourster. As soon as he arrived at the ward that Anna was in, he heard Annas scream from inside. What are you doing? Let go of me! Without thinking, Wayne pushed the door open and rushed in. On the bed, a man with gauze wrapped around his head put his arms around Annas waist. After Anna struggled and broke free, he get out of bed and grabbed Annas arm again. Seeing this, Wayne strode over at once, grabbed the mans cor from behind with one hand, and grabbed the mans wrist with the other hand. Then he had the mans hands tied behind his back. The next moment, the man screamed in pain. Hey, let go of him. Hes just been rescued and woken up. Dont do that, Anna said anxiously. Let go of him first. Wayne frowned and let go of the injured man with a snort. Then he said, Such a rogue should have been killed in the ident. Haring this, the injured man shivered with fear, crawled on the bed in a hurry, and wrapped himself tightly with the quilt, only revealing his eyes. The ward finally became quiet and Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Then she looked at Wayne and asked in confusion, Why are you doing here? The staff of mypany hit others while driving. Im here to help deal with this matter in case someone deliberately takes advantage of it and starts a rumor to ruin the reputation of thepany, Wayne answered seriously and calmly. Actually, it was the public rtions department who should be responsible for it and he didnt need to come here at all. But Anna, who had just worked in Carousel Group for a few months, didnt know about it. The police have made a thorough investigation on this matter. Fortunately, I installed a dash cam in my car. The video showed that he suddenly went to the middle of the road while I was driving. At that time, I was operating on the navigation system and didnt notice him. And it waste when I stepped on the brake to stop the car. Im also partly to me for the car ident. Sorry, Anna exined with a guilty look. Hearing her apology, Wayne felt annoyed and thought, Does she think that I came here just to me her? Why do you apologize? he said with a frown. I heard from your assistant that you hit a tramp. Is he the tramp? As he spoke, he looked at the injured man up and down, The man didnt look like a tramp at all. He was tall and strong with fair skin and delicate features. But he looked a little stupid. Anna looked at the man and said with a confused look, When I saw him, he was wearing ragged clothes. And it seemed that he hasnt taken a shower for a long time and he was smelly. The doctor said that there was a blood clot in his brain. But Im not sure if the blood clot had been there before I hit him. I think hes not all there, Wayne said briefly. Does he have any family? Can you get in touch with them? Anna shook her head and said, We didnt find any contact information about his family. Send him to the shelter in the town after he recovers, Wayne said. I dont think its a good idea. After all, I hit him and caused him to be injured. I have to help him find his family. Maybe his family is looking for him. Besides, if the blood clot in his brain problem was caused by me, I should be responsible for it. As soon as she finished her words, Waynes face darkened and he said, Its up to you. Seeing that Wayne was about to leave, Anna hurried to catch up with him and asked, Its sote. Where are you going? Its already dark outside. Does he want to go back to Birmingham? Wayne nced at her and said in an unhappy tone, Im going back to Birmingham. I have a meeting to attend tomorrow afternoon. Do you think I have a lot of time every day? He came here just to confirm if Anna was all right but her attitude made him displeased. Itste now. Anna frowned and said, Its said that there will be a rainstorm tonight. Youd better stay here for one night and leave tomorrow morning. In the morning, meteorological authorities issued a rainstorm alert. The rainstorm was very likely to cause andslide and it was dangerous to drive on the mountain road from Laxis Town to Birmingham. Therefore, she suggested Wayne go back to Birmingham the next day. Then where will I stay tonight? Wayne asked. This hospital is not far from Laxis Town. The hotel where I live is quite nice. You may get a room and stay there for a night. What do you think? Okay. Wayne said without hesitation. Then he nced at her and said, Lets go. I havent had dinner yet. Anna was stunned and thought, Why is he suddenly so easygoing? Then she quickened her pace to catch up with him. As soon as they left the hospital, thunder boomed in the sky and the rainmenced pouring violently down, The two of them headed to Maplesugar Hotel by Annas car and Wayne drove slowly all the way because it was hard to see the road clearly in the heavy rain. It was only several miles from the hospital to the hotel but it took them more than half an hour to arrive there. Here we are. Anna closed her umbre and led Wayne into the hotel. Then she asked the receptionist, Is there any vacant room? Sorry, all the rooms have been reserved, Miss Gabriel, the receptionist said apologetically. Due to the heavy rain, several tourists who intended to leave have extended their stay for one night. And Im afraid that all the hotels in the town are fully reserved tonight. What? Anna was stunned, Its so awkward. I asked Wayne to stay but now he has no ce to stay tonight Miss Gabriel, you may share your room with your boyfriend. Your room is thergest room in our hotel. Itsrge enough for the two of you to live in, the receptionist said with a meaningful smile. Hes not Okay. Before Anna could rify her rtionship with Wayne, Wayne said lightly. Anna was shocked and looked at Wayne with her eyes wide open. When she was about to say something again, Wayne left no chance for her to speak and pulled her to the second floor directly What are you doing? After returning to her room, Anna asked in a low voice as she pressed Waynes hand with which he was about to close the door. Are you really going to share a room with me? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. You asked me to stay here for one night, Wayne said with a calm look. Yes, but I didnt expect that there is no vacant room here. Its not appropriate that we stay in the same room, Anna said. It doesnt matter. Ill sleep on the bed and youll sleep on the sofa, Wayne said and went straight into the room regardless of her reaction. After looking around, he sat on the bed leisurely. Hearing his words, Anna immediately became unhappy and said, This is my room. Why should I sleep on the sofa? Then youll sleep on the bed and Ill sleep on the sofa, Wayne said. Thats more like it. As soon as Anna finished her words, she realized that something was wrong. When did I say that he can stay in my room? No, no, no. You cant stay here. Ill find another ce for you right now, she said quickly. What are you afraid of? Wayne said and looked at her calmly. Are you afraid that I will do something to you? Dont worry. Im not that horny. Hearing this, Anna became angry from embarrassment and said, Dont think I dont know why you want to stay here. You are up to no good at all. Do you really think that Im not aware of what you did to me at the rainy night in the Maldives? Although she was seasick and had a fever that night, she was not unconscious when Wayne kissed her secretly She just pretended not to know it to avoid embarrassment. After she said that, the room fell into silence, Then after a long while, Wayne took a step toward her. With a provocative smile, he said in a low and maic voice, What did I do to you that night? Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Anna blushed to her ears and stammered, You What did I do to you? Wayne asked again as he walked to her leisurely and gazed at her. I dont mind if you want to demonstrate it for me. In fluster, Anna kept retreating and her calf hit the sofa. Then she lost her bnce and fell backward. Subconsciously, she grabbed the nearest thing in front of her. The next moment, she realized that she was grabbing Waynes cor. When she was about to push him away, the thunder suddenly boomed outside and a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky. Boom! Then the room suddenly became dark. Being frightened, Anna screamed and immediately held Wayne tightly, shivering. Soon, the guests noises came from outside the room. What happened? Is it a power failure? Ladies and gentlemen, dont be afraid. Go back to your rooms and wait for a moment, please. The circuit breaker tripped and it will be repaired soon, the receptionist said in a soothing voice. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. For a moment, the whole hotel was in chaos except for Annas room. It was so quiet in the room that Anna could even hear Waynes breath. Holding her in his arms, Wayne could smell the pleasant scent of her perfume. The two of them were so close to each other that their hearts were beating faster. Gradually, their breaths became quicker and quicker. In the darkness, Anna couldnt help but recall the scene of them kissing before. Her mind was in a mess and she even forgot to push him away. You havent told me what I did to you that night, Wayne suddenly said in a low and hoarse voice What? Anna asked in a daze. I was more restrained that night than I am now, Wayne whispered in her ear. Emm.. Before Anna could figure out what he meant, she was kissed by Wayne. Waynes kiss was gentle. At first, he just kissed her lips. Later, his kiss fell on her chin, her neck, and then her shoulder He rubbed her lips with his, swept across her chin, neck, and shoulder. Annas shirt was almost taken off. But when the cold wind blew into the room, she didnt feel cold but felt hot all over. She was sober, but somehow she lost control of herself as if she was drunk The moment Wayne reached out his hand into her skirt, the light in the room flickered. After a few sizzles, the light was on and the room became bright again. At the same time, Annae to her senses and pushed him away at once. After staring nkly at him for a few seconds, she ran to the bathroom in a hurry and locked the door. Wayne, who was pushed, fell backward and sat down on the sofa. Then he looked up at the light unhappily as if ming it. He looked in the direction of the bathroom and thought of what had just happened, with a hint of suspicion in his eyes. Once again, he was sure that Anna didnt resist the physical contact with him and they were harmonious in s*x. In the bathroom, Anna opened the tap and washed her face with the cold water. After a while, she finally calmed herself down. Oh, my God. What did I do just now? Was I out of my mind? I almost slept with him again! At this time, there was a knock on the room door. Sir, there was something wrong with the circuit just now. We apologize for any inconvenience caused during this period. To express our apology, the proprietress of our hotel cooked gumbo for every guest as a midnight snack. You may go downstairs and have some, the receptionist said. Okay. Thank you, Wayne said. Hearing their conversation, Anna looked at the bathroom door in a daze. Sure enough, Wayne knocked on the bathroom door after a few seconds. Just now I heard it, Anna hurriedly interrupted him. You can go downstairs first. Ill be there soon. Then she seemed to hear Wayne chuckle but she didnt know if it was just her illusion. It was not until ten minutester that she finally plucked up the courage to open the bathroom door and walk out. By that time, Wayne had gone downstairs and was not in the room. Anna then made the bed and put a pillow and a quilt on the sofa. It was raining heavily outside and she couldnt find another ce to stay. Therefore, she had to make do with it and share a room with Wayne tonight. It was lively downstairs and the guests were ying games in groups. Some were ying Werewolves of Millers Hollow. Some were ying cards, and some were ying guitar and singing Different from others, Wayne was sitting in the corner and reading a financial newspaper. With a gel pen in his hand, he wrote on the newspaper from time to time. Taking a deep breath, Anna sat down opposite him and pretended to be rxed as if nothing had happened just now. Then she said, Are you reading financial newspapers? Its rare for you to have such leisure time Why dont you have fun with others? Wayne raised his head and said, Do you think Im a workaholic who never enjoys entertainment? Have you ever attended any entertainments? Anna asked in reply with doubt in her eyes, Wayne then put down the newspaper on the table and slowly pushed it towards her. My entertainment is different from yours and it requires wisdom. A column in the newspaper was Sudoku and he had finished it. Hearing his words, Anna twitched her mouth and was speechless. Its just a puzzle game and is not more high-end than other games. Besides, ying cards and Werewolves of Millers Hollow also require wisdom, she said. In her opinion, there were no ranks among the games, Wayne gave her a disapproving nce and said, I dont think so. Lets take ying cards as an example. As long as one gets his cards, he can guess what cards the other yers have. I dont think this kind of game takes much brain. Really? Anna asked with doubt. Ive heard that some people can remember the cards that other yers have yed, but Ive never heard of anyone that can guess the cards in the other yers hands when he gets his cards. Its impossible. How is it possible that one can guess the other yers cards before the game begins? I didnt force you to believe me, Wayne said and raised his eyebrows, indicating that he could make it Seeing hiscent look, Anna was speechless. When she looked around idly, she found that the two girls at the next table had been peeking at Wayne, and then her eyes brightened. Do you want to y cards? she asked the girls. The two girls were ttered, blushing and nodding happily. Anna nced at Wayne and said, Facts speak louder than words. Prove it to me, Mr. Wright. I want to see how you guess the cards. Wayne didnt refuse. Soon, the two tables were put together and the girls quickly got a pack of cards from the front desk. Before they started the card game, they drew for partners. And the result showed that Anna and Wayne were opponents. When the cards were dealt, Anna looked at her cards and almost burst intoughter. As long as she could y a card that she didnt want first, she would definitely win. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 After a while, Annas partner who sat opposite her quickly understood what Anna meant and yed a card. Two! Annas eyes lit up with joy. When she was about to y the card that she didnt want, a deep voice came from beside her. Joker. Wayne looked at her calmly and said, Its your turn. Anna forced a smile and said stiffly, Pass. Then she thought unhappily. He must have known which card I was going to y so he yed the Joker on purpose! In the next few rounds, Anna didnt even have the chance to y any of her cards because of Wayne. Yeah! We won again! You are awesome, sir! the girl who was Waynes partner cheered excitedly. She was only about eighteen years old and seemed to be a college student. As for the other girl, Annas partner, she also fixed her eyes on Wayne all the time The two girls were not in the mood to y cards at all. After the first round, they took turns to chat with Wayne and ask about his age and work while acting cute. Seeing them like this, Anna was speechless. Then she put the cards on the table and said, Lets stop here. Hearing this, the two girls who had long wanted to end the game were happier and paid all their attention to Wayne. Sir, you are thirty-one years old? Are you married? A girl asked Wayne with affection in her eyes. When Anna heard this, her heart skipped a beat and she suddenly felt displeased. Cant they see me? Didnt they ever think that I might be Waynes girlfriend or wife? Did they deliberately ignore me? At the same time, she pricked up her ears to listen to Waynes answer. Leaning against the backrest of the chair, Wayne said calmly, My son is five years old now Hearing this, the two girls were stunned. Anna had thought that the girls wouldnt badger Wayne anymore after they knew that he had a child However, to her surprise, the girls eyes brightened and they pulled their chairs to sit closer to Wayne You already have a child! Sir, can I have a look at your sons photos? Sir, you are so handsome. Your son must be very good-looking, too. Sitting aside, Anna clenched her fists with a darkened face. A few secondster, she took out her phone from her pocket and said, I have some photos of his son. Ill show them to you. The two girls were slightly surprised. One of them asked, Miss, arent you his subordinate? Why do you have his sons photos? Anna raised her eyebrows and said, Who says that a subordinate cant have the photos of the bosss son? I not only have his sons photos but also have a group photo with his son. As she spoke, she showed the girls a photo of Wayne, Matthew, Tammy, and her which was taken in the Maldives. Looking at the photo, the two girls were dumbfounded. It turns out that you are a couple, a girl said and smiled awkwardly. I thought that you two were just boss and subordinate just now. Out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw Wayne watching them leisurely. Then she thought of something and said to the girls, You havent graduated yet, have you? The two girls shook their heads. When you graduate, you will know that society is much moreplicated than the university. Many things arent like what you think. Sometimes, the rtionship between two people is not what they appear to be. What? The girls were confused. Im not his wife, Anna said with a meaningful look. Hearing this, the two girls looked at each other in astonishment. After a while, they seemed to understand something and walked away silently. It was raining outside and the hall was still noisy. After the two girls left, Wayne had been gazing at Anna with a faint smile. Clearing her throat, Anna sat upright and said, I didnt mean to drive them away. I just think they look underage and are not suitable to be Mathews stepmother. So you cooked up a story that I have an affair with you? Wayne asked and looked into her eyes. Even a fool could tell what her meaningful words meant just now. I didnt say that. I just told them that the society isplicated, Anna said frankly. Whats more, Mr. Wright, a clean hand wants no washing. You are upright and principled. You wont mind it if others misunderstand you, will you? Hearing this, Wayne didnt say anything for a while. Why are you looking at me like that? Anna felt uneasy being gazed at him and regretted talking nonsense just now. Anna, Wayne suddenly called her name, sat up straight, sped his hands together, and rested them on the table. Then he leaned forward slightly and fixed his eyes on Anna. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Whats up? Anna was stunned, Have we met before you entered thepany? Wayne asked. Hearing this, Anna suddenly calmed down and her passion disappeared. And only Waynes question echoed in her mind. Why do you suddenly ask this? She pretended to be surprised and asked. Have you ever seen me before I entered Carousel Hotel? Wayne paused and then leaned on the backrest of the chair again. I dont know. I cant remember. Even if I have seen her before, I shouldnt have had such a sense of familiarity when Im with her. It doesnt make sense. Maybe its just my illusion, he thought. Herees the gumbo! At this moment, the receptionists loud voice came. Soon, she served every guest a bowl of fragrant gumbo. The gumbo was cooked by the proprietress in person to apologize for any inconvenience caused by the power failure just now. Hope you can enjoy it. The receptionist was smart and tactful. Even if no one was dissatisfied because of the power failure, she still apologized to every guest sincerely. Anna tasted the gumbo and said to Wayne, The gumbo is so tasty. This hotel is worthy of ranking first on the hot hotel list in this town. Is it so delicious? Wayne asked with his face full of doubt and then took a sip. The next moment, he frowned. What do you think of it? Anna asked. She didnt notice the change in Waynes expression and continued, The decoration of this hotel is designed by the proprietress. When I chatted with her before, she asked me about you. She also said that she had heard a lot about you. Although she didnt know you, she seems to pay much attention to you. After hearing this, Wayne stood up and stopped the receptionist who was about to leave. Then he asked with a darkened face, Whats the proprietress name? The receptionist was startled and asked, Whats wrong? At the same time, the clear sound of a porcin bowl falling on the ground came from the kitchen In an instant, the noises in the hall disappeared and the guests all looked in the direction of the kitchen, When Anna turned around, she saw Jennie hurriedly turn around and go back into the kitchen And at the kitchen door was a bowl broken into pieces and the gumbo scattering all over the ground Seeing Jennies behavior, Anna was confused Suddenly, she heard the sound of a chair rubbing against the ground. Turning her head in surprise, she saw Wayne go upstairs with a darkened face Whats going on? Did I say anything that made him unhappy? Then thinking of what she had said just now and Jennies flustered look, she realized something Chapter 103 Chapter 103 When Anna came back to the room and pushed the door open, she found that the room was in darkness. She could see a figure sitting on the sofa with the help of the light that came in from outside. With a cigarette between his fingers, Wayne inhaled deeply on the cigarette and the cigarette end glowed red in the darkness. After hesitation, Anna closed the door gently and walked toward him. Why did you suddenlye back? You dont like the gumbo? No, Wayne answered briefly. For a moment, Anna didnt know what to say. She gently waved her hand, trying to disperse the smoke. Although she had been holding her breath, she couldnt help but cough when inhaling the smoke. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Hearing her cough, Wayne paused for a few seconds and stubbed out the cigarette. Then he stood up and opened the window, letting the fresh air in. The oppressive atmosphere in the room gradually faded away. Well leave early tomorrow morning. As for the man that you hit, hell go back with us and be transferred to the hospital of Birmingham, Wayne said. His low voice sounded dull in the rain. Hearing that, Anna breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. When she realized that Wayne was standing with his back to her and couldnt see her action, she said, OK. All my work here has been finished. If it werent for the rainstorm, we would have gone back to Birmingham today. Wayne nodded without saying anything and then he went into the bathroom. Soon, the sound of water running came from inside. After staying in the room a while, Anna walked out and went downstairs. Most of the guests had gone back to their rooms and the hall became quiet again. The receptionist was cleaning up the tables. When she saw Annaing downstairs, she asked, Miss, you and your boyfriend didnt have much of the gumbo. Is it not to your taste? Anna didnt rify the rtionship between Wayne and her and made an excuse. Hes not feeling well and has no appetite, so we went back to the room just now. Sorry. Why do you apologize? It doesnt matter. Did he catch a cold because of the cold weather? There are medicines at the front desk, the receptionist said. Thank you. Hes better now, Anna smiled and said. Well, may I use the kitchen to cook some noodles? What? The receptionist was stunned and seemed to be in a dilemma. Sure. A gentle voice came from the kitchen door. Anna turned around and saw Jennie. In a in cotton dress, Jennie drew the tie-dyed curtain and looked at Anna with a hint of eagerness in her eyes. Thank you, Anna said and then followed her into the kitchen. Jennie was over fifty years old but was not sophisticated. She was simple and kind, and there was always a gentle look in her eyes. Previously, Anna just felt that Jennie looked familiar. When Jennie asked about Wayne before, she found it strange but didnt think too much. And it was not until just now that she guessed the rtionship between Jennie and him by judging from Waynes behavior. Although Wayne never talked about his family with her, she had heard some rumors about Jennie. And he knew that Wayne had a bad rtionship with his mother. Looking at Jennie who was graceful and friendly, Anna thought that she was not like the skittish woman in the rumor. What do you need? Jennie asked softly. Hearing her voice, Anna wrenched her mind back to the present and said, I want to cook some noodles. Do you have flour and the rolling pin? Yes. Let me help you, Jennie said. No, thanks, Anna refused. Seeing the disappointment in Jennies eyes, she frowned and exined at once, Ms. Wilson, I didnt mean I know what you mean, Jennie said with a self-mocking smile as she slowly moved her hands away from the flour bag. You are worried that he wont eat the food that I cook, right? Anna showed an embarrassed look with her lipspressing into a thin line. She wanted to pretend that she didnt know everything about the Wright family but her reaction just now betrayed her. I just dont want to bother you. I can do it myself. I have nothing to do now anyway. Its a good way to kill time, she said tactfully and eased the embarrassment in the kitchen. All right. Suit yourself. If you need help, just let me know, Jennie said with a smile. When she turned around and was about to leave, she was stopped by Anna. Hold on, Ms. Wilson. Well, Im wondering if you are free now. Could you teach me how to cook noodles? Hearing this, Jennie was stunned for a moment and then understood what Anna meant. She nodded happily, pulled out a chair, and then sat down. When Anna made noodles, Jennie told her how much flour and water she needed to add and how to tten the dough. Soon, the dough took shape. Anna then kneaded it into a strip and cut it into thin noodles. When the water in the pot was boiling, she put the noodles into it. I knew you work at Carousel Group, but I didnt expect that you are so close to him, Jennie suddenly said, looking at Anna smilingly. Anna immediately understood the him she was referring to was Wayne. Then she said, When you beat around the bush and asked me about his condition before, I thought that you were just curious about him. Jennie was stunned. You know who I am? Did he ever tell you about me? she asked. I dont you know what you mean, Ms. Wilson. Anna didnt answer her directly. As an outsider, she thought that shed better not talk too much about others family affairs. Dont call me Ms. Wilson, Jennie looked at her and said, My name is Jennie Wright. If you dont mind, you may call me Auntie Jennie. Hearing this, Anna asked in confusion, Your family name is Wright? No one told you about it? Jennie asked in surprise. Anna shook her head seriously. Then she thought, She is Waynes mother. Its not surprising that her family name is Wright. Seeing Annas reaction, Jennie then realized something. She smiled with self-mockery and said helplessly, It seems that he has never mentioned me to you. Forget it. Ive left him for so many years. Theres indeed no need for him to mention me to others. Then she raised her head to look at Anna with clear eyes and continued in a calm tone, Im the adopted daughter of the Wright family. I grew up with Waynes father and we got married before we graduated from college. Well, its been so many years. Dad hasnt told you about this, right? By the way, how is he now? Hearing this, Anna looked at her in confusion. She didnt realize that the Dad Jennie referred to was Old Mr. Wright until after a few seconds. I have only met Old Mr. Wright once. Hes hale and hearty. Auntie, you may have . misunderstood the rtionship between Mr. Wright and me. Actually, we Before Anna finished her words, she suddenly realized that if she rified her rtionship with Wayne, it would cause more misunderstandings because she couldnt exin why she slept in the same room with him. Seeing Jennie gazing at her in puzzlement, she swallowed hard and then said, We were together not long ago so I dont know much about his family. I see, Jennie said as the doubt in her eyes faded away. Anna nodded with an awkward smile. To avoid Jennies gaze, she hurriedly turned around anddled out the noodles in the pot. The noodles are done. Thank you for teaching me how to cook noodles, she said. Not at all. Im the one who should say thank you, Jennie said smilingly. It seems that she has taken me as Waynes girlfriend! Anna thought, feeling more embarrassed Is there any way I can contact you? Jennie asked. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Anna felt that she had no way to refuse. So, she had to friend Jennie. Only then did Jennie smile as happily as a child. Anna couldnt imagine how such a woman could do something like scamming the Wrights property and cheating on Waynes father. Anna showed a puzzled expression but held back from asking her what had happened. Then, Ill go first. Anna put the noodles and side dishes on her te and nodded politely toward Jennie. She had just walked upstairs and ced the te on the table when Wayne came out of the bathroom. He was wrapped in a bathrobe, his wet hair was dripping down his neck, and there was a water stain on the bathroom door. Anna felt her throat tighten after seeing such a scene. It took her a long time toe back to her senses, and then she coughed awkwardly. Have some noodles. I just made it myself. | Wayne nced at her, then at the noodles, and nodded. As he sat down on the couch, Anna felt like a small puff of hot air wasing at her and enveloping her. It made her feel ufortable, so she moved to the side. The room was quiet, except for Wayne eating his noodles. Anna listened to the sound of the rainstorm outside the window and thought the sound of him eating made the room seem cozy Anna inexplicably held her breath. After making sure Wayne wasnt paying attention to her, she secretly lowered her head and slowly let her breath out. You can sleep in the bed at night. She suddenly heard Wayne say that. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Anna froze and felt that the good news came so suddenly. Her eyes lit up, and she asked, Really? Yes. Waynes low voice was a little teasing. He seemed to have forgotten what had just happened between them Anna felt extremely happy. She thought that the bowl of noodles she had made was worth it because she could exchange it for a night of good sleep. However, she was careless and forgot that Wayne was going to let her sleep on the bed anyway. Wayne looked at her ttered expression and felt resigned. Did she think I would let a woman like her sleep on the couch? He thought. Anna was cheerful and attentive and said, Ill help you make the couch. Ive justin down on it, and its enough for me. Its even morefortable than the bed. Waynes expression changed when he saw this attentive attitude of hers. He said, Since its so comfortable, why dont you sleep on it tonight? Anna immediately refused and said with a smile, No, Ill sleep on the bed. After all, as a man, you have to act like a gentleman, right? She said and walked towards the bed, stretching her back Arent you going to take a shower? She heard Wayne, who was standing behind her, asking. Anna felt the air freeze as she stopped. She turned her back on Wayne and forced herself to say, Of course, Im taking a shower. Ill go get my clothes first. She had nned to skip showering for the rest of the night, lest she got into any more trouble. She thought that Wayne had asked that on purpose If she didnt take a shower, he could make fun of her for being sloppy The sound of water running in the bathroom was in stark contrast to the blistering wind and rain outside the window. One sounded soothing, the other turbulent It was warm inside and cold outside. This extreme contrast made the light inside the room seem softer Wayne slowly finished his noodles, pulled back the covers on the sofa, andy down The bathroom door slowly opened after a long time, and Anna, wearing a long-sleeved blouse and pants, crept out like a thief She was relieved when she saw him sleeping on the couch. She had feared something random might happen. She had never been able to guess what Wayne was thinking, and she didnt know if he would suddenly do something to her She dimmed the bedsidemp as she got into bed, and the room then became even more silent It rained all night heavily. When she woke up the next day, the sky was clear and blue. Anna packed her backpack and went to the front desk to check out As she was checking out, she nced towards the door. She saw Wayne sitting in his car, and through the window, she could see the side of his face as he held the steering wheel. He was staring straight ahead, He had gotten into the car directly aftering downstairs in the morning as if he didnt want to stay at the inn for another second. Please put your ID card away. The clerk handed the ID card back to Anna. Anna was just about to leave when she heard Jennies voice. Anna, wait a minute. Jennie came slowly towards her from the kitchen and carried a lunch box in a stic bag. She handed it to Anna with an expectant expression. Anna hesitated because she knew that Jennie had given her the lunchbox, not because she was worried they would be hungry. But somehow, she took it when she saw Jennies pleading and sincere eyes. The rainstorm did not cause anyndslides, so they had a smooth ride. Shortly after leaving town, they got on the highway and made one stop in the middle. Wayne went to the bathroom. When he came back, he saw Anna in the passenger seat unpacking a lunch box. There were French fries, a steak cut into strips, and a sandwich in the lunchbox, which looked tempting. Wayne looked at her and asked, When did you buy it? In the town this morning. There was a restaurant there, so I bought some food. Do you want to try it? Anna picked up a piece of steak with a fork and brought it to his mouth, then looked at him expectantly Wayne frowned for a moment. He immediately knew who had given Anna this lunchbox when he thought about it. But as he watched her bring the food to his mouth, he couldnt help but open his mouth. Anna took the opportunity to shove the steak into his mouth and said, Isnt it good? Wayne chewed a few bites and swallowed, saying, Not bad. Anna also tasted a piece and said, Huh? This is very good, as good as the chef in the Carousel restaurant. If this chef opens a restaurant, it would be very popr. Shes a restaurant owner. Whats so strange about that? Wayne suddenly said and froze for a moment after finishing speaking. Anna looked at him and said awkwardly, You know who cooked this meal? Wayne didnt look at her, started the car, and said, Ive never seen a fast-food vendor put food in a designer lunch box. Anna then saw the designer brand logo on the lunch box, and she sighed silently, but then she perceived the implicit meanings in Waynes words. Wayne knew who made the food, but he ate it anyway. That should mean that he didnt have that deep a grudge against his mother. Jennie meant well, and shes a good cook, Anna muttered in a small voice. Wayne gave her a look and said calmly, Then why did you just lie? Because you said she didnt cook wellst night and lost your temper. If I tell you that Jennie made this food, Im afraid you wont even want to take a look at it. Anna pursed her lips and said in a low voice. She even wanted to p herself after she said this. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Waynes expression softened. His fingers gripped the steering wheel hard and said calmly, Mind your own business. Anna could tell he was a little upset even though she could only see the side of his face. Wayne had a meeting in the afternoon, so he called Gabe on the way and then dropped Anna off at the hospital entrance. When they arrived, Gabe had been waiting there for a long time. Mr. Wright, Ms. Gabriel, how are you? Gabe stood in front of the car door and greeted them both. He then spoke about the patient who had been transferred to this hospital. Mr. Wright, Ms. Gabriel, how are you? The patient was making a scene from when he was about to leave, and the doctor gave him a sedative shot before bringing him here. Mr Wright, if youre going to see himter, youll have to be careful. Anna frowned and said, Really? He used to be quite normal when I was around. Hearing this, Wayne gave her a deep look and said unhappily, What you think is normal is different from what everyone thinks. When he arrived at the ward yesterday, he saw the scene of this young man hugging her. He didnt think it was normal at all. Huh? Be careful, Waynes frown deepened as he looked at Annas confused look. After ncing at his watch, he told her to call him if she needed anything before getting into the car. Watching the car disappear in front of the hospital, Anna had some mixed feelings. She seemed to have seen a different Waynest night. When Anna arrived at the hospital ward, the doctor and several nurses were busy. They were running around the bed, trying to catch the young man in the middle, and had spilt all kinds of medical equipment all over the floor. Hurry! Over there, over there. Block the door! Dont let him out! Dont hurt him. He has a wound on his head. Oh my God! Anna pushed open the door, and her expression changed after seeing the scene. She asked, What are you doing? As soon as the young man surrounded in the middle saw Anna, he immediately rushed out from the crowd like crazy and hid behind her, shivering Hey, catch Catch what? Anna red at the internist in front of her. When she saw the phone and selfie stick on the ground, she seemed to understand something. She said unhappily, There is something wrong with his brain. Didnt anyone tell you guys when he came here? What is wrong with you guys? He suddenly started smashing things after he woke up and kept saying he wanted to leave. We wanted to catch him because we were afraid he would escape. If you didnt touch him, would he suddenly smash things? Hes got some brain problems, but hes not a psychopath. Although Anna was young, she was very imposing. After she yelled out these words, the young doctors and nurses in the room did not dare to speak up, and all lowered their heads. Soon, as the chief doctor and the head nurse heard about the incident, they both rushed in. Anna calmed the young man down and told him to stay in the ward. When she came out of the ward, the head nurse waited for her. She kept apologizing to her and then exined the matter clearly The new trainee nurse was so out of line. She said this new patient looked like her ssmate, so she took a selfie stick and wanted to take a picture with him. Then, the scene became more and more chaotic. We sincerely apologize to you. Annas eyes lit up, and she asked, What? Does he look like her ssmate? Which nurse? The head nurse said apprehensively, Ms. Gabriel, that nurse is a trainee and not very disciplined yet. If you have something to say, youd better tell me. After all, she hasnt graduated yet. Anna knew she had been misunderstood. She exined that this patient she had brought in had brain damage from a fall that might have left him with temporary memory loss. She was helping him find his family, so she wanted to ask the nurse, who said he looked like her ssmate, if she knew him. C The head nurse was relieved and then brought in the little nurse who had caused the trouble The young nurse looked like she was only 18 or 19 years old. She was probably intimidated by Annas imposing attitude earlier and looked nervous when she saw her. Miss Gabriel, is there something I can do? I really didnt hit him, I just wanted to take a picture with him. You know him? Anna looked at the little girl in front of her and asked with a very serious attitude The nurse did note back to her senses. She froze for a long time and asked, Isnt him your friend? Why are you asking me? He has some brain problems. He was hit by a car earlier and had a temporary memory loss. You said he looks like your ssmate. Can you tell me who he is? After Anna briefly exined to her, the nurse realized what had happened. She pondered for a while, looked through the observation window through the door at the man lying in the CO hospital bed. Then she shook her head and said, Ive only seen him a few times in front of my school. Im from the nursing school, and most of the students there are girls, so he cant be from our school. Because he is so handsome, my friend and I kept betting that we would ask him for his number if we met him again. I didnt expect to run into him here by chance. Thats all I know. So, you dont know who he is? The nurse nodded and looked a little rattled. You dont know his name? I dont know. Anna was a little lost after realizing she hadnt gotten any information from the nurse. After letting the nurse go, she stood at the door again for a while before entering the ward. The teenager was lying on the bed, covered with a clean white quilt. He wrapped himself uppletely and only showed his eyes. His eyes were very clear, making him look like a naive child. When Anna thought she had seen these eyes before, he suddenly said, Anna, give me some water. Anna was stunned and asked, Are you talking to me? He nodded. Surprised, Anna asked, How do you know my name? I want some water. He repeated. Anna snapped back and then went to get him water. She thought that maybe it was because Wayne had called her name in the hospital earlier, and he had heard him. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. While he was drinking his water, Anna found a news story from a news website, held her phone in front of him and asked, Do you know these words? The teenager took a sip of water, blinked, and then read, A neen-year-old man fell into a river and died in London early this morning. He doesnt seen to be retarded. Had he lost his memory? Anna examined the teenagers face and found that he was good-looking and younger. She thought that the little nurse was right; he looked like a college student After looking at him for a while, she tentatively asked, Do you remember what your name is? The young man blinked and suddenly froze as if trying to recall something. Gradually, his expression became distorted. He fell on the quilt holding his head with a look of pain. Seeing this reaction of him, Anna dared not let him recollect anymore. She stroked his back and tried to calm him down. She said, If you cante up with it, then dont Forget it. But the young man kept crouching on the bed and shivering. He made a dull, hissing sound that sounded muffled and depressing. After a while, just as Anna was ready to call the doctor, she was suddenly gripped by his wrist. Ryan, he said in a shaky voice Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Anna froze and asked, Is Ryan really your name? The boy raised his head. His face was pale, and his forehead was streaked with fine beads of sweat. Then, with a reluctant nod, he said, Yes. Whats yourst name? She asked again. The boy shook his head. Anna patted the back of his hand, afraid that he would be distressed again by thinking about things. She said, Forget about it, Ryan, since you remembered your name, Ill try to help you find your family. If Ryanis a college student, it will be troublesome. Since the summer break is approaching, the school usually doesnt care about the missing students. I have to look for his parents by myself. A weekter, the Blue Castle kindergarten was closed for the summer. Anna went to the kindergarten for the final parent-teacher conference, and to her surprise, she met Wayne and Matthew. As soon as he saw Anna, Matthew ran over to her and hugged her leg. Although he didnt say anything, the joyful expression on his little face showed that he was more than happy. Since they spent the night in Laxis Town, Anna and Waynes rtionship has eased. They made a truce, and their work and life were back to normal. So, to others, it seemed that everything was getting back on track. But only they knew clearly that they each had thoughts in their mind. Mommy, I want to go over to Matthews house for the summer, is that okay? Tammy tugged on Annas sleeve and brought her back to her senses. Anna answered without hesitation, Yes, sure. Really? Tammy had prepared a lot of sweet words to praise Anna, but she didnt expect her to say yes so quickly. Seeing that Anna agreed without hesitation, Tammy thought that it was still possible for Anna and Wayne to be together. Matthew was so happy that heughed out loud. I have to go to work. Is it okay if Tammy stays at your house for a while? The two kids can y together. Anna looked at Wayne and asked with a calm expression. Wayne smiled and said frankly, Sure. And I dont mind if you stay at my house too. That way. you can take care of your daughter. Me? No, thanks. Anna whispered somewhat awkwardly She did it for a reason. She wanted Tammy and Matthew to get along well since they were siblings They didnt know each others identities, but she feltforted watching them get along Did you find a ce to live? Wayne asked, changing the subject very naturally as if he didnt want to continue talking about the joke he had just made. Yes. Im going to the hospitalter to pick up Ryan and let him move in with me. Allie had called her out of the blue a couple of days ago and told her that she was giving the house in Golden Ocean Community back to her. Allie also told her not toe home to pick a fight again on ount of the house. Anna ignored her then and was surprised to see the keys to that house in the mailbox at Peace Brooks ce the next day. Youre going to let him live with you? Wayne asked, his eyes turning sombre. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The doctor said he doesnt need to stay in the hospital anymore, and I havent found out what school hes from yet, so Ill have to take him home for now. No. Anna, dont you think its very strange to have a grown man living in your house? Wayne said in a cold voice. Its not just weird; its ridiculous! What was she thinking? He thought. Anna shrugged and said, Well, theres nothing I can do about it. I cant just send him to a welfare house, can I? What if something happens to him? Then let him stay in the hotel. Anna was puzzled and asked, Huh? The hotel? What hotel? Wayne looked at her, coughed, and said, Carousel Hotel. Since the ident happened while you were on a business trip, you should get a room at the hotel for him. This incident had nothing to do with you in the first ce, and the hotel will be responsible for it. Is that appropriate? Im the one who hit the guy. If I say its appropriate, then its appropriate. Wayne said as he called Gabe and asked him to arrange a room for Ryan at the hotel. He was very concise and had the matter settled in less than three minutes, and before Anna knew it, everything was done with the call. After the parent-teacher conference, Matthew kept staying by Annas side. As soon as he heard that Anna was going to the hospital, he kept saying he wanted to go. And Anna had no choice but to agree to let him go with her. Ryan stayed in the hospitalfortably for a week. He had some panic attacks for the first two days, but he got better. He looked so much like an average person, except that he didnt talk to people. So, when Wayne saw him this time, he wondered if he was faking his memory loss. In the hospital, Anna was preparing Ryans discharge, and the two children went with her, leaving Wayne and Ryan together in the ward. Are you feeling better? Wayne asked. Ryan nodded and said, Yes. And I have to thank Anna for taking care of me all this time. I think you arepletely well. If so, why do you still stay here? Waynes eyes were a little sharp as if he could see into peoples hearts. I havent regained my memory. Ryan said fearlessly. He looked at Wayne and exined very coherently, The doctor said that the blood clots inside my brain have not beenpletely removed My mamarion nra otill intermittent molnand Anna to take care of me for a while. How do you need her to take care of you? It seems to have nothing to do with you. Wayne looked at him with a look of extreme arrogance and indifference. If you need to be taken care of so badly, Ill find someone to take care of you specifically when I have my assistant arrange a ce for you to live. Ryan froze and asked, What do you mean? Wayne did not answer him. It happened that Anna came back just at that moment. She pushed open the door and said, Lets go. What are you two talking about? I told him that staying at the hotel is better than staying here. Wayne got up from the couch, dusted off the dust that didnt seem to exist, and walked out in stride. Half an hourter, Ryan was in a suite on the top floor of the Carousel Hotel. As soon as Ryan saw the hotel, his face immediately changed. He questioned Anna, Didnt you say I could stay with you at your house? The waiters stood by and watched them. From the look in their eyes, Anna deeply understood what Wayne meant by strange earlier. She stroked her hair, trying to hide her embarrassed expression She exined, Ryan, Ive thought about it, and its really not appropriate for you, as a grown man, to stay at my house. The hotel is where I work, so you can totally stay here. Its quite nice here, and its convenient for you to do anything you want. If you need anything during the day, you cane to me directly Gabe, show him around Wayne interrupted Ryan Gabe quickly understood what he meant and dragged Ryan towards the suite, exining to him theyout of the room and the various user-friendly facilities Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Wayne felt much morefortable all of a sudden after Ryan was been dragged away by Gabe. He looked at Anna and said, Lets go. You dont have to be so concerned about him; youre not his mother. Gabe will take care of him. Anna looked back, retracted her head that had been looking towards the inside of the suite, touched her nose with embarrassment, and smiled. She said, Im used to it. Ryan is the same age as Scott and hes a bit like him, so I cant help but want to care more about him. Maybe people will think Im a little weird if I do that. When she mentioned Scott, Waynes face became even more darker. He asked, Why do you always happen to bring homeless people home? Did you do that on purpose? Anna stared at him and asked, What? No! I told you that I hit him by ident! Wayne nced at her and asked, What about Scott? You didnt hit him, did you? It seems that you had a lot of guts when you were a kid. You dared to run into an underground boxing ring when you were fifteen. Anna froze and asked, How do you know about this? Hearing that, Anna realized that Wayne had someone investigate Scott. He even found out that Scott was a boxer in an underground boxing ring before Gabriels family adopted him. Waynes expression turned serious. He said, A lot of people already know about it. Since he joined the show business, he should realize that his dirty little secrets in the past will hinder the development of his career. If he doesnt get a publicist to handle this, who knows if he will be affected by it in the future. After hearing his words, Anna inexplicably felt a little nervous. It urred to her that she hadnt contacted Scott for a long time since she returned from the Maldives. Anna was relieved after letting Ryan stay in the hotel room ording to Waynes arrangement. She came home in the evening and packed up Tammys things, and took her to work with her. Anna was going to drop her off at Waynes house in the evening at the end of the day Matthew! They had just arrived at the hotel when Tammy let go of Annas hand and darted towards the other end of the hall. Anna looked up and saw the Wrights butler holding Matthews hand. They seemed to have just arrived here as well. Miss Gabriel, Matthew has been asking to see you early in the morning. I know you must being to work today, so I brought Matthew here. The butler looked very resigned, and his eyes lit up when he saw the childrens suitcase Anna was holding. He asked, This is Tammys luggage, right? Ill put it in the trunk and bring it home tonight. Wayne had told the housekeeper that Tammy would spend the summer at his house. Anna didnt refuse and let the butler pull the suitcase to the garage while she took one of the children to the lounge. She had someone bring some fruit snacks for the two children and carefully instructed them, I have to go to work, so I cant stay with you all the time. You guys y here by yourselves and dont run around. Tammy. you have to take care of Matthew, okay? Hearing these words, Tammy immediately jumped off the couch. She gave Anna a salute and said like an adult, Rest assured. Ill get the job done. Anna smiled and left the lounge. If she had nothing to do, she would have yed with the kids, but today there was a group of actors checking in to the hotel. After Anna had seen Adas name on the list in advance, she felt that it should be a tricky task. To prevent anything bad from happening, she nned to do everything cautiously. Anna had just returned to her office and sat down when the receptionist told her that the crew had arrived. Miss Gabriel, we dont need to be so nervous. There are rumors that Ada is Mr. Wrights fiance. If she respects Mr. Wright, she wouldnt give our hotel a hard time. John followed behind Anna and said. Anna felt a little disturbed, rolled her eyes at him, and asked, Who said she was Mr. Wrights fiance? Thats what everyone says. Havent you heard of the rumors? Anna was about to refute him when several cars pulled up at the entrance. Arge group of fans pounced toward the cars, and the security guards were busy pulling them back. Several actors walked into the hotel lobby, leaving the crazy fans outside the hotel. Hello, we have arranged the rooms for you. This is our hotel room manager, and she will take you there. Anna said to the person in charge of the crew. She said it briefly and in a polite manner. Before the person in charge could say anything, she heard an indifferent voice saying, Miss Gabriel, its been so long since thest time we met. Have you been promoted? Congrattions. When she looked up, she saw that Ada had just taken off her sunsses and lifted her chin slightly with pride Anna still stood straight and said, Thank you. Since were old frends, Miss Gabriel, please lead me to my room yourself. Theres no need for the house manager to take me there After all, weve known each other for a long time, and well have a chance to chat, night? Anna was too embarrassed to refuse her in front of so many people, so she nodded and agreed She asked the room manager to arrange for other crew members to check in while she led Ada and her agent to the suite on the twelfth floor I have set the air conditioning temperature in the room at twenty-seven degrees and let the humidifier keep the air humid as you requested before. Also, I sprayed the room inside and out with your favorite perfume Ada interrupted her and said coldly, Well, I know how good you are; you dont have to show off in front of me. After all, you stole my fianc on a trip to the Maldives. Anna, you are something. Adas harsh voice echoed in therge suite, and Anna knew how angry she was. Anna frowned and pondered before replying, Im sorry, Miss Xavier, I dont know what you mean by that. I have never wanted to break your engagement, and I have no intention of doing so. What? Dont pretend to be innocent, okay? Im not a fool. Dont you dare say you didnt want to get close to Wayne? Ada looked very angry, and she had been mad for a long time because of this matter. She was still picking a perfect wedding dress when she got the call from Waynes assistant. When she heard the news that the wedding was canceled, she almost fainted as she couldnt catch her breath. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Ive seen a lot of women like you. You pretend to be an independent woman and pretend to be working to get close to Wayne. In terms of acting, we as actors are no match for you bitches in the workce. Annas brow furrowed. She lifted her head and looked at Ada indifferently. Miss, please stop saying that. Please respect me. She said. She was a person who was responsible for her work and was respectful to her customers, but that didnt mean she could be scolded at will. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Ada sneered as if she had expected Anna to react like this. What? If you have the guts to be a mistress, why dont you allow me, the victim, to scold you? I should show Wayne what you look like now. He must have thought you were a sweet, docile woman, and that you are willingly to be a stepmother to his son! You brought a bastard and tried to steal someone elses fianc. How could you be so shameless?! Anna suddenly took a step closer to Ada, and her face turned gloomy. She said, I told you to respect me, dont you understand? Ada was shocked by her fierce expression and unconsciously stepped backward, saying, What do you want? Do you want to hit me? Anna stared at her coldly and said, You think Im going to hit you when I havent done anything to you. No wonder you thought I stole your fianc after I went to the Maldives for work. You should ask yourself why your fianc broke off his engagement with you. Dont me others after youve done something wrong. Im too busy to talk nonsense with you here. After saying that, she coldly red at Ada and turned towards the door without hesitation. Stop right there, Ada shouted furiously. Anna gripped the door handle and said without looking back, Also, I recorded what you just said to me. Its not a crime to do so, but if I put this recording on the Inte, it should impact your career. You Ada was so angry that her face turned red. She was ready to scold Anna but held back the urge. Ada thought to herself; I didnt expect you to record our conversation. I underestimated you before. After Anna closed the door, she stood in the corridor and exhaled slowly, feeling mixed emotions If it were in the past, she would never have handled this matter in this way. Her impulsive behavior made her realize that she had overstressed herself on everything about Wayne. Are you okay? Seeing Anna return to her office, John was busy putting down what he was doing and followed her up to ask, I saw Ada was being aggressive when she called you in just now. Is there something wrong between you two? Anna rolled her eyes and said, Stop gossiping, have you finished your work? If you dont want to be my assistant anymore, I can just let the new intern girl do it. John immediately covered his mouth and quickly said, No! Im asking because Im worried about you. After all, youre quite close to Mr. Wright, and Ada, as his fiance, will make things difficult for you Hearing these words, Anna looked back at him. She seemed to be smiling, but not, and her expression frightened John. John, youve been trying to think about quite a lot of thingstely. Why do you think I have an unusual rtionship with Mr. Wright, and why is Ada trying to make things difficult for me? Because Mr. Wrights son is always around you. I was joking. After all, everyone knows you have a daughter, so you cant have anything to do with Mr. Wright. John said with a smile. Anna frowned, looked serious, and said, Okay, lets not talk about this anymore. This group of actors will be staying here recently, so have security keep an eye on them and dont let the fans in. Yes, I know. After returning to the office, Anna closed the door. She skimmed her lips and muttered in a small voice with a look of contempt, Ada is not Waynes fiance. Who said it? In the lounge in the afternoon, Tammy and Matthew both looked at each other. Matthew, Im so bored. They had been in the lounge all day and even ate their meals here, so they felt very bored. Matthew spun the Rubiks Cube in his hand that he had already disrupted and restored countless times and blinked his eyes. He didnt feel very bored. Tammy sat down on the couch and sighed, Matthew, if I had known thating to work with mommy was so boring, I would have stayed home. At least Id have plenty of toys to y with and cartoons to watch. Matthew scratched his head, feeling a little unsure of what to do. No one had ever taught him what he should do if a girl got bored. At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted Tammys words. The door was pushed open a c***k by the person standing outside. They then heard a low voice say, May Ie in? Tammys eyes lit up after looking at the door. She said, Ryan. Matthew froze as he saw Tammys mood change and looked at the person who had * corne The person was Ryan Tammy was familiar with him because Anna used to take her to visit him when he was in the hospital in Birmingham Ryan had temporary memory loss, but as a young man, he would always find a way to make children happy Ryan smiled happily He pushed the door open and walked in, picked Tammy up, and said, Why dont you y with me? Are we still good friends? Tammy blinked and said, I forgot about it, sorry Ryan. Im bored. Do you have something fun to do? Til take you outside to y! Tammy brightened up and said happily, Really? Is that okay? Ryan was about to nod when he suddenly felt someone touching his leg. When he looked down, he saw a little boy clutching his pants and staring at him with a wary look Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Ryan touched Tammys nose, put her back on the ground, and said teasingly, This boy doesnt seem to agree with me taking you out. Hes probably afraid that Ill abduct you. Hearing this, Tammy pulled Matthews shirt and said to him, Matthew, Ryan is not a bad person. You met him yesterday at the hospital; hes Mommys friend. We know each other very well. Matthew sighed silently in his heart, feeling a little resigned. He heard the housekeeper talk about it, and he knew that Ryan was not Annas friend at all but the person she hit with a car. And he thought that Tammy was naive. All he could do was write on the drawing board, Your mommy said we should stay here and shouldnt wander around. He pressed another button, and a mechanical voice read out what he had written. After hearing this, Tammy looked a little lost. She looked at Ryan with a downcast look and said, Well, Ryan, Mommy wont let us go out. Ryan rubbed her head andughed, Poor little girl. We can have dinnerter, and I will take you and your mommy out to eat together. Tammy immediately became happy and asked, Where are we going to eat? I want to eat fried chicken. No problem, well eat whatever you want. After saying this, he gave Matthew a thoughtful look and asked, Little guy, do you want toe along? Matthew frowned. For some reason, he always felt that this man wanted to do something horrible. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Ryan stayed in the lounge for a while. Not long after that, it was time for Anna to get off work, and she came over to pick up the kids. Seeing Ryan, Anna smiled and said, Hey, youre here. John said you went downtown this afternoon. Did you found anything? Ryan shook his head and said, I remember a little bit about the ce you mentioned, but I still cant remember the rest. Anna looked a little disappointed but still reassured Ryan by saying, Thats okay. Ill go with you over the weekend and ask. Ryan smiled and didnt care much about getting his memory and identity back. He said, Lets have dinner tonight; Ive found a good restaurant. Okay. Seeing Anna agree so readily, Matthews expression immediately changed. He wrote down a few words on the drawing board and held it high for Anna to see, We agreed to go back to my ce tonight Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Anna stroked his head when she saw it and exined with a smile, We were going to go to your house, but the housekeeper called this afternoon and said your dad was away for the night. I dont think leaving you and Tammy at home alone is safe, so you shoulde home with me tonight. Ill drop you off again tomorrow. Matthews frown deepened when he heard these words Why is Dad away at such a critical time? Wouldnt he feel alert? Matthew thought. Although he felt dissatisfied, he could only reluctantly follow them. When they arrived near the restaurant, Matthew looked around with surprise. They arrived at the college town. College students were walking down the street, and various food stalls were giving off tantalizing aromas Tammy looked around in amazement and said, Wow! There are so many people! Healing Tammys words, Anna couldnt help but exim, I havent been here in years. How did you find this ce? Ryanughed I remembered I had been here before I cant remember who I came here with, but i feel like I used toe here a lot remember there was a really good barbecue restaurant here Annas eyes lit up, and she asked, Youre not talking about Ms Browns Barbecue are You know this ce? Ryan troze for a moment * went to a college nearby six years ago, and that restaurant is one of the most famous in the neighborhood its been there for years, but unfortunately, Ive never had the time to go there Then lets go, Ryan said Then, all of them went straight to the barbecue restaurant. It was not yette at night, and the barbecue restaurant was already crowded with people. Luckily, they werent toote, and there was still space for them to sit. Ryan ordered the dishes very skillfully, and then handed the menu to the waiter and said, Two pizzas for the kids. After the waiter left, Ryan turned his head to Anna and found her looking around, looking just as curious as Tammy. Havent you ever been to a barbecue restaurant like this before? Not really. Anna looked back and smiled at him with embarrassment. Ive never had many friends, and they dont usually like toe to these ces. Although | quite want toe, I dont want toe by myself. When she brought up what happened back then, she felt she had let it go. But in the past, she could have been sad for many years because she had no friends. Back in Birmingham, no one had ever dared to be friends with her at school because Allie didnt like her. So, she had no friends since she was a child. She was not at the same school as Allie in college, but her only good friend at the time stole her boyfriend. Ryan saw Annas expression and inexplicably felt empathy with her as if his childhood was the same. He said, I dont seem to have many friends either. Ive been missing for so long but no one called the police to report my missing. Its okay. Maybe someone will in the future. After they chatted for a while, the waiter served the dishes they ordered. The restaurant makes delicious grilled chicken wings. Tammy, do you want some? Its okay, shes not a picky eater. Anna then ced the chicken wings on the te in front of Tammy. Ryan gave Matthew a meaningful look and said, Im not worried about Tammy. Im more worried about Matthew. Has he evere to a small restaurant like this? Anna looked at Matthew and noticed that he wasnt pleased. He wasnt eating the pizza on his te and didnt seem to want to eat the food on the table. Dont you want to eat it, honey? Anna asked with concern. Matthew frowned and shook his head. Then he wrote on the little board, I want to eat the pizza you make. Anna rubbed his head and said, Okay, Ill make you pizza when we get home, okay? But its dinner time, so you should at least eat a little. Well go home right after we finish eating. Hearing this, Matthew reluctantly nodded his head and slowly took a bite of pizza. Anna knew that Matthew lived in a wealthy family and was only used to eating at fancy restaurants Although she wanted to finish her meal quickly and leave, Tammy kept eating and even packed a chicken wing, which took a long time. After dinner, Anna drove Ryan back to the hotel before taking the two kids home. She also made Matthew a pizza alter she got home. However, Matthew did not seem hungry and ate only a little bit. Anna was suddenly woken up in the night by Tammy shouting, Mommy! Wake up! She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and asked, Whats wrong? Matthews stomach hurts, and he fell from the bed. Anna instantly woke up upon hearing this. She sat up immediately and ran to Matthews bedroom without putting on her shoes. She was extremely frightened at the sight of his tiny figure curled up on the floor. Matthew, Matthew! She touched his forehead and found it very hot. She was just about to pick him up when he threw up all over her. Mommy, whats wrong? Tammy was also so scared that her face went pale, and she spoke in a much smaller voice. Tammy, stay at home by yourself, okay? Sleep in my room. Im taking Matthew to the hospital. Ill go with you. No, you cant. After telling her daughter what to do, Anna carried Matthew downstairs and drove straight to the hospital without even having time to change her clothes. While she waited in the emergency room, the housekeeper from the Wright family arrived at the news. Whats wrong with Matthew? He was fine this afternoon. Anna said regretfully, I dont know. Hes been throwing up and having diarrhea, probably because he has eaten something unclean. I took him to eat something at a small barbecue restaurant in the evening. He didnt eat much, just a few bites. The housekeepers expression changed as he asked, What? How could you let Matthew eat at a ce like that? Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Matthew has a delicate stomach and he cant have unclean food. How can you do that, Miss Gabriel? How am I supposed to exin this to Mr. Wright? After being questioned by the housekeeper, Anna didnt know how to exin and felt very remorseful. Dont worry, I will apologize to Mr. Wright myself. Im sorry, its all my fault. Seeing her sorry attitude, the housekeeper didnt know what to say. He sighed heavily and stepped aside to call Wayne. The doctors admitted Matthew to the hospital after examining him. They didnt know if he was sick because of eating bad food or something else. While waiting for the results, they gave Matthew a shot. Afterward, he seemed better and fell asleep. Anna stayed at the hospital with Matthew. She looked at Matthew, who was sleeping and she felt very regretful. They usually didnt have many opportunities to spend time together, and she didnt expect this kind of thing to happen. She felt that she was not a good mother and that if Matthew knew that she was his biological mother, he might me her. Anna stayed up all night. The next day, Anna went home to make breakfast before dawn. After telling Tammy to be a good girl, she returned to the hospital with a lunchbox. She had just reached the ward door and was just about to push the door in when she heard a familiar voiceing from inside. She paused and subconsciously gripped the door handle tightly As soon as I heard that Matthew was hospitalized, I immediately rushed over. And, I brought him breakfast. I watched my nanny make the breakfast, and it was very clean. Adas voice was so gentle that it almost gave Anna goosebumps. Wayne replied calmly. Thank you. Matthew, let me feed you. As Anna stood in the doorway of the ward, she could clearly see the two people standing in front of the bed Wayne and Ada were sitting left and right beside Matthew, and Ada was feeding Matthew with a bowl of soup in her hand, Anna lingered in the doorway for a moment, only to feel lost. She stood there for a while, turned around, and left Matthew barely drank a few mouthfuls of soup before he started shaking his head Ada nced at Wayne and said awkwardly, Are you still not feeling well in your stomach? Its okay tll leave the chicken soup here first. If you want to drink itter, Ill feed you. Matthew shrank his shoulders as if he was a little afraid of her. He reached one hand out from under the covers and tugged on Waynes sleeve Wayne took his hand and asked, Whats wrong? Are you feeling ufortable? Matthew shook his head, and then looked at the door was thinking and told him with a frown. He didnt know why Matthew was sick if it was because of food poisoning. But when he arrived at the hospital in the morning and saw Matthew lying weakly in bed with no one around, he felt a little angry. Maybe she treated Matthew this way because he isnt her child. If it were her daughter lying in the hospital, she probably would have stayed with her all night. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. After all, no one will leave such a little kid alone in the hospital. As he was thinking, he heard Ada say, I heard that Anna took Matthew to eat at a restaurantst night. Those restaurants are dirty and the food is not fresh. How can she take a child to eat in a ce like that? Wayne had already heard the housekeeper say this, and Ada repeating it made him feel even more annoyed. He frowned with a look of displeasure. When Matthew saw that his dad was unhappy, he immediately wrote on the drawing board, It wasnt Auntie Anna who wanted to take me there. Ryan chose the ce. He said this so that they would not me Anna again. To his surprise, Wayne looked even more upset after seeing the word Ryan. Ada kept looking at them and snickered after seeing this expression on Waynes face. She rolled her eyes and then looked at Matthew. Her eyes became fierce but then returned to normal. She knew that if she wanted to win Wayne back, she still had to please Matthew. Although she felt that Matthew was in the way, he was the one person Wayne cared very much about after all. After spending some time with Matthew, Wayne nced at his phone and prepared to leave. He gave Matthew a hug before leaving, and Ada said she would take care of this little kid. Wayne just walked out of the ward, then saw a familiar figure on the couch in the hallway by the door. She looked very haggard. When she saw hime out, Anna stood up and looked at him, a little overwhelmed. Wayne frowned and asked coldly and politely, When did you get here? Anna, carrying her lunchbox, said, I just got here. Im here to bring Matthew some breakfast. I saw you guys in there, so I didnt bother you. Has Matthew finished his breakfast? Wayne took a quick look at the lunchbox in her hand and replied indifferently, Yes. Anna was afraid to look Wayne in the eye. She lowered her head, and whispered, Im sorry. its my fault I will take good care of him until he recovers, and Ive asked for a leave. The more sincere she apologized, the more it gave Wayne a feeling that she felt guilty for doing something wrong He was already upset, even though he didnt know what was happening No, youre too busy taking care of your daughter, other people, and the people you picked up home from outside I know you dont have time to take care of Matthew. Besides, someone else is already taking care of Matthew Anna clenched her fists Just as she looked up to say something for herself, Wayne was goneHe didnt even give her a chance to defend herself. She was also disappointed to find that she had nothing to defend herself. Matthew had indeed been in the hospital because of her. She understood that Wayne was angry with her and even she herself was angry with herself. She was well aware that Matthew had grown up around Wayne for many years and ate only the most refined foods. She didnt know what she was thinking at the time and kept ming herself. Ada, who was in the hospital room with Matthew, clearly heard their conversation at the door. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Before opening the door, Ada put on her sunsses mask to avoid being recognized. Where is the patients father? After entering the door and looking around, the doctor did not see Wayne, so he asked Ada directly. Well, he just left. What can I do for you? Ada asked. Her sunsses covered most of her face, making her voice sound muffled. The doctor did not recognize her and said expressionlessly, The test results say that this child is not sick from food poisoning, but from a viral infection caused by fever. He can be discharged from the hospital this afternoon. Hearing this, Ada frowned slightly and clenched her fist. However, she put on a relieved look and said, So, thats great! Ill tell his fatherter. Thank you. Youre wee. The doctor smiled lightly and left the ward. Matthew covered the quilt tightly, only revealing a pair of somewhat dull eyes. As Ada moved closer to him, he shivered more and more violently. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Matthew, did you just hear something? Adas voice was soft yet somewhat eerie, like a ghost. Her voice seemed to trigger the deepest fear in Matthews heart, making him pale, start sweating, and even almost faint. He just shook his head. Ada raised her hand and touched him on the head, and said, Very good, good boy. You really didnt hear anything just now. If you tell your dad the real cause of your sickness, Id be mad. If you make me angry, you know what Ill do to you. She ran her hand over Matthews head, causing him to shudder in horror. He was so shocked that tears almost fell from his eyes, and at that moment, it was as if he remembered something that had happened a long time ago. His eyes widened, and he opened his mouth several times but couldnt make a sound. Ada seemed to be satisfied with his frightened expression. She looked at the weak creature, sneered disdainfully, and said, Dont worry, little Matthew. If I be your mommy, I will be good to you. Dont be afraid. After leaving work that afternoon, Wayne immediately went to the hospital to discharge Matthew and take him home. Ada, who had been at the hospital with Matthew all day, also got in the car. The doctor said Matthews digestive system is not good. So, he cant eat at some small restaurants with low hygiene standard. Adas voice echoed in the car. Lying in Waynes arms, Matthew secretly clenched his tiny fists but did not dare to speak. Wayne nodded his head and said politely, I know. Thank you. Its okay. I really like Matthew, and Id be sad if he gets sick. Wayne listened to her absentmindedly and kept looking out the window. After he said some unpleasant words to Anna in the morning, she didnte back to the hospital anymore. He thought maybe he had been too mean to her. Two dayster, it was Saturday. Wayne stayed at home to take care of Matthew. Matthew had stopped throwing up and having diarrhea, but he was still suffering from a fever. Therefore, Wayne did not let him go out but rest at home. Matthew was an energetic child. Even though he was sick, he kept begging Wayne to take him to visit Anna and Tammy When Matthew first said this, Wayne didnt care. Later, because Matthew had said it too many times, Wayne had trouble sleeping at night and had insomnia for several days, Wayne was coaxing Matthew to eat breakfast when he heard a doorbelle from the door The sound echoed through the house, The maid hurried to open the door. Wayne then heard the maids startled voiceing from the door Tammy? Hello, good morning! Tammy greeted the maid politely and then followed her into the house. Mr. Wright, Matthew, Tammy is here. Uncle, good morning. Tammy C****d her head, looked at Matthew behind Wayne, and said, Matthew, good morning. Wayne nodded and smiled at her. Tammy waved her hand, then rested therge, insted lunchbox in her hand on the steps. She sat down, took a deep breath, and said, Its so hot outside. Im exhausted! Matthew immediately jumped out of his chair and rushed to Tammys side, gesturing at her. Tammy blinked and thought before she understood and exined to him, My mommy is home. She made a lot of dessertsst night and asked me to bring them to you. Look, here you are. Tammy sat down and opened the big lunch box. There were fouryers ofpartments inside the lunchbox, and eachyer contained a kind of pastry, all of which looked very delicious. Well, since Ive given you the things, then Ill leave. She said as she stood up and was about to leave. Matthew hurriedly pulled her sleeve and turned his head to look at Wayne, looking very anxious. Wayne came over, bent down, looked down at Tammy, and asked, Did youe by yourself? Tammy looked guilty but nodded anyway and said, Yes. Then, let me have someone take you back, okay? Its not safe for you to go back by yourself. No, thanks. I can go home by myself. Tammy looked deeply at Wayne, looked suddenly serious, and said, But before I go, I want to exin something to you. What? That day at the barbecue, I ate a lot and Matthew ate very little. Yet, I was totally fine. You cant hate my mommy because of this, and if you do, then I will dislike you. Wayne froze. Although he knew she was joking, it made him feel somewhat scared, as if he was really going to lose something in the next moment. After Tammy left, Matthew gave Wayne a stern look and left with a box of snacks without leaving him a single piece. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Tammy walked out of the vi and looked around after pretending to be mncholy for a long time. After noticing that no one was looking at her, she ran up and walked to a car. As soon as she got in, she gave a high five to the young man in the car. Tammy said happily Ryan Ive done my idh! The young man in the car raised his eyebrows andplimented, Tammy, youre great. But, will that make mommy happy? He will have apologize to your mom if he isnt so stupid. In this way, your mom wont be sad. And what if he doesnt apologize? Do you want a man who never apologizes to be your father? Tammy shook her head without hesitation and said, No way! She knew that her mother would be devastated if Mr. Wright was really that kind of man. Ryan patted her on the shoulder and said, Right! Im giving him this chance because your mother has been taking care of me and Matthew is sick. Otherwise, I wouldnt have cared about him. There are plenty of men in the world. Mommy didnt do it for him, she did it because of Matthew. Hearing this, Ryan froze and asked, Do you know why your mommy is so attached to that little guy? Its not like hes her own child. Even if its because she has a crush on Wayne, she doesnt have to be so concerned about him. Thats just because Matthew is of the same age as my brother! After Tammy identally blurted out, she covered her mouth. Her eyes widened, and she said in a muffled voice, I didnt say anything. Ryan stared at Tammy for a long time and asked, I heard you. Do you have a brother? No. Well, then, Im going to ask Anna myself. And, Im going to tell her that you told me about this. Tammy pouted and immediately tugged on Ryans sleeve. She acted as if she was afraid he would ask in the next minute and looked very nervous. She said, Mommy cries every time she mentions my brother, so please dont ask her about him. You really have a brother, huh? Tammy had to tell the truth. She said sadly, Itsplicated. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 The car was driving under the hot July sun. Tammy kept talking, and it took about ten minutes to finish the story. Thats it. My mother will be very sad every time she mentions this, so please dont ask her about it. Ryan rested his elbow on the car window frame, one hand on his chin, and asked thoughtfully, You said your brother disappeared shortly after you were born? Did he disappear in this ce? Didnt you grow up abroad? Tammy blinked and said, justified, I did grow up abroad. Ryan smiled and said, What about your dad? Didnt he look for your brother? I dont know, I dont see my daddy very often. Tammy shrugged with a look of innocence on her face. You dont see your daddy much? Yes, he is very busy. Ive seen him very few times, and we havent seen each other this year. I dont even remember what he looks like. Why did your daddy divorce your mommy? Is it because he does not like you? Ryan suddenly approached Tammy with a curious face, gossiping. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Tammy shrugged her shoulders helplessly and said, Who said my mommy and daddy divorced? My daddy likes me a lot, he brings me a lot of gifts every time he sees me. I dont really like those things, but theyre expensive. Ryans eyes widened as he heard the big gossip and asked, Theyre not divorced? Then why do you want Wayne and your mommy to be together? Tammy said bluntly, I like him and want him to be my daddy, and my mommy and daddy rarely see each other anyway. I see that my mommy and Uncle Wayne get along well. Ryan nodded, stunned by her logic. Wayne knocked on the door and went into Matthews room. Matthew was sitting by himself on his bed, holding a box of snacks and lost in thought. He saw Wayneing and immediately acted as if he was not wee. Wayne sat down helplessly and said thoughtfully, Matthew, why did defend her so much simply because she brought you a box of treats? Have you forgotten how many treats Ive bought you these years? Isnt that a little unfair to me? Matthew still looks angry. He wrote on his drawing board, She makes good snacks, and you buy bad ones. She is nice to me, but because of you, she doesnt evene to me anymore. Seeing this, Wayne frowned and said. I didnt let her to see you. Thats because she didnt take good care of you at all, and made you sick. So, Matthew, shes not the best person to be your mother. If you want a mother, I can find you another one. Upon hearing this, Matthew immediately became angry. He stared indignantly at Wayne, 25 Points and his face turned red. He kept shaking and shivering for a long time before writing down a line, Its not her fault. I didnt go to the hospital because I ate something bad. Wayne thought he was joking and said, Come on, you dont have to speak for her. You can eat the snacks she gave you, but you cant go out alone with her anymore. Matthew gritted his teeth in anger. He violently grabbed Waynes hand and bit him on the back. Wayne grunted and dared not shake him off for fear of hurting him. He said unhappily Matthew, what are you doing? Matthew let go of his hand and pointed to the words just written on the drawing board with a fierce look on his face. Wayne didnt think much about it. He only felt that Matthews temper was getting grumpier and grumpier, and he needed to keep him under control. What interest ss do you want to take? Is a sketching ss okay? Ill have the housekeeper sign you up for a ss tomorrow. I need to keep you busy, or youll always be thinking about it. Matthew was so angry that his face turned red, and he threw a pillow at Waynes back indignantly. He let out a Hmph!sound and wrapped himself up in the nket. Tammy spent the entire weekend watching Anna. As soon as Annas phone rang, she listened carefully to her call. But two whole days passed and she didnt receive a single call from Wayne. On Sunday night, Tammy couldnt hold back any longer. She hid in her bedroom and dialed a phone number. As soon as the call was answered, she said urgently, Sir, the rtionship between my mommy and Uncle Wright is very bad now. On the other end of the line, an old, calm voice said, Okay, Ill take care of this. The next morning. When Anna first arrived at the hotel, she sensed something unusual about the atmosphere there. Good morning, Miss Gabriel. Good morning. She walked to the office and felt that many people were looking at her. She felt a little puzzled and that she had never been stared at like that. It made her even wonder if she was wearing unmatching shoes or if she had something on her face. Miss Gabriel, hello, John greeted her. Good morning. Why do you have that look on your face? Anna looked at him, frowned, and said *Im happy for you. You dont know that yet, do you? Dont be too surprised. Look! John smiled and stood in the doorway of her office. With that, he pulled open the door. Her office was filled with roses of all colors. There were flowers almost everywhere, from the desk to the corner, making the office look like a flower store Anna stared wide-eyed and asked, Whats going on? John smiled and replied, You havent see it yet? Valentines Day ising up, so this must be a surprise from your husband. The roses are perfectly just in time. Anna frowned, feeling even more puzzled. Everyone at the hotel knew she had a child, so they all assumed she had a husband. She didnt exin it to avoid other misunderstandings. So when they saw someone give her so many roses, it made sense for them to think it was from her husband. only, he would not have sent her so many flowers. Only after Johns reminder did she see the card on the table. To Anna, the card wrote. Looking at Johns curious expression, Anna hid the card back and said, Get to work. Dont you have anything to do? C Hey, I dont want to look at this kind of lovey-dovey stuff yet. Johnughed a few times, then quickly ran off. Anna was left alone in the office. She slowly opened the card and saw a sentence written by pen: I apologize for what I said to you a few days ago. Anna froze. After she thought about it, she knew who had sent it. It cheered her. She smiled and was deeply touched. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 The room full of roses and the words of apology on the card made her feel better. But, when she calmed down and sat down, she was still feeling worried. Through her time with Wayne, Anna found that he was not as indifferent as he seemed. He was a responsible man, both towards the women around him and the children. However, this was not why she could let him take care of Matthew just like that. She had been in touch with the hospital doctor because she was worried about Matthew. When she learned that his vomiting and diarrhea were not caused by food poisoning but by fever, she was not only not relieved, but she felt even worse. In her opinion, although Wayne doted on Matthew very much, he just wasnt attentive enough. When they first met, the chandelier fell and almost hit Matthew. Later, Matthew was often sick. Anna could see that he simply did not take good care of the child over the years from these incidents. She believed that she should talk to him about Matthewter. As she was thinking, her assistant John returned and said to her, The people from the headquarters said they woulde here to do a random inspection. Mr. Wright and some old directors from the board of directors areing to visit the hotelter. Should we prepare anything? Anna returned to her senses and replied, No need. When will they arrive? The headquarters said that Mr. Wright has already left and will arrive in about fifteen minutes. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. OK, ask the manager in charge of the lobby today toe, and let some other foremen to go with me. The others can just do their own jobs. After a few more words, Anna straightened her clothes and calmly walked out of the office. Wayne was not the kind of person who liked superficial formality. Since he and the board of directors wereing to inspect, they wanted to see how the hotel usually was. Anna always worked hard, so she would not panic. Soon after she came downstairs, she saw three ck cars stop in front of the hotel. Several men in their 40s and 50s in suits got out of the cars, and it was clear that they were all members of the board of directors. They were walking into the hotel side by side with Wayne. Anna and Wayne looked at each other. Thinking about the room full of flowers in her office, she smiled out and nodded at him, Mr. Wright, how are you? After Mr. Brown greeted the rest of the people, he introduced them to Anna, Anna, this is Mr. Wright, you know him. These two are Mr. Perez and Mr. Campbell from the board of directors. Anna bent down slightly and took the initiative to shake their hands. Both gentlemen looked serious and didnt show any smiles all the way. They didnt say why they were here, only wanted to see the hotel environment. Anna let two foremen to show them around while she followed behind apprehensively and suspiciously Wayne was listening and nodding from time to time. Anna took a notebook and recorded what they said. She didnt know what they would do, but she knew it would be helpful to write it down. After walking around for a while, the two directors suggested that they should call the hotel managers to an impromptu meeting in the conference room. Mr. Brown organized the meeting, while Anna went back to her office to get the materials. She had just reached the door when she met Wayne, who had juste back from the bathroom She greeted him respectfully. After a second of hesitation, she asked, Ive never seen the directors come to the hotel to inspect in person. Is there something wrong? Why they came here themselves? Wayne nced at her and looked a little surprised. He replied, There are foreign guestsing to the city for exchange in two days, and they will stay here. So, they came to see the rooms first. They hadnt talked to each other since that day when they had a row at the hospital. He didnt expect Anna to act as if she didnt care, as if she didnt take the events of that day seriously. Foreign guests areing? Anna was a little nervous. As she found Waynes expression did not change, she continued to ask, Then should I hire more security guards? Yes, thats what the meeting in a few minutes will be about. Anna nodded and pushed open the office door, Then Ill get the materials now. Ill go to the meeting right away. The fragrance of roses hit her the moment she opened the door. Wayne was about to leave when he nced toward the door and saw arge pile of gorgeous roses all over the office. He suddenly frowned, thinking, No wonder she doesnt care about what happened that day at the hospital. It seems she was busy these days. Well, about security Anna spoke as she walked out of the office. Before she could finish, she realized that Wayne was not waiting for her at the door. She was instantly a little embarrassed. After looking around and finding that no one was there, she coughed twice and walked towards the conference room The content of the meeting was the same as Wayne said, and the two directors were indeed talking about receiving foreign guests sometimeter. They suggested strengthening the security and service and preparing some unique dishes When will they check in? Three dayster. *How many of them will arrive? What if our hotel doesnt have enough vacant rooms? As it is touring season now Im afraid there wont be enough rooms to amodate the quests. Anna asked, frowning. All the people at the conference table were a little surprised because they had never considered this issue. Canceling reservations and even checking out people who had already checked in within three days was bound to beined about. After all, no one would want to change hotels all of a sudden. As they were talking, they heard Wayne say, seriously and coldly, Why are you asking us? Are you the manager of the hotel, or are we? His words were so direct that the crowd in the room froze. They then all looked at Anna sympathetically. Anna froze, pursed her lips, and said, I know Ill do my best to handle this matter. You should not try to do it well, Anna, you must do it well. You should know that the group did not hire you as a hotel manager because of your fake education. Wayne said coldly. His eyes were so indifferent that people didnt dare to look at him directly It would be reasonable to say that this was because he was dissatisfied with her work before. But now, he was obviously making things difficult for her and even brought up her fake resume. Annas expression was very embarrassed. After the meeting, everyone left the room quickly. Wayne didnt say another word to Anna and left the hotel without looking back. Everyone signed in relief as they stood in front of the hotel and saw Wayne and the two directors cars drive away. John whispered in Annas ear, Miss Gabriel, did you offend Mr. Wright? Anna furrowed deeply, nced at John in disgust, and replied, Who knows? Hes like a psycho. She found him extremely difficult and even weird. She didnt know why he had sent her flowers in the morning and then treated her like this afternoon. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 In the evening, while Anna was cooking in the kitchen, Tammy ran over cheerfully and asked with a smile, Mommy, are you happy today? Why do you suddenly ask such a question? Whats the matter? Anna asked. Im just asking! Tammy said and then sniffed. Mommy, did someone give you flowers? I smell the fragrance of flowers on your clothes. Upon hearing this, Anna frowned immediately. However, Tammy didnt notice the change in her expression and continued to ask expectantly, Did Uncle Wayne give you roses? The fragrance smells so good! As soon as Tammy finished her words, Anna cut the meat hard with a loud bang and the knife was inserted into the chopping board. Dont mention him to me, Anna said. Seeing this, Tammy shivered and felt a chill in her neck. When she raised her head, she saw Annas darkened face. Her heart began to beat faster and she didnt dare to speak anymore. After a few seconds, she ran back to the bedroom. Whats going on? Isnt it said giving flowers is the best way to make two people reconcile? The sound of Anna chopping spareribs was so loud that it still could be heard in the bedroom. After closing the door, Tammy secretly made a phone call. Mommy seems to be angrier than before! No, Mommy was just unhappy before. But now she is angry! Lets think of another way. In the dining room of Wrights House, Old Mr. Wright looked depressed and confused after hanging up the phone. How could this be? Generally speaking, women will be happy when they are given flowers, wont they? Why is Anna even angrier? At dinner time, Anna seemed to have cooled down a little after venting her anger by chopping spareribs and cooking. She put a piece of spareribs on Tammys te and said, Eat more. When Im not at home during the day, you can heat the spareribs with the microwave and eat them when you are hungry. Dont eat too many snacks. Mommy, the summer vacation is so long. I feel bored staying at home every day, Tammy bit the spareribs and said vaguely. May I sign up for an interest ss? Interest ss? Anna was a little stunned and asked, What do you want to learn? Swimming! Tammy said cheerfully. Then she ran back to the bedroom to fetch the tablet PC and showed Anna the enrollment ad for the summer swimming ss. Ive chosen a rather good swimming club Children will take sses from Monday to Sunday every week and parents can *23 Ports 25 Points swim there for free on Saturdays and Sundays. We can go to the club together and swim there on weekends. But I cant swim, Anna frowned and said. It doesnt matter. Ive asked the teacher about the ss. She said that the parents would be given free guidance. You can learn to swim together with me, Tammy said. When did you ask about it? Anna asked suspiciously. I called the club just now and asked about it. With an innocent look, Tammy said, Mommy, the swimming club provides lunch. If I sign up for the course, I will eat lunch there so that you dont have to worry that I wont eat well at home alone. Anna looked through the advertisement and murmured, The service of the club is indeed good. Well, the course must be expensive. Ive also asked about the price of the course. We can enjoy a fifty percent discount if we sign up on the first day of opening. After calcting the price, Anna breathed a sigh of relief and said, OK. Ill take you to sign up for the course tomorrow. Tammy blinked and said in a sweet voice, Thank you, Mommy. Will you go to the swimming club together with me this Saturday? Yes, I will. The next day, after Anna sent Tammy to the swimming club and signed up for the course, she received a call from John who said that the receptionists of the hotel had a conflict with a customer Anna then rushed to the hotel in a hurry after hanging up the phone. As soon as she arrived at the hotel, John came up to her with an anxious look What happened? Anna asked. Since we will receive the important foreign guests, we need to transfer the other guests to the nearby branch of our hotel in advance. Do you remember the drama crew that checked in before? Something happened to the supporting actress. And she refused to leave and argued with our receptionist, John said. Hearing this, Anna frowned. The supporting actress? The guest called Sherry who lives in Room 1213? Yes, its her The drama crew and our hotel have agreed that we would arrange another hotel nearby for them, be responsible for the luggage transportation, andpensate for the loss of their time But just now, Sherry said that she lost a diamond ne And the surveince video showed that this morning Wendy was the only one that went to her room to inform her of the time of luggage transportation. She suspected that Wendy stole her ne? Anna asked and frowned tightly Anna didnt believe that Wendy would do such a thing because Wendy, who was interviewed and recruited by her had been a person of integrity and behaved well at work. Yes Sherry wanted to call the police but we stopped her. If the policee and the other quests know about this, the reputation of our hotel will be ruined, John said. +25 Ponts 25 points Anna nodded and said, You are right. Well;wheres Wendy now? Ask her toe to me. Ill ask her what happened first. Okay. John said with a nod and went to look for Wendy Anna then went straight to the monitoring room. As soon as she arrived there, she saw a familiar figure. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. What are you doing here? She asked Ryan in surprise. Ryan blinked at her and said, I knew what happened in the hotel and Im here to check the surveince video. Anyway, I dont have anything to do so I want to do something to help you. Ive asked them to pull up the video you want. You can view it directly. Anna looked at him with admiration and praised him, You are awesome. Then she looked at the screen. On the monitor screen was the scene at the door of Room 1213. The security guard yed the video in fast-forwarded mode. When Anna saw a scene of thest night on the video, she suddenly said, Pause it please. The security guard quickly pressed the pause button and asked, Is there any problem, Miss Gabriel? Anna raised her hand to motion him not to talk and stared at the screen. A momentter, she said in a low voice, Rewind the video to five minutes before. The security guard then rewound the video immediately. Stop here, Anna said. Seeing Wendys panicked figure on the screen, she took a deep breath and her face was darkened. At nine oclockst night, Wendy went into Room 1213. At this time, there should be no one in the room, she said. Ryan touched his chin, adjusted his sses, and said thoughtfully, Its not as simple as that. Suddenly, a burst of rapid footsteps came from the door. Then John came in and said breathlessly, Miss Gabriel, Wendy is at the rooftop terrace. She wants to jump off the building! What?! Annas face turned pale when she heard this. The next moment, she rushed out of the monitoring room in her stilettos. On the rooftop terrace of Carousel Hotel, a slender figure was standing outside the rusty railing and trernbling The strong sunlight was dazzling and the wind was warm, making people feel extremely hot Donte over. Stay away from me! Wendy shouted emotionally Wendy, calm down. By the time Anna got to the terrace, there had been many employees persuading Wendy, They all looked nervously at Wendy with their faces pale and their eyes full of fear If Wendy had an ident, the reputation of the hotel and even the Carousel Group would be Let me past. Please get out of the way, everybody, Anna panted and said as she forged through the crowds to the front. When she saw Wendy standing outside the rail, she was almost scared out of her wits. After calming herself down, she said, Wendy, calm down. Come here and lets have a talk. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 At the sight of Anna, Wendy cried and said, Miss Gabriel, I didnt steal the ne. That guest ndered me. I know. I know you didnt do that. Were still investigating this matter. Come back first, Wendy, Anna said. You are lying to me, Wendy shouted hysterically, holding the railing with one hand and wiping her tears with the other. Seeing her like this, the others broke out in a cold sweat. Wendy then continued, You all lied to me. No one believes me at all. You all believe that actress. When she asked you to fire me, you agreed to her request. I heard that! Hearing this, Anna was a little surprised. She red at John and asked, Who said she would be fired? John frowned and said, Mr. Brown thought that its more important to transfer the crew members as soon as possible, so he Before he could finish his words, Mr. Brown suddenly cut in, I did that for the sake of our hotel. Even for the sake of the hotel, you cant fire her for no reason, Anna said as she nced at Mr. Brown with coldness in her eyes. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Frightened by her cold gaze, Mr. Brown shivered and dare not say anything more. Anna then turned to look at Wendy and raised her voice, Wendy, I promise I will find out the truth. You wont be fired if you are innocent. At this time, Wendys delicate and pretty face was bloodless, full of frustration and depression. She shook her head repeatedly as tears streamed down her face and she said, I dont believe you. You will definitely fire me. As soon as she finished her words, the rusty iron railing, which had been out of repair for a long time, suddenly came loose from the cement ground, making a harsh cracking sound. Seeing this, the others gasped and screamed. Anna clenched her fists and said, It cant go on like this. John, talk to her and attract her attention. You can talk to her about her grandmother. And Ill try to pull her back. When John began to talk to Wendy about her grandmother, Anna quietly walked to the edge of the crowd, stooped, and approached Wendy as her heart beat fast. Wendy, think about your grandmother. She is in poor health and is waiting for you to send her money to support her. Dont give up your life, John said in a trembling voice. Under the scorching sun, Anna was almost covered with sweat. Through the gap between the railings, she saw that the fire brigade had arrived and were inting the intable cushions. However, even the cushions could serve as buffers, one might have a concussion if falling off from such a high building. Wendy seemed to be about to be persuaded by John. She couldnt help crying and roared, If lose my job, I cant send money to my grandmother and cant support her anymore. If so, Id rather than die! She was so agitated that her hand trembled as she tightened her grip on the railing. The railing kept shaking and nking, and everyone looked at her worriedly and nervously. The next moment, the loose railing copsed with a loud bang. Wendy lost her bnce and fell backward. And her scream rent the air. The crowd gasped and didnt dare to see what would happen next. Help Come and help me Anna shouted in a muffled voice with great effort. At this moment, she was lying on the edge of the terrace, with one hand holding the stone pier next to her tightly and the other hand holding Wendys hand. She felt a sharp pain in her arm as if it was about to be broken, and every second was a year long for her. Gritting her teeth, she said with herst bit of strength, Help me. The crowd immediately rushed over and pulled Wendy who had passed out in fear back to the terrace. Anna turned over and sat on the ground, breathing a sigh of relief. Her arm was painful and she could feel it was growing numb. Are you okay? A familiar voice came from above her head at this time. Hearing this, Anna was stunned and she raised her head. Since the sunlight was dazzling, she could only vaguely see Waynes handsome face. When Wayne reached out his hand to her, she saw his slender and beautiful hand. What are you doing here? Anna asked. Such a big event happens in the hotel of Carousel Group and many reporters are covering it downstairs. As the CEO of ourpany, shouldnt Ie here? The fire brigade have been in ce downstairs. Why did you do such a dangerous thing? Superhero, do you want our hotel to be in the headlines because of you? Wayne said bluntly with a calm voice as if he was ming her. Then he softened his tone and continued, Are you okay? Can you get up? Anna was still in a state of shock but she could vaguely feel the worry and concern in Waynes tone. After taking a deep breath, she said, I dont know. Ill have a try. Before she could try to stand up, Wayne carried her in his arms. The next moment, she saw his face clearly and heard his low and cold voice, Theres no need to try. Anna was open-mouthed and subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck. Under the gazes of the others, she was carried away from the terrace by Wayne. What is he doing? Is he crazy? Wayne carried Anna in his arms all the way back to her office, ignoring the shock in others eyes By the time they got to Annas office, Anna had blushed to her ears. What What are you doing? she stammered in embarrassment Wayne threw her on the sofa with a cold look and rudely grabbed her hand, saying, Have you moment or you fell off the building with her? Being questioned by him, Anna didnt know what to say. After a long time, she said, Did Didnt you say that the firefighters were in ce downstairs? At the worst, we would fall on the cushion. Waynes face was darkened and he said in a deep voice, You were on the twentieth floor just now. Does she really think the cushion is useful in that situation? Even if she wouldnt die after falling off such a high building, she would be badly injured! Under his cold gaze, Anna felt pressure and inexplicably began to feel guilty as if she had done something wrong. She didnt dare to look into his eyes and tried to change the topic. Im all right now, arent I? Besides, all that I did was for our hotel. If I died, you would be responsible for taking care of my daughter Before she finished her words, she was suddenly kissed by Wayne. Then her mind went nk and her eyes widened in shock. The two of them were so close to each other that she couldnt focus her eyes well enough to see Waynes expression. At this moment, she could only feel his thin lips and his powerful heartbeats. This kiss was so unexpected that she forgot to push Wayne away. Perhaps in her subconsciousness, she had never thought of doing so. At such a moment when she was still in a lingering fear, such a kiss gradually calmed her down. After a while, the panic in her heart faded away, and she was immersed in the kiss. She let Wayne press her against the sofa and hold her in his arms. With one hand on the back of her head, Wayne kissed her more deeply. Their hot and quick breaths mingled, and the atmosphere in the office became more and more passionate. Emm Anna couldnt help letting out a moan and felt as if the office became hot and the ai became thinner. Then her heart beat faster and faster. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 The body temperature of the two of them rose as they kissed. Waynes kiss fell on Annas lips, her chin, her neck, and her breasts. Immersed in the kiss, Anna felt weak all over when Waynes hot palm touched her tender skin, and her mind went nk. Suddenly, a quick knock on the door broke the passionate atmosphere. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Then Johns voice came from outside the door, Miss Gabriel, Wendy has woken up and is in the lounge now. What should we do now? Also, the police havee. Startled, Anna pushed Wayne away immediately and sat up in fluster. Miss Gabriel, are you there? John asked with suspicion as he continued to knock on the door. Anna took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Im here. I didnt hear you just now. Well, I have something to do now. Ill be there in five minutes. Whats the matter with you? Do you need any help? John asked. Upon hearing this, Anna hurriedly said, No, thanks. Im changing my clothes. My clothes got dirty just now. You may go to the lounge first. OK. After John left, Anna breathed a sigh of relief. When she turned around, she saw Wayne squinting at her with a meaningful smile. You are so good at telling lies, he said. Anna blushed and red at him, saying, Its all because of you that I had to lie. In fact, your lie is not brilliant, Wayne said with his arms folded and gazed at her. So many people saw me carrying you in my arms ande here. Do you think your assistant doesnt know I am here? When Anna heard this, her face changed and she couldnt utter a word for a long time. Oh, God. Its so embarrassing. Since you know others will misunderstand us, why did you still do such a thing? Anna gritted her teeth and said, You did it on purpose, right? Yes, I did it on purpose, Wayne replied to her frankly. Its just a tit for tat. Tit for tat? Did I do anything to offend you before? Anna frowned and asked. Wayne looked deeply into her eyes and said, Have you forgotten that you cooked up the story that I have an affair with you in front of others when we were in Laxis Town? Anna suddenly remembered that and blushed to her ears. After a long while, she changed the topic and said, So, you have been holding grudges against me because of that matter? No wonder you deliberately directed against me today and treated me like that in front of others. I deliberately directed against you because of that matter? Wayne asked in a deep voice and looked at her in confusion because of fear. Dont worry. Ill handle it, Anna said as patted Wendys hand gently to pacify her. Then she stood up and walked out, saying to the others, Lets go out first, everyone. Wendy needs to have a rest now. As soon as she closed the door of the lounge, she heard a sharp voice heavy with sarcasm. What do you mean? If every criminal can be pardoned bymitting suicide and gaining sympathy, then there will be no criminals in the world. With a frown, Anna turned around and saw Sherry in front of her. At this moment, Sherry was staring at her with her arms folded and her face full of disdain. She looked petite and lovely in a pair of casual retro-style dark green shorts and a loose ck T-shirt. Famous for her innocent and pretty appearance, she had been very popr recently. However, she was not as kind and friendly as she looked. Instead, she was bad-tempered and willful. During her stay in the hotel, she often came into conflict with the leading actress Ada because of her scenes in the TV y. Miss Hill, please rest assured. We wont cover for the one who stole your ne. But since we havent found out the truth yet, its not appropriate for you to make such a casual conclusion. Theres no evidence to prove that Wendy stole your ne, Anna said. Do you mean Ive falsely wronged her? Fromst night till this morning, shes the only one who has ever entered my room. The surveince video doesnt lie. Shes the thief. Sherry frowned and said unhappily. You are obviously covering up for her. You even risked your life to save her just now. Is she your rtive? Hearing this, Anna was speechless. After containing her anger, she said with a smile, This matter This matter is very simple and theres no need to investigate it at all, Sherry interrupted her directly and said while raising her chin arrogantly. Its not a big deal that I lost a ne, but I hate those who steal things most. I have only one requirement, that is she must be fired. As long as you fire her, I will let the matter drop. If you dont agree, you will also be med. After all, she i your subordinate. If I pursue the matter, you will also be fired and driven out of here. Hearing this, Anna clenched her fists. You are the one who should be driven out of here, Miss Hill. A cold male voice was suddenly sounded in the corridor at this time, and everyone turned their head to see who was Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Ryan was the sort of person who stood out in a crowd. When he walked over from the other end of the corridor, the crowd made way for him. Although he was young, he looked mature and calm at this moment. Anna was a little stunned when seeing him. Then she immediately pulled him and whispered, What are you doing here? Ryan just patted the back of her hand gently and showed a reassuring smile. Then he said to Sherry, Miss Hill, you distorted the truth and tried to frame the innocent receptionist for stealing. If this matter is exposed to the public, Im afraid that you will have to quit the entertainment circle soon. What nonsense are you talking about? Sherry said with a hint of fluster on her face. Who are you? You are not the staff of Carousel Hotel and have no right to interfere with this matter. It doesnt matter who I am. What matters is the truth. You said that Wendy stole your ne. Do you have any evidence? Ryan asked. The surveince video shows that she entered my room at nine oclockst night, Sherry said. You were in the room when Wendy went there, right? Hearing this, everyone looked at each other with a surprised look. The staff in the hotel knew that the crew would have a meeting in the directors room to discuss the script at about nine oclock every night. And during this time, the actors and actresses would not be in their rooms. Therefore, Wendy, who happened to enter Sherrys room and run out in panic at that time, became the only suspect. I was not in the room. I didnt go back to my room until eleven oclock at night. Sherrys face changed and she said snappishly, If you want to cover up for that receptionist, youd better think of a more brilliant way. Ryan sneered and said with his handsome face full of disdain. Thats also what I want to tell you, Miss Hill, If you want to tryst with a man and do something shameful, youd better find a brilliant way rather than taking advantage of the shared balconies of the rooms. Do you really think you can hide what you have done from others? When he finished his words, the crowd burst into an uproar. Sherry trysted with a man? Hearing this, Anna was suddenly enlightened and finally figured out everything She remembered that once she passed by Adas room, she happened to hear Ada scold Sherry for being unprofessional and always disappearing for no reason during the meeting. On the lloor where the crew members live, the balconies are connected and several rooms share one balcony 11 turns out that Sherry disappeared because she sneaked away via the balcony of the room when the others were discussing the script. As for what she would do atter leaving the meeting early, the answer is obvious nyamo IT UUTUU Think M *50 Points Sherrys face turned ghastly pale and she said anxiously, Dont talk nonsense. Watch your mouth, or I will sue you for nder! Is it nder? Just now I asked a crew member about your whereaboutsst night. Then | found that when Wendy entered your roomst night, you were not in the directors room. Coincidentally, the producer was not there, either, meaning that you two were in the same room. Hearing hisst sentence, everyone present was totally stunned and many of them looked at Sherry with their eyes full of contempt and disgust. The producer used to be a famous and excellent actor and had already been married. That was to say, Sherry was actually his mistress. You Shut up. Sherry stammered in embarrassment. I havent finished yet, Ryan smiled and said. ording to the data shown on the water meter of your room, at nine oclockst night, the tap at the bathtub of your room was on. And there is no way that you will leave the tap on when youre away, right? As more evidence were presented, the full story came out. Compared with Sherry who said that Wendy had stolen her ne but had no evidence, Ryan was more convincing. Some people present had secretly taken photos or shot videos with their mobile phones. Anna nced at the hotel staff around and said, Stop taking pictures and go back to work now Hearing this, the staff put away their phones in embarrassment and left. Anna then looked at Sherry whose arrogance and aggressiveness had been extinguished, and asked, Miss Hill, may thaye a word with you? Gritting her teeth, Sherry had no choice but to nod although she was unwilling. Since everything is clear, I wont go with you, Anna, Ryan said with an innocent look. At this moment, he looked like an unsophisticated youth again, totally different from the eloquent and quick-thinking person that he was just now. Seeing him like this, Anna was a little puzzled. But she didnt think too much because she still had to talk to Sherry. Then she nodded and said, OK. Thank you, Ryan. Youre wee. Its just a piece of cake. Go ahead with your work. Ill exin everything to Wendy later, Ryan said, Okay* After Anna left, there were only a few hotel staff left in the corridor except for Ryan. Many of them were waiters and receptionists who had a good rtionship with Wendy. Seeing Anna leave, they all came to Ryan happily Youre awesome! How did you find out the truth? I saw Sherry flirting with the producer before. Just now, her face changed when you mentioned the producer. How did you find our their affair? You are so smart. The young girls around talked to Ryan with their eyes full of admiration. It seemed that they They didnt notice that at corner at the end of the corridor, a tall figure had been standing there for a long time. With a thoughtful look, he stared at Ryan with a hint of vignce in his With Ryans help, the matter was much easier to deal with for Anna. After talking with Sherry, she learned that the whole incident was staged by Sherry, and her heart sank. The night before, Wendy happened to see Sherry having sex with the producer in the bathroom. Afraid that her affair with the producer would be exposed, Sherry nned to frame Wendy up for stealing her ne so that the hotel would fire Wendy. In this case, even if Wendy exposed it in the future, she could deny it and say that Wendy ndered her for revenge. Miss Hill, do you know that Wendy almost died because of your frame-up? Anna said and looked at Sherry with a frown. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Sherry stammered embarrassedly, I didnt expect that she wouldmit suicide. I Anyway, this matter hase to this. Just tell me how much money you want. Ill give it to you right now. Anna was furious. Do you think money is everything? Or what? Sherry also lost her temper and said, Ive told you that Ill give you as much money as you want. What else do you want? If what happened just now is exposed on the Inte and causes any loss to me, I will sue the hotel! Sherry said. Seeing Sherry still stubborn like that, Anna clenched her fists. After taking a deep breath, sh raised her head, looked straight into Sherrys eyes, and said coldly, Miss Hill, Im afraid that ons this matter is exposed, you wont have time to sue our hotel because you will be not only busy dealing with the reporters but also have to deal with the producers wife. Hearing this, Sherry was struck dumb and her face turned pale. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 What do you want? Do you want to make it awkward for everyone? If I be notorious, then the hotel will definitely go down with me! Sherry gritted her teeth and continued to ask, Do you want to lose your job because of a receptionist? Anna snorted coldly and said, I didnt do anything wrong. Whats more, I didnt intend to drag everyone down with this matter. Sherry felt hopeful after hearing these words. And she frowned at Anna. I know that you dont want people to know about this. And dont worry, the hotel will keep the guests affairs confidential. So, Ill have the staff delete the photos and videos they just took on their phones, and I can guarantee that they wont post them online. But, I have a request. Go ahead. I want you to apologize to Wendy. When she heard these words, Sherry froze. She hesitated for a while and finally frowned and reluctantly nodded her head. Sherry apologized to Wendy in the lounge in the presence of several executives. Wendy looked a little embarrassed at that time. After Sherry and everyone else left, she nervously tugged on Annas sleeve and asked, Miss Gabriel, am I still going to be fired? Anna smiled and said, Weve got it all figured out, so you wont be fired. Dont get carried away by the slightest thing. You should know thatmitting suicide is thest thing you should do. Wendy breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. Tear welled up in her eyes, she nodded thoughtfully and said, Well, thank you, Miss Gabriel. You dont need to thank me. Ryan is the one who helped you find out about this. You should thank him. Ryan? Wendy froze for a moment, and then suddenly blushed a little. She asked, Where is he now? I think hes downstairs in the cafe. Then Ill go find him. Wendy walked away energetically. Anna looked at her back, folded her arms and smiled, Since Ryan had stayed in the hotel, many girls had asked Anna about him. Ryan was an amnesia patient. The fact that he could attract so many girls showed how beneficial it could be to be good- looking When Anna was about to leave, she heard Waynes voice. Youre not much older than that boy, are you? I think you consider yourself his mother. Do you enjoy being a mother that much? She turned around immediately and snapped, Im not! This is a workce, Mr. Wright, and your joke isnt funny. Wayne raised his eyebrows slightly and asked teasingly, I never make jokes with people. Im just curious how hed react if he knew it was you who told the girls to go after him. Anna had no idea what he was talking about and asked, What? What are you talking about? As they were talking, two waiters passed by. One of them was about to say hello to them, but the other one dragged him away. They could vaguely hear the two waiters words. Dont bother them! Dont you know that Mr. Wright and Miss Gabriel are actually a couple? Oh my God! Just pretend you didnt see anything. Annas face turned red suddenly, and she couldnt say anything. Anna Wayne raised his hand. But before his hand touched her shoulder, she suddenly withdrew a few steps back and said through gritted teeth, Mr. Wright, please behave yourself. He had carried her off the rooftop in front of so many people, and after taking advantage of her, he deliberately brought up what she did to him during Laxis Town. She didnt like that he was settling their personal feud at work and believed thatshe couldnt tolerate being bullied by him. Wayne was dumbfounded and exined, I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to have dinner with me. Since the PR department of the hotel had done a great job in toning down the incident, Wayne realized that he came to the hotel for absolutely nothing. The only thing he got out of it was knowing who gave Anna the roomful of roses in the office. Anna frowned and asked warily, What do you want again? Dont you know that people are gossiping about us? Wayne put his hands in his pockets and said yfully, I know youre not afraid of being gossiped about. Besides, Im your boss, you cant avoid me just because of this. Anna frowned and pondered for a while. Then, she avoided his eyes and said, Youre the CEO, and you can eat whenever you want, and you can eat whatever you want. But Im not like you, I still have to deal with follow-up things. So, Ill just have my assistant go to the convenience storeter and get me a quick meal. Sorry, I really dont have time to eat with you. Knowing that she said that on purpose, Wayneughed meaningfully and said, Whats wrong with you? Are you shy? Anna widened her eyes and said nervously. Im not! Excuse me, I have a lot of things to do. I really dont have time to talk to you. With that, she quickly walked away Looking at Annas back, Wayne was getting happier and happier. He felt like he hade out of the depression that hadsted for days, After leaving the hotel, Wayne qot in his car and listened to Gabe talking about the incident. Sherrys agent has taken care of the news that mentioned her name, so we dont have to worry about it anymore. It hasnt caused much of a stir on the Inte, so it shouldnt affect our schedule, you know, since the foreign guests areing the day after tomorrow. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Wayne nodded, looking a little distracted. By the way, Mr. Wright, the guests will be arriving next Monday. When do you start staying in the hotel? I need to speak to the person in charge of them in advance. Wayne pondered and replied, Theres no rush on this. But there is one thing you need to do now. What? I hope the hotel manager in charge this time will be there the whole time. So, she will also be staying at the hotel from tomorrow night Gabe froze as he realized that the manager in charge he was referring to was Anna. He thought quickly and asked Wayne tentatively, Weve cleared out all the staff rooms as you requested before. So, where will the manager in charge stay? The empty room in the top floor suite. Gabe was stunned. He realized the top floor suite was the one Wayne always stayed in. Did he want to make their rtionship public by letting her stay there? Gabe asked himself. He had a feeling that Anna might be Ms. Wright in the future. Anna felt very tired when she returned to the office after taking care of everything. She sat down on the office chair and let out a long sigh. Just as she was drifting off, she suddenly saw a box on the coffee table. She instantly snapped back to her senses and sat up straight She saw a ck lunch box covered with a transparent cover, containing fried chicken, French fres, pasta, and cauliflower, which looked delicious, When she picked up the lunch box, she saw a note pressed underneath, The CEO doesnt have that much ume to eat whatever he wants, so eating fast food does save a lot of time. Apparently, Wayne used much strength while writing those words on the note. The words seemed to be able to prate the sticky note. Anna gradually felt warm. She whispered, I dont believe youll eat fast food. Is this the meal youre going to buy me? How petty! However, she still opened the lunch box, The meal tasted delicious and made her feel very delighted. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 It was in the rush hour, and Anna was stuck in traffic. She clicked on the text message and read it. After that, she frowned and dialed him directly. Mr. Brown, why do I have to stay at the hotel too? Mr. Brown replied, I dont know, this is the notice from the headquarters. They probably think that if guests have an emergency, you can handle it for them. Do you find it inconvenient? My daughter is on summer vacation and stays home every day. Can I take her with me? Are you serious? Mr. Brown asked unhappily. Anna replied awkwardly, I just asked off the top of my head. Fine. Ill figure it out. After hanging up the phone, Anna stared at the screen indignantly. It was so unfair. I didnt evenin about this temporary arrangement, so howe I couldnt take my daughter to checkCin? Anna thought. She decided to send her daughter to Peaces ce. Luckily, Peace was on vacation recently and was home every day and night. I didnt want to bother you, but it came all of a sudden. Peace readily agreed, saying, Im Tammys godmother, so of course Ill take care of her. Dont worry. By the way, tomorrow is Saturday, are you off work? Shall we go out shopping? Anna exined, I have to take Tammy to swimming lessons tomorrow first. Every weekend, the swimming pool holds a parent-child ss, and parents have to go to the ss together. If I can get out of there early, Ill call you. What is it about? Its not like shes going to kindergarten, Peace asked, feeling puzzled. When Anna went to the bathroom, she sat on the couch, poked Tammys shoulder, and asked, Tammy, why do you suddenly want to go to swimming lessons? Tammy was sitting on the carpet watching cartoons. She blinked and asked, What are you talking about? I dont understand. Peace pinched her face and said, Your mom cant swim at all, and neither can you. Why did you take the initiative to learn how to swim? When you were little, you cried every time you took a bath * Realizing that she couldnt lie to Peace abymore, Tammy pouted and said, Im doing this for my mommys lifelong happiness anyway Youre my moms best friend. You must get her to go to the swimming ss with me tomorrow Peaces eyes lit up She asked, Her lifelong happiness? You set up a blind date for her at the swimming pool? No, but its close. I want to go there! Tammy immediately refused, saying, No, if there are too many people there, they wont be able to be alone. Youre a smart kid, Tammy. Who on earth did you learn that from? Anna was humming and brushing her teeth in the bathroom and had no idea what they were saying in the living room. On the following day, Anna started packing her things and took Tammy to the swimming pool after having breakfast at home. Lets go. Before leaving, Anna nced at the couch and shook her head. Peace was lying on the couch, eating a snack and watching a movie with a mask on her face. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Peace never went out to travel like others whenever she was on vacation but stayed at home. Call me. Anna heard Peace say before closing the door. Anna frowned, thinking she was talking about shopping. By the time they arrived at the swimming pool, the morning session had already started. There were quite a few parents, all of whom were young moms. Theyughed as they changed into their swimsuits in the locker room. Anna was changing her clothes when she realized that the women who came to the parenting ss all seemed to know each other, which made her have a headache when hearing them talking Sally, why didnt Lisae today? She just found that she was pregnant outst week. She has What kind of milk powder does your child drink? He only have milk imported from Australia. Anna had just taken off a thin jacket. The dressing room was expansive, but the two women talked about their daily life as if no one were around, which made Anna feel out of breath. She realized that the people who came here with their children seemed like housewives who didnt work. They cared about their husbands and children and their families every day. This gave her a strange foreboding, She then found out that her hunch was correct. After the coach taught the group a few simple moves, the women piled into the pool in their various colored swimsuits. They kept talking about school, grades, and extracurricr sses were the only topics. After being asked several times how many children she had and where they went to school, Anna used the excuse to go to the bathroom and left the pool. Shed rather work overtime for a month than listen to people urging her to have more children, She found the ss and the group of women too scary. After changing from the locker room, she called Peace directly to ask her out for shopping. The ss is over already? Its too weird there, Id better go shopping. Tammy will eat here at noon. Ill just pick her up before ss ends this afternoon. Okay, Ill be there soon. Hanging up the phone, Anna sat down on the couch in the lobby of the swimming pool to rx. Feeling comfortable having escaped there, she squinted her eyes. Then, she saw an adult and a child walking from a distance. She thought she was dreaming. What are you doing here? Waynes low voice echoed down the hall. Anna winced and opened her eyes. It isnt a dream! Wayne, wearing a white T-shirt and beige cks, looked at her suspiciously. Matthew had wrapped his arms around her legs before she had a chance to react. He looked pleased and kept smiling. Why are you guys here too? Anna had a surprised look on her face, her eyes drowsy. Matthew came here for swimming lessons. Anna said in surprise, Tammys taking lessons here, too. What a coincidence! Wayne stared thoughtfully at Matthew, crawling up Annas body, and sensed that this should not be a coincidence Matthew had taken home a flyer earlier and told Wayne that he wanted toe to this swimming pool for lessons. He also begged Wayne for a long time to go to the ss. Wayne realized that Matthew was doing it on purpose. However, he knew that he shouldnt ask so many questions since he was here. He asked, So what are you doing here alone, and wheres Tammy? Hearing this, Annas eyes lit up, and she smiled a little slyly Chapter 120 Chapter 120 120 Where Are You Taking Me Im a little tired, so Iming out for a break. Ill be right in. Wayne nodded, picked up Matthew by the cor of his shirt, and said, Hey, little guy, you cant get into the womens locker room. Get your hands off Anna. Matthew reluctantly let go of Anna and was carried into the locker room by Wayne. After making sure Wayne was in the locker room, Anna went in the opposite direction and walked through the womens locker room to the exit. She then crouched in an open spot and pointed her phone at the mens locker room, ready to record video. She wanted tough but didnt dare tough out loud. Wayne soon walked out, holding Matthews hand. Both of them were wearing ck swim trunks, and Wayne had a white towel around his neck. Wayne had just taken a few steps when he was tugged by a woman. The woman said, Coach, do you have a new swimsuit here? My swimsuit is tight, and I didnt bring an extra one. Wayne frowned and said, Youve got the wrong person, Im not the coach. The young woman froze and asked, Huh? Youre not a coach? Then who are you? Well, Im Wayne was about to answer when he saw the people in the swimming pool. He realized that besides the children and a male coach, the rest were all women. Women of all ages, to be precise. He had a bad feeling, Coach, can youe and see my son swim? Please coach my child first. My daughter Anna could barely straighten her back as she watched the women in the swimming pool surround Wayne withughter, the phone in her hand trembling. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The biggest difference between a swimming pool and a gym was that there were enough coaches in the gym, so everyone could be coached. However, there were not many coaches in the swimming pool. These wealthydies didnt dare to spend their husbands money to go to nightclubs, so they would talk to men in ces like swimming pools. Annaughed so hard that her stomach hurt She sent the footage to Peace and said, Wayne must not have been to swimming lessons before, or he certainly wouldnt havee to such an odd swimming ss. This ce is full of women with kids. You should have seen how embarrassed he was! Peace quickly replied, I dont know what youreughing at. Its such a coincidence that you guys would even meet in a ce like this. Could this be fate? Fate? God is ying a joke on me Have you left home yet? Im waiting for you at the door. Lpici 120 LIL RIC IUU Its too hot in here. After Anna sent the message, she clicked on the video to watch it again. Sheughed out loud when she saw how confused Wayne looked when surrounded by women. Peace had only met Wayne a few times, so she had no idea how aloof he usually was. His embarrassed expression was a contrast to his usual cold expression. Peace didnt reply to her after a long time. So, Anna walked back to the lobby where the air conditioning was. As soon as she opened the door, she bumped into a firm chest. She covered her nose and let out a gasp. When she looked up, she saw Waynes somewhat angry expression. She felt that she was screwed. Why are you here? Anna asked awkwardly. Wayne stared at her and growled, What? You said youd go in the locker room after a short break, when did youe out? Annaughed awkwardly and exined, I was still tired, so I regretted it right after I went into the locker room. So, I just walked out. Wayne raised his phone, which had a Whatsapp chat log on it. He asked, Yeah? So when did you take this video? When Anna saw the name Karl on the chat log, she was sure that Peace had betrayed her. She sighed in her heart that Peace was really unreliable. Wayne put away his phone and asked with a gloomy expression, Do you still think its funny now? Does it amuse you that Im surrounded by a bunch off overzealous housewives? Anna faked a smile and replied, You would reached the swimming pool anyway even if I hadnt said anything. Besides, whats wrong with this group of housewives? Do you look down on housewives? I dont see a problem with that. Seeing that she wouldnt admit her mistake, Wayne got very angry and yanked her hand directly to lead her outside. Hey, where are you taking me? No matter how Anna struggled, Wayne just wouldnt let go of her hand. As they reached Waynes car, he clutched her wrist and shoved her into the passenger side. Then Wayne stepped on the gas hard and drove fast. He had never been fooled like that in his entire life, and he had also never been as embarrassed as he had just been. If Tammy hadntter pushed her way through the crowd to him and called his name, he would have been groped by this group horny of women. Where the hell are you taking me? Anna clutched her seat belt, and her face nched with fear If she had known he would react like this, she wouldnt have done that. She knew that she would be doomed if he got mad. Im taking you home to take a shower. Hearing that, Anna immediately thought of what she had just seen on the screen of the phone. Karl say to Wayne, Youre such a neat freak, I bet you will go home and take a long shower. Then why did you take me with you? She was a little flustered. Wayne gave her a meaningful look and said, Since you caused this, youll have to bear the consequences. He pulled up in front of his house and dragged Anna into his room. After telling the maids to leave the house, he dragged her into the bathroom. What do you want? Open the door and let me out! Anna anxiously pulled at the door handle but found that she couldnt open it. She didnt know how he could manage to lock them both inside the bathroom on earth. Wayne ignored her and turned on the faucet above the tub. Then, he quickly took off his T-shirt and threw it on the floor. He was topless, and Anna saw that his body was muscr and strong. Then, Anna heard the sound of the metal buckle of the belt opening. Anna immediately screamed, covered her eyes, and said, Ah! What are you trying to do? Im just kidding! They didnt do anything to you. Its against thew for you to do this to me, you hear me?! Hey, Im telling you, dont think you can do whatever you want just because youre my boss! She waved her hands wildly in panic, defending herself incoherently. All she heard was the sound of water. She hesitantly opened her eyes and saw the t-shirt and pants on the floor. Wayne was already sitting in the tub with his back to her. His shoulders were broad and strong. As his low voice was tinged with the moisture, he said, Youre overthinking. Wayne turned back slowly, resting his toned arm on the edge of the marble tub. He said teasingly, You let me get groped by so many women, so that you think Id do the same to you? Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Annas face turned red. She then said, I dont think so. Wayne stared at her with a smirk and asked, Really? But you dont look like you dont think so. Anna looked highly wary, so Wayne knew what she was thinking. Seeing him staring at her, she subconsciously nced down at herself. Then she hesitantly dropped her hand and asked awkwardly, Besides, what do you mean by bringing me here? I can apologize for what just happened, but you have to let me out. Wayne didnt even look like he wanted to move. He simply turned around, leaned back on the headrest at the edge of the tub, and said in a low, teasing voice, Do you think your apology is enough? Anna got anxious and asked, Then what exactly do you want from me? Come here and rub my back. He said curtly His voice echoed in the bathroom. Anna froze for a long time when she heard the words. She stared straight up at Waynes back and stuttered, Are Are you kidding me? You can think Im joking if you want to spend an afternoon with me just inside the bathroom. Damn! This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Looking at Waynes back, Anna wanted to push his head into the water. She didnt understand why Wayne could be so petty and shameless. Anna thought angrily, It was just a joke. Do you have to take it so seriously? As the bathroom.got hotter and hotter, Annas white T-shirt was soaking wet. She felt that if she continued to argue with him like this, she would pass out from the heat. After thinking for a long time, Anna gritted her teeth and walked to the tubs edge. Reluctantly, she asked, How should I rub you? Wayne looked up at her and said, Just do it carefully. Anna thought he was talking nonsense and didnt want to ask any more questions. She rolled her eyes and casually took a towel aside. She squeezed it inside the tub very perfunctorily and wiped it on his shoulder. The water in the bathtub was clear, and when she looked inside while washing the towel, she happened to see his penis. Then, her heart beat faster, and she hurriedly withdrew her gaze. Her breathing became rapid. She stiffened like a statue as if she couldnt control her movements. Wayne also found it challenging. He did so only because he was angry with Annas behavior and wanted to tease her. He didnt realize that as he was getting his back rubbed by her, he would be gradually turned on. He sensed that he was getting an erection and found it a little ufortable. Thats enough. Anna was about to rub his chest when her hand was suddenly clutched by him. She was shocked and asked, What are you doing? Didnt you want me to wipe you carefully? I havent finished yet! Wayne avoided her gaze, let go of her hand, and said in a hoarse voice, You can go out now. Anna frowned, leaned over to look closer at the chest she had just rubbed, and said suspiciously, Whats wrong? I didnt wipe that hard. She then reached down to touch his chest. She breathed on Waynes neck as she spoke which made him feel tingly and numb. He couldnt hold back any longer and pressed down on her fidgeting hand, saying in a sullen voice, Dont move. Then he tightened his grip on Annas hand. As soon as Anna looked up, she saw the glint of S****I desire in Waynes eyes. And she instantly understood what he was up to. Therefore, she froze and didnt dare to move. Get out. Wayne said as he withdrew his hand and frowned tightly. Anna came back to her senses, and then blushed. Not daring to say a word, she held the tub and left. Meanwhile, as she was distracted, she stepped on the foam just as she turned around. Then, she stumbled and fell on her back. She made a huge ssh in the tub and her scream echoed in the confined space. She struggled in the tub in terror, took several gulps of water, and finally climbed up, holding onto Wayne, the only item in the tub that could give her support. Anna coughed violently. However, she stopped coughing the moment she opened her eyes. She realized that the thing she had just been holding was Wayne, who was naked. She was now holding Waynes broad shoulders and lying on top of him in a highly seductive position. Her white T-shirt was utterly wet, making her pink underwear very visible. What was even more embarrassing was that she clearly felt that Wayne was having a hard-on. p*-***t! She snarled. Staring up at Wayne with her eyes widened, she held his shoulders in a panic as she tried to get up. Wayne sulked a little after hearing this. He immediately held her by the waist and pulled her toward his chest. As the tub was very slippery, Anna slipped on her feet, and her whole body flopped on Waynes body Im not a pervert. Anna could only hear his hoarse voice. Then, the back of her head was pressed against by his hand. As a result, Anna lost her bnce and kept leaning towards Wayne. As their hot lips pressed against each other together, Annas mind went nk and she stopped struggling. The water rippled in the tub Wayne caressed her curvy body with hisrge hands. He ran his hands down her spine, stopped at her ample buttocks, and began to squeeze them Anna suddenly let out a cry of surprise as they kissed passionately. At that moment, Anna seemed to regain her senses. But immediately, her mind began to wander again. Wayne kept kissing her, making her whole body went limp. Pervert. She whined again. To her surprise, it was her whining that aroused Waynes lust once again. Ah! Anna clearly felt the hardness and hugeness of Wayne. It had already been the third time that they had had s*x. Still, Anna was a little shy and her face was as red as an apple. However, at the same time, she couldnt help moving her body up and down to meet Waynes movement. Every time Wayne went all the way inside her, she trembled a bit and felt delighted Seeing the gorgeous beauty moving and moaning for him passionately, Wayne tightened his grip on her waist and took the initiative. Ah Anna couldnt help but moan louder and louder. For fear that she would drown Wayne, she let go of him and held the edge of the bathtub. And she started stroking her breast in excitement The sshing sound of the water in the tub grew faster and faster as Anna moaned. And water continued to spill over the tubs edge, flooding the entire bathroom. Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Wayne Panting, Anna called his name. At the same time, she bit her lips, closed her eyes and let desire take the better of her. Wayne was more than aroused and ecstatic. Thest time they had s*x, he thought that the reason why Anna took the initiative was simply because she was under the influence of alcohol. However, it turned out that Anna was also affectionate towards him, proving that his affection towards her was not merely unrequited love. He clenched her waist more tightly and sped up. Feeling that his d*ck was wrapped around by her tight p**sy that contracted on and off, Wayne was so happy that he felt like he was on top of the world. Anna moved up and down violently in the water. Every part of her body was screaming for more as her G spot was stimted again and again. God This feels SO GOOD Anna said to herself. Ahhh Anna couldnt help trembling. She felt a wave of electricity running from her cervix to her head, feeling like fireworks had just exploded inside her body. And her hands and legs went numb but shook uncontrobly. The next time she reached o****m, she widened her eyes, and her pupils were expanded. Her whole body shivered uncontrobly, and then she went limp in Waynes arms. To Waynes surprise, Annas orgasm was so intense that she passed out. After a while, Anna felt that someone was holding her and drying her off as she was dazed. She then was ced in arge, clean,fortable bed and covered with a quilt. She was so tired that she drifted off to sleep immediately and even had a confusing dream. She dreamed that she was in the busiest downtown of Birmingham. It was at dusk, and the sunset was scarlet, like a burning me. Anna was walking alone in the street and suddenly felt bewildered. *Anna She heard a familiar voice. When she looked up, she found herself holding Waynes arm. She froze and tried to pull her hand back, but Wayne refused to let go. He said softly, lets go home for dinner tonight, okay? Lets go pick up the kids now. Home? in disbelief, she looked at Wayne and asked, Where are we going? Were Wayne looked at her dotingly and resignedly and said, Have you forgotten everything? Weve been married tor over a year, my dear. Weve been married? Anna followed him in a daze Mommy Daddy! Two children ran towards them and jumped into her arms. They giggled happily and theirughter as melodious as music Wayne picked Tammy up and let her sit on his shoulder. This extraordinary scene made her forget about all her worries. She then appeared at the Wright familys family gathering. Mr. Wright, Waynes father, kept complimenting her. You treat Matthew like your own son. It seems that I was right. Wayne is so lucky to be your husband. Many strangers praised her together. Right, Wayne is so lucky to have you. Two children held her hand, one on her left and the other on her right. They looked at her as if they loved and trusted her deeply. Suddenly, Wayne came out of the crowd. He showed everyone the emerald ne he held and then asked solemnly, What is this? The emerald ne was his, but Anna kept it herself. After they got married, all their things were sorted together. She didnt expect this ne to be found by him. Who exactly is Matthew and Tammys father? He questioned her. She froze, not knowing how to answer. You knew all this from the beginning, and thats why you approached me, isnt it? You make me sick, Anna. Wayne was no longer gentle but said seriously and coldly. You will not see two children from this day on. Feeling that panic washing over her like a tidal wave, Anna clung to the two children and said, No, theyre my children! Bodyguard, take the kids away! No! Please dont! Anna screamed. After that, her dream was shattered and she woke up abruptly. She hugged the quit like a drowning person holding onto a floating object, gasping for air. The room was dark, and the blue curtains covered the scene outside the window. It was already evening, and the view outside resembled the sunset glow of her dream. Anna broke out in a cold sweat. She still felt a little scared as she recalled the contents of her dream Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and the maids voice came from outside the door, It was then that Anna really came back to her senses. She was about to respond when she remembered that she was in Waynes bedroom She then realized that the servants throughout the vi should already know what had happened earlier She immediately blushed and then stammered out a reply The maid did not open the door as if she knew Anna was embarrassed. So, she said outside the door, I left your clothes at the door. You can have a good rest as you want. After hearing the footsteps outside the door faded away. Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted the quilt to look at herself and noticed that she was wearing loose mens pajamas that should belong to wave The clothee etill had hie distinctive econt on them After she changed her clothes and went downstairs, she saw a few maids on the first floor busy in the kitchen. The aroma of delicious dishes wafting from the dining room, and the maid who had just brought her clothes was arranging the toys on the sofa. When the maid saw Annaing downstairs, she greeted her respectfully, Hello, Miss Gabriel. Anna blushed, coughed to look less embarrassed, and asked, Wheres Wayne? He told us to wait for him for a while and have dinner after he returns. If youre hungry, Ill get you some snacks. Anna said awkwardly, No, thank you. Ill leave now. Mr. Wright is off to pick up Matthew and Tammy, he should be back soon. Hearing this, Anna just had to sit down. Have a seat, please. Ill get you something to eat. Anna said no, and the young maid left anyway. Most of the servants in the Wright household were new to the house, so they all knew Anna. Because Anna often came here, they assumed that Anna was the future Ms. Wright, and therefore, they all respected her very much. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Not long after, the sound of a car engine came from inside the yard. Wayne and the two children came in after the maid opened the door. As soon as the two kids saw Anna, they ran to her. Mommy, Mr. Wright said were having something delicious tonight. The maids had already set the table with many delicate dishes on it. They walked around with their tes, making the whole house look very lively. Anna looked up at Wayne and then blushed. She said awkwardly, Id better take Tammy home, or I wont be able to get a cab after a while. Lets eat first, and Ill take you home afterwards. Wayne looked at her, and then took off his coat and handed it to the maid. He put on his slippers and came into the house. He looked very calm as if nothing had happened that afternoon. Anna had always believed that she couldnt panic if others acted as if nothing had happened. When she saw that Wayne looked so calm, she sat up a little straighter. After thinking for a while, she agreed to have dinner with him. Its just a meal. If I insist on leaving at this point, it will make me look guilty, Anna thought to herself. The two kids were more than happy about Anna staying. The two secretly exchanged high fives, sending messages that only they could understand. Tammy let Matthew sit next to Anna, and she climbed into Waynesp as everyone was seated at the table. Anna immediately said, Tammy, sit on your seat. Im too short to reach the table. Tammy pouted her lips and defended herself. Anna was about to say something else when Wayne interrupted her. He said, Its okay, dont worry. He said and brought Tammy up into his arms. He lowered his head and asked her softly what she wanted to eat as if he was her father. Anna suddenly thought of that dream again and had mixed feelings when she saw this scene. She What will Wayne do he knows that the girl in his arms is actually his own daughter? thought. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Weve arrived. Anna snapped back to her senses after hearing Waynes low voice. She turned her head to look out the window and saw the apartment she was staying in. She was a little disoriented because she felt like she was just having dinner at Waynes house. After thanking him, she then turned her head and shook Tammys shoulder and said, Tammy! Hey, honey, wake up. Tammy grunted and was still asleep. Ive got this. Wayne unbuckled his seat belt. He then got out of the car before Anna could refuse his offer. Wayne pulled open the door on the other side of the car and gently picked Tammy up. Come on, Ill walk you upstairs. Anna froze. She nodded immediately aftering back to her senses and walked ahead to lead the way for him. Peaces apartment was on the twentieth floor. As the elevator was rising slowly, the two seemed like they could hear each others breathing clearly in the narrow space. Tammy was lying quietly on Waynes shoulder, sleeping soundly. She seemed to trust Wayne a lot. Anna gave them both a look and thought that maybe Tammy was extra intimate with Wayne because they were really family, and so was Matthew with her. I thought you said you got your house back, so why are you still living here? Wayne asked, bringing her back to her senses. She looked to the ground and said, That house is in Golden Ocean Community, where all the houses are old vis. Tammy and I stayed there for one night and both found it a little too chilly and creepy. So, we moved back. She wanted Ryan to live in the vi, too. After all, he hadnt remembered who he was. That way, the house could be a little more lively. She didnt expect that Waer let Ryan stay at the hotel. Moreover, she didnt like having a babysitter at home, so she didnt move in with Tammy either Are there still reportersing here? Wayne thought of what happened earlier when Scott stayed here and had attracted reporters At the mention of this, Anna suddenlyughed and said, A lot of reporters havee here betore When Peace came back from a business trip the other day and saw them, she cursed the crap out of thern After that, no reporters dared toe As they were talking, the elevator doors slowly opened it was prettyte, and there was no one in the hallway Anna took out the key and opened the door. After entering the house, the fust thing she did was look at the main bedroom and then tiptoed Wayne tiptoed as well, carrying Tammy gently to the bedroom. After closing Tammys bedroom door, Anna said to him, Thank you for bringing us home in thiste hour and carrying her up here. Thats the second time. Hmm? As usual, Wayne looked at her coldly and said, This is the second time youve thanked me since you got off my car this evening. Are you a big fan of thanking people? To avoid his gaze, Anna looked to the ground and replied, I was just being polite. if I dont say anything, it makes me look like a rude person. Are you being polite to me? Anna looked stunned. She asked hesitantly, Shouldnt I be polite to you? Waynes gaze became deeply meaningful. He then asked, And what do you think of what happened between us this afternoon? Are you trying to justify yourself by saying were all adults? Annas heart beat faster. She avoided the matter all night, but he still brought it up. It made her feel rmed. Even though she knew that he would not forget what happened in the afternoon so quickly However, she could not exin herself this time. She couldnt say precisely what kind of feelings she had for Wayne, not knowing whether she did it because she couldnt help it or because she liked him very much. She knew that she could not exin it clearly L She said. Her voice suddenly became very hoarse, as if she couldnt speak. Finally, she raised her head boldly, looked at him intently, and asked, I want to know what you think about this. She threw the question back at Wayne. The light of the living room was not on. And the light from the foyer obscured everything around them and made it difficult to see each others expressions. After Wayne left, Anna sat on the sofa and stared nkly at the door. She nced at the clock on the wall and thought that Wayne should have gotten off the elevator. Maybe he was walking out of the building at this moment. The room still smelled like him. The words he said and his pleasant voice still lingered in her ears I know a lot of women, but youre the only one I want to marry. Wayne said to her before he left And Anna didnt say anything in response. He finally said, I like to be efficient in both rtionships and work. And I will give you some time to think about it. But, Anna, dont let me wait too long. As she was lost in thought, the door of her bedroom suddenly opened and a bright light beamed through the cook Anna looked up in surprise to see Peace in her striped pajamas, leaning against the door frame with her arms wrapped around her. Her expression was yful, and she said yfully. I me 50 Points heard everything you guys said. So, what are you gonna do? Annas face suddenly flushed. She avoided Peaces gaze and replied, What are you talkingC0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. about? And you dont want to admit it? Peace exaggeratedly pounced on Anna and pinned her down directly on the couch Come on, tell me, what happened this afternoon? What does were all adults mean? Im an adult too, let me know. Peace said as she tickled Anna Anna couldnt stopughing and finally shrank back on the couch and told her to stop Ill tell you, I will let go of me Since Peace was her best friend, she told her everything They talked until midnight while eating ice cream Peace ate her ice cream and asked, What? Youve done it? So why you didnt say yes to him? Now that hes already asked you to marry him, what are you waiting for? Anna frowned and said, I know I shouldnt be so hesitant, but Im still worried. What are you womed about? About Tammy and Matthew Why do you worry about them? Since theyre both your kids, you and Wayne will be a perfect watch Tell me do you like Wayne? Well, it Do you like him or not? Antietiested to a long time and finally answered, I like him Wow fially. So what were you worried about? I think Wayne treats your daughter very well. so you shouldnt worry at all about him taking her away from you after you tell him the truth If you get failed he wont have to take her away Pealt had always betta gteria?d person Although she was right things were atually challut avalest thought # waste Atter and we alisertmindedly, Ama urged Peace to go to bed Af afty in bed to alloryte but kept lossy and turning and was still unable to sleep She felt like the tada ballo wodwietlead that she couldnt untangle Ste admitted that stie liked Waytie but she had othei teelings for him Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Peace drove Anna to the hotel the following afternoon. When they were at the door, Peace teased Anna, Do you want me to walk you in? Maybe we will run into Wayne. If youre too embarrassed to talk to him, then Ill speak for you. Anna rolled her eyes at her and said, Stop it, Peace, stop the nonsense. Open the trunk and let me take the case. Thank you for taking care of Tammy. Peace leaned back, winked at her, and said, I know. You might as well think about your own business, Anna, like finding a stepfather for Tammy or something. You dont have to worry about anything else. Anna was a little speechless. Peace had mentioned Wayne since early this morning, even making Anna wonder if Wayne had bribed her into mentioning him in front of her. Anna took her suitcase and then stood still. Only when Peaces car drove away that she pulled the suitcase into the hotel. She walked straight to the door of her room and swiped it open with her spare room card. Why is this a suite? She muttered, then pulled her suitcase towards the bedroom. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She hadnt read it carefully earlier when she received the text message and assumed that she would be staying in a regr business room. She had just walked to the room door when she remembered that the rooms on this floor were all suites. This was arge suite, with the bedroom and living room connected together. Anna had just entered the bedroom with her suitcase when she heard the sound of the door opening. Immediately after that, a sexy half-naked man came out. Wayne came out of the bathroom with just a wide white bath towel around his lower body. His wet hair was still dripping: The drops of water traced across his tanned chest and fell in the gap between the towel and his body, looking very sexy and seductive. What? You cant take your eyes off me? Wayne asked as he looked at her and teasingly. Why are you here? Anna asked in a panic as she quickly averted her gaze. Wayne took a step closer to her and asked, Dont you know that this room has always been mine? I really didnt know. It seems that I went into the wrong room. Anna said, and she looked a little embarrassed With that, she turned around with her suitcase. Before she could walk out, she heard someone outside opening the door. Immediately after that, the sound of several waiters talking came from the door. Annas heart beat faster She immediately turned around and stood on tiptoe to cover Waynes mouth After looking around, she pulled Wayne to the balcony connected to the bedroom in a hurry and hid behind the curtains She believed that if the waiters saw her and Wayne alone inside the bedroom, they would misunderstood their rtionship After hiding, Anna felt someone holding her wrist just as she breathed a little sigh of relief. Wayne then moved her hand that was on his mouth away. Wayne slowly asked, What are you doing? Anna forced herself to look up and found Wayne looking at her unhappily. Pleadingly, she looked at him and said, Dont let them know were here, I beg you. Consider it done for my job Seeing this cute look on her face, Wayne wanted to tease her. He bent his knees slightly and moved a little closer to her Annas expression changed and then took a step backward. However, Wayne took another step forward. Anna feli a chill running down her back as her entire back pressed against the ss door. She had no way back, and Wayne had no intention of stopping. He held her shoulders with both hands and pressed her against the ss. Then he leaned down slightly, blocking herpletely Let go of me Anna lowered her voice and said in surprise Shedpletely forgotten that Wayne was loved to put his hands on her when they were alone I was so stupid. Why did I just take him to hide with me? I should have let him deal with the wa ters She thought Wayne was just teasing her. But when he saw how angry she looked, he still thought she was cute Anna was gritung her teeth and looked like she wanted to teach someone a lesson but couldnt She looked like a cute little annoyed cat. Why is there a suitcase? A sudden voice came from the bedroom interrupted them. Annas face turned pale Feeling her heart racing, she gritted her teeth and stared at Wayne as she would bite him if he dared to do anything else *This Mr Wights Hes been here since noon Mr Wright is going to apany foreign quests te wycle time so hell be staying at the hotel for these days. So wiele s W Waght? me patataly has something to do Put it down Dont move Mi Wrights things around Lets tu chcel w Sie besten yel Gud Wife you almost forgot Ants cated a t the ss doon sagtwed in relief as the sounds inside the room medially atten, Alta teaduwwels talking agam However, thew vokes were much 90 ya mit Vergata ** * 1 a w Miss Gate? day wig Webed off the building Mi Weight carried Ms obaly *** at m * aber **Ade? I ARRESTI Baktey were engaged sie w ere has ughtes She is really shameless! To an be honest, I admired her because shespetent before. However, I think she must have slej with a lot of people so that she managed to be a manager. I agree. I also heard that her husband sent her roses that filled her office before. He must have never imagined that she immediately hooked up with Mr. Wright. Shes such a capable woman. No woman has ever been able to get close to Mr. Wright before. Wow, then she must be very good in bed. Anna clenched her fists and frowned, looking embarrassed. She knew that the staff in the hotel had been gossiping about her since that day. She was prepared for this, but she was really caught off guard when she heard people speaking ill of her. Wayne looked at her. He noticed that she was no longer shy but had be somewhat angry and vulnerable. Anna seemed very aggrieved, and it made him heartbroken. He let go of her hand and then quickly pulled open the door and walked out with her. Mr. Wright! The two waiters said in surprise. I heard what you were all saying. Tell me, who exactly spread this gossip? What have they been saying? After seeing them, the two waiters were so scared that they couldnt even utter a word. Mr. Wright, we heard these gossips from others. We were just having a casual discussion, Im sorry. I misunderstood your rtionship with Miss Gabriel. Im sorry. Wayne stared coldly at the two waiters in front of him and said indifferently, Really? Well, yo know what, you guys are right. Were really having an affair. Hearing these words, Anna looked at Wayne in surprise. Then, she felt a warm hand holding her cold hand. He actually held her hand directly in front of the two waiters. Did you see clearly this time? Chapter 125 Chapter 125 had gotten herself into this situation. She had noticed this feeling appeared more and more often when she was with Wayne, and she wasnt even surprised anymore How could he say such things? Hes so shameless! She thought. And youre so tight. Wayne added. Annas face immediately began to turn red. p**t, let go of me She said and then struggled violently. With ease, she pushed Wayne to the side. Then she struggled to sit up, gasping for air as if she was drowning. Shame on you! She said, ring at him. Wayne put his hands behind his head, looked at her amusedly, and said, Thest time you hinted at me like that was yesterday. Anna quickly realized that he was referring to that she was seducing him into having s*x with her buy ying hard to get, which she didnt. And she instantly felt so angry that her blood seemed to boil all over her body. She grabbed a pillow and mmed it down towards him. Shut up! Wayne raised his hand and blocked the pillow. He hooked Annas neck, causing her to stumble and fall on top of him. The pillow rolled down onto the carpet, and time seemed to freeze. So, what do you think? The sound of her breathing in his ear ruffled his sensitive nerves. Anna found herself having difficulty breathing. Even though her mind was telling her not to answer so quickly in this situation, her mouth just said yes as if out of control. He kissed her immediately, so that she could not make any more sounds. Anna felt everything spinning in front of her eyes, and her mind went nk. All she could hear was the sound of her clothes being untied and falling to the floor and the sound of her heart beating violently. The war between them hade to a truce. There was only one thought left in Annas head: Youre really shameless. Were naked now and were about to make love. But you didnt even draw the curtains! The following morning, someone from the hotel apanied the diplomat to bring the foreign guests to the hotel. While they were checking in, Anna stood by. A total of fifteen foreign guests had arrived, with the aim of boosting the trading cooperation of their company. The leader was a man in his early fifties named Hans. And his wife named Jennifer The diplomat already knew Wayne and introduced him directly to Hans, saying, This is the president of the Carousel Group, Wayne Wright. | Hans nodded and shook Waynes hand in a friendly manner. Wayne nced at Anna and introduced her to them, saying, This is Anna Gabriel, the manager of the hotel, and she will be apanying you all the way. Afterwards, she will introduce Birmingham to you. I sincerely hope that you will have a good time. Hans tilted his head and looked up and down at Anna. He asked Wayne jokingly, Shes so pretty Is she your wife? Wayne said calmly, She will be soon. Hearing this, the hotel employees all looked at each other with great surprise, as if their guesses were correct. Even the diplomat looked at Anna in amazement. Hans and his wife did not know what they were surprised about. They were delighted to hear that Wayne was getting married and congratted them, and Jennifer then gave Anna a friendly hug. When you guys get married, be sure to tell us. I have friends who make wedding dresses. Hearing Jennifers words, Anna blushed. Hans then told some jokes to tease them. Fortunately, the diplomat brought up the trip with the group and changed the subject. Only then did Anna be rxed. She then asked the waiters to lead the guests to their rooms. The first day was a jetg day for the guests, so there was no schedule. The waiters brought the lunch to the guests rooms. To make sure everything was in order, Anna kept an eye on all the waiters who got the food to the rooms. She didnt leave until she saw the guests eat This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Anna was then free to go back to her room. She took off her high heels and stepped on the carpet with bare feet. She sat down on the sofa, stretched out and yawned slowly. Not knowing that the guests wereing at noon, she woke up very early in the morning. So, she felt exhausted. Anna had justid down when she saw someoneing toward the couch. Sleep on your bed. Its cold in here with the air conditioning on. Anna was so tired that she failed to open her eyes. She lifted her hands feebly and said, III sleep here. I dont wanna stand up. Give me a nket, will you? Annas slim arms waved in the air and finally rested on the back of the sofa. Seeing that, Wayne shook his head resignedly and walked over to her. What? Anna gave a startled cry when she found herself being picked up. She immediately hugged Wayne tightly and then opened her eyes. She seemed awake at that moment. But immediately, she closed her eyes again. She muttered, I can sleep on the couch, you dont have to carry me to the bed at all. Wayne wanted to drop her right on the floor when he heard herin about him. However, after seeing her lovely face, his eyes instantly became tender. He gentlyid her on the bed, covered her with the quilt, drew the curtains, and turned on the night light. He set the air conditioning to a suitable temperature before he left the room. The moment he closed the door and looked at the cozy environment of the house, he suddenly realized that he was doing something he had never done before Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Wayne hadnt considered that he would get married until he met Anna He never felt lonely living alone. He even thought that having a dog apanying him was more reliable than getting married. In his opinion, Matthew had turned his life upside down, but he hadnt expected to meet Anna, who turned his life upside down even more. Wayne hold different attitudes towards Matthew and Anna He wasnt too happy when he first met Matthew, but he loved having Anna around in the first ce already He closed the door gently in case he woke Anna up. The sound of his softly closing door echoed in the quiet room Gabe had been waiting at the door for a while. When he saw Wayneing, he greeted him and said, Hello, Mr. Wright. Wayne nodded in response and then said, Theres been some gossip going around the hoteltely, so please go take care of it. Dont let me hear any more of this boring gossip from them. He was a little impatient when it came to this matter. All the employees in the hotel thought that Anna was married, and Anna never said the truth because she found it troublesome to exin. So, he had to deal with these things. Gabe nodded and said, Ill deal with this by tomorrow morning. By the way, I got some updates on Leo. His neighbors said a young man had been to his house before the fire. Wayne stopped after hearing this, frowned, and asked, A young man? The neighbor said the young man was less than twenty years old. He was good-looking and before, and then he went there again after half a month. It was that night that Leo had an ident. I brought a photo with me. Take a look at it. Gabe pulled a photo out of the paper bag, handed it to Wayne, and said, This photo is aposite from that neighbors description, and the young man should look like this. Wayne held the edge of the photo with his long fingers. He looked at the face of the young man in the picture and felt as if he had seen him somewhere before. Wayne was thinking about it when he heard a footstep in the distance. A tall young man approached them, his figure mapped out in long shadows by the light of the hotel corridor. In a pleasant voice, he said, Hi, guys. Wayne looked up and tucked the photo back into the paper bag. He frowned a little when he saw Ryan and asked, What are you doing here? Ryan was dressed in a casual white outfit that made him look very youthful and energetic. He said, I came to see Anna Ive recalled where Ive been in the past two days, and I think that it should be rted to my previous experiences Im going to look for Anna and ask her to go there with me. Shes asleep Shes very busy these days Im afraid she wont have time toe with you Wayne looked at him after he finished Speaking, looking a little wary He paused for a second, and then said in a deep voice, If you recall anything, you can just ask for my assistant for help Ryan folded his arms, nced at Wayne, and said, This is between me and Anna, so I wont trouble you Waynes expression changed He looked over at Ryan, and his eyes turned cold Wayne knew that few people dared to go against him, and he was increasingly aware that Ryan was hostile to him Although Anna was the one who hit you, ourpany will be responsible for this So, from the day you left the hospital, this is not a matter between you and her Wayne gazed at Ryan in a domineering way and said, Its between you and me Ryanughed contemptuously and said nonchntly, Thats not necessarily true The atmosphere became awkward because of their animosity Then a sharp cell phone rang, followed by Gabe scrambling to answer the phone, which interrupted their confrontation Mr Wright the receptionist said that Miss Xavier is here to see you She says she has something to tell you Wayne nodded and said, Lets go Looking at Waynes back Ryan frowned, and the look in his eyes grew contemptuous In Waynes office the secretary came in to bring them coffee She looked at Ada a few more times before leaving The entire hotel staff knew that Anna was with Wayne, that Ada was Waynes fiance, and that there were even rumors that they were getting mamed So everyone wanted to see what Ada was going to say to Wayne after their engagement was canceled Gabe said that you know a doctor in Germany who specializes in child psychology? Wayne asked directly Adateplied smugly Yes I went to Germany before and met a professor who has been bludying the systlogy He was particrly knowledgeable about childrens autism and loss Otepeert de totes leo.Lorntnediately thought of Matthew That Waylie brolly ann frowned thoughtfully Mordy L C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. o ttwalut Id be very happy if he could talk like the other kids Do you Have Partie tub veer? lot tb Matthew to meetuin tugether Wayne indded and said Well go to the doctor after the foreign delegation leaves the lei they tolltare ale# days 90 Wiatie tot en depressed by the fact that Matthew wouldnt talk Wayne had taken him to fuary 014 lutte had never been cured The only two lhes Wayne had heard Matthew speak were when he said, mommy Wayte feil guilty and softylor Matthew and spected that not having a mother may have caused to have autism +50 points Ada looked down and drank her coffee to hide her surprised expression. She felt that if she could just spend more time with Wayne, she could make him fall in love with her. She said gently, Then Ill ask this doctor when hes avable. I knew this doctor from the bridal store. At that time, I was filming in Germany. When I went to the store to pick up my wedding dress that was just made, I met him. After saying that, she smiled as if remembering something. Wayne looked down at the paper in his hand and didnt want to respond to her. Ada clenched her fist and continued to ask, Wayne, I know, you dont like to date actresses. But weve known each other for so many years, and you know how I feel about you. Tell me, why did you cancel our engagement? The day she received the call from Waynes assistant, she was on her way to an award ceremony. To her surprise, Wayne didnt even tell her personally that he would break off the engagement with her. He just had his assistant call her and didnt allow her to plead. At that time, Gabe told her over the phone, Mr. Wright has already made a deal with the organizers, so the Best Actress award will go to you. This is hispensation for you. Hearing that, she thought indignantly, Damn it! I have worked so hard to get to marry Wayne. / wont just let all my hard work go to waste! Hearing her words, Wayne slowly lifted his head and looked at her indifferently. I made it clear to you when I said I would marry you. I didnt Chapter 127 Chapter 127 So, what about Anna? You think shes a better mother for Matthew than I am, dont you? Ada continued to ask, even though she was a little upset. Wayne frowned slightly. After pondering for a moment, he nodded and said, Yes. He thought that sometimes he didnt always have to tell everyone what he thought. He had always liked to solve most of the problems he encountered efficiently, so he would end the conversation by answering her in this way. Although Ada didnt look too happy, she didnt continue to ask questions. After leaving Waynes office, Ada clenched her fists and got into the elevator. She thought that she would have been Waynes wife if it werent for Anna. As the elevator doors were about to close, Ada heard a young man say, Please wait! She immediately pressed the button. And she thought she had heard that voice somewhere before. Then she saw a young man walking calmly into the elevator when she looked up. He nodded at her and said, Thank you. The moment she saw the mans face, Adas face turned pale. Luckily, the sunsses she was wearing blocked her surprised expression. Its you! The young man looked at her and asked in confusion, What? You know me? Ada clenched her fists and denied, No, I dont. She realized that the man looked exactly like Pearson Ray, who had been lost. Ada thought, he didnt seem to recognize me, maybe because my whole face is covered by my hat and sunsses. The man left after the elevator doors slowly opened. Ada gradually returned to her senses and went to the front desk and asked, So, who is the man who just left? Wendy sat at the front desk and replied, You mean Ryan?Hes a friend of Miss Gabriels, and Mr. Wright let him stay here. Hes not a customer. All the employees at the hotel knew that Ryan was a friend of Waynes and didnt know who he was He had never mentioned to anyone about his amnesia, so no one knew it. Ada frowned How is it possible that he is Annas friend? He is Pearson Ray. Did he tell Wayne that he used to investigate Leo? She thought. Adas face turned pale as she thought about it. She called someone and said in a panicked tone, Jason, I just met Pearson Ray Were in trouble now. Anna slept through the night. When she woke up, she found it was dark outside, She saw that the light of the living room was on, and the warm light made the bedroom very Cozy She opened her drowsy eyes and smelled the delicious food. Why didnt you wake me up? She asked. She got up from the bed and saw Wayne sitting alone at the dining room table eating. There were some dishes, soup, fruits and desserts on the table. Wayne looked up and said teasingly, Well, you woke up yourself. And I dont think it necessary to wake you up. I thought only cats and dogs would wake up when they smell something delicious while theyre sleeping. What do you mean? Im a human. Anna red at him, and then pulled back her chair and sat down, pouting, People would also wake up when they smell something delicious. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Wayne didntment anything about that. He put a bowl of soup in front of her, saying, Have some chicken soup. Thanks. You made it? Well, sort of. Anna froze. She was just asking and wasnt expecting Wayne, the spoiled rich man, to make chicken soup for her. Seeing her surprised expression, Wayne smiled and said, I had the chef stew it. Anna rolled her eyes at him and said, Then this cant be considered your cooking. I found a new way to make money. You could have the hotel advertise that you cooked all the food in the restaurant. That way, women from all over the city would have to stand in line to have a taste of the food. Wayne raised an eyebrow and asked, Are you being jealous? When she realized what she had just said, Anna blushed and denied it, What? Im not jealous! Youre such a narcissist. I was just exaggerating, okay? Do you really think there are so many women falling for you? Wayne looked at her somewhat seriously and said, I dont know exactly how many women are pursuing me, but I know that there are a lot of men who have a crush on you. So, Anna, shouldnt you exin it to me? Anna didnt react for a moment as the subject changed so quickly. She froze and said, Who has a crush on me? Wayne looked at her with his arms folded and said, You like to take in men every ten years, dont you? When you were fifteen, you took Scott in, and when you are twenty-five, you took Ryan Anna red at him after realizing what he was saying and said, You know well that both of these are idents. I know that what happened to Ryan was an ident, but the other one has been pissing me offtely You mean Scott? How did he mess with you? Hes in a variety show. You havent known about it yet? Well, check it out Wayne took out his phone, yed a video and handed it to Anna. He looked very calm as if nothing had happened Anna looked at the video suspiciously It was a clip from a variety show that Scott had been on recently Scott was wearing blue and white id pajamas, and a reporter was interviewing him. The reporter asked him, You are only in your early twenties now. You had a scandal before, but it was fake. You are single now, right? And what kind of girls do you like? I have a crush on someone. The reporter immediately got excited and asked, Who is it? Is she an actress too? No, shes not. I was adopted by her when I was a child. Adopted? Shes your adoptive mother? The reporter asked in shock. Of course not. She is only three years older than me and I think of her as a sister. Were not rted. Anna didnt take it seriously and exined as she sipped her soup, He was just joking. He likes to tell people that I am his fiance since he was a kid. You know, Im just his foster sister. After seeing how calm Anna was, Wayne hit the return button and said, Then, look at the title of this video. Anna took a sip of soup and looked at Wayne in disbelief. Then, she clearly saw that the news headline was, Scott ims to have fallen in love with his adoptive mother. Anna spewed out the soup left in her mouth. She said angrily, What? Thats nonsense! Im not his adoptive mother! This reporter really sucks. Wayne calmly handed her a tissue and said, You still dont think this is a big deal? Anna coughed awkwardly. She took the tissue, wiped her mouth haphazardly, and asked, So what now? Ive told someone to take down the Twitter hashtags. He said. Anna froze, took a deep breath, and said, Thanks, and I apologize to you for Scott. Scott worked for Waynespany. After saying something like that, he had caused amotion, so Wayne had to spend a lot of effort and money to clean up the mess he made. You dont seem you meant it. Wayne looked at her with his deep eyes and said, Chapter 128 Chapter 128 So what do you want? What do you think? Wayne asked and then smiled meaningfully. Anna immediately blushed. She lowered her head and muttered in a low voice, Can you wait until I finish eating? Why are you always thinking about She didnt finish her sentence before she saw Wayne get up and leave the table. What are you doing? Anna asked, puzzled. Wayne picked up arge paper box from the couch. He ced it on the dining room table and then unwrapped the bow ribbon tied around the box. As he opened the box, Anna saw a beautiful navy blue dress inside with a whitece hem that looked ssic and elegant. Were taking Hans and his team downtown tomorrow, and I hope you will wear this tomorrow. Anna knew that she had misunderstood Wayne and felt very embarrassed. Did you think that I was going to have s*x with you? Wayne asked insistently. Anna immediately avoided his gaze. She grabbed the dress and walked quickly to the bedroom. No. Im going to try this on right now. She said. Wayne smiled meaningfully. His eyes lit up when he heard the rustling of clothing fabricing from the bedroom when Anna took off her clothes. He walked into the bedroom and saw Anna with her back to him. She had already put her dress on and was busy buttoning the buttons on the back of her neck. She looked down at the sound of himing in and asked, This button is so tight! I cant fasten it. Suddenly, Anna felt a hand brush across her shoulder. Wayne tucked the long hair behind her head, She was about to turn around when she heard him say, Dont move. She felt his mouth right next to her ear. Anna was stunned, and her breathing became a little rapid Feeling that her hair was pulled out from inside the cor, Anna then realized that the cor was a little looser suddenly. Thanks. She pursed her lips and pretended to be calm, but she failed to fasten the button Ill do it Anna heard Waynes voicee from behind her He then put his hands around her shoulders. She looked down just enough to see Waynes slender fingers buttoning up the cor easily As she felt warm breathing from the top of her head, she couldnt help but look up. In the mirror, she saw their reflection clearly. The navy blue dress she was wearing revealed her perfect curves, making her look exquisite Wayne was hugging her from behind, making the two of them look like a loving couple. Do I look good in it? She asked, a little nervously. Wayne turned his head sideways and leaned close to her left side. Then he took her chin with his right hand, slowly turning her to face him, and their faces were almost pressed together. You look gorgeous. Wayne said. And his voice was a little husky. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Anna also felt that his hand became hot. The warmth spread to her cheek and quickly made her body heat up. Wayne seemed to lose his patience as he unbuttoned the cor of her dress halfway down. He snaked his hand down to her thigh, nibbled on her earlobe, and said a bit remorsefully, If Id known how difficult it was to get this dress off, I wouldnt have let you wear it. Annas face waspletely red. He kept stroking her private parts, making her immediately turned on. Anna panted, and her chest rose and fell violently, like waves rolling over the sea. When Wayne saw how turned on she was in the mirror, he couldnt control himself anymore. Then he pushed her directly onto the mirror. Anna pressed against the mirror with her hands, and the heating from her hands left the outline of her palms on the mirror. Seeing that Anna looking at him with her eyes full of lust, Wayne immediately carried her in his arms and walked towards the bed. Then he gentlyid her down on the bed. Wayne roughly torn the cor of the dress and stripped off Annas dress. After that, he rolled the high- end dress into a ball and tossed it aside. With that, the two of them began to have sex passionately Half an hourter, Wayne lifted Anna off the bed. She patted his chest gently as if she was exhausted, saying in a coquettish voice, I cant take it anymore. Im too tired. Wayne kissed her forehead and said in a husky voice, Then Ill help you take a bath before you go to bed, okay? It was until then that Anna was relieved. After letting out a grunt, she adjusted her position to make hersell feel morefortable, letting Wayne take her to the bathroom to bathe herself. During the bathing, she seemed really tired and didnt open her eyes. After they got on the bed, Wayne hugged her and looked at her face. As a man who had been alone and lonely for a long time, at that moment, he felt satisfied and touched He used to think that he was supposed to be alone and lonely throughout his life. To him, love, which was not based on responsibility, was the most superficial and delicate thing, and he did not need it But when he really met his true love, he felt grateful, Anna frowned Wayne did not know what she had dreamed about. And she was a little sad When Wayne heard her murmuring voice, he snapped back. He felt a little helpless and hel her a little tighter. Then he heard her say, Come to Mommy. Stunned, Matthew looked deeply at Anna. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Are you sure hes Pearson? Did you mistake him for someone else? Its really him! I saw his face clearly. It was alreadyte at night. On the first floor of a vi, Jason looked at Ada suspiciously and took the ss of wine from her hand. He said, Well, stop drinking. Even if that guy is really him, it doesnt matter. If Wayne is still willing to see you, that means Pearson didnt say anything about what we did to him yet. We can make a deal with him. Ada suddenly snapped back to her senses. She looked a bit drunk. Looking at Jason, her manager, she said, Do you think that he went to Wayne on purpose? Is he trying to threaten me with this? He must have been trying to do that! He loves money, and he must have wanted to use it to ask us for money. Besides, he has no evidence about what happened that night. What should we do now? I think, rather than avoiding him, we should find him and make a deal with him. You know, money talks. Ada slowly calmed down after seeing such a determined look on Jasons face. She thought, Yes, Pearson loves money so much. He wont refuse me. Early the following day, Anna was awakened by the rm clock. When she woke up and saw the clock on the wall, she immediately jumped up from the bed and eximed, Oh my God! Its already 8:30! Wayne came out of the living room. He was wearing a white shirt and brown suit pants, and he had a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked at her calmly and said, You have twenty-five minutes to get dressed. Anna scratched her hair and looked frantic. She walked off the bed and scolded Wayne as she looked for her clothes, Damn, Wayne, its all because of you! What did I do? Wayne asked teasingly as he sipped his coffee. Anna pulled a zer and zer skirt out of her closet. She red at him and said, Why didnt you wake me up? Hey, Im your boyfriend Of course I hope that you can sleep a little longer. Then if Imte, can you not scold me? Can you do that? Anna rolled her eyes at him and went into the bathroom with her clothes in her arms Wayne said, Im your boss, Im supposed to be strict with you. Anna said, somewhat annoyed, Wow, you can really switch between these two roles. Youre wee. Anna solled her eyes. She scolded him in her mind and sat in front of the mirror to do a quick makeup As she walked out of the bedroom, she identally stepped on the dress that Wayne had given her last night. She frowned and asked, What am I supposed to do with this dress? Ill have the waiterse by later and take it to the tailor. Can it be repaired? Anna didnt think so. The dress was ripped and wrinkled, and it looked like it would be hard to get sewn back together. That doesnt matter. We should keep it as a souvenir. Anna was confused and asked, What? Why? In memory ofst night. Anna froze for a few seconds, and her face instantly flushed. She quickly left the room like she was running away. She strongly suspected that Wayne had not had sex for too long before. Otherwise, he wouldnt be this horny and want to make love to her every moment in every corner of this hotel after they confirmed their rtionship. They had to show the foreign guests around a park in the city that day. The park was not far from the hotel, about a ten-minute drive away. Anna told them about the history of the park and the sculptures inside. Hans and Jennifer both liked Anna a lot. They admired her after learning that she had lived abroad alone with her daughter for five years. It must be hard to live alone in a foreign country and to take care of a child. Anna, you are really amazing. Jennifer took Annas hand and looked in awe at her. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. We were doing okay there and had a really good time. We came back here mostly because we missed our country. Jennifer smiled kindly and said, I like your country, too. Youre right, life did treat you well. As soon as you got back here, you met Mr. Wright. True love is very rare and precious. Yes, it is. Anna looked over to Wayne, who was standing at a distance. She couldnt help but smile when she saw that Wayne was discussing the construction of the stone bridge with Hans To wee foreign guests, the hotel held a particr open-air cocktail party in the evening on the big lawn right in front of it. Jennifer wore avender evening gown and looked very elegant. She said, Mr. Wright, Miss Gabriel, Id like to introduce you to a good friend of mine. She lives here too. Im looking forward to getting to know her. Anna said. Here she is. Jennifer smiled very happily and waved her hand in the direction of the far entrance Anna saw a person in a ck dress approaching them. Her ck silk gown was studded with ck sequins that made her look like a glowing mermaid in the light Anna froze and said, Peace Peace, however, was not surprised at all. She smiled and exined to them, Anna, Jennife is my friend and a big fan of my store. Jennifer, Anna is my best friend. So, when I heard you sa the party was going to be held here, I knew I would meet her. Peace was a fashion designer and knew many friends from abroad. However, Anna didnt think she would know Jennifer. After they made some small talk, Jennifer left to find Hans. By the way, Peace, Karl willeter too. Anna suddenly remembered this matter and said. After saying that, she looked back at Wayne and asked, Right? Wayne nodded slightly. This cocktail party was private, but since Karl was apany shareholder, he mighte too. Peace, however, rolled her eyes and acted nonchntly, None of my business. Anna sighed and asked, Did you guys have another fight? What happened? We didnt just have a fight this time. We broke up for good. Peace said. You broke up? Anna asked hesitantly. Peace raised her eyebrows and said, Thats right. Anna and Wayne looked at each other, both knowing what each other meant. After Peace and Karl were in a rtionship, they often broke up. So, Anna and Wayne didnt know if they had really broken up this time or if they were just having a cold war. Not far away, a man walked in. He saw them and came towards them. After seeing him, Anna tugged Waynes sleeve and said, Peace, Wayne and I will go over there to entertain the guests. Can you stay here by yourself? Peace waved her hand to them and said, No problem. Go ahead. I didnte alone. Huh? Who else came to the party with you? Anna froze and asked. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Karl had walked up to them while they were talking. He was as tall and attractive as a model, and the white couture suit he was wearing made him look like a gentleman. What are you doing here? As everyone expected, he talked to Peace first. Peace immediately responded, What? Why cant Ie here? Karl rubbed his nose and smiled, looking a little embarrassed. Thats not what I meant. Its that someone just told mest night that shed never see me again, but she showed up right in front of me today. He said. Sorry, I meant what I saidst night. Peace nonchntly rolled her eyes at him. Suddenly, she waved to someone behind him and said gently, Im here, darling. A young man was walking toward them, and he was one of the visiting foreign guests. He was very muscr and looked like he worked out a lot. He was obviously more athletic and more imposing than Karl. Just as he walked over, Peace took his arm very affectionately and said, Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Spencer. After greeting Spencer, Anna felt awkward and immediately left with Wayne. Both Peace and Carl were the types of people who didnt want to give in, and neither wanted to admit that they were weak. They would target each other whenever they met, and Anna had already gotten used to it. Anna felt that Peace had gone a little too far because she realized that Karls expression had changed As soon as Anna and Wayne left, Karl immediately showed his anger. He gritted his teeth and said, We just broke upst night, how could you find a new boyfriend so quick? Peace nced at him nonchntly and said, I dont see whats wrong with that. I got a new boyfriend after we broke up, but you were with someone else while we were still dating. As I said, shes my friends sister. Oh, it seems your friend has a lot of sisters. Anna took Waynes arm and drank some wine with the guests. She flushed as she drank a few and leaned on Wayne softly. The stereo yed soft music that made people want to dance. After a while, a man warmly invited Anna to dance with him. Anna immediately agreed and went to the dance floor with that man. She wore a burgundy halter dress and looked like a blooming rose as her dress fluttered while she was dancing She looked very charming under the changing lights and attracted the attention of many men Karl walked up to Wayne and touched the ss with his wine ss. The crisp clicking sound was drowned out by the music, Looking at the beautiful woman on the dance floor, Karl teased Wayne, There are so many men looking at her. Arent you jealous? Wayne was calm. He took a sip of wine and replied, Theyre the ones who should be jealous. They can only look at such a beautiful woman, but she belongs to me. Its good that you think that way, because I used to be like that. But when I got a little older, 1 couldnt be so tolerant anymore. Karl said with a shrug. Wayne looked at him and corrected, You didnt used to be tolerant, you actually had no problem with that. Karl dated many girls and even went out with different girls every day. Sometimes, he even forgot the names of the girls he had dated. So, rather than calling them his girlfriends, they were his s*x partners. Wayne looked away thoughtfully and said, You mean you do care about it now, am I right? You obviously care about her, but you pretend it doesnt matter. If you keep doing it, shell be someone elses girlfriendter. Karl frowned and asked, What do you mean? Look over there. Wayne pointed to the dance floor, and Karl saw two people standing very intimately there. Peace was holding her new boyfriend in one hand and feeding him fruit with a fork. Seeing this, Karl immediately became annoyed. He knew she had brought this man there to make him jealous, but he didnt expect them to be intimate. He finished all the wine in his ss in one gulp. Then, after he ced the ss heavily on the table, he strode away After Anna finished the dance, another man invited her. Anna shook her head and politely declined, saying she was a little dizzy from the wine. She then walked through the crowd to Waynes side. I thought Karl was just here, where did he go? Anna asked as she took a sip of water from the ss Wayne handed her. he just left Wayne replied. She nodded, sighed again, and asked, When are they going to make up? Before the partys over, I guess. Wayne said casually. Huh? Why? Anna asked, looking up in surprise, Wayne nced toward the distance, so Anna looked toward the opposite corner of the dance floor They saw Karl pulling Peace out of her new boyfriends arms. He then pulled her into the Dearest lounge and closed the door behind him, which was intriguing. Oh What is happening? Anna asked, wide-eyed Wayne took her by the shoulders and said sinctly. This is how a prodigal son bes well- behaved The party didnt end until ten oclock All the people stayed at the hotel except for Peace and Kart, so Anna didnt have to do anything After telling the cleaning stall to clean up the scene, she went straight to her room Anna spent the rest of the week with the guests. Wayne was there at first, but he disappeared by the third day in the morning. Oh, Mr. Wright has to take care of something. He said youre going to be with the guests the whole time. Gabe replied when Anna asked. Gabe didnt dare look Anna in the eye, as if he was hiding something from her. What has he been doing? She asked. Gabe coughed and said, Thats his personal business, I cant ask him. Anna frowned. She knew that Wayne had always put work first. He would not deal with personal things in such a critical situation unless he had something significant to do. Wayne did not return until the early hours of the morning. Anna had already fallen asleep at that time and woke up at the sound of him opening the door. She sat up drowsily and asked in a dumb voice, What time is it? Where did you go? Wayne came over and gave her a hug. He said, Its still early. Go back to sleep, honey. Anna wrapped her arms around his waist and rubbed her face against his chest like a docile cat. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Go to sleep. Wayne looked at her very dotingly and stroked her back. Hearing the watering from the bathroom, Anna closed her eyes again. Then, the text message alert ring woke her up. Dazed, she picked up the phone on her bed and nced at it. Please show up at the airport on time tomorrow. Ill be there waiting for you. She frowned. She thought someone had sent the wrong text message at first, but when she saw the name at the top, she realized that she had picked up the wrong phone. That message was from Ada. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 It had already past midnight when Wayne came out of the shower. The hazy moonlight shone nto the room and looked like fog. As the bathroom lights were turned off, the moonlight made the room even colder. Anna felt Wayne hug her from behind. The heat from his body surrounded her and made her eel hot and ufortable, like she was being choked. She felt annoyed and couldnt help but struggle. Sorry, did I wake you up? Wayne whispered tentatively. She didnt say anything more but just nodded. A few secondster, she said, Yes. Why are you back sote? I took care of a few things. Did you finish it? Well, not yet. Anna kept thinking about that message from Ada. After being silent for a moment, she asked, How long does it take? Will you still be able to attend the send-off party next weekend? Hans and his team were going to stay in Birmingham for half a month, and the hotel was holding them a farewell dinner at the end of next week. It was a significant event, and as the boss, Wayne had to attend. I will. Dont worry. He replied. Anna frowned and kept herself from asking more questions. Just as she was getting upset, she heard Wayne say, I knew a dcotor in Germany and he maybe knows how to cure Matthew. But, the problem is, its hard to get an appointment with him. So, Im taking Matthew to Germany tomorrow, and Ill be back as soon as possible. Anna froze, realizing that she was overthinking and had misunderstood Wayne. Are you taking him there by yourself? Yes, but dont worry, it wont take long. Its just that youll have to take care of the team all by yourself. Thats OK. I hope Matthew can be cured. Wayne was silent for a moment. He then held her in his arms, put his face against her cheek and whispered, I feel so happy for Matthew. He is so lucky to have a mother as good as you. When Anna heard these words, she had mixed feelings. However, she did not know how to express her emotions. So, all she could do was turn over and hug him tightly around the waist as if that was the only way she could suppress the urge to tell him the truth. Wayne left very early the following day, and his housekeeper and Matthew had been waiting for him at the airport He kissed Anna on the forehead, took his coat, and quietly left the room. The following week. Anna apanied the foreign group as the hotel representative. She showed them around all the famous attractions of Birmingham and took them to eat local food. Jennifer told Anna that she loved the delicious food there. After a few days, she already treated Anna as a very good friend, and she even invited Anna to visit her country. On the night before the farewell party, when everyone returned to the hotel, Jennifer hugged Anna and said, Thank you so much for being with us, Anna. Im going to give you a gift at the dinner tomorrow. Anna smiled and replied, Thank you, Im looking forward to it. Youre going to love it. By the way, lets have your very interesting young friend join us at the dinner, shall we? Are you referring to Ryan? Anna asked, frozen in surprise. Jennifer had met Ryan by chance one day while hiking in the suburbs, and she seemed to like him. She said Ryan was the same age as her son, and they both enjoyed hiking. They talked for a long time, and Jennifer even invited him to join the team for dinner. At that time, Hans came over. He winked mischievously at them and said, Yes, hes a very interesting young man, and Im looking forward to seeing him again. By the way, isnt Mr. Wright back yet? Will he still be at the dinner tomorrow? Anna smiled and said, Yes, I will talk to him about it. Dont worry, he will definitely be back in time. He told me that he will apologize to you all, because he feels a little sorry that he left. Thats OK. But, I have something important to say to him. Hans looked thoughtful. Anna felt her heart beat heavily and thought she knew what he would say. After all the guests had gone back to their rooms, Anna asked Gabe, Are you sure Mr Wright will be back tomorrow? .?. Yes, hes already on the ne. Thats good, I think Hans may want to talk to him about doing business. Anna was feeling worried. They hosted the guests not only for the government but also hoped to do business with them. Of course, Wayne was aware of this, so he had been apanying the team for the first few days. Later, he left because he had to take Matthew to the doctor. Anna thought that Hans had given her a hint which meant that he wanted to do business with them. So, as long as Wayne could finally make it back, there was a good chance that they would coborate, The farewell dinner was held the following afternoon as scheduled. Because the guests were to catch a flight in the early morning of the next day, they had to leave immediately after dinner. Therefore, the dinner schedule was brought forward to 3:00 pm Therefore, Anna had been busy since the morning. Seeing that Wayne didnte back, Anna called Gabe and asked, Hasnt Mr. Wright gotten off the ne yet? I cant get through to him. Did you pick him up? You said hed be here in the morning. Ms Gabriel, I have already picked up Mr. Wright. Dont you worry. we wavi ww . Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She nced at her watch and muttered, Then why didnt he answer my call? I cant talk to you now, Ms Gabriel, Im driving. Ill be at the hotel in a minute. Gabes voice sounded a little nervous. OK, bye. Hanging up the phone, Anna looked at the phone screen and had an ominous feeling. As Gabe was driving, he couldnt help but nce in the rearview mirror. He asked cautiously, Mr. Wright, do you want to go home first or go straight to the hotel?Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Drop me off at the hotel. Then, please take them back home separately. Got it. Gabe nodded and replied, not daring to ask more questions. At that time, all the guests were having dinner in the hotel ballroom. It was almost half-past six, and the party was about to end. Hans and Jennifer walked over to Anna with their sses of wine and said, Miss Gabriel, it looks like Mr. Wright wont be able to make it back this time. What a shame. Anna nced at her watch and said, Mr. Hans, Mr. Wright is already on his way. His ne waste, but he should be here soon. Is that so? We have to leave at 7:30, so hopefully well see him before that. Hans smiled and didnt mind if Wayne made it in time. Anna nced at the phone in her hand and found a message from Wayne: Im almost at the hotel. Mr. Wright said hes almost there. Im going to check the door. He should be here already. She said happily With that, she walked toward the door of the ballroom. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 It was summer, and a cool breeze was blowing softly after the sun had set. Anna walked to the hotel lobby, and she didnt slow down even though she was wearing high heels. She had just stepped out of the elevator when she saw a familiar car pull up in front of the hotel. Then, Wayne got out of the car and buttoned his suit jacket She was about to walk towards him when she saw someone she was familiar with also get out of the car. That woman was wearing a white t-shirt and ck pants, and it was apparent that she was in good shape as an actress. She also wore a ck hat and giant sunsses and seemed to want to tell everyone that she was a public figure. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Anna immediately stopped and even stepped back a bit after seeing them. She stood in the elevators corner and watched them walk into the hotel. She could only see them from behind, but she could also tell that they looked cute together. Ada began to straighten Waynes cor. However, he looked like he took it for granted. Anna couldnt see his expression and didnt know what he had said to Ada. A child popped his head out of the door window as Ada walked up to the car. She then rubb the childs head in a seemingly gentle way. Anna clenched her fists. Was this what Wayne had said was important? She thought. She was furious and even started specting on what they had said. Wayne, your tie is crooked. You can get in the car. Its crowded here. Ill have Gabe drive you home then. Okay. Ada, please take care of Matthew. Dont worry, Ill take good care of him. Watching Wayne walk into the elevator, Anna stared angrily at the door as if her eyes wereser light and she wanted to make a hole in the elevator door. Most women would lose their ability to reason when they suspected their partners were cheating So, if men did not exin it reasonably in time, things would worsen. Anna stayed at the door of the ballroom for a long time. When she finally walked in, she di see Wayne in there Hi, Anna Jennifer called out to her Yeah? Anna snapped back to her senses and smiled as she turned around Jennifer look her hand friendly and said, Mr. Wright just went in, and he is talking to Han: Hey, Ive got something for you! Come with me Anna followed Jennifer to her room. 50 Points There were three suitcases in the living room, and Anna knew those were their luggage. Anna asked as she felt worried, Whats wrong? Is there something wrong with the room? Jennifer smiled back at her and said, Of course not, dear. Your hotel is very nice and Hans and I are very grateful for that. We really love it there. Well, do you still remember I said I wanted to give you a gift yesterday? Ill give it to you now. Anna acted a little ttered when she recalled that. Jennifer handed a purple box to her and looked at her expectantly. Take a look of it. She then said. The box was the size of Annas hand, was rectangr, and looked a little old. Upon opening the box, Anna found a single emerald gemstone earring inside. Anna froze and said, Well, this is Jennifer said, This is for you! I remember the first time I met you, the first thing you said to me was that your name was Anna. I immediately thought this earring would be perfect for you. Anna surveyed her and noticed that although she was in her fifties, she still looked beautiful and elegant. Thanks, but this is too expensive, I cant take it. Anna immediately refused. Although she knew nothing about jewelry, she had heard that Hans and Jennifer were both jewelry collectors. Therefore, she knew that this earring must be very expensive. She thought that since she and Jennifer had only known each other for half a month, she really couldnt ept such an expensive gift. Jennifer immediately said, No, I must give it to you. Feeling puzzled, Anna asked, Why? Jennifer got her hair behind her ears, got up, and walked to the front of the cab to look for something. When she returned, she handed Anna a photograph. It was a ck and white photo of two cute young children about five or six years old. See, thats my daughter and son. Oh! They are so adorable. Jennifer smiled sadly and said, Yes, they were lovely. If my daughter were still alive, she would be your age now. I would have been able to see her in a wedding dress. By the way, I never told you that my daughters name is also Anna, too. Anna suddenly understood why Jennifer had given her this earring and why she rarely called her by her first name Please take it. Your eyes are very simr to my daughters, and I think it was fate that brought us together Jennifers eyes were filled with tears Anna had always thought Jennifer was a cheerful and livelydy, but she had never thought she had experienced a tragic story like this. She couldnt bear to ask more questions. She hesitated and then took the earring out of the box and smiled as she said, Thank you, Jennifer. Will you put it on for me? Just like you put it on your daughter, Anna thought There was an emerald stone on the earring surrounded by a circle of melee diamonds. The emerald stone shone beautifully like a mysterious turquoiseke, looking elegant and charming. Jennifer looked delighted. She put that earring on Anna and exined, I got this earring at an auction when with my daughter. There were originally two in the pair, but I lost one of them. Look, its beautiful, isnt it? Anna looked at herself in the mirror. She turned her head to her right side and saw that earring was glistening on her ear. When Anna saw Jennifer doing her best not to shed a tear, she immediately took her hand and said thoughtfully, Yes, its beautiful. Anna thinks its beautiful. Jennifers eyes became red. She then held Ahna in her arms and sobbed, Yes, my Anna thinks its beautiful. The guests got into their cars after the dinner and prepared to leave the hotel. When Hans saw the earrings on Annas ears, he gave Jennifer a surprised look. He didnt say anything because he then quickly understood what she meant. He hugged Anna politely and said, Thank you. Anna had mixed feelings after Jennifer left. Anna thought of her child after learning that Jennifers daughter had died because of an ident. She felt that she was so lucky to find her son after five years. Lets go. A familiar voice brought her back to her senses. She nced at Wayne, who was standing by her side. She hadnt said anything to him earlier because the guests were there and she was still working. Anna lifted her wrist to nce at her watch and saw that it was after eight oclock. She asked, Mr. Wright, can I get off work now? Wayne nodded and said, Of course you can. Youve been working a lottely, and you can take three days off. Ill take you to Thanks a lot, Mr. Wright. Anna interrupted Wayne angrily before he could finish his sentence. She then turned around and walked straight into the hotel. Wayne frowned and stared at her back, and then quickly caught up. He followed her to the door of their room. When Anna entered the room, she went straight into the bedroom and packed her suitcase. What? Youre leaving now? Wayne asked, looking at her in surprise. Without looking up. Anna said, somewhat annoyed, Im off duty now. You just said that I could take a few days off. Then, Im going home. What do you want? Do you expect me to work overtime for free? Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Wayne didnt know why she was so angry, so he asked directly, Tell me, who pissed you off? Anna only felt angrier when she heard him ask that. She said in annoyance, Huh? Do you really want to know who pissed me off? She wanted to lose her temper, but she immediately calmed down when she saw Waynes expressionless face. She gritted her teeth and said, Nothing, Im just tired. You can stay here tonight, and Ill take you home in the morning. Anna was so angry that she thought she couldnt even breathe. She didnt even want to fold her clothes, so she took them out of the closet and threw them all into her suitcase with the hangers No, I have to go home and take care of my daughter. Sorry, I have to go now. Anna snarled Ill give you a ride. No, I have my own car! Anna had been driving Peaces car for the past few days and nned to return it to her tonight After saying this, she pulled on her suitcase and left, her movements very sharp and determined. Anna left at a fast pace with her suitcase. Listening to the sound of her leaving, getting farther and farther away, Wayne walked to the door. When he saw Anna was walking in a hurry, he felt puzzled. What the hell? He just let you go like this? Why didnt he give you a ride home? Its already night. He offered to drive me home, but I refused it. What? He didnt say anything else then? As soon as Anna got home, she told Peace what happened. Peace got angry immediately after hearing it. She pped the table and shouted, No man in this world is reliable! Karl is aplete and utter bastard. Since Wayne is his best friend, hes not a good man either. I really thought he was a nice guy, and now I know I was so wrong. The point is not that he didnt send me home, but that he let Ada go with Matthew to Germany He didnt even tell me about it! It wasnt a big deal, was it? If Ada could have found someone to cure Matthew, I certainly wouldnt have stopped her. Anna was so annoyed that she felt like her blood was boiling, The more Peace said, the angrier she got, You know, maybe theyve done more intirnate 50 Points TIL Umeniig to M things behind your back! Did you see Ada fixing his tie? My goodness, thats way out of the line! And, they did that in front of your hotel. Im telling you, she must did this on purpose. She just wanted to make you feel threatened! They didnt see me standing there. She did it on purpose anyway. I think the receptionist must have seen them, and Waynes assistant must have known she was there. They all knew about it and they all kept it from you. Its insulting. Maybe this whole thing might not be as awful as we imagined. Anna said hesitantly. She thought maybe Peace was overthinking. Hey, you must listen to me. Dont talk to him these days. Let him think about what he had done, and he will tell you that he was wrong. Anna resigned and said, Wayne is not the same as Karl; he is not that kind of guy who would admit that he was wrong. Peace didnt think it was a big deal and immediately said, Let me tell you, Anna. If you dont teach him what to do, hell never do it. While the two of them debated whether Wayne was cheating and arguing with clues, the two men were hanging out in a bar. Wayne briefly told Karl about the whole thing that Anna being angry with him. Karl shrugged after listening and asked, Huh? Thats it? You just told me the fact that she was angry, but didnt say anything about why. So, how am I supposed to give you advice? Wayne frowned as he felt puzzled and said, I think she might be mad at me foring backte. Well, I left her alone to be with the guests. Karl waved his hand and said, Thats impossible! Women are very fond of being trusted by men, so theres no way shed be angry about that. After dating so many women, I realized that they often get angry over ex-girlfriends. Wayne nced at Karl and said calmly, No, that cant be it. Ada and I broke up a long time ago, and Anna knows it. Karl shook the ss in his hand, gave Wayne a meaningful look, and asked, What about the other one? Have you told Anna about her? Maybe she saw something about her at your ce Wayne immediately looked a little upset. Karl coughed a few times and said, somewhat embarrassed, Never mind. Its certainly not because of that Oh, I know! What? Women could be angry for many reason. You know, they get mad many times a day, and mostly over trivial things But, they can get happy easily. Why? *Because men buy them things I think you can buy her bags, jewelry, clothes, makeup, or whatever Wayne nodded thoughtfully He drank all the wine in his ss, put it down, and stood up, saying, If thats the case, its much simpler Ill get going now. Itste. Karl stared in surprise and said, What? Youre leaving now? No! Do you want me to stay nere all night by myself? Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Wayne nced at him and said, Why would you find the evening boring? I remember your new bar just opened. Why dont you have fun there? Karl made a desperate face and said, Ah! Peace has been fighting with me for days just because of this damn bar. She said that if I dare to go into there once again, she will break up with me. I thought you liked breakups. That way, you can date a new girl. Im serious this time. Wayne said thoughtfully, You say that every time. But, you know, Peace is Annas friend. I hope you wont hurt her, or everyone will be embarrassed. Karl immediately waved his hand as if trying to shoo Wayne away. He said, Why dont you believe me? I really mean it. Go away, Wayne, and let me enjoy the solitude here by myself! Wayneughed a little and calmly took his jacket and put it on. He patted Karls shoulder before walking away and said, As far as I know, a lot of men like Peace. Karl froze after hearing that. He didnte back to his senses until Wayne had already walked away He shouted straight at Waynes back, What! Who likes her? Is it someone from your hotel? || really want to know which bastard dare to steal her from me. Is it your assistant? Oh, god, I knew it! I knew it was him! When Anna was still asleep in the morning the following day, she was awakened by someone shouting because of surprise from the living room. Wow, Mr. Wright, there are so many gifts! You brought all these? Tammys eyes lit up as she stood at the door watching Gabee in carrying many bags from luxury brands There are some more in the car. Ill bring them hereter. Anna walked out of bed without even brushing her hair. She opened the bedroom door a coek and saw Tammy happily eating the choctes Wayne had given her. What a line traitor! Anna thought Tammy then put her arms around Waynes neck andplimented him, saying, Mr. Wright, ale you here to give my mommy gifts? Why didnt Matthewe? Wayne nced into the bedroom and said, Well, Matthew is at home getting over his jetg Is your mommy still sleeping? Yes! Im going to wake her up and have her make you something delicious. Can you stay Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Anna tensed up and pressed her ear to the door to hear their conversation. She heard Wayne say, No, thanks. I just came here to drop those things off. Sorry, Tammy. Im leaving now. Let your mommy get some rest, okay? All right then. Goodbye, Mr. Wright. Anna wondered why Wayne had left in such a hurry after giving her so many things. A momentter, Peace sat on the floor, clutching thetest Chanel bag with both hands as if she were holding the most precious treasure in the world. She told Anna her thoughts, I think Wayne did this to apologize to you. He must have realized that he was wrong after thinking about it all night. So, he determined to make up for his mistake with fancy gifts. Where did he get such a cute bag? This is a limited edition! Anna calmly nced at the luxury shopping bags all over the table. After hearing Peaces words, she was even more upset. You mean hes still seeing Ada? Peace leaned back on the sofa and looked severe. She said, Of course! If he didnt, why did he send you so many things? Its not a holiday, and its not your anniversary. Besides, why do you think he left without talking to you? He must have wanted to make you forgive him by surprising you with these gifts. Wow, hes such a smart guy Is that so? Anna asked skeptically. Trust me on this. Peace said this for the second time that day. Anna said, Then, Ill return the gifts to him. Peace eximed in surprise, What? Youve got to be kidding me! Hey, look at those pretty bags! Well, Ill return them to him anyway. Keep one, please, just one! No, I cant keep any of them. Anna felt that if Wayne wanted to apologize by giving her gifts, and he was a bit out of line. She didnt want to ept such fancy gifts because she thought that he had bribed her. Also, she didnt want to let the whole thing go easily. The two men were hanging out in the same bar as they had the day before in the evening She returned all the gifts? Wow, so it looks like shes pissed. Women usually wont refuse such gifts. Kari rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful and puzzled as he said that Ive told you; shes not an ordinary woman Wayne nced at him and said in an upset tone He thought it wasnt a big deal in the first ce. But after he did what karl said, the whole thing seemed serious Karl suddenly acted like he had it all figured out. He said, Yes, you are right! Anna is not an ordinary woman, but an assertive powerful woman. So, we shouldnt treat her the way we treat school girls. Wayne didnt answer him. I know how those women are think. The more theypete with others, the more they get motivated. What do you mean? Wayne frowned at him. Karl said confidently and firmly, To put it bluntly, she just wants to be challenged. You know, once a woman gets jealous, shell do anything. Since she refused to make up with you as you offered her a chance, you should do it in the opposite way. C C Three dayster, Annas vacation came to an end. Peace asked Anna while ying with her phone on the couch, He hasnt called you yet, huh? How come? Why are you so agitated? Im not even in a hurry. Anna replied. Anna ced a bowl of fruit sd on the coffee table, and then sat down on the couch and took a long breath. She said, Instead, I think he shouldnt have called me. Actually, its not asplicated as we thought. When I see him at work tomorrow, Ill ask him whats going on. Peace asked skeptically, My life experience tells me that all men are Before finishing her sentence, she suddenly let out a startled cry and bounced straight up from the couch. Anna was so frightened that the grapes on her fork fell to the floor and rolled away. What are you doing? You scared the hell out of me! Annay on the floor looking for that grape. Peace stopped Anna, put her phone in front of Annas eyes, and said, Look! I knew it! I knew was right! There was a news on the screen with the headline, Ada is seen with a mystery man and a five-year- old child at the airport, and it looks like shes married and has a baby. Peace said bluntly, Its Wayne and Matthew! I could recognize them even though their faces were covered. Maybe he did not go to Germany for an appointment, but was on vacation with his kid and lover. Anna did her best not to keep thinking about it. She said, No, dont be absurd, he wouldnt have done that. Maybe its just that Ada got Matthews doctors appointment for him. Waynes assistant said something about it a few days ago. Peace took out her phone, looked at Adas Instagram ount, and said, Look, look what shes posted! They were definitely not there to see a doctor. Ada posted a selfie of her lying by the pool at a hotel. She wrote, Thank you for being able to spend time with me on this special day and wishing me a happy birthday. It was Adds birthday a week ago She wrote on this post that she was at a resort hotel in Germany, which had once sparked a hot debate amongizens Peace gritted her teeth, put away her phone, and cursed, Hes such a jerk! Dont feel bad. Ill get someone on the inte to swear the hell out of them tomorrow Anna lell a little confused and could near her ears tingling That sound made her feel like a ne was taking off in her ears She hadnt realized before how important Wayne was to her until then. Anna had always believed that she stayed with Wayne because she wanted to spend time with Matthew. But when she found out he was with another woman, she felt very distressed. Thest time she was upset like that was when she found out Jacob was cheating on her. Ill think about it. She didnt listen to Peaces reassuring words anymore and went into her room alone and locked the door. Whats wrong with my mom? Tammy didnt know what was going on and asked Peace, confused. Tammy, it seems that Wayne is not good enough to be your stepfather. Hes even worse than Jasper. Ill see him right now. Whats happening? Does it has something to do with Mr. Wright? As soon as Tammy heard that Peace would see Wayne, she wanted toe along. Peace had always been a quick mover. She immediately went to her room to change her clothes and then took Tammy out, ignoring that it was already the middle of the night Are we going to see Mr. Wright? But his home isnt here. Auntie Peace, youre on the wrong way! Tammy said, leaning on the car window. I dont want to see that man. You know, I dont even feel like saying a word to him. Huh? Then where are we going? Were going to meet a man whos as much of a jerk as he is. Who? Fifteen minutester, they arrived at Karls house. The maid brought them some tea as they sat in the living room. Tell me, whats going on here? Peace asked as she rested her phone on the coffee table, Thats so nasty! If he didnt want to be with Anna, he should have just told her the truth like a man. He shouldnt have cheated on her! Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. What are you talking about? Karl froze. After seeing the news on her phone, he froze, and then suddenly let out augh and said, Wow, that is fast! Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Peace stared at Karl wide-eyed and roared, Why are youughing? Youre just as shameless as he is. I want to curse you now, but let me cover Tammys ears first. Karl sighed, nced at Tammy sitting next to Peace, and said, Its not really that simple, and its not what it looked like. But, I think we should not let this kid hear our conversation. Why? Peace and Tammy asked at the same time. Tammy pouted and said, My mommy says that people dont want to be heard only when theyre saying bad things. So, what do you want to say? Hearing her words, Karl was suddenly bewildered. He rubbed his nose and said, Well, if you really want to know, Ill tell you. But, Im doing this for their own good. Its not a big deal, so please dont exaggerate this. What do you mean? Wayne did it on purpose. Yes, he did it to make up with Anna. Nonsense! If he really wanted to make up with her, then why would he do that? He went on vacation with another woman! Karl immediately exined, That news is fake! All guys know that there are only two ways to make up with women, one is to give them a chance, and the other is to make them feel in crisis. He had already given Anna the chance to make up, but she ignored him. Thats why he wants to make Anna feel that her rtionship was in danger. After listening to Karls nonsense about female psychology, Peace then frowned and fell silent. After a long time, she asked him angrily, Who the hell told him to do this? Karl instantly sensed that he was the one in danger. He immediately exined, Ah! He wanted to do it himself! Dont look at me like that. I had nothing to do with it. Peace angrily eximed, Hes shameless! Not only does he not think about what is wrong with him, but he uses such strange andme logic to fool others. Hes really shameless! Tammy, lets go. Dont be angry! Peace, you cant tell Anna about this. Promise me! Peace red at him and said, Even if I dont tell her, Tammy will. My mommy hates liars! Tammy grunted and followed Peace to storm out of the room. Karl blinked, somewhat overwhelmed. He realized that he had offended all of these people. If Wayne knew about this, he would never let me off. I should just hide, Karl thought. The next day, as soon as Anna arrived at the hotel, she saw a group of people gathered in the office gossiping And she immediately knew what they were talking about Dont you guys have work to do? Have you uploaded the customer information? Have you checked the rooms? Have you checked all the reservation information? Anna stood in front of the office and shouted Hearing her words, the people who had des ls +50 Points gathered before scattered and ran away. Then, without looking back, Anna went straight into her office. Just as Anna sat down, her assistant, John, came in. He looked at her nervously, put a folder on her desk, and said, Ms. Gabriel, heres the client information. Thanks. John didnt leave immediately but hesitated for a while and said, Anna, youre a wonderful woman. You can definitely find a better man than Mr. Wright. Anna became even more furious. She growled, Mind your own business! Dont you have anything else to do? Just stop gossiping! Im sorry. Ill leave now. John nodded nervously and ran off. Almost everyone in the hotel looked at Anna in a meaningful way all morning. However, Anna was not surprised by this, and she even went to the cafeteria for lunch, which gave the entire staff a chance to keep looking at her. She calmly took her te and sat down in the most conspicuous ce in the cafeteria. Since you want to look at me, Ill let you do it. Anna thought. Just as she sat down, she heard the people around her talking very loudly. While she was wondering why they were gossiping in such a high voice, she heard a persons name. Upon hearing that name, she gritted her teeth. Mr. Wright Wayne walked up to her, his tall figure blocking the light in front of her. Wayne then took a seat directly across from Anna. Ive brought you lunch. I just went to your office to look for you, but you werent there. Wayne said. Anna could hear his deep voice clearly. Then, she immediately felt angry. She mmed her spoon down on the table and said, This soup is too salty. Everyone around her dared not speak anymore. Even the lunchdy, who was far away from them, looked nervously at Wayne. Everyone looked at each other and didnt even dare to breathe. Everyone realized that Anna was the first woman who dared to treat Wayne like this. Although Wayne went on a vacation with his ex, no woman dared to embarrass him like this in front of so many people. It seemed that Miss Gabriel was really hot-tempered. Wayne didnt seem to be angry. He just frowned and then said, Anna,e with me to my office. I want to exin that news to you. Anna sat there still with her arms folded. She stared coldly at Wayne and said, If you have something to say, say it here. Let everyone hear how the PR department is handling this. Everyone became quieter, and they could feel the tension in the atmosphere. They sensed as if they were at the center of a tornado Wayne looked at everyone around him after a few seconds of silence and said, The PR department has just made a rification about that, and Im sure everyone has read that. So, does anyone have any questions? Everyone was silent, knowing they couldnt afford to speak out of turn. 21 No. One person said. Then, everyone was saying, Yeah, please dont worry. We all know this is just a hype. Wayne stood up, leaned over slightly, and moved closer to Anna across the table. He lowered his voice and said, But, I want to tell you something just between the two of us. Come on, Ill wait you at my office. Anna felt the warmth of his breath. She clenched her fists, looked at him, and said, Sure. So, this time, what kind of excuse will you use to exin all of it? Dont you try to fool me, Wayne! Anna said to herself. After they left, people in the cafeteria started talking again. Everyone in the hotel, except the lunchdy who was criticized for making the soup too salty, discussed the tension between Anna and Wayne. Miss Gabriel dares to lose her temper here. Shes such a tough woman! I think only she can handle a man as powerful as Mr. Wright. I bet she will be his wife. I dont think so. If Mr. Wright really likes a grumpy woman like her, then why would he cheat on her? I think hes with her on a whim. The most important thing for a man is dignity, and hes definitely not happy that Ms. Gabriel embarrassed him. Anna closed the office door to make the chattering stop. She looked calm but was somewhat contemptuous. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Theres no one else here, so say what you want to say. Anna said. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 I think you misunderstood me, Anna. I know you saw that news, but thats not what it looks like. Wayne looked calm and took the initiative to bring up the news that people had been talking about sincest night. Anna looked at him. She did her best to maintain a calm look even though she was furious toward him. She said, Since then, you should let me know what the truth really is. Dont tell me you just ran into each other at the airport and then coincidentally met the paparazzi. Wayne frowned gently and said, Ada made the appointment with that doctor, and Ive told you that. When I took Matthew to Germany, it just so happened that she was shooting amercial there. So, we ran into each other. Gabe is now dealing with the news. Soon, the Wayne exined the matter clearly in a few words. Anna almost believed in his words. If Peace hadnt told her what Karl had saidst night, she would have still thought she was overthinking and acting petty and ming herself for not trusting him. She took a deep breath and said coldly, Thats it? What? You dont believe me? Wayne frowned. He thought he had exined it clearly enough. He had never exined something that had never happened to anyone for so long in thest thirty years. Anna nced at him, then at her watch, and said, Of course I believe you. Have you finished? You should go now. Please dont take up any more of my personal time. You know, I have to work in five minutes. Looking at her cold expression, Wayne was somewhat puzzled. After seeing that she was acting very determined, he said directly, Anna, I dont like to y mind games with women. I dont like it either. Anna replied immediately. They looked at each other, and neither of them said another word. After standing still for a long time, Wayne left the office and mmed the door. As she watched Wayne go, Anna gripped her desk tightly. She knew that Wayne had done all this to make her see him flirting with another woman and get angry. Therefore, she decided to y along with him. Wayne got into his car after leaving the hotel He realized that he had never felt so depressed Gabe had no idea what was going on with them. Mr. Wright, Ive made a restaurant reservation for you and Miss Gabriel at 6:30 tonight. He said Wayne said coldly and sullenly, Cancel it. Gabe didnt dare to speak again. When he looked in the rearview mirror, he saw that Wayne +50 Points 136 He Feels Being Wronged looked as if he was pissed off. Okay, I get it. By the way, is Ms. Gabriel workingte tonight? He asked. Just as he finished speaking, he could feel that Wayne immediately gave him an angry scared. It was until then that he realized that he had said the wrong thing. What made him feel relief was that Waynes phone then rang. Seeing it was Karl calling, Wayne looked at his phone and answered. Hello? Karl said cautiously, Hi, Wayne. Did Anna know about the news? Yeah. Wayne said sullenly. Did you guys have a fight? Karl asked with all his guts. No. Karl could hear that he was lying. After a few seconds of silence, he said, Hey, Wayne, Im going to France for a vacation tomorrow and I wont be back for a while. If anything wrong happens at the hotel, you can call my assistant. Karl used to vacation abroad to avoid the mess whenever he annoyed a woman he shouldnt, and Wayne certainly knew this. So, he didnt ask anything about it. Oh, so, when are youing back? Karl said, Well, it depends. Oh, theres something I need to tell you. What is it? Actually, Peace saw that newsst night. She went to my ce with Tammy, and then I identally told them what I said to you the other day. You know, about the truth about this fake news. I didnt expect you to make the news all over the inte on one night. Wayne asked in disbelief, What?! What are you talking about? How Sorry. I know you dont want to see me, so I went abroad for a while. Im sorry, bro. Karl hung up the phone immediately without waiting for Wayne to finish his questions. Wayne looked at the screen and thought about what Karl had just said. Suddenly, he seemed to have it all figured out. Then, he frowned and called Karl again. However, Karl had already turned off his phone. Wayne hung up and texted Karl, Youd better never come back. He had fully understood what Karl had just meant by those words. Wayne thought that no wonder Anna acted indifferently no matter what he said, as if she already knew what he was going to say He felt that he was really being misunderstood. Gabe, dont cancel the reservation. Please go back to the hotel. Wayne said. Okay Gabe felt surprised when he saw Wayne looking a little remorseful in the rearview mirror. Wayne went straight to Annas office when he returned to the hotel. However, she wasnt there He then ran into Annas assistant, John, at the door. After seeing Wayne, John asked nervously, Hello, Mr. Wright. May I ask why you are back? All the people working at the hotel talked about Wayne and Annas conversation in the cafeteria. People were specting about what happened afterward, and some even said that the whole floor heard Wayne m the door and said he would break up with Anna. John wondered why Wayne hade back. Wheres Miss Gabriel? Wayne saw the work card on Johns shirt before remembering that he was Annas assistant. John came back to his senses and immediately replied, Oh, she is on leave this afternoon; she just left ten minutes ago. Ah? She had left? Wayne frowned and began to regret that he had spoken to Anna that way. He was afraid that Anna wouldnt want to work here because she was too angry. John looked at Waynes expression, and then carefully said, Scott Grosz is having his first concert Today, and Miss Gabriel said shes going to be there tonight. Wayne froze and asked, Shes going there by herself? John shook his head and said, No, I saw Ryan waiting for her at the door, so I think theyre going together. Also, it seems that shes bringing her daughter with her. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Hearing Ryans name, Wayne immediately became huffy. He found it strange, not understanding why Wayne was always around Anna. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Oh, dont worry, Ive already arrived at the parking lot. You should get ready now. Anna, theres a parking space over there. Ryan interrupted her. Yeah? Where is it? Immediately after seeing the space, Anna turned the steering wheel and said, Hey, sorry, Im going to hang up. Ill call your assistant after I get in. Okay. Scott said, and his voice echoed in the car. Anna pulled Peaces car into that parking space. Then, she went straight backstage with Ryan and Tammy. Scotts assistant was waiting for them right at the door. As soon as he saw them, he looked relieved. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. As he showed them the way to the dressing room, he said, Oh, Anna! Thank god youre here! Scott has been asking if you have arrived for thest two hours. You know, he even wanted me to wait for you here at noon. He was worried that you would go to the wrong ce. Anna felt a little bemused and said, Why? How could that be? Its his first concert. How can he be distracted and not focus on practicing? If he keeps doing it, I wonte here next time. At that moment, two people carrying props in front of them walked past quickly. The microphone in their hands almost hit her face. Luckily, Ryan pulled her away in time. Scotts assistant went pale with fear. He scolded them immediately, Hey, you, be careful! You cant afford to hurt her or the prop. Anna immediately said she was okay. She understood that the concert was about to start and people were busy getting ready for it, and there was no need for them to quarrel over such a trivial matter. She looked back at Tammy with worry. And she was about to tell Ryan to protect Tammy when she noticed that he had already picked her up. Ryan was holding Tammy in his arms. Seeing that, Anna froze for a moment. Her first impression of Ryan was the terrified look he had when he had woken up in the hospital after being hit by her. After that, Anna had always assumed he was a simple and innocent young man who didnt know much about the world. She found it strange that he acted so mature even if his memory hadnt returned. Anna thought that maybe he was supposed to be like that. But then, she couldnt help but think, how can Ryan be so mature as he is still a young adult? What has he been through? Its too crowded here, so Id better take Tammy to the front Ryan said, bringing her back to her senses Anna nodded and said, Yes, thank you. Im going to have a quick word with Scott, and then Ill meet you. Is the concert going to start soon? The assistant nced at his phone and said, Yes. Its about to start in ten minutes. Ryan carried Tammy to the auditorium, and Anna followed the assistant into the dressing room Wheres Scott? Anna asked when she saw that the stylists, makeup artists, and his agent were all in the room, but he was not. He just went to the bathroom. He should be back soon. The agent said. He smiled warmly at the sight of Anna and said to her, Have a seat, Anna. Wheres little Tammy? I sent her to the audience. Its too crowded here and Im afraid shell get lost. People in Scotts studio were familiar with Anna. His agent and assistant had followed him throughout when he filmed his travel variety show before, so they were all particrly fond of Tammy Although Wayne always said that he didnt like Scott, he arranged the best team and maximum publicity for him. Scott had only made his debut a few months ago, and his tickets for this first solo concert sold out quickly. Thinking about this, Anna felt a little proud and even forgot about her argument with Wayne at noon. Sorry,dy, you cant get in. Why? Do you know who am I? A womans voice came from the doorway. Everyone looked to the door. Then, the door was opened. A huge bouquet of pink flowers entered the door first, which blocked the face of the person holding it Surprise! I hope your first concert would be a great sess! The woman said in a sweet voice The manager immediately frowned, What the hell? Who is she? Who let her in? The security guard standing next to the woman said nervously, She barged in when we werent paying attention. She said she was Scotts sister, and we couldnt stop her. The agent immediately became speechless and irritated. He said, What? Scotts sister is Sitting right here! Get rid of that woman. When the person behind that bouquet heard the agents words, she immediately put down the fiowers Then, her expression changed the moment she saw Anna. She eximed, Anna? Why are you here too? The agent froze and hesitantly asked, Anna, do you know her? Anna was slowly drinking her coffee She smiled perfunctonly and said, Well, we kind of know each other Ama knew that woman was Allie when she just heard her coquettish voice While she got goosebumps, she wanted to see how Alle would barge in without Scotts invitation What? What do you mean we sort of know each other Allie said as she ced the bouquet of flowers on the couch After looking around the room and noticing Scott wasnt there, she immediately got angry and said, Anna, youre so ungrateful. Have you forgotten about me? Why didnt you say you sort of know me when you were asking dad for that house? When she finished, the people around her knew who she was. They whispered about what she was saying Anna looked at her indifferently and said, Its not like that. I really cant say I know you when you broke in here so shamelessly. Dont embarrass Scott, okay? You Allie became very angry and said sarcastically, Hey, Im the one who is supposed toe here. I grew up with him, so how is it possible that I embarrass him? Look at you, you left the country after you got married and came back with a daughter. None of us know who her father is. I know you think that youre rich since you are gonna be Ms. Wright. What do you have to brag about? Youre also gonna be a stepmother to his son. Anna clenched her fist. One of the things she hated most was hearing people talking about her children. It was a good thing Tammy wasnt there at the moment; if she had been, Anna would have punched Allie immediately. Allie, my sister, my personal life doesnt seem to have anything to do with this, does it? Anna said the word sister heavily, as if for emphasis. She then said, But, everyone knows how you feel about Scott. Arent you afraid your man will get jealous about this? Allies face turned pale when she heard what Anna said. What are you babbling about? She said. How did she know this? Allie thought. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Well, the gig is about to start. So if you like to stay here, you can stay as long as you want. I dont really want to argue with you. By the way, I hope you stop saying anything more about my daughter. Anna stood up. When she passed by Allie, she calmly said, If you dont like the fianc your mother has arranged for you, you should bring your man home to let him meet her. If you dont dare to do it, thats okay. I am your sister, so I can ask your parents whether you can marry him or not for you. You know, father is not a snob, and theres a chance he might agree to it. I dont know what youre talking about. Allie was so shocked and nervous that she couldnt even speak clearly. She looked around and found that everyone was sizing her up with aplicated gaze. Dont listen to her, guys! Shes talking nonsense and trying to ruin my reputation! Im from the Gabriel family. How could I possibly keep a toy boy? i Anna didnt expect her to keep a toyboy at first, but she knew very well that Allie was a vain woman. She figured that Allie would never admit it and was terrified that people would mention it Everyone enjoys gossiping. When Anna broke the shocking news, everyone enthusiastically talked about Allies personal life. Anna knew that Allie felt embarrassed. If Allie hadnt provoked her first, she wouldnt have made her awkward in public. Allie got angry when no one listened to her exnation and said, Urgh! Anna, you are a shameless b**ch! How dare you insult me like that? Ill kill you! Allie walked toward Anna and raised her hand to hit her. Anna did not expect Allie to hit her in front of many people. It was already toote when she tried to dodge it, and Allies hand was about tond on her face. Just as Allie was going to hit her, a man stood in the doorway. He then held Allies wrist with one hand to prevent her from hitting Anna and then scolded her, Allie, what are you doing?! Looking at the man, Allies expression immediately changed. Scott, youre back! She said. This is my room. How dare you bully her in here! Do you want me to call the police?! Scott said coldly, and then immediately shook off Allies hand. Ah, youve misunderstood me! I wanted to hit her because I was too angry. You have absolutely no idea how she just ndered me and ruined my reputation in front of so many people. Anyway, I came here today to support you! See, Ive brought you flowers! Anna didnt expect Allie to y innocent. Anna sneered and didnt even try to defend herself. Then, she looked at Allie indifferently, wanting to see what she would continue to say Scott didnt give the flowers a nce and said coldly, I know Anna wouldnt do something like that. Youre not weed here. Get out! . Allie felt extremely embarrassed. Anna had just announced her secret in front of so many people, and Scott wanted to kick her out. Allie pursed her lips and frowned. Then, she growled, We grew up together, and Ive always treated you as my family. After you came back here and made your debut, I even found people to invest in your show. Ive always been extremely supportive of you, but how could you do this to me? Youre such an ungrateful man. Dont forget if our family hadnt adopted you in the first ce, you would have died in the underground boxing ring. Everyone was silent after she finished speaking. Anna felt her heart beat heavily and then immediately looked at Scott. Scott had always been a lively person. But at that moment, he looked so irritated that it was frightening Then, he took two steps toward Allie. Allie was so frightened by the stern look in his eyes that she stumbled back a few steps. She held on to the wall, almost unable to stand. Scott stared into her eyes and said, Allie, Im warning you for thest time. Stop meddling in my own business in the future. Just like Anna, I can live very well without relying on your familys money. Scott, thats not what I meant. I Get out! Scott said furiously. His voice, which had always been pleasant, seemed a little gloomy at that moment. Anna winked towards his agent, who had long been standing frozen. He then came back to his senses and walked forward to separate them. He smiled politely at Allie and said, Miss Gabriel, the concert is about to start. If you have bought a ticket, please go to your seat. Allie knew that she could not stay here any longer. She bit her lip and gave Anna a reluctant re before she turned to leave. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. After this farce was over, everyone got back to work. Some of them fixed Scotts hair, and some put makeup on him. As they worked in the show business, they were usually used to seeing people quarrel and were not surprised. Everyone did not mention the incident just now as if they had made a deal. Afterward, Anna saw Scotts agent give each person a bill as a tip to keep them quiet. However, no one noticed that in the direction of the security exit, a man wearing a hat was holding a camera, filming everything that had just happened. Well leave you alone. Scott, dont be nervous. You can do it. The agent patted Scotts shoulder to cheer him up. He then left the room with everyone, leaving Anna alone in the dressing room with Scott The dressing room, which was noisy a moment ago, was instantly quiet Do you still care a lot about what happened back then? Anna asked Scott could hear her every word very clearly and felt as if a pair of gentie hands ripped open his wounds, exposing the unpleasant past that he had tried so hard to hide But even if it was gentle, it would still make him feel pain Scott felt his heart beat heavily a few times. He frowned as he thought back to the old days of fighting in the ring and worrying if he would still be alive. Scott saw Annas face in the huge dressing mirror, then smiled bitterly and whispered, I kinda want to say I dont. Anna put her hands on his shoulders and said soothingly, Its okay. No one can really forget about their past, and its even harder to let it go. But, no matter what kind of experience it was, its part of your life, and you cant abandon them. All the things you have experienced make you who you are now. Do you like yourself now? Scott looked a little happier. He said, I like who I am now, and I like everything I have. I couldnt have had that if you hadnt taken me away from the underground boxing ring. So, I think you gave me all that I have, and they are yours. Annaughed and said, Do you remember what you told me before you ran away from there? I asked you what you wanted, and you said that you wanted freedom. At that time, to you, the freedom did not mean to stuck with me for the rest of your life. If that was the case, it would be Tike you were living in a different cage. Scott was stunned, as if he had almost forgotten those words. He looked a little bewildered and lost. Then, he whispered, Anna, you know very well that Anna interrupted him and withdrew her hand, saying, The concert is about to start, and its time for you to get on stage. Scott, you are born to be free, but not to live for someone or something. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Anna immediately nodded and said to Tammy, Tammy, say hello to Mrs Gabriel. Selina called Tammys name and then came back to her senses. She nced at Anna and said, Dont call me that. Oh, sorry. Then, what should she call you? Anna asked nervously. Anna had grown up thinking Selina was very mean and afraid of seeing her. If her grandfather was not around, she would run away in fear every time she saw Selina. Just call me Selina. Tammy greeted Selina before Anna had a chance to speak, Selina, hello. Selina blinked as the cold expression on her face finally changed. She looked a little happier, and then leaned down and waved to Tammy, saying, Come on, honey, let me have a good look at you. Im getting old and I cant see things clearly. Tammy looked at Anna immediately. After getting her mothers permission, she walked over to Selina and tilted her head, saying, Selina, is this close enough? You can take a good look at me! Selinaughed at her words and said, Well, youre not afraid of me? Why should I be afraid of you? Youre not scary at all. But, kids normally are scared of me. Tammy stared at her in disbelief and said thoughtfully, Really? Then, the children in your family are too timid! I think parents should not raise their kids that way. If they are cowards, how would they protect their family members in the future? Then, my little Tammy should teach them how to be brave, Selina said and thenughed heartily. Anna realized that she had never seen Selinaugh so happily in the past twenty years. Selina patted Tammys hand, stood up straight to look at Anna, and said, I like this little one a lot. How about you give her to me and let me raise her? Anna didnt understand what she was talking about and asked, Im sorry, what do you mean by that? I know that you gave birth to this child abroad. Your family didnt know about it before, and there is no way they recognize her. If you still dont want to tell me about what exactly had happened, then I wont ask you again who the father of the child is. But, you cant have the child around you every day. You are only in your twenties, Anna, and you are going to get married one day. Your mother in heaven will feel more at ease if you let me raise her. Selina had always spoken straightforwardly. So after hearing her words, Tammy shrank back behind Anna in fear and said, I dont want to leave my mommy. My mommys boyfriend likes me a lot and I like him too. Selina, you dont have to worry about my mom getting married. Selina looked at Tammy and said to Anna, I know you and Wayne Wright are in a rtionship. and I know he has a son. If you didnt have a child, I wouldnt have approved of you marrying him. +50 Points M T Wally H But since you are dating him, you should think twice before you take action. You should know that things in the Wright family are not as simple as you thought, so youd better learn more about them. Dont worry; I will let someone figure it out. Anna pursed her lips and quietly listened to Selina educate her and did not want to say anything to retort. Anna thought to herself, Ive been afraid of this aunt since I was a child, but I never thought Id be scared by her when I grew up. A few minutester, a man and a child walked through the cemetery gate. After hearing Selinas words, the man paused and said, You dont have to do that. If you have doubts about me, you can just ask me. Anna froze and then looked toward the distance in surprise. She saw that Wayne was walking toward them with Matthew. As soon as Matthew saw her, he immediately broke away from Wayne and darted toward her. He and Tammy then hugged each other joyfully andughed. Selina turned around and then walked in front of Anna. She sized Wayne up coldly and said, Youre Wayne Wright, the president of the Carousel Group, arent you? Wayne rarely met people who didnt take him seriously, but he found that people around Anna often did so. Therefore, he didnt find her attitude surprising anymore. Yes, and you are? He asked. Well, you dont need to know who I am. Do you mean it when you said that you wanted to marry Anna? At these words, Anna felt her heart skip a beat. Then she looked at Wayne in a daze. Wayne said calmly and slowly, Yes, I mean it. Okay, in that case, I would like to ask you a few questions. Selina said. She appeared to be a powerful and tough woman, and her aura was not inferior to Waynes. Please, go ahead. Wayne said. He guessed that thisdy should be an elder in Annas family Well, Aunt Selina, forget it, I Anna tried to stop Selina because she and Wayne were still in a cold war and hadnt spoken to each other for days. Lets go over there. Selina directly ignored Anna and walked shoulder to shoulder with Wayne towards the cemetery entrance. After they got into the car, Selina asked calmly, First things first, who is your sons mother? She would be a potential threat in your marriage. If your ex-wife wants her baby back one day. then Anna will suffer. Wayne replied frankly and sincerely, Ive never been married and I dont have an ex-wife. As of now, my son has recognized Anna as his mother. Selina frowned Seeing the two children and Anna talking intimately together, she felt that Wayne was not lying, I see. The second question, what are you going to do with your property if you and Anna get married? She asked this rather blunt question C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Wayne hesitated for a moment when he heard that He really hadnt thought about it that much yet, so he could only think about it right then and there. g) So Points I think Anna would never want to be a housewife. As for my money, it is currently being managed by my financial advisor. Of course, if she would like to manage my money, I can transfer them into her ount. What would you do if you two get divorced one day? I will make sure that she would be rich for the rest of her life. Selina nced at him sharply and said, I suppose others would reply that they wouldnt divorce their partners. Are you already thinking about divorce? Youre not even married to her yet, remember? Dont you dare bully Anna. Im her family and Ill always take her side. Youll never know what will happen in the future, so I cant guarantee that the love between us will always be there. Even if I could say that I would always love her in the future, I dont know if she would do the same. So, I can only guarantee that Ill give her money because they are substantive and reliable. Selina looked towards the window and could see two children ying with Anna andughing happily. Even though they were in a solemn cemetery, they didnt look out of ce. She asked Wayne many questions, but in the end, he only asked her one question, If you care so much about Anna, then why did you never support her since she had suffered all these years in Gabriel family? Wayne had already known the reason before Selina could answer. Selina sensed that this young man had very sharp eyes, as if he could read everyones mind. Thew of the jungle had always been survival of the fittest. Selina did so because she did not want Anna to have the same fate as her mother. If she had been living in a wealthy family, she would be very vulnerable and would only run away after meeting difficulties in her life. If that was the case, she would not be able to live in this cruel world Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Anna immediately nodded and said to Tammy, Tammy, say hello to Mrs Gabriel. Selina called Tammys name and then came back to her senses. She nced at Anna and said, Dont call me that. Oh, sorry. Then, what should she call you? Anna asked nervously. Anna had grown up thinking Selina was very mean and afraid of seeing her. If her grandfather was not around, she would run away in fear every time she saw Selina. Just call me Selina. Tammy greeted Selina before Anna had a chance to speak, Selina, hello. Selina blinked as the cold expression on her face finally changed. She looked a little happier, and then leaned down and waved to Tammy, saying, Come on, honey, let me have a good look at you. Im getting old and I cant see things clearly. Tammy looked at Anna immediately. After getting her mothers permission, she walked over to Selina and tilted her head, saying, Selina, is this close enough? You can take a good look at me! Selinaughed at her words and said, Well, youre not afraid of me? Why should I be afraid of you? Youre not scary at all. But, kids normally are scared of me. Tammy stared at her in disbelief and said thoughtfully, Really? Then, the children in your family are too timid! I think parents should not raise their kids that way. If they are cowards, how would they protect their family members in the future? Then, my little Tammy should teach them how to be brave, Selina said and thenughed heartily. Anna realized that she had never seen Selinaugh so happily in the past twenty years. Selina patted Tammys hand, stood up straight to look at Anna, and said, I like this little one a lot. How about you give her to me and let me raise her? Anna didnt understand what she was talking about and asked, Im sorry, what do you mean by that? I know that you gave birth to this child abroad. Your family didnt know about it before, and there is no way they recognize her. If you still dont want to tell me about what exactly had happened, then I wont ask you again who the father of the child is. But, you cant have the child around you every day. You are only in your twenties, Anna, and you are going to get married one day. Your mother in heaven will feel more at ease if you let me raise her. Selina had always spoken straightforwardly. So after hearing her words, Tammy shrank back behind Anna in fear and said, I dont want to leave my mommy. My mommys boyfriend likes me a lot and I like him too. Selina, you dont have to worry about my mom getting married. Selina looked at Tammy and said to Anna, I know you and Wayne Wright are in a rtionship. and I know he has a son. If you didnt have a child, I wouldnt have approved of you marrying him. +50 Points M T Wally H But since you are dating him, you should think twice before you take action. You should know that things in the Wright family are not as simple as you thought, so youd better learn more about them. Dont worry; I will let someone figure it out. Anna pursed her lips and quietly listened to Selina educate her and did not want to say anything to retort. Anna thought to herself, Ive been afraid of this aunt since I was a child, but I never thought Id be scared by her when I grew up. A few minutester, a man and a child walked through the cemetery gate. After hearing Selinas words, the man paused and said, You dont have to do that. If you have doubts about me, you can just ask me. Anna froze and then looked toward the distance in surprise. She saw that Wayne was walking toward them with Matthew. As soon as Matthew saw her, he immediately broke away from Wayne and darted toward her. He and Tammy then hugged each other joyfully andughed. Selina turned around and then walked in front of Anna. She sized Wayne up coldly and said, Youre Wayne Wright, the president of the Carousel Group, arent you? Wayne rarely met people who didnt take him seriously, but he found that people around Anna often did so. Therefore, he didnt find her attitude surprising anymore. Yes, and you are? He asked. Well, you dont need to know who I am. Do you mean it when you said that you wanted to marry Anna? At these words, Anna felt her heart skip a beat. Then she looked at Wayne in a daze. Wayne said calmly and slowly, Yes, I mean it. Okay, in that case, I would like to ask you a few questions. Selina said. She appeared to be a powerful and tough woman, and her aura was not inferior to Waynes. Please, go ahead. Wayne said. He guessed that thisdy should be an elder in Annas family Well, Aunt Selina, forget it, I Anna tried to stop Selina because she and Wayne were still in a cold war and hadnt spoken to each other for days. Lets go over there. Selina directly ignored Anna and walked shoulder to shoulder with Wayne towards the cemetery entrance. After they got into the car, Selina asked calmly, First things first, who is your sons mother? She would be a potential threat in your marriage. If your ex-wife wants her baby back one day. then Anna will suffer. Wayne replied frankly and sincerely, Ive never been married and I dont have an ex-wife. As of now, my son has recognized Anna as his mother. Selina frowned Seeing the two children and Anna talking intimately together, she felt that Wayne was not lying, I see. The second question, what are you going to do with your property if you and Anna get married? She asked this rather blunt question Wayne hesitated for a moment when he heard that He really hadnt thought about it that much yet, so he could only think about it right then and there. g) So Points I think Anna would never want to be a housewife. As for my money, it is currently being managed by my financial advisor. Of course, if she would like to manage my money, I can transfer them into her ount. What would you do if you two get divorced one day? I will make sure that she would be rich for the rest of her life. Selina nced at him sharply and said, I suppose others would reply that they wouldnt divorce their partners. Are you already thinking about divorce? Youre not even married to her yet, remember? Dont you dare bully Anna. Im her family and Ill always take her side. Youll never know what will happen in the future, so I cant guarantee that the love between us will always be there. Even if I could say that I would always love her in the future, I dont know if she would do the same. So, I can only guarantee that Ill give her money because they are substantive and reliable. Selina looked towards the window and could see two children ying with Anna andughing happily. Even though they were in a solemn cemetery, they didnt look out of ce. She asked Wayne many questions, but in the end, he only asked her one question, If you care so much about Anna, then why did you never support her since she had suffered all these years in Gabriel family? Wayne had already known the reason before Selina could answer. Selina sensed that this young man had very sharp eyes, as if he could read everyones mind. Thew of the jungle had always been survival of the fittest. Selina did so because she did not want Anna to have the same fate as her mother. If she had been living in a wealthy family, she would be very vulnerable and would only run away after meeting difficulties in her life. If that was This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. the case, she would not be able to live in this cruel world Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Anna yed distractedly with the two children. She nced toward the car at the cemetery entrance every now and then, feeling apprehensive. After a while, the door of the car finally opemed. Then, Selina and Wayne got out of the car one after another. They looked calm and rxed. Anna was a little confused. Selina waved toward Tammy and said, Tammy, are you on summer vacation now? Well, how about you stay at my house for a few days? Tammy blinked her big eyes at Selina. She looked at Anna and Wayne separately and seemed to have an instant idea. She replied, Sure! Selina, can I bring Matthew with me? Selina looked at Matthew for a moment and then felt puzzled. She realized the boy looked somewhat simr to Anna and Tammy, even though he wasnt rted to them. Selina looked at Wayne and said, You know, I cant decide myself. I can only bring Matthew along if I have his fathers permission. Tammy immediately looked up at Wayne and winked, saying, Mr. Wright, you would agree, right? If you and my mommy get married, my grandaunt Selina will be Matthews grandaunt. Wayne smiled softly, looked at Selina, and said respectfully, Yes, you can. Thank you, Aunt Selina. Hearing his words, Anna got goosebumps immediately. Then, Selina got into the car with two children. As he watched the car drive away from the cemetery, Wayne heard Anna, who was standing beside him, mutter, Why are you calling her Aunt so intimately? We havent got married yet. What did you say? Wayne asked, turning his head to her. Actually, he knew what she meant. Anna nced at him as she changed the subject and said, No, nothing. By the way, you dont have to worry about Matthew. Although my aunt doesnt have children, she is a reliable woman. I promise shell take good care of them. Wayne, however, said nothing more but asked Anna, Where are you going? Ill drive you there. Oh, no, thanks. I already called a cab, and it should be there in a few minutes. Anna, I want you to know that the news isnt what you think it is. Ah, what do you mean? Did you assume that I suspected that you were having an affair with Ada? Im not a fool, Wayne. You wouldnt have dated me if there was something between you and Ada. Anna said directly Wayne listened to her words very patiently. After she finished, he said calmly, I know that Peace talked to Karl. Hes such a fool! He thought I had deliberately put out this news. Then, he blurted it out to Peace and made you all believe his bulls**t. Is that what you think? 141 We Can Do Anything Here At the mention of this, Anna immediately became huffy and said, I know all about it! Its a littlete for you to tell me the truth now. You know, Anna, I have never intended to use the trick with you in the first ce. Anna froze, and then looked at Wayne in a daze. Wayne took two steps forward, pulled open the passenger door, and said, Please get in, Anna. Ill give you an exnation for everything. If you think that I dont make sense, you can get out of the car anytime. As the car drove down the highway, Wayne told Anna everything about it. However, he sounded a little unnatural when he mentioned that Karl had given him those ideas. So, it was Karls awful idea that you bought me all that stuff and ignored me on purpose? Wayne nodded and avoided Annas gaze. Ah! Youre such an int! Why did you even listen to him? Havent you ever been in a rtionship yourself? Did you think that hes an expert on women? Im telling you, hes really unreliable. Anna asked Wayne a bunch of questions in anger. Then, still feeling mad, she took out her phone and said, You know what, Ive got to tell Peace all about this, and She blushed and paused as if she suddenly thought of something. Whats wrong? Wayne asked. She coughed dryly and said, Nothing, never mind. Ah, I think we can let it go now. Lets not talk about it anymore. Anna remembered that Peace had given her awful ideas, too. And she realized that Peace and Karl were really good at beating around the bush. Theyre such a perfect match, she thought. Where are you taking me? I told you that Im going home. Anna asked after seeing the unfamiliar view out the window Im taking you to a nice ce. He said. It waste in the evening before they left the highway, and they even ate lunch and dinner in the service area. Along the way, Anna saw the scenery outside the window change from high buildings to vast, boundless fields. The evening sun tinted the entire sky a dazzling orangeCred. The car stopped at the top of an open hill with the rushing river at its foot. The mountains stretched in the distance as if they connected to the end of the world. Wow, the air is so fresh! Anna opened her arms, looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. She hadnt been out for a walk in a long time and suddenly felt refreshed at this point. She felt the cool breeze blowing through her cor, making her shiver. At that moment, a hand wrapped around her waist She found Wayne resting his chin on her shoulder when she looked back. Then she heard his pleasant voice say, If you like it here, Ill bring you here more often. Wayne, are you serious? You brought me to the middle of nowhere. So, are we sleeping in the car tonight? Anna pouted, trying to calm her heart beating fast. Theres not a single person here. You know, so we can do whatever we want. Isnt that great? What? Oh my God! No! I dont want to make love with you right here! Anna whispered, her face flushed by the evening sun. It was so cold on the hilltop that they felt chilled all over after standing for a while. Then, Wayne took her hand and got into the car with her. He took out a thermos bottle and poured some hot milk for her. Annas eyes widened. She asked, Wow, you brought milk? Seems like you didnt do it on a whim. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. In that case, youd have to starve all night. Only an irresponsible man would do that. Wayne looked at her and pulled a big thermos lunchbox out from under the seat. He continued, Scott is one of those typical young men who just like romance. Hell only give the girls romantic feelings, not actual protection Geez, why are you bringing him up again? Anna muttered. Then, she pointed to the box in his hand and asked, Whats in there? When Wayne opened the box, a delicious stream of hot air filled the entire car. There was a dinner for two in the box, and it was still warm. Anna said from the bottom of her heart, Wow! How thoughtful of you! Anna realized that Wayne was a rich boy who had been pampered by his family all his life. Since he could do this for her, she was embarrassed to be angry with him again. Whats more, the whole news thing was Peace and Karls scheme. As Anna and Wayne ate dinner on top of a mountain with beautiful views, theyined about the terrible ideas that Peace and Karl gave them. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 They could feel the chilling evening breeze at the top of the mountain by evening. Anna and Wayne held hands and strolled around the mountain. Noticing that Wayne seemed to know this ce well, Anna couldnt help but ask, Hey, do youe here often? You seem to know the way. We used to develop this area many years ago. We were going to make it into a resort area, but it was put on hold because something had happened. It became a deserted mountain after that. Anna looked at Waynes face and said, You think its a deserted mountain? If you ask me, I think its pretty well taken care of. There are all kinds of flowers and trees here, and there is arge tree with raspberries on it. Anyway, you dont seem to have answered my question. Wayne froze. After being silent for a moment, he let go of Annas hand and paced forward alone. His shirt was bulging from the wind, making him look a little lonely. Wayne said calmly, I used toe here when I was a kid. But I havent been here since my dad died. The reason why the program was on hold was that my dad died. Anna knew that Waynes father had died in a car ident. She furrowed her brow and asked, So, your father was Wayne took a deep breath and looked a little grieved. He said, Yes, the ident happened on this mountain. Anna felt sad. She went to him, took his hand, and said, Oh, Im so sorry to hear that. Its okay, Anna. Its been many years. Besides, I really wanted to bring you here. I have nned to restart this program recently. So, maybe, we will never see such beautiful scenery here ever again. He took Annas hand, brought her to his side and said, We can stay in a hotel the next time wee here. Anna blushed and whispered, Why are you always thinking about that? Wayne suddenly took her into his arms and said, What? What am I thinking about? God knows I wasnt thinking about anything. I just hope that every year on this day, you will not just feel the sadness of losing your mom, but something that cheers you up. Annas voice was a little muffled as shey in his arms. She asked, Like what? Today is the day you came into this world. If you hadnt been born, I wouldnt have met you. Anna teased him deliberately, Then you would have met someone else like Ada. I guess if it werent for me, you would have been married by now and probably have children. What the hell are you talking about? Wayne asked with a frown. Wayne thought, she really likes to say things that are out of ce. Anna blinked andmented, Ah, Im the one who put your love on hold. Its really too bad, and Im so sorry about that. Wayne looked down at her and found that she looked like a little fox with that sly look, Wayne could not see her face clearly in the dim dusk, but he felt her heart pressed on his, and they were beating in the same rhythm. He felt an erection. All of a sudden, Wayne pressed his lips hard on Annas, and stuck his tongue into her mouth. He frenchCkissed her so passionately that Anna nearly suffocated. Feeling that his hands were moving from her neck to her chests, Annas mind went nk for a second but she immediately came back to her senses. Ah! What are you doing? Hold on! You want to do it right here and right now?! Anna screamed, and her voice echoed from the top of the hill, Yeah! So, what? We are on a mountain and there is no one else but us. Wayne carried her into the cars back seat, and pushed her down into the seat after closing the door. One by one, he unbuttoned his shirt himself. His voice was hoarse as he said, You know what happens when you provoke me? Annay there looking at him directly as if she was not afraid. She was breathing heavily, and her breasts rising and falling like waves. Her long hair fell in a cascade. She reached up and hooked her arms around Waynes neck, letting him lie on top of her. Wayne heard her say in an alluring tone, Oh, of course, I knew that. Wayne could no longer hold back his desire. With a tug on her shirt, he yanked off the soft blouse she was wearing, revealing her fair shoulders and her beautifully curved body, which smelled like strawberry. Hey, dont tear my shirt. I didnt bring any extra clothes. Anna muttered as if toin. Meanwhile, she couldnt wait to unbuckled Waynes belt Then they fondled each other and had sex passionately. The car swayed violently in sync with their movement, startling the birds in the woods. Anna went to Selinas house to pick up her two children on Saturday. It just so happened that her uncle Joe was also home. He said, Wee, Anna Why dont you join us for lunch? Anna immediately refused him, saying, No, thanks. I have to leave after I pick up the kids. Wayne asked me toe home with him at noon and have lunch with his grandfather. Yesterday, Mr. Wright called Anna, wanting her to take the kids home with her for dinner. Anna knew why he was doing this because Wayne and Matthew were both favored and cherished in the family. So, Mr. Wright definitely wanted to meet her and see what kind of person she was. Uncle Joe, wheres aunt Selina? Anna asked as she looked around and did not see Selina Please have a seat first. You may have to wait here for a while. Shes taken the two kids for their morning walk. What? Morning walk? Anna asked in surprise. She knew best that neither of the children liked to get up early in the morning, especially Matthew. Matthew had been pampered by his family since he was born, so he only did what he liked to do. Anna knew that Selina usually got up at six in the morning for her morning walk, so she wondered if the two kids could get up at that time, especially Matthew. Uncle Joe, how are they doing here? Uncle waved his hand and told her to have a seat. He then replied, Theyre both good and wellC behaved kids. But, my brothers wife came yesterday afternoon with their two kids. They broke Selinas record yer and lied, saying that Tammy did this. Even though Matthew cant talk, he clearly wrote down words to exin the whole thing and proved Tammys innocence. He is such a smart kid.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Hearing about this, Anna couldnt help but feel proud, saying, He has always been smart. Yes, hes smart and independent. He seems very fond of you as if he were your child. Joe said meaningfully as he ced his cup of tea in front of Annas face. Anna immediately knew what he meant. She clenched her fists, smiled awkwardly, and said, Well, they should be back soon. Yeah, right. Joe nced at his watch and said, Its almost time. By the way, theres something Selina asked me to give you. What is it? Its the key to a twoCfloor apartment in the Rose Garden neighborhood. I know youve been staying at your friends housetely. But thats a bit inappropriate, isnt it? I think you should move there. Seeing the key, Anna was stunned. She immediately refused aftering back to her senses, saying, No, uncle, I cant take it. Selina may look a little cold, but shes actually very kind. Your mother gave you this house, and it always belonged to you. Selina never gave you the key because she was afraid your sister would covet that house. We know your father gave you a house in the Golden Ocean Community, but that community is too old, and not many people live there anymore. So, you can move to Rose Garden. Anna realized that her uncle had aged a lot over the years. After hearing his words, Anna had mixed feelings and felt sorrow. The next moment, she burst into tears. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 While they were talking, Selina walked in with the two children. Hey! Mommy! Tammy jumped at Anna and cheered as soon as she saw her, while Matthew looked exhausted. He strolled inside, and then sat down on the couch and wrapped his arms around Anna as if he was about to fall asleep. Matthew doesnt usually work out, does he? Weve only been running for a little while! He really is a pampered child. Selina showed a regretful expression. Anna felt resigned. She patted Matthews head softly and exined, Well, actually, its not his fault. Matthew had always been sick when he was a child. He had a fever when he was younger, so he couldnt talk anymore. Hes always in poor health. Selina put down the cup in her hand, stared at Matthew thoughtfully and asked, He couldnt speak because of the fever? So, he never spoke? Anna frowned and replied, Not really. I heard Wayne say that he has spoken twice in the year. Selina looked at Anna with slightly more profound meaning and said, Things may not be that simple. Wayne is the only son of the family, and a big family like the Wrights would be in trouble if they didnt have the next generation of heirs. Many people are jealous of the Wright family, you know. Im afraid Matthew may not be able to grow up safely. Anna looked at Selina with a stunned expression and was surprised at these words. She had heard her grandfather say that Selina had had a child when she was young. Then, after something happened, the child was lost. Her uncle Joe was very close to his brother Bruce, but they stopped visiting each other after that incident. They didnt speak to each other until Bruce remarried later. Anna did not understand this matter when she was a child. But she felt scared every time she thought about itter. She knew that most people would lose their minds in front of a considerable amount of money. Selina meant to remind her that Matthews fever at that time was probably not an ident. Also, such idents would frequently happen from then on. Anna immediately thought of the chandelier falling down when she first met Matthew. You should be more alert, Anna. Dont trust anyone. Selinas voice made Annae back to her senses. Anna looked over to Selina and saw her making coffee at the kitchen bar. She wore a sweatsuit and had a great figure and a superb aura. Anna realized that her aunt was an intelligent and sophisticated woman. After making small talk for a while, Anna was ready to leave with her two children. Thanks, uncle and auntie. So, Ill leave with Matthew and Tammy now. Welle back to visit you later. Anna said. Selina came over and handed her the keys, Wait, take away your own stuff. Oh, no, I really cant take it. When you came back for your mothers inheritance, I remember that you were very righteous. This house is only a small part of your mothers inheritance here. Anyway, I want you to have a ce to stay in this city. Stop acting like your snob father, okay? He didnt give you any of the Gabriel family fortunes, and you know that better than I do. Hes a hypocrite, and dont be like him. Selina said calmly, and she scolded all the Gabriel family without a single swear word by saying that. After hearing this, Anna only felt chills all over her body andhad to force herself to pick up the keys. Matthew was sleeping in Annas arms when they left, and Tammy was very energetic. She asked Anna curiously, Mommy, why does granny Selina hate grandpa so much? Ah, didnt she tell you why? She did. She said she had a deep grudge against Grandpa, and she even cursed him in front of me. But I didnt understand what she was saying. You said that I cant just listen to one persons saying when ites to a sophisticated matter. So, I want to hear your side of the story. Annaughed, patted her on the forehead, and said, You little girl! Well, its between adults, so you shouldnt ask too many questions or feel burdened by it. Mommy, what do you mean by feel burdened? Anna didnt know how to exin to Tammy for a moment. She hesitated for a while and said in a deep voice, Its like what you carry inside your bag every day when you go to school. You have to carry your snacks because you like them. You also have to carry your textbooks. You dont like the textbooks, but you need them at school. So, you have to carry them. If you are just too tired to carry so many things one day, you have to give up some of them. In that case, honey, what would you give up? Tammy was thinking very seriously about this profound question. After thinking for a while, she looked at Anna and answered, Why would I give up something? I can get Mr. Wright, mommy and Matthew to help me carry a little bit! Anna froze for a moment. She stroked Tammys head and looked a little dejected. When I think its not hard to make choices or that I dont have to make choices, its because someone else is carrying the burden for me. When I was a child, my father abandoned my mother, but I didnt hate him because I didnt know these things. It was my grandfather, my uncle, and Selina who carried all this pain for me. Anna thought C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. After eleven oclock, they arrived at Wrights old house. As soon as they got out of the car, Anna was surprised by the people who came to greet them at the door. There were two rows of twenty servants standing there, half of them were men while the others were women. When they saw Anna, they immediately bowed and said, Good day, madam, young master, miss. Anna felt her nerves tense up. She couldnt even take a step as she held a child in one hand. When Wayne came out of the house, he saw the look on Annas face and then froze. He growled to the servants, Hey! What are you doing here? Have you got nothing else to do? The two rows of servants looked at each other and then scattered in fear. It was only at this point that Anna burst outughing. She walked into the house side by side with Wayne, asking as they walked, Is your family a gang? When I saw so many people, I thought they were here to teach me a lesson. Wayne said, somewhat speechlessly, They are all servants chosen by my grandfather. All they do in my house is bicker and gossip all day long, and they dont do anything. Anna nced back when she saw a little girl hiding behind a tree in the garden peeking at her. She waved graciously at her. However, the girl didnt seem afraid and waved at her as well. Natalie Wright! If you keep staring at us, Ill have the housekeeper send you back to the orphanage. The girl then immediately ran away. Anna tugged on Waynes arm and scolded, Hey, you scared her. Shes just curious. She didnt do anything wrong. Why are you so mean to her? What? Oh, she never feels scared. Wayne frowned, looking a little impatient. Hey, that girl is not your maid, right? She looks very young. Anna suddenly remembered something and looked at the tree just now. And she found that the girl had run away. Henry, who was leading the way, looked back and exined with a smile, Natalie is an orphanage child sponsored by old Mr. Wright, and she came here six years ago. Mr. Wright let her have his surname. She is a lively girl, so he quite liked her and took her as an adopted daughter. And, she should be Waynes aunt. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Seriously? Anna froze. Then, she burst outughing. The girl looked only twelve years old, and Anna didnt expect that Wayne actually had to call her auntie. I can hardly imagine what Wayne looks like when he calls a twelveCyearCold girl aunt, Anna thought She peeked at Wayne and noticed that he didnt look happy. So, she forced herself not tough and tried to think of something tofort him, Henry, I think she should be his aunt in name only. I dont think Wayne has ever called her aunt, has he? Anna didnt expect the butler to shake his head and deny it outright. He said, No, he still has to call her aunt. Although Natalie is an adopted daughter, she is still a family member. Wayne nced coldly at the butler and said, Henry, youve been talking a lottely. I think maybe its time for you to retire and go home. Anna lowered her head and held back herughter. With an embarrassing smile, Henry immediately changed the subject, There is a threshold, so please watch your steps. The Wright House was an old and grand building in Birmingham. They walked for a long time through the corridors and passed many rooms before they reached the beautiful dining room. Peter Wright looked energetic even though he was quite old Mr. Wright, hello. Anna greeted him respectfully. Hey, you dont have to call me that. Were not in thepany now. Besides, Im retired. You can just call me Grandpa like Wayne does. Anna, make yourself at home. Once she heard that, Ann blushed a little. She hesitated for a while before saying. Grandpa. Peter was satisfied with this and then looked at Tammy and Matthew with a smile. Come on, kids, please sit with your great grandfather, Anna said to the children. Tammy totally made this ce her home. She touched Peters hand, kissed him on the cheek, and said affectionately, GreatCgramdpa, I would like to eat strawberry ice cream. OK, Ill have the cook make it for you, and you can have itter. Looking at how familiar the two of them seemed to be with each other, Anna asked, somewhat suspiciously, Are you two familiar with each other? Peter froze, then didnt say anything. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Henry exined to him, Mr. Wright has met Tammy once before at the hospital, and he likes her a lot. When he heard that Tammy and Matthew often hang out, he asked for her cell phone number. Sometimes, he would ask Tammy about how Matthew was doing at school. Anna didnt suspect anything more and said, I see. I can understand that you get worried for Matthew, as this was the first time he goes to school outside alone. Wayne, however, sensed that something was off. He stared at Peter with aplicated look Chapter 145 Chapter 145 The maid nodded and seemed to be in a dilemma. But, maam, the guest room smells bad. The master said you can stay in the young masters room and let him stay in the guest room. Itste now; maybe its time for you to sleep. If you need anything, just call me. The servant said and immediately ran away. Anna didnt know what to do. She knew she couldnt chase her because the house was too big and she would probably get lost. So, she decided to listen to Pete. Waynes room was as luxurious and elegant as the entire mansion, filled with expensive furniture. Once Anna entered it, she found a study with its door halfCopen on her left, and she saw a desk inside. She then saw the paper and many bottles of ink on the table. She went into the study to see what kind of pens Wayne usually used. However, she immediately burst outughing when she saw what was on the paper. She leaned on the desk andughed for a long time. There were huge words on the paper, Boring as hell. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Anna could never have imagined that Wayne, a seemingly calm and meticulous man, would write such words on paper in such a solemn and severe study. Annaughed for a long time before finding a few paper balls inside the trash can next to her. She then knelt down and took the paper out One read Im so annoyed, another read The weather is so horrible, and one even read Why do I have to wake up early tomorrow. Anna looked at Waynes masterpiece seriously andughed, not even realizing that he hade in. What are youughing at? Wayne asked as he walked toward her. Did you write all this? Anna even blushed because she was holding in herughter. Seeing his handwriting, Waynes face turned pale. He was silent for a while, then said, Do you enjoy going through the trash? Oh, no, of course not. But I saw this beautiful work of yours, and I cant help but want to see more. Boring! Its boring as hell, Anna said teasingly. Seeing Waynes defeated look, sheughed even more as her stomach stand and sat down on the ground and couldnt get up for a long time. Wayne had felt humiliated, but he became resigned when he saw her sitting on the ground. He reached out his hand toward her, trying to help her up, and said, Okay, okay, stopughing. Get up, Anna. Its cold on the floor. Anna took his hand, winked teasingly, and boldly asked, Why? Are you going to wake up early tomorrow? Exasperated by her words, Wayne grabbed her wrist and pulled her up violently Anna was caught oll guard and was pulled up from the floor by Wayne She didnt stand still when she stood up and her face was instantly pressed against his chest due to inertia. Before she realized what was happening, she felt a hand on her slim waist, holding her tightly Being pressed against his form chest. Anna looked up at Wayne in a daze Do you still want tough now? Wayne asked, looking down at her. His voice was low and aggressive Anna snapped back to attention, struggled, and said, Hey! let go of me. Feel free tough now. Wayne didnt want to let go but instead held her tighter, so she didnt even have a chance to struggle Anna got anxious and said, Grandpa said you should stay in the guest Grandpa you bullied me. Wayne looked at her meaningfully and said, I just spent half an hour talking to Grandpa about work. But he didnt even mean to let me stay in the guest room. Anna froze for a moment and asked, What do you mean? Ah, did you think I came into your room on purpose? What were you thinking? Wayne was dumbfounded Seeing how serious she looked, he was too embarrassed to tease her anymore Anna, do you think that grandpa did this on purpose? Anna froze, then immediately blushed and whispered, No, no way Wayne lowered his head and moved closer to her face, How is it not possible? Grandpas always been like that: He always wants to have more children. The more, the merrier. Anna lowered her head again. They usually slept together a lot, but they were, after all, in Wrights old house Anna felt like she should be a reserved person in Waynes ce. However, Wayne was so close to her that she couldnt behave properly. Anna pursed her lips and stumbled over her words, No, let go of me! Im leaving. Ill sleep in the guest room tonight. What? Youre in my room now, Anna. Do you think I will let you go? She heard Waynes meaningful voice. What do you want? She looked up. Before she could look back, she felt him wrap his arms around her harder and harder. Then everything spun in front of her. Wayne picked her up directly and headed toward the bedroom. She felt painful as she had been dropped onto the quilt by him. Wayne stood at the edge of the bed and leaned down, lifting her hands high above her head and looking straight into her face Hey.look away. Anna felt embarrassed and turned her face to the side. Wayne then kissed her earlobe and neck and continued downward. When he kissed her chest, she finally couldnt suppress her desire, letting out a moan and arching her legs. Anna, I have to go on a business trip next week, so Ill be away for a while. I figured how Portes He spread her legs with his knees as he spoke and rubbed her delicate inner thighs through her suit pants. Anna almost screamed out. She gritted her teeth and said, Oh! Would you shut up? Since being with Wayne, she had realized that he looked like apletely different person in bed and out of bed. He usually seemed aloof and unapproachable at work, but when he was in bed, he was very horny and made her exhausted every time. Wayne untied his tie with one hand. He then unbuttoned his shirt with his long fingers, revealing his tanned chest. Breathing heavily, he teasingly asked, Youre in such a hurry?|| havent been with you for only one day. Damn you, Wayne! Anna clenched her fists, wanting to kick him off the bed. Just as she finished, Waynes knee rubbed against her sensitive spot. She immediately groaned, Ah She found herselfpletely unable to be rational anymore. However, Wayne looked at her condescendingly, caressing her body slowly and asking, What did you just call me? Anna gritted her teeth and said, Wayne, em His knee hovered at the edge of her sensitive spot, but it just wouldnt go directly towards her p***y. Feeling sexually aroused and thrilled, Anna finally surrendered and said, Wayne Do you want it? Wayne leaned down and bit her earlobe, blowing air in her ear. She gasped, nodded her head with difficulty, and said, Yes. You want what? I want you. . Call my name. She clutched the sheets tightly and whispered in an alluring voice, Wayne, I want you Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Alter making love all night, Anna and Wayne fell into a deep sleep When they woke up the next day, it was almost noon Hey, Wayne, what time is it? Anna rolled over in bed and looked drowsily at Wayne beside her Wayne was putting on his watch He looked back at her and said, Its eleven oclock What? Its already eleven oclock? Anna woke up that second, then immediately sat up from the bed and said, Howe you didnt wake me up? This was her first visit to Wrights old house, and she was up sote She was afraid that Peter would think she was rude if he knew about it. *The maid came to wake up three times before, and you still kept sleeping. Anna retorted as she got dressed, saying, Thats impossible! Dont lie to me. I didnt hear anything at all. Thats because you were too tiredst night, so you slept deeply Anna blushed and muttered, I didnt! Dont think too highly of yourself. Really? Then why didnt you hear what I just said to the maid? Wayne became teasing. He turned and leaned over the edge of the table and asked slowly I told them that you were too tiredst night So, you wont be able to have lunch with Grandpa today He said again Anna looked up instantly annoyed, and said, What? God, youre such a jerk! Hes so shameless. How can he say such things calmly?! Anna thought to herself. Wayne looked at her pretending not to understand what she said, and asked, Whats wrong? Are you angry? So, do you still want to have lunch with Grandpa? Anna was too angry to say anything She got out of bed and went straight into the bathroom When she looked at herself inside the mirror, she found that she was blushing and had many hickeys on her neck As she pulled open the bathroom door, she angrily swore, Wayne! Look what youve done! This wont go away for days. How am I supposed to go to work? Wayne was sitting on a chair and flipping through a magazine. Hearing her words, he looked up at her and then tilted his head innocently Anna, I didnt do it on purpose. If youre angry, you can do the same thing to me. Then well be even. He said with a shrug. Anna gritted her teeth and was silent for a long time before saying, Damn you! Fetch me my foundation, will you? Its in my bag. Wayne smiled and nodded, raised his eyebrows and opened her bag Anna stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at herself. She had buttoned the cor Not long after, Wayne came to the bathroom door Did you find it? Thanks She didnt turn her head back What is it? Wayne didnt answer her but asked Anna turned around and saw a small purple gift box in his hand Anna froze and said, Did you find my foundation? Ah, its an earring Someone gave it to me. It was very expensive, so dont drop it, okay? Put it back. Seeing how nervous she was, Wayne looked a little huffy He questioned, Who gave it to you? J. Before Anna could finish her sentence, she realized that Wayne might be jealous. Then, with a sly wink, she yanked the foundation from his other hand and began applying it to her neck She deliberately said, Well, from a friend abroad. Wayne had just pissed her off, so she wanted to do the same thing to him. As he said earlier, they were even As expected, Wayne became angry after hearing this. He said sullenly. You seem to have this guy? Is he another one of those pretty young boys? He began to mention what had happened before. Anna deliberately did not look at him. She kept looking at herself in the mirror and said calmly. You dont think I can be friends with men who are older than me? Well, arent you being unreasonable? What do you mean? Wayne said through gritted teeth. Before Anna could react, Wayne had already pulled by Wayne and leaned against his chest Annoyed, he said, Anna, maybe you have forgotten that you are my woman now. Anna looked up at him and said with a frown, Ouch, youre hurting me! Let go of me. Who gave this to you? Return it Wayne said firmly and assertively, looking furious. Anna didnt look scared of him at all She said somewhat mockingly. Fine. Then, call Jennifer and send it overseas. Id be embarrassed to exin to her why I epted her gift and then had to give it back. Wayne froze as he heard Jennifers name. Anna broke away from him, took the box from his hand, and said, What, you dont believe me? This earning was one of Jennifers collections, and I wore it on the day of the farewell party But, of course, you have no idea about that you were at the door having your tie tied by someone I can mention what had happened before, too, Anna thought to herself. Wayne blinked and looked a little embarrassed. Anna looked at him deliberately and aggressively as if expecting an exnation Anna, youve misunderstood me, Wayne said with a frown, and then found himself unable to exin Ada stopped Wayne after getting out of the car at the hotel entrance. She reminded him that his tie was crooked because he was going to a party. Wayne didnt overthink it while she was fixing his tie, as he was used to it because the maids would usually fix it when he was at home. Well, can you exin yourself? Anna asked, looking a little serious. Wayne stared at her for a moment, suddenly snapped out of it, and asked, Are you deliberately trying to start a fight with me? I didnt! Ah Before she could finish her sentence, Wayne kissed her. You jerk! They kissed for a long time. After a while, Anna blushed and smacked his hand to get him to stop touching. She gasped, Stop it. Youre going on a business trip, arent you? I have to go home and pack, too. She was going to move her things from Peaces to her new was right. She couldnt live in Peaces house all the time. Since she had a nice ce to live, she thought it was better for her to move out as soon as possible. After they came out of the bathroom side by side, Anna stuffed her foundation into her bag. Wayne finally handed over the jewelry box No, thanks. I dont have a lot of stuff. You know what, that house is pretty big. So, I can have Matthew stay with me. Wayne thought for a moment and then seemed to think of something. He frowned slightly and stopped asking more questions. Anna opened the jewelry box and said emotionally and sadly, By the way, say hello to Jennifer for me if you meet her. She gave me this when she left because I was about the same age as her daughter. She said that when she saw me, she always thought of her daughter. Wayne nodded and was stunned for a moment when he 146 Who Set This 146 Who Sent This? Alter making love all night, Anna and Wayne fell into a deep sleep When they woke up the next day, it was almost noon Hey, Wayne, what time is it? Anna rolled over in bed and looked drowsily at Wayne beside her Wayne was putting on his watch He looked back at her and said, Its eleven oclock C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. What? Its already eleven oclock? Anna woke up that second, then immediately sat up from the bed and said, Howe you didnt wake me up? This was her first visit to Wrights old house, and she was up sote She was afraid that Peter would think she was rude if he knew about it. *The maid came to wake up three times before, and you still kept sleeping. Anna retorted as she got dressed, saying, Thats impossible! Thats because you were too tiredst night, so you slept deeply Anna blushed and muttered, I didnt! Dont think too highly of yourself. Really? Then why didnt you hear what I just said to the maid? Wayne became teasing. He turned and leaned over the edge of the table and asked slowly I told them that you were too tiredst night So, you wont be able to have lunch with Grandpa today He said again Anna looked up instantly annoyed, and said, What? God, youre such a jerk! Hes so shameless. How can he say such things calmly?! Anna thought to herself. Wayne looked at her pretending not to understand what she said, and asked, Whats wrong? Are you angry? So, do you still want to have lunch with Grandpa? Anna was too angry to say anything She got out of bed and went straight into the bathroom When she looked at herself inside the mirror, she found that she was blushing and had many hickeys on her neck As she pulled open the bathroom door, she angrily swore, Wayne! Look away for days. How am I supposed to go to work? Wayne was sitting on a chair and flipping through a magazine. Hearing her words, he looked up at her and then tilted his head innocently Anna, I didnt do it on purpose. If youre angry, you can do Anna gritted her teeth and was silent for a long time before saying, Damn you! Fetch me my foundation, will you? Its in my bag. Wayne smiled and nodded, raised his eyebrows and opened her bag Anna stood in front of the bathroom mirror, looking at herself. She had buttoned the cor Not long after, Wayne came to the bathroom door Did you find it? Thanks She didnt turn her head back What is it? Wayne didnt answer her but asked Anna turned around and saw a small purple gift box in his hand Anna froze and said, Did you find my foundation? Ah, its an earring Someone gave it to me. It was very expensive, so dont drop it, okay? Put it back. Seeing how nervous she was, Wayne looked a little huffy He questioned, Who gave it to you? J. Before Anna could finish her sentence, she realized that Wayne might be jealous. Then, with a sly wink, she yanked the foundation from his other hand and began applying it to her neck She deliberately said, Well, from a friend abroad. Wayne had just pissed her off, so she wanted to do the same thing to him. As he said earlier, they were even As expected, Wayne became angry after hearing this. He said sullenly. You seem to have a lot of friends Who is this guy? Is he another one of those pretty young boys? He began to mention what had happened before. Anna deliberately did not look at him. She kept looking at herself in the mirror and said calmly. You dont think I can be friends with men who are older than me? Well, arent you being unreasonable? What do you mean? Wayne said through gritted teeth. Before Anna could react, Wayne had already pulled her arm. She was then yanked around by Wayne and leaned against his chest Annoyed, he said, Anna, maybe you have forgotten that you are my woman now. Anna looked up at him and said with a frown, Ouch, youre hurting me! Let go of me. Who gave this to you? Return it Wayne said firmly and assertively, looking furious. Anna didnt look scared of him at all She said somewhat mockingly. Fine. Then, call Jennifer and send it overseas. Id be embarrassed to exin to her why I epted her gift and then had to give it back. Wayne froze as he heard Jennifers name. Anna broke away from him, took the box from his hand, and said, What, you dont believe me? This earning was one of Jennifers collections, and I wore it on the day of the farewell party But, of course, you have no idea about that you were at the door having your tie tied by someone I can mention what had happened before, too, Anna thought to herself. Wayne blinked and looked a little embarrassed. Anna looked at him deliberately and aggressively as if expecting an exnation Anna, youve misunderstood me, Wayne said with a frown, and then found himself unable to exin Ada stopped Wayne after getting out of the car at the hotel entrance. She reminded him that his tie was crooked because he was going to a party. Wayne didnt overthink it while she was fixing his tie, as he was used to it because the maids would usually fix it when he was at home. Well, can you exin yourself? Anna asked, looking a little serious. Wayne stared at her for a moment, suddenly snapped out of it, and asked, Are you deliberately trying to start a fight with me? I didnt! Ah Before she could finish her sentence, Wayne kissed her. You jerk! They kissed for a long time. After a while, Anna blushed and smacked his hand to get him to stop touching. She gasped, Stop it. Youre going on a business trip, arent you? I have to go home and pack, too. She was going to move her things from Peaces to her new home this weekend. Selina was right. She couldnt live in Peaces house all the time. Since she had a nice ce to live, she thought it was better for her to move out as soon as possible. After they came out of the bathroom side by side, Anna stuffed her foundation into her bag. Wayne finally handed over the jewelry box that made them quarrel and asked, Hey, why dont you move over after I get back? No, thanks. I dont have a lot of stuff. You know what, that house is pretty big. So, I can have Matthew stay with me. Wayne thought for a moment and then seemed to think of something. He frowned slightly and stopped asking more questions. Anna opened the jewelry box and said emotionally and sadly, By the way, say hello to Jennifer for me if you meet her. She gave me this when she left because I was about the same age as her daughter. She said that when she saw me, she always thought of her daughter. Wayne nodded and was stunned for a moment when he saw the jewelry box and asked, Did Jennifer give this to you? Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Yeah, whats wrong? Anna asked curiously when she saw this look on Waynes face. After Wayne took the earring out of the jewelry box and looked at it for a while, he seemed to be sure of something. He then went into the study. He had an old ck and white photo in his hand when he came out. It looked like it was taken in the last century, and the corners were frayed. The photo was of a young woman about eighteen or neen years old, who was in a beautiful dress. She looked very aloof and had a gold ne with two emeralds, one was small while the other was large. Although the photo was a bit old, the smooth outline of the emerald could still be clearly seen. Who is this? Anna asked in disbelief. Wayne took another look at that earring, and then put down the photo and said, This woman is my grandmother, and what she is wearing around her neck is an heirloom from her mothers family. The emeralds set on that ne were two pieces; one wasrge and one was small. After World War II began, the Germans upied my familys house. So, she sold the small one for money. Anna looked at the earring in her hand and realized that the emerald gemstone was very simr to the one in the photo. She asked, Is this that one? Wayne nodded. Neither of them had expected that emerald to be sold abroad, and then collected by Jennifer, andter be given to Anna. What about the other one? Anna asked afterward. Wayne frowned and said, Grandpa gave me that gemstone, and I made a ne out of it. Unfortunately, I lost it six years ago. Anna froze and couldnt help but clench her fists, looking slightly nervous. Maybe hes talking about that ne I pulled off his neck back then. Anna thought to herself. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Hey, Anna, whats wrong? Waynes voice snapped her back to attention. She was a little distracted and said casually. Nothing, Im just surprised this earring is rted to your family. Thats fate, I guess. Wayne looked a little happy. This was the first time in his life that he had ever said the word fate in his life. He used to think that fate was nonsense and not worth mentioning Anna had mixed feelings. After she said goodbye to Pete, she took the two children home. She thought about the ne all the way home This is probably a joke that God is ying on me, she thought. The ne seemed to be a constant reminder of what had happened to her six years ago. It was not only a clue for her to find her son but also a reminder that she still had secrets to hide Tom Waitie When Anna moved, she put the carrings in the sale along with the ne As she locked the sale, it seemed to mean that she would never think about that past again Then, she breathed a sigh of relief Anna spent the afternoon putting the house in order. Then she picked up her two children from Peaces house Youre going to live here from now on Do you like it? Anna said to Tammy Tammy was so excited She walked around the house, opened every door to look in every room, and eximed, Wow, its beautiful! Its so much bigger than Aunt Peaces house! I like my room Selina helped you decorate this room Anna followed her behind and felt touched as she looked at the dolls in the room Selina had told her before that nobody had been living in this house and there was no one to take care of it However, Anna found that the house was fully furnished with all the furniture and some household items Tammys room was even painted pink. There were many toys inside the room, and the closet was full of brand new clothes. Anna pushed open the door to a room, waved toward Matthew, and said, Here, dear, this is your room Come and have a look Matthew nodded, walked over, and then stood looking at the rooms doorway for a moment Anna wondered if he liked the room, realizing that he rarely showed his preferences as to his father Anna had to take the initiative and ask, Do you like it here? The furniture here is a little simpler, and thats because Selina didnt know you were going to live here. I will buy new furniture for you in a few days. You can tell me if you want anything, honey. Matthew ran back to the couch, got his little drawing board, wrote a few words, and held it up I am happy as long as I am with you and Tammy He wrote. When she saw these words, Anna was suddenly heartbroken. She knelt down and took him into her arms The doorbell suddenly rang. Then they heard Peace shout, Anna, hey, its me! Open the door! Im carrying so much stuff and its too heavy! With a cheer, Tammy rushed to the door. Auntie Peace! Peace entered the house with many supermarket shopping bags. She looked around and said, Yo, nice ce. no wonder youre in such a hurry to move out of my little apartment. Anna raised her eyebrows and said, Well, you can switch houses with me. Ive been living in your house for a long time, and Im used to it. Its since I call your house home, this is your home too. Peace smiled in satisfaction and said, Youre so sweet, Anna, Ill cook for you myself tonight and give you a housewarming party. Anna raised an eyebrow, knowing that Peace was an incredibly lousy cook. She was d there was nothing in the kitchen but some cutlery. Ah, I dont have any pots and pans here. What are we going to do? Anna said with a shrug. Thats not a problem! Wait a moment. Peace raised an eyebrow at Anna and made a phone call. The call was quickly answered. Hey! Hello. Anna moved into a new house today. She told me to call you and ask you toe over for dinner tonight. OK, then hurry over and buy food on the way. Oh, no, we dont need that much. Ive just bought a lot of things on my way here. Anna, what else do we need? She suddenly asked aloud. Anna immediately said, Pots and pans. Oh, you heard that, didnt you? Anna said we need pots and pans. Hanging up the phone, Peace sat down on the couch and said, Done. Annaughed and teased, I feel like I just cheated with you. Peace bristled and said, Its OK, you know, Karls not a nice guy either. Anna nodded with great approval, and her guilt immediately disappeared. She then asked Peace to let her call Karl again and ask him to pick up Ryan. Half an hourter, Karl arrived with the pot and Ryan. When Ryan arrived, he started cooking. Peace then rushed Karl to the kitchen as well. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Oh, hey, Im warning you. Dont mess with him. Ryan probably hasnt even graduated from college yet. He cant even remember what happened before, so maybe he has a girlfriend. Anna was very familiar with Peace, so she knew that once she started paying attention to a grown man, it meant she would hit on him. She always said Karl was a yboy. But when it came to how often she flirted with men, she was actually about the same as Karl. Peace nced at her and said, Wow, wow, take it easy, Anna. Do you think youre his mother? Chill, I was just asking. Im sure you can understand. After all, hes so cute. Everyone likes young and hot boys, and so dol. Forget it! I know you very well, and youll lose interest in him after a while. Ah, I think Karis been pretty good to youtely. He does whatever you want. Oh, please! He does whatever every woman wants. Peace immediately looked defeated as she heard Karls name. She nced at the kitchen, and then withdrew her gaze. Old habits die hard, she muttered What happened? Did he flirt with other women again? I thought you guys were getting along well lately. Not really. But even though he doesnt flirt with women, there are women who want to mess with him. I envy you sometimes, you know, because Wayne has always been a good man. Karl used to be a womanizer, and he couldnt get rid of his habit of messing with women. Actually, I can understand him. As long as I pretend that I dont give a sh*t about that, then we can get along just fine. Looking at how Peace pretended not to care about anything, Anna felt heartbroken. She saidfortingly, Peace, honey, thats long gone. So, you should stop thinking about it. People always have to look forward to the future, and you cant be afraid to do so. If you take this pain alone and act as if you dont care about anything, then you will be the one who suffers. After all, you know that you cant change the past. Peace clenched her fists and looked as if she was holding something back. She replied, Anna, I dont actually care about the past. Youre well aware of what happened to me before. At that time, everyone knew what their future looked like, but I didnt. I used to put too much trust in him. So, its better for me not to look forward to my future and not to expect anything from him. As long as were happy together, its enough. Hey,e on, he probably wont cheat on you again. Its been three years. Anna immediately took peaces hand in hers, only to find that it was cold. You know, he just probably wont cheat on me again. Peace said calmly. She had always been a lively and sophisticated woman, but she seemed very thoughtful at that moment. Only a handful of people in the world knew about her past. She After a long silence, Anna looked up and saw Karl walking around the kitchen, then turned back to Peace and asked, So, will you tell him about it? Peace shook her head, blinked, and said, No! Why would I tell him? Maybe well break up again if I do so. Anna sighed and furrowed her brow. Ryan soon had dinner ready. He made lots of delicious food, including salmon, steak, and tacos with hot sauce. Tammy started eating spicy food when she was three. But after Matthew took a bite of the taco, he had tears in his eyes. Then, he began to cough. Anna immediately handed him water to drink and patted him on the back. Matthew then did not want to eat anymore. He took a box of choctes and went back to his room alone. When Tammy saw him leave, she grabbed a piece of pizza and left the dining room as well. Karl suddenly said, He cant eat spicy food because his father cant either. Wayne used to be a quiet kid, and he rarely talked to me. On April Fools Day one year, our friends gave him cookies with hot sauce and told him that they were ketchup. Waynes face turned red after taking a bite, but he insisted on eating them anyway. Later, I noticed something was wrong and called the adults to get them to take him to the hospital. Peace looked at him and asked, Howe you were the first one who found that Wayne was not okay? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Karl rubbed his nose and replied, Oh, maybe it was because he and I were close. Anna immediately exposed his lie and said, Well, I heard that you went to his bed every day and in the hospital. Why did you do that? Was it because you two were like real brothers to each other? Ah! How could he even tell you that! Karl asked in surprise and embarrassment Tell me, why? Peace asked with a smile. Anna, please dont! Karl said immediately, trying to stop Anna. Anna said the truth anyway, It was because he was the one who put that hot sauce on the cookie. After that, Karl got a lecture from his father. His father also said that he would be punished if Wayne didnt forgive him. So, Karl went to the hospital every day that week to apologize to Wayne. But Wayne didnt even say a word to him. Smart kid!. Peace said with a smile. Karl defended himself by saying, No, he wasnt! He didnt talk to speak! He immediately forgave me when he could talk. Is that right, Anna? Peace went on to say, Come on! Its not like hes paralyzed. Look at Matthew, he cant talk, and he can still express himself. Karl was embarrassed and frustrated. After a while, Ryan suddenly asked why Matthew couldnt talk. Has Matthew not been able to talk since he was born? He asked. Anna shook her head and replied, Nope. Wayne said he couldnt speak because he had a Are You Going To Tell Hi fever a few years ago. But Im not sure exactly what happened. Karl knew why, so he immediately said, Oh! I know! It happened when Matthew was three years old. He was living with Mr. Wright in their family house at that time. One day, I went there to visit Mr. Wright. But he wasnt home. I thought that since I was there, I would check on Matthew. When I got to his room, I found him crying alone in his bed without a single babysitter around. What? He didnt have a babysitter with him? He must have been crying loudly, so surely. someone would have heard him. Then why wasnt anyone looking after him? Ryan asked afterward. Karl looked at him and said, Oh, youve never been to the Wright mansion, so you have no idea. That mansion is super huge, and there are several yards. If I hadnt specifically gone to his room, I wouldnt have known he was crying. Anna just felt her heart skip a beat. She realized that if Karl hadnt tried to see Matthew at that time, then she might never see her baby boy again. How could this happen?! Its unbelievable! Did his babysitter leave? Ryan kept asking about the babysitter as if he had found some loophole. Anna felt puzzled as well when she heard him say that. She had been to the Wrights mansion and knew that there were a lot of servants there. Even Natalie had two maids around. Since Peter was so fond of Matthew, he would certainly keep several nannies around him. After Ryan reminded her, her intuition told her that this matter was definitely not as simple as it seemed If someone had done this on purpose, they must be very familiar with the shift system of the servants. Not only that, but they also knew when the nannies were not in Matthews room and possibly even bribed some of them. Since this person was so considerable, they must know the mansion perfectly well. Perhaps, he or she was one of the Wrights. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 After that incident, Wayne let this poor little guy live with him. Of course, he looked into this case, but he didnt find anything. We just know that the babysitter on duty that day sneaked out. She does this often because Matthew is an obedient and wellCbehaved child. She had snuck out before, and nothing happened. But, Matthew had a fever that day. Karl remembered the details of the incident well. This was because he had never seen Wayne lose his temper that much since he had known him Although Wayne always said that he didnt care about children, and that he was forced to have children by his grandfather, Matthew was his child after all. Wayne became anxious immediately after Matthew was in danger. How did they punish the babysitter? Ryan asked. She was sacked, of course. Wayne has picked some new maids since hes been living with Matthew. Whenever he traveled, he would bring Matthew with him. But, if Wayne cant take care of him, he would let Ada do that. Ada was, of course, very cautious. After all, she was the only woman who could be around Matthew at that time. You know, a lot of women wanted to marry Wayne and be Matthews stepmother. Ryan said calmly. Well, I dont think so. It was not until that incident than Ada got to be around Matthew and thus stay with Wayne. If you look at it this way, Ada benefited the most from the incident. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Karl didnt hear the implication of his words and said, Yes, thats what I meant. Anna immediately Ryans implication that and asked, Are you saying that Matthews ident might had something to do with Ada? Everyone froze. Ryan remained calm, saying, Oh, Im just specting. You all know that Wayne didnt like to have women around him. But, Ada was the only woman who could be with him. He didnt care much for her, but if she could benefit from this ident, then it all makes sense. After hearing his words, everyone felt a chill down their spine. None of them could imagine that someone could hurt a child and take advantage of him. Anna thought of the psychological cases she had read about where people had traumatized children by scaring them. Some children could be so traumatized that they refused tomunicate with anyone ever again. Karl said in surprise, Huh? What are you talking about? Youre totally overthinking. I dont think Ada would have the guts to do something like this, nor would she dare lie to Wayne. She was an obscure actress two years ago, and no one supported her. So, Wayne asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of Mr. Wright. We all know that desires can be endless. She became a famous actress in just two years, and I think maybe its because of Wayne. As everyone was silent, Ryan suddenly changed the subject and said, Hey, why arent you guys eating your food? After the meal, Karl took the opportunity while he and Ryan were alone in the kitchen washing dishes and asked bluntly, Tell me, why do you know so much about this? Ryan nced at him and replied, Hey, its the twentyCfirst century, and you can know a lot of things from the Inte. But why did you look up these things on purpose? Karl was warier. Ryan shrugged, looking at ease He said, Im trying to find my memory. Maybe Im a student at the police academy, or Im naturally sensitive to whats going on around me. I was just saying, and I didnt mean anything. Whats wrong? Karl frowned and said, Well, youd better stop whatever youre trying to do. Ryan looked at him curiously and said, What do you mean? What are you trying to tell me by saying something like that? Nothing But, Im warning you, if you dont want to get into trouble, you better stop talking about it. Dont think everyone is a fool. This matter involves the interests of many powerful people, and its not as simple as you think Ryan raised his eyebrows and said nothing. Of course, he knew that enormous financial stakes could drive people crazy Karl thought that Ryan would stop talking about it after he warned him. He didnt expect that Ryan would instead tell Anna all about their conversation before he left. Anna felt a headache after sending them away. She just felt her mind muddled and in turmoil. Karl meant that Wayne knew the truth about what happened back then? Then why did he keep acting like he didnt know about it, and keep saying that Matthew just couldnt talk because he had a fever? Could someone really take advantage of an innocent child for money and hurt him? Anna asked herself.. She thought of Ryans words, Two years ago, shortly after Matthews ident, Waynes cousin resigned as chief financial officer of the Carousel Group. His shares were all taken back by Mr Wright in a legal way, and he was removed from the board. He was Waynes strongestpetitor It was only after he left that Wayne became president. Wayne was the only child of the Wrights, but he had many cousins. Back then, several of them held important positions on the board of directors or in various departments of the Carousel Group Peter did tell Wayne in the past that if he didnt get married, he wouldnt be able to take control of the company. So, to get the session, Wayne got someone to give him a surrogate. So, in Waynes mind, Matthew might not be a child but merely a tool. The more Anna thought about it, the more she felt a chill down her spine and shivered. She did not dare to continue to think more, but reassured herself that perhaps she was just overthinking In the evening, a beautiful woman walked into a bar in the suburbs. Soothing jazz music yed in the bar, and many people were chatting in the booths. The woman walked through the crowd, went straight to the second floor and entered a private room. When she pushed open the door, she was clearly very nervous Chapter 150 Chapter 150 hotel if you need anything you can ask me or Wendy You know her, shes the receptionist Got it, mommy You can go to work now. Tammy rushed Anna away Matthew, on the other hand, nodded obediently and tugged at Tammy, looking a little resigned Just as Anna reached her office, John tan in and said, Miss Gabriel! Oh, no Something bad happened Whats wrong? The headquarters just called and said to put all the hotel security on alert Also, they told you to stay away from work for the next few days. When Anna heard that this matter was so serious, she finally took her eyes off theputer screen She asked, Whats wrong? Just look at Twitter hashtags yourself Stunned, Anna immediately clicked on the Google page and searched for todays news As soon as she opened the page, she saw many news headlines Popr singer Scotts first girlfriend and current girlfriend appear at the same time. Scotts sister and his current girlfriend have a big fight Scott and his sister are in an et rtionship Anna noticed that most of these pictures had the watermark of the same media outlet on them John looked worried and cautiously said, Dont worry too much, both headquarters and Scotis company are dealing with this now But, the president of this mediapany seems to have some beef with Mr. Wright So, Im afraid we cant do anything about it. Theizens are all in agreement now, but, we all know that you wont do something like this. Anyway, Im afraid this is not going to be easily resolved. Anna immediately noticed that the photos were taken backstage at Scotts concert. The paparazzi thought Allie was Scotts girlfriend, and she was his sister. This was because Scott had mentioned Anna as his sister on the show before, Anna clenched her fists and said, Damn, this is bullset. John nodded and echoed, saying, Yeah, we all think theyre making it up, too. Youre only two years older than Scott, and youre not rted to him, so how does that make it incestuous? Anna was surprised by his logic and rolled her eyes. She said sarcastically, John, youre looking at things from a very difficult perspective. John thought Anna wasplimenting him and immediately said, Thank you. I learned it from you, after all. The news came out in the morning and quickly spread across the Inte. Although Scott had just recently be famous, he was rapidly gaining poprity, so he had many fans, including insane ones. Many people were cursing Anna on the Inte. Thepany had just deleted a rted hashtag, and the hashtag Sorry for Scotts girlfriend was back on the list. Anna nned to listen to the headquarters and pack up her things to go home. But before she could leave, she received a call from Wayne. Waynes voice was a little raspy, as if he hadnt slept well. He said, I just got out of a meeting Anna, I saw the news. Dont leave the hotel, okay? Stay there for the next few days. Anna froze for a moment and asked, Dont you want to ask me what the picture is about?This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The paparazzi snapped a photo of them hugging. From the photo, they appeared to be hugging each other affectionately. But Anna knew that she was only hugging Scott because they were family Next to this photo was a photo of Allie covering her face and running away crying. The contrast certainly made everyone saw them wonder. Anna, listen, I dont want you to believe the news, and that means I wont either. He said. Anna immediately felt joy and warmth. Then she asked, Thank you. So, when are youing back? Wayne had been gone for several days, and this was the first phone call they had made. Anna realized that he was probably very busy. Sorry, I cant get back for a while. Can you handle this on your own? Sure. Anna said. Wayne then said a few more words to her before hanging up. Wayne had always been brief and concise, and Anna had always preferred to settle her own affairs. After Anna hung up the phone, she realized that they hadnt even spoken for more than a minute. I finally understood why he had been single before! He didnt evenfort me when something like this happened. The good thing is that I know he is very busy, so I understand him. But if I were any other woman, / would have started arguing with him. Anna thought to herself. Thinking about it, Anna felt she had lost out a bit. Why do I like to make excuses for him? She asked herself again. Wayne hung up the phone in front of a five-star hotel abroad and got into his car. He asked Gabe, Which media sent this news? Gabe frowned and replied, Its Wind Media. There are two kinds of attitudes among theizens. The first is Scotts fans, they refuse to admit he has a girlfriend. The other is the ones who feel sorry for Scotts girlfriend and have been cursing Scott and Miss Gabriel. Uh, do you think we should take care of that? Wayne said firmly, No, ignore it. Dont let anyone think Anna has anything to do with ourpany. Gabe asked in disbelief, What? Are we really going to do that? But, Miss Gabriel Looking at Waynes indifferent face, Gabe immediately stopped talking. He knew hed better not to guess what Wayne was thinking. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Anna didnt keep thinking about that news. She knew that those were all made up by the paparazzi, and maybe everyone would stop talking about it after a while. Although the paparazzi said nothing nice about her in their articles, the story they made up was just about love affairs. She knew that even if the fans were irrational, they would onlyin about it for a few days. Anna didnt think it was a big deal. She knew she should be sensible like Wayne but not uptight like John. At the end of the afternoon, Anna went out of the office after packing her things. At that moment, she noticed that none of the people in the office had left yet. She nced at her watch, looked up and said, Why havent you all left? Its time to get off work. Were not busy recently, so you can leave in time. Everyone let out a sigh of relief after hearimg her words and then smiled as if they were relieved. Hey, dont be afraid. I wont make you guys work overtime. Anna said to them with a smile. Everyoneughed. They had worked overtimest week when they were doing the quarterly statistics. So, they started to worry every time they were about to get off work, fearing that their bosses would make them work overtime again. Anna had just left the elevator when she was stopped by Wendy, who was sitting at the front desk Miss Gabriel, are you leaving? Wendy asked. Anna stopped and looked back. When she saw how nervous Wendy was, she was surprised and asked, Yeah. Whats wrong? I just texted John, and he probably forgot to tell you. Wendy walked over to Anna in a panic. She was working the night shift on that day, so she arrived at the hotel only a few minutes ago. She had just sat at the front desk in her beige suit and hadnt even had a chance to pin on her work tag. Miss Gabriel, I just saw a van at a nearby intersection. There were people with cameras pointing right at the hotel entrance. I think that they might be trying to take your picture. She said. Anna frowned when she heard these words. Reporters areing? Does it mean that there is nothing significant in the entertainment industry lately? Scott has just made his debut not long ago, and hes not even a wellCknown celebrity. She thought, and was surprised. Anna thought that it gave the paparazzi an excellent opportunity to keep them busy. Otherwise, they would have nothing to do. As they were talking, John stepped out of the elevator. He trotted toward them and apologized, saying he had forgotten to tell Anna about the paparazzi. Miss Gabriel, why dont you stay at the hotel tonight. Its too dangerous outside. Wendy suggested with concern. Yes, you can stay in Mr. Wrights room. He doesnt stay there, but the cleaningdy cleans that room every day. Before John could finish his sentence, he realized he might have said the wrong thing. He shut his mouth and looked at Anna. Anna didnt react at all. She just frowned and didnt seem to take thement to heart. She insisted, Oh, no. Im going to pick up the kids. Tammy and Matthew were taking swimming lessons that afternoon. Usually, it was Henry who picked them up and dropped them off. But Anna promised to pick them up herself that day. Anna knew she had to go because she had promised them, and she couldnt go back on her word. Ill give you a ride. They heard a man behind them say. When Anna looked back, she saw that it was Ryan. He was wearing a white T-shirt and ck pants and had his hands in his pockets. Although he looked young, his expression was very mature. You can drive me there? Anna froze and asked. Ryan took out a car key from his pocket, waved it in front of Annas eyes, and said, Lets go. They walked to the underground garage. After getting into the car, Anna put on her seat belt and said to Ryan, When did Wayne give you the keys? I thought you could find a car, and I was surprised. Ryan was backing up and pulling out of the parking space. His bony fingers looked pretty as he held the steering wheel Ah, I got them just before he left. I asked him to reimburse my car fee, and he gave me the keys. He probably didnt want to talk to me, I guess. Anna smiled resignedly and said, Ive told you that you can ask me for reimbursement. If you need money, you can also tell me. You dont have to ask him. Ryan looked thoughtfully ahead at the street and said, Its okay. Im supposed to ask him for money. Anna thought he meant that Wayne was responsible for him getting hit. So, she exined, Ryan, Im the one who hit you. Wayne was worried about me, so he took the me and made thepany responsible for this. But, no matter what, I was the one who hit you. Thats why Im the one who should be responsible for you. No, thats not what Im talking about, he.. Ryans brow furrowed, and he didnt continue. Huh? What are you talking about? Anna asked, puzzled. Nothing. Ryan changed the subject. At that moment, they happened to cross an overpass. The bridge blocked the streetlights and the flicker of somber emotion in his eyes. What are you going to do about that news? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Anna felt a headache at the mention of it. She said, I dont know. I want to go with the flow. If I exin anything, it will seem like Im guilty. Besides, Scott hasnt messaged me yet, and I dont know what he wants to do. Ryan nodded. He said, You might want to talk it over with them and get on the same page. I saw a post from someone online exining your rtionship with Scott. He said that no one at Carousel Group knew about your rtionship before organizing the travel show. I think that they probably did that because they didnt want to involve themselves in the matter. Hearing this, Anna frowned and asked, Really? Yes. I checked the IP of the poster, by the way. I found that he is an employee of Carousel Group, and he was from the IT department. After people found out who Anna was, many began to question the show. Some suspected that the reason Scott was able to participate in the travel show was set long ago. As the person in charge of the anniversary at the time, Anna had every possibility of faking it. However, one article overruled these peoples spections. A person iming to be an employee of Carousel Group hotel said he knew all about it. He said that everyone in the hotel had no idea that Anna and Scott were families. So, Anna had nothing to do with the Carousel Group This also meant thatAnna had nothing to do with the Carousel Group. That way, no one would me the Carousel Group. Its okay, Anna. Hes a businessman, and of course, he wants to cut his losses. I can understand him, can you? Ryan asked calmly. Anna, however, felt her thoughts jumble and could even hear her ears ringing. Wayne was a man who put profit first. So, he made sure he could make benefit before he did everything. He rarely gave up his interests because of his feelings, therefore. Anna knew that if Wayne hadnt taken a stand, then the PR team wouldnt have responded in this way. She also knew that Ryan was right Wayne was sensible, and it would do him no good if the groups reputation was tarnished along with hers She couldnt help but wonder if what had happened to Matthew was really an ident. Anna did her best not to think about all the worst scenarios, but she couldnt help herself Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Anna walked out of the building alone, got into the car, and said, Sorry, Ryan, the housekeeper has already picked them up. So, could you give me a ride back to the West Side? Surprised and irritated, Ryan asked, The West Side? Anna was putting on her seat belt. Hearing his words, she stopped. She then said, Ah, maybe I should take a cab. I dont want to bring you trouble. Ryan smiled, his expression immediately returning to normal. He said, Thats okay, I dont have anything to do anyway. Ill drop you off right now. He looked naive and innocent. After seeing his expression, no one would doubt his words, let alone Anna, who trusted him. Anna smiled along with him and said, Thank you. Its my fault, I went out toote. Waynes grandfather was worried about the two kids, so he had the housekeeper wait for them earlier. He picked up the kids when he found out I hadnt arrived. By the time they got to the West Side, it was already dark. The security guard standing at the front door saw Anna. Then, he immediately stood up and greeted her by the passenger window, saying, Good evening, young master, Miss Gabriel. Please wait a moment. The electronic system of the door is not working, so Ill open it for you. Anna froze for a moment andughed, Young master? Oh, no, hes not Wayne. The guard was stunned, then looked closer at the man in the car. He then smiled and said, Sorry. It was so dark that I didnt see him clearly. I thought this gentleman was the young master. I was confused just now because I remembered that he was away on business. So, who is this one? Hes a friend of mine. Anna replied. After they entered the gate, Ryan drove into the yard. He drove for five minutes down that long driveway before pulling up to the door. Ill wait for you right here, Anna. Okay, thanks Ill be out soon after I pick up the kids. Anna said. After she entered the mansion, Ryan looked out the window. His gaze becameplicated as he saw the steps and the beautiful windows at the mansions front entrance. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. A short timeter, his phone rang sharply. Ryan nced at the number, answered it, and said, Hi, mom. While he was on the phone, he heard someone knocking on the car window. When Ryan looked up, he saw a young girl standing by the car window. She looked at him and then blinked her big eyes. He opened the window and said, Hello, what can I do for you? Are you Ryan? the girl asked instead of answering his question. Ryan froze for a moment, then became wary. He asked, Do you know me? The girl shook her head and asked again, Are you Ryan? Seeing that she was a little goofy. Ryan nodded just a little. The girl winked and said, Come with me. My dad invited you to have dinner with us. Who? Your dad? Yeah,e on! Ryan had no idea what she was talking about. He got out of the car and followed the girl inside the courtyard. He looked at the girl and noticed that she was probably in her teens. She was skinny and petite and even a bit rustic. However, her beautiful blue eyes were very appealing Hey, whos your dad? He couldnt help but ask. The little girl asked again in return, Who are you? How do you know Anna? Ryan frowned and said, Im her brother. Oh. In that case, Im your aunt. Ryan immediately became somber and said, What? Youre kidding me? This lunatic is kidding me! He thought to himself. When the girl saw him turn and leave, she immediately grabbed his sleeve and said, Ah, where are you going? Ive told you, were going to have dinner. You cant keep people waiting for you. Ryan rolled his eyes and tried to shake her hand off. He said, What are you doing? And who on earth are you?! You little rascal! I almost fell for it just now. The girl said, somewhat unhappily, Hey! Im the only daughter in this family. You dont believe me, do you? She looked around and then waved toward the maid who was tidying the garden in the distance. She said, Hi, could you pleasee over here? The maid walked over, wiped her hands on her apron, and said respectfully, Whats wrong, Miss Wright? The girl red at Ryan and asked, Did you hear that? Ive told you! Well, stop talking and keep walking, okay? No way! Mr. Wright is over seventy years old, right? How is it possible that youre his daughter? Stop lying to me. Ryan frowned, still not believing her. Why? Why cant he have a daughter in his seventies? Because Ryan froze, not knowing how to answer her. If someone else had asked him that, he would have thought that person was a moron. But, this little girl looked very young, so she probably really didnt know why. Therefore, Ryan had no idea how to exin it to her Oops, stop talking! Lets go. Chop-chop, Ryan, Im starving. The girl didnt seem to want to talk nonsense with him anymore. She grabbed his wrist and led him towards the courtyard. The maid immediately shouted, Oops! Miss, watch your step! Just after reaching the dining room, the girl immediately let go of Ryans hand. She darted toward the table and eximed, Souffl! This is my favorite! Ryan stood in the doorway. When he saw Peter, he couldnt help but frown. Anna said and brought him back to his senses, Ryan, please have a seat. Its alreadyte, so Grandpa asked us to have dinner here. Do you mind? Ryan snapped back and said in a slightly raspy voice, No, I dont mind. Anna smiled and pulled out the chair beside her. She introduced him to Peter, Grandpa, this is Ryan. Ive told you about him. Peter nodded and said, Matthew told me about him, too. Ah, hes such a nice chap. Please sit down, and lets eat together. Matthew and Tammy sat across the table and ate quietly. Tammy said a few words to Peter now and then and made himugh. Matthew could not speak and could onlyugh in a low voice. Anna looked at him and felt heartbroken. She couldnt help but ask, Grandpa, is it true that Matthew cant talk because he has a fever? Peter stoppedughing and said thoughtfully, Thats right. He has refused to talk since he had the fever. We have no idea why. Oh. Then, what about the nanny? Has the nanny been fired? Do you have her number? Peter frowned and asked, Why are you bringing this up? Anna didnt know how to answer for a moment Matthew has spoken before. So, maybe the reason he couldnt talk was not the fever. Perhaps he can talk, but just wont for some reason. Ryan suddenly said. Peters eyes widened, and he asked, What? Matthew has spoken? When? Anna didnt expect Ryan to say anything about it. She froze for a moment and exined, He only spoken twice, once in front of Wayne and the other time in front of me. He only said the word mommy, but he was very articte. Peter became happy. He looked at Matthew, who was sitting in a daze and immediately had tears in his eyes. He said happily, Thats really good. Its okay, we have plenty of time. Ill have Henry give you that nannys number in a minute. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 The thing that worried Pete the most was that Matthew couldnt talk. Wayne had asked him to take care of Matthew, but then the incident happened to Matthew. Therefore, Pete felt guilty for so many years. He always thought that he was the one who did not take care of the child. After hearing Annas words, he also realized that what happened back then was probably not an ident After dinner, Henry walked them out at the door of the mansion. Through the car door, he said to Anna, Miss Gabriel, dont worry. Although we had fired the nanny, we recorded her cell phone number. Ill check it outter and let you know. OK, thanks. Anna nodded to him and thanked him. The two kids sitting in the back seat were asleep on the way back. Through the rearview mirror, Ryan saw how preupied Anna looked. He asked, What are you thinking about? Are you worried that even if you find a clue, you wont have time to check it out Anna looked back, nodded and said, Hey! How do you know what Im thinking? Oh, I just wanted to tell you that I can do it for you. I have all the time in the world. If you trust me, then leave it to me. Ryan said calmly. Anna froze and asked, Huh? How are you going to do that? First, I need to get information on those nannies. That way, I can find the people who were involved in that ident. I need to find out what theyre doing now and if theres a huge hit in their bank ount. You should be clear about what I will do after that. Realizing that his approach was coherent and logical, Anna asked, Ryan, did you remember something? Ryanughed and said teasingly, Yeah, I remembered a little bit. I think maybe I used to do things like this all the time. Perhaps I used to be a cop. Anna bristled and said, No way! Youre twenty years old, and you must not have graduated yet. Ryan didnt say anything. In the darkness, Anna couldnt see the somber expression on his face. Anna didnt go to work the next day. She got an early morning call from Scott. He asked her toe to his office and was going to talk to her about what to do. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. As soon as Scott saw Anna, he apologized and said, Im sorry, Anna. These reporters are out of their minds! They are just talking nonsense. | Anna patted him on the shoulder and sent Scotts assistant with Matthew and Tammy out the door. Ah, it was originally not a big deal. But something else happened this morning. Sam, Scotts agent, frowned and sighed when he finished. Anna replied, Allie did it, of course. I saw the news on the way here. I didnt expect her to have the nerve to do this. Someone posted online in the early morning hours. She imed to be Scotts girlfriends best friend and said Scott and his girlfriend loved each other so much over the years. However, Anna kept pestering him. Scott had to be with her because he was grateful to her and she had big shots to support her. The post waspletely nonsense. But,izens were inclined to believe it, and it was all over the Inte. Weve sent a letter through ourwyers, and weve spoken to the court. Reputation infringement lawsuits usually will take a long time. But, if we dont do anything, were going to be in trouble. Scotts career is just getting started, and its not too smooth yet. In any case, his career cant be ruined. Scott said irritably, Oh, I dont care about that. I wont ept your solution even if I quit. Anna frowned and asked, What are you talking about? What solution? Scott looked at Sam and asked, Do you dare tell Anna about it? Sam scowled at Anna carefully and said, We thought wed just go along with it and admit that couple. Weve been in touch with Allie. She said shes willing to cooperate and can help you clear up the news. Thats just crazy! Im not going to agree to that. Scott said as he rolled his eyes at Sam. Anna hesitated and asked again, So, you guys checked with Allie? Shes really willing to help? Yes, she did, Sam said happily. Scott said anxiously, Anna, youre not going to say yes, right? Anna gave Scott a long look and said, Hey, take it easy. I didnt say anything yet. Maybe we can do it in another way. I knew it! Allie is probably the one who nned this. Thats why she agreed to help Scott and promised that she would solve it. Then, taking care of the matter would be easier once / know who did it. Anna thought In the evening, Ryans voice came over Annas headphones, Her car is here. Shell be upstairs in about ten minutes. Hide away, and dont let her find you. Got it. Anna squeezed the headset. She straightened the mask on her face and rang the doorbell. Soon, someone opened the door. He asked, Who is it? Anna sized up the man. She noticed that he looked a little like Scott. His hair was brown, and his skin was very fair. He was about six feet tall but not at all masculine, being casually wrapped in a hotel bathrobe and surveying Anna warily. | I didnt order a meal. The man said, frowning. Its from the hotel. Theres wine and dinner for two. Huh? For each guest? No, of course not. We only give it to people in the VIP rooms. Anna lowered her voice so nho could make it sound husky and respectful. Once he heard the word VIP, the man smiled proudly. He opened the door smugly and said, Oh, thats very nice of you. Pleasee in. Watch your step, dont step on my stuff. Anna pushed the food cart into the room. She was surprised to find a lot of candles and rose petals on the floor. The bedroom door was open a small c***k, and Anna could see a bunch of s*x toys on the bed, including leather whips, blindfolds, and handcuffs. She was surprised, wondering, Wow! It has never urred to me that Allie is into these kinds of things. Put it here. OK, I think you can leave now. Wait a moment, please. Ill decant your wine. Anna snapped back and then brought out the decanters. She surveyed the room calmly. Then, she pressed the pinhole camera into the vase on the dining table when the man wasnt paying attention. After doing this, she pushed the food cart out of the room. Shortly after leaving the room, she saw a familiar person walking toward her in the hallway. Even though the woman was wearing sunsses and a mask, Anna could tell she was an impolite and unreasonable woman. Hey, you, wait a minute. Allie suddenly called out to her. Annas heart immediately beat faster. She tightened her grip on the handle of the food cart and turned around. However, she kept her head down and not daring to look up at AMie. Tell the waiter to bring me a bottle of red wer. Anna sighed with relief and nodded her head repeatedly. Then, with her head bowed, she walked past Allie. Then, she heard the sound of the door opening behind her. After she heard the door close, she quickly found her room card and pushed the food cart into the room across the hall. As soon as she entered the room, Peace pulled her in and said, Gosh, she scared the hell out of me. I thought she recognized you! Oh, I really didnt expect that she would say that. Allie is such a snob! She even tried to show how ssy she is here. Come on, stop it. Is the video avable? Anna took off her mask. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Ryan, sitting on the table, looked at hisptop and said, Done. He then looked up, turned theptop around towards them and said, Its very clear. The monitor was facing the couch, and the bedroom behind it. The bedroom door was half-open, allowing them to see what was on the bed. Peace immediately eximed, Oh, my God! Whats all this? Whips and handcuffs? Oh my God, and the nurses uniform C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. As soon as Anna sat down on the couch, she couldnt help butin, Gosh, you should be happy that you didnt just go to that room. Or you would definitely throw up. That man had pungent perfume, and I almost passed out. How did Allie meet this man? Peace brought a chair and sat down in front of theptop, even though she thought they were disgusting. She then took out a bag of popcorn as if she was ready for a movie. They saw that Allie was hugged by the man when she entered the room. The man gasped and pressed his lower body against Allies waist. He said, Hey, honey, youre finally here. I havent seen you in days. Allie frowned and didnt seem to want to make physical contact with him. She pushed him away and asked, Whats wrong? Why are you calling me? Ive told you not to call me these days. Im busy. The man looked a little upset when she pushed him away. He said, What have you been doing thest few days? Are you too busy flirting with Scott? I know all about it. Everyones been talking about you going to Scotts office every day. Allie said calmly, I was there for the news. Oh, are you jealous? You know I have a fianc, and theres nothing between Scott and me. Ah, I dont mind that you have a fianc. I know that Im the only lover you want. The man sat down on the couch and bragged, If you hadnt been my sugar mommy at the time, I would have been an actor and film movies. You know, I would have been more famous than Scott. But I didnt because I wanted to be there for you. Allie then nced at him. When she looked at him from the side, she saw that he looked almost identical to Scott, who she loved. Allie then thought of the unpleasant experiences she had had in Scottspany that morning. Then, she had mixed feelings. Seeming to be in a better mood, Allie sat next to him and softly coaxed him, Come on, stop it. Dont be angry. If I dont care about you, I wouldnt stay with you. Stop thinking about it. Hey. I just bought you a watch! You wanna see it? Hmph! No! Allie, you buy me gifts every time you flirt with another man. The man looked down at his fingers and refused to pay attention to her. Whatever, Allie replied and looked less than pleased, thinking, if it werent for the fact that you and Scott look alike, I wouldnt have spent so much money on you. The man pursed his lips after seeing that she seemed unhappy. Then, he moved closer to Allie and Her Toyboy her and said, I want your gift, honey. But, you know full well that I want more than that. . Come on, I didnt Oh, my god, what are you doing? Before Allie could finish her sentence, she heard a click. Then, she felt a cold metal ring being snapped around her wrist. Her face turned pale as she said, Ah! Are you crazy? Let go of me! Hey, take it easy, babe. Lets y it thrill today, okay? You can make it up to me in this way. He stroked her as he spoke. Then, he snapped another ring around his wrist and took her by the hand. The man pinned her to the couch and then lifted one leg and straddled her. Allie struggled a few times at first. But then, she began to pant, seemingly got aroused by the man. After that, she let the man caress her and then let out a moan. However, little did they know that three people was watching them making out in another room. Eww, my eyes! No, I cant watch it anymore! Peace eximed. Okay, then lets stop watching it. But, Peace, can you cover your own eyes? Ryan grabbed Peaces wrist and asked. Peace suddenly blushed and withdrew her hand, exining, Oh, sorry! I was just worried that youre underage. Ryan closed theputer, showing a very mature expression. He said, Youre worrying too much. Lets get out of here, okay? The camera will automatically save the footage. Huh? Were leaving now? Peace asked in surprise. Anna had just taken off her waitresss uniform and put on her own clothes. She walked out of the bedroom and teased Peace, saying, Havent you seen enough? Ryan, lets go. You can leave your computer here and let her keep watching it. Ryan thought for a moment and replied, No problem! Peace, if you dont get enough of it, I can even make a copy for you. Peaceined, Hey! I dont want to see it! I just want to wait for them toe out. Then, we can solve the problem directly. What kind of person do you guys think I am? Well, Im sorry we underestimated you. Are you leaving or not? Of course Im leaving! I dont want to watch this anymore! They had a meeting in the conference room at Enlight Media headquarters the following day. Allie waste. She exined, Im sorry Imte. I just took care of something. Anna looked at her and asked, Is it something important? Allie frowned immediately. Then, she deliberately adjusted the silk scarf around her neck to cover the hickeys. She nced at Anna and said, Were here to prepare for the press conference. Besides, wont dy your afternoon schedule. Actually, Anma, you didnt have toe at all. You cant help us here, and youll only bring us trouble. Oh. Actually, I didnt intend to be part of your discussion. I just came here to give you something. What thing? Anna handed Allie a piece of script and said, Please read it ording to this at the conference. Allie immediately became sullen after reading a few lines. However, she knew she couldnt be angry with Anna because Scott was there. She tried to restrain herself and said, What is this? Its just nonsense! This is nothing like what we agreed on before. Im not Scotts sister; Im his fiance! Anna sneered and said, What? Fiance? Sam, excuse me; I need to talk to her and Scott alone. Sorry, but its very personal. She did so because she thought that Allie was her family, and she just wanted to keep it inside the family. Sam had an ominous feeling, so he immediately left with everyone. Then, Anna, Allie and Scott were alone in the conference room. Anna tapped a key on the keyboard of herptop. Then, the projector screen lit up and seemed to be going to y a video. Hey, what are you doing? Allie asked impatiently. Shh, look what it is. The image on the projector was that hotel room fromst night. Scott frowned just as he nced at it. He then turned away and stopped looking at the screen. Allies face was growing pale. She had just looked at it for a few seconds when she jerked up and moved forward. She quickly closed theputer, then fumbled and unplugged all the power The picture on the projector disappeared. Allie trembled as she said, Anna, shame on you! You put surveince in my room! Anna looked calm and said slowly, Allie, you say youre Scotts fiance. But if the press and Scotts fans see this, you know what theyll say about you. Allie was so scared that her face turned pale. She shouted, Dont you dare! Im warning you, Anna! If you dare to make the video public, dad will be furious. Anna stared at her indifferently and said, Oh, you dont have to worry about that. You only Chapter 155 Chapter 155 None of them said anything. Allie was holding onto the table tightly and shaking as if she was going to fall down in the next moment. She was so angry and ashamed that she wanted to kill Anna. Allie thought to herself, Anna, you b***h! How dare you film it and show them to Scott! Not only did you threaten me, but you got in the way of me getting back to Scott. God knows this is myst chance! Tell me, will you read it or not? Allie gritted her teeth in silence for a long time before answering, Yes, I will. Anna nodded and put her sh drive into her bag. Before leaving the conference room, she said calmly, By the way. Allie, theres one more thing you need to do. Tell Wind Media and those people you hired on the Inte to delete the posts. Otherwise, you know what Ill do to you. Allie stood in the doorway of the conference room with her back to Anna. She was extremely angry, so she clenched her teeth very hard. After a long time, she squeezed a few words through her gritted teeth, OK, got it. But, Anna, Ill get back at you, Allie thought to herself. The press conference ended well in the afternoon. Most of theizens were so sympathetic to Allie that they were willing to take her word for it. She did what Anna wanted and exined that both she and Anna were just Scotts sisters. She thus proved that all the rumors were nonsense. The reporters left in disappointment. They thought that the incident was a misunderstanding and not at all worthy of gossip Scott handed Anna a ss of water and asked, I really didnt expect this to have anything to do with her, Anna. Why would she do that? Anna looked at him and said, Scott, do you really have no idea? She doesnt like me because she likes you. You only talk to me in the family, so of course she hates me. Scott asked innocently, She likes me? Gosh, I really didnt know that at all. Oh, well. Besides, that toyboy of hers kinda looks like you. Anna said. She thought, if Allie hadnt gone too far, I wouldnt have threatened her with this video. I knew that if there was a grudge between her and me, we would always be enemies. I didnt originally want to do this, but since she did this to me. I had to treat her the same way. It seems that she and I will always hate each other. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Shortly after the press conference, Wind Media released a statement. They said they would apologize to Scott and the two people involved andpensate them. Also, they said they had fired both the reporter and the editor who published the story The matter waspletely settled by the time Wayne returned from his trip. I did a good job, didnt I? Anna asked as they were having a meal. She smiled and looked as if she wanted Wayne to praise her. Wayne looked at her and praised, Well done. Thank you. So, I didnt give you or the wholepany any bad publicity, did I? Anna asked deliberately Wayne did not answer her question. Then, he took out a small white square box from his pocket and ced it in front of Anna. He said, Surprise! This is for you, Anna. Anna froze and her mind immediately became confused. She then said incoherently, Oh, no! Wayne, Im Im actually not ready yet. Just put it away for now, okay? I still have a lot of secrets that I havent told him, and I still have puzzles to be solved. So, / cant marry him now. Anna thought to herself. Wayne gave her a quizzical look and asked, What? What are you talking about? He then opened the box and said, I bought them in Italy. I thought they would suit you, and I wanted to gave them to you as a gift. Anna found that there was a pair of pearl earrings in the box. The pearls were extremely beautiful, glowing with a glistening white luster. Anna froze and said awkwardly, Oh! They are earrings! So, they are earrings! Gosh, he scared the hell out of me. Why did he put them in this kind of box? Its very misleading. Anna thought to herself. What do you think they are? Wayne asked suspiciously, as if he hadnt figured out what Anna was thinking Annaughed, trying to make herself look less embarrassed. She said, Oh! Theyre beautiful. Thank you, I like them. Wayne frowned and asked, But, you seem a little disappointed. If you dont like them, you can tell me. You dont have to pretend to be happy, honey. Immediately, Annas eyes widened and she eximed, Hey, I really like them. Im not disappointed at all. The two kids sitting across from them both froze and looked up at them. Whats wrong? Wayne asked as he was still puzzled. Nothing. Excuse me, Im going to go to the bathroom. Anna then left the table. Watching Anna leave, Tammy let out a meaningful sigh. She looked at Wayne, and then said with disappointment, Mr. Wright, when a woman sees a box like that, she knows theres something inside. Do you know what that is? No. What is it? Wayne asked. Matthew, do you know? Tammy turned back to Matthew and asked. Matthew immediately hung his head and began to draw on his drawing board. He first drew a circle, then a glowing diamond. He wrote, Dad, youre so stupid. Mr. Wright, my mom would be happy if you gave her earrings. But, you make her think youre giving a ring, and you gave her an expectation. When she saw that it was actually earrings inside, she was a little disappointed. Why dont you understand such a simple thing? Even I get it. It seems that you knew little about women Tammy said. Wayne was a little frustrated after realizing he was beingughed at by two on the table, and rubbed his nose as he felt embarrassed. Treally didnt know anything about it! I just wanted to give her a nice pair of earrings. Wayne thought to himself He looked in the direction of the bathroom, and then at the ring on the drawing board. He seemed to think of something and then smiled. He thought, I was going to take things slow with Anna. But if shes looking forward to marrying me, then I can propose to her Anna washed her face. She looked into the bathroom mirror and noticed that she looked young despite not wearing makeup. However, her eyes looked sad, as if she had been through a lot. She noticed this every time she looked at herself in the mirror. Anna felt flustered and chagrined. When she saw the box just now, she did not expect it was a ring at first. She did not wanted to marry Wayne. However, she was somewhat disappointed when she realized that it was not a ring in that box. Anna felt as if there were two people fighting inside her, and she was torn by her emotions. She realized so clearly that she wished that she could marry Wayne. She could have lied andforted herself, but her emotions told her what she really wanted. In the evening, the two children fell asleep early. Anna returned to the bedroom after taking a shower. At that time, she saw Wayne leaning over the bed reading a book. The yellow night light by the bed was on, making him look very gentle. Why do you keep staring at me? Wayne asked, looking up at her. Anna walked toward him. She rubbed the hand cream on her hand and then sat down on the edge of the bed. She said, Nothing. I just thought that you seemed to look different from the first time I saw you. Wayne frowned and said, Anna, I was just on a business trip. I didnt do anything else. Anna couldnt help butugh out loud and said, Hey. I didnt t say anything. Youre a very good-looking man. If youre not even confident about your appearance, then theres no one in the world who would dare to say theyre good-looking. Youreplimenting me? Thanks. Wayne asked, looking at Anna tenderly. Anna nodded, and then her smile froze. She said, Actually, I used to think you were a cold person because you were indifferent to everyone. Wayne closed the book and took her in his arms. He rested his chin against the top of her head and said in a deep voice, Youre right. Thats because I dont have to be nice to others. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Annas heart skipped a beat when she heard Wayne say the word insignificant passersCby. She realized that she had been a insignificant passer-by to him just a few months before Also, six years earlier, Matthew had been a insignificant passer-by to him. So maybe for Wayne, it did not make a difference whether they were around him or not. Anna couldnt help but feel a chill down her spine and an uncontroble shiver running down her spine at the thought. The following day, just as Anna arrived at the hotel door, the receptionist said to her, Miss Gabriel, a gentleman came here to see you. Anna then saw a familiar person in the public lounge area in the lobby. She nodded at the receptionist to thank her and then walked over to him. The man was Henry, the butler of the Wright family. Henry was dressed in a nice suit. Although he was in his sixties, he still looked energetic, just like Peter. Henry, hello. What brings you here? Seeing Anna, Henry smiled and said, Hello, maam. Ive brought the files you asked for. Henry then gave Anna the paper bag in his hand and lowered his voice, We dismissed quite a few babysitters that time. You may need some time to identify who she is. Anna took it and said, Thank you. Its okay. I should be able to find her. Henry, why dont you have a sit in my office? No, thanks. Im leaving now. Peter just asked me to deliver something. With those words, Henry patted his suit and left the hotel. Just as Anna was walking to the elevator, Wendy stood up from the front desk and asked curiously, Miss Gabriel, thats housekeeper of the Wrights, right? What did he say to you? Anna raised the paper bag in her hand and said simply, Oh, nothing, hes just here to drop off a few things. Focus on your work, Wendy. Oh, and you might want to fix your cor. Wendy immediately stood up straight, and then looked down to straighten her cor. When she looked up again, she noticed that Anna had already walked to the elevator on the far side. Hey, youre so stupid! I just overheard that the Wrights housekeeper call Miss Gabriel maam! I think that Miss Gabriel must be engaged to Mr. Wright. The receptionist sitting next to Wendy said I think so, too! I think theyll get married after a while! After Anna went back into the office, she called Ryan over. Hi, have a seat. This is the file Henry just gave me. I kept the original one, and heres a copy. Have a look, please. Do you need anything else? She said. Ryan looked at it casually and said, No, Anna. Ill go to my room now and organize these files. Ill see where theyre all living and check their bank ounts. If all goes well, Ill find them in three days. Anna still seemed a little worried about him and said, Okay. Well, you can call me if you need anything. Dont worry, it only takes time to find someone. Besides, I have all the time in the world. Ryan said with a smile, his eyes innocent and clear. Anna smiled. Then, remembering the message Peace had sent her this morning, she said, Thank you, Ryan. By the way, why dont youe over to my ce for dinner tonight? Im grateful to you for helping me film Allies video. So, Id like to treat you to dinner. Ryan hesitated and asked, Okay. Will Wayne be there, too? Well, Im not sure about that. I havent told him yet, so Im not sure if hes avable. Ryan nodded cheerfully, raised the file in his hand, and said, Yes, Ill be there. Ill start working. Bye, Anna. Okay, thank you. Watching Ryan leave, Anna suddenly had a feeling of relief. She felt as if her child had grown up and could do things for her. Mr. Xavier, please take a look at this. This is thetest ring in the store and is designed by a famous designer. Karl and Wayne were in a jewelry store of a well-known brand. The store manager rmended it to Karl. She knew that these two people were big customers, so she was attentive and polite. Karl nced at the rows of diamond rings in front of him and felt that the sparkling diamonds made his eyes hurt. He turned his head and asked, What do you think? Wayne sat beside him, sipping his coffee. Without even looking up, he said, Honestly, I think its pretty average. Karl immediately frowned and said, Thats for sure! I dont think theres any difference in these rings at all, except for the size. Although you keep talking about how well-designed these rings are, theyre all the same! Look at these two rings. Arent they exactly the same? This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. When the store manager saw their reaction like this, she immediately got a little nervous. She said, If you can wait a few days, we can make a custom ring for you. But since you want the finished product, you can only pick from here. Most of them are ssic rings, and there wont be any stunning designs except for the shape of the diamonds. Karl waved his hand impatiently and, with a nce at Wayne, said, Well, Wayne, why on earth did you bring me here? You just told me that you think all the rings in this store are average. You know, Peace is a picky person. If she was as easy-going as Anna, then things would be a lot easier! But if I pick a ring that she doesnt like, then shes definitely not going to marry me. Wayne looked at him and said teasingly, Actually, I dont think shell marry you even if you buy the ring she likes. Im telling you, you better reconsider whether you want to propose to her or not. Maybe, Or Maybe Not in front of him and said, Thats because this store doesnt specialize in the finished jewelry. In fact, youd better wait for a while before you propose to her. That way, you can calm down and think about whether youre doing the right thing. Also, you can wait a little longer because they need time to make you the ring you want. How about you pick a diamond you like now? When Wayne finished, he nced at the store manager. The manager immediately understood what he meant and then sent the employee to the warehouse to get the diamonds. Is it toote? Karl asked. Wayne put down the coffee in his hand and said thoughtfully, Actually, this is not the problem you should worry about now. You should think about whether Peace has ever considered marrying you or not. Dont you forget, you havent even gotten back together until now? Youve brok Karl said thoughtfully, She thinks Im not serious, so she wont take me seriously either. But if I buy her a ring this time, she should know how I feel about it. Oh,I do want to know how shell answer me. When Wayne saw how determined Karl was, he couldnt help but be worried. He had grown up with Karl, so he knew what kind of a yboy Karl used to be. Karl had been to all the nightclubs and bars in Birmingham when he was in high school. Not only did he date many girls, but he had many one-night stands. So, if a strange girl said she was pregnant with Karls child, Wayne wouldnt even be surprised. If a yboy suddenly changed his old habits and got serious about a girl. Then, no one would probably believe his words. So, no girl who would like to live a quiet life would consider marrying him. Moreover, Peace was not an ordinary girl but a person with a unique personality. So, even if Karl bought her a diamond ring, she might not even marry him. I think Karl might fail this time, Wayne thought to himself. Just at that moment, the manager brought in a few diamonds. She put them on ck velvet and disyed them to Karl and Wayne. Those diamonds of various sizes were extremely dazzling, mapping the light of the light. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Karl looked around and pointed to thergest one in the middle, Okay, this one looks good. Karl looked at the sales clerks around him, and he could tell from their eyes that the diamond was costly. The manager remained calm because she was experienced and knew she should be professional She asked, What do you want that ring to look like? If you have a design in mind, you can tell us. Oh, I dont have too many requests. I just want it to be special and to fit her vibe. What kind of vibe? The clerk asked cautiously. Karl closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then said, Hot and sexy. The manager blinked in surprise, and then looked to Wayne, who was sitting on the side. She hoped he would say something to make her understand what Karl was talking about. Wayne frowned and moved away, saying indifferently, Oh, I dont know him. Karl acted as if he hadnt heard Waynes words. He said to the store manager, Hey, you know what, I can give you a few pictures of her. The designer can design ording to her vibe. It will be fine as long as your design can satisfy me. The store manager was relieved and d that Karl had given her the photos. Otherwise, she really had no idea how to describe such words to the designer. She said, Yes, well do our best. Do you have any other requests? Karl nced at Wayne and said, No, Im good. I remember that you said that you wanted them to see something. on Wayne handed the manager a picture and said, Can you make a ne like this? It was a silver chain with an emerald pendant on it, and it was gleaming and shimmering. This one? The manager froze when she saw it. Karl went over and took a look at the photo. Then, he said in surprise, Hey! Thats the ne you wanted to give to Charlotte Wilson six years ago! I remember that you lost it. You want to make a new one, huh? For whom? Wayne looked at him meaningfully. Karl shut up sharply and whispered, Im sorry, Ill stop talking. I know who is this for. Karl thought to himself, Wayne and Anna are so in love, so it must be for Anna. Karl thought for a moment and then couldnt help but say again, Oh my God, you want to give the same two nes to two people? Even though you didnt give it to her, its a little weird. Before Wayne could say anything, the manager said, Ah, Ive seen this ne before. Wayne looked up and replied, Well, I know. I had this ne customized in your store six years ago. So Porno The store manager said with aplicated expression, Oh, no, not that. A woman came to our store with this ne two months ago. She asked us if we could find out who customized that. Wayne frowned and asked, What? Do you have her number? I lost this ne six years ago. Ive been looking for it for years, but I couldnt find it. It looked like someone might have picked it up. Wayne thought to himself. Seeing Waynes expression, the manager knew how important the ne was. She immediately said, Dont worry, she left her phone number here. Ill go find it. Looking at the store manager in a hurry, Karl looked at Wayne in disbelief and asked, Tell me, is that ne that important to you? Wayne looked at him expressionlessly and replied, It was my grandmothers belongings. Karl crossed his legs and said,/ Hey, its just the two of us here, so dont act like it. I know it belonged to your grandmother. But youve had it customized and ready to give to Charlotte before. It seems that you still cant get over Charlotte after all these years, right? Wayne was only thinking about the woman who asked about casually, Well, whatever. Karl couldnt help but say more when he saw the look on Waynes face, Oh, I forgot to tell you that Charlotte called mest month. She said that she had almost finished her divorcewsuit, and should be back from France this month. I think that she has had a pretty rough time these years. So, if you havent gotten over her, you now have a good chance, bro. Ah, unlike you, I dont hold on to the past. Karl knew he was talking too much when he saw Waynes attitude. He leaned back on the couch and said, Okay, forget it. I think youd better tell Anna about this. When Charlottees back to town, youll definitely meet her. Im telling you, youd better tell Anna about this. Dont let her find out for herself, okay? You should trust me in this. I dont need to do this, Wayne said indifferently. Karl was amazed and couldnt help but exim, Hey, I envy you! Your girlfriend is good-tempered, and you can save a lot of trouble. Ugh, why would I be with Peace?! You asked for it, Wayne said without expression. The manager came back just as they were talking. Karl took a look at the number and then said, Hey, youre so lucky that its a local number. That would be so much easier! If she can answer our calls, then we just need to locate her phone. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Karl dialed that number before Wayne had a chance to stop him. The number you dialed does not exist. Please check it and dialter. they heard the system beep. Karl looked embarrassed, and Wayne remained calm and indifferent. Just then, Waynes cell Got it. After hanging up the phone, Wayne put it away. He nced at the manager and said, If that person comes back, please call my assistant. The manager immediately nodded her head. Then, Wayne stood up and said to Karl, Excuse me, Ill leave now. Karl chased after him, tugged on his arm, and asked, Wait! Where are you going? Wayne looked down at his arm. Karl immediately let go and said with a smile, Hey, I just heard you on the phone! Youre going to have dinner at Annas. Take me with you, please. Oh, no. She didnt ask me to bring you. I think maybe Peace didnt want to see you. Karl frowned and asked, No way! How could my fiance not want to see me? I just wanted you to give me a ride. Are you taking me or not? Nope. Well, then, Ill call Anna now and tell her about you and Charlotte. Waynes expression immediately turned somber. He said unpleasantly, Hey, Karl. Karls face went pale with fear when he heard his words. He immediately said, Ah! No, no. 1 was just kidding. Wayne turned and strode toward the mall entrance and said, Dont talk nonsense at Annas ce tonight. Karl followed immediately after realizing what Wayne meant. He assured, Dont worry, Im sure I wont say anything! Besides, I dont know exactly what happened between you two. Were eating at Annas new house? What are we eating? Thai food. . Oh, no, Im allergic to shrimp. If you dont want to go, you can skip it. Its okay, I can skip the shrimp! Lets buy some food and bring them over, okay? Oh, I see. Do you think theyll be embarrassed to kick you out if you bring food? Is that so? Hey, you dont have to say it out loud. Save me some dignity, will you? Youll have no dignityter, Wayne said meaningfully. Karl didnt even hear what Wayne meant because they often said that when they bicker. He was delighted that he would surprise Peace and ask her to marry him. However, he didnt even realize that he was in a terrible situation. When they arrived at Annas house, they saw a familiar person there. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Ryan, try this sd! Its delicious, and I bought it just for you. Thank you, Peace. Ill try it. Ryan nodded and then took the sd bowl Peace handed to him. RI Peace deliberately acted shy and said, Youre wee, dear. Karl thought their intimate interaction was an eyesore. However, he didnt say anything and just kept holding back. But, after a while, he finally couldnt help himself. He asked with hostility, Hey, Ryan, is it true that youve lost your memory? Well, even if its true, do you think its appropriate for you to do this? You are not working, and youre also being a freeloader all the time. Peace rolled her eyes at Karl and said, Its none of your business, for Gods sake! Obviously, youre the one who came here to eat for free! Why are you saying that about Ryan? Peace, why Peace raised her hand and roared, Shh, stop it. I dont want to argue with you today, Karl. So, shut up. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Karl was outraged. When Anna saw that he wanted to continue arguing, she immediately interrupted and said, All right, all right. I think you guys misunderstood something. You are all my guests, and none of you are freeloaders. I invited Ryan to dinner. He helped me out of the trouble, so Im very grateful to him. I also invited Karl here. When I called Wayne, he happened to be there. So, I invited him toe along for dinner. Annas words reminded Karl of the fact. An hour ago, he had been at the jewelry store and picked out a wedding ring for Peace. He didnt expect to be here watching Peace flirting with another man. Therefore, he immediately became angrier when he realized that Peace didnt care that he was there. The chicken wings should be ready. Excuse me, Ill go check on them. Ryan said abruptly and then walked away. He acted as if he didnt even notice that they were fighting over him. Ill go with you. Peace immediately put down her fork and followed him. Karl sat for a few seconds, and then mmed the spoon in his hand down hard on the table. After that, he walked to the kitchen as well Anna and Wayne were the only ones left at the table. Then, they looked at each other in surprise. Nothings going to happen, is it? Anna asked nervously. Huh? Who are you worried about? Anna said, Im worried about Ryan, of course. Did you see the look on Karls face? Im so scared that hes going to hit Ryan. Oh, dont worry. I think that if they fight, Ryan probably wont lose. Is that so? I dont think Ryan looks like he would fight. After all, hes still a kid! Wayne frowned unhappily after hearing this. He seemed to think that the word kid had nothing to do with Ryan. Ryan was a strong man who was six-foot-tall, and it seemed that he worked out a lot. Meanwhile, Karl was a man who only drank and had fun in his free time and didnt know how to fight at all. However, Ryan had the most attractive and innocent face. So, the female staff in the hotel were very fond of him. They often cleaned Ryans room in the hotel and sometimes, they even cleaned it ten times a day. So, looking at how worried Anna looked, Wayne shook his head resignedly and thought that she was overthinking. They didnt eat much that night. For the next hour, everyone kept preventing Peace and Karl from continuing to fight. But they couldnt stop the two, no matter how hard they tried. Finally, Peace and Karl offered to leave Annas house and go somewhere else to fight. After they left, the room was finally quiet. It was already midnight when all the guests had left. Anna dropped the two children off at the Wrights house and asked Peter to care for them. Anna and Wayne were left alone in the house. Anna was just putting all the tes in the sink when she felt someone hugging her from behind her. Then she eximed shyly, Hey, Wayne, stop it. It tickles. She felt very ticklish whenever someone touched her waist. So, she was most afraid of being touched on her waist, especially by Wayne. Fortunately, Wayne just held her and didnt move around. He rested his chin on her right shoulder and whispered, You know, itste. Anna knew what he was thinking. She blushed and muttered, Oh, you can go to bed if youre sleepy. I have so many dishes to wash! Wayne couldnt help but feel aroused when he heard her whisper. He rubbed his face against Annas neck and said in a muffled voice, Thats not a problem, Anna. You can do the dishes tomorrow. I have to work tomorrow. Then, let me do it. Before Anna had a chance to respond, Wayne kissed her. He caressed her waist, and then squeezed her soft breasts. Anna couldnt help but let out some moans, which echoed in therge apartment. Leaning helplessly against Waynes muscr chest, she was blushing and gasping for air. Not knowing where to put her hands, Anna stuck them in the air. Then water, mixed with foam, dripped down her fingers and fell onto the floor. By the time Anna managed to hold onto the edge of the sink, most of her clothes had already been taken off by Wayne. Looking at the half-naked beauty who blushed and panted for him, Wayne couldnt hold back No Other Choices waist and lifted the corner of her skirt with his other hand. Having made sure that her body was rested against the sink, Wayne shoved his hard and long C**k inside her. Ah Anna immediately let out a moan, with her hands gripping the edge of the sink tightly As Wayne moved, her breasts mmed into his chests repeatedly, making a pping sound. While they were making love, Anna identally hit the faucet switch. And the water immediately flowed out and sshed on both of them. The water was cold, but it did not cool their heated bodies. Wayne was very horny and excited, acting like a beast that was finally free after being caged for a long time. He made love to Anna many times until the early hours of the next day. Finally, Anna was so exhausted that she didnt even have the strength to stand. She copsed weakly in Waynes arms, looking weak. Wayne stopped only when he was afraid that she would be too exhausted. He then carried Anna to the bathroom to help her take a bath. Annay in the tub and fell asleep on his arm. Her body was covered with hickeys left by Wayne, and her hair was stered to her face from being soaked with water. Anna slept very deeply and peacefully. She didnt wake up even when Wayne was washing her body with water. When Wayne saw how attractive she was, he was being aroused again. However, he held back his desire. He gently kissed her forehead when he carried her back to the bedroom and ced her on the bed. Then, he held her tightly and fell asleep with her. Wayne had always been a sensible man. He acted maturely as a child because he was too rational. So, adults didnt like him much, and other children wouldnt hang out with him. As a result, he did not like to be around people and did not have any emotional connections with others after growing up. Even though he respected his grandfather, they were not intimate. His parents marriage taught him that marriage might not always be reliable. In response, he was determined and convinced that he would never marry. His grandfather told him he had to have a child and threatened him with the career he valued most. Even then, he would fight back in his own way. Therefore, he found a surrogate to give him a child. However, he had never been so sure as at this moment that he had fallen in love with Anna. He and Anna got along perfectly well, and the sex was great. So, he held the firm belief that she was the love of his life. Wayne thought, If I have to be with someone in my life like my grandfather expected, I could live with that. But that person could only be Anna because I love her so much. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 The boss of Ennd branch of SG Travel Group ising in the afternoon. She is going to personally examine the qualifications of our hotel. So, no one can make a single mistake, including the cleaning ladies and the chefs. Understand? Great! Lets go for it! Anna just finished a meeting in the conference room of the Carousel Hotel. Previously, the headquarters had negotiated long-term cooperation with SG, a well-known foreign tourism group. The preliminary work had beenpleted, and all that was left was the on-site examination. Coincidentally, the SG group had selected Annas hotel in the draw. Therefore, as long as the team thought the hotel was qualified, they could sign up for a long-term partnership. After that, all SGs Ennd branch travelers would stay at the Carousel Hotel. It was a scorching afternoon, and the hotel managers were waiting for the group toe to the entrance. After a while, a ck Bentley pulled up at the front door. Then, an assistant got off from the passenger side and opened the back seat door. The first thing everyone saw was a pair of four-inch shiny high heels. Then, it was followed by a pair of long, slender legs. The woman held the door and stepped out of the car. The ck jumpsuit she was wearing made her look particrly tall. Her hair was delicately pinned up, with curly bangs on one side of her face. She was wearing diamond earrings from Bulgari and red lipstick, looking like a mighty and domineering woman. Everyone looked at each other suspiciously. SG was a well-known international travel group, and Birmingham was a famous tourist city. So, no one expected that the manager of their Ennd branch looked just in her mid-twenties. The woman was not only young, but also very pretty. So, of course, people were puzzled. The hotels general manager was the first toe forward and ask, Hello. Are you Charlotte Wilson, the president of SG Ennd? Yes, its me. The woman took off her sunsses and smiled gracefully Hello, Im Vincent Jones. Were ready for the examination. So,e on in. Charlotte nodded and said, Ah, that would be great. Ive just been transferred back to Ennd. I know that the Carousel Group is well known and ssy. But, this is my first contract since I took over this position. So, I want to make sure my clients can get the best service. Please dont mind if Im being picky. No, we wont. Pleasee in. Vincent said. Everyone entered the hotel after Vincent and Charlotte exchanged pleasantries at the door. However, Anna always felt that Charlotte had looked at her several times, and she hoped it was just an illusion. Our hotel is the oldest of the Carousel hotel chain. However, our facilities are all up-to-date. You see, the decor here Wait a minute. Charlotte suddenly interrupted Vincent. She stopped at the lounge area. Staring at the vase of flowers on the coffee table for a moment, she then walked over quickly. She said sternly, Why are there flowers here? Vincent tensed up but had no idea what she meant. Charlotte said with displeasure and frustration, You know, everyone maye to the hotel. people from the upper ss often have some special personal habits. You have ced flowers in the lobby, and thats nice and pretty. But, have you considered that there might be guests who are allergic to the pollen? Oh my God! Sorry, we didnt notice it. Well get rid of the flowers right now. Vincent said. Then, he red hard at his assistant and said, Put away all the flowers in the hotel as soom as possible. Charlotte frowned as she saw the assistants work tag and said, Wait. What kind of ountability mechanism do your hotel have? The lobby manager is supposed to be in charge of this matter today. But clearly, theyre not. Vincent froze for a moment, and then immediately looked nervously to his side. Anna was the duty manager of the lobby today. However, everyone knew about the fact that Anna and Wayne were dating. Even if she was ountable for this matter, Vincent knew he couldnt embarrass Anna in front of so many people. Just at this tense moment, Anna, standing in the crowd, suddenly said, Yes, its me. Im the manager on duty in the lobby today. Sorry, I didnt notice the flowers here. Charlotte looked at Anna. In a beige lobby managers uniform, Anna stepped firmly out of the crowd Charlotte read aloud the name on her badge and said, Anna Gabriel. You have a nice name. Anna frowned for a moment and replied, Thank you. Ill take care of the flowers right away. And, I will assure you that nothing like this will ever happen again. I hope this mishap will not affect your companys overall opinion of our hotel. Charlotte nced at Vincent and said meaningfully, Oh, you can fix the mistake, but its not easy to fix the person who made a mistake, isnt it? Vincent, it looks like just about anyone in your hotel could be a manager. Her remark was so harsh that it was like pping Anna in front of everyone. Anna felt very embarrassed. She thought that maybe because she might have been praised a lot recently, she suddenly felt humiliated by such a severe rebuke. Afterwards, her face was flushed. Stay here, Miss Gabriel. You dont have toe with us, Charlotte said indifferently and then left with the crowd. After everyone got into the elevator, Wendy immediatelyforted Anna. She said indignantly, Miss Gabriel, why dont you exin to that woman? You didnt put that flower here. You Dont Have to Follo You shouldnt be med by her for no reason. Anna gave a bitterugh and said, I cant, Wendy. I cant say that Vincent put the flowers here. You know, a lot of people were here just now. If I say that, I would be asking the entire hotel to take the me. If an employee like me made a mistake, we could be forgiven. Also, our errors wont affect thepany in any way. But a senior manager like Vincent would be in big trouble if he does something wrong. Im not a senior manager, so I can take the me, Anna thought to herself. Oh, no! You must feel terrible! Im so sorry. Wendy said as if she looked was the one being misunderstood. Anna squeezed her hand and said with a fake smile, Come on, Wendy. I dont feel bad at all, so dont be upset. You go to work now. Im happy that she doesnt need me to keep herpany because I can take a break now. Okay, Im going back to my office to read the papers. Bye. After that, she went to wait for the elevator, as if she was not affected by what had just happened. However, as soon as she entered the elevator, Annas smile quickly disappeared. She looked at herself in the mirror and then let out a long sigh. What a shame! She thought to herself. Charlotte stayed in a VIP suite on the top floor that afternoon. Charlotte, this is the room we prepared for you. This is the most expensive room in our hotel, and there are only two suites like this on each floor. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Thank you, Charlotte said. After they left, Charlotte closed the door and sat on the sofa to make a phone call. The moment the phone was dialed, Charlotte immediately became a different person. She said, Hey. Karl, Im back! Guess where I am now? Im in Waynes hotel! Oh, no. Im not here to have fun, but to work. Mypany is cooperating with Carousel Hotel. Ill talk to youter, okay? Lets have dinner together tonight. Youre not avable? Oh, thats okay. But, you have to to get me a date with Wayne. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 All right. Thank you. Youre the best! Charlotte said with a smile. After taking her shoes off, Charlotte leaned back on the couch. She was giggling the whole time when she was talking. But when she thought of something, she suddenly stoppedughing. She immediately asked earnestly, Hey, Karl, I remember that you told me earlier that Wayne has a girlfriend. Is she the lobby manager named Anna Gabriel? Oh, nothing. I happened to see her at the hotel today. Shes pretty gorgeous, I thought. Well, I have to hang up now, sorry. Ill take you to dinner in a few days, okay? After Charlotte hung up the phone, she put the phone aside. Then, she sat down on the sofa and wrapped her hands around her legs. She leaned back on the cushion and then began to ponder. She thought to herself, the woman I saw this morning is Waynes girlfriend. I think she is young and pretty. But shes not as beautiful as me. Also, I feel that she is a pushCover and has nothing special. I thought Wayne did not like that kind of woman. Did Wayne make a random woman his girlfriend because he thought that he had to get married? Well, I dont care what kind of woman she is. As long as she is Waynes girlfriend, she is my rival in love. Charlotteughed contemptuously. She came back to Ennd for one purpose only, to win back Wayne and get back together with him. Anna was working as usual at noon the next day. As she cruised through the lobby, she saw a familiar car pull up in front of the hotel. And her eyes immediately lit up, and then she quickly walked over to the door. However, she had barely taken a few steps when she saw two people step out of the car. They were Wayne and Charlotte. I think you need to buy me lunch, Wayne. You see, I got you such a big order! You know, I did it just for you. There will be a lot of guests staying in your hotel, whether its low or high season for tourism. Oh, thank you. What do you want to eat? I really want to eat the local food. Ive been in France for so long, and Ive never had British food. Just as they were talking, they both saw Anna, who was in front of them looking at them. Charlotte frowned and said unhappily to Anna, Gee, its you. Ive already told you that your manager can punish you all he wants. But I cant say nice things to him for you. Besides, youre an irresponsible employee, and I dont want to see you right now. Annas face immediately darkened after hearing Charlottes words. She clenched her hands into fists. She walked over to them because she wanted to say hello to Wayne. However, she The Ne Is Lost immediately realized that if she spoke to Wayne, she would embarrass him. Anna felt so angry and ashamed that she wanted to disappear from the world instantly Oh, sorry. Im really sorry. Anna said and immediately left. Wayne looked at her back and frowned. He asked Charlotte, What happened? Charlotteughed, and then briefly told Wayne what happened yesterday. She then said, You know that if people are severely allergic to pollen, they can have respiratory failure. Youve seen cases like this, havent you? Miss Gabriel is the manager of the lobby. How can you let a careless person like her be in such an important position? I think its time for you to fire her. Wayne nced at her and said, Oh, its not a big deal. And Charlotte, I remember that in the past, you didnt care about details like that. Charlotte blinked and said, Gee, I used to be just a regr employee. But now Im the president of a bigpany. You know, my job is a tough one, and I cant make mistakes. Wayne nodded and didnt say anything. He looked at Annas back and then got a mixed feeling in his heart. He said, Well, Charlotte, youve certainly grown up. But lets drop it this time. Drop it? What are you talking about? Why should I let this go? Wayne, you used to be very strict. When you saw such irresponsible employees in the past, you would fire them immediately. Oh, well, I see. Maybe its because you think shes pretty that you cant bear to fire her. Shes my fiance, Wayne said briefly. Charlotte stoppedughing immediately after hearing his words. At night, a banquet was held at the hotel to celebrate that the hotel passed the examination smoothly. Anna was also there because she was invited. Sitting next to Wayne, she felt ufortable because of what happened between Charlotte and her before. Charlotte lifted her ss and said to Anna, Please allow me to start by giving a toast to Miss Gabriel. Im sorry, and I didnt know you were Waynes fiance before. I shouldnt have spoken to you like that. Charlotte was very shrewd. By saying that, she meant a lot of things. She apologized to Anna to show how forgiving she was. She also seemed to mean that she was apologizing to her for Waynes sake. Not only that, but she implied that Anna was not capable at all. In her opinion, Anna could be a manager only because she was Waynes girlfriend. Its okay. After all, I was the one who made a mistake at work. Anna said and then forced herself to give Charlotte a toast. In fact, she was actually angry Just as Anna was about to drink, Wayne stopped her. Then, he said to Charlotte, Let me drink this for her, okay? Shes not very good at drinking. He took Annas ss and then finished all the wine. Anna felt less depressed when she saw Wayne drinking for her. I cans always get what I want. Although Im not doing so well at work, Im doing very well in dealing with rtionships. Anna thought to herself. However, neither of them noticed that Charlotte became very upset when she saw Wayne drinking for Anna. Wayne drank a lot of wine at the dinner, and he had rarely done that before. When the party was over, Wayne went to the restroom. Anna sat in the lounge and waited for him. However, she waited there for a long time and found that Wayne hadnte out yet. Anna guessed that he might have thrown up in the restroom because he drank too much wine. Then, she went to the front desk and asked for a ss of hot water and a hot towel. Anna walked towards the restroom to look for him. But, just as she reached the restroom door, she heard a woman talking. Anna immediately stopped and stood in the doorway. Then, she nced at the sign on the door and confirmed that it was the mens room. Next, Anna realized who the woman was and then froze. Wayne, Im sorry. Im here to apologize to you for all the wrong things I did six years ago. You know, I was only twenty at the time. I was young and naive. At that time, I didnt know what love was, and I just wanted to cancel my familys engagement for us. So, I didnt even think about whether I loved you or not before leaving you. Anna stumbled at the door. She looked inside and saw Wayne standing there with his back to her. Also, Charlotte leaned against his chest and whimpered in a low voice. Waynes tall body blocked her so that Anna couldnt see her face. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Wayne, I know you love me. And you wont abandon me. Karl told me about the ne. Your grandmother told you to make a ne for your future wife from her emerald ne. And, I know you made one for me. I regret it so much now, Wayne. I shouldnt have left you. Im sorry. At that moment, Anna suddenly felt her mind go nk. She could hear her ears ringing and the sound of her rapid heartbeat. She thought she had lost the ability to think. She wanted to escape, but she felt like she couldnt move her legs as if they were out of control. Then, Wayne raised his hand and embraced Charlotte. Charlotte, the ne is lost. He whispered. His low voice echoed in therge bathroom. He spoke softly and clearly as if he felt very sorry for that Anna found that she could not stand it any longer. Then she immediately turned around and fled. She kept running. After a while, she ran out of the hotel and onto the road nearby. Eventually, Anna stopped and stood on a random street. As she gasped for air, many cars were driving past her. Standing by a streetlight, Anna bent over her knees and panted heavily. At that moment, she realized that the ss in her hand was already empty and the towel had long been cold. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 After walking out of the bathroom, the first thing Wayne did was look for Anna. However, he didnt see her. He asked the receptionist where she went, but they had just changed shifts and didnt know what had just happened. She probably went back home. You know, itste. Charlotte said and took Waynes hand. Then she leaned against Wayne, blinking her reddened eyes and saying in a muffled voice, Wayne, Im a little tired. Would you take me home? They stood at the front desk, making the receptionists look stunned. The receptionists stared dumbfounded at them and wondered what was going on. They all knew that Wayne was in a rtionship with Anna. So, they didnt know why Charlotte was so close to Wayne. Wayne absentmindedly nced at the hotel door and then had an ominous feeling. He knew that Anna wouldnt leave the banquet without telling him, even if she had something urgent to take care of. After all, Anna had never done such a thing before. Charlotte seemed so drunk that she closed her eyes and didnt move when she leaned on his shoulder. He frowned and told the driver to take her home first. They arrived at a threeCstory vi on the west side of town. In the living room on the first floor, Charlotte took one of Waynes hands affectionately. She tilted her head, saying inartictely, Wayne, you can think about what I said. Oh, you dont have to answer me in a hurry because I can wait for you. Wayne was about to walk away. When he heard her words, he paused. He looked down at Charlotte, who was lying on the couch and then shook her hand away He said, No, Charlotte. Youre drunk. No! Im not drunk. Charlotte still didnt want to stop. She threw her arms around Waynes waist and seemed to be crying. She said, Wayne, Im scared. Dont go. Stay with me, okay? Wayne didnt shake her off again, but his gaze was indifferent. He said, I called your brother, and hell come overter. Charlotte froze, and then slowly withdrew her arms around his waist. She sat on the couch with her head hanging. Her curly bangs blocked her face. Even so, Wayne could tell she was very disappointed. Then, he frowned. After a long time, she suddenly raised her head andined, Wayne, how could you do this to me! I was just joking with you. If you dont want to stay here, you can leave. Why did you tell my brother? Is it true that he willeter? If he knows that Im drunk, hell me me. Hearing that, Wayne stopped frowning. He went back to Annas apartment immediately after he left Charlottes house. But he found +25 Points 161 Waynes Ex-Girlfriend that she wasnt home and didnt seem to havee back. He then called Anna, but she didnt answer. He called Henry, and Henry said she hadnt been there. Mr. Wright, where are we going now? Gabe asked. He had just pulled the car out of the block where Annas house was. To Peaces, Wayne said. Gabe looked up in the rear view mirror and noticed that Wayne frowning and looking upset Wayne hadnt expected Charlotte to return to Ennd at all. This incident had disrupted his ns entirely. Half an hourter, he arrived at Peaces house. Youre looking for Anna the middle of the night? Are you kidding me?! You guys had a fight, didnt you? Peace yawned and then sat down on the couch. What? Shes really not here? Wayne stood in the living room and looked around Peaces messy apartment. Finally, he looked skeptically at the bedroom. Of course shes not here! Its early in the morning, Wayne. Will you let me have a good sleep? You dont need to work, but I do. I have to get up early in the morning. Oh, hey, what are you doing? Peace immediately jumped up from the couch. She didnt walk over to Wayne until she saw Wayne strutting over to the bedroom door. Wayne opened the door as he saw a dim light in the bedroom. Just as he walked into the bedroom, the man in the bed immediately jumped up in shock. That man pulled the covers up and wrapped them around his body. Then, he eximed, Holy S**t! Wayne, why didnt you knock? You know this is a bedroom, right? Wayne looked stunned at Karls frightened look and said, Oh, Karl, hi. Did Annae by? Karl covered his chest and asked, dumbfounded, Hey! What do you think? Of course not! Wayne nodded, closed the door and left. Peace shouted goodbye to him, her voice echoing in the quiet night. Peace stared at Karl andmented, You can go now. Hey! How can you kick me out like that? I just helped you out! Cut the crap. Cant you see Im busy? Peace then called out towards the balcony, Anna, hes gone,e on in. Karl muttered as he lifted the covers, picked up his shirt from the floor, and put it on. Anna opened the balcony door and walked in with her head down. She said, Thanks. Originally, Anna nned to go straight home. But at the thought that Wayne had been staying at her house these days, she went to Peaces house instead. When she arrived at Peaces door, she surprisingly saw Karl sitting at the door. He told her that they hadnt made up yet and that Peace had shut him out. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Peace frowned, and then asked Anna to sit on the bed. She said, Hey, its okay. Whats going on? You seem scared, dear. She definitely had a fight with Wayne! Karl said immediately. Peace rolled her eyes at him and said, Will you ever shut up? If you say one more word, Ill kick you out of here. Karl immediately stopped talking. Peace took Annas hand and said, Dont listen to his bulls**t. Anna, whats going on? Tell me. Anna lowered her head and said in a low voice, I saw Wayne hugging Charlotte. Hearing that, Peace froze, and then immediately sprang up from the bed. She asked in surprise, What the hell?! Is she the president of SG Ennd, the mean woman you mentioned before?? Anna nodded. In fact, her mind was in a mess that she didnt even know what she was talking about. All she could think of was the scene in which Wayne and Charlotte hugging each other. Peace clenched his fist and shouted, Damn it! I knew that all men are goodCforCnothing in this world! You just got rid of Ada. And herees another woman?! I think theyre lying when they say that Wayne doesnt like having women around. There are so many women flirting with him! Dont these women know that hes got a girlfriend? They are too shameless. Shes his exCgirlfriend, I suppose. Anna interrupted Peace sorrowfully. Anna was confused when hearing the conversation between Charlotte and Wayne. She hadnt even thought that Wayne actually had a girlfriend that he was going to get married with before, which was why she was caught off guard and had to run away. She had always thought that Wayne was a decisive man and that he treated every woman the same way. Even when Ada was with him, pretending to be his fiance, he hadnt treated her very well. Meanwhile, apparently, Wayne was being gentle and patient with Charlotte. Also, Anna realized that the ne she had taken off of Wayne was the token of love between him and Charlotte. Peace froze for a few seconds beforeing back to her senses. Feeling surprised, she asked, He has an exCgirlfriend? Karl! I remember you telling me that Wayne doesnt have an ex! Karl asked worriedly, You guys said that I couldnt talk. So, can I keep quiet now? Peace clenched her fists and threatened, Are you saying you know what happened between Charlotte and Wayne? Of course! The three of us grew up together Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Sensing that something was off, Karl kept his mouth shut. Then, Anna turned back to Karl and looked at him sorrowfully. Theyve known each other since they were kids, she thought to herself. Peace urged him, Ah, it turns out that you do know about it! Tell me everything. Karl looked at the two women and realized that if he didnt tell the truth, hed be screwed. After thinking for a while, Karl decided to betray Wayne for the time being. Charlottes surname is Wilson. Her family knows our family and the Wrights for many years. Wayne, her two brothers and me are about the same age, so we used to hang out together when we were kids. However, Wayne was a bit of a loner and didnt like to y with us. Charlotte was younger, and we didnt like to y with her. So, Wayne always spent time with her. Their parents were happy to see that these two children hit it off. And Waynes father had always wanted a daughter before. So, he treated Charlotte as his daughter. Every time he saw her, he was happier than seeing Wayne. Therefore, Charlottes father and Waynes father set up a marriage engagement for the two children. Wayne did not object to this matter. Moreover, it was good for the Wilson family because they could be rtives to a wealthy and influential family like the Wrights. Their marriage was set. And everyone was waiting for Charlotte toe back and marry Wayne after studying in France. But Later on, Charlotte fell in love with a French man while she was in France. To break the engagement with Wayne, she went back to Birmingham and had a huge fight with her parents. And then their engagement was canceled, and Charlotte married the romantic French man as she wished. Generally, the story should ended with Charlotte living happily ever after with her husband. But, it turned out that Charlotte fell in love with the wrong man. The French man treated her well, but he often cheated on her. A few yearster, they finally divorced. Heartbroken, Charlotte went back to Ennd. Well, thats it. Its notplicated. So dont overthink about it, guys. Waynes father died years ago, and Charlotte had married and divorced. Just let bygones be bygones. Karl finished telling the story of Wayne and Charlotte over the decades in a few words. However, although he deliberately described things very briefly, Anna knew that they were deeply in love before. Anna thought, but he refused it when Peter forced him to get married six years ago. The only reasonable exnation was that Wayne still hadnt gotten over Charlotte. Annas face turned pale. She merely clutched the gray sheets and felt her brain was very confused. She felt as if a hurricane had blown through her brain and only ruins remained. Wayne and Charlotte had known each other since they were children and had been with each other for twenty years. Anna realized that she had lost in the battle of love from the beginning Anna Peace said, bringing Anna back to her senses. Oh, dont worry, Im fine. I just need to take a break. Okay, honey. You can sleep in the room you stayed in before. Watching Anna leave in a daze, Peace stood in ce and did not know what to do. At that moment, she heard Karl sigh. She turned around and snapped, Hey, why are you sighing? I havent med you yet! Why didnt you tell me that Wayne has an exCgirlfriend? If I had known about it, I would have told Anna! Everyone knew that choosing between a current and an ex was always tricky, which was why Peace was so angry that Karl hadnt told her about Wayne having an exCgirlfriend. After being scolded, Karl said awkwardly, I didnt tell you because its Waynes own business. I thought he would tell Anna himself. But none of us expected Charlotte toe back out of the blue. Peace sat on the edge of the bed and asked, So why did shee back? Karl waved his hands and said, I swear I really dont know! I just know she had just gotten divorced. Oh, I guess she probably wanted to get Wayne back. Peace raised her eyebrows, What? Is she trying to get him back? Thats insane! What about Anna? Hey! I cant say anything about his love life! Karl covered his mouth and yawned. Then. he lifted a corner of the covers and was about to sleep. Peace lifted her leg, kicked his butt, and said, I didnt allow you to sleep here! Sleep on the couch. Peace, how can you do this to me?! I just betrayed my best buddy. Dont you think Im a good guy? Dont you want me to have a good ce to sleep? Karl looked miserable. Im already kind enough to allow you sleep on my couch. If you dont want to, then get out of my house. Anna tossed and turned for the whole night and woke up early the following day. Karl slept on the couch all night. When Anna got up, she identally woke Karl up. Looking at his watch on the coffee table, Karl asked in surprise, Youre going to work? Its only five oclock! Anna was getting ready to open the door with her bag in hand. She looked asposed as if nothing had happenedst night. Yes, good morning. Sorry that I woke you up. Im going to go to work early today. You can go sleep in the guest room, Karl. Karl nodded dazedly. He then went to the bedroom with the cushions. However, he turned the corner in the wrong direction and went into the main bedroom. Anna didnt correct him. She just smiled and left Peaces house. What happened to Wayne did surprise her. But, she knew that life must go on and work must go on. She still nned to get Matthew back to her. She thought that since she had kept some secrets from Wayne, she would continue to hide them until he found out about it. Good morning, Miss Gabriel. Good morning. As Anna walked into the hotel, she met many people who were on the night shift and ready to change shifts. She said hello to them before going to the cafeteria for breakfast. She had just turned on her phone when she saw that Ryan had called her and sent a text message. After ncing at it, she called Ryan. Are you awake? She asked. She heard Ryan breathe heavily and say, Yes, I just finished my morning run. I just saw your text. Do you have your trip all nned out? Its so soon. Youre nning to leave today? Well, Im going to several ces. Im nning to leave early to get things done sooner. Lets meet up and talk. Im in the cafeteria; what do you want to eat? The usual, thanks. Anna packed a sandwich and a cup of coffee for him. She hadnt even reached the elevator when she saw a man approaching her and standing in front of her. She frowned, gripped the bag, and said, Good morning, Mr. Wright. Youe to work early today. Wayne breathed a sigh of relief and said, Ah, I came to see you. Oh, all right. But, Im going to bring Ryan breakfast and talk to him about something. After realizing how indifferent she was, Wayne asked irritably. Where were youst night? Hed been looking for her all night. When he heard the staff say they saw her in the cafeteria in the morning, he immediately rushed over. He didnt know why she was talking to him like that. I have something personal to deal with, sorry. Anna walked past him and pressed the button of the elevator. What is it? Wayne asked. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Oh, its just something personal. Wayne, everyone has their own privacy, and you should respect that. You cant expect me to tell you all my secrets. Wayne stared at her and asked, annoyed, What do you mean? If youre not doing something shady, then you can tell me. Wayne felt angry. He had been looking for her all night, and was d to finally found her in the morning. However, she said she had to bring breakfast to another man, which was uneptable to Wayne. Also, she was also very cold to him. Just when both of them became hostile to each other, there came the sound of the elevator arriving. Anna turned her back to Wayne and said, What about you? You didnt say anything to me about you and Charlotte either, did you? Chapter 163 Chapter 163 I see, so thats why youre angry. Tell me, what did Charlotte say to you? Wayne looked at her with a complicated expression. When he couldnt find Annast night, he thought that maybe she knew something about what happened between Charlotte and him. After all, he had only learned a few days ago that the president of SG Ennd was Charlotte. At that point, Charlotte had been staying in the hotel for several days. Anna smiled mockingly and replied, Oh, dont you worry. She didnt say anything to me. Plus, I dont think she even wanted to talk to me. After all, youve known each other since you were kids. Shes your real fiance, and the love of your life. She can prove everything just by standing next to you. Youre a cute couple and a match made in heaven, am I right? Wayne interrupted her and said unhappily, Anna, do you know what youre talking about? Stop saying that. No, I dont Anna turned her face to the side, deliberately not looking at him. Stop it. If you want to know what really happened between us, then lets go to your office and Ill tell you all about it. You know, I dont like it when women are unreasonable. And, I dont think youre a unreasonable woman. Anna clenched her fists hard after hearing his words. She thought about it all night and eventually tried to pretend that she didnt care. But, when she saw Wayne, she knew she couldnt pretend anymore. She hadpletely lost her mind and turned into an irrational jealous woman. But even though she knew she acted like that, it didnt mean that Wayne could say that to her face. So, Anna was heartbroken. She quickly got into the elevator and said, Oh, forget it. Im not in the mood for that. Lets talk about thister. Well, I need to be alone and have a little time to think about it anyway. Anna thought. Ryan had already packed up his luggage. When he saw Anna, he began to tell her about his overall n. However, Anna had been distracted and didnt seem to be listening to him at all. You look a little haggard. Whats wrong? Are you not feeling well? Ryan asked, frowning at her with concern. Anna snapped back and tried to change the subject, saying, Oh, Im fine. When will your ne take off? Ill drop you off at the airport. You dont need to do that, Anna. The ne leaves at three in the afternoon. Youre supposed to be at work then, so you might not make it. Anna smiled and said, Oh, I can do that. Ill just take a short leave. After leaving Ryans room, Anna went straight back to her office. As she walked down the hallway, she encountered many employees who came to work. When they saw her, they all said hello to her. However, Anna always felt that there was something strange about the way they looked at her. Only when she opened the door to her office did she understand why. She realized that instead of leaving, Wayne was sitting in her office. Oh, hi. What are you doing here? Anna froze as she touched the doorknob. Anna, I need to talk to you about what happenedst night. You can leave the door open if you want everyone outside to hear our conversation. Anna froze and then immediately nced behind her. The offices on this floor were all extremely quiet, and people passing by seemed to be trying to eavesdrop them. She frowned, closed the door and asked, What do you want to tell me? About Charlotte. I swear I didnt know that she was the president of SG Group until yesterday Wayne said directly.. Anna stopped frowning, but still remain silent. Wayne then said, Youre mad at me for not telling you about what happened between Charlotte and me, arent you? Well, Ill tell you everything now, since its not a secret. Charlotte and I are just close friends. My father was very fond of her when he was alive, so he got us engaged. Then, my father passed away, and she married someone else. So, our engagement was called off. His side of the story was not far from what Karl had said, but Anna still felt upset. I dont like to be misunderstood. So, I think I have to exin this to you before I leave. Anna immediately looked up and asked, What? Where are you going? Ah, to London. Im going to deal with a real estate project, and I may be gone for a while. Wayne said, and his low voice echoed in the office. Anna was still jealous. But just as she heard he was leaving, she was immediately shocked. The whole sudden separation from him thing overwhelmed her. Well, do you want to ask me about anything else? Wayne asked. Anna looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and finally shook her head. I already knew what was going on. But, I still minded their rtionship. I didnt know if Wayne would ever get back to her, but I couldnt control that. Besides, I couldnt get it out of my mind right away. Anna thought to herself. As his gaze became hard to read, Wayne took two steps closer to her and said, Anna, my flight leaves at 2:00 pm. Also, I hope that you can tell me about your past when Ie back. You can ask me about my history, and then I want to know yours too. He had looked into Annas profile when he first met her. However, he found almost nothing. He knew that Annas profile seemed to have been revised during her years abroad. Gabe searched what she had gone through abroad for a long time, but couldnt find anything. Wayne didnt even try to hide his past from Anna. However, he found out that Annas years abroad seemed to be a bigger secret. After Wayne left, Anna sat alone in her office chair, lost in thought. She felt as if the experiences of the past few months had been a dream she had had. Everything had happened so quickly, and time had passed so soon. As a result, her n was disrupted. Also, the longer she dated with Wayne, the more she was unsure whether she should tell him that she was that surrogate. Just when she thought Wayne was in love with her, Charlotte came along. Charlotte made her realize that Wayne was not only tender to her. So Anna could no longer confidently say that Wayne loved only her. Just as she was thinking about it, her phone rang. She heard Peace say seriously, Anna, Karl had just told me something. Get ready for that, will you? Dont worry, go ahead. Charlottes family seems to be preparing to meet Waynes grandfather recently. Theyre nning to renegotiate her marriage to Wayne with him. Is that so? Ah, its okay. Its not a big deal, Anna breathed a sigh of relief and didnt take the matter seriously Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She knew that Peter couldnt make decisions for Wayne about his marriage. Only Wayne could decide if he wanted to get married and to whom. Peace immediately shouted, Dear God! How could you be calm? Anna, I think you have to do something about that. Youd better ask your dad for some money now. Karl said that the Wilsons are nning to put up a lot of money and property as Charlottes dowry. Theyve got the shares, the stores and the property ready to go. You know, they spent all that money just to get Charlotte married to Wayne. Annaughed aloud and said, Why do they need to spend money when they marry their daughter off? Thats ridiculous. Peace was shocked, saying, Maybe they think that it will be a reciprocal investment. Peace, you just advised me to break up with himst night. You said a man like him wasnt worth me paying for him and keeping him. But, I dont think Wayne made any mistake! The only thing he did wrong was not telling you about it in advance. And I think that even if he had told you about Charlotte in advance, it wouldnt have been good for you. If you knew about it, you would only feel sad. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Anna was about to call Frank Dad when she realized that he thought she was a nurse. Then, she froze. How long have I slept? Frank asked as he sat up from the bed and leaned over it. He looked as if he was about to get out of bed. Anna immediately reached out to help him, but he pushed her away. He said, No, thanks. Its okay. I can do it myself. With that, he got out of bed on his own. He fumbled with his shoes and then touched the end of the bed. Then, he slowly walked toward the balcony by holding the things along his way. It seems to be a pretty nice day, doesnt it? He said, then walked to the balcony. Immediately afterward, Anna opened the door for him. Frank nodded, walked out onto the balcony, and said, Thank you. The air is pretty fresh here. It just rained, didnt it? As he spoke, he suddenly stumbled and tripped over a chair. Dad! Anna cried out in shock. Frank held on to the edge of the chair and stood still. Then, he looked back at Anna in surprise. Anna? Is that you? He asked, and then frozed. Anna walked up quickly to help him and said, Yes, its me. Dad, why didnt you tell me you were sick? Although Frank looked surprised, he was delighted. He said, Come on, have a seat, Anna. Well, I didnt think I needed to tell you about this. Itsmon for people to get sick as they get older. This illness of mine isnt terrible, and it doesnt hurt. Im just having a little trouble moving around. Honey, rx, its no big deal. He said casually, trying to show that he was not bothered by the disease. However, Anna felt mixed emotions. Dad, why did you move to a nursing home? Cant they all take care of you? Shirley is working at thepany, and Allie is getting ready to get married. Oh, by the way, did you get your invitation to Allies wedding? Anna hesitated for a few seconds and replied, Yes. She knew Allie was getting married. However, she knew it from Peace. Peace had a lot of friends, and quite a few of them had received their invitations. But, as her sister, Anna was not invited. Anna didnt want to tell Frank about it because he was already sick, and she didnt want to make her angry. So, she lied. Anna, Allie has been spoiled by her mother since childhood. Shes a grumpy kid, and I knew about that. But, no matter what, shes your sister. Will you go to her wedding? Just for my sake, darling, please. Frank nodded gratefully and held Annas hand, Thats great. Anna, I know you dont like Shirley and Allie, but you never fought with them because youre afraid Ill be upset. Youre a good girl, honey, just like your mother. Do you still remember my mother? Yes. How could I forget about her? Frank seemed to remember the past. His unfocused eyes looked at the air as if he had mixed feelings. His voice was mournful as if he was feeling guilty and remorseful for what had happened. Gee, Ill meet your mother in heaven. And I dont know what Im going to say to her yet! Anna just sat quietly. She didnt know what to say tofort him or what would be appropriate to say She stayed with her father at the sanatorium for the whole afternoon before leaving. When she came home, she just felt that the house was empty, like a giant box, and it did not make her feel less lonely My father thought he had met his true love at that time. So. he abandoned his wife, who started his business with him. Now hes old, and theres no one by his side. I am his daughter, but we sometimes dont understand each other. So, the only one who can be with him in his old age is his partner. Some people search their whole life for true love, but they never find the love of their life. Anna thought Anna then asked herself, Have I found the love of my life? Anna kept thinking about this. She didnt turn on the light and sat in the dark for a long time. Then, as if she suddenly woke up, she booked a flight on her phone. She packed her luggage and went downstairs, and then quickly took a taxi to the airport. It was already July. Compared to Birmingham, London was hotter and more bustling. It waspletely dark by the time Anna got off the ne. As soon as she stepped out of the airport, she felt the heat. It was a good thing she came here in the evening, as there was no sunshine. Hello, can you take me to the Carousel Hotel on Central Road, please? Anna knew that Wayne would stay in his hotel whenever he traveled. It was already midnight when the meeting ended. Wayne walked out of the conference room, surrounded by the staff. He then summarized the meeting in the hallway as Gabe recorded the contract changes on his iPad. I think the terms they came up with are eptable. But, we dont have to act like we can ept it easily Okay, I got it. Ill talk to them again tomorrow morning alone. Then, Ill make them aware that we wont ept the new terms easily. Well, great. Wayne stopped abruptly. At that moment, all three men behind him stopped along with him. Not knowing what was happening, they all looked in the direction Wayne was looking. At the sight of the person in the suites doorway, Gabe was startled and said, Miss Vuuri Oh, Mr. Wright, well leave you alone then. Well go get another suite. Gabe quickly snapped back to his senses, turned around with the other two assistants and left. Anna and Wayne were left alone, staring at each other in the long hallway. Wayne strode over to her and asked in surprise, Anna, what are you doing here? Anna took a deep breath and then hugged him. Although she did not speak, her actions were more effective than all the sweet words in the world. And she lifted her head and kissed Wayne. Wayne then pressed her against the wall and kissed her hard. He opened the door to the room and walked in with her. They then began panting and moaning, which echoed in the room with the sound of clothes fondling rustled. They took their clothes off and threw them all the way through the doorway to the couch. After making love passionately, theyy on the bed looking at the moon outside the window. Annay in her arms, her face gradually ceasing to blush. She sighed, Hey, you know what I went to see my dad this afternoon. My dad is in a sanatorium and has left thepany to my sister and stepmother. Also, they rarely visit him. My dad said he misses my mom. Is that why youre here? Wayne ruffled the messy hair on her forehead and moved his body before wrapping his arms around her again. He closed his eyes and asked in a low voice. Anna did not answer him directly, but continued, I dont remember much about my mom. But, my uncle and grandfather both told me that my mother was a very dignified and strong woman. She would break down easily no matter what happened to her. Before my dad met Shirley, my mom and dad had already had issues in their rtionship. And that was because they rarely said what they thought to each other. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org After saying this, Anna struggled to look up at Wayne. She saw his pretty chin and his seductive blue eyes. She swallowed and wondered if he understood what she meant after all she had said. My father was very fond of Charlotte. Our parents joked about setting an engagement for us, but no one took it seriously. You know, I was just thirteen at the time, and Charlotte wasnt even ten. Later, my father passed away, so my grandfather took this as hisst wish. But no one ever asked me about my opinion. Wayne said. Then he teasingly looked down at her and asked, Do you want to ask anything else? Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Wayne said all this just to tell Anna that his parents had made him engaged when he was a child. Besides, they hadnt even asked him about his opinion. Wayne had always been a smart man. He made it seem like he wasnt responsible for this with just a few words. Anna pouted and deliberately said, Hey, dont you try to fool me! I know you very well. You were more than ten years old at that time. Even if you could just talk then, you would have opposed it if you didnt want to marry her. As long as you didnt want to, no one would force you to do so! Well, it seems to me that you do like Charlotte. Oh. Well, do you want to know the truth? Wayne asked. He looked a little more serious, which made Anna nervous. What? It turns out you really like her? She thought in surprise. Oh, no, no. Anna, its not what you think. Wayne became resigned upon seeing her expression, and then gently flicked her forehead. She grunted, covered her head, and said in a discontent voice, Hey! You can talk as you want, and you dont have to hit me! Wayne was originally serious. However, seeing her cute look, he couldnt help but smile. He stayed silent for a few seconds as if he was thinking about how he should say these words. When my dad was alive, he always wanted to have a daughter. But, you know, my mother didnt give him one. So, he had always regarded Charlotte as his daughter. Anna froze after hearing his words. This wasnt the first time Wayne had volunteered to talk to her about his parents. However, he seemed calmer this time than before. My mom is a painter. Also, all she thinks about every day is her painting. She often left home to paint the outside world, leaving for months at a time. Even after she gave birth to me, she didnt change her way of living. She only came home a handful of times a year, which was the only time I got to see her. And, she did it all the time. Wayne said calmly, and his low voice flowed into Annas ears like a peaceful stream. Anna thought he was so calm, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him. After listening to his words, Anna knew more about the rtionship between Charlotte and the Wrights. Waynes mom, Jennie, used to travel a lot. And Waynes father, James Wright, was very busy at work. The two of them rarely saw each other, so they let Peter and Henry take care of Wayne. Not only was Peter badCtempered, but he had always been strict in raising children. Even if Wayne was still a kid, Peter was still very strict with him. So, Wayne was withdrawn and had a more entric temper than his peers. Later, James realized that Wayne could not go on like this. So, he took Wayne back to his side. Whenever James wasnt working, he would take Wayne to meet other kids. He wanted his son to make friends with the kids and be more cheerful. The Wilsons had three children, and the two of their sons were about the same age as Wayne. At that time, Charlotte had just learned how to walk. James thought those kids could hang out together, so he let Wayne stay with the Wilsons for a summer. After the summer vacation, James went to Wilsons house to pick up Wayne. However, he found that Wayne didnt hang out with the two Wilson boys but with two other children. One of them was Karl, a naughty boy who tricked Wayne into eating hot sauce and caused him to stay in the hospital for a week. The other was Charlotte, a little girl who had just learned to talk. Wayne became friends with Karl because they had a fight. He became friends with Charlotte because she always stayed by his side. At that time, the two Wilson boys did not want to y with Wayne. However, he was not upset at all, but was d that he could have a quiet summer. So, Wayne often sat in the corner of the house to enjoy his time alone. Whenever that happened, Charlotte would often stumble over to him and clutch his shirt. She gave him storybooks and forced him to tell her stories. If he didnt want to, she would cry So, I told her stories all summer long. Later, Charlottes mom told my dad about it. Then, my dad brought Charlotte to my house every summer. Maybe he was so nice to her because that was the way which he hinted at my mom to give him a daughter. It appeared that Wayne and Charlotte did not have a deep bond. People thought they were close because James wanted them to feel that way. He used to let Charlotte stay at his house not because he wanted her to marry Wayne. But, he did it to tell his wife in a euphemistic way that he wanted a daughter. Anna was stunned and speechless after hearing this. She marveled and said, Your dad is really good at hinting! Or, he can However, she shut her mouth after realizing that James was Waynes father, and she couldnt randomly judge him like that. Then, Wayne said in a husky voice, My dad and my mom have been sleeping in separate rooms ever since I can remember. Anna felt her heart aching a little after hearing those words. She said, Oh, Im so sorry. Wayne lifted the quilt over her shoulders. Then, he concluded, Anna, you dont have to feel sorry for me. Anyway, Ive told you everything I know. I only treat Charlotte as my sister, and I have no other feelings for her. Oh, I get it. You dont have to keep saying it. Anna said and then felt her face flushing. Wayne emphasized that Charlotte was just a sister to him since he started talking about his childhood. Was he doing this because he was afraid I would overthink? Gee, its not like Im going to be unreasonable with him. Anna thought. Well, Anna, what else do you want to torture me about? Wayne asked flirtatiously. Anna immediately grumbled withughter, What? Hey, I didnt torture you! Youre the one who started telling me those things. Wayne raised his eyebrows. He suddenly put his mouth close to her ear and said softly. Anna, youre much cuter when youre jealous than when youre sensible. Anna felt her ears burning, and with it, the temperature of her whole body rose. And they spent an extremely fantastic night Anna decided to return to Birmingham the next day. To see her off to the airport, Wayne deliberately postponed the meeting. Anna, you know, Charlotte was spoiled by her family since she was a kid. So, its not surprising that she would do anything out of line I know. Shes like your sister, so Ill be more tolerant of her. Wayne lifted a hand to straighten the hair around her ear and said, No. I mean, if she does anything out of line, you dont have to be polite to her. Anna, I dont want you to be bothered by that. Hearing this, Anna was stunned and looked surprised. She asked, What? Didnt you say she was like your sister? Oh, thats not what I meant. She has two brothers, and she doesnt need me to be her brother. So, you dont have to be afraid of embarrassing me. Waynes hand traced downward and rested on her waist. Then, he embraced her. Anna couldnt help but smile joyfully after hearing his words. Finally, she didnt mind their rtionship anymore. Anna wrapped her arms around his waist and swayed as if she was being cute. She sighed, God, youre so nice! Im so lucky to have a boyfriend as good as you! Then, she heard Wayne seriously correct her, No, Im your fianc. Anna thought the whole thing through on her ne to Birmingham. She found that the reason why Charlotte came back to Ennd was apparent, and she was sure that Wayne knew it as well. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She thought to herself, but Wayne didnt respond to Charlotte at all. Or rather, Wayne had already rejected her in the bathroom after I ran away. So, I knew that Charlotte wouldnt treat me nicely. But thats okay. I knew that when I first met her. Charlottes definitely not an ordinary woman. The fact that shes the president of SG Group Ennd at only twentyCfive proves that shes not a tame woman. However, if she deliberately makes things difficult for me, I will fight with her to the end. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 After her nended, Anna turned on her phone. Then, She saw that someone had called her not long ago She nced at the number and immediately called John. Hey, Anna! Youre back! John said as soon as he answered the phone. Yes, I just arrived. John, can you find out Charlottes cell phone number for me? Shes that president of SG Anna asked. Anna didnt have Charlottes cell phone number. When Charlotte first arrived at the hotel, she scolded Anna. So, Anna was not with Charlotte during the days she evaluated the hotel. John sounded surprised. He froze for a moment before answering, Charlotte? Oh, I can! Ill ask the person in charge of that. Anna had just gotten off the airport highway in a cab when she received a text message from John. After seeing that it was the same number that had called her that morning, her gaze turned somber. She then immediately turned off her phone screen and closed her eyes as she wasnt in the mood to pay attention to Charlotte at the moment. As she expected, it was Charlotte calling. Anna could guess what Charlotte was trying to say Moreover, she was sure she would call again sometimeter. It was afternoon when Anna arrived at her apartment. She was feeling delightful, so she took a shower and started cleaning the house. Then, she nned to bring her two children home for the weekend As she was humming a song and tidying up her room, Charlotte called her again. Hello! Who is this? Anna asked deliberately as she answered the phone. Its me, Charlotte. Charlottes voice was somewhat somber. She sounded not as lively as she had been at the dinner party the other day. Anna asked in aposed manner, Oh, hello. Whats up? Are you avable now? Id like to have a talk with you. Oh, Charlotte, you may be mistaken. Im not the project leader, so I cant talk to you about our coboration. Youve called the wrong person. No, I dont want to discuss about our partnership. Id like to talk about a personal matter. You know, your personal matters have nothing to do with me. Charlotte immediately became impatient. She sounded like she wanted to get angry, but she controlled herself, saying, Anna, dont try to y dumb. You know that you cant hide from me forever. Dont you think youre going to stay safe and sound with Wayne just by doing this. When Anna heard that, she almostughed out loud. She had assumed Charlotte to be a powerful and sophisticated woman. However, she didnt expect her to irritate Charlotte by just ying dumb. Wayne was right. Charlotte is just a spoiled rich girl. Anna thought to herself. Charlotte asked her to meet her at a caf on Business Road at 3 pm. It was tea time, but there were hardly any customers in the cafe. Anna immediately knew why it was empty after looking at the menu as the cheapest iced Americano there sold for three hundred dors. Ill pay the bill. So, you can order whatever you want. Charlotte, who was sitting opposite Anna, said. No, thanks. I can buy my own coffee, Anna replied. Anna then closed the menu and smiled at the waiter, saying, A ss of water, please. Charlotte frowned and stared at Anna in surprise. The waiter hesitated for a moment, and then looked over at Charlotte. Just give her a ss of water, for Gods sake. Charlotte said unhappily, and her expression became awkward. Anna guessed Charlotte probably felt that she had disgraced her by drinking free water instead of ordering expensive drinks. Anna said calmly, Oh, no. I just dont think our conversation will be too long. It would probably be shorter than the time it takes me to finish a cup of coffee. Charlotte looked at her indifferently and asked, Why? Do you mean you dont want to see me? Well, it seems that you know whats going on between Wayne and me. Yeah, sure. Wayne told me that he treated you like his sister. Charlotte snickered and said, What? He really told you that? Anna, it seems Ive overestimated you. Do you believe him? Did he lie? Anna looked at her at ease. Yes. Anna, I am his real fiance. I can be responsible for my words. Since you dont want to talk to me, let me tell you straight that there is a deep bond between us. Youve only been with him for a few months, and you cant possibly rece me. Oh, you might be able to be my substitute before I return. But now Im back. So, if youre a smart woman, you should leave him at once so that you wont make a fool of yourself. Anna said coldly, You can be responsible for that? You canceled your engagement with him and married a Frenchman. What kind of responsible person does that? Did you think that your engagement with Wayne would still count after you divorced that guy? Charlotte, if thats the case, then youre really naive. Besides, you really treat your rtionship with others casually. Or, do you take Wayne as your backup boyfriend? Charlotte immediately became angry. She said, What? What are you talking about?! Im telling you, Ive never taken Wayne that way! Did you say the same thing about me in front of Wayne? Anna thought Charlotte was ridiculous and said, Ah, Charlotte, I thought you were so confident in yourself. If so, dont believe that what I say to Wayne can influence his feelings for you. You abandoned him before, didnt you? But, you want to get back together with him now. Do you think that I will give him up because of you? Dear God, why should I listen to you? And, even if I let Wayne be your boyfriend, do you think he will agree? Anna, all you have to do is leave him, and you dont have to care about what Wayne will 10Tou Must Leave mim think. I know that he will fall in love with me again. Anna thought that she had really overestimated Charlotte before hearing her words. Anna thought that she was a shrewd woman and didnt expect her to be a naive and shameless fool. When Anna was speechless, her cell phone rang. After seeing who was calling, Anna looked at Charlotte and said, Excuse me, I have to take a call first. You can wait for me and talkter. Seeing this indifferent attitude of hers, Charlotte was trembling with anger. Anna answered the phone in front of Charlotte and said kindly, Hello, Grandpa. Oh, Im doing great. Well, Im nning to let the kids stay with me over the weekend. Ill pick them up on Friday night, okay? Great! Ill be at your house for dinner. Oh, no, Wayne cant make it. Hes still in London working on that project. I dont think hell be back in a few days, I guess. As Anna answered the phone, Charlotte became increasingly upset. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. After hanging up the phone, Anna looked at Charlotte and said, Sorry. I gotta go. Is there anything else you want to say to me? Hurry up and say it. Through gritted teeth in anger, Charlotte said, Im warning you, you have to leave Wayne. Anna stood up and said, Oh. Charlotte, Im telling you, I gotta go. By the way. I want to give you a kind reminder. If you want to talk to someone about this kind of matter, remember to bring some money or expensive gifts. Otherwise, how will they agree to your terms? No one would do it for you for free. After saying this, Anna suddenly felt refreshed. She carried her bag and prepared to leave. Charlotte said in exasperation, Ha! Anna, I thought you were a person of principle! I didnt realize that you were doing this for money. Tell me, how much money do you want? Anna paused but did not turn around. She said, Charlotte, youre apetent woman at work. So, I wondered why you would give up Wayne for an unreliable man before. And now, I get it. It seems that youre not as smart as I thought you were. Anna thought to herself, Charlotte is such a dumbass. I had made it so clear to her, and she still didnt know what I meant. It seemed that I shouldnt have overthought the matter before / met her today. Charlotte was shaking with anger after hearing Annas words. She had never been so insulted to her face all her life. Yet, she stared at Annas back as she left but couldnt say anything Charlotte was so angry that her eyes were red, but she didnt know what she should do. Just at that moment, a woman in a gray dress sat down opposite her. In a kind, sweet voice, the woman asked, Are you okay? Charlotte forced herself not to cry out. She replied in a sulking voice, Oh, Im fine. Who are you? Do you have to seat here? The woman didnt answer her. She just smiled and asked, Do you know why Anna is so confident? And, do you know why is she so assertive towards you? Hearing that, Charlotte was stunned. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Charlotte stared at the woman in front of her for a moment and immediately said, Oh, I know you. Youre Ada Of course, Charlotte knew her. There were not many women around Wayne, and Ada was the most special one. She was a famous actress, so many people knew her. Charlotte always thought that Ada was her real rival before she returned home, because she knew Ada had stayed by Waynes side for six years Yeah, right. But, I hope you didnt misunderstand me. Ada said calmly as if she had expected to be recognized Charlotte frowned and said bluntly, Hey, what the hell are you going to say? I know you and Wayne have been dated before so. I dont think I should believe anything you say. Oh, I really wish you could say the same thing after hearing my words. Ada blinked, and then her eyes became mysterious and meaningful She said, You may already know that I have been with Wayne for more than six years. We nned to get married some time ago, and we even chose a hotel for the wedding. Well, do you know about this? Charlotte nced at her with an unpleasant expression, Adas gaze immediately turned somber. In a low voice, she asked in a low voice, Anyway. do you know why Wayne suddenly regretted and called off the wedding? Because of Anna? Charlotte asked Hearing this, Ada gave a contemptuousugh. She said, Oh, no. Charlotte, youve known Wayne longer than I have. Do you think he would call off a wedding for a woman he just met a few months ago? Then, staring intently at Charlotte, she said, Its because of Matthew. Charlotte felt her heart skip a beat, and then couldnt help but clench her fists. She knew Wayne had a son. She had heard that Wayne had a son when she had been married to the French man for a year. However, she had asked many people about it but still had no idea who the mother of that child was. Besides, she had heard that Wayne cherished that kid the most and would take him wherever he went Charlotte, Im sure you know how important Matthew is to Wayne. So, are you aware that Matthew is particrly fond of Anna? Thats why Wayne considered marrying her. What exactly are you going to say? Charlotte felt that this woman was not getting to the point at all with all the talk. I certainly knew that if Wayne was going to get married, then his future wife had to get along with his son. Even if I havnt heard of anything about it, I know Wayne. Charlotte thought to herself. Ada said meaningfully and slowly, All in all, blood is thicker than water. It was the weekend, and Anna had just picked up her two children from the Wrights house when her colleague told her they needed to change their shifts. So, Anna had to work on Saturday Anna had no other choice but to take the children to the hotel with her. As before, she asked the maitre d to take them to the childrens lounge. Kids, Im taking a lunch break at 12 noon Ille over at that time and take you to lunch. Until then, try not to wander off, okay? And, dont leave the hotel with anyone. Ah, I know! Mommy, just go to work! Ill take care of Matthew. Tammy said sweetly. Anna pinched her little cheeks and warned, Hey, do you think you can take care of Matthew? Dont cause me trouble. And dont persuade Matthew to walk around with you, you hear me? Tammy immediately broke away from Annas hand. She pouted and sat down unhappily on the couch, comining. Ouch, that hurts! Mommy, youre going to ruin my face! Anna didnt continue talking She looked at the mischievous Tammy and then at the wellCbehaved and quiet Matthew Then She stroked Matthews head and said softly, Matthew, honey, can you take care of Tammy? Also, take care of yourself, okay? Matthew nodded seriously Everyone in the hotel knew that Matthew was Waynes son. Therefore, no matter where Matthew went, people would follow him around to take care of him. The employees were worried that they would be fired if something happened to him about the two children. She knew that they would be safe as long as they stayed at the hotel door When she got to her office to put down her things, John knocked on the door and came Miss Gabriel, Mr. Jones said the meeting will begin at 9:30. Anna nodded and said, Okay, thanks. Print ten copies of the customerint log and bring them over, will you? A lot had happened at the hotel in thest few months. They held some big events and even reconstructed the hotel. As a result, some guests felt dissatisfied. Last month, theints from the guests had doubledpared to before. The staff had discussed this matter in a meeting a few days ago. Moreover, Mr. Jones asked Anna to develop an appeasement compensation n. After briefly organizing the information, Anna walked to the meeting room. Anna wore a ck suit, which made her lookpetent and elegant. She began to put on the slides and talked about her solution to thesergeCscaleints. After that, she divided her presentation into several points and presented it clearly and coherently. This is it. And, we shouldpensate customers who stayed in at that time, whether they have filed comints or not. We should give an extra six months of free credit to the customers whoined. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Also, we have to tell them how much we appreciate their advice. When drafting instructions or talking to customers, be sure to exin to them clearly. We dont want the customers to think that we are giving them hush money. If that happens, itll be counterproductive The meeting went on for two hours. After the meeting was over, it was time for the lunch break Anna walked out of the conference room, and John followed her with the information in his arms, asking her about the exact implementation. When they had just walked to the elevator, the siren suddenly rang throughout the corridor, and the security lights on the wall blinked wildly. Anna became nervous and said to John, Call the security and ask what happened. John made a quick phone call. Just as he was talking, his face turned pale, and his expression was serious. He said in surprise, What? How did this happen? Whats going on? Anna asked. John hung up the phone immediately and said, They said that theres a fire in the kitchen and the fire apparatus is out of order. Theyve called 911. But we dont know when the fire trucks wille yet. Annas face went pale. Then she said, Inform all the staff to evacuate the customers. Okay, Im on my way. John ran off in a panic. Anna was waiting for the elevator. She stood for a few seconds and suddenly remembered that the kids were still in the lounge. Her heartbeat immediately became fast, and she turned and ran toward the stairway. After a while, she found that the childrens lounge was empty. Matthew went to the rest room with the maitre d. No, I didnt see Tammy. An employee said. Anna was so scared that her face turned even paler. She ran around and asked people who passed by. Finally, she had reached the area whre the fire started. Smoke wasing out of the kitchen door, and many people gathered around, looking anxious. Moreover, a pile of usedCup fire extinguishers was scattered on the ground. Anna had heard that Mr. Smith, the chef, was trapped inside the kitchen. Hes out! A middleCaged man stumbled out carrying a man dressed in white. Then, people at the door ran over to help. The middleCaged man was out of breath and said, Hurry up! Theres a child inside! She seems to be Miss Gabriels daughter. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 The very moment he said those words, the fire immediately became bigger. Anna knew that she didnt have time to think, so she rushed in regardless of risking her life. The man standing at the door tried to stop her, but failed. Miss Gabriel! Its dangerous in there! He shouted. The kitchen was filled with thick smoke. Anna walked in as she shouted, Tammy! Where are you? The ce was a mess with pots and pans all over the floor. The first ce that caught fire was the storage room. Then, the fire spread to the table between the two rows of stoves. It was so smoky that Anna was choking and coughing. Anna saw a girl in a pink dress lying in the corner through the fire and smoke. Then, Anna immediately rushed toward her. She wrapped Tammy firmly in her jacket, picked her up and ran toward the outside At this time, the fire grew bigger as if it suddenly jumped up. The mes were extremely fierce and Anna felt a burning and tingling sensation on her face. The moment Anna ran out of the kitchen, she felt like she hade back from hell. Then, she could hear those people all talking to her. Theyre here! Oh, thank God! Miss Gabriel, the ambnce has arrived. Anna hugged Tammy tightly. Then, she saw the waiter in the crowd pointing at the ambnce. She immediately ran outside and didnt even have the chance to talk to anyone of them. Just as she was leaving, she saw a woman she knew standing in the crowd. This woman looked terrified. She was nervous and cowering, unlike how calm and dominant she usually was. However, Anna knew she didnt have time to think about it. She instantly rushed to the ambnce and went to the hospital with Tammy She waited anxiously outside the emergency room. After a long time, the doctor came out. He reassured Anna when he saw her, Dont worry, shes not hurt. Shell be fine if she stays in the hospital for a few days. Anna breathed a sigh of relief and said thankfully, Oh! Thats fantastic. Thank you, doctor! Its okay. Shes awake, so you can get in now. Great, thanks! Anna immediately walked into the emergency room and opened the curtain next to the bed. Then, she saw Tammy lying in a white sheet. Tammys body was wrapped in the covers, so Anna could only see her face. She had ash all over her face and was looking at Anna with a bewildered expression. Mommy! Tammy said. Her eyes became lucid a little after she saw Anna. However, her voice was very hoarse. As soon as she spoke, she coughed. Baby, Im here. The doctor said you need to rest. If you feel ufortable, then dont talk. Anna immediately sat down on the edge of the bed and took Tammys hand in hers. Tammy nodded and nced behind Anna. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she said in a low voice with difficulty, Wheres Matthew? Dont you worry, hes at the hotel. The waiter said Matthew went to the bathroom. I was that time, so I didnt talk to him. Hearing her words, Tammys eyes suddenly widened. She looked as if she was going to say something, but started to cough violently. A little rmed, Anna immediately patted her on the shoulder and said, Well, calm down, Tammy. Whats wrong? Tammy said in a trembling voice, Mom..Matthew Matthews in the kitchen. Theres a big fire Hearing that, Anna felt her heart beat faster immediately. She asked anxiously, Huh? What did you say? Where is Matthew? Is he in the kitchen? Tammy nodded, and tears quickly filled her eyes. She reached out, nudged Anna and said, Mommy, save Matthew! Hurry up! Anna almost went crazy in that moment. It was almost two hours since she had rescued Tammy from the fire. What will happen to Matthew if hes still in the kitchen and hasnt been found? S he thought Anna immediately took a taxi to the hotel. After getting out of the car, she ran all the way. When she arrived at the hotel, the firefighters were cleaning up the scene. Also, there were many customers and hotel staff standing in the front door. Anna recognized John right away and she immediately ran over and asked him, Hey! Wheres Matthew? John was taken aback by this frantic appearance of Anna. So, he froze for a long time beforeing back to his senses. He stumbled and said, Someone took him to the hospital. Which hospital? Anna immediately began to cry. She looked so panicked that the people around her couldnt help but keep looking at her However, she couldnt care about keeping her image anymore. So, she could only keep asking questions. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. John looked stunned and exined in a panic, Hey, rx, Anna. Matthews fine. When the fire broke out, he was hiding in the kitchen cooler. He was not hurt at all. They took him to the hospital because they wanted to give him a checkup. I just called you, but you didnt answer. After you had just left with Tammy, Charlotte rushed inside the kitchen and brought Matthew She guessed that maybe Charlotte had given Wayne a rundown of what had happened befo she arrived. And, Charlotte had probably made Anna sound irresponsible on purpose. She could understand Waynes feelings; after all, he loved Matthew and had listened to Charlottes side of the story first. Calm down, Wayne. If I knew Matthew was in there, I would have gone to save him Wayne interrupted her and said indifferently, No, stop it. Youre Tammys mother, so you would definitely have saved her. But, you abandoned Matthew. It seems that my previous impression of you was wrong. You are not the best person to be Matthews mother. Pregnant by a Ruthless Billionaire Olivia was always the pearl in her noble ss until drugged to have a wild night with a total stranger Being abandoned by her family and her fiance, she ran away to leave all the humiliation behind! But by the time she Biltilus Audrey Bell Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Anna froze and looked at Waynes grim expression. She felt like his words were like a spike that stabbed her hard in the heart. At that moment, she felt so heartbroken that she could barely speak. What did you just say? She asked as she couldnt believe her own ears. Anna knew that even if she was not Matthews mother, she would have rushed into the fire to save him. Besides, Matthew was her own child. Wayne said indifferently, Well, you can go now. I will think about our rtionship these days, and Ill tell you my answer after that. Also, Ill make it up to you as much as I can. Then, a crisp p sounded in the hallway. Hearing that, several nurses not far away turned to look at them Wayne had faint fingerprints on the right side of his face. He tilted his head slightly sideways and did not move for several seconds, as if he was frozen. It took him a while for him toe back to his senses. Then, the veins on his forehead became bulged out. In disbelief, Wayne looked at Anna with an embarrassed and incredulous expression. That was the first time in his life that someone had beaten him. Therefore, he was too surprised to say anything. You dont have to think about it anymore. Were done, Wayne. Goodbye.She said. Anna clenched her fists. She clenched them so hard that her nails hurt her soft palm. However, Anna knew that the pain was the only thing that would keep her sane and help her preserve her pride. She nced at Charlotte and then said slowly to Wayne, Wayne, youre such an i***t! But its none of my business. However, if you dare to hurt Matthew, Ill not let you off. Wayne is such an i***t! Any reasonable person would know precisely why Charlotte showed up at the hotel and happened to save Matthew in time. Shes the most suspicious person. But, why does Wayne trust her like that? Has he lost his mind? Anna thought to herself. Then Anna left without looking back. She felt heartbroken and furious, which made her had mixed feelings. And she immediately rushed back to the hotel and continued the meeting with the staff. It waste at night when the meeting ended. All the PR people who attended the emergency meeting were yawning and talking. Thank God things are finally over. I think we should have it under control by next Monday. One employee said. The hotel kitchen needs to be redone. What should we do? Should we shut down the hetel for a while? Miss Gabriel, what are we supposed to do about the kitchen? Meanwhile, Anna kept packing her things and didnt answer them. When the person asked her for the third time, Anna finally got impatient. She smacked the file in her hand on the table and said loudly and sternly, Stop asking me! You know what, you guys should ask Mr. Jones about this. This is not my hotel, and I am not the executive manager. Im resigning next Monday, and Ill handle the handover tomorrow. Everyone looked at each other in amazement and was too shocked to speak. John was confused. After the meeting, he followed Anna and kept asking, Anna, whats wrong? Tell me, what happened? Why do you want to quit all of a sudden? Are you kidding me? Do you think I look like Im joking? Anna asked. Anna went back to her office and sat down at her desk. She then turned on herputer and started typing on the keyboard. She quickly typed down a few words in the document, Resignation Letter. Those words were huge and seemed to be yelled out as if they carried Annas anger. Wait, what? Is she doing it for real? John thought to himself. Then, his eyes widened in horror, and he was too scared to ask any more questions. It was not the first time Anna had considered resigning. Before that, she wanted to leave the hotel when she learned that Matthew was his son. But, it just happened that she and Wayne started dating back then. Otherwise, she would quit the job immediately. Why should I work here if Wayne is so mean to me? She thought. At night, Matthew had fallen asleep in his exclusive VIP hospital room. And Charlotte was resting in the room next to his. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org It was cool at night. Wayne stood on the batcony. Instead of making him feel chilled, the cool breeze made him more irritable. He had just returned from London by ne this morning. He knew that his grandfather had asked Anna and the kids to have dinner with him in the evening. So, he was going to give her a big surprise. However, the moment he got off the ne, he heard the news that the hotel was on fire. Then, someone told Gabe that Matthew was taken to the hospital. Wayne rushed to the hospital. To his surprise, it was not Anna who apanied Matthew, but Charlotte. To save him, Charlotte got burned on her entire left arm. Even adults could not bear this kind of pain. So, Wayne dared not imagine how painful it would be for Matthew if he had suffered such an injury. What annoyed him most was that Anna came to the hospital as if nothing had happened until the evening. And, he became even angrier after he knew that both children were in the kitchen at that time. But, Anna had only saved her daughter. At that moment, Gabe walked up to him and handed him a pack of cigarettes and a lighter that he had just bought. Wayne had quit smoking for a long time. But, he asked Gabe to buy a pack of cigarettes for him. As he turn on the lighter, a light blue me immediately appeared. He held a cigarette in his slender fingers and took a drag. Then he exhaled slowly, and the smoke blurred his face. Gabe stood for a moment and said hesitantly, Mr. Wright, the manager of HR department just called me. He said that Miss Gabriel is resigning. Waynes fingers holding the cigarette suddenly froze. He frowned, and his expression became unpleasant. He said, Oh. Well, just make sure her resignation go smooth. His tone was nonchnt. However, as Gabe listened carefully to Waynes words, he could sense that he was annoyed. Gabe carefully looked at Waynes expression and said, Mr. Wright, I think there is something suspicious about the fire. Maybe Miss Gabriel wasnt lying when she said she didnt know Matthew was there. As far as I know, everyone saw here out of the fire with her daughter. She had gone into the kitchen, but she didnt see Matthew. So, how did Miss Wilson know he was in there? Charlotte was injured, so no one asked her about the fire. Therefore, she didnt say how she had gotten Matthew out. The employees all said that Charlotte immediately rushed into the kitchen as soon as Anna walked out of the hotel door. Not long afterward, she went out with Matthew Plus, Matthew was hiding in the cooler, Gabe said, reminding Wayne of what was fishy about the fire. Matthew was in the cooler. So, if people didnt know he was there, they wouldnt have spotted him even if they had gone into the kitchen. If thats the case, maybe Anna wasnt lying. Then the only suspicious person would be Charlotte. Wayne thought to himself. Wayne frowned. He said grimly after a long time, Check this thing out. Okay, got it. So, what about Miss Gabriels resignation? Waynes expression immediately changed, as if he thought Gabe asked the wrong question. He red at him and said unpleasantly, Tell the HR manager not to agree on her resignation application. Anna slept overnight in the ward of the hospital where Tammy was staying. She had just woken up when she received a call from HR the next morning. Miss Gabriel, Im sorry, but you cant resign now. Anna had just woken up. So, she said impatiently, Huh? Why cant I resign? I remember the companys rule that the handover can be done in fifteen days. Yes, you are right. However, there was a fire yesterday, and thepany is investigating the cause. So, no one is allowed to resign now. If you still want to quit, you have to wait until they find out what happened. By the way, I want to tell you that youve got suspended. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Anna saw her name on the disciplinary action issued by the hotel. She was one of the people in charge, and she needed to take responsibility for the fire. Also, she was suspended for one month without pay and should cooperate with thepany to investigate into the fire. The notice was issued suddenly in the early hours of the morning. The HR used it as an excuse, and said that employees will not be allowed to resign during their suspension. So, Annas resignation was firmly rejected. Anna couldnt go back to the office, so she had no way to vent her anger. After a while, Peace brought breakfast to visit them. Tammy sat on the bed drinking milk. In a still hoarse voice, she asked, Mommy, is Matthewing today? Anna was stirring her milk with a spoon. She frowned at the words and replied, Im sorry, honey. Matthew isnt feeling well now, and hes in another hospital. Helle to see you when hes better. Okay. So, what about Daddy? Peter had always wanted Tammy to call Wayne daddy. As time went on, Tammy got used to calling Wayne that. Anna looked up abruptly. She said unhappily, Oh, no, hes not your daddy. Tammy, dont you ever call him daddy again! Tammy didnt expect Anna to scold her. She immediately looked like she was going to cry and whispered, Mommy. Peace immediately took Tammy into her arms. To smooth the thing over, she said, Gee, okay, okay. Anna, whats wrong with you? Wayne is the one who made you mad. So, dont talk to Tammy like this. Tammy, dont cry, okay? Tammy was never a crybaby. However, she was scared by the fire yesterday and had been uneasy since she woke up in the emergency room. The way Anna just spoke to her frightened her again. See Tammy whimpering in Peaces arms, Anna was frustrated. She said, Oh, my God. Tammy, baby, Im sorry. I didnt mean to say that. I was just You were just thinking about something else. Peace finished her sentence. Peace then rolls her eyes at her and says, Anna, I know youre feeling sad and indignant because Wayne wronged you. You think the incident isnt as simple as it seems and suspect that youve been set up. But, you know, Wayne is not a fool. Both of you got angry yesterday and said something unpleasant to each other. After he gets to the bottom of itter, hell regret treating you that way. You know, you can find out the truth yourself if you really cant wait. If you need help, just say it. Matthew is your son, but Tammy is also still your daughter. Anyway, stop talking like that to Tammy. Tammy was scared yesterday, too. 171 What A Bunch Of bbe Anna was embarrassed that Peace knew what she was thinking. Well, I know you feel guilty about Matthew as you were not around as he grew up. If you want to do it, just go ahead. I can take care of Tammy for you. Peace was angry, so she spoke in an irritated tone. Anna knew that she did pay most of her attention to Matthew since she knew that he was her son. She didnt ignore Tammy. But, she let them y together at the hotel because she wanted them to get along. Tammy wouldnt have been trapped in the fire if that wasnt the case. Anna knew that Peace was angry, but she had no idea how to exin what had happened to her. And she knew that she had to find out the truth about the fire. Fine. Ill deal with the incident as soon as I can. Then, Ill resign from the hotel. Anna said. She assured Peace before she left, Dont worry, I promise you that something like this will never happen again. Oh. Then, what about Matthew? Ill have him back with me. Peace looked less angry. She lowered her voice and said, Ill help you get awyer by then. Thanks, Anna said. Then, she had an urge to cry. She had been through so much in the past few years, and the only by her side was Peace. They met by chance, and neither of them expected that they would be with each other for so many years at that time. The hotelter issued an official notice to exin the cause of the fire. The notice said that the fire was caused by an employee who broke the rules and smoked in the storage room. Also, theypensated the customers who were frightened and those whose properties were damaged. There was hardly any discussion about the incident on the Inte. The PR work worked on time and quickly deleted the negative news on the Inte. However, although the official statement was released, they still didnt find out the truth. Wanting to know how the investigation was going, Anna asked John to meet her at a cafe to talk about the matter. Ah, tell me, what is going on? Did Mike Smith actually smoke in the warehouse? Did he admit it? Anna asked John. John replied doubtfully, Oh, Im not sure. Mr. Jones issued this statement after discussing it with several managers in the HR and PR departments. Mr. Smith has retired and is now in his hometown in Liverpool. So, we have no way to ask him. Moreover, if Kenny hadnt rushed in to get him out, he might have died in the fire. Kenny? Oh, yeah, I was just going to ask you about him. I dont remember meeting that guy before. Kenny came to the hotel half a month ago, and he came from Liverpool with Mike. Hes a new employee, so you probably hadnt seen him before. Well, honestly, he got into the hotel 171 What A Bunch Of bbe. because he pulled some strings. He was an apprentice in the kitchen before, but not a regr employee. So, he was paid as a trainee. After the fire broke out, he officially became employee. HR department did this because they thought he had saved someones life and our property. Anna nodded. Instead of asking more about Kenny, she asked, Can you find the security footage inside the kitchen and the entrance that day? John looked in a dilemma. He said, Ah, to be honest, its quite difficult. The police department took the originals away when they were searching for the evidence. There is a copy left in the security room. But, you know, no one dares to ask for the video now. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Anna looked at him and said, Oh, dont be afraid, Ill take responsibility if something goes wrong. Do you still think Im your boss now? If so, get the footage for me. John said thoughtfully, Well, Ive always treated you as my boss. Dont worry! Ill get the footage and prove your Innocence. Anna looked at him suspiciously and asked, Innocence? What do you mean? I was suspended for dereliction of duty. Ah, you dont know about that yet? John opened his mouth wide in surprise. He hesitated for a moment and decided to tell Anna the truth. He said, Now, people in the hotel are spreading rumors about you again. They say that you deliberately did not save Matthew. And that you did it so that your daughter would inherit Mr. Wrights property after you married him. Also, everyone says that Mr. Wright suspended you because he knew about this. Anna frowned and said irritably, Damn! This is nonsense! Who the hell is spreading these rumors? When I go back to work, the first thing Ill do is to tell them to stop bbing. Ive told them many times, but no one listens to me. John immediatelyughed and said, Wow! It seems that they were wrong about that. What a bunch of bbers! You and Mr. Wright are so in love, so I knew you couldnt possibly do that. They even said you guys had broken up. Ha, thats ridiculous! But we did break up. Anna said slowly and indifferently. Hearing that, John winced. He immediately regretted joking about them being a lovely couple at that moment and showed an embarrassed and sad expression. What the hell?! Did they really break up? But I just promised her Id get her the footage! It turned out I picked the wrong side. John thought. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Although John acted a little reluctant, he still sent Anna the footage a few dayster. That night, Anna opened herptop and began to watch that video. She stared carefully and tentatively at every detail on the screen Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The fire broke out at around 11:30 in the morning. At that time, all the junior and senior managers were having a meeting in the conference room on the second floor. Since it was lunchtime, many people were walking around in the kitchen. So, Anna didnt notice anything wrong for a while. She saw Mike, the pastry chef, baking, and Kenny standing next to him to help. It seemed that Mike kept telling Kenny to get something, so Kenny left every few minutes and then came back. Each time he came back, he carried some ingredients. At 10:54 am., the two children walked into the kitchen. Tammy walked in front, and Matthew followed her. Then, they stopped in front of Mike. Anna still felt scared at the thought of two children trapped in the fire. She took a deep breath and then continued to watch the video. Tammy and Matthew both had a sweet tooth. They immediately went to Mikes side after they entered the kitchen, and it looked like they did it very often. Mike pointed at the oven to them, and then to Kenny. Then, the two children followed Kenny out. After that, Kenny was not in the picture again until the fire broke out. ording to the hotels investigation, Mike had gone to the storeroom to smoke at that time. Mike was a chain smoker, and it was known to all the people in the hotel. Anna first watched the whole video from the first minute to thest. Then, she skipped the beginning and end, and carefully watched the crucial part in the middle However, she found nothing because everything looked perfectly normalm making he fire seem like an ident After watching the camera footage in the kitchen, Anna checked the storage room video. However, she still found nothing. The reason why the hotel put surveince in the storage room was to prevent people from stealing things. So, the camera was only focused on the goods on the shelves and could not shoot the other few corners. And even if someone was there, they would not be captured by the camera Anna thought she didnt even need to watch the video of the kitchen door because many waiters passed by there. She didnt see anyone suspicious except the two kids that strutted into the kitchen But then, something suddenly urred to Anna, When the fire happened, she went to the lounge to look for Tmmy and Matthew. Then, a waiter told her that Matthew had gone to the restroom with the head waiter. That was why she thought Matthew was not with Tammy. But, even if she recalled for a long time, she couldnt remember who that waiter was. Moreover, she had a hunch that Kenny might have done something suspicious. After watching the videotape, Anna was sure that Kenny was in the kitchen with the two children. However, when he came out, he only that said Tammy was in there. Everyone in the hotel knew that Matthew was Waynes son. So, Kenny should have said that Matthew was there first. After that, Anna found a piece of paper and wrote down three suspicious points about the incident First, the head waiter did not take Matthew to the bathroom at all; the waiter lied. Second, Kenny only said that Tammy was in the kitchen but did not mention Matthew. Third, why was Matthew inside the cold room? While Anna was thinking hard about these three suspicious things, she heard someone open the bedroom door. Then, a person opened the door to the study and handed in a box of takeout food. Hey, Ms. Holmes, are you still solving the case? Dont forget to eat. Peace said at the door and pretended to be cold. Anna immediately felt moved. As they were eating, she told Peace about what she thought. Peace said thoughtfully, Well, I think you can just ask them. About the first thing, you can ask the waiter who told you that Matthew went to the bathroom. Only Kenny knows the answer to the second question. About thest, you can just ask Tammy or Matthew himself! You cant know the truth even though you keep thinking about it. Peace, Im going to Liverpool, Anna said slowly and thoughtfully. Peace was choked with water when she heard her words. She coughed and asked, What? do you have to make things soplicated! You are going to Liverpool just to find Mike? I want to ask him if he smoked in the storage room that day. Peace knew that Anna was a stubborn person and knew that Wayne had indeed pissed her off. After realizing that Anna would go there no matter what she said, she said, Oh, okay. Anna, if you really want to go there, just do it. Ill ask them these questions for youter, okay? What? You can do it? Anna asked, looking at her suspiciously. Peace, however, smiled at Anna. She stroked her hair, raised her eyebrows proudly, and answered, Yes, I can. You know, Im very popr among gentlemen. Besides, someone in the hotel had a crush on me. Anna felt resigned. She said, Well, thank you. But, Karl should never know about this. Otherwise, that guy will be screwed. Karl and Peace were both flirts. When they first dated, Anna thought they were just having fun. But, Anna didnt expect Karl to change from a womanizer to a loyal boyfriend. What surprised her even more was that Peace was the one who was not so faithful. So, Anna thought Peace could only meet that guy behind Karls back. Otherwise, that poor guy might be fired In the award of the hospital, the dark clouds outside the window blocked the light. It looked like there might be a stormter The dim sky made the lights in the room look bright and a bit blinding The light shone on the shiny white walls as if everything in the whole room could be hidden Charlotte stood by the window on the phone in a pink striped hospital gown. She had a bandage in one hand and a phone in the other Whats going on? You told me before that this would only be a small fire But how did it be like this? So, what am I supposed to do? Were you trying to hurt me on purpose? Then Ada said, Gee, what makes you think that? I wouldnt get anything out of it if I harmed you Ive told you that the big fire was an ident Besides, I took precautions long ago. I assured you before that Matthew would not be harmed So, he wasnt even hurt in the cooler when you went in Charlotte, how could you say this to me? I gave you a perfect chance to let Wayne be grateful to you So, why are you ming me? Charlotte immediately became gloomy Whenever she thought of that fire, she felt her heart pounding She growled, Humph! Dont think too highly of yourself I know that you helped me because you hated Anna I put my life on the line when I rushed in to save Matthew. But have you ever thought that what if I didnt have the quts to do that? Then, Matthew might be dead. Youre so hornble! When Charlotte saw how big the fire was, she was terrified She felt that it was nothing like what she had expected before But she was terrified that Matthew would get hurt. So, she got all her nerves and rushed in At that time, she didnt even dare to think about what would have happened if she hadnt gone in and rescued Matthew Charlotte thought to herself, it seems that Ada did it only to benefit herself. She didnt even care about Matthews life! My God, she is so vicious! Ada, Im warning you, you should stop whatever youre doing. Also, I dont want them to spread rumors that Anna was involved in this. Thats it! Our cooperation is over. Although Charlotte said that in a grim voice, she was trembling She whispered those words as low as she could. Ada gave a sneer and replied, What? Charlotte, arent you afraid Ill tell Wayne the truth? You know what he would do to you if he knows about it. Readers Also Enjoyed Chapter 173 Chapter 173 I dont want to go against you. As you know, The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Dont you think so, Miss Wilson? Charlotte suddenly felt that Adas voice was like a ck hole. Also, she knew that she had been pulled to the edge of the abyss by Ada. If she didnt stop, she would get herself into a lot of trouble Charlotte took a deep breath and whispered, I know youre doing this to get back at Anna and Wayne. You hate them because you think that youve lost everything you could have gotten because of them. You want money, dont you? I can give you as much money as you want. But, I want you to end this nonsense immediately. Ada snorted right away and said, I wish you could say that to Wayne, too. What?! You Ada said in a dominating tone, Charlotte, do you still think youre still a kind woman after all this? You tried to get Wayne to pay attention to you before, and Ive helped you achieve your goal. Am I right? Charlotte froze and then started to think about how good Wayne had been to her in the past few days. She thought to herself, Wayne was always so sweet to me before I got married. Unfortunately, I took all that for granted. Later, I went through a rough time in France. It was not until then that I realized how much Wayne had pampered me. Yet, even after I saved Matthews life, Wayne would never be that good to me ever again. Charlotte had mixed feelings when she thought about the past. She asked, Ada, what the hell do you want from me? Hearing this, Ada gave a sneer as if she had expected Charlotte to ask this. She replied, Hey, dont worry, I wont ask you to do anything illegal. All you have to do is carry out your original n. So, figure out how to get Wayne to fall in love with you again. After hanging up the phone, Charlotte fell into the bed and was lost in thought. In disbelief, she stared at the wall, and felt that Adas sinister voice was kept haunting her head. ### John checked thepanys employee profile and sent Mikes address to Anna. Then Anna headed there immediately. However, she did not meet him there. She found that Mike did not live there. Instead, it was a young couple who loved there. They said they had been living there for more than two months. Also, thendlord, a middleCaged woman, didnt know who Mike was. Anna went to many ces and kept asking for Mikes address. And on her third day in Liverpool, a fisherman on the ind said that he knew Mike. Ah, I know him. Hes a pastry baker, isnt he? The fisherman sized up Anna as he wiped his sweat. He had just returned from the beach and carried a bucket of oysters taken from the reef wall. Yeah, we live in the same vige. I heard that he had just returned from Birmingham. Why are you looking for him? Oh, great! Im his colleague. When he retired, he identally left some of his things at ourpany. So, my boss asked me to send them to him. The mans eyes glowed after hearing Annas words, and he immediately showed an admiring expression. He said, Wow! Do you work in the samepany as him? I heard that the hotel he worked at is particrly luxurious and famous worldwide. So, youre working in that hotel too? Anna smiled and nodded. Ill take you to his house! Madam, pleasee with me. The man said happily. He then led Anna into the vige with enthusiasm. The houses in the vige were scattered. After walking along the vige road for ten minutes or so, they stopped in front of a neat white house. The houses front door was open, and it sounded like someone was talking inside. Hey. were here! The Smith house is huge, right? This yard out front is where Mikes brother lives. You can go in and say hello to him. Then, if you keep going, youll find where Mike lives. The man told Anna in detail how she should go. Along the way, he told her many things that happened in the vige So, Anna roughly knew about the Smith family Smiths family was quite rich in the vige. Mike and his brothers mother was not only alive but also very healthy. However, since Mikes wife was in poor health, they had no children. Kenny who was working in the hotel, was Mikes adopted son, and they were very close. Anna thanked him and then walked through the gate. And no one saw her as she walked into the courtyard. Then, she saw several people gathered around a dark red cab in the shade of the hallway The man standing in the middle was very tall. He was about six and a half feet tall and wearing a suit and leather shoes. The man had one arm on the cab and was examining it carefully Hes probably here to buy that old furniture, Anna thought. Hey, you! Who are you? Anna heard a shrill voice behind her She turned around and saw a middleCaged woman staring at her warily. The woman seemed to have been tanned by the hot sun of the sea. Anna asked, Hello, maam. Does Mike Smith live here, please? The woman waved her hand impatiently and said, Mike? No, I dont know him, Just go! Cant you see I have visitors here? Despite the woman said so, her eyes drifted. Therefore, Anna immediately knew for sure that Mike was living there. She didnt say anything, but just thanked that woman and walked out of the Smith house. Just as she left, the two men looking at the furniture at Smiths house came out. One of the men, who appeared to be an assistant, gestured out a number and said, Mr. Wilson, they sell that for this much money. I think if that cab is really made of rosewood, then it is quite a good Did you take pictures of it? Yes. I just sent the photos to Mr. Johnson. But, he said he couldnt be sure if he just looked at the photos. So, he asked if you wanted him toe to Liverpool and see it for himself. The man frowned and replied, Oh, no, thats unnecessary. Mr. Johnson was ill a while ago. I dont want to bother him. Well, okay. They saw Anna, who was in a green dress walking toward them as they were leaving. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She asked them, Hey, youre not sure whether that cab was real rosewood or not, right? Both men look over at her. The assistant frowned and asked, Who are you? Anna smiled and said calmly, Oh, rx, I was just looking at the cab at Smiths house too. But, you didnt see me. I was also there to buy that cab. Since you saw it first, I thought | couldnt take it from you. However, it seems that you dont want to buy it. So, if thats the case, Ill buy that cab from them. The assistant snorted, surveyed Anna with his sharp eyes, and said, You? Are you sure, Miss? Even we dont know if the cab is good or not! Youre so young, do you really know anything about furniture? I can tell you that its well worth the price. She said firmly. Her determined tone finally made that boss take her seriously. He asked, Are you sure? It seems that all you did was just look at that cab from a distance. How can you be so sure? Yes. I mean it. You may not know that my grandfather was very fond of collecting old furniture. So, I grew up sleeping in rosewood rocking chairs. Ive seen countless old furniture in his house, so I can identify the quality of wooden furniture at a nce. Anna could be so sure it was true because she had seen a lot of highCquality old furniture since she was a child. Her grandfather was an obsessive lover of old furniture. Therefore, she knew that the cab was of good quality just by looking at it. Seeing that the man seemed to be doubting her words, Anna exined, Look, that cab is of good condition. Its well preserved and without even a C***k. Not only that, even the table legs have not been sawed. I have seen many cabs, so I know that there are not many rosewood cabs intact like this. You should know that such nice wood furniture is rare. The man surveyed her and asked thoughtfully, Why are you telling me this? Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Anna immediately realized that this man was a sophisticated and intelligent person. If she did not offer conditions in exchange, even if Mr. Smith gave him the cab, he might not receive So, Anna simply suggested, Well, please let me join you when you go to his house again. You can say that I am also your assistant. After the deal is done, you then offer to go around their house to see other furniture. Then, you can look at the furniture there, and Ill find someone. The man stared at her for a few seconds and said, Deal. Anna called that man Mr. Wilson because his assistant called him that. With them, Anna finally walked into the Smith house this time. The woman who had just kicked her out was not there. Otherwise, Anna would be in trouble again. Anna looked carefully at the cab again. After confirming that it was intact, she gave Mr. Wilson a hint. Mr. Wilson said, Okay, Ill buy it at your price. Mikes brother Jack was delighted to hear this. He immediately held out his hand and said, Oh my God, thats great! Thank you! The assistant immediately stepped in front of Mr. Wilson and shook Jacks hand. He said, Then, its a deal. Well transfer the money to your ount within half an hour, okay? Well, we dont want to go back yet; its still early. Wed like to see if you have any more furniture here. Yes, of course, Jack said. He was willing to do that because he hoped they could buy a few more pieces He was thrilled that Mr. Wilson was so generous. Many people had looked at the cab before, but no one had ever agreed to buy it at that price. Anna followed Mr. Wilson and his assistant into the courtyard. After casually looking at some more furniture, they went into the backyard. C Jack followed in and exined, This is where my brother lives. All of his furniture is new, and none of it is worth buying. Anna smiled and said, Really? You dont have any expensive furniture hidden in here, do you? Come on, show it to Mr. Wilson. Jack immediately waved his hand and said, No, I swear Im telling you the truth. If you dont believe me, you can get in and have a look. He doesnt have any good stuff there. Im saying this because Im afraid thatll waste your time. Mr. Wilsons assistant was standing behind Anna. He grimaced and muttered, Does she really consider herself a secretary? Just as he finished speaking, he winced. Then, when he looked up, he saw his boss staring at him with a poker face. Mr. Wilson said, If youre getting impatient, Ill ask my secretary toe with me the next time. The assistant shivered a little and said awkwardly, Oh, no, I didnt mean to say that. Sorry. Then, just stopining. They smelled a strong scent of cinnamon just as they entered the backyard. Jack immediately exined, My brother is a pastry chef and just retired. So, he often makes these sweet treats at home. We can go somewhere else if you cant stand the smell. Anna pretended to be surprised and asked, Hes a pastry chef? So, is he making pastries now? Well, you know, Mr. Wilson hasnt eaten anything yet on our way. If he has already made something to eat, can we buy some? So, we can eat on our way home. Jack immediately said, No problem! But, you dont have to buy from him, because I can just get you some. Mr. Wilson, what kind of pastry would you like to eat? Mr. Wilson looked at Anna suspiciously and as if to question her. Well, she used me as an excuse. I didnt even say I wanted to eat anything just now. It seemed that she really knew how to push it, Mr. Wilson thought. Anna just winked at him as if she was justified, and gestured for him to cooperate with her. The assistant couldnt take it anymore. However, he was about to say something when he heard Mr. Wilson, standing beside him, say, Well, please show us. The assistant looked up in surprise and stared at his boss in shock. Anna looked at Mr. Wilson gratefully, thinking. Youre an intelligent man! You already knew that the person I was looking for was in the kitchen The rich, sweet smelt of cinnamon wasing from the kitchen. Jack then enthusiastically led the three of them into the kitchen. As soon as they entered the room, they felt the heat inside and found it hotter than outside. Anna saw a familiar man kneading dough in the kitchen, and it was Mike. Anna thought he looked as if he had fully recovered from that ident. Jack then asked, Mike, Mr. Wilson is here to buy furniture. Have you made the bread yet? Give them some, will you? Mike replied without even looking up. Sure, help yourselves to whatever you want. Jack then pointed to the table next to the oven and said, Mr. Wilson, please have a look. Anna saw several kinds of pastries there, many of which were the hotels specialty. After Mike retired, the hotel could hardly find another pastry chef as good as him. Anna deliberately rmended these to Mr. Wilson by saying, Mr. Wilson, what would you like to eat? Look, I think that cake looks nice. I used to work in a hotel, and this kind of pastry was their specialty. Just as Anna finished speaking, she heard a loud ng. Then, a thing beside Mike fell to the floor with a harsh sound. Everyone looked at Mike and found that a flour sifting utensil had dropped to the ground, and the flour was all over the floor. Mike looked at Anna and had an expression of overwhelmed surprise on his wrinkled face. He asked, Miss Gabriel? Is that you? Jack frowned and asked, Hey, whats going on? You scared the hell out of me! Anna frowned and also acted surprised. She asked, Mike? Anna waited for Mike in the living room. After Mike washed his hands, he walked in. The house was quiet. Mr. Wilson and his assistant were gone. Jack also left without saying anything after knowing that Anna and Mike knew each other. So, there were just the two of them left there. Miss Gabriel, have you quit your job? Ah, sort of. I was the manager, so I was supposed to be responsible for that fire. As you can see, Im now Mr. Wilsons assistant. Mike seemed a little nervous at the mention of the fire. Then, he kept fumbling with his trouser pocket and finally found a pack of cigarettes. As he took one from the pack and was about to light it, he heard his wife snarl, Why are you still smoking? Damn it! Mike blinked in embarrassment. He hesitated for a while and then put that cigarette back in the pack. Then, he said awkwardly, Oh, what a coincidence! I thought you hade to see me on purpose. Anna acted puzzled, nced toward the door, and said, Why should I do that? By the way, thats your wife, right? I saw her this morning. But, howe she told me that she didnt know you? Mike was stunned after hearing her words. He was silent for a while as if he couldnt find a reasonable excuse for a while. A momentter, he stumbled and said, Oh, we had a fight. You just heard that woman, and she was cursing me. You two argued about your smoking? Oh, I see. You have caused a lot of damage to thepany this time. The equipment destroyed in the kitchen is probably worth several million dors. Anna said calmly as if she was talking about something that had nothing to do with her. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Hearing this, Mike lowered his head. In the dim sunlight, Anna could see that his gaze looked complicated. He looked as if there was a gloomy mist in his eyes. Sorry, I have to leave now. Mr. Wilson is still waiting for me to look at the furniture with him, Anna said suddenly and then prepared to leave. 174 Im just Passing by Anna immediately realized that this man was a sophisticated and intelligent person. If she did not offer conditions in exchange, even if Mr. Smith gave him the cab, he might not receive So, Anna simply suggested, Well, please let me join you when you go to his house again. You can say that I am also your assistant. After the deal is done, you then offer to go around their house to see other furniture. Then, you can look at the furniture there, and Ill find someone. The man stared at her for a few seconds and said, Deal. Anna called that man Mr. Wilson because his assistant called him that. With them, Anna finally walked into the Smith house this time. The woman who had just kicked her out was not there. Otherwise, Anna would be in trouble again. Anna looked carefully at the cab again. After confirming that it was intact, she gave Mr. Wilson a hint. Mr. Wilson said, Okay, Ill buy it at your price. Mikes brother Jack was delighted to hear this. He immediately held out his hand and said, Oh my God, thats great! Thank you! The assistant immediately stepped in front of Mr. Wilson and shook Jacks hand. He said, Then, its a deal. Well transfer the money to your ount within half an hour, okay? Well, we dont want to go back yet; its still early. Wed like to see if you have any more furniture here. Yes, of course, Jack said. He was willing to do that because he hoped they could buy a few more pieces He was thrilled that Mr. Wilson was so generous. Many people had looked at the cab before, but no one had ever agreed to buy it at that price. Anna followed Mr. Wilson and his assistant into the courtyard. After casually looking at some more furniture, they went into the backyard. C Jack followed in and exined, This is where my brother lives. All of his furniture is new, and none of it is worth buying. Anna smiled and said, Really? You dont have any expensive furniture hidden in here, do you? Come on, show it to Mr. Wilson. Jack immediately waved his hand and said, No, I swear Im telling you the truth. If you dont believe me, you can get in and have a look. He doesnt have any good stuff there. Im saying this because Im afraid thatll waste your time. Mr. Wilsons assistant was standing behind Anna. He grimaced and muttered, Does she really consider herself a secretary? Just as he finished speaking, he winced. Then, when he looked up, he saw his boss staring at him with a poker face. Mr. Wilson said, If youre getting impatient, Ill ask my secretary toe with me the next time. The assistant shivered a little and said awkwardly, Oh, no, I didnt mean to say that. Sorry. Then, just stopining. They smelled a strong scent of cinnamon just as they entered the backyard. Jack immediately exined, My brother is a pastry chef and just retired. So, he often makes these sweet treats at home. We can go somewhere else if you cant stand the smell. Anna pretended to be surprised and asked, Hes a pastry chef? So, is he making pastries now? Well, you know, Mr. Wilson hasnt eaten anything yet on our way. If he has already made something to eat, can we buy some? So, we can eat on our way home. Jack immediately said, No problem! But, you dont have to buy from him, because I can just get you some. Mr. Wilson, what kind of pastry would you like to eat? Mr. Wilson looked at Anna suspiciously and as if to question her. Well, she used me as an excuse. I didnt even say I wanted to eat anything just now. It seemed that she really knew how to push it, Mr. Wilson thought. Anna just winked at him as if she was justified, and gestured for him to cooperate with her. The assistant couldnt take it anymore. However, he was about to say something when he heard Mr. Wilson, standing beside him, say, Well, please show us. The assistant looked up in surprise and stared at his boss in shock. Anna looked at Mr. Wilson gratefully, thinking. Youre an intelligent man! You already knew that the person I was looking for was in the kitchen The rich, sweet smelt of cinnamon wasing from the kitchen. Jack then enthusiastically led the three of them into the kitchen. As soon as they entered the room, they felt the heat inside and found it hotter than outside. Anna saw a familiar man kneading dough in the kitchen, and it was Mike. Anna thought he looked as if he had fully recovered from that ident. Jack then asked, Mike, Mr. Wilson is here to buy furniture. Have you made the bread yet? Give them some, will you? Mike replied without even looking up. Sure, help yourselves to whatever you want. Jack then pointed to the table next to the oven and said, Mr. Wilson, please have a look. Anna saw several kinds of pastries there, many of which were the hotels specialty. After Mike retired, the hotel could hardly find another pastry chef as good as him. Anna deliberately rmended these to Mr. Wilson by saying, Mr. Wilson, what would you like to eat? Look, I think that cake looks nice. I used to work in a hotel, and this kind of pastry was their specialty. Just as Anna finished speaking, she heard a loud ng. Then, a thing beside Mike fell to the floor with a harsh sound. Everyone looked at Mike and found that a flour sifting utensil had dropped to the ground, and the flour was all over the floor. Mike looked at Anna and had an expression of overwhelmed surprise on his wrinkled face. He asked, Miss Gabriel? Is that you? Jack frowned and asked, Hey, whats going on? You scared the hell out of me! Anna frowned and also acted surprised. She asked, Mike? Anna waited for Mike in the living room. After Mike washed his hands, he walked in. The house was quiet. Mr. Wilson and his assistant were gone. Jack also left without saying anything after knowing that Anna and Mike knew each other. So, there were just the two of them left there. Miss Gabriel, have you quit your job? Ah, sort of. I was the manager, so I was supposed to be responsible for that fire. As you can see, Im now Mr. Wilsons assistant. Mike seemed a little nervous at the mention of the fire. Then, he kept fumbling with his trouser pocket and finally found a pack of cigarettes. As he took one from the pack and was about to light it, he heard his wife snarl, Why are you still smoking? Damn it! Mike blinked in embarrassment. He hesitated for a while and then put that cigarette back in the pack. Then, he said awkwardly, Oh, what a coincidence! I thought you hade to see me on purpose. Anna acted puzzled, nced toward the door, and said, Why should I do that? By the way, thats your wife, right? I saw her this morning. But, howe she told me that she didnt know you? Mike was stunned after hearing her words. He was silent for a while as if he couldnt find a reasonable excuse for a while. A momentter, he stumbled and said, Oh, we had a fight. You just heard that woman, and she was cursing me. You two argued about your smoking? Oh, I see. You have caused a lot of damage to thepany this time. The equipment destroyed in the kitchen is probably worth several million dors. Anna said calmly as if she was talking about something that had nothing to do with her. Hearing this, Mike lowered his head. In the dim sunlight, Anna could see that his gaze looked complicated. He looked as if there was a gloomy mist in his eyes. Sorry, I have to leave now. Mr. Wilson is still waiting for me to look at the furniture with him, Anna said suddenly and then prepared to leave. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Mike didnt say anything to make Anna stay. So, she walked straight out of the house. It was noon, and the sun was very bright and scorching. But Mikes wife was standing in the sunlight feeding the chickens as if she didnt feel the heat. As Anna came out, she found that Mikes wife was looking into the house. When she saw Anna, she immediately lowered her head and seemed to resent her. As Anna walked past her, she clearly heard that woman curse, What a troublesome woman! Anna looked back at her, frowned, and asked, What? Who are you talking to? The woman looked up and snarled, Ah, its none of your business. I said that my chickens are troublesome. The chickens inside the coop were still small. Then, one chicken cooed a few times to express how discontent it was Of course, Mikes wife would not scold her own chickens for being troublesome, unless shes crazy. So, she must be cursing me. Besides, there is no one here but the two of us. Anna thought to herself, Anna looked at her and said, Mike is such a good baker. Its such a shame that he retired after the incident Humph, I dont know what youre talking about. The hotel suffered huge economic loss because of the fire. And someone has to be responsible for that matter. I think that even if the hotel only let him pay for a small part of the money, it is still a lot. You cant solve that just by retiring and leaving. So, do you know anything about this? Hearing that, the womans face immediately turned pale. Anyway, Im staying at a nearby B&B tonight. You can find me there if you have anything to say to me. I will be waiting for you. After saying this, Anna left Smiths house without looking back Anna thought to herself, it appeared that Mikes wife obviously knew something about the fire. Or maybe, she knew the truth about it! Anna had some thoughts in mind, but she still needed someone to confirm that. Hello. Did you find Mike? Anna had just arrived where she was staying when the owners wife warmly greeted her. Anna stayed at the fishermans house. That small vige had a beautiful view, and many people would travel there every summer. So, almost every family turned their house into a B&B hotel. Anna smiled and replied, Yes, Ive found him. Did your husband go out? Yeah, right. He took our son to the beach to fish. A guest just ordered seafood from us, and he will pick it up in a few minutes. Is that so? It seems that the seafood here is very popr. Anna sat by the window and drank her coffee. She looked out the window and felt that the sea breeze was brushing her face. Not long after, a car pulled up in front of the door. As soon as the assistant got out of the car, he saw Anna. Then, he asked warily, Hey, its you again? Are you following us? Anna didnt know why this assistant was so hostile to her. She rolled her eyes at him and slowly said, I was going to ask you about it too! I stay here, so Im not stalking you. Anyway, it seems to me that youre the stalker. You stay here? A man asked. The assistant was startied at that voice. He turned around and said respectfully. Hi, Mr. Wilson. Yes! You can ask thisdy if you dont believe me. Mr. Wilson did not ask more questions but walked up to her and asked, Can I sit here? Yeah, why not? Before Wilson could sit down, his fussy assistant said, Mr. Wilson, wait! Please dont sit down yet. Ill go get you your cushion. The assistant then immediately ran out. Anna looked at his back, sighed, and said from the bottom of her heart, Mr. Wilson, your assistant is more attentive than a secretary! He even cares about whether you can sitfortably or not. Mr. Wilson nodded and then sat down in front of Anna. He said, Well, I found an antique chair made of valuable wood at Smiths houseter. Thats a great piece of furniture and more valuable than that cab. Really? Congrattions! Anna said. Thanks. But, I think its all thanks to you. Can you tell my assistant your bank ountter, please? Hell give you the reward you deserve. Anna waved her hand and said nonchntly, No, thanks. I was just there to do my own thing, and I didnt seem to help you, so you dont have to be so polite, Mr. Wilson. The assistant returned after only a short time. When he saw that Mr. Wilson was already seated, he clutched that cushion with an aggrieved expression. Anna surveyed the two of them for a moment and suddenly understood something. Mr. Wilson looked like he was just in his forties. He was handsome, veryposed and seemed like he had been through many things. So, he seemed a bit older and more mature than Wayne. However, he and his assistant look like twopletely different kinds of people. The assistant was young and energetic. He looked like an elite, but he sometimes talked like a fool. Moreover, he had an inexplicable hostility towards Anna Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Oh, a calm president and his sassy assistant. Interestingbo. Anna thought to herself. After they made small talk, the fisherman returned with his son. They then gave Mr. Wilson and his assistant a box of seafood. The assistant opened the box and took a closer look before carrying it to the car. Mr. Wilson handed Anna a business card before he left. He said, I dont like to owe people Anna thought it was a little funny when she took the card. She had never seen anyone so insistent on giving others money. Looking at the name on the card, Anna read it in her mind: Randal Wilson Nice name, Anna thought to herself. Anna shoved the card in her pocket as she only took one look at its name. Because, she saw a person walking towards her in the distance. That was Mikes wife. She came faster than I expected, Anna thought. Im sorry. But, do we really have to pay for the ident? Mikes wife asked nervously. She didnt look at all like the overbearing person she had been just then. Oh! Actually, Im not sure about that. It depends on whether thepany will file awsuit or not. Anna said C She was telling the truth. Thepany had suffered a lot of money loss, and they indeed couldnt let the one who started the fire go. They would definitely find someone to take responsibility for it. Upon hearing this, the woman suddenly panicked. She stumbled and said, Oh God! But, we cant afford it! We dont have that much money, so we cant afford to pay. Hey, Mike caused this. If he hadnt smoked there, the fire wouldnt have started! Oh, my goodness! But, the fire extinguishing device was clearly broken! We shouldnt be the only ones to take the me for this. Anna frowned and asked warily, Wait, how do you know that device was broken? Anna had let John handle the information online when the fire had just urred. So, no more than five people in the entire hotel knew that the fire extinguishing device was broken, including Anna and John. So, they imed on the public notice that the fire extinguishing device didnt function as it should because the fire was out of control. So, Anna found this womans firm attitude very suspicious. Anna asked her a few more questions. Finally, she admitted, Oh, fine. Mike did it! He was afraid that he would trigger the fire extinguishing device every time he smoked, so he broke it. But I could swear to God he really didnt start the fire! He told me that he was cautious every time he smoked. He would put out the cigarette, wrap it up, and put it inside his pocket to bring out. He also did so this time! Is that so? Then, why didnt he tell us about it? Thats because The womans expression became embarrassed. She only said the words halfway and then became silent. Thats because of Kenny, right? Anna finished the rest of her words for her. Her voice was very calm, like the cool sea breeze at night I guess that you guys must think of Kenny as your own son. Mike knew that he had broken the fire extinguishing device and could not get away with it. So, after weighing the pros and cons, he intended to take responsibility himself. Then, Kenny would be innocent and can continue to After Anna finished, the woman looked like she was on the verge of fainting. She stumblec and asked, What? You know all about it? 1/6 Waiting For You TU PINTU Me Well, how much I know depends on how much you are willing to tell me. But, I dont know what the final oue of thewsuit will be. I was the person on duty the day of the fire, and I did nothing. But, I was still fired. Anna stared at Mikes wife and deliberately made her words ambiguous. It seemed like Mikes wife had been building up her anger for a long time. As soon as she heard Annas words, she couldnt help but imagine the worst scenario. So, she told everything she knew about the truth to Anna. Everyone familiar with Mike knew that he was a chain smoker. To smoke in the kitchen, he deliberately broke the fire extinguishing device in the storage room. Otherwise, the device would directly rm every time it detected smoke. Of course, Mike was very cautious about that. Each time after smoking, he would bring out cigarette butts. So, the fire could not have been started by cigarette butts or sparks. That day, Mike smoked in the warehouse and took the cigarette out. And Kenny was also at the warehouse at that time. Then, Mike suddenly discovered that Kenny was going to set a fire deliberately. The two were arguing when Mike identally dropped the cigarettes on something mmable, which started thatrge fire. After the fire started, Kenny knelt down in front of Mike and pleaded for mercy. Seeing that how miserable his adopted son was, Mike decided to take responsibility for the fire alone. So, he quit his job and went back home. Mike and his wife treated Kenny as their son, because they hoped that he would take care of them when they were old. But, Kenny was an ungrateful person. After Kenny was promoted to a fullCtime employee of the hotel, he became afraid. He was worried that because he was close to Mike, he would be held ountable by thepany for the fire. So, he called them to talk about it, and his words made the Smiths sad. Hes such an ingrate! He called and threatened Mike. He said that if Mike dared to tell the truth, he would tell others that Mike broke the fire extinguisher on purpose. He also said that in that case, we would have to pay for the loss in that kitchen. Anna frowned, thinking. If Kenny is such a jerk, then its not surprising that he set the fire. He probably did it because someone paid him a significant amount of money. The first thing that came to Annas mind was the woman she saw as she walked out of the kitchen with Tammy It was Charlotte Wilson. After thinking about it for a long time, Anna realized that Charlotte would benefit the most from this incident. Also, she had enough motive, too. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 She had basically figured out the truth about the fire. However, she knew she could not easily find out who made Kenny set the fire. After getting on the ne, Anna sat in her seat, stared out of the window and was lost in thought. A few minutester, a flight attendant approached Anna. Excuse me,dy, are you Miss Gabriel? The flight attendant asked. Hearing her sweet voice, Anna immediately snapped back to her senses and said, Um, yes, I am Well, you have been upgraded to business ss. Anna froze for a moment and asked, Why? Im sorry, Im not sure about that. But, someone would sit on this seatter. Shall I take you to your seat in business ss, please? Anna had no idea what was going on and had to follow the flight attendant to the business ss Miss Gabriel, this is your seat. If you need anything, you can call me anytime. Okay, thanks, Anna said, and then sat down in her seat. She turned her head sideways and froze after seeing the face of the man next to her. She said in surprise, Mr. Wilson? Randal put the newspaper down and looked at Anna. He was wearing a pair of goldCrimmed sses that blocked his eyes, which were so calm that they seemed to carry no emotion. He said slowly, Hello, Miss Gabriel. Weve met again. He looked at ease as if he already knew we would meet Anna, which made her wary She said, Mr. Wilson, did you upgrade my seats? Randal held up his sses. He looked so calm andposed like a typical business elite. He said, Yes. I heard that we happened to be on the same ne, so I got you a morefortable seat. I know that I still owe you a favor and that you would never reach out to me. Even his words were logical. But, I believe that there are no coincidences in the world. Anna looked Randal straight in the eye. She looked at him with great suspicion and wanted him to know what he was thinking. Anna thought to herself. This is definitely not a coincidence! Why did he happen to know that I was also on this ne? Im not going to believe his exnation. What ame excuse! It seems that he isnt going to hide his intentions at all. Randal replied, It doesnt matter if its deliberate or coincidental. Anyway, I think we met here just because of fate. Anna fastened her seat belt, smiled slightly, and said, Oh, but Im engaged, Mr. Wilson. Anna knew that men all over the world approach women with one purpose in mind. However, it was up to the woman to respond. Randal did not seem to be interested in her words. He smiled like a gentleman and replied, Congrattions. After saying this, both of them stopped talking. Anna soon fell asleep after the ne took off. Then, Randal out away his newspaper and After that, he did something jawCdropping C he quietly took a picture of himself and Anna with his camera. The assistant was sitting across the aisle from him. When he saw that, his eyes widened in shock. He was so surprised that he almost couldnt believe his eyes. Randal, however, acted like nothing had happened. He called the flight attendant over and told her to bring Anna a nket. Anna fell into a deep sleep, so she had no idea what was going on. However, it took her a long time to realize what Randal was doing with that photo. Even though she guessed that Randal had a purpose for changing her seat, she fell asleep because she was too tired. Wayne and Gabe were in the building of the headquarters of Carousel Group. Wayne told Gabe to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire. After investigating for a week, Gabe went to Wayne with some files. As far as I know, this incident has little to do with Mike. I deduced that in order to smoke, Mike damaged the smoke rm system. However, the source of the fire was not that cigarette butt. The kitchen was on fire in many ces, and it looked like someone had burned fuel that was poured on the floor. So, I think someone set the fire on purpose. Wayne stared at the surveince screen in front of him, and his gaze became gloomy. He asked, Who did it? Gabe said with certainty, That person is definitely an employee at our hotel. I think there is a good chance that Mikes apprentice, Kenny, did something. But, he wouldnt do it voluntarily. So, I checked his bank ount, and found that someone gave him arge amount of money. What? Ourpetitor did it, right? Oh, thats what I thought at first. But, then, I saw something suspicious in the surveince. With that, Gabe began to y the security video from the night before the fire started. At that time, several employees were moving groceries out of a car at the hotels back door. They did this every night to ensure that they had the freshest vegetables for the next day. Gabe paused the video and zoomed in. Then, he pointed to a man in a ck trench coat carrying the goods and said, Ive seen this man before on a camera footage. Im sure that he went to Leos house in Laxis Town before. Waynes eyes widened with a hint of astonishment. Even though the man covered his face with a hat, Wayne could see a long scar on the right side of his face. The scar made him look scary. Who is he? Wayne asked. Gabe immediately replied, Ive run a background check on him. His name is Steve Brown, and his nickname is Scar Brown. He had been in jail several times for intentional assault and was released six months ago. He joined a gang and is now working in collecting debts. This man is the most suspicious one. Since he is working on helping people to collect Wayne debts, how is it possible he works as a porter for the food supplier for no good reason?N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Okay, keep focusing on him. I hope you can find out who exactly made him do it and who ordered him. By the way, find out what hes been doingtely. Gabe nodded and said, Got it. By the way, Miss Gabriels flight will arrive at the airport tonight. Are you going to pick her up? Wayne frowned and said, No. Im going to the hospital tonight to see Charlotte. Gabe froze for a moment. Then he sighed in his mind and suddenly felt sympathy for Anna. Anna hasnt done anything. Yet, they med her before for the fire. Now that things are pretty much checked out, and we know that the fire has nothing to do with her. Also, we are sure that she did not know that Matthew was in the kitchen. But too bad that Wayne doesnt seem to care about her anymore, Gabe thought to himself. Mr. Wright, theres one more thing. The hotel staff has been gossiping about Miss Gabrieltely. Should we do something about it? Most of the staff thought that since Anna and Wayne had broken up, and they talked about her all they wanted. They dared not to say that Wayne did something wrong, so they could only talk s**t about Anna When Gabe went to the hotel to take care of business the other day, he heard Annas subordinate employees talking about gossip. Someone said, It took so long for us to realize what kind of person she is. Anyway, Ive never seen a woman treat her stepCchildren nice. It seems that when people are in danger, they usually only protectProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. their children. Luckily, Mr. Wright found out that shes a selfish woman. Anna would get nothing from him!. Exactly! I think she used to pretend to be nice. Anna hadnt resigned from the hotel yet. Wayne suspended her only because he wanted her to stay. However, people misunderstood him, Gabe was worried that if Anna heard their gossip, she would also misunderstand Wayne. And then, Gabe heard Wayne say indifferently, Just let them gossip. I dont care about that. His tone was very grim, and Gabe sighed in his heart when he heard this. *** It was already evening when that nended in Birmingham. After picking up her luggage, Anna walked out of the airport. There were many people at entrance of the airport, but she immediately recognized Peace standing in front of her car. Hey, wheres Tammy? Seeing that Peace seemed to havee alone, Anna asked. After Peace shoved Annas suitcase into the trunk, she then winked at her and said, Oh, shes home. Dont worry, Anna, she should be asleep by now. Anyway, I think you should get in the car first and see who also came to see you. Puzzled, Anna pulled open the car door. She then immediately saw a young man wearing 177 Not Just Acquaintances sunsses. He smiled at her, and his teeth were shining under moonlight. He said, Surprise, Anna! Surprised and delighted, Anna immediately got into the car and closed the door. She asked, Hey! Scott, what are you doing here? Are you done with your variety show? Scott leaned over her shoulder and said unhappily. Well, that show is over for now Honestly, Ive been in a bit of troubletely So I thought Id stay at your house to hide for a while After Peace got into the drivers seat, she said. Let me tell you, you can take your refuge, but youd better not stay in at our house. There will be a bunch of paparazzi following you no matter where you go. If you stay at Annas house, she wont be able toe home at all! Scott frowned and hesitated for a moment, and he looked like he was about to say something hard to say He said, No, I dont even care about those annoying paparazzi now Ive been in some troubletely But, none are reliable, and I dont want to talk to them about it. So, I can only tell you guys What is it? Anna looked at him worriedly Scott looked a little distracted and even speechless as he said, Oh, well, just something typical in show business. You know, my agent took me to dinner with the investor of my new show the other day But, that investor made a move on me, which made me so damn disgusted Peaceughed out loud and said, Hey. I think its pretty good. If that rich woman wants to date you, just say yes to her! I think that you should feel satisfied, honey. Scott was so angry that his face went pale. He said furiously, What? I wish that person were a woman! But, no, hes a man! Damn it! Anna and Peace were silent after hearing his words. After a few seconds, they broke out into a loud laughter Scott looked at the two who couldnt stopughing, and said in exasperation, Why are youughing? Well, how would you guys feel if a woman fell in love with you? Oops! You know what, I told Anna before that you might be gay. But, she said it was impossible. I knew it! Hey, Im not gay! Im straight for real! A homophobia is usually a gay. I believe you now, Peace. Anna said. Scott said in embarrassment and annoyance, Hey, stop it! Stopughing! I told you this because I want you to help me with my problems, not to let you make fun of me! Stop the car, Peace, and let me out. I cant stand to be humiliated by you guys anymore! Anna finally had enough ofughing and then pulled his shirt. She said, Geez, rx, were just kidding with you. Tell us, how do you want us to help you? That p*****t invited me to a party which will be held in a few days. Which one of you two will be avable? You can go with me there and pretend to be my girlfriend. That way, hell know Im straight. Huh? Will it really be that simple? Yeah. Looking at Scotts innocent impression, Anna and Peace looked at each other inside the rearview mirror. Hes so naive! Scott thought that if he said he was straight to that man, it would deter him. No way! In show business, straight men could be gay for pay. Anna thought to herself. Anna refused outright, saying, No Scott, its not that simple. I think youd better just turn down his invitation. Hell stop pestering you when you got marriedter. Scott raised his eyebrows and asked, What? You really dont want to go? Anna, I heard that Waynes exCgirlfriend has beening after youtely. Let me tell you, this creep is Charlottes brother. Anna froze She couldnt help thinking, What a small world! Charlotte wants to steal my man, and her brother wants to steal my foster brother. What a mess! Scott wanted both Anna and Peace to go to that party desperately. It was the birthday party of Charlottes second brothers son, and the whole of Birminghams high society and some celebrities would be there. Anna entered the banquet, holding Scotts arm. She wore a ck dress and looked very elegant. Her neck was long and fair, Peace walked in with them. She looked at the party venue and said, Wow, this is quite a scene! Scott, why dont you just go out with Mr. Wilson? I heard that he runs the whole group. If you marry him, youll be the rich Ms. Wilson. Scott became huffy and said, What? Peace, stop joking around! I can swear to God Im really straight. Well, well, you are the straightest man in the world, arent you? Peace joked. Anna felt helpless as she listened to their conversation. Oh, God, hes here! Scott nudged Anna. As Anna looked in the direction Scott was looking, she saw a man in a suit walking toward them. Anna froze and then became shocked. It seems that the world is really small! She thought to herself. Hey, hello, Mr. Wilson. Oh, please allow me to introduce you to my girlfriend. Scott introduced Anna to him. Randals gaze became teasing. He looked at Anna and said, Miss Gabriel, weve met again. What? How do you know herst name? You two know each other? Scott frowned and stared at Randal. Randal looked at Scott and said, Oh, were a little closer than acquaintances. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 What? Sis, you know him? Scott said warily. Sis? Randal asked with a teasing smile. Watching Scott spill the beans, Annaughed as she felt resigned. She said, Hey, Scott, you shouldnt have said that. She had only told Randal that she was engaged, but she didnt tell him who her fiance was. Little did she know that Scott would spill the beans within seconds. What a simple kid! But, this whole thing is indeed not my fault, is it? Anna thought to herself. Oh, Ill leave you two alone, okay? Were off to somewhere else. Anna rubbed her nose awkwardly and left with Peace. Anna thought that there were so many people here, so there was no way Randal could do anything to Scott. Also, she and Peace felt awkward just by standing next to them. So, she thought it was better to run away. Just as Anna left, Scott red at Randal in annoyance and prepared to leave as well. Dont you want to know how Anna and I met? Randal asked. No! I know you hate me. But do you hate me more for being your boyfriend or for being your sisters boyfriend? What do you mean? Scott stood still. As soon as he turned around, he saw the picture of Anna and Randal on Randals phone. His gaze instantly became alert. Then, he grabbed Randal by the cor and lowered his voice, Hey, Im warning you. Dont youy your hands on my sister. Otherwise, I wont let you go. Randal didnt struggle at all and just let Scott grab his cor. He put his hands inside his trouser pockets and lifted his head. At that moment, his sses reflected the bright light He looked interested and asked, Oh? Is that so? How will you do that? Scott was going to pass out from anger. He said, Humph! Im going to tell everyone that youre gay! And, the news will be all over this city. Youre divorced, but you were married to a woman and had a child. You did that as a marriage fraud! When that timees, yourpany will definitely suffer. Ill make my brother president of thepany before people know about it. Randal looked at the young man in front of him at ease. The way he looked at Scott was like a wolf looking at his weak prey. And, after that, I will tell everyone that you are my boyfriend so that you will retire with me. Scotts expression immediately became irritated. He cursed, Bulls**t! Randal, Im not your f**king boyfriend! Actually, I kind of like it when you curse. Randal smiled tenderly and said. Scott felt as if the blood in his body was boiling. He froze for a long time, not able to say a word of retort. Randal pulled out a hand, patted him on the shoulder, and said, Hey, are you calm yet? Okay, then just listen to me. I wonty my hand s on your sister, but I want you to get along with me. Scott quickly pped Randals hand away and took two steps back. He said cautiously, Im telling you, Im straight! Also, I would never go on a damn date with you. Get over it! Randal shrugged, and that made him lookzy and elegant like a noble swan. He said, Im straight, too. But, what happened that day was an ident. You know, I was drunk. Scott looked at him suspiciously and said, Oh, dont try to fool me! I know you only had half a ss of red wine that night. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Scott sent Randal home that night because he was trying to be nice. But, he didnt expect Randal to make a move on him. Scott would be annoyed just by thinking of it. However, he knew that he should protect Anna. So, he took a deep breath and said, Okay. Randal, I can be your friend. But please donte near my sister again. Randal looked at him with a teasing smile and said, Oh, hey, I have a lot of friends. You know why Im approaching you, Scott. You want to y dumb, but I dont. Randal felt that working every day had already made him exhausted. Therefore, he had always been very open about his feelings and never hid them. What? God! What the hell are you trying to do?! Scott asked through clenched teeth. His face was red from anger. ?. I just want you to go on a date with me. What? Are you kidding me? No, Im not, Randal said firmly. Randal then took a ss of wine from a waiter passed by He turned toward Anna and said, Your sister may have broken up with Wayne. But, you know what, my sister knows Wayne very well. So, if I want to. I can change the rtionship between them. Scott, Ill give you one night to think about my proposal. Also, I hope you can tell me your answer when the party is over. Scott was trembling with anger. At that moment, Randal had strutted toward Anna. And Scott found that all he could do was stare at Randals back, and he couldnt stop him. After a while, Wayne walked into the room Together with Wayne, Charlotte walked in with her hands around his arm intimately. They looked like they were made for each other. Scott immediately frowned and then looked at Anna. Then, he was slightly relieved to see that Anna was talking to Randal and didnt saw Wayne. However, before he could fully rx, he felt enraged again. Randal is so shameless! Hes obviously gay, but he has tricked his ex-wife into marrying him and having a kid. Now, it seems that he even tried to fool Anna! What an asshole! Scott thought to himself. Wayne, honey, my brother ising to say hello to youter. You guys havent seen each other in a long time, have you? Charlotte said intimately as she snuggled into Waynes arms. Wayne was a little distracted and didnt seem to hear her. As soon as he walked in, he saw Anna and Randal standing together. He then paused his steps for a moment and frowned. Charlotte looked in the direction Wayne was looking and then became puzzled as well. She said, Hey, isnt that Anna? She knows my brother? Before she could finish, she suddenlyughed. She said, You know what, Anna is totally Randals type. Really? But, isnt your brother married? Wayne asked, upset. Charlotte looked at him and said, Oh, you probably havent heard of that. His exCwife left for America after she gave birth to his child. They got divorced five years ago, but they kept it a secret. Even my parents just found out about it a while ago. And they really hope that Randal can get married again. Wayne kept frowning. When he saw the way Randal and Anna were talking andughing, he felt so annoyed that he couldnt even breathe. Wayne thought to himself, Man, I thought she was going to Liverpool to travel. When she came back, I thought she wouldnt be mad at me anymore. When the hell did she meet Randal? Look how happy she is. It seems that she has forgotten what had happened before and got over me. Wayne, hey, Thomas is here, Charlotte said. Thomas was her second brother. Sorry, I need to talk to someone. Ille backter. Wayne pulled his hand out of Charlottes and was ready to leave. Watching him leaving, Charlotte bit her lip, and her gaze turned somber. Wayne had just taken a few steps when a person walked out of the crowd and stopped him. That was Charlottes mother, Evelyn Wilson. Hi, Wayne! Its been a long time! Ive been looking for you. After Anna heard Waynes name, she immediately raised her head to look around. Then, she saw that an elegant woman was talking to Wayne happily, and they looked very intimate. At this time, Randal calmly said, Oh, thats my mother. My mother and Wayne are very close, theyre like mother and son. Hearing that, the smile on Annas face froze. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Randal was a smart and sophisticated guy. He was an expert at finding peoples weak spots and saying something ironic about them. Also, he was good at pretending that he didnt mean it He and Anna were just being sarcastic with each other. He just implied that her rtionship with Wayne wasnt solid. The problem between them was not Charlotte, but themselves. Also, he said they broke up because they werent that in love with each other in the first ce. However, Anna was also not shy. She rolled her eyes at him as he talked, and then mocked him for falling in love with a straight guy. She also said that he was naive to think he could turn a heterosexual man into a gay. In short, neither of them was willing to admit defeat inparing who could be more sarcastic Then, Wayne appeared on the scene. Not long after, Ms. Wilson stopped him and talked to him. And that brought Anna and Randal a new topic. Anna, are you feeling embarrassed? Look, the man you love is so close to his exCfiance and gets along so well with her family. Anna nced at Randal and said, Well, you can stop talking now. If Id known you were Charlottes brother, then I wouldnt have even talked to you back in Liverpool. Everyone in the Wilson family is a jerk! Anna thought to herself. Randall raised his eyebrows and seemed not to mind her words. He then said in a teasing way, Hey, Anna, I can help you get back in the game if you want. Oh? Really? How would you do that? Before Randal could answer her, he saw Wayne saying goodbye to his mother and walking toward them. What are you doing here? Wayne asked. He was standing in front of Anna and looked at her imposingly Anna said irritably, What am I doing here? Hey, Wayne, this has nothing to do with you at all! Dont forget that Im not working at your hotel anymore! Oh? But, you were suspended, not fired. Wayne corrected her grimly. It doesnt make any difference. Ill resign when my suspension is over! When Wayne was about to continue arguing with her, he saw Randal watching them. Wayne had no choice but to control his anger. He then tugged on Annas arm and said, Okay, juste with me. When Randal saw that they were leaving, he said, Wayne! Hey, shes someone elses girlfriend, not yours. Where are you taking her? Anna blushed in shock and stared at Randal as she was amazed. To her surprise, he looked as calm as if nothing had happened. Anna thought. Damn, youre such a cunning man, Randal! Randal, I can pretend I didnt hear you if you were just joking. Wayne stared at Randal hostilely and said. Wow! Hey, Wayne, rx. I didnt say she was my girlfriend. Scott just told me that they were in a romantic rtionship Randal exined calmly. Anna couldnt help but shiver. She thought that Randal was really shrewd. He didnt want to get himself into trouble, so he let others take the me. As he expected, Wayne became gloomy and upset Ignoring the fact that people around him were looking at him, he dragged Anna away and into the lounge. He let go of his hand as soon as he closed the door and then mmed her onto the couch Anna felt painful as her back hit the couch. She gasped and then lifted her head. And then, she realized that her neat hair was messed up Anna said as she felt upset. Hey! what are you doing?! You told me that Scott was just your brother. Wayne propped his hands on the armrests on the couch and confined Anna in his arms. He stared down at her from above condescendingly, which made her panic. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Anna swallowed hard and defended herself by saying, Well, thats because he really is my brother. Oh, never mind. Even if hes not, its none of your business. Dont forget that weve broken up. Wayne. I didnt say yes to that, Wayne said in an assertive way, and he didnt seem to allow Anna to refuse He leaned down and blocked the sunlight that was supposed to fall on Annas face. At that moment, Anna smelled the scent of adys perfume on Wayne. She immediately thought of Charlottes coquettish expression and then turned somber. She pressed her slim hand hard against his chest. Then, she became annoyed and said, Hey, get away from me! I dont like the way you smell! Wayne knew what she was thinking the moment he saw her disgusted expression. But, he didnt exin anything. He just sat next to her and regained hisposure. Then, what about Randal? How did you two meet? He asked. We met on a ne when I travelled, Anna said perfunctorily. Anger overwhelmed Wayne. He said, I know him very well. He wont get close to someone if he doesnt want anything from them. So, stay away from him, Anna. Anna felt a growing sense of anger. She questioned, Oh? Then why are you so close to Charlotte? Doesnt she have any other intentions? Sure, she saved Matthews life. But, do you think that the reason why she put herself on the line is that she loves you very much? Wayne frowned and said, Im looking into that ident now, Anna. I know its not as simple as it seems. Anna looked at him indifferently and said, Well, I know youre digging into that. I also know that if you want to find out the truth, you can do it. But, when you knew what happened that day, the first thing you did was suspect me. Am I right? I know Wayne is smart and can always find out the truth. So, he will definitely have someone investigate the fire. Also, hes not a fool. If I think Charlotte is suspicious, then he must think so too. So, Im sure that he would find out the truth. Anna thought to herself. But, what she didnt expect was that the first thing Wayne did was me her. His reaction made her devastated. And the way he handled that matter made their rtionship awkward. What will you do after you know the truth, Wayne? You know its no ident that Charlotte showed up at the kitchen, right? So, what are you going to do about it? Youll let her take responsibility for this? Anna lowered her head, and then got up and smoothed her gown. She took a deep breath, straightened up her back, and looked back, saying, No, I know that you wont. You wouldnt me her for the sake of her mother. Randa/ told me that they were as close as mother and son. So I knew that no matter what Charlotte had done, Wayne would forgive her. Anna thought. Wayne treated Charlotte with his heart and Anna with his brain. Anna knew that this was the difference between her and Charlotte to Wayne. Wayne sat up straight and looked up at Anna. He said, Oh, actually, theres nothing between Charlotte and me. So, dont get mad at me because of her. I know, I shouldnt have doubted you, Im sorry. But still, I want to ask you something. What? If Matthew and Tammy were in danger at the same time, who would you save? Anna immediately asked the question back, You can ask yourself that question. So, who exactly would you save? Matthew, Wayne answered immediately without even thinking Anna had expected that Wayne would say that. However, when she actually heard his answer, she still felt upset. She felt a chill down her spines as if she was trapped in an ice cave. I think thats a cruel question. Believe it or not, I hesitated because I really think of Matthew as my son. Thats why I dont know who Ill save first. Anna looked at Wayne grimly and said, But you and I are different. You see, you made a very quick decision. So, it seems that you have never considered Tammy as your own daughter. She didnt want to take it out on Wayne or express her resentment when she said this. She was clear that she had restrained herself from telling the truth for a long time. Anna thought to herself, what if I tell Wayne that both children are his now? Would he regret asking such a dumb question? She knew that Wayne would probably be speechless and even regretful if this happened. But Anna also knew that she couldnt risk telling him about it. At least, she knew she couldnt say it now, nor could she take those consequences. Wayne, whether Im dating Scott or Randal, it has nothing to do with you. Like I said, weve broken up no Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Gabe was standing in the doorway of the lounge while Anna and Wayne were arguing, After a while, he nced at his watch and saw that they had been in there for fifteen minutes. Charlotte hade there several times on purpose to hear what they were saying. But, Gabe had told her to leave Gabe thought, theyd been in there for such a long time. So, are they going to make up? As he was expecting it, he heard the sound of the door opening. Then, Anna stepped out. Miss Gabriel, hello, Gabe said. Oh, no, Gabe, you can call me Anna now. Im not the manager of the hotel anymore. Anna nced at Gabe indifferently Gabe was frozen when he noticed Wayne walking out with a grim face as well. He immediately became frustrated. He thought to himself. So, theyre getting back together? But I didnt think so. They looked like they had another big fight and were ready to break up for good. Oh my God, how could this happen? Then the party started. And the Wilson family was toasting all the guests there with champagne Anna had been following Peace and Scott around since she came out of the lounge. After a while, Randal joined them and introduced them to other guests from time to time. How did Randal know them? Thats so weird! Charlotte felt confused and asked her mother. Evelyn was already in her sixties. However, because she had spent her life making herself more beautiful, she still looked rtively young and pretty. When she saw the four of them in the distance, her eyes lit up. She said, Oh, youre right. Howe Randal knows them so well? Charlotte, whos that girl over there? Is she married? Evelyn Wilson was from Irnd, and was a gentle and sweet woman. She spoke in a very kind way as if Anna were her friend. Charlotte looked at them and asked hesitantly, Which one are you asking about, Mom? There are two girls there. Oh, Im talking about the one in that cute ck dress. I saw her just talking to Randal. Thats weird. I remember that Randal rarely talks to girls. Could it be that she is his girlfriend? Charlotte suddenly felt delighted and quickly said, Oh, I know her. Thats Anna, and she is an employee of Waynespany. I heard that she is single. Mom, do you like her? Oh, she seems sweet. But I dont know if shes the best person to be Randals wife. You know, his exC wife doesnt care about Randal at all. So, they divorced just after getting married for a while. 180 Im Not Jealous Well, mom, you dont have to worry about that! No offense, but shes really a wife material. You know, she has a daughter. Let me tell you, that child is very polite and cute. Evelyn blinked and asked in surprise, What? She already has a daughter? Oh, she looks so young. I didnt expect that she had a child already. Yeah. But, she got divorced a long time ago. So, shes raising her kid alone. Dont take me wrong, but do you think its a good idea to let Randal marry a divorced woman? Charlotte asked deliberately, wanting to check her mothers attitude. However, as Charlotte expected, her mother didnt care about it at all. Evelyn just waved her hand and smiled. She blinked her big, innocent eyes like a teenage girl and said, Gosh! Charlotte, I really didnt expect that you would mind this. If you ask me, I think its totally fine. As long as Randal likes her, Ill give them my blessing. Besides, Randal has a daughter too! It would be great if the two kids can hang out together. Well, honey, Im going to say hello to Anna. Hey, Mommy, dont go! Charlotte pretended to stop her mother, but she couldnt. She snickered and walked behind Evelyn. If my mother could help me set Anna up with Randal, that would be great! That way, she can help me solve a huge problem easily. Charlotte thought to herself. Anna was sitting on the couch with Peace. After she told Peace what Wayne had just asked her, Peace immediately became outraged. If Anna hadnt stopped her, she would have snapped right away. S**t! Wayne is such an i***t! How could he have the nerve to ask such a question? These two kids are all yours! Peace said furiously. Although Anna had figured this out, she was still a little depressed. She drank the wine in her ss and said, Forget it, Peace. Dont be mad. He doesnt know the truth, so its not his fault. He can think whatever he wants, and I dont give a damn about it. Then Peace added, Im telling you, hes gonna be so regretful. Anna finished her ss of wine, thinking. This evening is a real mess! Well, Ive seen the jokes and had fun, and Id better get going. So, Anna looked at Randal and said she was about to leave. Then, Scott immediately stood up and said, Ill go with you guys. Well, Ill see you off. Randal stood up as well. Anna and Peace looked at each other. They both knew what Randal meant and thenughed together Hey, please wait for me! The four of them had just reached the door when they heard a woman say that. And they looked back and saw that it was Evelyn. Evelyn walked faster and caught up with them. Randal, are they your friends? Oh, please dont go yet. Why dont you introduce them to me? Randal looked at his mother and said, Oh, Mom, not now. Im just about to send them home. Evelyn looked at Anna and said, Yes, youre right. You should be a gentleman and send these twodies home. You know, you dont have toe back so soon, honey. Anna thought her words were a little bit odd. Just as she was thinking about it, Evelyn walked up to her She quickly surveyed Anna and said, Hello there, youngdy. Charlotte told me that you are an employee of Waynes May I know your name, please Anna froze and said hesitantly, Ms. Wilson, hi. Im Anna Gabriel. I wanted to say hello to you just now, but you seemed so busy So, I didnt dare to disturb you. Im really sorry. Evelyn smiled gently and said, Gee, thats okay You dont have to apologize to me. You know, its the first time that Randal let us see him , um his girlfriend. When Anna realized that Evelyn had misunderstood something, she immediately exined, Oh, no Ms Wilson Im just a friend of Randal, and Im not his girlfriend Evelyn winked and smiled, Oh, thats okay You two can take your time and get along. Randal may seem aloof, but he treats everyone around him very well. You know, Randals assistant is a man But, he doesnt even let him carry heavy things. Speaking of Randals assistant, Anna immediately thought of that fussy man He didnte today? What happened? Anna thought to herself Anna knew that there was a reason why Randal didnt let his assistant do the heavy lifting. Evelyn didnt seem to know that Randal might treat his assistant as a girl. He was so nice to his assistant because he took pity on him. Evelyn was very enthusiastic and walked them to the front door. Afterward, she invited Anna to visit their home someday, which made Anna so ttered So, Anna still felt confused when she got into the car Randal, I think your mother seems to have misunderstood something. Anna said in a daze Randal folded his arms and looked at Anna with a poker face. He said, Oh, yes. Its obvious that she wants to make us a couple. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Scott immediately snapped He tried to stand up, but identally hit his head on the cars roof. Although he felt pain, he yelled at Randal. What the hell?! Jesus Christ! You know what you should tell your mother to knock it off Youre thest man Anna would date in the world. Randal smiled at him and asked, Whats wrong? Are you jealous? Scott was outraged and roared, S**t! Stop your bullst! How can I be jealous because of you? Damn! Scott had always been a gentle and polite young man. Also, this was the first time in Annas life that she had heard Scott say so many swear words in a row. What he saidpletely changed his image in her mind and overwhelmed her for a moment. Moreover, she had experienced too many things at the party. So, she felt a pain in her chest in the face of these ridiculous things. Anna, are you okay? Peace felt worried and asked her Anna waved her hand and said, Oh, thanks, Im fine. I just need to have some rest. At that moment, Randal and Scott stopped arguing. Randal then asked, Anna, will you resign from the hotel? Also, do you want to work in mypany? Chapter 181 Chapter 181 181 Did You Treat Him Fairly? 181 Did You Treat Him Fairly? I know how the hotel treated you this time. So, are you going to work for them? Randal asked yfully. Anna frowned and felt there was a deep void in her heart. She knew that the Carousel Hotel had really treated her badly in handling the fire. It was the employees of the security department that should have been responsible for the fire, not Anna, the lobby manager. However, Anna was the only one who was suspended. However, Anna knew who told them to do this. Wayne did this because he didnt want me to leave. He was using his power to get back our personal grudge. So, if Randal invited me to work at hispany, I could certainly agree. And, I have the right to do so. Anna thought to herself. Well, then what kind of job would you ask me to do? Are you doing this because you value my ability to work? If you are sympathizing with me, or because you like Scott, then Im sorry, I wont ept your favor. Scott looked extremely embarrassed when he heard thest word. Oh, I certainly think youre capable. Anna, I think you are qualified for a better position. I have no idea why Wayne only made you a lobby manager. Randal said firmly, as if he had already decided to let Anna work in hispany. Well, like what? How about being my executive secretary? Before Anna could say anything, Scott said reluctantly, No way! Randal, she cant be your secretary. Forget it! Anna, dont say yes to him. You know, hes not a nice guy. When Anna saw how anxious Scott was, she felt helpless. She then looked at Randal and said, Oh, thank you for your kind proposal, Randal. But, I dont think I can work for you. You see, Scott knew you long before I did. But, he told me that youre not a nice person. Randal didnt seem to want to argue any more. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said, Well, it looks like you dont want to leave the Carousel Group. So, Im not going to persuade you anymore. If you change your mind, you can call me. Oh no, its not like that.I can certainly leave Carousel. But, I just think that yourpany may not be the one for me. So, Ill find another way to make a living. Randal blinked and asked, You mean youre not going to work at Carousel anymore? Im sorry, but I dont want to talk about that right now. Anna smiled at Randal and didnt want to continue the conversation. She felt that although the Wilson and the Wrights were close, they were business rivals. Therefore, as an employee of Carousel Group, she thought that she couldnt tell Randal about the staff changes in thepany, Moreover, Anna sensed that Randall had some bad intentions for some unknown reasons. So, she thought shed better watch out for him. Are you going to resign or not? As soon as they got home, Peace asked Anna about what they had just mentioned. Anna was just putting on her slippers and looking for the kettle in the kitchen. She said, with her back to Peace, Well, yes. I always have to deal with my personal grudges when I work there. You know, Ive always liked to make a clear distinction between work and personal matters. What? So, why did you reluse Randals offer? I think being his executive secretary is actually a perfect job. You know, its much better than being a hotel lobby manager. Peace said as she took off her party dress. She then put on an oversize white t-shirt and sat down on the couch. Oh, I dont think its a good idea. You know, he wanted to dale Scott. So, I could never get involved in this matter. What Randal does every day is to do business, not charity. When he knew I would lose my job, he immediately offered to give me a good one. He definitely didnt do it out of pity. Maybe, he wanted to take advantage of me or Scott. Anna thought. Peace raised her eyebrows and seemed to disagree with her. She said, Oh, Anna, I think youre overthinking it. If you do this, you will do yourself no good and harm others. So, I think you should have a good talk to Wayne and work things out between you two. At this point, the water boiled. Anna made two cups of tea, handed one to Peace, and then sat down next to her. Oh, this is not as easy as you think. Besides, I cant tell him the truth now anyway. If I tell him and we happen to break up, hell want Tammy back. So, both the kids would be his. Hes so rich and powerful, and theres no way I can compete with him. Anna was aware that the Wright family was a very mighty one in Birmingham. And, if Wayne really wanted Tammy back, Anna couldnt fight back no matter what she did. Hey, think of the bright side. If Wayne knew that both children were his, he wouldnt wonder which one you really liked. That way, the misunderstanding between you would be resolved. Oh, no, Peace. Its not that simple. Anna said with a frown. Peace sat up straight and seemed to be serious. It was the first time she hadnt taken Annas side. She said, Yeah? Tell me, what do you think? What do you want from Wayne? Youve always thought that Wayne asked too much of you, and that was unfair. But, do you think youre being fair to him? He doesnt even know that Tammy is his daughter. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Anna fell silent, and then the room became quiet. Peace got up after a long time and tapped her on the shoulder. She said, Anna, you should think about this. I know its your own business. But, as your friend, Id like to say a few words. I think that you should tell Wayne the truth and your thoughts. If he does sue you, then there is no reason for you to panic. Dont forget that Jasper will support you. So, hell never let Tammy be away from you. After Peace returned to her room, Anna sat alone in the living room and thought about that until midnight. I often weighed the pros and cons when I dated Wayne. But I didnt think there was anything wrong with that. Im a mother, and Matthew has been taken away from me by Wayne five years ago. So, I have every night and reason to resent Wayne. Anna thought. Peace called Karl after seeing that there was a missed call from him. Hey! Whats up? she asked. Karl said, sounding a little excited, Oh, hey, Iming back from a business trip tomorrow. Then, I can have some time off. Id like to take you on a trip! Isnt that nice? Oh, no! You have a vacation, but I dont. Besides, why would I want to travel with you? I heard Wayne and Anna had a fight. So, Im doing this to give them to make up. Lets go on a trip with them, shall we? Then, it will be a double date! Peace said indifferently, Thats none of my business. If they want to fight, they can fight all they want. You want to be a peacemaker, burl don As if he hadnt heard that, Karl continued, Which one do you want to go to, a rural ind or Maldives? The ind. Then its settled. Ill prepare the stull well need, so you dont have to bring anything. Karl learned a lot of things after spending so much time with Peace. So, he knew that sometimes when she said no, it meant yes. No matter what she was saying, he could tell whether she liked it or not just by hearing her tone. Carly the next morning. Lalked to Annd about taking her on a trip before she went to work. Its a food opportunity, Anna. There are certainly not many tourists on the ind at this time of year. So, its just the right time for you to have a good talk with Wayne. Anna frozelor a moment and inally nodded. When Peace noticed the obvious dark circles under Annas eyes, she knew she hadnt slept wellst night, She probably spent the night thinking about what she would say to Wayne about it. Peace thought. By the way, what are you gonna do this afternoon7 Peace asked before she left. Ill go to Peters to see my daughter. Geez, youre so clever! You put Tammy there on purpose, didnt you? In that way, youll have a perfect reason to see your son. Hes my son, so I can see him. Yes, he is your son. But, you are the only one who is afraid to admit that. Peace took the keys and said, Well, Im going to bete now. I have to go, bye! Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Anna had mixed feelings when she realized that Peace had just been sarcastic. She felt that Peace meant that she was a scheming woman and was getting a lot of benefits from hiding the secret from Wayne. However, she was the only one that knew she was doing it because she wanted her kids to get along well with each other. Then, Anna also began to doubt herself. She even felt a little uneasy when she met the two children at the Wrights house in the afternoon. When she heard Peterpliment her on how well she treated Matthew, she even blushed. Matthew is my own son, so surely, /ll be good to him. Anna thought to herself. After lunch, Tammy and Matthew rested in Annas arms. Tammy couldnt stop talking and looked like she enjoyed the environment of the house. Mommy, you havente here with Mr. Wright for a long time. What happened? Tammy suddenly said. Oh, hes very busy. An ident happened in the hotel, so hes got a lot to deal with. But why arent you going to work? Because Ive been on vacationtely, honey. Then, I can spend more time with you two. Are you d about this? Of course! Speaking of that fire, Anna turned her head and rested her chin against Matthews head. She said, Matthew, honey, Im so sorry. You were in the freezer that day, so I didnt see you. Im really sorry. Matthew had been quietly listening to the two of them. After Anna said this, Matthew immediately stood up and took his drawing board. He then wrote, its okay! I know that if you saw me, you would definitely take me out. Seeing how cute and sensible Matthew was, Anna couldnt help but gently rub his head with relief and said, Matthew, youre a good boy. You know, Ill never leave you behind. Matthew immediately wrote on the drawing board again, Really??? He showed a nervous expression and had written three question marks. He looked as if he really didnt believe that Anna would always be there for him. Of course. Anna immediately reassured him. She didnt know why he was so worried, so she assumed that the fire had traumatized him. Then, she felt remorseful. Tammy, however, sighed like an adult and said, Mom, Matthew is worried that Mr Wright will date another woman. Actually, Im womed about it too. Anna immediately froze. Then, the two children began to tell her what they thought about it. After that, Anna realized that the Wilsons had visited Peter several times in the past few days, especially Charlottes mother. Evelyn always came here and brought up Charlotte and Waynes previous engagement. Peter didnt want the kids to know about it, but then he realized he couldnt keep it to himsell anymore. Matthew looked downcast. He wrote seriously, No, I dont want someone else to be my mom. Anna couldnt help butteelleartbroken when she saw his aggrieved and pitiful expression. So, Anna hugged him tenderly and said in cames. No, I wont let anyone else be your mom, honey. But if that dayes, Ill take you with me. Henry made a few phone calls aller walking out of Peters study. Then, before dinner, there were many cars parked in front of the house. Almost all of the people in Wrights family had arrived. Is it some kind of holiday today? Why did he ask us all toe to his house? I came here as soon as I got the call. I have no idea what was going on, and I thought you guys knew. Oh? So, did something happen to thepany? I remember that one of the hotels in thepany was on fire. Well, I knew that we shouldnt have let Wayne run such a big Everyone was discussing. Meanwhile, a man, who was in his fifties, sat aside and did not say a word. That man gave off a shady aura and looked very dangerous. At this point, a middle-aged man lowered his voice and asked suspiciously, Dad, what do you think is happening? He hasnt called us for a long time. So, what does he want to talk to us about? The old mans gaze turned somber as he listened to his son. He said unhappily, Who the hell knows?! Just wait and see. Anyway, I think Peters going to announce something very important to us. While Anna was sleeping, the maid knocked on the door and told her to go downstairs for dinner. Then, Anna woke the children up. After she helped them freshen up themselves, she went to the first floor with them. When they arrived at the dining room, they were shocked by the sight before them. The dining area was filled with people. At that moment, Anna thought she went to the wrong room. Sir, Mrs. Wright is here. The servant said, and his words drew everyones attention. Then, they all began to whisper. Everyone knew that Wayne was the only child in the Wright family. He was in his thirties, still unmarried, but had a child. And they didnt know who the childs mother was. Anna, please have a seat here, Peter said as he waved at Anna. Anna snapped back into reality when she realized that everyone was looking at her. She then hesitantly walked over to Peter and took a seat with her two kids. After that, she said cautiously, Grandpa, Im sorry. I didnt know that you would invite so many guests here. How about we leave now and visit youter? No, you dont have to go. Peter smiled and gave Anna aforting look before standing up. He looked very energetic and This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. confident. Attention, everyone. Im sorry that I suddenly made youe here today. Actually, I want to announce something. As you all know, Tonly have one grandson, which is Wayne. He is over thirty years old and still unmarried. He manages thepany well, but Ive always worried for him because hes not married. As he spoke, Annas instincts told her what he would say. Then, she felt that her mind was in a mess. Well, you all heard the maid call Anna Mrs. Wright, right? I think this is a good time for me to introduce her to you. Since Anna and Wayne are in a rtionship, I should make this news public. Otherwise, Anna will think that we dont respect her. Everyone was surprised and began to discuss this. A young man sitting at another table asked, Mr. Wright, are you saying that she is my cousins wife? Yes, They havent had a wedding yet, but I think they are already a couple. So, allow me to introduce her to all of you. This is Anna Gabriel, the daughter of the president of Gabriel Group. Annafell anxious and was unable to speak. She knew that if she told them the truth, she would embarrass Peter in front of so many people. But if she didnt say anything, she felt reluctant. Besides, she and Wayne were still in a cold war. She then realized the reason why Peter did it must have something to do with the Wilsons, who were always visiting himtely. Peter was a snart man, and he must have known that Anna and Wayne were lighting. So, he did this to try to keep Anna around Sure enough, the older a person was, the wise they became, And then someone said to Anna, Ms. Wright, nice to meet you. Hearing that, Anna immediately got goosebumps. Then, almost everyone stood up and greeted her Mis. Wright, please allow me to loast you. Everyone was congratting her. Then, Henry introduced them to her. Anna felt dizzy after drinking a few sses of wine and couldnt even remember how she left the room. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Madam, please watch your step. Theres a threshold here. The maid said. After hearing her words, Anna immediately put her hand on the door frame. She asked, By the way, where are the kids? Its too crowded here, and I think you should take care of them. Dont worry, Ive sent them back to their rooms. Besides, there are nannies to take care of them. Its cold now, you need to go back to your room to warm yourself up. Im fine, thanks. Ill stay here to clear my head. Anna pulled her hand out of the maids hand, waved it casually, and asked her to leave. Afterwards, she stood alone under the porch. The cool evening breeze blew on her and made her smell the roses. In the breeze, Anna felt that she was sober a little. Then, she sat down by the beautiful stone table in the courtyard. Anna, are you all right? A man asked. Hearing that, Anna froze and then looked at the man. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The man was in a grey suit and he was at about the same age as Wayne. At that moment, Anna remembered that this man was the first one to stand up and congratte her during dinner. Anna remembered that Henry had introduced him to her as Waynes cousin. Im fine, thanks. She replied. She then did her best to pretend she was sober. Knowing that the Wrights were a decent family, Anna decided that she couldnt act rude. Anna noticed that the man was very handsome and cute. When the man heard her answer, he immediately came out from the porch. Then, he put a stic bottle on the table and said, Hi, Im Waynes cousin. Here are some pills. You must have drunk a lot of wine just now, right? if you take one, you wont feel dizzy. I noticed that you were walking a little wobbly when you left just now. I was afraid something would happen to you, so I followed you. I hope that I didnt scare you. Gee! But you did scare me! If you dont want to be abrupt, then why dont you just leave me alone? Anna thought to herself. Thanks. She then nodded politely but didnt take the pills. Youre wee. Hey, Anna, when did you and Wayne meet? Howe I never heard him mention you before? The man asked, pretending to bring up the topic casually. Anna felldizy from drinking too much wine. She nced at him and said, Oh, its not a big deal. We just met a couple of months apo. Really? It seems that Wayne really likes you. Otherwise, he wouldnt have decided to marry you so quickly. You know, its really a bit hasty. Anna just felt likeughing when she heard that she said, What? Ile wants to marry me? Oh, no, thats impossible. You know, hes got his extend back. So, ls probably nning to break up with me right now. Heanne her words, the man seemed intrigued. Ile asked, What? It seems that he made you mad, didnt he? Well, you can tell me what hed done, and lecture humlor you. Huh? Why? Annd asked, shoving him impatiently. The man was caught ollguard and almost tell over. Then he frowned and nced at her unhappily. Ha, I dont care if he wants to marry me or not! Even if he wants to, I wont say yes! You know, a lot of men are chasing after me. Who does he think he is?! The man froze after hearing her words and thenughed. He said, Youre right! Who the hell does he think he is? Anna, look at the way how he looks down on others. He can be so condescending. So, tell me, how did you guys meet? Anna raised her head to look at the man in front of her. At that moment, she blinked and suddenly grabbed him by the cor. She growled, Us? Wayne, you stupid bastard! Because Anna had drunk a lot of wine, she looked mncholy and frustrated. However, theseplex emotions made her appear even more beautiful. When she came close to him, she made Waynes cousin fall into a trance. Shes so gorgeous! No wonder Wayne decided to marry her so soon. The man thought to himself. Oh, Anna, youre so drunk. Shall I take you back to your room? The man held Anna by the waist and prepared to leave with her. He had just taken a few steps when he saw a tall man standing in the hallway. And he was terrified after recognizing that it was Wayne. Wayne, hi. He said awkwardly. Wayne stared at him indifferently and ignored him. He then walked towards them and took Anna in his arms. After making sure she had all her cloth on, he said grimly, Richard Wright, how dare you! Believe it or not, if you every your hands on my things or my girlfriend again, I will never let you off! After he finished, he carried Anna back to his room. Richard stood alone and watched them leave. The cold wind blew on him and dried his sweat. He looked at them jealously, as if his gaze could turn into a knife and kill Wayne. Richard thought, Wayne, dont you go too far. One day, you wont be able to be so smug anymore. At that point, your stuff and your girlfriend will ALL be mine. After kicking the door to the room shut, Wayne carried Anna into the bathroom. He then immediately threw her into the tub and turned on the tap. The cold water made Anna jolt and scream. The moment she opened her eyes and saw Wayne, she became lucid. Wayne looked at her grimly and asked, Are you sober now? Tell me, what did he just do to you? Anna still felt scared when she thought about what had just happened. But instead, she clenched her fists and forced herself to say, What are you talking about? Isnt that man your cousin? We were just in your yard, so nothing happened. What did you think we were going to do? Wayne snarled, What? You dont want to admit it? Tell me, what did you just say to Richard? No, dont tell me, because Ive heard it all! You said you didnt want to marry me at all and that there were many men who were chasing after you. Tell me, who are they?! Its none of your damn business! Anna said immediately. She felt annoyed because Wayne had doused her with cold water. Moreover, she knew she looked like a mess and felt embarrassed. She wanted to leave right away, but she didnt expect him to keep getting mad at her. Anna couldnt take it anymore. So, she grabbed the edge of the bathtub and prepared to leave. As she did this, she said indignantly, Wayne, weve broken up. I didnt say anything just now for the sake of your grandpa. But, Im going to tell him what happened between us night now! You know what I dont want to see you anymore! Dont you dare! He said sullenly, Anna love after hearing his words. Then, she gritted her teeth, looked at him, and said, What? Wayne, why wouldnt I dare? Just as she finished speaking, Wayne pushed her down into the bathtub. He then sat across the tub and then squeezed her shoulders lightly to keep her from moving. He looked down at her and said with annoyance, Anna, dont forget that youre at my house! Do you think you can juste and go like that? Let go of mel Anna screamed out in pain. Wayne was overwhelmed with anger, and all he could think about was what had just happened in the courtyard. He saw Richard make a move on Anna, but she didnt reluse. And what made him even angrier was that she said she had never considered marrying him LLLLL before. His eyes immediately turned red. At that moment, he could no longer control his anger and immediately tore her silk dress into pieces. He then saw the perfect curves of her body and her whitece lingerie. Seeing her tremble with rage, he was even more reckless. Let go of me, Wayne! You bastard! Anna screamed. She then began to struggle and pped the water in the tub hard. However, Wayne tied her hands to the water valve with his tie and immediately propped her up by the waist. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Anna had been very aloof towards him in thest few days. Finally, Wayne couldnt keep his cool for much longer. It was the first time that he found himself totally out of control. Instead of remaining calm andposed, he grew enraged and made rough love to her. Even though he knew it would make Anna disappointed and harm their rtionship. Wayne panicked after they had sex because he noticed how upset and desperate Anna looked. Just as he was pulling the quilt over her, he heard her say dully, is that what you want? Wayne, are you happy now? Waynes hand trembled as he held the corner of the quilt. He hung his hand in the air for a long time before attempting to ce it on her shoulder. Dont touch me! Go away! she snarled as Waynes palm touched her face. Anna said it with her teeth clenched. Her face was pale, as if she was exhausted. She trusted Wayne so much that she believed he was her soul mate and the love of her life. So, she never imagined that Wayne would do something like this to her. Hearing that, Wayne looked a little chagrined. He remained silent for a long time before leaving the room without saying anything, But he realized that there was nothing he could do about it since it had already happened. There were a lot of problems between them, and exnations alone would not solve them. Wayne realized that he had done an awful and terribly wrong thing. However, he was unable to say anything to apologize to Anna. The room fell silent as soon as he walked out the door. The light in the living room was dim. And the bedroom door was half-open. Anna could see the light coming in from outside, which made the room seem less cold and solitary. Anna had been terribly let down by Wayne. Although it was nearly midnight, she was ready to leave Wrights house. She then woke up Tammy, who was asleep. When Tammy saw her mother, she rubbed her drowsy eyes and mumbled, Mommy, whats wrong? Get dressed, and lets get out of here. Still confused, Tammy asked in a raspy voice, Mommy, where are we going? Home. Anna dressed her and listed her out of bed. As she was about to leave, she noticed a little boy staring at her from another bed. Matthew had already sat up, and his gaze remained fixed on her as if he could see that she was in a bad mood. Matthew. After a brief pause, Anna yelled out his name, her voice filled with desperation. Anna realized that if she had custody of Matthew, she would not hesitate to take him away with her and get the hell out of there. She would have brought her two children back to America right away. So, they would never stepped into this ce where someone broke her heart. Even still, she was aware that she would lose all she had worked so hard for in thest few months if she decided to do that. Also, when Wayne was enraged, he could do literally anything Tears streamed down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Finally, She made up her mind to leave with Tammy, Suddenly, she heard someone suddenly said something in a hoarse voice, Mommy. Matthews voice was a little raspy, maybe because he hadnt spoken in a long time. Despite this, Anna could tell that he was upset and pleading with her to stay, Lad man taarr Thon cho turned around and walked back to his bed. By this time there were also tears in Matthews eyes. He clutched her shirt and seemed unwilling to let go. Anna felt heartbroken. She looked honestly into Matthews eyes and forced herself not to cry. She said, Matthew, sweetie, listen to me. I swear Ille back and take you away with me. But, its not the perfect time to take you with me now. If your father finds out about it, hell be pissed, and Ill never see you again. Honey, trust me, Ill never abandon you. Six years ago, Anna escaped to America. She did this because she was afraid that the man who took her virginity and forced her to have kids would find out about Tammy. And she spent the past six years feeling guilty and remorseful every single day. Anna had only seen her son once before she found him. So, she missed him and wondered how he was doing. She didnt want to leave the city just because of him. It took her so long to finally find him. So, she couldnt leave him. She thought that even if she and Wayne broke uppletely, she would take Matthew away with her. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. At that moment, she felt that Matthew let go of his hand. Matthew sniffled, rolled over, and buried himself under the covers. His soft sobs came from under the covers and made Anna heartbroken. She did not dare to stay any longer. So, all she could do was leave with Tammy. It was almost midnight, and Wrights house was in the suburbs. So, they couldnt even get a taxi. Anna had no choice but to carry Tammy home on foot. The sky was covered in thick dark clouds, and it appeared as though a rainstorm wasing. On the way, Anna heard Tammy ask, Mommy, did you just see how sad Matthew was? So, why are we leaving? Because thats not our home. What? Mommy, did you break up with Mr. Wright? Yes, baby. Anna said. This was the first time she talked about her love life directly in front of Tammy. She had never talked about it with Tammy before because she thought she was still a little kid. Also, it was because she and Wayne hadnt settled down yet. However, she had just recently realized that children knew far more than she had expected. No one had told the kids that the Wilsons wanted Charlotte and Wayne to get married, but they could tell. Then Anna asked, Honey, do you feel bad about this? **Yeah, a little. But, Im just sad because I think youll be sad. If I had known that Mr. Wright would break your heart, I wouldnt have wanted you two to be together. Did you? Reallyr Anna said and then let out a bitterugh. She didnt know whether she should feel relieved or devastated. After they walked along the road for a while, Tammy suddenly said to her, Mommy! How about you go back together with daddy? Although daddy rarelyes home, he always buys you lots of gifts every time he Sesus. Beside he treats me very nice, Anna frowned at those words and was silent for a long time before saying, mmy, honey, youre a big girl now. So, I think its time to tell you something. Before that, I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will still love you. What is it? Mommy, tell me! Do you remember I told you that you had a twin brother? Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Matthew is your brother. The dim streetlight shone on Anna as she cried aloud while holding Tammy tightly. Three dayster, Anna went to the HR office again to turn in her resignation letter. The employee looked at Anna in surprise and said, Im sorry, Miss Gabriel. But we cant let you resign. As you know, you are now suspended from work. So, you have to wait for the hotel Ill sue thepany if they wont let me go. Anna simply cut her off. The employee couldnt help but be frightened by Annas expressionless face. No matter what you will say, this is my resignation letter. Since I have given it to you, I am resigning, whether you allow it or not. As soon as she finished, Anna walked out of the room without saying a word. The employee could do nothing but stare nkly at her back. Anna, Is this the end? You really dont want to work here anymore? Peace asked Anna after she got into the car. Anna buckled her seat belt and raised her eyebrows. She replied, I sent out my resume to a few companiesst night, and I already have two interviews for next week. Lets go, Peace. Oh, you know what we should do? We should celebrate it! I will be free for a whole month before I get my next job. So, I can have dinner and hang out with you these days. Peace asked with concern, Really? Are you sure you can find a new job that quickly? Anna, dont get me wrong, but you just quit without Waynes approval. So, Im worried that otherpanies wont dare to hire you. Dont worry, honey. Its not like he owns all the hotels in Birmingham. Even if I cant get a job, I can still make a living. Anyway, Ive got it all figured out. Peace slowed the car down a bit and asked, Oh? Anna, what are you going to do? Oh, Im sorry, I cant tell you right now. But Ill let you know when Im ready. Peace smiled and looked relieved. She said, Really? Oh, thats great! So, you have a n for your future. If I had known, I wouldnt have felt worried about you. But, in fact, Anna was from a wealthy family. So, it didnt matter if she had a job or not. All she had to do was get her father to give her money. Besides, since she had made up with her rtives on her mothers side, they would also support her. So, she could definitely still live carefreely in this city. A tense meeting was taking ce at the Carousel Groups headquarter while Anna and Peace were out shopping. When the fire first broke out, it hadnt affected thepany much because the PR department had dealt with it promptly. However, because it happened due to thepanys negligence in safety, this ident drew the governments attention. As if it wasnt bad enough, their opponents were ndering them. Therefore, all of the Carousel Group hotels were temporarily closed, and the outlook was bleak. What is that what youve got? Is that the loolprool solution youve made7 In a severe and stern tone, Wayne questioned everyone in the meeting room, which shocked and terrified everyone. Wayne then continued, if you continue to work like this, you might as well just retire right now! Thury, Wayne sarmed the folder on the table heavily. The papers in the folder fell out and floated all over the table as he did That n? vucks. Make a new one and bring it to me as soon as possible. No one is allowed to let your guard down now. This is a critical time, so all of you must be alert. If anyone drops the ball, then get the hell out of thepany. All right, you can go now. Wayne said impatiently. Everyone then left the room with their folders in their hands and sighed with relief. All of them appeared worn out and exhausted. Whats wrong with Mr. Wrighttely? He seems so irritable. Oh, maybe its because so many things have happenedtely. A fire in the hotel a few days ago made them suffer a great loss, and the follow up measures were not well done. I heard that his son almost died because of the fire. So, of course, hes angry. What? I thought he was getting married! An employee who knew what was going on said, Getting married? Its not gonna happening! It seems that Annas dream of marrying a rich man is shattered. Mr. Wright values his son so much, and Anna puts that boy in danger. So, the two of them will definitely not get married. Also, they probably wont even want to pretend to be okay. Actually, I heard that Anna was fired. Huh? Is he that cruel? Mr. Wright has always been a cruel man! Yeah! Did you see the way he just scolded Ahem, Mr. Xavier, hello. Before they could finish, they saw Karl walking toward them. Then, they were both taken aback. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Karl yawned as if he didnt hear any of their conversation and said, Good morning, you two. I got up reallyte this morning. I thought Id make it to the meeting, but I didnt. One of the managers smiled awkwardly and said, Oh, you should feel d that you missed it. Otherwise, you might have been yelled at by Wayne. What? He yelled at you again? Yes! The manager was about to continue when the man standing next to him elbowed him He suddenly realized he was on the verge of saying something inappropriate. After that, he said clumsily. Mr.Xavier, sorry, but we have to go now. Look, weve got loads of work to do! Karl raised his eyebrows and nodded, then made his way to the conference room. Karl found Wayne sitting alone in the conference room. The projector was left on, so the screen behind Wayne was glowing in blue light. The room was a little dim, and the faint blue light on Wayne made him seem solitary and aloof. Gabe met Karls eyes when he saw him, and then silently walked out. After that, Wayne and Karl were left alone in the conference room. Whats wrong with youtely? Karl asked mockingly as he felt the conference room was too quiet. Wayne lifted his head, gave him an impatient look, and said, It seems like you have a lot of time on your hands. Youre ready to propos- to her? Oh, its not about me, but you. Ive nned out what Im going to do, so Im clear about that. But whats wrong with you? In the past. you were always the cales no matter what happened. Honestly, the fire doesnt seem to be a big deal to me. So, why are you ang love you panieking Wayne trowd but didnt deny it. I vermehrte, youve been scolding the hell out of those managers in literally every meeting. Dont tell me you did this because they vuck at their work, and they deserve it. Karl pulled up a chair, sat down casually and asked, You have never acted like this before. And youve never been in love before, so I was taken aback when I found out you liked Anna But you had never lost control over her. So, what happened? Whats wrong? Wayne thought Karl was just going to say something about how much time and effort he put on Anna. However, he didnt expect Kari to hit the nail on the head and ask more detailed and specific questions, After being sitent for a long time, Wayne suddenly spoke. Maybe shes not the one for me, he said, sounding unsure of himself. He sounded as if he had hesitated for a lone time and finally made an answer. Wayne had always been a determined man. So, he rarely said ambiguous words like maybe or possibly in his life. He was a man of clear boundaries and could not tolerate gray areas. As a result, even those closest to him were unable toprehend what he was thinking. So when Karl heard these words, hes got mixed feelings. After a while, Karl finally couldnt hold back. He pped the table heavily and said out loud, F**k, Wayne! Youve never hesitated, let alone intertwine a single thing in the past almost thirty years! When I pissed you off, you would ignore me no matter what I said. I got it, only Anna can make you hesitate! Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Only Anna can change you, echoed in Waynes head. Karl gradually calmed down and then sat back on his chair. He red coldly at Wayne and said, Only Anna broke all your boundaries and changed your principles, and she even made you doubt yourself. Shes the first gray area youve encountered in your life. Just admit it, Wayne, you cant live without her anymore. Wayne frowned. Karl had just said exactly what he was thinking, making him feel ufortable. So he red at Karl and said coldly, Stop staying in mypany and get your ass back to yours. Then, he left the conference room straight away. Karl rubbed his chin and smiled teasingly, thinking, Wayne is so stubborn! Wayne had too much of a smooth life over the past thirty years. Even though his parents hadnt gotten along, it hadnt done him much harm. He was always the coolest kid in school. However, After his fathers death, he lost the only tenderness and joy he had. At Waynes fathers funeral, Waynes mother finally made a change. She decided to never leave home again and stop chasing her so-called dreams and freedom, and to just take care of him. However, Wayne was calmer than anyone else at that point. He told her in front of the entire Wright family, How much money do you want? Go to the finance department and get your money. After that, dont ever show up in front of me again in your life. Wayne was such a ruthless man. But, he hadpromised with Anna many times. Karl, as a bystander, knew better than even Wayne what he had done. Afterward, he called Peace. He said to her gently, Hey, baby. When are you avable? Lets go camping! Ive got everything ready, I saw the weather forecast, and it will be nicetely. Peace stayed as calm as she could and said, Oh, lets just wait a little longer. Annas not in the mood these days, Im afraid. Whats wrong? Karl asked and sat up straight. At that moment, his instincts told him that something was wrong. After a brief period of silence, Peace said, Somethings happened to Annas father. Annas father, Frank, suddenly fell seriously ill in the morning and was taken to the hospital. He still hadnte out of the operating room at that time. Peace and Anna were shopping at the mall and ready to have lunch when they got the news. Luckily, Anna had been to her fathers nursing home and had the phone number of his doctor. Anna did this specifically to get an update on her fathers health condition. As soon as she received the call, Anna rushed to the hospital. She was trembling violently the entire way. Most people thought that Anna and Frank were father was the only one she could rely on. She deliberately shunned him because she thought that he was the one who made her mother die. She was well aware that Frank loved her. Annas bedroom was thergest in the house except for the main bedroom, and her birthday presents were all the most expensive and rare. Even when she was tricked by Allie into going to the underground boxing ring and was arrested by the police as a result, Frank didnt scold her When she offered to adopt Scott, Frank didnt hesitate to say yes. At that time, he was even delighted and said that it was the first time Anna had ever asked him to do something for her. Anna knew that Allie and her mother hated She was spoiled by her father, so she could understand why Allie hated her. Anna, Im sure thngs will be fine. The doctor said that your father is just in temporary shock. Also, theyre doing their best to save hun. Dont worry, nothing bad will happens, Peace said. She was sitting with Ana in front of the operating room, but she didnt know how tofort her. +25 Points Anna hadnt said a word since they arrived face 3*25 Points turned pale. The light in the operating room was still on. Anna found herself dizzy as she looked at that light for too long and saw a red dot in front of her eyes. At that moment, two people were making their way down the hall, and their jumbled footsteps and the sound of crying were distracting Peace shot an impatient re into the distance. Then, Shirley and Allie stumbled across the scene. With her hands trembling, Shirley was on the verge of copsing from the emotional trauma she had just experienced. She said, What happened to my Frank? God, how could this happen?! Allie held her up, and there were tears in her eyes. She said, Mom, please dont cry. My dad is going to be fine. Okay, its alright. God! I told him to go to the hospital before, but he never listened to me. Its a good thing he was in a nursing home, and there were nurses to take care of him. What would we do if he has fainted at home then! Oh my God, Frank, you cant leave me! I cant live without you! Mom, dont cry. Hearing that, Peace felt like she was going to throw up. She lowered her voice and whispered in Annas ear, Jesus Christ! What are they doing? They surely are good at acting! Theyre saying that on purpose, arent they? Anna stopped looking at the lights in the operating room. She nced at them indifferently and said, Hey, youre in a hospital now. Please be quiet! They both seemed to have just realized that Anna was there and suddenly stopped talking. Then, they looked at Anna grimly. Oh, what are you doing here, Anna? Allie asked. Her sinister expression was a stark contrast to the tender one she had just worn. Is there a problem? What makes you think that I cante here? Im Franks oldest daughter! Hearing her words, Allie and Shirleys expressions became more gloomy. Shirley said with dissatisfaction, Anna, how can you say this? Why are you doing this to us now? Dont forget that your dad is still alive! Why are you saying that you are his oldest daughter? Anna sat calmly in her chair, and her gaze became fierce. She said, Then, you have to answer the question yourself. Why the hell are you so shameless that you hooked up with my dad when my mother was giving birth to me?! Although Anna had hated Allie and her mother since she was a child, she had never shown it. Instead, she had been polite to them. All this time, if they didnt treat Anna unfairly, she wouldnt have done anything to them. But today, she was extremely hostile towards them. Allie Wasifmediately angry. In a harsh, sarcastic voice, she said, What do you mean? Anna, dont you think that you will be the hostess of ourtudy if das dies. Youre such abb! Alew years ago, you ran away to America without even an exnation. Weter learned thal you were knocked up by Sorne stranger and you were alraid that dad would be angry. Now, youe back and pretend to be a good daughter when dad is sick. Her voice echoed in theidor. Hearing her words, many patients and nurses gathered around them. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. God, everyone knows what youre thinking! Dont you think youre some kind of g moral role model, you hypocrite! Anna, youre nothing but an unyiatelulbhi Anna stood up, and hercetumed very pale because of her anger. She said slowly, Dont you dare say that again, Allie! Why cant 17 Youre such a psycho Before Allie could finish her sentence, Anna pped her on the face hard. Shirley screamed and then held Allie, who was about to fall, and she yelted. Are you crazy?! Anna, why did you hit her?! Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Allie froze as Anna hit her, and it took her a long time toe back to her senses. When she looked up, everyone saw a clear red fingerprint on the left side of her face. She trembled and covered her face, staring at Anna as if she couldnt believe that she would do that. She said, How dare you hit me, Anna! 1 pped you for Dad! Dad is still in the operating room, for Gods sake! When Dad wakes up, I hope youll apologize to him. Allies heart thudded, and she bit her lower lip. She remembered that she had just gotten so angry that she had identally said that Dad was going to die. She didnt expect Anna to remember that and wont let it go. Were in a hospital now, and the operating room is right here! If you want to cry and make a scene, get out and fool yourself wherever you want. But, if you want to stay, just shut the fakup! Anna said. Her voice was low, but her every word was very firm and assertive. Allie looked furious. She tried to break free of Shirleys grip and argue with Anna. At that moment, Peace, who had been silent, said indifferently, Allie, didnt Annas p wake you up? Youd better shut the hell up before securityes. If you keep shouting and disturbing the operation, I might hit you. But even if that happens, the police wont me me. You Allie, its okay, stop it. Shirley immediately shielded her daughter behind her. Although she looked embarrassed, she apologized, Im sorry, Allie was so upset just now. So, she said what she shouldnt have said. Well, we certainly hope that Frank will wake up soon. Were going to take a seat over there, and we wont say anything anymore. Shirley was aware that this was a critical moment in determining her and her daughters fateter. So, they couldnt leave there no matter what. She had to stay here with her daughter even if Anna would humiliate them. Anna nced at them indifferently. She just sat down again without saying anything. A whileter, the doctors and nurses had dispersed the onlookers. And the hallway was quiet again. Everyone in the hallway could hear the clock ticking, as if it slowed their heartbeat. Mom, why did you do that? Did you hear what she said about me just now? Shirley lowered her voice, and her eyes turned sinister. She said, Well, no matter what she says, she wont get a penny more. As long as your father never wakes up, you and I are the legal heirs to most of his property. Anna will get no more than those houses, and there is absolutely no way she can take over thepany. Mom, how can you be so sure that my father wont wake up? What if he Shirley smiled indifferently and said, Theres no what if, dear. Even if he wakes up today, he might not wake up tomorrow. Believe me, he wont survive long. Allie winced as if she couldnt believe what her mother was saying. She hesitated for a moment and said. Mom, are you sure you Wanit bij do this! After all, hes my father. Dont be sllyYou treat him as your father, but he only cares about his youngest daughter Anna. Honey, Im doing this all for our future. Dont worry, all we have to do now is get through the next few days. I swear, they wont find out what I did. Bofil, Mom the surgerysted for more than six hours. Just as the doctors were walking out of the room. Anna clenched her lists. Her hands were even bleeding as her nails sunk into her delicate palms. Yet, she acted as if she was unaware of it. Doctor, how is my father? Dont worry, the surgery went well, and your father is fine for now. But, hes going to be in ICU for a while. Anna breathed a sigh of relief, and Peace then immediately held her up. After checking Frank in, Allie and her mother stood in front of the ICU for a long time and didnt leave. They acted like they couldnt bear to leave Frank. Anna also stood at the door for a while and peered inside the ward through the window. Frank had a number of tubes on his body, and that made her devastated. She bowed her head and wiped her tears away before heading straight to the office of Franks doctor. Mr. Gabriel passed out because his liver function is severely degraded. In fact, anyone at his age can get this disease, and its N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. caused by his unhealthy diet and habits. You know, Ive told you about this before. He fainted today, and that is a warning. Honestly, Miss Gabriel, you need to be prepared for the worst. What? Are there no other options? We can only give him medicine to keep his body in this condition. But, its almost impossible for him to recover. You know, once the organs are damaged, its almost impossible for them to get better. Well, I got it. Thank you, doctor. Anna had already prepared for the worst. However, when she heard the doctors words, she still immediately trembled all over and did not know what to do. Before she left, the doctor suddenly called out to her and asked, By the way, Miss, I just looked at his labs, and I found something weird. One of the trace elements within Mr. Gabriels blood is abnormal. So, does he usually take health supplements? Anna stood still and felt somewhat puzzled. She replied, Yeah Oh, is there anything wrong with taking supplements? He has a lot of them at home. She didnt know much about it because Frank grew old and often got sick and many people would bring him health supplements when they visited him. Usually, Frank would have a little pf them. He cant eat anything other than the medication prescribed by the hospital. Also, there are some foods he cant eat. Ill list what he can and cant eat, and then please show it to his caregiver. When Mr. Gabriel wakes up, you must ask the doctor if he wants to eat anything. Okay, I got it. Thank you. As Anna walked out of the office, Peace immediately went to her side and asked, How did it go? Anna shook her head and looked upset. Peace hesitated for a few seconds and said, Well, actually, Wayne just came by. Hearing that, Anna froze for a moment. She looked at the lunchbox Peace was carrying and didnt say anything. Hey, he brought you something to eat. You know, I was too embarrassed to say no. I said you were in a bad mood and told him to Well, thanks. Anna replied with a frown. She really didnt feel like meeting Wayne at that point. But when he lett. A he went after him. Anna lopked up, alted surprised, and asked, What? Why did she do that? Peace shook her head and said tentatively, I have no idea. Well, why dont you check it out? Hearing this, Anna immediately took iwo quick steps. But then, she seemed to remember something and slowed down. Whats wrong? Peace asked. You know what, just forget It She can do whatever she wants, and I dont care about that at all. After saying that, Anna turned around and walked toward the ICU. Peace sighed and then walked after her with the lunchbox. Wayne and Allie went to a caf near the hospital. A cappino, please, Allie said. She looked at the menu, nced up at Wayne, and asked, What would you like to drink? Water, please. Wayne said grimly. By saying water, he meant he didnt want to talk to her. Allie tried her best to keep a decent smile on her face as she handed the waiter the menu and said, Hey, I just heard that you and my sister broke up. Is that really the case? Well, thats okay. You know, many people will go through messy breakups. Besides, my father has spoiled my sister since she was a child, and she has an unbearable temper. So, few people can put up with her. Actually, I dont think this is your fault. Is that so? Is this what you want to tell me? Oh, no, of course not. Although Im not quite sure why you broke up, I think I need to tell you something about Hanna. Otherwise, you might feel deceived and hate our whole family. Allie looked at Wayne and asked, Do you know why my sister went to America back then? 188 She Has Not Divorced Yet 188 She Has Not Divorced Yet Back then, when she went to a nightclub one day, she got drunk, slept with a man, and got knocked up. She gave birth to her daughter without knowing who the father was. And she left for America without even telling us just to keep it as a secret. Also, she stayed there for six years! Chapter 188 Chapter 188 She didnt even call us once. You know, at that time, Anna didnt graduate from college and didnt have a job. But, she was living veryfortably there. So, you can imagine why. Allie said viciously. Wayne became discontent. He asked, So, why should I believe you? Oh, of course you may not believe me. But you can absolutely check this thing out yourself. She was a medical student at a good university, so she could have had a perfect job and a promising future. But why did she leave in such a hurry? Yet, if she was doing so well in America, why did shee back? Well, I guess it was because the person who gave her money there broke up with her. She didnt have any money, so she came back here to ask us for money. Wayne, shes not as perfect and noble as you think. Wayne stood up, straightened his cuffs, and said coldly, What do you mean by that? I get it. Maybe, you dont want me to help her. So, you can get all the money of your family. I know what you want to do, and I wont listen to your bullshit anymore. Youve already wasted ten minutes of my life, and thats enough. He then walked away. Looking at Waynes back, Allies expression was extremely embarrassed. After a while, she finally came back to her senses. She sneered and thought, Wayne would definitely look into that after listening to my words. Then, he would find out that I was telling the truth. It was true that Anna was pregnant at that time, and the proof was Tammy, a five-year girl. It was also true that she went to America without telling anyone why, and the whole Gabriel family knew about it. Allie checked whether Anna depended on any man in America, but she couldnt find anything because Annas profile had been revised. However, she knew she could solve everything with money and know everything through the Inte. Allie thought, As soon as Wayne finds out about Jasper Thomas, he would know everything. Although its a little difficult for me to Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. get my dads money, I will definitely get it all. Frank was in aa for a week before he woke up. At that time, the hospital had moved him to a general ward. Since Anna had quit her job, she had nothing to do. So, she visited Frank every day at the hospital. Whenever Tammy didnt need to go to swimming lessons on weekends, she would bring her there, too. Come here, honey, let me see you. Frank waved toward Tammy, looking very amiable. Anna was peeling an apple at that moment. She handed Tammy a slice of apple and said, Honey, give this to your grandpa. Tammy smiled and nodded. She walked to Frank with that slice of apple, and said in a sweet voice, Grandpa, have some apple. Its sweet. Frankughed cheerfully and said, Well, thank you, honey. The apple you gave me must be very delicious. Tammy winked, smiled, and said, Yes, thats what my mother said! It seems that I have magical fingers! Anna smiled as she felt resigned. She said, Okay, honey, have some of these too. Maybe you should stop talking now, because grandpa needs some rest. Frank Shook his head and said, Thats okay, Anna. Id love to talk to Tammy. It seems like this surgery was quite worth it because I A to spend more uime with you two. A frowned and said, Hey. Dad, dont say that. Well, lets not talk about that. You havent had a good rest for few days, have you? Anna, Im feeling much better now. So, youd betu yp troine tonight and have a good sleep. Or, you may be lired when you go to work tomorrow. Dad, its okay. Ive quit my job, and I dont know where I should work next. Anna came right out with the truth. Frank froze at her words and asked, You quit? Really? Tell me, what happened? Oh, I see. Did you have a fight with Wayne? Anna took a deep breath and said, Oh, no, it had nothing to do with him. Forget it, Dad, I dont want to talk about it right now. I can take care of my own affairs, dont worry. Anyway, I think you should get some rest now. Oh, you know, young couples right all the time. Anna, just make sure to treat him fairly, okay? Frank told her to back off as if he was worried about something. Just then, a knock on the door interrupted Frank. Who is it? Anna asked, then opened the door. She saw a middle-aged man in a suit standing in front of her. Mr. Anderson, hi, she greeted that man. Albert Anderson was Franks legal advisor. He hade to the hospital several times recently to talk to Frank about thepanys shares. Every time they talked, they didnt mind that Anna was present. But Anna felt it was inappropriate for her to listen, so she left each time they talked voluntarily. Anna said and waved to Tammy, Well, well give you some privacy. Come on, Tammy, Grandpa has to work. Lets go! Bye, Grandpa. Tammy politely said goodbye to Frank and waved to Albert. Then, she followed Anna out of the ward. The ward then became quiet. Albert smiled and said, Mr. Gabriel, Annas daughter is so cute and looks just like her. Yes, she looks exactly like Anna, Frank said and signed. He then looked down for a few seconds of silence and said, Well, lets get down to business. Albert spread out the papers he brought on the table and said, I have finished putting in five hundred million dors as you requested. Also, I have revised your will ording to your request. I just want to make sure that whether you want to give all your real estate to Shirley. Yeah. Frank nodded his head with some difficulty. Frank was only in his fifties. However, he already looked like a dying old man. His eyes were murky and dim, as if he had lost all his hope for life. Yes, thats it. I hope you can read this will in front of Allie and my wife after I die. Believe me, I will. But, I think you should cheer up. I heard the doctor say that they can stabilize your disease. So, you need to let them treat you well and stay optimistic. Frank nodded and said, Thanks, I will. And, I want to spend more time with my granddaughter and daughter with the time I have left. Thave lived for half a century. Well, I didnt expect my youngest daughter, whos a bit alienated from me, to be by my side at the end of my life. Allie and her mom are now plotting to take mypany. Then, /ll do what they want and let them have it. Frank thought to himseti. It was atingte at night, and the streets were gradually illuminated with neon lights that brought a prosperous and joyful aunosphere to Burungham. On the rooftop lour story vi, the chilly evening breeze lifted the hem of a mans silk nightgown. There was a ss in his hand, and the red wine inside was shaking. The scarlet liquid looked like an abyss that carried endless loneliness. It looked at there was going to be a heavy rainstorm. Gabe alled Wayne and said, MI. Wright, Ive checked it out. As I said before, Miss Gabriels profile was indeed been changed. In fact, she did namned once in Amen, and it was just in the same year she went there. She was married to an Englishman named Jaspe Thomas, and And what/ (0 on. Wayne wardhus hetion and urged, And, the marriage is valid to this day. Mr. Wright, shes not divorced now. Ive emailed you everything Ive found out, and you can Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Wayne clicked on the email he received from Gabe, and then saw some photos. The first photo was a marriage certificate with two signatures with the date on the bottom, and the second one was a current marriage status of a U.S. citizen. Also, there were some family photos. There was a resume attached, and it belonged to a man called Jasper Thomas. He graduated from Yale University and became a famous designer. Also, it only took him three years to take his startup clothing Even Wayne had to admit that this man was very outstanding. But, what upset Wayne was that Anna and Jasper were together before Jasper became sessful. They married in the United States on Valentines Day four years ago. Wayne couldnt find any other reason why she married this man except the fact that they loved each other. And, to this day, they hadnt divorced. The room was terribly quiet, and Wayne could hear the water dripping from the bathroom faucet. After a long time, there was a loud bang in the room. Thergeputer smashed on the floor with a huge noise. Immediately afterwards, theputer was covered by various dark-coloured folders and thick books. The red wine ss was smashed on the wall, leaving a blood-red mark there. The broken pieces of the ss fell in the corner and shone a cold, saint light. The whole study turned into ruin in just a few seconds. A maid came immediately after hearing the sound. When she stood in the doorway and saw the scene, her face turned pale with fear. She said, Sir, you Get out. But, sir, your hand Get out!!! Wayne roared. There was a sudden thunderstorm outside the window, followed by heavy rain and lightning. Huge raindrops crackled down on the window, and the lightning light illuminated Waynes face, making him look like a gloomy ghost. The maid was so frightened by the sight that her whole face turned pale. She then stumbled, closed the door and left in a hurry. Wayne stood with a grim expression in ruins. The shards of the ss he had crushed pierced his hand, making blood sliding down his slender fingers. His scarlet blood dripped on the floor and became dark dry bloodstains. Karl dropped Peace off at her home as he held an umbre for her. He asked, Annas dad is awake, isnt he? So, when are we going camping? I think we should make a n. Yeah, right. Ill ask Anna tomorrow. I think it should be okay, because the doctor said her dad is doing pretty well right now. If he recovers well, he can probably live for a few more years. Karl asked with his jaw dropped, A few more years? My goodness, is that how youfort Anna? And she would listen to you? Peace nced at him and said, I dont think theres a problem with that. After all, this is what he deserves! Anna wouldnt have lost her mother if he hadnt cheated on her years ago! And, if Annas grandfather hadnt died, he wouldnt have taken her home. tunk her dad treated her pretty well. Besides, you cant make sweeping conclusions about such things. Peace said indignantly, God, stop talking like that! Frank knew that woman killed Annas mother, but he still married her. He doesnt deserve our sympathy Karl wamt surprised because he had beard what had happened to the Gabriels. Since Anna was a friend of Peaces, he wanted to Know more about her family background. So, he did a little research on her Moreover, what had happened in that family belore had even made it to the newspaper. The difference between the newspaper and the inte was that once the news was printed, there was no way to retract it at all. At that time, the whole city was talking about the Gabriel family. Allies mom, who was pregnant at that time, went to Franks house when his wife was about to deliver a baby. Franks wife was so angry that she died before they could even take her to the hospital. And when the doctors cut open her belly, they found that her child was still alive. It was very absurd, so Frank would definitely be suspicious about that. However, he still married the mistress and let that poor daughter live with her mothers family for a long time. Peaces expression was indifferent. She snickered and said, He was so nice to Anna because he felt guilty and wanted to redeem himself for it. But, even though he treated her like this, the damage he did to Anna could never be repaired. When she was a child, he also used her as a tool. And, none of them in her family was good people. Annas mother, Olivia Gabriel, was very close to Annas aunt Selina. Also, their personalities were in stark contrast: Olivia was weak and coward, while Selina was tough and assertive. After Olivias death, everyone thought Selina was interested in raising Anna like she were her own daughter. However, no one expected that she would let Annas grandfather raise her. After Annas grandfather died, Selina kicked her out of the house straight away. N?velDrama.Org content. However, Anna realized that Selina did this because she hated to see Frank live a rich and happy life yearster. Selina didnt want him to forget his first wife, who died so tragically, so she sent Anna over to remind him that. Selina was still mad at Frank for the next few decades. Then, she finally got over it and stopped forcing Anna to stay by Franks side all the time. In this way, she gave Anna and Olivia a bted sense of belonging. Peace was not a member of the Gabriel family. Also, when Anna was suffering all those things in Birmingham, Peace did not know her. But, she was the only one who knew what was going on with Anna and understood her the best. She felt sorry for Anna, like she felt about herself. When Karl saw her indignant expression, he felt a surge of thrilling emotion. Peaces such a good girl! Maybel wont ever meet anyone as great as her in my life. I just want to give my whole world to her! thought to himsell. It was raining hard, and the umbre Karl was holding was like a shelter for her. Then, Karl said calmly and determinedly, Peace Brooks, will you marry me? He had that ring in his suit pocket for half a month. He never gave it to her before because he was waiting for a perfect moment when she made him thrilled and passionate the most. Peacefrore for a moment, and then subconsciously took a step back. At that moment, raindrops sell on her back. Kaitseached his umbre over to shield her from the rain. Then, he reached his other hand into his suit pocket. Peace suddenly stopped him by saying, Oh, dear God! Dont take it out! Karl, if you give me that ring, Ill break up with you Kan looked stunned as if he didnt believe what she was saying. He said hesitantly, Peace, you itste. Maybe weve talked too much tonight, and that made you think too much. Im going home now, Karl. Bye. Peale spoke quickly as if she was in a hurry to end something. After saying that, she was about to leave. But, Karl grabbed her wisi Hey! let go of mel Kari held her wrist and refused to let go. Then, he said firmly, as he had never done before, Peace Brooks, what are you doing? You know that I love you like crazy. Ive already quit smoking, drinking, and flirting with other women as you told me to. Ive done everything you want, whether I can do it or not. And I only want one thing from you, and thats to marry me. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 190 Say It again, If You Dare It had been raining heavily for several days in a row, and the rain washed the whole city clean. So, in the morning after the rain, even the air was refreshing and light. Unfortunately, it onlysted a short time. It was noon soon after the sun rose. After that, the city was immersed once more in the endless slumber of summer. Karl locked himself in his house for several days. Every day, the maid would go to his house to clean it. By the fifth day, she finally couldnt stand the foul smelling from the bedroom anymore. So, she called Madison Xavier, Karls sister. Karl, hey! Madison walked straight inside the house after she opened the door. Karl lived in a two-t apartment. The door on the second floor was sealed to make it an open bedroom, while the first floor was the living room. Madison was there when the house was in construction. As she hoped, the apartment was elegant and pretty in a refreshing way. When Madison saw the neat doorway, she praised in her heart that the maid had really worked hard. Shed just gotten downstairs and caught a whiff or something foul. She covered her nose and shouted downstairs, Karl, dont you tell me you st the room! It f****g stinks! Do you have monkeys in your house? However, no one responded to her. Madison hesitated for a moment. She finally overcame the difort and nausea she felt and took the first step downstairs. The first floor seemed like a dump to her, with drinks, snacks, and other things strewn about on a coffee table covered in takeout boxes. S**t! Are you f*****g ying dead? I already know you can call for takeout. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Madison then gol angry. She pulled the quilt with one hand and picked up a take-out box on the table with the other and then said, Damn, do you believe Ill put this on your head? Im so damn busy Before Madison could finish her sentence, she saw that the box had not been unpacked. Then, her expression immediately changed. She asked, Karl, you havent eaten these days? She found that none of the takeaway boxes piled up on the coffee table had been opened. However, what rmed her even more was that the person under the covers hadnt moved at all, just like he were dead. Madison immediately lifted the entire cover. Then, she froze in surprise, staring at the toy on the bed and couldnt speak a single word. Eventually, she yanked the toy out in anger and threw it on the floor. Karl Xavier, **k you! The stuffed dog on his bed looked very innocent. It rolled around on the floor, and the bell around its neck rang for a few Seconds. Madison became furious, and then left Karls apartment with her bag. Her high heels made crisp sounds on the marble floor. Bastard, how dare you trick me! Madison thought to herself. Peace and Anna had just finished lunch and were sitting in the pavilion downstairs at the hospital chatting away, So, you rejetudbis proposal outright without even giving him a reason7 Peace looked down and similed, as ifughing at hersell. She said, What reason? Oh, I dont think thats a reason. I think it might be my own problem, anyway. You know, hes a rich yboy who loves fooling around. So Id better not spend the rest of my life with But, Peace, he has changed. And, you have recovered. The doctor said that as long as you stay emotionally stable, youll be fine, right? Peace looked Anna seriously in the eyes and said, Oh no, Anna, Ill never recover, and theres no such thing as recovery to me. You think Im back to normal, but it just doesnt hit me right now. Im like a ticking time bomb now, and I never know when Im going to explode. Plus, the years I was in the army were some of the most peacelul times of my life. I left there because I wanted to experience life in a different way. You see, nothing can trap me, let alone a person. Peaces experience in the military taught her that people were not allowed to have emotions there. Peace knew she couldnt live like this for the rest of her life, so she chose to leave and start a new life. She wished she could live her life to the fullest. I think maybe its not that you dont want Karl to trap you; its that you dont want him to be trapped by you. Anna hit the nail on the head. Peace wasughing heartily. But when she heard Annas words, her expression froze. When Anna saw this expression on her face, she thought she had said too much. Just as Anna was about tofort Peace, she saw her gaze go over her shoulder to a ce in the distance. Anna looked in that direction and noticed a person outside the pavilion. However, she barely recognized who the person was. The man looked very unkempt. Not only had he not shaved his beard, but he had a stain on his white shirt. The hot midday sun was shining on him, making him look miserable. Karl would dress up even if he had to attend a short meeting at the hotel. He would spray unique perfume and put hair spray on. What happened to him? Anna thought to herself. Well, Ill give you both some privacy. Anna immediately stood up and prepared to leave. Dont go. Peace said. When Anna heard her voice, she realized that she was deliberately ying it cool. This was unusual, because Peace was never a cold person. She was passionate and enthusiastic, even when she argued with people. Peace was like a fire, and was ready to explode with great energy any time. I think I made myself very clear the other day. What are you doing now? Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you and sympathize with you? Wake up, were not in a TV show and youre not Romeo. Karl walked toward them. His tall figure blocked the daylight and cast a shadow over them. Anna took two steps to the side to avoid him. However, she still felt overwhelmed by the imposing aura of both of them. No, I didnt. Peace, I just wanted to confirm onest thing with you. About what? Karl said angrily through clenched teeth, I want to know if you really meant it when you said that. Do you dare to say that to me again? Hey, Im telling you, I thought I was dead these days. The things you said to me broke my heart, and made me feel like you stabbed me in the heart with a knife. Peace, do you dare say those words to me again? Anna had an ominous feeling at that moment. She had known for a long time that Peace was very good at talking tough with men. Peace flirted with men regrly and had had at least a few dozen boyfriends over the past few years. Some of them had fallen madly in love with her, just like Karl had. When Anna felt that Peace was about to say something cruel, she felt it was her duty to stop the disaster from happening. So, she smiled awkwardly and said, Oh, Im sorry to interrupt you. Well, before things get awkward between you two, I just want to ask Karl one question. Do you really love Peace? What do you love about her? What? Anna, you dont have to ask him that question. Im telling you, he doesnt even like me. He has a lot of women around him and he likes to flirt with them. Peace said, pretending to be nonchnt. Karl frowned at her words. He sighed, as if he no longer cared about anything in the world.How can I not like you? Peace, Ive never met a woman who loves the world so much. You are as hot as fire and as free as the wind. You have the most exquisite imagination; you were born to be free and dont want to be trapped. You shine brighter than even the most dazzling fireworks. He said thuis in a loud voice, as if he was sure and contident of himself. However, aller listening to his passionate confession, thest glimmer of light in Annas eyes finally dimmed. With a silent sigh, she said to Peace, Well, you can say it now. All the characteristics that Karl likes about Peace are fake. In fact, shespletely different from what he thinks she is. If he finds that out, would he still like her? In any case, Peace is such a unique person. Anna thought. Peace lowered her voice and said, Karl, you can go now. You know, Ive slept with more people than you have. Were the same kind of people, and we treat rtionship casually. So whoever gets serious first is going to lose miserably. Just leave me alone and dont embarrass yourself. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Breakups were usually too brutal to watch. Moreover, Anna felt embarrassed to stand around and watch while they were breaking up. So, Anna immediately flipped out of the side of the pavilion and ran away. As she escaped there, thest words she heard were from Karl. He said, Peace, lets just pretend that nothing happened these days, okay? Can we just stay the same as before? Anna was surprised. Karl was the biggest yboy in town, and he had dated almost half the women there. But he would make others sympathize with him if he became serious about his rtionship. Anna didnt expect Karl to be willing to back off after all that had happened. He even wished he could go back in time and pretend he had never proposed to her or been rejected by her. Im afraid I cant. Im sorry, Karl, but Ive had enough of fooling around, Peace responded. So, messing around was not just a right of men. Anna drove Peace back to her studio when it was dark. Anna, Im actually fine. You dont have to give me a ride. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Anna nced at her and said, No, I dont care if youre fine or not. I just want to eat that taco in the store next to your studio. Okay, then Ill go get it for you. Sure! I dont have a job right now, so its on you, right? Anna was talking like that on purpose. She noticed that Peace had been depressed and silent when they came out of the hospital. Anna was afraid that she would be upset, so she tried to cheer her up in this way. If it was before, Peace would have bickered with her. However, Peace just leaned back in the passenger seat and looked exhausted. After being silent for a long time, she finally sighed and said, Its a shame, Anna looked at Peace and thought she felt bad about breaking up with Karl. She stated, What? It turns out that you also feel the same way. Peace, however, looked at her dumbfounded and said, No, Im sorry that we wont be able to go on that trip together. Earlier, Karl and I talked about bringing you and Wayne on a trip to an ind. So, you two can have a chance to talk about your rtionship. But now that were no longer together, I cant offer you that wonderful chance. Anna had a soothing smile on her face. But when she heard Waynes name, she couldnt smile anymore. She tightened her grip on the driving wheel and replied, Hey, I dont need your help. Youd better take care of your own business. Peaces studio was in the east of Birmingham downtown and next to a tourist attraction. Since it was summer, many tourists were Anna and Peace sat in the window seat of that taco store. They looked at how the tourists dressed, talked on the street and made rudements. As a designer with good taste, Peace thought these tourists were all dressed in a tacky way. Anna rolled her eyes toward her and said, You have no right to talk about them! You should take a good look in the mirror and see how you look right now. You have guacamole on your mouth, and your mascara is smudged. When Peace beard Annas remarks, she quickly looked up at her. Anna was holding hall a taco in one hand and chicken nuggets from the tte She mad calmly, You too. We both had our hearts broken by men and relied on eating a lot to make ourselves feel better. So, we had better stopughing at each other, leave thought, Would you have said yes to Karls proposal if you hadnt been sick? Anna asked. Peace took a bite of her chicken nugget and looked as if she didnt care. Her mouth was full of food as she spoke, Im afraid I would have married someone by now if I didnt have this illness. In that case, he wouldnt have had a chance to marry me! Peace chose to live because she craved the excitement of the world. She chose to be alone because she didnt want to bring burdens to others. She believed that if she hadnt been sick and had led a regr life, she would have married and had a happy life. Okay, lets not talk about that. By the way, how is your father? I heard you chatting with the doctor at the hospital this morning, and he said that your fathers health condition is better now. So, after that, will he still be in that nursing home? Well, I asked him, and he said he preferred to stay at home, Anna responded, frowning. Peace immediately said in surprise and anger, What the hell is that old man thinking? Youve put in so much effort to look after him these days, and now he wants to go when hes feeling better? Does he still wants to live with that mistress? Anna couldnt help but feel uneasy because Peacesments were not kind. However, Anna pretended to be rxed and said, Forget about it. After all, theyve spent most of their lives together. So, Im not surprised that hes closer to her than me. He is getting older, so he might not want to live in that nursing home by himself. What? What an ungrateful bastard! Peace didnt show any mercy to Frank just because he was Annas father, but kept calling him bastard. I think, Anna, youve done your best. After all, youve visited him in the hospital so many times. So, just ignore him and concentrate on your life. Anna said calmly, Its okay; I should leave him alone. Shirley and Allie have visited Frank in the hospital frequently recently. Moreover, they are the ones who offered to let Frank stay home. So, they seem to be treating him pretty well, Anna thought. What are your ns after that? Hmm? Peace asked Anna as she wiped her greasy hands, Im asking you about your new job. You said that you had it all figured out before. So, stop keeping it a secret and just tell me! Annaughed and replied, Actually, I dont have to keep it a secret. I didnt tell you at that time because I hadnt done the paperwork yet. Well, I just had it all done yesterday. What? Anna wiped the grease off her hands with a napkin, then took out a business card from her bag and handed it to Peace. Peace read it out softly, then looked up in surprise and asked, Anna Gabriel, the Lemon Clothing Companys general manager? What? Have you started a business? Anna exined, To be honest, my mother founded thispany, not me. My father had just started his business when my mother rried lim. So, my mom gave him all the money he needed at that time. Later, when my mom was pregnant with me, my dads Anna deliberately did not say what happened in the middle. On the other hand, Peace had already figured out what was going Of Olivia had given up her job after being pregnant with Anna. As a result, i emon was merged into Franks group and became an obscute subsidiary, thenter because I rank chealed on her with Shirtey, Olivia died while giving birth to her child. Shirley did not even treal het daughter Anna well, not to mention hepany. So, it was not easy for us shallpany to survive through so many difficulties for so long. When I loll myther about it, he said yes right away, Of course, he had to say yes, because thispany is supposed to be yours. I dont see any problem with you getting your stuff A1 t Annaughed and said, Come on, I dont even care about the past myself, so dont you feel angry about it. By the way, I have to ask you something important. What is it? Would you like to work for me at Lemon? Peace froze, frowned and asked, My goodness, are you kidding me? Do you really want me to work for your smallpany as a designer? Why? Because youre cheap. Gee! Anna, do you know how much I get paid? Peaces eyes immediately widened in surprise. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Sports Oh, I dont care how much others pay you. Ill offer you benefits if youe here. Anna tugged on Peaces arm without letting go, as though she was determined to hire her. She then suggested, How about I buy you tacos for the next five years? Peace rolled her eyes and said, Oh, my goodness! Even if you buy me tacos for the next decade, the money wont be enough to pay me to design a dress. Youre ckmailing me! Thats because Im poor! I saw Lemons office the other day, and the building is just a small factory building. The management system of thepany is awful, and the ountant doesnt know anything. No designer would work in apany like that! And, they wonte even if I pay them! So, only you can help me. Peace said, What? Are you telling me that you dont have any money? Show me your bank bnce, Anna. I dont think I have even a tenth of what you have. Anna let go of her hand and said, Are you going to help me or not? If you wont do it, ill find someone else. Peace bristled and replied, Yes! I will definitely help you, Anna. Even if you dont pay me or buy me tacos, ill still help you. Im tired of designing high-fashion clothes all the time, and I just want to design a little bit of everyday clothing. Annaughed out loud at that, held up two fingers, and said, After thepany goes public, Ill give you twenty percent of the shares. Hearing that, Peace said with a hint of sarcasm, Wow! Hope I wont regret it. In fact, Peace didnt think much of Annas request at first. She had her own studio and also did some outsourcing works for other clothingpanies. And, she was not actually busy working. So, when her best friend wanted to start a business and she could be helpful, she would not hesitate to help. Peace followed Anna to Lemons office building early the next morning. They went through two alleyways to get there. Located in the heart of the city, this three-story structure was tucked away among the many other high-rises. Also, it was in a ideal ce that was surrounded by the citys bustling shopping districts. The one who showed them around was a handsome young man in his early thirties. Anna said, Peace, this is Kevin, the person in charge of Lemon before. Kevin, Id want to introduce you to my friend Peace Brooks, and she will be the chiel designer. Hello, Ms. Brooks. Oh, hello. You can call me Peace. After they made all talks, Anna asked Kevin to leave. She then took Peace for a walk around this office building. Afterwards, she asked, Well, what do you think? **Do you want to hear the truth? Of course. As a pie y desperate nonchntly pointed out everything that she thought was inappropriate about the office. This ce Chy Surks think that maybe it was never renovated when your mother left herest century. Its not only obsolete, but even looked a billike spill You d better redecorate the ce, Anna Make it a little rougher and edgier. Pentrowd and ad, Also, fue allihe einployees here because none of them are working at all. I just saw people cutting their Faris and ying at Instead of taking the true and elforts to train them, why dont we get a new group of employees? The new employee donknow what this ce uved to be like, so they wont dare to ck off. Okay. Anna took notes in her notebook as she listened to Peace. When Peace saw her doing this, she asked suspiciously, Hey, Im your designer, not your boss! Why should I care so much about your studio? Anna immediatelyughed, took Peaces arm and said intimately, Look, since you can point out these mistakes, why dont you tell me more about the ce? Peace still felt like she had been ckmailed by Anna. On Friday, the results of Franks medical exam came out. After that, the doctor informed Frank that he was free to leave the hospital. Shirley and Allie acted thoughtfully. They came to the hospital with a group of rtives to visit him and pick him up. Frank, you know, my sister has been really worried about youtely! Shirleys sister said. Yes, and shes been crying for you. Thank God youre okay! I havent seen Shirley in a long time. Every time I call her, she says shes in the hospital. Shirleys cousin said. Looking at the people in the hospital room as if they were family, Anna frowned and felt like an outsider. She stood in the doorway for a moment before hesitating and then turning to leave. Youre leaving? A woman asked Anna. Anna froze. She looked up and saw a woman in a gray dress standing in front of her. It was Selina. What are you doing here? Anna asked. Selina looked at the bustling ward and said calmly, Im here for my medicine. Anna, since you are here, why dont you go in? Are you afraid because there are so many rtives of hers? Anna was still in a daze when Selina took her wrist. Selina held her hand tightly. Then she opened the door of the room and led Anna walk past the crowd that had been blocking the doorway Frank, what are you doing? Why dont you ask your daughtere in and take a seat? But, you let a bunch of poor rtives from God knows where to keep youpany. Everyone in the ward changed their expressions and stopped talking. Allie said irritably, Anna, what are you doing? Who is this woman? if you let her scare Father, I Its not your turn to talk. Selina nced at Allie with contempt. Who are you? How dare you talk to me like that! Youre such a shrew! Im telling you Before Allie could finish her sentence, she heard a crisp sound. Then, she realized that Selina had just pped her on the face. This was the second time this month she had been pped. So, Allie was extremely shocked and didnt came to her senses for a while, Selina Miller, why did you hit my daughter?! Shirley immediately stood in front of her daughter, and was afraid that Selina would do it again. Selina sneered and said, Oh, so you still remember what my name is. Well, I guess that you must have remembered the night of I wenty five years ago! Do you remember how I made you kneel in front of Olivias grave for the whole night and pped you for more than two hundred time57 The moment they heard this, almost everyone in the ward gasped in surprise. More than two hundred ps? That must have ruined her face! Anna thought to hersell. It was the first time Anma had heard about this, so she looked at Shirleyin disbeliel. Shirley had an embarrassed expression and looked ashamed. She couldnt say anything, but just writted her teeth and looked to the side. Frank was sitting on the edge of the bed. He was no longer wearing a hospital gown, but a shirt and beige pants. When he saw Anna and Selina, he had an embarassed expression on his pale face. Selina, its been so long, why do you have to Selina said even more aloofly, Oh no, youre not qualified to call me by my name. Maybe you can just call me Ms. Miller. Anyway, I came here today just to ask you a question. Are you really going home with them? Dont you have anything to say to Anna? Frank frowned and said, I already thanked Anna. N?velDrama.Org content. Selina snickered and asked, Thanked her? Anna took care of you in the hospital for a month, and she didnt even have time toe home. Do you think your thank you is enough? You really are a shrewd businessman, and you always want make a profit. If you want to leave the hospital, arent you going to ask about your daughters opinion? Hearing her words, Allie asked irritably, What? What are you trying to say? Do you want my father to give her money? I get it, you just want money. Stop pretending to be noble! Shut your filthy mouth! Selina nced at Allie. Her gaze made Shirley feel frightened, so she immediately told her daughter to shut up. After a while, Frank took a deep breath and said, Ms. Miller, youd better stay out of our business. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Selina didnt seem surprised as if she had known he would say that. However, her expression was even more indifferent. She said, You want me to stay out of your familys business? Fine, I happen to be not interested in it. But, I want to know that since you wont live long, how will you deal with your money? How much money are you going to give Anna? Anna is a bit embarrassed to ask for money, just like her mom. So, as her aunt, ill ask you for her. When Olivia died twenty-five years ago, Selina lost all her expectations of Frank. She felt that he was an irresponsible man who abandoned his wife. However, she thought that Anna should get the money she deserved as his daughter. If Olivia hadnt given Frank the money, he wouldnt have been able to start his ownpany. At that moment, the room was quiet. Everyone was concerned about what Frank would do with his money and property because it would determine how much they would get. Among them, Shirley and Allie were the most concerned about this issue. Ive already given Anna what she deserves, Frank said sorrowfully. Dad, what did you give her? Allie blurted out and looked impatient. Frank looked up at her with a cold gaze. He said, I gave Lemon Clothing Company to Anna. Lemon? said Allie, who didnt even know there was such apany in the group. When she was about to ask more questions, Shirley tugged her and told her to shut up. Only she knew that Frank kept thatpany because he wanted to keep it as a memento for Olivia. However, thispany was doing very poorly and was barely surviving on the money given by the head office. If Frank gave this company to Anna, it could save them big trouble. Anna took Selinas hand and said, Auntie, its okay. This is my motherspany, and I really like it. Thats the only thing I want. Okay, lets go. Selina frowned after hearing her words and finally said, Fine. Before leaving, Anna looked at Frank and said, Bye, Dad. I hope you can be happy and healthy every day. Frank didnt look up at her but kept his head down in thought. If Anna had looked closely at him, she would have seen that his eyes were red and looked very depressed. Anna and Selina then walked out of the hospital, and neither mentioned what had just happened. Selina, what brings you to the hospital? Anna asked. Oh, I came to get my medicine, but my doctor wasnt there. I just happened to hear that your father was staying in the hospital. I was going to mock him, but I have no idea he was leaving today. Anna smiled and asked, Really? What a coincidence! But, who dares to mention my father in front of you? Anna thought to herself, il Selina hadnt asked about it, who would have dared to mention my dad in front of her? Theres no such thing as a coincidence in this world. But, some people just love to arrange coincidences Setina red at her and said, Okay, lets not talk about ine. Tell me, why do you only want that crappy company? Oh, because its my momspany! Its the only thing that means a lot to me. Selina saldimtably, What? I hope youre joking with me, Anna. Howinuch does that so called meaning worth? You and your mother ateso alike, and shes so into this kind of shallow stuff. Have you ever thought about what will happen if you let thispany go under Tell me, how did my mother start thepany then? Did she have a good beginning? Selina bristled and said, Of course not to be honest, she was totally not built for doing business. At that time, your grandfather often helped her with that. But she just wanted to give the money to your father! Your granther didnt agree on your parents marriage. So, your mother held a grudge against him. Later on, you were born. Then Selina stopped talking, feeling upset and remorseful. She had experienced the pain of someone she knew dying in front of her, N?velDrama.Org content. so she had aplicated feeling. Anna was born prematurely. And Olivia bled heavily just as she got out of the hospital room, and the doctors failed to save her. So, Olivia died in the arms of her best friend, Selina. At that time, Selina was already married to her brother. Olivia died so suddenly that she didnt even see her father onest time. So, it became Annas grandfathers biggest trauma. He had a total of three children, and he loved his youngest daughter Olivia the most. She was only in her twenties when she died. Annas grandfather was healthy before Olivias death. However, after Olivias death, he got sick because of his grief. Later, he could no longer take care of Anna, who was still a child. And not long after that, he died. When Olivia died, Selina was already pregnant for more than two months. She and Joe tried for so long and she finally conceived, and she didnt even tell her family the news. However, the baby was miscarried because she was shocked by Olivias death. After that, she was never able to have another child. And the tragedies that happened to three families were all caused by Frank, who was so busy cheating on Olivia at that time that it took him a long time to notice it. It was not until hearing Selinas words that Anna understood the friendship between Selina and her mother many yearster. The chef of Gabriels house prepared a sumptuous lunch for Frank to wee him home. The delicious aroma of the meal was all over the vi. Frank, look, these are all your favorite. Please take a seat. Shirley pulled out a chair for Frank and invited him to sit down by the table. However, Frank put his fork down right after taking a bite of the food. Allie asked nervously, Dad, whats wrong? Is it not good ill have them make you some more food. Frank coughed, got up, and said, No, thanks. Im feeling a little tired, so Im going to my room. If Mr. Leeester, tell him to see me in my study. Allie was a little stunned to see how exhausted, and weak her father was. She said, Oh, okay. Minutester, a clear sound of a door closing came from the study on the second floor. Then, the living room became quiet. Shirley asked the maid to clean up the flowers in the corner and then brought out a te from the kitchen. There was a spoon and a bowl of soup on that te. Your father didnt eat anything. Allie, send this soup to him. Alle looked at the bowl and asked, Mom, is it just some soup? Shirleyred at her daughter, lowered her voice, and said, Of course! What else could it be? Allie, there are a lot of people here, so dont talk nons-ny. Sind this over to turn. Sting the look in her mothers eyes, Allie know there was definitely something else in this soup. Alte monediately bei amellustered. She said, Mom, Dads already sick. I think, lets stop Shirley interrupted her daughter and said, Silly wri! Do you know what Mr. Lee is going to do here later? Making a will! Hes going to help your father make his will I dont think that he will just give Anna that smallpany. If we dont act before he makes his will, then weave not stop ** ** wont happen! Mom, you know hes not that kind of person. Shirley v rae exprenotimpate and asked, Cut the crap. Are you going or not? Fine, Id better go by mysell. With that, sanatatud the te from Alle and went straight upstairs Alle bit her tipo. She was about to stop her mother when she heard the sound of the doorbell behind her. It was Mr. Lee arriving. Is Mr. Gabriel here? Asked Mr. Iee. Allie innkrdunstairs and immerhiately wid. Hello hes here Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Shortly after Mr. Lee went upstairs, Shirley came downstairs. Allie was reading a magazine on the sofa. Hearing that sound, she rose up promptly and said, Hey, mom. Oh, you scared me! Shirley gasped andined. Seeing there was nothing in her mothers hands, Allie felt frightened. Mr. Lee showed the revised will to Frank in the study and asked, If you think this is okay, just sign here. Okay, I dont see any problems. Good. Then Ill have your daughter sign itter. Frank nced aside at the bowl and said, No, not now. You can just let her sign it this weekend. Okay. After Mr. Lee left, Frank lifted the small bowl in his hand. There was chicken soup and maybe some other stuff in the bowl. Frank smiled bitterly to himself and then drank all of the soup in one gulp. Since Anna left, Matthew stayed in Peters house and refused to go back to Waynes no matter what. Wayne was worried about his son and wanted to visit him. However, he was also afraid that his grandfather would ask him about Anna. So, he was very annoyed. Peter had already known that Anna chose to resign. On the day Anna handed in her resignation letter, the news was spread to the corporate headquarters. So, of course Peter knew about it quickly. Moreover, he even asked about the gossip going around the office. Remember how Charlotte treated you before, Wayne? So, you are going to break up with Anna for her, huh? Do you realize what a wonderful woman Anna is? God, I think youre really insane! Peter pped the table and continued with regret and anger, No wonder Matthew has been so restless these days. You still wanted to hide it from me, dont you? Wayne didnt say a word. After Peter scolded him, he said calmly, Okay, Grandpa. This is my own business, and you might have to stay out of it. Peter yelled angrily, I need to stay out of it7 You are my grandson, the only heir of the Wrights of the next generation! You know what, you are humiliating our entire family! Oh? So, are you trying to threaten me with thepany again like before? Wayne deliberately acted as if he was numb and indifferent. However, he was not doing this to piss off his grandfather but because be was at a loss. He didnt know how he should handle his rtionship with Anna and had been confused about it for a long time. Peter grunted and said, Oh, if thats the case, then it would be too good for you! We have a seafood company in North Town, and it has recently gollen into trouble. Thepany sells bad seafood, and many customers have been comining about it. Go there, find out what happened, and help them out of their troubles. Before Wayne could answer, Henry, standing nearby, pleaded on his behall, saying, Oh, no! You know, its very hot and humid in North Town, and its so far away from here. Its summer, and you can get dehydrated just walking around the beach. Wayne cant suffer that I think that you can get a manager there, Peter. If no one wants to go, then Ill go. Do my words count here, or do you? Peter said with a disgruntled re at Henry. Without saying anything else, Wayne got up with his jacket and said, Okay, Grandpa, Ill leave tomorrow morning. Waynel Henry said. He lett resigned, but there was nothing he could do. He knew Wayne well enough and realized that he had been stubborn since he was a child, Moreover, he knew that Peter was the kind of person who would not back out. So, Wayne was definitely going to go there. Henry sighed and said, Peter, I dont think you need to do that. Hes in his thirties, and he knows what hes doing. So, you dont have to be so harsh on him now. Oh, you probably dont understand; Im doing this to help him, Peter said meaningfully. After that, he had a look of satisfaction on his face, as if his n had worked. He waved towards the bedroom and said, Matthew, hey,e over here. N?velDrama.Org content. Henry nced at the bedroom in surprise. He had no idea when Matthew had been hiding in Peters bedroom. Matthew ran up to Peter, looked at him, and seemed extremely delighted Did you hear what I just said to your father? Look! I promised you that I would let your father and mother meet again. I did it! Matthew nodded seriously and struggled to make a sound, Hmm. Peter was relieved to hear that. Ever since Anna left, Matthew looked upset and wouldnt even eat. Later, Peter called Tammy to ask her to persuade Matthew on the phone. Only after talking to Tammy did Matthew seem cheerful. And, to Peters surprise, Matthew was even willing to talk after that. Although Matthew only said a few simple words, it was a great surprise to Peter since he hadnt heard him speak for a long time. Peter stroked Matthews head and asked gently, Matthew, Ive done what I promised you. So, shouldnt you eat something now like you promised me? Mmm, Matthew said, then nodded his head again. Henry understood what Peter meant and then immediately asked the cook to make something for Matthew to eat. Looking at Matthew wolfing down his food, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. What did you promise him? Henry lowered his voice and asked Peter. Peter put down the newspaper in his hand, frowned and said, Well, Im just helping my silly grandson get his future wife back. Anna had just packed her things in her apartment downtown and put her suitcase on the doorstep. Tammy, Im going to another city tomorrow and I wont be back for a few days. Ill drop you off at Aunt Peaces tomorrow morning, okay? Ill be back as soon as I can. Sitting on the couch, Tammy said with slight excitement, Okay! Dont worry, mommy, ill take care of myself. Well, its okay if you want to stay there for a few more days. Anna said, Why should I stay there for a few more days? Baby, Im not going there for a vacation. Come on, let me take you to the shower. I have to get up early tomorrow. Anna was still renovating Lemon. Thepany hadnt officially started hiring employees yet, but Anna felt that she should be prepared before that. Peace introduced her to a friend of hers who studied design at Central Saint Martins. After working for a few years, that person quit his job because he felt thatmercial activities were ipatible with his design concept. So, he went back to his hometown in North Town and lived the life of a caveman. Peace said he didnt even use a cell phone. To find him, people had to call a pay phone in town and have the person who answered it tell him. Then, he had to walk three miles to town to answer that call, Dont worry, Ive already talked to bim. Just have the phone booth owner take you to him when you get there. Before Amaleft, Peace told her again, Remember, Anna, hes really entric. And to be honest, hes a bit of a pain in the ass. If he pisses you off, just ignore him. Anna opened the car door and said, Okay, I get it. Many designers are entric. All right, please take care of Tammy. Bye, Im oft Well, bon voyage. Anna looked in the rear view mirror and saw Peace swinging around in an exaggerated way to say goodbye to her. Annaughed, shook her head and called Peace a psycho in her mind. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 North Town was a seaside town that was far away from Birmingham. The locals there were warm and weing, and the seafood there was of good quality and in short supply. Most of the fishermen there were pleased with how they were doing and did not want to change, making it more unique. As a result, they tend to fish and sell seafood in specified months of the year and then take a break. Also, the vige remained in its most pristine condition for so many years. Mountains and scas stretched for hundreds of miles, all of which had never been exploited. When Anna was driving there, she noticed how beautiful the natural countryside was. However, Anna was still yawning as she drove. She stopped for lunch al a service station along the highway in the afternoon. If shed known shed never see a store again, she might have bought something to eat, Just as she was regrettingit, her stomach growled, Anna sighed dejectedly and muttered, Please stop grunting, my friend! That grumpy designer will absolutely buy me a seafood dinnerter on. Although he was a very good friend of Peaces, he wanted to meet Anna in person. He said that he couldnt judge thepanys value without meeting the boss herself. Also, Anna came here so soon because she wanted to meet this talented designer. At that moment, Annas cell phone rang. After she nced at the caller ID, she put it on speakerphone. Hey, Anna, my boss, where are you? Peace asked teasingly. As she spoke, Anna could hear the noisy sound of a power drill drilling into the wall. Anna turned down that voice and said, Oh my God, are you at the office? Its too noisy there. Can you find a quieter ce to talk? Well, this is really the quietest ce here. Were running out of time; its nearly nightfall. Come on, its your ownpany! I didnt mean it like that! You know, the sound of the electric drill is giving me a headache. Then, Peaces voice gradually became clearer. She said, Okay, now Iming outside. Is it quiet enough? Im telling you, I had to Thank you, mny talented designer. Anna gripped the steering wheel tightly. The headlights were on, illuminating the long country lone in front of her. Where are you? Hows the road? I just got off the highway half an hour ago. You know, this road is just too bumpy! Im not even going as fast as I was walking Ah!!! Anna screamed, immediately mmed on the brakes, and made a sharp noise. Peace frowned furiously, took off her headphones, and asked, Anna! Hey, are you still there? Whats going on? With a beep, Peace realized that their call had been disconnected. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Peace called Anna again, only to find that her phone had no signal. After realizing this, Peaces face turned pale. She had just screamed and hit the emergency brake. Could it be that Anna had a car ident? Peace thought. Wayne stood in front of the wagon in the back of the truck, looked at the shipping list with a serious expression, and said, You cant make another mistake, you know? If that happens again, we will immediately choose a new supplier. Also, weve bought a batch of goods from another supplies, and they have already sent the stuff to Birmingham. If that goes wrong again, I will stop our contract and sue you. The store owner wiped his sweat and assured, Sorry, we wont make any mistakes this time. It happenedst time because the driver forgot to turn on the refrigerator. He was afraid that well me him, so he didnt dare to tellus. Dont worry, it wont happen again. Wayne folded the shipping list, handed it to Gabe, and said, Okay, thats it. Id like you to keep an eye on them till thest shipment is made, please. Im going back now. What? Youre leaving? Are you sure youre not staying here? Its dark now, so you better not go back. its okay. Wayne straightened his cuffs without expression on his face, then got in his car and prepared to leave. Wayne felt that the reason why his grandfather let hime here was that he wanted to punish him. He didnt have to deal with this issue anymore because it wasnt a major one. Plus, he didnt want to stay there any longer, so he left Gabe there. Wayne then drove into the coastal road. Soon after, his cell phone rang, which interrupted the symphony he was ying in the car. Wayne frowned and answered.Hello? Wayne, where are you? Wayne nced at the sign ahead and said, Oh, Im almost at the entrance of the highway, and I figure Ill get to Birmingham by the early morning hours. Whats going on? Karl said eagerly, Oh, no! Turn around quickly! Somethings happened to Anna. Wayne immediately mmed on the brakes. The sharp brakes made a shrill roar on the avenue, and the wheels crushed two long marks on the dark tarred road with white smoke. Wayne immediately asked seriously, What are you talking about? Where is she? Oh, Wayne, this is tooplicated to exin now. Anna was on the phone with Peace about an hour ago, but she suddenly hung up. Peace thinks she was in a car ident. I found out the location of her cell phone signal, and Im sending it to you. Also, shes in North Town, too. Its a small town, so you might be able to find her soon. Waynes hands, which were on the steering wheel, were shaking a little, but his tone was extremely calm, I see. He then got a text message. Shortly after, the Land Rover, which had been parked quietly on the road, immediately started up. The car quickly turned around and sped off to the mountain road. There was a round moon in the sky emitting a soft light. Somewhere near a bar in Birmingham, Karl put down his phone, and then looked up at the woman in front of him and said, Well, Ive called him, and Wayne is on his way to find Anna. Do you have anything else to say? Peace was actually a little nervous. She stared at Karl for a moment, then smiled and said, Oh! Thank you. If Wayne finds her, will you let me know? Okay, Ill be off. An hour earlier, her phone call with Anna had been disconnected. She didnt have Waynes cell phone number, and she was so panicked that she called Karl. By the time she tried to cancel the call, it was toote. Karl answered her call immediately. At that moment, he sounded excited and seemed to have been waiting for her to call him for a long time. Peace felt like a jerk at the time. But, by then, Kartbad already answered the phone. Also, she looked through all her contacts on her phone, and found no one else could help her except Karl. So, she had to force herself to call him. After leaving the bar, she walked along the street alone for a while. The streetlight cast a long shadow on her lonely figure. She sighed, clutching the bag of her Chanel purse in one hand, and wanted to punch hersell. Wow, hot chick! Some men were drinking on the street. They whistled at her and said some nasty words to her when they saw her. Oh, look at her ass. Im sure i can get her. Peace was already in a bad mood. When she heard that, she immediately red at them and said, Dumbass! Go f**k yourself, losers! Do you think you can get me? You f*****g wish! Those men froze when they heard this. Then, they stood up angrily. Who are you talking to? One of them asked. You! You stupid cunt! Peace felt so good while cursing. But, just at that moment, she suddenly felt her temples throbbing. Then, she started to drift off and felt dizzy. Before she fainted, she was thinking, Oh no! why now?! Chapter 196 Chapter 196 196 What Brings You Here? A white Land Rover roared was roaring on the road in North Town, a small remote fishing vige. Wayne was about to arrive at the location Karl had sent him. In the light of headlights, he saw a car parked on the far corner. Under the light, the silver Audi logo on the cars rear glistened. Waynes heart skipped a beat as he mmed on the brakes. When he quickly walked over to that car, he found no one inside. He noticed that the hood of the front of the car was up, and the bumper was torn apart. As Wayne looked around, he saw a streak of dried blood on the ground. At that moment, he felt his heart had plummeted into an abyss, and he was on the verge of copsing. Anna! He snarled at the barren wastnd. The only thing that responded to him was the chilly, howling wind that blew across the mountains. The blood on the ground looked hideous and gruesome. Waynes legs were weak, so he slowly crouched while gripping the hood. His fine suit pants were smeared with blood and dust as his knees touched the concrete pavement. The moonlight gleamed on the puddle of blood, reflecting his pale face. As much as he tried to keep his sanity, he couldnt help but think of the worst case scenario. Wayne regretted all the things he had done. He clenched his fists and wanted to punch himself. God! Anna would not have resigned and started her own business if I hadnt gotten angry with her and hurther so deeply! Nothing would have happened if she hadnt left the hotel! Wayne thought to himself. Wayne! What brings you here? Wayne heard a gentle voiceing from above his head like a ghost. Then, he was stunned. When he looked up, he saw Anna standing in front of him with an astonished face. Also, she looked totally fine. Anna just left the ce and walked around, trying to find a signal. However, she didnt find it even after walking for half an hour. When she found that her phone was almost out of battery, she was afraid that she would be in danger. So, she instantly rushed back. However, she didnt expect to see Wayne on his knees, shouting in agony. What the heck? Anna thought to herself. She was in a daze when she felt the cold mountain breeze wrapping around her, and the smell of Waynes unique hormones surrounded her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She immediately struggled, but she was no match for Waynes strength. Wayne ignored her but held her tightly as if he never wanted to part with her. Thank god, youre hurt, He said. Although Anna was confused, she still let him hold her tightly anyway. Meanwhile, the waves rattled against the rocks and the cool evening breeze blew on them. After a long time, Wayne let go of her and said sullenly, Anna, its dangerous to drive at night. Anna was also a little angry after hearing his words. She didnt expect Wayne to say such words after hugging her for so long. Wayne, are you nuts? She said. Alew hours ago, she was driving through a curve when a goat suddenly rushed by. At that moment, Anna was not focused on driving because she was talking to Peace on the phone. After noticing the poat, she steered sharply, but she collided with a van in front of her. She thought it was okay to hit that car because she only had to pay thepensation. Besides, most car owners had insurance for the Cars, which made it very convenient. However, the van owner was scared and worried that Anna would make him pay for the damage of her car. The owner walked out of his car sorrowfully. He looked at Anna, and said, Oh, your car must be quite expensive! Im sorry, but I dont have enough money to pay you. Oh, dont worry. Im the one who hit you, and Im the one who should take responsibility. Hearing that, the man breathed a sigh or relief and epted Annaspensation, And what happened then? Wayne asked. Anna drank the hot coffee Wayne had poured from the thermos, and the warmth warmed her palms. She then grabbed the bread Wayne handed her and thought to herself about how well prepared he was, Finally, I suggested that we wait for his insurancepany topensate him. But, he insisted that he didnt need my car waspletely broken down. Anna became a little indignant at the thought of it. She thought, His car cost a fraction of what mine did, and I didnt expect it to be so sturdy! Wayne asked, What sort of car did he have? Oh, Ive forgotten. I believe it was just a typical one. Anna felt a lot better after she finished her coffee. The weather in North Town was strange, with bright sunshine throughout the day and a chilling wind at night. She felt that if Wayne didnt find her tonight, she might die on this road. Oh, hey, you didnt tell me how you got here. Anna looked at Wayne suspiciously. Wayne simply exined that Peace had told him to rescue her. He could find her so quickly because he happened to be in that town on business. Wow! Really? What a coincidence! Anna asked, sniffling. The cold wind kept blowing while she was just walking around looking for a signal. As a result, she felt as if her nose had blocked up and she couldnt breathe. Wayne looked at her and asked, What? Anna, what do you mean? Did you think I was following you? Anna raised her eyebrows. She didnt say anything, but she made her thoughts clear through her expression, Annoyed, Wayne said, Hey! Thats ridiculous! Ive been quite busytely, and I dont have time to track you down to this shithole! Would I let you get into a car ident if I was following you? Would I appear in front of you two hours after the ident happened? When Anna saw how irritated Wayne was, she realized that he wasnt always obnoxious when he lost his cool. It all depended on what he was mad about. Anna murmured before lowering her head to drink her coffee, Its not like I hit that car on purpose, Hearing that, Wayne was irritated. He had done so much for Anna, but she didnt seem to appreciate it. He felt gloomy right away, as if he had something shoved in his chest. Two hours ago, he drove his car as fast as he could since he thought Anna would be in an ident. He drove so rapidly that he felt like he was flying Wayne knew that he was speeding a lot, which was quite dangerous, but he just couldnt care less. All he had in mind at that moment was to find Anna immediately. And when he reached her car and saw the puddle of blood on the ground, he felt as if the world had crumbled. However, what annoyed Wayne most was that Anna just sat next to him at ease as if nothing had happened. She simply drank her coMee and ate her bread. So, it made him the only one who was indignant and annoyed. Wayne, Anna murmured, her voice trembling. Wayne asked as the pretended to be aloof, What? Oh, can you send me your phone? I want to call Peace. I think she must be very worried about me. 273 Wayne handed her his phone directly. When Anna took his phone, she suddenly held his index finger. The warmth of her palm passed to the back of Waynes hand. At that moment, Wayne froze. He looked down and saw Anna surveying his finger carefully. The next second, she pressed his index finger on the fingerprint lock. Then, his phone was unlocked. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Wayne shook Annas hand off angrily. Hey! What are you doing? You scared the hell out of me! Anna said as she nced at him with dissatisfaction. You broke up with me. So, why did you touch me? Wayne said indifferently. Anna, on the other hand, didnt appear to mind it. She said, Well, how else am I supposed to unlock your phone then? Will you please stop being so fussy? I thought maybe you could ask me what my password is. You know, theres more than one way to unlock my phone. Anna was dumbfounded for a moment. She locked his phone as if she was annoyed and then asked him, Okay, fine. So, tell me your password. Wayne paused for a second, then replied briefly, Its your birthday. Anna was stunned. She believed she and Wayne were both pretty sensible people, and neither of them was good at rtionships. As a result, unlike other women, she never examined her boyfriends phone or email. She did this out of respect for his privacy and to avoid intruding into his personal space. Therefore, she had no idea that the password for Waynes phone was her birthday until now. They both stopped talking. All they could hear was the waves crashing against the reef and the wind howling through the mountains out of the window. Anna somewhat couldnt believe his words. Still, she lowered her head and dialed her birthday into the phone. A few secondster, Waynes phone was unlocked. Then it immediately urred to Anna that she had spent her birthday this year with Wayne. He went to her mothers tombstone with her, and they walked out of the graveyard hand in hand. When Selina spoke to him, he was quite sure and assured. Anna had no idea what they were talking about in the car. Moreover, both Wayne and Selina were reluctant to tell her. Where are we going? Wayne asked as if he wasnt angry anymore. Oh, to Sea Town, Anna snapped back to reality and replied. As she looked at him, it hit her that she had just been about to call Peace and tell her that she was fine. The engine screamed louder than the roaring wind. Anna rolled her eyes at him after staring at his phone for a long time. She said, you dont even have a signal on your phone! So, why did you give it to me in the first ce? Wayne frowned and asked, Did I say a word about my phone having a signal? Oh! Since youre rich, I assumed you had special phones with GPS tracking systems. Anna said. Wayre thought she was joking and asked, So, Miss Gabriel, do you think we rich people need to drive ourselves? Just as they were binng, the car suddenly bumped a few times and slowed down. Wayne then pulled it over to the side of the quad they had just wonten into the car a minute before. Anna could even see her smashed up car as she turned around, Whats wrong? And asked Oh, oh Waythe afsponded, pointing to the gas gauge in the instrument cluster, Well, the car ran out of gas. mutattad turn of the verge olrunning out of pastor quite some time, but it was now empty A Louldnt bebeve tatt. Stald wurprise, Olmy soodness! Why? Why the hell didnt you fill up your car? Wayne wars alteady . httle dee d. When he heard her words, he mediately said angrily, Its all because of you, Annal Whe ceived Karls call was untuk way todas tion, however, he drove rapidly to find Anna since he was concerned that anything bad happened to her. He was worried that he mentorgotlu eluelis car. After hearing his snarl, Anna eventually calmed down. When she saw Waynes dissatisfied expression, she felt a wave of regret washing over her. When she saw him in the midst of nowhere, she was so thrilled that there was no way to express her happiness and disbelief. Anna also couldnt tell Wayne that she was being aloof in front of him since she didnt want to lose her dignity. Anna realized that she couldnt tell him that she had always thought of him was a dispensable scourge to her. But since they had broken up, she had often missed him in every lonely midnight. After a long silence, Wayne appeared to have finally calmed down. He said, Well, lets stay here for the night. There will be trucks Wayne looked at Anna again after finishing and said, You can rest in the back if youre tired. Wayne had modified his car, so Anna could build a spacious makeshift bed by putting the chair in the rear seat down. Oh, Anna said awkwardly, and then stepped out of the car and got into the back. When Wayne tossed her his suit jacket which was tainted with the fresh aroma of his perfume, Anna had just finished putting the seats down. N?velDrama.Org content. Anna froze. She clutched his jacket for a long time and said in a daze, Oh, thanks. Wayne hummed softly and leaned back in the drivers seat with his arms folded. Then, he closed his eyes. And then, Annay back in her seat. The sunroof on the car was opened. Through ayer of ss, Anna could see the full moon in the sky. The moon appeared to be a hole in the sky being poked by someone, revealing the limitless secrets beyond the huge universe. How did Peace get in touch with you? Anna suddenly asked. She did so, in fact, just to see if Wayne was asleep. She heard her own voice echoing in the car. Wayne leaned back in his seat with his back to her and didnt move. Just when she thought Wayne was asleep, he said in a somewhat muffled voice, Karl called me. Anna didnt even anticipate that Peace would have the nerve to call Karl again. What was going on between them seemed to irritate Wayne. He said bluntly,Ill let it slide because she was in a rush to reach you right now. But, if Peace does decide to end her rtionship with Karl, she should cut her ties with Karlpletely. You know, the fact that she keeps contacting him isnt good for him. Anna grimaced and leaned against the cushion with her elbows propped up. She sat up and turned to Wayne, saying, What exactly do you mean? Youre totally wrong! Peace is not that kind of person. If she said she would break up with him, she had already made up her mind. I dont like what you said about her. Wayne suddenly sneered and said, Am I wrong? Anna, Karl didnt fight or have an argument with her. Besides, you know how much hes changed for her. If she didnt do it to fool him around, then why didnt she marry him? Isnt it true that shes had enough of him? So, she wants to break up with him. And both of you are experts of doing that. Despite the fact that he was talking about Peace, he sounded as if he was using Anna. Anna became enraged when she discovered what he was talking about and eximed, What do you mean? You better exin it to me! When we were at your house that day, you Whenever she thought of that incident, she still felt sad and disappointed. That incident not only physically harmed her, but it also broke her heart. She hesitated for a moment but still failed to say that word aloud. Anna gritted her teeth as her eyes turned red. She hesitated and finally threw Waynes jacket hard at his head, shouting, You know what, I dont even need your damn jacket! After that, she yanked the car door open and stepped straight into the wastnd. Wayne sat in the drivers seat and watched her in silence. He finally got out of the car and went to her after realizing she had Va d trorn tuis sight, Its too dangerous! Its already the middle of the night! So, what?! Do you have to talk to me like that? Wayne shouted indignantly, and his voice echoed in the empty valley. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 The more Anna thought about this, the more enraged she felt. So, she said everything that made her feel aggrieved recently at once, Wayne! Youd better think about how you talked to me before asking me this! You think I should always put Matthew first, dont you? But Matthew is just as important as Tammy to me! But, you dont believe my words and also think Im wrong! So, how do you want me to treat Tammy? Have you ever really thought of Tammy as your family member and your daughter? Hearing that, Wayne was speechless. And, I want to say something about your childhood sweetheart, Charlotte. I believed you when you imed that you treated her like a sister. But have you considered that if you two were close, people would gossip about you? You know, even your cousin thought youre too good for me. If Charlotte is your fiance, then who am I? Do you think of me as some kind of mistress? Anna yelled fiercely as if she was exhausted, I want you to know that Im not that cheap! After she said those words, she stared at Wayne for a moment. Then, her eyes were red as she lowered her head. She looked like she was feeling very aggrieved. Let go of me, Anna said in aggravation, and her voice seemed to echo through the valley. Wayne had a firm grip on Annas hand and would not let go no matter what. In a raspy voice, he added, Im sorry, Anna, and Id like to apologize to you. I was being silly about that. But, its not that I hadnt considered your feelings. Its because He thought to himsell, I spoke out of turn because I was so angry. How could I expect Anna to give up her own child and only care about Matthew! was anxious at that time because Matthew was in danger. Please ept my apologies. He said. Wayne had never been good at defending himself. He just said sorry despite the fact that he already knew what he was going to say. Although he realized that it might make Anna think he was too casual, he meant it. He finally understood that dignity and the trivial things in life were not that important. Only when people face death could they realize what was the most important. Im sorry, Anna. I want to apologize for all the things I did before. Id like to apologize for everything Ive done wrong previously. Im sorry, and I shouldnt have done that to you. I wanted to express my feelings for you in less clichd words, Anna. But after I thought about it for a while, I couldnt find anything more meaningful than those words. And Anna, I love you. In the chilly evening breeze, Anna felt an unexpected sh of warmth. She couldnt break away from his grip, and all she could do was weep even louder. Her hot tears rolled across her face and dried by the whistling cold wind. Youre such a jerk! Anna eximed, her voice hoarse with resignation. Nheless, she remained silent in his embrace. She was enraged like a child who dropped her ice cream on the floor. In fact, there were not so many misunderstandings in the world. As a result, people needed to be open with one another. Only by going through in your healt, others would never know if you kept it a secret. Anna Snerred as they returned to the col Wayne tumed off the al conditioning and wrapped his jacket around her. He looked at her worriedly and then gave her a cup and said, Anna, have some milk. Thanks Anna Suitfied and took the cup. Alter they had calmed down, they said nothing about what had just happened, Il was so humiliating! We were both crying on the road because of a little night. Anna thought to hersell. Wayne said after a while, Actually, we cleared everything up before you resigned. Kenny was the one who started the fire. Also, Matthew had already gone into the freezer at that moment, Kenny used sleeping pills to sedate Tammy, but he refused to admit it. Ive meant to tell you all this, but I didnt get the chance. Anna nodded and said, I know. By saying that, she meant two things. The first was that she had already traveled to Liverpool and investigated the incident. She also gave John some hints to help them figure out the truth. Otherwise, she was worried they wouldnt know how to continue the investigation. The second thing was that she knew why Wayne didnt lell her alter he lound out what had happened. At that time, Frank was suddenly sick and hospitalized in the hospital, and she had just broken up with Wayne. And Wayne was always proud, so he wouldnt take the initiative to visit her. So, who ordered him to do it? Anna pursued, thinking, Kenny is just an apprentice chef who grew up in a small fishing vige in Liverpool. He would not harm children for no reason if no one had paid him or told him to do so. He did it only because he could gain profit from it. Moreover, Anna had the impression that many people were working with him on this. The two waiters who told Anna that Matthew had gone to the bathroom, for example, were skeptical. They appeared to have done this on purpose to deceive her. Otherwise, there wouldnt be so many coincidences. Oh, Charlotte did that. Dont worry; Ill make her apologize to you and Tammy, Wayne said directly. Anna was taken aback and asked, What? Charlotte? Wayne looked at her in disbelief and asked, Huh? Why are you acting so surprised? Didnt you ever suspect her? Wayne felt that Charlotte was the most suspicious in the whole thing. He thought, The fire was big, so why did Charlotte rush in? And, how did she know that Matthew was inside the kitchen? Also, Wayne noticed that talking about that incident made her flustered. She was reluctant to mention what happened at that time and even evaded it. In any case, she saved Matthews life. If she behaved low-key, it could be because she was a moderate person. But if she acted agitated when he mentioned this, it would only mean she was guilty.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Anna denied it and said, Oh, no. Actually, I dont think she was the only one who did it. If she nned the whole thing alone, she couldnt have made herself seem so suspicious. Well, maybe she didnt expect the fire to get out of control. Anna looked at Wayne and said calmly, Or perhaps the person who agreed to start the fire with her changed their mind afterwards. Maybe they wanted to use this as an opportunity to hurt her. You know, they wanted you to misunderstand me and suspect her at the same time. Wayne froze and looked at Anna in astonishment as if he had thought of something. He asked, So, who did it? Anna said calmly, You know, countless people all over Birmingham want Charlotte and me to disappear from your side. So, we cant rule them out one by one. But Charlotte definitely knows who that person is! If you trust me, just let me deal with it. I want to ask Charlotte about it myself. What? You want to ask her in person? Ah, yes. What? Are you afraid that Ill hit her? Anna asked deliberately as she raised an eyebrow at Wayne. Wayne, however, smiled as if he was at ease and leaned back. He said slowly, In case you dont know, Charlottes in good at karate. She can split bricks with her bare hands. Youre kidding, right? Anna couldnt believe his words and stared at him in disbelief. Wayne immediately said, Oh, you dont believe me? Her ex-husband shoved her once when he was drunk, and she broke his arm the next second. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 It wasnt until then that Anna realized that not all rich girls were delicate. After all, every parent hoped that their girls to be capable of self-defense. Anna gasped as she realized that she should never mess with Charlotte. Charlotte not only came from a wealthy family, but she also knew how to fight. She could not only be very dominant but also be gentle. How could Ipete with her? Anna thought to herself. Wayne calmly nced at her and asked, Are you afraid, Anna? If so, just leave this to me, and Ill make sure she never bothers you again. Anna seriously refused, Thank you, but Ill have to handle this on my own. If it was only about love, Anna certainly expected Wayne to handle it by himself. But because Charlotte was involved in the fire, Anna was curious as to who her aplice was. Since the one who did this with Charlotte was attempting to murder the two kids, Anna was afraid that if she didnt find out the truth, shed be worried for the rest of her life. Seeing that she was determined to do it herself, Wayne didnt say anything more. In fact, Ive always suspected that the person who tried to kill Matthew was involved in this, Anna exined. Wayne looked back and asked, What do you mean? Dont pretend youre unaware of it or havent noticed it yet. I know that someone has been trying to kill Matthew. Anna had only spent six months with Matthew, but she already sensed that idents were always happening to him. As a result, Wayne, who had known him for so long, would have definitely suspect this. Yes, I do know about that, Wayne confirmed with a nod. At the moment, the lighting inside the car was dim. And the moonlight poured through the roof, revealing Waynes solemn expression to Anna. N?velDrama.Org content. In fact, there might be more than one person who did this, he continued. Hearing his words, Anna realized that many people wanted Matthew dead, and that thought sent chills down her spine. Many idents had happened to Matthew. Im not a fool, Anna, so I thought of the possibility right away. But I have no idea who did those things. In fact, Ive looked into it several times and suspect a number of people. Wayne had a lot of of people on his list, including the gardener who came once a week to maintain his garden, the maid who had been caring for Matthew for two or three years, and even some rtives of his. However, no matter what he did, he was unable to prevent other people from attempting to harm Matthew. Anna frowned and asked, Why? Tell me, why are they doing this? Are they crazy? Matthews just a child! Why would they want to Its because Matthew isiny only child and will be the only heir to the group in the future. In any case, its entirely my fault. Maybe its because Ive been neglecting Matthew too much in the past. So, I made these people believe that if Matthew was no longer alive, Grandpa would expect others to control the group. So, they thought that they might be the lucky ones. Wayne looked a title helpless when he answered the question. He lowered his head and seemed to sigh, and his voice was very solt Before, there had been rumors that Wayne was gay. And although he had a child, he was never ready to get married at all. As a result, there were many who would to take action to take away the inheritance right. Do you mean your rtives might be involved in the incident? Yeah. Anna frowned and thought to hersell, if thats the case, then the investigation is going to be more tricky than I imagined. When Anna had a meal at Peters house previously. Peter had invited several of his close rtives. Those people could fill tworge tables. Also, he had a lot of rtives living out of town. Guandpa had previously told me that I needed to have a child. Otherwise, he would let other excellent people manage the group. In that case, thepany would have nothing to do with me. Wayne appeared to be helpless, So, llet a surrogate give birth to Matthew, he said in a deep voice alter a few seconds of hesitation, Oh. Anna nodded. She looked distracted as she was thinking about something else. You dont seem surprised at all. Wayne gave her a suspicious look. Anna immediately reacted and deliberately said aloud, Huh? A surrogate mother? So, Matthew is a test-tube baby then? Hearing that, Wayne was no longer puzzled. He shook his head and said, No, not at all. But actually, its pretty much the Although Anna appeared calm, she was rolling her eyes at him in her mind. She thought to herself, what did you mean by pretty much the same? If one wants a child through IVF, they dont have to touch the surrogate physically. You, Wayne, however, had sox with me that night. So its all bullshit! Why are you telling me this now? Anna asked, even though she got mixed feelings. She had the impression that she was finally letting go of the incident. So, when she asked Wayne about it, she had already knew everything that happened. Wayne gave her a serious look and said, Anna, I dont want there to be any more misunderstandings between us. I want us to be open and honest with each other. Matthew didnt have a mother when he was growing up. He likes you, so I want you to be the only mother he has from now on. I know you will treat him as nicely as you do to Tammy, and I will do the same. Wayne said. His words touched Anna and made all the resentment she had toward him disappear. Afterwards, she felt that her whole body became warm. As an aloof person, Wayne never said such touching words. So, Anna felt that a miracle had happened when he said that. Oh, Wayne, youre so sweet. Youre the only dad that Tammys ever had, too. She said. When Wayne heard these words, his expression becameplicated and disappointed. However, he quickly returned to normal. Anna, when will you be honest with me? I have put forth a lot of effort in gaining your trust. If youre still unwilling to be honest with me, then theres nothing I can do about it. Wayne thought to himself. Have a good sleep, Anna. We need to think of a way to get out of here tomorrow morning. Wayne said, and his low voice echoed in the car. Anna nodded and then sat down on the cushion. She stared at Waynes back for a long time and asked, Hey, arent you going to sleep? Wayne answered without turning around, No, Im good. Besides, there might be wild animals in the mountains attacking us. Id better stay awake. Anna didnt think much of it and copsed on the mat after a yawn. She whispered, Okay, thank you. If you get sleepy, wake me up. Ill switch shifts with you. Okay. Wayne got out of the car and walked to the roadside after Anna fell asleep. He looked at the sea in the distance as he lit a cigarette. He rarely smoked. However, he would smoke nonstop as soon as he started. So, hed smoked a few cigarettes within a while. in the veil of smoke, he was in a trance. Then, he took out his phone and looked at a photo. in the photo, a woman was holding an infant. She had her back to the man behind her and snuggled affectionately into his arms. They looked very intimate and seemed to have known each other for a long time. I told Anna that I should be honest with her, and leven told her the secret about Matthew that had kept for more than six years. Despite this, /was unable to persuade her to be honest with me in return. I knew she was lying when she said that I was Tammys only father! And Im excited to hear how she would exin herselfter. Wayne thought to himself. After that, Wayneughed mockingly at himself in the cold wind. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 The sun shone brightly when Anna woke up early the next morning. When she felt a ray of sunlight falling on her face through the window, she instinctively raised her hand to shield it. Then, she sat up. At that moment, she heard something scratching the car outside. Anna then instantly got out of the car. And she saw Wayne standing in front of the cars gas tank and fiddling with a stic pipe. She asked as she felt puzzled, Hey, what are you doing? Wayne looked at her and said, Filling up the car, obviously. The white tube connected the fuel tanks of the two cars and was transferring the oil from hers to his. Waynes car had run out of gas, and Annas car had broken down. As a result, he intended to make the most of what was left of her Car. Wow! Awesome! Anna said. Anna froze as she discovered how he did it. She asked, How did you do that? I remember that your car was far away from mine! How did they get so close together? Someone passed by us this morning, and I asked him to help me push it over, Wayne said, looking at her again. Is that so? It seems the local people are really kind! He asked me for two hundred dors. He then said. Hearing his words, Anna immediately shut her mouth and couldnt help but frown. She thought to herself, Gee, Wayne, why do you look so upset? You didnt even seem to want to talk to me. What exactly is going on? Did / irritate you? Wayne lowered his head and connected the tube. He then straightened up, cleaned his hands and said, We can get to the town you mentioned if we drive a dozen miles down this road. Dont worry, it wont take long. Are you hungry? Ive got food and water in the Car. Anna shook her head and said, No, Im good. It looks like were pretty close there. When we arrive there, Ill treat you to breakfast. Ive heard they have some very nice grilled fish over there. Wayne smiled at that and replied, Sounds good. Anna had a difficult time recalling what had happened the night before, and she thought it was weird. She wasnt drunk, but she just couldnt remember anything that happened. She thought that maybe it was because the chilly breeze had overwhelmed her. Anna thought to hersell, How on earth did we ever make up? I remember that Wayne apologized to me. Well, never mind, since he condescended to apologize to me, I suppose I should simply let it go. Alter Wayne had filled up the car, they were on their way to Sea Town. Annas phone finally received a signal just as they were halfway down the mountain and almost at the bottom. Damn! I have a lot of missed calls! Anna was terrified as she saw that Peace had called her several times. Im screwed; she must be worried about me! Anna thought. Then, Anna noticed that Karl had also called her. She paused for a moment before calling him back. Before Anna could think of anything to say, Karl quickly answered the phone and said, Hello? Anna? Karis voice was so but that she almost didnt recognize him. Then she said, Karl, hello there. Were all right now, and Wayne is with me. Thank you very much! Anna, does Peace suffer from mental illness? Kart asked directly and interrupted Anna. Both of them tell silent *Huh? Whats wrong? Why do you want to know that? Anna looked serious and tried to sound as calm as she could. Cntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Karl sounded as if he were in tears. He said, Last night, she passed out right in front of me. She appeared to be apletely different person when she woke up. She imed that she was a knight, and that the doctors stethoscope was her sword As she listened to Karls description, Annas mind went nk. She froze for a long time beforeing back to her senses and exined, Sounds like she had an episode. Peace had severe schizophrenia, which was why she kept living her life with a casual attitude. And that was also why she admired Karl but was hesitant to marry him. Despite her love for him, her despair made her scared to take a step forward to further their rtionship. Few people knew that Peace had such a disease, and no one would have expected this. Anna sighed deeply after hanging up the phone. Shed been holding her breath for a long time. When she actually let out this breath, though, she didnt feel very relieved. She had just given Karl a quick description of what it was like when Peace had an episode. Finally, she told him, Could you look after her for a few days? Ill be right back after I finish my business here. Wayne did not ask her anything but just sped up the car. Anna sat silently in her seat for a long time before saying, Actually, Wayne, I thought Id be able to keep this a secret forever. But Ill tell you that right now, and please tell Karl about it. Okay. Wayne used his long, slender fingers to grip the steering wheel. He acted as though he were an outsider, aloof and uninterested in anything. That was why Anna trusted him and dared to tell him about Peaces secret. It took Peace quite a lot of time and effort to keep her schizophrenia under control. Still, shes experienced the most severe attack twice before. She had the first one when she was fifteen. At the time, her parents had divorced, and she was living with her mother. Later, her mother remarried to a college professor Peaces childhood was unhappy because her parents fought all day long. She lived that miserable life for more than a decade, so she supported her parents divorce. But she just didnt realize that their divorce was just pushing her from one hell to another. Her stepfather was a college professor who had had brilliant achievements when he was young. He was forty years old and had already won many awards and honors. But, he would sexually assault Peace when her mom wasnt home. Peace had never had an episode in front of me, but she told me about it. At the beginning of her attack, she would fantasize that she was a warrior. And she would imagine fighting against the evil dragon and rescuing the princess with her sword. And, whenever a man is around her, she would be afraid. And she often suffers from insomnia all night because of it. When Anna exined it, she purposefully left out some details. However, she thought that since Wayne was so clever, he must have known that Peace suffered from schizophrenia because her stepfather had molested her. And then, as Peace couldnt live like that anymore, she wanted to kill herself. She believed that only death could save her. And she wouldnt listen to anything anyone said to her. At that time, the doctor had to stay by her side every second. Anna sounded like she was about to burst into tears. She said, Peace has a lot of tattoos because she tried to hide her scars with them. You know, I met her in a bar in America. At that time, someone tried to put drugs in my ss. But Peace saved me. She is such a brave girl! I really couldnt imagine her having such a terrible disease at that time. Is that why she turned down Karl? Anna closed her eyes, looked down, wiped the tears from her eyes, and said, Isnt that enough7 Wayne sighed and felt heartbroken. But its toote now, he said as he handed Anna some Kleenex. Since Karl knew about it, there was no way he would leave Peace alone. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 They arrived at Sea Town after a few hours. Anna had fallen asleep against the passenger seat by then with tears on her face. Wayne didnt want to wake her up. He was aware, though, that time was running out and that they needed to return as quickly as possible. He tapped her on the shoulder after pulling up and said, Hey, wake up, Anna. Weve arrived. Anna opened her drowsy eyes and stared at Wayne for a few seconds. Then, she looked out of the window to see where she was. She noticed that the sunlight was so strong that she almost heard her skin cracking. Anna had only taken two steps out of the car when she noticed a glimmer of shade above her. When she looked up, she found Wayne standing beside her with a ck umbre. Then, he asked, Hey, where are we going? She looked back, then pointed to the grocery store and said, That way. Peace told me to find the owner of the grocery store. She said that its the only store in this town with a pay phone. North Town had always been a remote and poor ce due to its odd location. And Sea Town was one of the most impoverished of these viges. Many fishermen squatted in front of their houses, smoking homemade cigarettes and enjoying the sunshine. After Anna exined why she was there, the owner of the grocery store promptly remembered that they had previously chatted on the phone. He then told his wife to stay in the store, and he showed Anna and Wayne the way to Andrew Coopers house. Oh, Andrew lives right on the beach. Hes weird, and he never talks to anyone in town. Really? Howe? Anna walked behind the boss and asked things about Andrew curiously. Well, its strange enough for him to give up his life in the big city and suffer in this ce! Annaughed and said, Actually, many people nowadays want to do so because they think that cities are too noisy. Besides, living in the countryside is a wonderful experience. No, I cant understand that. But Andrew has also done a lot of weird things. The mayor of the town sought to turn this side of the water into a tourist destination two years ago. But Andrew disagreed and let that n fall through. Ah? Why? He said that if many tourists came here, it would be noisy. Also, he said something about the pollution. Is that so? Cant the mayor do anything about him? Oh, no. Andrew is the only local star that has attended college and studied overseas. So, a lot of people will listen to him. And we dont know how to develop this town at all. So, only his words count. Sea Town was a remote vige and virtually unaffected by the outside world. So Andrew, being an educated man, would be seen as an authority, and even the towns mayor respected him greatly. Anna, however, frowned and thought that Andrew was a selfish person who kept themunity from improving for his own profit. Annas tees were trembling after nearly two hours of walking. It was then that the owner said, Oh, were here. The owner pointed to a blue and white painted wooden house on the shore and said, Thats where he lives. So, Im leaving right Fow. Youll have to return to town if you want to find a ce to stay the night. If you get lost, just call me, and Ill send my daughter to pick you up. Okay, thanks. Then, Anna and Wayne walked toward that one-of-a-kind house on the beach. Anna found there was no fine soft sand on the beach, and the nearby scenery was not too good either. Moreover, there was a fishy smell of fish and shrimp in the sea breeze. The wooden house was surrounded by a white fence. Inside the house, three rows of wooden racks were erected, on which salted fish and some mens clothing were hung to dry. Anna saw a man there boiling water in the yard. He set up a pot and boiled it over the fire. Hes really living a primitive life, Anna thought to herself. Anna and Wayne looked at each other, and then they both miled. Hello, are you Mr. Andrew Cooper? Anna asked politely to the man as she stood at the fence. The man turned his head and nced at her with a cold gaze. He asked warily, Who are you? Oh, Im Peaces friend, and she told me to visit you. I heard that you and Peace attended the same university. The man rose from his seat, wiped his hands, and walked toward the courtyard door. He said, Peace? Oh, it looks like youre who Miss Gabriel Peace was referring to. Anna nodded and handed him her business card. Andrew didnt take it, and he still looked cold. In the bright sunlight, his tanned face reflected the light and seemed to glow. After sizing up Anna for a moment, he looked at Wayne and asked, And who is he? Im her bodyguard, Wayne said calmly before Anna could say anything. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Anna red at him as if toin and said, Oh, no, hes not. Hes my assistant. Andrew cast a nce at Wayne. To their surprise, he opened the fence door and said, Okay,e on in. Looking over Andrews tanned shoulder, Anna sighed with relief and followed. She said. Mr. Cooper, I know youve been living here alone for a long time. But, you know, youre a very talented man. So, Im still hoping that you can get back in town to be a designer. Andrew didnt even look at her. He sat in front of the pot where he was boiling water, and the firelight made his face glow. As Anna listened intently to the fire crackle, he said, Oh, I live alone, so theres no ce for guests to sit here. Make yourselvesfortable. Then, he stopped talking. Andrew, on the other hand, didnt seem to want to talk to them at all. Anna had no choice but to remain ufortably still. We cant just stand here until the evening, can we? Anna thought to herself. Just as she was thinking about it, Wayne said, Mr. Cooper, I dont think that its that hard to get someone to do something. All we have to do now is provide them with what they require. And we canmunicate with each other. So, now you can make your demands. Otherwise, its poutles to leave us standing here. Anna gabbed Waynes arm night away. But she couldnt do anything because Wayne had already said so. Andrew looked back al Wayne. Pleasept my apologies, MI, Cooper. Anna apologized right away. Andiew turned around arain and still with his back to them. He said, Oh, Miss Gabriel, I think your assistant is right. If you want me to help you, you have to otter me something in return. But, you know, I dont want anything. What? Then why did you invite me to visit you? Anna asked as she got a little angry. Andrew nned alur and then continued sainting the pol with his spoon. He said, What I didnt even ask you toe. I remember that i told Heace that you should note here. Even if youre here to persuade me, I still wouldnt go with you. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 At this point, Wayne looked at Anna and smiled, I mean, if you worked for her, Ill stay away from this town for her sake. But, it seems that you dont appreciate it. Andrew clenched his fists and said, What makes you think you get to talk to me like that? Wayne fixed his gaze on him, grinned, and added, You used to work in Birmingham, right? If youve never heard of me, youve probably heard of the Carousel Group. My name is Wayne Wright, by the way. When Anna saw that Wayne was being a bully, she was furious. She had been gritting her teeth and putting up with him for a long time. So, she couldnt take it any longer at that time and kicked him. As Wayne let out a muffled grunt, Anna scolded him and said, Wayne, are you done with this? This is my own business, so youd better stay out of it. Im not going back to work at Carousel even if you let this fall through. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Wayne had asked her about going back to the hotel just the night before, but she had already turned him down by then. Anna thought, I didnt expect Wayne to stop me hom starting my own business by offending Cooper, Andrew had a very embastassing expression on hisce. Anna knew that being humiliated by another man would make any man feel Mr. Cooper, please cocept ny apologies, and Im sorry for the trouble Ive caused you. Im leaving right now, and Im bringing this lunatic with me. Anna yan?ked Waynes steeve fiercely and said, Lets go. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Andrews voice sounded extremely grim as if he wasing from hell. He asked, You said you are Wayne Wright, the president of Carousel Group, right? At that moment, Anna had just left the door with Wayne. They both turned around when they heard him ask that question. Wayne nodded and said, Oh, it seems you know me. Well, Im more than familiar with you. Andrew gritted his teeth in anger, then threw all his manuscripts heavily at them. Those papers, as white as snowkes, flung toward them. At that point, Andrew snarled as he walked toward Wayne, But I didnt expect you toe here yourself! Watch out! Anna shouted. Then, her mind wentpletely nk. Someone shoved Anna out of the path and made her crash into the white wooden door. With a thud, her back hit the door, making her cry out in surprise from the pain. When she regained consciousness, the two men in front of her were already beating each other up. Wayne was a skilled fighter. Andrew, on the other hand, was more skillful than Wayne. So, when Wayne hit him, he could barely feel the pain and would hit back hard immediately. Andrew soon gained the upper hand. He snatched Wayne by the cor and threw him to the ground. Then, Wayne let out a hushed grunt. Andrew struck him again hard at that point, causing blood to run from his mouth. Stop fighting! Anna screamed in panic as she finally came back to her senses. However, the two men didnt listen to her at all. Andrew looked reluctant to stop. However, to protect himself, Wayne was also unwilling to stop. As a result, everything inside the yard was in a mess. They knocked that wooden shelf to the ground, and the stained cloth and fish on it all rolled in the dirt. Anna stood by holding her phone and said anxiously, Hey, stop it! Im calling the police! However, neither of them seemed to hear her. Andrew looked so angry that he didnt even care that he was going to get hurt. He kept hitting Wayne heavily and seemed to hate him to the core. N?velDrama.Org content. Anna couldnt stand it anymore, so she walked toward them. At that moment, a loud boom sounded around her. Then, Anna screamed out loud. Wayne didnt have the strength to fight any further, so he just let Andrew hit him. After he heard Annas screams, his eyes suddenly went widt. He pushed Andrew away with all his strength and stumbled towards Anna. tebe saw that therge non pot in the yard had fallen over, and Anna was lying next to it. There was a big dark brown burn mark unter delicata leafd whate smoke was rising from the wound. Waynes pats bran lo wat as an as he noticed that He snatched Anna up and rushed towards the outside of the yard. Andrew was confused by thuatAs te froze and stased at everything in front of hini, his face grew pale. He was lost in thought for a few Mochis debute to put up and went after thein, stumbling over tus wovus, hey, Ive got a carllet me take you to the hospital in Despite tastare gridge, Waythe bad ne but to allow Andrew to drive them to the hospital. He was heartbroken as he held And, who had passed out, totally on the road Why? Anna, since you ve teen with me, or acident after another has happened to you. It breaks iity heart to see you get hurt! Wayne thought. They arrived at a nearby hospital shortly after. Anna was then taken into the operating room by the doctors. Her burns were not serious, but her wounds were deep. As they treated her wounds, she nearly screamed her lungs out. She woke up several times from the pain and then passed out again. One of the doctors came out to get something while the others were treating Anna. Wayne took him by the cor and questioned him at that point and said, Hey! Why didnt you guys give her anesthesia?! Intimidated by his angry expression, the doctor muttered, Oh, I couldnt do anything about it. You know, were in a small clini and we dont even have an anesthesiologist. Youll need to drive her to a hospital downtown if you want to do that. Damn it! Downtown is thirty miles from here! Id take her there if I could make it! Wayne shouted. His voice was hoarse, and eyes were turning red. On their way to the hospital, Anna had shrunk and shivered in his arms. Despite the fact that she was clearly on the edge of pass out, she clenched her teeth and refused to make a sound. Waynes heart broke as he saw her in agony. What a shithole! He thought to himself. Andrew frowned and yanked Waynes arm, saying, Let go of the doctor. Its a small clinic, and theres nothing they can do abou If you dont let go of him, he wont be able to treat Miss Gabriel. Wayne was really enraged. Although he let go of the doctors cor, he then punched Andrew in the face and cursed him viciously. Andrew was caught off guard, so he took several steps backward and fell into a corner. When he looked up, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said, Okay, Miss Gabriel is innocent, and I shouldnt have let her get hurt. But, youre not in a positio to hit me either. If it werent for you, none of this would have happened today. Wayne asked indifferently, Huh? What the hell are you talking about? Andrewughed indifferently as he nced at Wayne with disgust, asking, Oh, really? You seem to have forgotten about this. You? the one who did this! Joy was part of the Carousel Group, wasnt it? You changed its name and reced all the employees there, but you cant pretend those things didnt happen! Im telling you, yourpany is the worst Ive ever seen! You even tried to take advantage of the children. Joy?Wayne seemed a little perplexed. Andrew, on the other hand, didnt appear to want to talk anymore with Wayne. He slowly rose up, gripping the wall, and said, condescendingly and aloofly, I have no regrets about hitting you, Wayne. You can call the police and put me in jail if you want. But, I want to stay here and apologize to Miss Gabrielle when she wakes up. I didnt mean to hurt her. Wayne didnt have a clue what Andrew was talking about. But when Wayne thought about Andrews words, he realized that he might have something to do with apany called Joy. While Wayne was thinking about that, his cell phone rang. Wayne looked at Andrew when he realized who was calling him. As he stepped out of the hospital, he answered the phone. It was Gabe calling Hello Mr. Wright, theyve sent the seafood to Birmingham. Are you still not back yet? Oh, Im still in North Town. But we have a meeting scheduled for tonight. Make it a video conference. Okay, ill let everyone know. Before hanging up the phone, Wayne asked, Was there apany called Joy that belonged to our group five years ago? It was a clothingpany. Joy? Gabe paused for a few moments before responding, There was, indeed. But, I only learned about this company four years ago. It was already in debt back then, so no one saw the value in keeping it. I filed for the shutdown of thispany and also fired all the employees. Really? Howe I didnt even know about thispany? Wayne frowned and asked. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Well, perhaps its because it doesnt really matter. It was a subsidiary on the verge of bankruptcy and liquidation, and it was worthless. You werepeting with Richard Wright for the South Sea resort when it went bankrupt. So, I was in charge of all these small Ah, I see. So, why did Joy go bankrupt? Howe the group didnt help it? Oh, thats because there was nothing we could do about it. At that time, Joy was ruined by its manager and those shady factories. You know, they used substandard materials in making childrens clothing. And, these materials are harmful to people. By the way, a lot of media covered this incident, but it barely affected us because Joy never had any connection with our group. When I went to their office to check it out, there was literally no one there. Wayne was not the only person in charge of tile Carousel Group Five years ago. N?velDrama.Org content. Peter was hesitant about putting Wayne in charge of the entirepany, and was also upset that he had a baby through a surrogate. So, Peter let many people run thepany at the same time. As a result, Wayne and his cousin Richard shared management of thepany. The only reason there could be a winner between them was that Wayne won the project for South Sea Resort, a ce of great beauty and value. It was a nasty two-year battle between them, and Richard had to leave thepany after Wayne won. They were so concentrated onpeting for that project that they couldnt be bothered to deal with the trivia of their Gabe paused and said thoughtfully, Rumor has it that Joys manager at the time was Richards girlfriend. Anyway, it was of it. In short, it was Richard who was in charge of this at that time, and Wayne couldnt do anything to help thepany at all. Wayne pondered for a moment and said, Put this together and send it to me. Oh, and give me a list of all the designers who worked at Joy back then. Okay. When Wayne turned back after hanging up the phone, he was surprised to see Andrew standing close behind him. Oh, it seems that you were eavesdropping on my phone call. You know thats inappropriate, Wayne said with deliberate mockery Andrew froze for a moment. Wayne was about to walk away when Andrew turned to him again and said, Well, you must have known about that incident, because it was all over the news. But the people at headquarters have asked me to take the me for But, you know, I dont even care what happened to you before. So, I dont mind if you have a grudge against me for any reason. Youre not the only one that hates me, Wayne walked into the hospital without looking back after saying that. Anna slept for two hours alter the doctor finished treating her wound. When she woke up, she was almost numb with pain. She felt the nerves in her body aching and couldnt help but gasp every time she moved slightly. *Anna, does it still hurt? The doctor said you cant walk right now in case the blisters on your body break. So, you have to spend the night here. Ill take you to the hospital downtown in the morning. Wayne asked, holding her hand and looking heartbroken. Anna said, im starving. Her voice was a little hoarse, owing to the fact that she had yelled for a long time. Wayne froze for a moment before rising and saying, Ill get you something to eat. Anna winked behind him and said, Well, you dont have to do it now, Wayne. Hey, Mr. Cooper, yourenele u I me uuu, ght? Wavne turned around and saw Andrew Standing in the doorway of the room. He was carrying a simple wooden box with the smell of rilled fishing from it. Wayne was enrared as soon as he saw Andrew. Then he became irritated and said, I didnt allow you toe here! Get out! Oh, is that grilled fish? It smells so good! Anna said. Wayne hesitated and showed an ashamed expression after hearing her words. Anna then moved on the bed a few times and waved passionately at Andrew. She attempted to get out of bed, but she identally ouched her wounds, in anguish, she gritted her teeth. Andrew stepped into the ward without saying anything, as though he didnt know what to say. Dont move. Wayne held Annas shoulders to prevent her from moving around anymore. He then turned his head, gave Andrew a warning re, and said, Okay, just stand there and give it to me. You can leave now. Hey, Wayne, what are you doing? Mr. Cooper was just being nice. See, he brought me food! Anna smiled warmly at Andrew as she held back her pain and said, Oh, thank you. Andrew held the box with one hand, scratched his head awkwardly with the other, and said, Miss Gabriel, Im sorry. Im here to apologize to you. Before Anna could reply, Wayne extended his hand grimly and said, Hey, stop talking nonsense. Just give me that. if it wasnt for the fact that Anna wanted the fish so badly, Wayne would never have epted what Andrew offered him. Anna thought this was a good opportunity. She then pinched Waynes arm violently, looked at Andrew with a smirk and said, Its okay, please have a seat. You know, its no big deal, so you dont have to take it seriously. I know you didnt mean to do that. But, I want to know why exactly you are so angry. Can you tell me more about it? Hearing Annas words, Andrew froze. He didnt know whether he should sit or stand, so he just froze in embarrassment. Wayne gave him a dismissive look. Why dont you ask me? he said to Anna. Wow, so you know about that? Anna chewed and looked at Wayne again in shock. Well, Ill tell you if you keep eating. Wayne didnt like the way she looked interested in everything else. She could be interested in anything, but she wouldnt pay attention to him, who was standing in front of her and feeding her. While Anna was having her fish, Wayne exined the whole thing clearly. In fact, neither of them did anything wrong. Andrew was a well-known designer in town at that time, and he worked at Joy because his friend introduced him. His friend told him that Joy belonged to a famous group called Carousel Group, so he could design whatever he wanted. Then, a high school ordered uniforms from joy shortly after Andrew started working there. Andrew insisted on using high-quality fabric for the uniforms. But because the cost was too high, his idea was not adopted. Andrew lost it at a meeting and said sarcastically, If youre trying to save money, you might as well useme fabrics. No one will find out about it way. what he didnt expect, however, was that the factory actually did use low-quality fabric for the school uniforms. It was why so many things happenedter, Widerw did not know about it at first. After the media reported that, his superiors let him take the me for saving Joy. bese nied by everyone, Andrew could not continue to work in Birmingham. Feeling indignant, he went back to his Andrews artisted after turishing the story. He said eagerly, I know how yourpany reacted to that you told me to take responsibility on my own. And you, Wayne Wright, was the president at that time. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Anna gasped and replied awkwardly to Wayne, Hey, you seem to be the president back then. I am the president. But I wasnt in charge of the clothes brand back then, he added. Wayne looked at Andrew and said indifferently, You heard me on the phone this afternoon. So, do you still think Im a liar? Or is it that you just dont want to admit it yourself. Andrew was trembling with rage. He yelled angrily, Oh! But this happened because you guys were fighting over it. Youre really disgusting! You take the designer as a scapegoat to take the me for you. Oh, if you think so, then theres nothing I can say. Wayne looked at him indifferently, then rolled the paper towel in his hand into a ball. The white ball made a smooth arc in the air and smashed precisely into the trash can at the end of the bed. In fact, if Anna wasnt curious about it, Wayne didnt even want to ask about these trifles that happened long ago. Besides, it was Richard who caused the trouble. Anna looked at the two and said, If you ask me, I think this is a huge misunderstanding. Carousel Group failed to investigate the matter then but let an innocent staff take the responsibility. It was unfair, and that ruined Andrews career. Andrew couldnt agree more about that. But, Mr. Cooper, although Carousel Group did wrong, you should not me others without knowing the truth. You did exactly what executives of the Carousel Group did at the time. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Andrews face paled a little when he heard thesements. Anna realized that Andrew just looked cautious when he was telling the story. So, she figured he probably already knew that he had wronged Wayne and regretted it. To keep his dignity, he had to act as if he didnt know. OK, enough! Is it possible for you two to reconcile for my sake? Thank you for bringing me the fish, Mr. Cooper. Its delicious. Did you bring me food in order to apologize to me? Anna said this to lighten the mood, but Andrew didnt even c***k a smile. Furthermore, Wayne, a man who was generally aloof, stood near him. They both ignored Anna, making things even more awkward between them. I think at least Andrew has to apologize to me, Wayne remarked, pointing his index finger at the bruise on the corner of his mouth. Look what you did to me! Andrew yelled angrily, pointing to the bruise on his eye. I did it to defend myself, but you were hurting me. Anna coughed loudly as she realized they were about to fight again. They then both stopped and looked at her nervously. Hey, I traveled here all the way from Birmingham! Not only did I fail to get you to sign with me, but I got hurt! Im feeling very irritable right now. So, you guys need to stop fighting. When Wayne heard ber words, he felt guilty. He realized that Anna wouldnt have been hurt if it werent for him. He was ovee with rage and gazed coldly at Andrew once more. Andrew, not to be outdone, locked his gaze on him. He then looked at Anna and asked, Miss Gabriel, is it true that yourpany has nothing to do with the Carousel Group? Anna nodded her head and said, Yes, its true. I used to work at the Carousel Groups hotel, but I no longer do. My family used to own lemon, and now Im the president of thepany, Aona said the word used to loudly as it she was trying to remind Wayne of something. Wayne was going to say something else to Andrew. After hearing her words, he immediately shut his mouth. Andrew nodded seriously and said, OK, fine. Miss Gabriel, Im sorry for making you hurt. So, Im willing to work for you. Youre free to ask me anything. Confused, Anna asked, Huh? Really? Say that again, will you? Andrew thoughtfully repeated what he had just said, word for word. Oh my God! I really didnt expect Andrew to take responsibility for this. It seems that my injury is well worth it. Anna thought to herseli. Great! Ill write our contract and send it to you as soon as I reach Birmingham. Oh, you dont have to do that. I n to pack up my stuff these days and move to Birmingham. But, I was hoping that you could do me a favor. What? What do you want her to do for you? Wayne asked, ring at him. Oh, Ill do anything you ask for, Anna pinched him and smiled at Andrew. Waynes face flushed with embarrassment. So, could you please find me a ce to stay in Birmingham for a while? Ill move out when I find another ce. OK, its on me! Ill get you a ce to stay. Anna agreed right away. Andrew will bring me a lot of money if he works for me! So, I would certainly be d to find him a house. Anna thought. I hope we can have a good time working together, Anna said as she reached out an arm to shake Andrews hand. Wayne grabbed her hand just as she reached out. He shoved her back on the bed angrily, and added, Look, your wounds are not healed yet! So dont talk to him anymore, okay? Andrew nced at him with contempt and said, Machismo is the number one killer of marriages, Miss Gabriel. So, you may want to think twice before you marry him. What do you mean? Wayne asked, looking at him grimly. Well, Im going home now. Ill pack my things and try to get back to Birmingham with you guys. Andrew said. He left the hospital in style, as if he hadnt heard Waynes words. Hey, Mr. Cooper, heres your lunchbox. Andrew had already walked along the corridor. He said out loud, Please throw it away. Ill buy a new one when I get back to Birmingham. After Andrew had left, Anna continued ncing at the door and smiled joyfully. Wayne looked at her grimly as if he was pissed off. He asked, You are that happy? Anna raised an eyebrow and replied, Oh, Wayne, of course Im happy! A well-known designer just said he would like to work for me. But youve never smiled like that at me before. Anna nced at him and said, You? If I smiled at you like that, people would think Im a psycho. Wayne, who appeared dissatisfied with her response, clenched his teeth and said, When you were lying in the operating room just now, I was putting in a good word for you to him and trying to get him to work for you. But, youve only talked to him since you woke up, So, why dont you pay attention to me? Anna, dont you have anything to say to me? Wayfur undy regjetted it nght after he said it. He frowned for a moment and then tried to leave the room, He would never have said something like this in the past. He stated this, though, because he was enraged. He wondered it he sounded the exted Anna loptent him. Anis buddenly atted Waynes hands wuch were broad, wide, and quite wann. s i rad dowls and traned do Wayne. Ways there you the futured as ad the conter of Waynes mouth with her warm lips The ward became instantly quiet as Wayne heard the most tender voice. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 206 The Winner and the Loser 206 The Winner and the Loser Andrew told Anna that he still had some things to take care of in Sea Cityand he would leave for Birminghamter within a week. So, Anna and Wayne left first. Someone else was in charge of Carousel Group five years ago, right? Anna asked as they were in his car. Wayne had his hands on the steering wheel and was looking intently ahead. He wasnt distracted when he heard that and then said, Richard is a year younger than me. But, he had only finished his undergraduate degree when he worked for the group back then. He even gave up the chance to pursue a masters degree at Yale. So he was already the groups vice president when I returned to Ennd. To be honest, Grandpa used to think highly of him. Anna was impressed with Richard. She had met him at the Wrights house before and remembered that he was a man in his thirties and looking somewhat simr to Wayne. He seemed gentle and friendly, and always had a smile on his face. However, no one could really get close to him. Maybe you made Richard feel threatened, Anna spected as she nced over at Wayne. Wayne nodded, then shifted his gaze to the side as if he didnt care. He replied, Yes. I am a shareholder in the Group and I was involved in some of the board resolution meetings. Later, I felt unsure of thepanys financial situation. After my grandfather had it checked out, he allowed me to take part in thepanys management. But I didnt have quite the same power as Richard at the time. So, whether Wayne controlled thepany or not, as soon as he returned to Ennd, he posed a serious threat to Richard. Peter was in charge of the entire group at the time, and he hadplete authority. Wayne was Peters only grandson, thus there was a good chance that he would inherit the groupter. Did he do anything to you? Anna continued to ask. Wayne said with a snort, Yes, he did some awful things to me. And if he hadnt done those things, he could have kept his job as a vice president. After all, hes a rtive of mine. Also, when he was president, the group was doing quite well. But, the problem was that he was too paranoid. Richard felt envious of Wayne after he joined thepany. To make Peter hate Wayne, Richard did something in secret and nted it on Wayne. Also, he was also the one who spread the rumor that Wayne was gay. It was only after Peter heard the ridiculous rumor that he forced Wayne to get married soon. Anna was taken aback when she heard his words. Could Matthews illness have something to do with Richard? she wondered. Richard has every reason to hate Matthew, Anna reasoned in her heart, because he is thepanys future heir, Because of Matthew, Richards chances of inheriting thepany became significantly slimmer. This is unsurprising, given how much Richard despised Wayne Then, Wayne frowned and asked, Anna, did you investigate what happened before to Matthew? Oh, do you think Imn joking? Anna said as she frowned irritably at him, Oh, 10, thats not what i meant. I wont stop you from looking into it if you want to. And, if you need help, you can ask me all you want. You dont have to deal with this alone. Afterwards, Anna looked just a little less angry. She said, If thats the case, then Richard is very suspicious. Dont worry, ill look into it right away. Well, anyway, I hope you should be wary of him. When I spoke with him the other day, I got the impression that he still toathes you. Anna kept a close eye on Waynes expression as she stated this because she didnt want to miss any slight change in his mood. Wayne then immediately frowned a little. He appeared to be thinking about something and was self- condemned. However, he quickly returned to normal again. Well, I dont need to watch out for him. Im the winner, and hes the loser. N?velDrama.Org content. Annas hent kipped a deal when she heard his words. Then, she recalled what Ryan had said to her. He spected that the Wrig were to me for Matthews levet. Oh, so it seems to me that hes very powerhul. Otherwise, he wouldnt have been fighting for power with you for so many years. Anna said tentatively Wayne replied indifferently, Youre right, but he shouldnt have done those things to me in the first ce. You know, business that way. What did he do? Wayne was then suddenly silent for a few seconds and replied, Oh, it was my grandfather who quelled that. So, I cantment on anything about it. Anna squeezed his hand and did her best to smile, Okay. She had thought that Richard was nothing more than an idle loafer. However, sheter knew that Richard had known that Wayne wasing back that night. Moreover, he did it deliberately to provoke Wayne. All of these things led to her leaving the Carousel Group and breaking up with Wayne for good. Following the hotel fire, there was a full PR disaster within thepany, as well as a significant drop in stock prices. This series of things could be traced back to that night in the backyard. As Anna continued to think about the incident, she felt a growing sense of dread. She realized that even though Richard was an extremely sophisticated man, he had lost to Wayne. Moreover, Wayne had won that war entirely and utterly. After Richard was no longer vice president three years ago, he hadnt been involved in a single thing with the group. Anna felt that although Richard was scheming, she could tell that. However, she didnt know how scheming Wayne could be. Therefore, she suspected that perhaps they had once used Matthew as a bait in the fight between them. When Anna saw the sign on the side of the road, she realized they were really back in Birmingham. Where are we going? Anna asked as they looked at the road and felt puzzled. Im taking you to the hospital first, Wayne said right away. **Yes, we should definitely visit Peace now, Anna replied with a nod. Wayne found her words ridiculous and asked, Anna, do you think Im omnipotent, and youre very tough? Huh? What are you talking about? Wayne red at her and said, Well, how am I supposed to know which hospital Peace is in? Did you forget that your leg is hurt? Anna stopped for a moment before recalling that she had burned her leg. When she left the Sea Town Hospital, the doctor advised her to change her bandage once a day. Otherwise, her wound would get infected in such hot weather. Wartse siphed as he felt resigned and said, I want you to care about yourself first before you care about others. You know, otherwise, I will always be worried about you. tema couldnt help but smile when she realized how much he cared about her and added, Oh, thats simple! You want to LORE, Dont you? You know, you should do something about it. So, instead of working, you can stay with me twenty-four Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Dont regret it, Wayne said right away. After that, he raised an eyebrow and called Gabe, saying, Hey, its me. Please cancel all my schedules for the week. You know Annas corporate office is being renovated, right? Is it possible to find someone to keep an eye on the site? Please dont phone me these days unless its an emergency. After hearing what Wayne said, Anna even began to doubt her ears. What? Would Wayne, a workaholic, cancel this weeks schedule because of a joke I made? Really? Anna thought to herself. Anna had been to Waynes office before, so she knew he had a lot to deal with every day. Papers would pile up on Waynes desk if he was out of the office for half a day. So, she could already imagine how many files would be there if he was gone for a week. How much will you tip me for my services, Miss Gabriel? It was only when she heard these words that Anna snapped out of her shock. She pretended to ept the reality calmly and said, How about at the current market price? Oh, no. Other nurses wont sleep with you as I would do. Anna nced at him and asked, I dont need you to sleep with me. She assumed that was why Wayne wanted to keep herpany. Waynes expression didnt even change as he said, Well, then consider it a gift to you. Ill take care of you and sleep with you this week. Anna thought, I dont even need you to take care of me! It waspletely dark after Anna had a physical at the best hospital downtown. Then, Anna signed as she pressed the swab to her arm. Anna felt that she was not seriously injured, but merely burned. Moreover, the doctors in Sea Town had treated her. So she didnt need to be checked for germ infection right now. Wayne had just had her do a full physical checkup just then. Before they left the hospital, the doctor said to them, Please dont worry. Although the doctor there simply bandaged Miss Gabrielles wound, she is no longer in danger. You only have toe next week for the test results. After receiving the prescription from the doctor, Anna left the hospital with Wayne. Anna kept ncing out the window at the lights on the way. The hustle and bustle of Birmingham contrasted sharply with the simplicity of Sea Town. Anna felt as if she had journeyed through time and space, and she then had subtle feelings. Anna, its veryte right now. So, do you still want to visit Peace? Anna nodded and said, Yeah. She once told me that whenever she had an attack, she would sleep during the day. So, day and night are basically the same for her. Anyway, I still want to check on her. Besides, youll have a chance to talk to Karl this way. I wouldntpel Karl to ept the fact that Peace is sick if he didnt want to, Anna thought to herself. Wayne understood what she meant, and then he nodded and said, Oh, Ill tell him what really happened. But, you know, its entirely up to him to decide what to do next, Anna, is there anything you want to tell him? Oh, Ill talk to him mysell, Anna answered, shaking her head. Karl drove peace to the hospital for a checkup alter she passed out. He then took her home after bringing her some medication. After the psychiatrist diagnosed her, he rmended her to stay in the hospital for a while. Karl, on the other hand, declined it. As a result, Peace stayed in Karls apartment. And Karllelt his work at the Carousel Group to care for her full-time. Aller walking through the door, Anna Sawthal Karl hadnt even shaved. She thought she would have been shocked if she hadnt seen Karl that day at the hospital looking as sloppy as he did. Karl looked pretty good. When he noticed Annas surprised expression, he stroked his chin and exined, Sorry, Anna, but I threw out anything in the house that is dangerous for Peace. So, I dont even have a chance to shave. Well, pleasee in. Anna looked at the main bedroom immediately after entering the house and asked, Is Peace asleep? Karl shook his head and replied, Oh, no, shes in her room watching TV right now. You can check on her. Anna nodded and stepped into the room, leaving the two men alone. She was sure that Wayne would think of the worst and tell Karl that there was little hope for him. Anna felt that the point was not whether Karl could take care of a person with schizophrenia for the rest of his life. In fact, even if he would, his parents would not necessarily ept that. Besides, Karl might not be able to convince them. As Anna closed the bedroom door, she tried not to think about those things for the time being. Then, she thoughtfully surveyed Peace, who was crouching on the edge of the bed., Peace was actually pretty petite, Anna realized, and she had never noticed it before. She looked like a little animal in need of help and shelter when she was curled up. An iPad was ying a Disney movie in front of Peace. She watched the movie intently, and her sharp eyes became innocent and Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. naive. Seeing the softness of her eyes, Anna felt heartbroken and began to panic. She found that Peaces eyes were very charming. Besides, since Karl loved her sincerely and wanted to marry her, he would take care of her as much as he could. Peace, Anna whispered as she was frightened that her voice would be too loud and startle Peace. Pace cowered for a second before quickly burying her face beneath the covers. It was a long time before she peeked outside the covers and looked at Anna. She looked a little puzzled and disoriented. Anna stood still as she didnt dare to move around. She tried to exin, Hey, its me, Anna. Im Tammys mother. Do you remember Tammy? Shes your goddaughter. Peace looked at Anna suspiciously. Then, she seemed to recognize Anna after a long time. She nodded and said hesitantly in a hoarse voice, Anna. Yes, Im Anna. Anna gave a nod. She paused for a moment before pointing to the iPad and asking, I saw youre watching Snow White right now. So, is it okay if I join you? It took a long time for Peace to answer. She paused for a moment before slowly saying, Yes. Youre going to live your whole life like this, arent you? Wayne asked Karl aloofly as usual. Sitting opposite him, Karlughed and asked, You dont think thats going to work, right? Youve said before that Im not exclusive and always flirting with women. But, shes the only woman Im with right now. Im never going to be with anyone else again. You know, I have no right to say anything about your decision. But I want to tell you what youre in for as your friend. Wayne asked calmly, and Kart was forced to be serious even though he wanted to respond casually. Karl was well aware that he couldnt avoid that subject anyway. He scratched his head, then exhaled slowly. He said, Ive already made my decsion. So, you can talk as much as you want. Karl, you think youre head over heels in love with her. So, I know you wont give up on her, But, would your parents be okay with you marrying her? Have you talked to them? Wayne hit the nail on the head and asked the most realistic and brutal question of all. Kart had certainly thought about it. When he heard Waynes question, he grimaced and responded, Oh, Ill keep that to myself for the time being. Id like to tell them thatter. Wayne continued to ask in a low voice, How long are you going to wait? Youre going to wait until Peace bes lucid? Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Karl grew irritated when Wayne said what he was thinking. He said, Whats wrong? You dont think its not going to work? Im sure Peace will be fine. Wayne said firmly, Oh, no, youre such a naive fool. I think that since you will be marriedter, your parents will thoroughly check her background. If they know that she had such a serious condition and you are concealing it from them, they would never give you their blessing. Wayne had met Karls parents when he was a child. They were nice parents who allowed Karl to do whatever he wanted as an adult. They didnt like being duped, though. So, if theyter find out that Karl kept such an important secret from them, they would despise Peace. You know, if that happens, your parents will hate Peace. Karl frowned and said, Actually, I can just talk to my parents. You know, Im not worried whether theyll ept the truth or not. Peace cant think straight now. So, if she finds out that I took the liberty of telling people were dating after shes sober, shell be pissed. In fact, she and I are actually on a break right now. Seeing that Karl could do this for her, Wayne figured he didnt have to say anything more to persuade him. He gave Karl a friendly pat on the shoulder and said, Well, thats all I want to say to you. By the way, Anna wants to talk to you after a while. Sure, Karl said with a nod. After a while, Anna came out of the bedroom. Wayne realized what he needed to do right now. As a result, he stood up and prepared to leave. Im heading to the garage now to fetch my car, he added. As he finished and walked away, he gave Anna a nce. Have a seat, please, Karl said. Anna replied calmly, Oh, no, Im not sitting down. You didnt take much of his words to heart, did you? Karl exined, No, I know what Wayne was trying to say. He meant well, and he cared so much about me. But, actually, he wasnt thinking about Peace at all. Anna fixed her stare on him, her nce as sharp as a knife. She said, Well, I am. Im not going to say anything pleasant, though. Thats all right. You may say it now because I am prepared. In fact, I was prepared for anything from the moment I learned that she was sick. Good. But have you ever considered whether youll get tired of all these one days? Will you give up taking care of her because you Cant stand it any longer? Anna asked seriously. One moment, please, Karl replied, clenching his fist. He then walked over to the bookcase in the corner of the room. He yanked open the bookcases bottom shelf door and slid a silver portable sale out. Heres documentation of all my real estate, Anna. I own 36 properties in all, the most valuable of which is in London. I own six houses in Birmingham, three of which are stores, which I have all rented out. The rest of the residences are scattered across the country in various tourist destinations. And then, here are all my cars and documentation of ownership of my stock. What are you showing me all this for? When Anna saw him showing her so many documents, she was puzzled. Even though he kept talking for a long time, he only introduced hall of the prools in the sale. Then, Anna interrupted him. Karl stopped, looked up at her, and said seriously, Anna, I know what you mean. You believe that Ill run out of patience and wont be able to care for Peace any longer one day. Actually, Ive thought about that too. But Ill take care of her for the rest of my life unless / die. So, Id want to show you some of my assets. Ive also requested mywyer to draft an agreement for me. If that dayes, I will give all my possessions to her. Have you considered what would happen if she couldnt gain ess to those assets? Anna found it hard to say those words but she said them anyway. Well, Ive also thought about that. Ive asked a trust, a welfare organization and a psychiatric hospital to keep an eye on each other so they can take care of Peace. After hearing Karls words, Anna was convinced that he had really thought about caring for Peace for the rest of his life. Furthermore, he did not appear to take it on the spur of the moment, as he was a little too cautious in this regard. He even considered if the trust and the welfare organization were working together to defraud him of his money. He said that he wanted Peace to live until she was eighty years old. At that point, the hospital would give her a physical checkup. Only after ensuring she was in the same physical condition as her peers would the welfare organization have the rest of the money. So, Anna had nothing to say about it. They heard someone crying in the bedroom as they were leaving Karls house. Karl was used to it and exined to them, Well, Im not going to walk you out. Shes probably crying because the movie has made her sad. So, Im going to comfort her. N?velDrama.Org content. Okay, bye, Anna said. She realized that Karl was the only one who could take care of Peace best. However, she also began to worry that Karls life would be turned upside down because of this. Wayne asked about something else when they got in the car instead of talking about Karl and Peace. Are you going to see Tammy at Grandpas? After learning that Peace was sick, Wayne let Tammy stay with his grandfather. Anna was not in the mood to see her daughter, so she signed and said, Oh, not now. If she sees me, Im sure shell ask where Peace is. You know, I havent figured out how to answer her yet. Well, then youd better visit her sometimeter. Tammy is doing well at Grandpas, ording to Henry. Theyll pick her up and drop her off at school when the new semester begins.. So, you dont have to worry too much, Anna. They can take good care of her. Why? After I get mypany up and running, Ill have time to pick her up from school. Anna said. She didnt like what Wayne had just said since it made her appear as if she intended to do nothing buty on herurels and do nothing. Wayne cave Anna a look as if he was thinking about how he should put it. Then, he said, Well, Gabe can keep an eye on the construction team for you. But, you need to think about your designers. You know that Andrew cant be the only person on your design team, right? Ive already taken it upon myself to have Gabe recruit for Lemon, Anna. Please dont bire a chiel designer, Anna said softly as she regained herposure. Well, sure. The busiling, steels of Birmingham were lighted by neon lights in the lovely moonlight. Annabepan to ponder what people would be willing to do for love. Because Peace possessed a high sense of self-esteem, her greatest worry was being abandoned by others. As a result, she kept her illness hidden from Karl. But, in the end, she copsed and it was Karl who keptking care of her. Anna leaned back in her seat and stared at Wayne in the drivers seal for a long time in a daze. Then she said, Wayne, I have a confession to mak Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Wayne was driving. He nced at Anna after hearing her words and asked, What? Do you want to tell me about your medical history? So, do you suffer from schizophrenia as well? Anna was speechless when she heard Waynes question. So, she said seriously while pretending to be joking, What if I do suffer from schizophrenia, what will you do then? Have you ever thought about it? Maybe Peace and I met at a mental institution! Wayne looked at her, as if confirming something, and replied, Are you serious? Oh, do you want to hear the truth? Yes, of course! Except for the truth, everything in this world is nonsense. Wayne paused for a time, then he slowed the car slightly. He was serious when he said, If you have schizophrenia as well, Ill ept it easier than Karl. My grandfather is about eighty years old and hes gonna die soon, and I have no father or mother Anna cut him off and shouted, Hey! Stop it! I was just joking, alright? Were all gonna die, Wayne said calmly. Well, forget it! I shouldnt have asked you that. Anna felt as if shed just asked a ridiculous question. She knew Wayne well enough to know that no matter what emergency urred, he would remainposed. Furthermore, he would never act panic as Karl did. Did you just want to tell me something? Wayne asked. They were about to arrive at Annas apartment, so he sped up the car. Watching the speed dial, Anna frowned and said, Forget it, its not important. Lets talk about itter. Wayne then had mixed feelings. In fact, he thought of Jasper, whom Anna was currently married to, when Anna said she had something to confess to him. He felt that if Anna could take the initiative and mention Jaspers matter to him, there would be no more secrets between them. After a half-hour drive, they arrived at Annas apartment. Anna had reclined back in the passenger seat and was sound asleep by this time. Looking at her face, Wayne let out a sigh. Wayne took a week off, as he had promised, and stayed by Annas side at all times. By the third day, however, Anna regretted that she had let him do it. She realized that Wayne was a real bummer. All he did every day was read books at home or take her to visit her two kids at his grandpas. He wasnt even interested in going for a walk. Anna felt resigned when she asked him, Hey, why dont you go for a walk? Do you really want to spend every day with me at home? Its so boring! What? Do you want me to take a walk alone? Wayne looked up, put down the book he was holding and asked. Anna pointed to her leg and said, Of course! You see, Ive hurt my leg. So, theres no way Im going for a walk with you. Well, I know what I should do, Wayne said and put the French philosophy book in his hand on the table. Soon, Gabe arrived at Annas house. After making sure Wayne wasnt calling him because he wanted to attend a board meeting, he left. Until then, he left the brand new wheelchair he brought with him at Annas house. Actually, I got this wheelchair for my grandpa. But, he doesnt need it at all. See, you can use it. Its perfect. Wayne said as he adjusted the wheelchair for Anna. Anna almost spitted out the water in her mouth upon hearing his words. Reluctant as she was, Anna sat in the wheelchair. Wayne then wheeled her out of the house. It was already September, and the wind had be a little cooler because it had rained the day before. Wayne was so thoughtful that he covered Aonas legs with a nket. They had only barely arrived downstairs when a group of people chatting downstairs approached them and asked about Annas injuries. Hey, are you Miss Gabriel from the 22nd floor? Did you hurt your leg? How are you feeling? Someone asked. Anna had to patiently exin to everyone that she was actually just getting burned. Eventually, she even felt exhausted. Lets go. She looked at Wayne pleadingly. Anna was beginning to regret suggesting Wayne go out for a walk. She had only wanted Wayne to go out alone, but she didnt anticipate that she was the one feeling tired. Sure, so where are we going? Wayne asked. He felt dissatisfied because people were always talking to Anna and interrupting their walk just now. So, he wanted to be alone with Anna in another ce. Well, it doesnt matter to me. Where do you want to go? I remember that there is a supermarket next to the park. I think that there is no difference between the park and your apartment downstairs. Anna covered her face and said, Well, lets go to the supernfarket! Im sure that no one in the supermarket knows me. Great! Oh, by the way, youre out of eggs. So, we can just go buy some. Wayne said seriously. Anna nced at him and said, Can we stop eating eggs? Seriously, can you cook anything other than hard-boiled eggs? Wayne had told Anna that he knew how to cook. However, when he came out of the kitchen, he held a te of poached eggs. The eggs were also fully cooked, and Anna was sick of them. Upon realizing that Anna was dissatisfied with his cooking, Wayne pushed the wheelchair while thinking and said, Well, I can try to Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. cook something else for you. I read the recipest night and I dont think cooking is as difficult as I thought it would be. Anna gave him a contemptuous look and said, Oh, is that true? Well, Id love to try your new dishes. She felt very skeptical although she said that. Wayne had never cooked before, so Anna assumed that he wouldnt know how to season the meat. After they got to the supermarket, Wayne grabbed a box of frozen mashed potatoes and asked Anna, I can make mashed potatoes with this, right? Anna gave him a bemused look and said, Oh, by saying you can cook, you mean you can cook ready- made dishes. You know, its a very time-saving way to cook. I think its very convenient. Wayne said, putting the frozen mashed potatoes into the cart. He pushed the cart with one hand and Annas wheelchair with the other. You can just push the trolley, Wayne. I can move the wheelchair myself. Just before Anna held the wheel, she heard a little girl say, Lady, can I help you? Anna raised her eyes and saw a five-year-old child standing in front of her. As she stood behind Annas wheelchair, the kid smiled and blinked her big eyes. She smiled as she held Annas wheelchair with both hands. Two young people, who appeared to be her parents, stood behind the girl. Im so sorry,dy, the woman kindly apologized to Anna. Lizzy, please dont do this, she said to the girl as she looked angry. She cant walk. So, I want to help her. Lizzy said. Anna instantly lowered her head, her face flushed with embarrassment. The young woman became rmed and said, Oh, my goodness! How can you say that! You may upset thedy. Here,e to me. When Anna saw how aggrieved the little girl was, she couldnt help but say, Its okay. Ive just got hurt on my legs. Ill be fine after a few days. She then looked tenderly at Linzy and said, Do you want to help me push the wheelchair? Hearing that, the little girt nodded. So, can you take me to find out where the candies are? The little giri immediately looked up hesitantly at her mother. The woman then nodded and said, Please be careful, my dear! Dont run too fast. The little girl nodded and pushed Annas wheelchair away. Minutester, Anna took a box of choctes from the shelf and said, Honey, this is super delicious. My son and daughter both love this kind of chocte. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Youre Lizzy, right? Yeah. The little girl nodded seriously. Thank you for pushing me over, Lizzy. Anna stood up while smiling and holding the wheel. Then, the little girls parents immediately became very surprised. Anna said, Thank you, my dear. See, I can stand up now! You know, its all because you helped me. The little girls eyes widened in shock and awe, and she said, Wow, you can stand up! Im so grateful to you that I want to give you this chocte, Anna said. Anna handed the box of choctes to the little girl. Then, she touched the girls head and said, Thank you very much, Lizzy. I hope you will not hesitate to help others when you see them in need the next time. The little girl nodded as she took the chocte. She locked her gaze on Annas leg for a long time and then reluctantly left with her parents. Anna sat in her wheelchair only after they had left. Wow, looks like youre good with kids! Anna heard Wayne say teasingly. Anna rolled her eyes at him and said, Its all your fault! You shouldnt have put me in a wheelchair in the first ce. You see, I cant discourage her from helping others! Wayne also grabbed a box of choctes and ced it in the cart.saying, You are right. But, dont forget that we are in a supermarket. You gave her choctes as a gift, but you didnt pay for them. Anna realized she had made a huge mistake after hearing Waynes words. She immediately came back to her senses and then tried to stand up. Its so embarrassing! That couple didnt look very rich to me. Its expensive chocte that costs several hundred dors a box. Anna thought to herself. Wayne grabbed Annas shoulder and set her back in the wheelchair before she could get up Wayne said, Well, Ive just spoken to the supermarket manager, All the snacks the little girl is going to buy today are on me. Anna breathed a sigh of ieliet and then asked, What? When did you do that? Oh, right when you just showed her the magic of standing up. Hearing his words, Anna blushed with embarrassment, Anna detended herself inmediately by saying, Oh, it seems that you dont know how to get along with kids No wonder you and Matthew arent very close. Wayneughed and said, Well, its true that I dont know about that. But, all I need to do tonight is learn to make delicious codfish for you. The employees of the store were considerably friendlier than the residents of Annas neighborhood. When they saw Anna in her wheelchair, they all offered her some food to taste. Anna was particrly uneasy because she was about to have her period. As a result, she asked Wayne to take her to the shelf of tampons. In a deliberate attempt to make a fool of Wayne, Anna said she wanted to wait around for him and told him to go buy them himself. Oh, I hope that you wont buy the wrong one. You can ask the staff if you dont know which one to get. She said. Wayne nodded calmly and then pushed the cart toward that aisle. Anna saw that Wayne had stuffed almost all the tampons on the shelf into the cart immediately after walking to the shelf, which stunned Anna. However, since Anna wanted to see Wayne make a fool of himself on purpose, she didnt want to let him have his way. Anna said to the female staff member next to her, Look, that man is my boyfriend. I just asked him to get some tampons for me, but he had no idea which ones to get. So, could you help him? Could you please tell him that he only needs to buy two packs of them? You see, I cant walk right now. The staff immediately said, Okay, Ill help him now. After thanking her, Anna took a sip of water from the bottle she brought from home. Afterwards, she was very much looking forward to seeing Wayne make a fool of himself. As Anna expected, Wayne immediately stood still when the staff approached him. Then, his expression became a little embarrassed. Anna felt extremely excited and took out her phone to try to take a picture of him. However, not long after, Anna found Wayne chatting happily with the staff. She then pointed to Anna and then to the baby products, Anna thought to herself, What the hell is going on? Are they talking about having a baby? Soon, Wayne came back to her side with the cart. Although Anna told the staff to tell Wayne he only needed buy a few packs of tampons, he still bought a lot. Curious, Anna asked Wayne, What did you just say to her? Why did she point at me and then at the baby products? Did she want you to buy form? No, she suggested I get some diapers, Wayne answered, his face expressionless as he pushed the wheelchair and stroller. Anna asked, puzzled, What? Diapers? Why do you need diapers? Wayne replied calmly, Theyre for you. Hearing his brief exnation, Anna felt that she had lost her dignity and looked like a fool. She froze for a while, and then became indignant. If I evere out in this stupid wheelchair again, Id be the biggest dumbass in the world! Instead of making a fool of Wayne, I made myself look awkward, Anna thought Anna didnt want to go shopping in the wheelchair after this incident. It just so happened that they had almost finished buying everything they wanted. So, they went straight home. On the way, Anna told Wayne to take off his jacket and put it over her face. Anna said that she didnt want others to ask her why she was in a wheelchair anymore. Fortunately, it was already dinnertime, so there were few people downstairs. And they could smell the scent of food as they passed by each building. After that, Wayne started to cook. A crisp sound came from the kitchen as he dropped the fish into the boiling oil. Anna said aloud, You can add water to the pot after a while. And dont forget to add some ginger, Wayne! Even though she was in the living room, Anna shouted loudly to Wayne. She wasnt sure if Wayne had heard her because the sound of the range hood was so loud. When she thought that Wayne had the recipe in his hand, she was more relieved. Im just burned, but Wayne cares for me so much as if I were paralyzed. Anna thought to herself, feeling a little ashamed at the same time. Just at that moment, she heard her cell phone ringing. She nced at the phone screen and found that it was Jasper calling. Anna hesitated for a moment, and then she jumped to the bedroom to answer the phone. Hello? She said. After Wayne had made dinner, he noticed that Anna was no longer in the living room. Then, he saw her walking around the bedroom. He frowned and thought, oh my God, You cant walk like that! Otherwise, your wounds wont heal at all, Anna. Wayne then walked to the bedroom door. Just as he tried to warn Anna, he heard her say, When do you want toe? No, you cant. Ive got hurt this week, so I cant pick you up. Well, you cane next week. Good, I wont tell Tammy. Great! You can surprise her!N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The bedroom door was half-open. When Wayne looked inside, he found Anna smiling gently. She looked as if she was on the phone with an acquaintance she had known for many years. He even thought that maybe they were closer than friends. After hanging up the phone, Anna sat in the bedroom for a while as she was holding her phone. Then, Wayne told her dinner was ready. Anna immediately walked out of the bedroom. Wayne asked as he pretended not to care, Did someone call you? Yes, Anna said. Oh, who is it? Anna replied casually as she forked up a piece of fish and smiled, Oh, its just a friend of mine. Wow, it looks so delicious! Really? What kind of friend? He asked, sounding serious. Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Wayne looked a little upset. The atmosphere between them was very cozy. However, Anna felt a shiver running down her spine shortly after Wayne asked this question. Annas hand stopped, and the fork in her hand suspended in the air. She frowned at Wayne and said, I already told you that person is just my friend. Whats the matter? Waynes tone softened a little, but he maintained his serious demeanor. He continued to ask, Tell me, whats the name of that person? Is he a man or a woman? I want to know about your friend. Anna looked at Wayne in confusion and then said seriously as she pretended to be joking, Oh, no, you dont know him. Whats the matter, Wayne? Are you jealous? I just had a phone call with my friend. Wayne silently clinched his hand into a fist beneath the dining table as he thought that Annas nonchnt attitude made him look like a fool. They were sitting so close, and he was so close to the truth. They were, however, concealing something from each other. Wayne finally decided to back off. He pulled out his chair, sat down, and then said calmly, Im sorry, Anna, I simply wanted to know whether you have any friends other than Peace. Anna smiled and said frankly, Oh, you know, I dont have many friends. When I was in America, Peace was my only friend. The person who just called me is Jasper Thomas. He and I both went to the same college in Birmingham, but he was many years older than me. He started his business when I first arrived in the US, but he didnt have any money. To be honest, I was pretty well off back then. Once I found out that he and I had gone to the same college, I helped him out. So, Anna and Jasper used to go through hard times together. Wayne thought to himself. Wayne became increasingly depressed as he listened to Annas story. And he was having difficulty breathing. After a few words, Anna finished recounting how she and Jasper met. She did, however, keep one important fact from him: they had been married. Hey, I think the fish you made tastes pretty good. But, you know, you can do better than that! Anna complimented him, then ate another piece of cod. After that, she said, Hey, try some. But I still want to give you some advice. The white cod on the te was covered in a brown sauce, which made it look quite appealing. Wayne wasnt in the mood to eat, but he feltpelled to do so because Anna was staring at him with expectation. He then took a veryrge bite because he was still a little upset. Well? Anna asked Wayne. MIT He nodded and said, Delicious. Anna looked at him with wide eyes and said, What? Are you sure its really good? Wayne gave her a dubious nce as well. Oh my God, its not even cooked! Anna made a surprised expression as she pointed to the chunk of cod on his te. The cod was still raw, and there was even blood on it. Anna was very curious about how Wayne could take such arge bite of the codfish and be able All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. to swallow it. Waynes face flushed with embarrassment, and he hurried into the bathroom. Annaughed after a time. Gee, what the hell were you thinking? she eximed as she leaned over the table. To be honest, Anna thought Wayne had a gift for cooking. Wayne made a te of cod fish, mashed potatoes and a bowl of soup tonight. Even though Wayne had never cooked before, the mashed potatoes he made tonight were delicious. Besides, because Anna had taught him how to make soup, he did a fantastic job. But, Anna wondered why Wayne looked preupied during the dinner. Wayne had an upset expression when he came out of the bathroom. Anna served the soup in a bowl and put it in front of him. After seeing that Wayne seemed to be doubting himself, she said, Are you okay? Dont worry, Ive already had this soup, and I think its pretty good. Here, try it. Wayne only let out a sigh of relief at that point. Despite the fact that this was his first time cooking, he was terrified of being ridiculed because of his high self-esteem. Afterward, he sat down and took a sip of the soup. At that time, he saw Anna keep looking at him with concern. Her gaze was very gentle, and it was a far cry from her harsh demeanor in the workce. At that moment, Wayne recalled how domineering Anna acted when he first saw her, He believed she appeared to be apletely different person. Anna winked at him and then said, Why do you keep staring at me? How do you like the soup? Do you think I look as delicious as that? Wayne coughed immediately after hearing her words. When he looked up, Anna noticed that his face had turnedpletely red. Wayne realized that Anna was not only much more gentle than before, but also much more cheeky. It waste at night in the United States, and Jasper had returned to his apartment after a video conference. His apartment was on the sixtieth floor. So when he lowered his head, he could look down on the entire downtown Manhattan. Jasper held up the ss of the floor-to-ceiling window, and there were creases in the handmade Italian suit he was wearing as he did so. When he watched the bustling street, his expression became mncholy. He realized that only by standing at the top of the world would he realize how unbearable loneliness was. Heres the research for the Ennd market, Jasper. Lily, his assistant, said as she stood behind him. Oh, please put it there. Did you cancel my trip for next week? Jasper snapped back to his senses, and then turned around to look at her. Lily stood still and fixed her gaze on him. She was stunning and seemed to be a very gentle woman. She looked at Jasper with appreciation and concern and replied, Yes, Ive done it, and Ive also made a flight reservation for you. Several Englishpanies have expressed an interest in coborating with us. And, I wrote a list of the approach order in that market research report. Lily was a capable assistant who took her job seriously. However, upon hearing her words, Jasper didnt say anything topliment her, but nodded his head. By the way, Im going to meet someone after I arrive in Ennd. So, could you please ept these corporate representatives on my behalf? No problem, Lily answered with a quick nod. Jasper waved her off and told her she was free to leave. However, Lily didnt move at all. She immediately stopped being professional anymore and looked like a different person. She asked in a gentle tone, Jasper, are you going to meet Miss Gabriel? Jasper replied, Yes. His gaze became tender as he heard Annas name. Anna, he believed, was the light of his life. She had warmed him up like the sun and brought light into his darkest years. However, he suspected that Anna never knew how much he admired her. He had been very cautious about it since he was worried about scaring Anna. Lily appeared bewildered. She gave a bitter smile and added, Okay, Ill be off then. Bye. The apartment was quiet again after she shut the door. Jasper took off his sses and ced them on his desk. Then, he squeezed his brow to rx his eyes. At that moment, he saw a family photo on the table. He froze for a moment, and then his expression became much more tender. There were three people in the picture. At that time, Tammy had just learned to talk and could only say dad and mom. When Jasper took her out, many people would say hi to her and even pinch her cheeks because she was so cute. Tammy was not happy about this. And she would perch on Jaspers shoulders whenever they hung out after that because it was the only way for her to stop other people from reaching her. It has been almost a year since thest time I saw them. And I usually only get a few opportunities to see them. Jasper thought to himself. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Anna was not seriously burned, so she didnt need to rest for a long time. And Anna was able to walk on her own after a week. The Carousel Group had been dying the development of the resort project for a while. Therefore, after Wayne made sure that Anna was okay, he immediately went on a business trip to another city. Gabe, we only have three days toplete this project. Lets have a meeting as soon as we get there. Wayne told Gabe in an urgent way at the airport. Gabes eyes widened in surprise as he eximed, What? Three days! Thats totally impossible! Oh, you know I dont want to hear any excuses. I have an important thing to do these days. So, if we cant finish this project in three days, Ill still go back to Birmingham. If this happens, youll have to deal with them on your own. Gabe thought he had heard it wrong. He said, What? Mr. Wright, this project is worth hundreds of millions of dors. What could be more important than this? Its a personal matter. Waynes brow furrowed slightly and he appeared to be upset. Anna had mentioned that Jasper Thomas would be in Birmingham this week. So, of course, he wanted to meet him and to find out what really had happened between him and Anna. Well, thats basically done here. So, you guys can move in after airing it for a while. Its so lucky that theres good venttion here. As you requested, most of the furniture here is used. So, it wont take you long to move in.The captain of the renovation team said to Anna. After walking around the building and checking it out, Anna paid them the money. She was very pleased that this building looked refreshing and different from what she had seen before. They renovated the building into an loft-style as Peace suggested. All the walls inside the building were gray. This would not only make the ce look good, but also make the dust look less obvious. The first floor was for offices and the second floor served as the designers studio and clothing showroom. Although that building was not big, it was something she and Peace had created together. Anna couldnt help but call Peace when she thought of her. Karl was the one who answered the phone, as she had expected. Karl, how is Peace doing? She asked. Oh, luckily, she can recognize people now. Shes in a nice mood, but shes still a little sleepy. Peace stared at the window for a long time yesterday. I was worried that she might jump off the building identally, so I put safety protection on the window. Anna sighed and said, Oh, thats very considerate of you. If you cant hold on much longer, you should take her to the hospital. Peace had told me that staying in the hospital would help her recover faster. No way. Anna, Im sure I can take care of her myself. Karl said firmly. Anna, shes already sleeping a lot less today than yesterday. So, if youre not too busy, you can pay her a visit here. You cane here at any moment. Oh, Ill definitely be there. You know, the renovation of the building will be finished soon now. Ill certainly visit her and tell her the good news. Ille to your house if I get it all done. Great! All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. They hung up the phone after a few more words. Anna couldnt bear to say too much to Karl. If Peace was still lucid, Anna knew that she would never let Karl see her like this. Anna, on the other hand, was not present when she was having an attack. As a result, she med herself, believing that her negligence had dragged Karl into this mess. After hanging up the phone, Karl nced at the bedroom. The curtains were closed tightly, and a bedsidemp was glowing dimly. Peace was asleep. At that moment, his phone beeped. Karl saw that his sister had sent him a text message, Im downstairs in your apartment. Mom asked me to drop something off for you. Karls hands began to tremble, and he nearly dropped his phone. Tammy spent the whole afternoon ying with a lighted sign inside the yard. She was holding it because Scott was about to perform at Birmingham Stadiumter that evening. She got Scott to give her two tickets for the VIP section. As a huge fan of Scotts, she wanted to go there to support him. Are you sure youre not going, Matthew? Tammy stared at Matthew, who had a disgruntled expression on his face, as she put up her sign that read, Scott, Tammy loves you forever. She asked, You really dont want to go with me, do you? Matthew, Ive got two tickets! Matthew gave a disgusted nce at the sign before shaking his head firmly. He wrote a line on the drawing board and pressed the voice button. Then, his drawing board said, No! I dont think hes a good singer at all. Besides, its really noisy there! Tammy pouted and red at Matthew,ining, Hey, you cant say that about him! I regard him as my brother. Matthew became even more upset after hearing her words. He scribbled a quick line, Hey! Tammy, Im your brother! And, I think Scott should be your uncle. No! No! Hes my brother! Tammy said as her face flushed with anger. At that moment, a person standing at the other corner of the courtyard said excitedly, Hey! Thats Scotts name on the sign! Natalie quickly opened the courtyard door and darted towards them. She pointed to the lighted sign on the stone table and asked with excitement, I know this. Its Scotts support lighted sign. So, are you guys going to his concert tonight too? Are you a fan of Scotts, too? Tammy asked and then looked at her Grandaunt Natalie wide-eyed. They didnt know each other well and hadnt spoken to each other much. Natalie gave a very serious nod and then said, Yes! But, when the tickets first went on sale, they were all sold out. I didnt get a ticket, so I can only stand outside the stadium. Tammy immediately raised the two tickets she was holding and said, Ah, I have two tickets! Do you want toe with me? Natalie took the two tickets as if they were priceless treasures. She was so excited that her voice was shaking, Is that true? Oh my God, these are the seats in the front row! Great! Ill get a chance to take a closer look at him! Oh, Oh, and I can take you backstage to meet him if youe with me. Scott and I know each other well. Tammy said smugly. Meanwhile, she was blind to the fact that Matthew, who was standing behind them, had be unhappy while they were chatting cheerfully. Hey! Thats the ticket for me! Tammy, you just said you would give it to me, so why did you decide to give it to Natalie so quickly? Matthew thought to himself. Oh! Were you a guest on Scotts travel show? Oh, my goodness! Im sorry, I didnt even notice you when I watched it. You know, I couldnt take my eyes off him. Natalie suddenly remembered this after taking a good look at Tammy. Tammy rubbed her head in embarrassment and said, Yes, but it happened a long time ago. Henry will come to pick me upter. So, how about we all go there together? Yes! Great! Oh, by the way, I just went to the supermarket and bought a lot of snacks. Wait for me, Tammy. Ill go get them. Ill go with you. They said as they ran off happily. Matthew was perplexed as he looked at the two of them with wide eyes. What? They became friends in just a few minutes? Matthew thought to himself. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 In addition to Scott, the evening show would feature a number of well-known singers. Those singers were all young idol singers with many fans. Moreover, many people wanted to see them standing on the stage together. When the website first started selling tickets, they were rapidly sold out. Tammy and Natalie visited Scott backstage and chatted with him. After sending them off, Scott smiled as he was resigned. Then, Sam, who was standing by, immediately urged the makeup artist to put makeup on him. He said, Geez! Im even starting to get anxious. You know, the show is about to start. Let me fix your hair, okay? You should meet these two little fans when the show is over. Oh, theyre not just my fans. Tammy is my niece, as you know. Isnt she adorable? Sam immediately pressed him on his shoulders to make him sit on the chair. The makeup artist then immediately began to do his makeup. I forgot to mention that there will be arge number of investors there tonight. So, just dont screw this up, okay? There will be a dinner party after the concert, and dont try to run away this time. Scott didnt appear to be interested in that at all. He said, No, I dont want to go. Sam said seriously, What are you talking about? No, you have to go! Have you noticed how many endorsements the singers in the samepany with you have? Do you think they got all those endorsements out of nowhere? Let me tell you, they got them by having dinner with their sponsors. If you have a lunch and a few drinks with them, youll get tens of millions of dors. So, you have to go, Scott. Scott was irritated because Sam kept saying that. He replied, Gosh! I dont want to be in those gigs ever again! You know, I just want to write my songs without being disturbed. Are you really listening to what Im saying? CDs now are so pass! Do you know how many pirated albums you can find on the Inte now? Even if you publish the music on the inte and sell them, you wont make much money. That money isnt even enough to cover the cost of making the CD. I have nothing to say to you if you want to be an artist. But Im doing this because I want you to make money. So, will you listen to me just once? Scott held up a hand to show he was surrendering. He said, All right, all right. I got it. He was deeply aware that no one could concentrate on art today without making money. He wrote songs with the money he earned through endorsements and concerts, which allowed him to follow his heart. Hed only been a singer for a year, yet he already felt fatigued from head to toe. He felt like he was spinning like a gyroscope, and he would fall 0 213 Its been a Long Time down if he paused to rest for a while. No matter how brilliant I am on the stage or how wretched / would fall from the altar, the audience would only look at me and do nothing. They dont care about how I feel at all. Scott thought to himself. Just after the show, someone told Scott where he should go to the dinner. Sam followed him closely on his way there until they got to the hotel restaurant. So, Scott didnt have a chance to escape. Dont worry, Im not going anywhere, so you can go back now. It creeps me out when you keep looking at me like that. Scott said to Sam. Sam then said, If you say hi to the president of Walnut, Ill let you go. What? Over my dead body! Have you met Mr. Evans? Do you know what he looks like and how creepy he is? Hes a p*****t! All you have to do is to smile at him. A man approached them just as they were about to argue because neither of them wanted to back down. That gentleman was dressed elegantly in a brown suit with a dark blue bow tie and holding a ss of champagne. Wow, Scott! I thought you would never go to parties like this. Scott froze immediately when he heard the words. His face turned pale as he realized it was Randal. Sam immediatelyughed gleefully and said, Oh, hello, Mr. Wilson! No, I think you might misunderstand something. Scott isnt opposed to attending the dinner parties. But, whenever there is a dinner party, he happens to feel ufortable. You see, hes feeling fine today, so hes here. Oh? Randal uttered thest note slowly and deliberately, which seemed very meaningful. Oh, Ill leave you guys alone. Im going to go say hello to a friend over there. Sam left immediately after realizing what he had to do. He even suddenly tapped Scotts shoulder and gestured for him to take his chance before leaving. It seemed that he didnt even seem to notice that Randal liked Scott. Scott became embarrassed. He thought, I shouldnt have let Sam be my agent! Hes an expert in getting me into trouble. Its been a long time. Randal, who was standing behind him, said at that moment. Scott forced himself to smile and said, Hey, I dont think its been that long. We just ran into each other by chance three days ago in Tokyo. Scott felt like he was showing Randal respect by saying that. Scott was taken aback by the fact that they ran into each other every few days in various locations around the world. He wondered if Sam had told Randal about his schedule because Randal paid him well. Randal shook his ss, and the yellow champagne in it swayed gently. He said, Its a real pity. You know, if wed gone there in March, wed have seen the beautiful cherry blossoms. Scott nced at him with no expression on his face. He said, Im not in the mood for cherry blossoms. I was there for work, so I couldnt decide when I would be there. But youre different because you have all the time in the world. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Randal didnt say anything. He just smiled and said, Hey, I heard that you had some problems with the president of Walnut? Hearing his words, Scott immediately showed an embarrassed expression and said, It has nothing to do with you! Mr. Evans, Walnuts president, was well-known in the entertainment sector as a p*****t. Mr. Evans touched Scotts ass in front of the entire crew backstage at a film festival in Kyoto half a month ago. Scott felt horrified every time he remembered this incidentter. If Sam hadnt stopped Scott immediately at that time, he would have punched Mr. Evans. Yes, it has nothing to do with me. But mypany has recently been working with Walnut. So, I showed something to his father. Now, hes not the president of thepany anymore. Scott then froze, looked at Randal in surprise, and asked, What? What did you show him? Oh, nothing, just photographs of him with some toy boys in a nightclub. His father almost had a stroke when he saw them and immediately removed him from his position. Randal seemed naturally wild, so it didnt surprise Scott that he did such a thing. Scott froze and finally couldnt help butugh out loud. Oh, arent you going to thank me? You can buy me dinner. Scott raised an eyebrow, set his ss down, and said, Hey, its not like Im begging you for help. Well, in that case, I dont have to stay here and apologize to him. If you see Sam, please tell him Im leaving. With that, he left in style. Randal stood there for a moment, smiled, and followed him. Scott took a few steps down the street before noticing Randal was following him. He couldnt help himself and blurted out, Dont make a fool of yourself, okay? Why do you keep following me? Do you really want me to buy you dinner? Randal took a deep breath and said calmly, Im a businessman, so Ill do whatever it takes to make a profit. So, you need to do something to get us even. You wont follow me if I treat you to dinner, will you? Sure. After hearing Randals answer, Scott looked over at the Turkish kebab food truck on the side of the road and smiled. He said, Dont regret it. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Hey, you can have whatever you want. Its my treat. Scott waved his hand generously as if he had bought the entire food cart. The owner of the kebab stand was d to see them. She then pointed to the menu and said to them, What would you like to eat? You know, the foods here are fresh. Scott ced the te in front of Randal after ordering a few kebabs and grilled vegetables and said, Enjoy, its on me. He thought that Randal would leave immediately after he finished. Scott then smirked a few times to himself. He felt sure that since Randal grew up in a wealthy family, he would of course refuse to eat from a roadside food truck. Randal looked at the te in front of him with several kebabs, then picked up one. Whats this? He asked. Hey, dont you know what kebabs are? the stall owner asked, surprised. Randal smiled and answered, Yes, I do. Well, I do like grilled meat. I think its delicious. Randal looked at Scott and then started eating the kebab on his te. He ate all the kebabs on his te after a while. Then, he finished all the roasted tomatoes and mushrooms on his te. What? You ate it all? Scott asked, wide-eyed with surprise, and was taken aback by it. Yes, I thought it was delicious. Get me some more, please. Randal handed Scott the empty te and then looked at him with expectation, Scott then realized that Randal was a big fan of barbecue. Scott then felt he shouldnt have brought Randal here and immediately regretted it. Gee, can you just stop eating? Randal handed him a skewer of grilledmb dipped in chili sauce and said, You should try this, Scott. I think its delicious. Scott was about to lose his mind. He immediately said, Oh my God, of course, I know its delicious! But if I could eat this, I would have finished it long ago. If I take a bite of that, I have to work out for two hours. Im exhausted now, and I dont think Ill be able to work out. Scott felt that as a boss, Randal certainly wouldnt understand how tough it was to be an entertainer. Randal nodded, and then said, Oh, you dont have to be so harsh on yourself. I think its fine for you to gain a little weight. That way, your body should be very soft. Scotts face flushed as soon as he heard Randals words. Then, he realized that the owners expression had also changed. He gritted his teeth and said, Randal, f**k you. Really? Youd really like to do that? Scott immediately rolled his eyes at him. As he pulled out his wallet, he saw several missed calls on his phone. They were all from Harriet, who had been a maid at Gabriels for a long time. Scott immediately called her back and said, Hello, what happened? N?velDrama.Org content. While watching Scott on the phone, Randal finished thest of his kebab. And he noticed that Scott looked increasingly panicked. Really? Did you tell Anna that? Yes, Im on my way to the hospital right now. After hanging up the phone, Scott dashed down the road. When Randal stood up to run with him, he was stopped by the owner. She said, Hey, you guys havent paid yet! Randal immediately took a bunch of bills out of his pocket and put them on the table. He soon caught up with Scott after that. By the time they arrived at the hospital, it waste at night. They hadnt even made it inside the operation room when they heard the sobbing and the doctors heartfelt apologies. The doctor said, Oh, hes already passed away. Im very sorry for your loss. The doctor had said this so many times that he was bing numb to it. There were a lot of people at the operating room door, and it was really chaotic When Scott arrived there, he noticed that Anna was sitting alone in theer. Innas eyes were filled with tears, but she kept staring at the opereung room. Although she knew that Shirley had been arguing with the doctor, she didnteren want to go over and stop them. Madame, please stop it. Your husband died because of a sudden liver falure. We did everything we could to save him, really. I can swear to God. Shirley grasped the white coat of the attending doctor like a shren. And she even ripped the buttons off his pockets. She, on the other hand, appeared irritated rather than gering. She said. You are talking nonsense! My husband was still healthy when he was saying at your hosos before. You said that he had been cured by then! He just let the hospital a few days ago 50 how could he be dead? You must be responsible for this! Nobody could figure out why Shirley resented the doctor so much Allie and Anna were separated by her father, who was lying on a surgical troue covered in a white cloth, and her mother, who had gone insane. Alle had never imagined herself in such a predicament. Allie was ashamed to watch how her mother cursed the doctor and tried to me him for the tragedy like a lunatic. She even felt that she was the one to be med for the death of her father. Allie then suddenly stood up and said to her mother who was sitting on the floor, Mom, thats enough! Since hes dead, its pointless for you to do anything about it. Just drop it! Shirley raised her head, and there were still tears in her eyes. As she shook off Allies arm, she appeared astonished and upset. Several people approached Shirley at that point. They helped her up and sat her against the wall. The doctor then had the opportunity to push the surgical trolley into the morgue. Everyone was shouting and making noises, and Anna was the only one who was quietly following the doctor. Meanwhile, Scott, who camete, was the only one who followed her. Allie approached Scott and called his name as soon as she spotted him. Whats wrong? Scott looked back at Allie. Allie had a lot of things she wanted to say to him, but she felt like she couldnt say anything at that time. She only replied, Oh, nothing. Could you please console Anna? Im sure Ill be able to handle things here. Dont be too upset, Scott. After all, dads dead. Scott gave her a look and said, I sure will. He then immediately walked towards Anna and tried to catch up with her. Allie didnt move and keep watching his back. When she saw Scott getting further away from her, she gave a self-mocking expression. She realized that Scott had only shown her his back from the beginning. And, in all those years, he had never taken the initiative to look straight at her. So, in this case, all she had done seemed to be a farce. Miss Gabriel, you dont seem to be sad at all. Does it mean you didnt get along well with your father? Hearing the cold voice, Allie snapped back to her senses. She looked up and found Randal standing beside her. Allie stared nkly at him, and then asked, Mr. Wilson, what do you mean by that? After your father died, all your mother did was make a scene at the hospital and try to get them to take the responsibility for it. I cant help but wonder, do you really need the hospital topensate you? Or, is your mom just looking for a reason tofort herself? Allies expression immediately turned unpleasant. She said, Mr. Wilson, why would you say something like that? Nothing, I was just saying. Randalughed when he finished. Then, he gave Allie another cold nce, which made her feel a chill down her spine. Randal had seen a lot of feuds and fights within rich families. From his perspective, Frank was only 50 years old, so it was unlikely that he would die of organ failure. Besides, it was very thought-provoking that even the hospital didnt know exactly the reason for his death. Therefore, he found Allie and Shirleys behaviors suspicious as well. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Franks funeral was held on Saturday. Frank once said that he wished that he could be buried together with Annas mother, Olivia. When Shirley learned about it, she cried so hard at the funeral that she even fainted. She did, however, eventually agree to do so. However, it didnt matter if she said yes or not because Anna didnt agree on this. Also, Annas aunt Selina refused his request. Therefore, Franks rtives found another cemetery for him and ced his grave just across the path from Olivias. Frank, dont worry. I will take care of my daughter and manage thepany well. As you know, my brothers children are all adults now. So, they can all inherit yourpany ording to your will. Shirley said. Her words made the funeral look like a share distribution meeting instead. Anna couldnt take it any longer. She froze and stood there for a few moments before quietly walking away. Anna felt sentimental. Frank had started this business with no money at all. He had worked hard for thepany all his life, but Shirley took it away from him when he died. To be honest, Anna didnt think Frank would leave all of his possessions to Shirley and her family in his will. She felt that if he had considered the order, he would have given his money to Allie first. However, Anna felt that since Frank had passed away, she no longer needed to be around the Gabriels. Before leaving, Anna paid a visit to her mothers grave. She knelt and pulled the weeds away from the tombstone. She wept out in despair after seeing her mothers picture on the tombstone. She said, Mom, do you see my father in heaven? Ive actually taken it upon myself to forgive him. I dont think you would want me to hate him, though. Grandpa told me that the biggest thing you used to expect from me was that I would live my life in peace. Anna talked to her mother until she felt she could no longer stand on her own two feet. Then, she was going to walk away when she saw a woman dressed in ck standing behind her. When Anna first saw the woman, she saw that she was wearing a white flower on her shirt, which was a stark contrast to her ck shirt. Anna recognized that it was Shirley. Shirley gave Anna a frigid stare and said meanly, Ive been looking for you everywhere, and I wasnt expecting you to show up here! Anna, I dont have time to y games with you right now. Anna sensed the irony. Shirley used to always act like a good stepmother to Anna in front of Frank. After Franks death, however, she became extremely hostile toward her. Shirley grumbled and gave Anna a dismissive nce. Her movements appeared to be quite smooth, as if she had practiced them. She said, The funeral is over now, Anna. But, are you sure you dont want to hear his will? Anna frowned and asked, Did his will mention me? Shirley burst outughing, then said, What a pity! You know, he didnt even mention you in his will! Thats so funny! Although he loved you so much, he didnt leave you anything. Shirleys smug expression made Anna feel so uneasy that she wanted to vomit. Hey, Olivia, can you see whats happening now? You loved your daughter so much, didnt you? In fact, Frank didnt think she was worth a dime. Did you know that he left your daughter with nothing? Shirley said as she stared wide-eyed at Olivias picture on the tombstone. She looked very resentful, as if she had finally found an outlet for her resentment that had been building up for years. Anna stood in front of the tombstone, and then said grimly, Shirley, I hope that you can respect my mother. Shes dead, and you have no reason to humiliate her. Shirleyughed and said, Humiliate? Well, your mother used to humiliate me when she was alive. She thought she had the right to treat me that way because she was a rich woman. But, she died. Olivia, you havepletely lost to me! Do you think your stupid daughter is a match for me? Hearing Shirleys words, Anna shivered with anger. She said through gritted teeth, Shut your filthy mouth! What?! Who are you to tell me to order me? You know, I always wanted to do this to you long ago. After saying that, Shirley suddenly put her hand up. It was drizzling at that time. When Anna lifted her head, she felt a drop of rain fall on her eyshes. She couldnt help but close her eyes. And she realized it was toote, so she had no time to dodge away. However, Anna did not get a p from Shirley as she had expected. Shirley gave a startled cry, then asked, What? Who the hell are you?! Anna then heard a voice that she was familiar with. That voice was low, firm, and seemed very domineering. He said, It doesnt matter who I am. But you need to know that if you dare to hit Anna, I will make all the money you got from her father disappear. I mean it! Anna looked at the man standing before him in surprise, and then said, Jasper! What are you doing here? Oh, I came back early because I heard what happened to your father, Jasper exined briefly. At the same time, he still looked at Shirley indifferently. Shirley suddenly burst outughing after looking at them for a while. She said, Anna, you are indeed an expert at using men! You have already seduced Wayne, and you felt that was not enough. So, you also seduced another man. Youre really great good at that! You Before Shirley could finish her words, two strong men walked out from behind Anna. They each held one of Shirleys arms and put her under control. Lily stepped out, and then said indifferently, Gag her. The two bodyguards immediately pulled out handkerchiefs from their pockets and then stufted them into Shirleys mouth to stop her from continuing to swear. After that. Lily waved her hand. Then, the two bodyguards dragged Shirley away. Anna seemed anxious and at a loss. Jasper patted Annas shoulder to reassure her and said, Please dont worry, we wont do anything to her. Theyll let her go after they warn her. At this point, Anna breathed a sigh of relief All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Lily then came up to Anna with her umbre. She hugged Anna and said sincerely. Im really sorry, Anna. I just heard what happened to your father Anna also hugged Lily, smiled bitterly and said, Its good to see you again, Lily. Thank you for your comfort. Although Anna was tall, Lily was much taller than her. Therefore, whenever Lily embraced Anna, it looked like she was hugging a small child. Then, Lily let go of Anna and put the umbre on her head. She asked, Do you need to do anything else? You see, its raining now. Anna nodded and said, No, I dont think so. Anna knew that Shirleys rtives would all have a fight over thepany shares after that. Anna felt that since her name was not even mentioned in Franks will, there was no need for her to stay there any longer. At that time, the rain was getting heavier and heavier Anna and Jasper walked slowly away with an umbre. Of course, neither of them noticed a man in a ck coat standing in another corner of the cemetery. That man was Wayne. Wayne had just taken the earliest flight back to Birmingham that day. When he arrived, he happened to see Anna and Jasper leaving together. Are you sure you wont say hello to her? Gabe had been holding the umbre for Wayne, and he asked as he felt sad. While Wayne was still in Senel City negotiating the resort project, he heard about Franks death. Then, he immediately returned to Birmingham. Follow them, Wayne said immediately. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Anna and Jasper sat in front of her apartments floor-to-ceiling windows, listening to the rain pattering outside. She made a cup of coffee for him and exined, Theres been a lot going on recently, and Ive been really busy. So, Ive asked someone else to take care of Tammy. If youre avable, Ill bring her over and have dinner with you. Yes, Im avable at all times, Jasper replied. He sat on Annas gray couch, seeming rxed. The sses he wore made him look very gentle. And he lookedposed and confident. Also, the way he spoke and acted was reassuring. You dont have to think about having dinner with me right now, Anna. Do you believe this is the end of the story? Oh, now that my fathers dead, its no use for me to do anything. You and I have known each other for so long, so of course you know that once things have be final, dont want to do anything about it anymore. Anna said wearily as she rubbed her temples. She hadnt gotten much sleep in the past few days. She certainly suspected the reason for her fathers death. Anna realized, however, that she couldnt do anything about it because she didnt own a piece of his fathers inheritance. If she did something, people would assume that she was purposefully causing troubles because she was displeased with the will. Anna felt that it didnt matter if she was med, but she didnt want Tammy to be involved and even humiliated. You know, you deserve to inherit half of your fathers property. Well, Jasper, I really dont care about this. Jasper sighed, and then looked at Anna resignedly. He said, I know that you dont want to get into trouble. Oh, yeah. I think thats fine. You know, I like my life a little simpler. Jasper asked in a meaningful tone, But, do you think your life is simple now? You know, the battles going on in the Wrights house are moreplicated than your familys. After hearing his words, Anna froze for a moment and asked, What? You know all about it? Jasper said calmly, Yes, everyone knows about it. I often see their names in newspapers financial section, along with other news. Anna, everyone knows youre dating Wayne. Anna leaned her body fully on the couch and smiled, Is that true? Was Peace the one who told you that? Jasper nodded. Anna knew that Peace was always keen to share any news with Jasper. When Anna met Peace in the United States, she was already married to Jasper. At the time, Jasperspany was just getting through its most difficult start-up period and was slowly getting better. At the same time, Peace was pursuing a masters degree in design and was struggling financially. Because Jasper helped her, Peace was grateful to him. So, she was often willing to help him. Thinking about Peace, Jasper frowned. He said, Peace is not doing well right now. So, she should stay in a mental hospital. To be honest, I dont think Karl is capable of taking care of her well. Dont worry; theyre getting along just fine. Anna waved her hand as if to tell Jasper that he was overthinking. Jasper took a deep breath and said, He isnt always capable of caring for a person with schizophrenia, no matter how much they love each other. Karl isnt a professional caregiver, so he cant be there for her 24 hours a day. You know, he always needs to step out of his house. So, what if something bad happens to her at that time? Does he have a caregiver at home? Hearing his words, Anna felt less sure about this. She said, Okay, Ill talk to Karl about it. Good. Actually, Ive already found the best psychiatric rehabilitation center in America for Peace. If you really care about Peace, youd better get her in there. Anna paused for a bit before saying, To be honest, I dont think Karl would agree with that. If Peace did go to America, they would be separated by the Antic Ocean and be in different time zones. So, Karl would definitely refuse to let her go. Its okay. Hell agree with that if he really wants Peace to get better. Jasper said. He was so sensible about it that he didnt even consider the fact that this couple loved each other and didnt want to be apart. Anna, on the other hand, could see why Jasper felt that way. He didnt know Karl, so everything he nned was based on the fact that he was concerned about Peace. Then, of course, he wouldnt care about their rtionship. They then talked for a long time, and it waspletely dark when Anna walked Jasper downstairs. Lily waved goodbye to Anna as she stood under the streetlight. Anna nodded, then wrapped her shawl tighter around her and turned around. She felt a gust of wind blowing by as she opened the door, causing her to shrink her shoulders. And then, she realized that it was getting a little cooler. She stepped into the elevator and stared at the numbers on the screen. After a while, the elevator doors slowly opened. Anna walked towards her house with her head down, and the sound of her pressing the code echoed in the hallway. As she walked in the door, she smelt the strong smell of coffee. She walked to the kitchen and tried to boil some hot water. Just as she was looking at the water in the kettle, she heard a man behind her talking to her, What are you thinking? That voice startled her. She gave a startled cry and covered her chest as she turned back. Anna then saw a man standing behind her. The light of the living room cast a shadow over the mans tall figure. Anna couldnt see his face, but she could identify him as Wayne. Anna pressed her chest, her heart was beating wildly. And she said, Oh my God! You scared the hell out of me! When did you get back? Werent you in Seriel City yesterday? Wayne said with a poker face, Oh, that project is done. I got back as soon as I heard what happened to your father. It had rained heavily in Seriel City for thest few days, and flights there were all dyed. Also, the roads were closed because there were many car idents happened on the highway. So, there were no flights until that morning. Anna still hadnt recovered from the shock, and her hands were still shaking. She held onto the marble table and couldnt stop gasping for air. She said, Hey, you really scared the hell out of me. You should have told me in advance! If Id known youd sneak into my house, I wouldnt have told you my code! I really regret it. She was actually just whining when she said that. However, she didnt expect Wayne to take her the wrong way. Thats not the only thing you regret, is it? Wayne said. Then, he took a step closer to Anna. There were water dripped on the floor and muddy stains. Anna then realized that he was soaked through. She asked, Did you get caught in the rain? Oh, wheres Gabe? Wayne acted like he hadnt heard what she said. He stared sorrowfully at Anna, who was separated from him by the marble table, and then asked in a cold voice, Where is that man? Has he left? He couldnt believe that Anna could talk to him at this time as if nothing had happened. He also couldnt imagine that she could seem so frank after spending hours in this house with another man. Waynes question caused Annas heart to skip a beat. She immediately blurted out, Huh? What man? She had guessed by then that Wayne might have seen Jasper. Are you serious? Wayne found it ridiculous as he asked. He gazed at her indifferently and contemptuously. He stared at Anna and seemed extremely disappointed in her. Arent you going to tell me anything about the man? You wouldnt tell me if I didnt ask you, would you? Jasper and I are just friends. Wayne, you misunderstood me. Anna finally knew whyAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Wayne looked at Anna and said, Itste at night, and you two have been alone in your house for quite some time. And I wonder what you two were doing. Anna stood a little steadier, held the table and frowned, Wayne, please calm down. Jasper and I are really just friends, and nothing happened between us. He had just returned from America and helped me at my fathers funeral. He gave me a ride home, so I invited him upstairs for a cup of coffee to thank him. Do you think I did something wrong? It doesnt matter how much I exin it to you if you dont trust me. Anna figured that Wayne wasnt a narrow-minded person, so he wouldnt mind this. She didnt expect him to lose his temper like that after seeing Jasper. Really? Are you two really just friends? Could you repeat that to me? Yes, were really just friends. Wayne clenched his fist, and then his expression turned gloomy. He then found a picture on his phone and mmed it down heavily on the table. The phone shed with the marble table, making a loud sound that echoed through the room. Annas expression suddenly changed as she saw what was on his screen. You ran a background check on me?! Anna eximed. It was information about Anna when she was in the U.S., as well as proof of marriage and the family portrait with Jasper and Tammy. If I hadnt looked into you, how would I have known that you are married to Jasper? And I didnt expect you guys to be still in touch now! Wayne then said mockingly, So, in your eyes, men are just some tools that you can use to have s*x with and have children with. Well, it seems that you treat your friends really well. Hearing that, Annas face turned pale, and she couldnt believe what she had just heard. She said, Wayne, what are you talking about?! What? Anna, are you still ying dumb now? I finally know that the ex-husband you were talking about is Jasper! No wonder you never told me about him! I thought your marriage was a big failure and that you were hurt by him. Now, I finally realize that I was an i***t who was fooled by you! Wayne said angrily, and his voice echoed through the room. Anna immediately became anxious. She defended herself by saying, Thats not the case! Wayne, please calm down and listen to me, okay? Jasper and I are just a nominal couple We just You just what? The only reason I married him was to get a green card! That way, I could legally live in the United States. Anna said aloud anxiously. Although she was annoyed with Waynes angry reaction, she didnt want him to misunderstand her anymore. So, she felt that she had to exin that matter clearly. To Annas surprise, Waynes smile became even more contemptuous and indifferent. He said, Really? You really can do that for a green card? Well, it seems that you can do anything for money. After a while, Wayne took a big breath, as if trying to calm down. He said, I hope youll think about what youre going to say next time before you lie. This is so ridiculous! You said that you and Jasper were just friends and that you got married just for the green card. So, who is Tammys father? How many men have you been married to? Anna instantly felt a chill running down her spine and all over her body. She closed her eyes and knew she couldnt control her rage any more. Anna thought to herself, Wayne, youre thest person on the who get to ask me who Tammys father is like that because YOU ARE her father! You got me pregnant without even asking for my permission! And now youre acting like youre the victim. How dare you?! However, Wayne had no idea what was going on in Annas mind. Anna became more and more annoyed and angry as she raised her clenched fist out of frustration and humiliation. She wanted to give Wayne a p. Wayne, on the other hand, responded immediately and grabbed Annas wrist in the next second. Wayne grunted coldly, and then said, Are you angry? Its because I revealed the truth, isnt it? I always thought of you as a strong woman, Anna. And I wasnt expecting you to beat me because you couldnt think of a way to make up for your lie. Anna immediately struggled to break free from his grasp. However, she didnt expect Waynes grip on her hand to be tighter. She said, Wayne, youre such a jerk! Let go of me! Wayne tugged Annas wrist even tighter to bring her closer to him. He said indifferently, Youll do anything for money, wont you? Youre even willing to have a baby for some guy, right? Will you have a baby with me if I help you expand your Lemons market share? Anna became enraged and punched Wayne in the chest with her other hand. Get the fuck out of my house or Ill call the police! she eximed. What did you just say? After taking a few steps back, Wayne asked in disbelief, his eyes wide open. I said, GET THE F**K OUT or Ill call the police! Anna said through gritted teeth, trembling in anger. Sneering, Wayne thought to himself, so, Anna, is this what you think of me? Am I only a tool to you that can be dumped right after you get tired of me? Youre the first woman that Ive ever fallen in love with, and I believed that you were the one for me. But it turns out that I was so wrong! Gosh! How could I be so stupid, thinking that a woman like you would love me back wholeheartedly? Of course, you wont love me back like I love you! After all, youre still married to Jasper and you have a daughter with him! But how how could you be so cruel to me, Anna?! You knew that I loved you YOU KNEW IT! Having collected himself, Wayne said in a low voice, Fine! ill get out of your house, but on condition that you exin everything clearly to me. Otherwise, Im not leaving! No . I cant Anna stuttered. Noticing that Wayne was ring at her with a darkened face, Anna felt extremely flustered and annoyed at the same time. She tried to calm herself, thinking, Dont I know that I owe you an exnation? Of course, I do!I know exactly how it feels to be betrayed because I was once betrayed by my exCboyfriend. And I know that I should be honest with you. But Wayne, youre the one who turned by life upside down by sleeping with me against my will when I was drugged six years ago! I could have gone to Greek to have Greek yogurt by the sea or looked down at Paris on the top of the Eiffel Tower. I could have done a lot of things that I wanted to do a long time ago and achieved my dream. But you just took these away from me! Do you know that I actually cried almost every night after I found that I was pregnant and had no choice but to be your surrogate?! And do you know how much I wanted to go back in time and erase the fact that I met you on that special night?! And I did those things because I want to protect Tammy and that I dont want her to be hurt time and time again just like Matthew, which is why I cant tell you the whole truth!! kept so many secrets from you because Im afraid of you, Matthew. And yet, Im in love with you After a while, Anna finally regained herposure. Then she said, Wayne, Im warning you onest time. Get out. N?velDrama.Org content. With that, she picked up her phone, tapped on the screen and said, Hello, I need help. I live on the 22nd floor in Season Garden. A Caucasian male just broke into my house. Please hurry! Hearing that, Wayne was too shocked to say a word as it had never urred to him that Anna would actually call the police. Then he shook his head angrily before mming the door and leaving. After Wayne left, the house fell silent. Anna let out a sigh of relief and flopped on the ground. And she dropped her phone, whose screen showed that she wasnt actually calling the police. She was just bluffing. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Anna, are you okay? Scott asked as soon as he walked in the door. He came there immediately after receiving Annas call, so he hadnt even taken off his makeup yet. With Randal following him, he strode anxiously in a blue tuxedo studded with sequins. Seeing Scott striding anxiously, Anna sighed and said, Dont worry, Scott. Im fine. She poured them both a cup of hot coffee, which generated white steam on the coffee table. Anna then told Scott and Randal about what had happened briefly. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Scott furrowed his brow and said angrily, What? Damn it! Let me stay at your house, Anna. If Wayne comes back, Ill beat the s**t out of him! Randal said, No, dont do that. Ive known Wayne for a long time, and I know that he doesnt pester. Since hes gone, he would definitely note at Anna again. He wouldnt do it himself if he wants to get back at someone. If Randal hadnt stopped him, Scott would have rushed to Waynes office and beaten Wayne up. Taking a sip of coffee, Randal continued, Calm down, Scott. I called you over because I need to speak with you about something else. What is it? Anna then nced at Randal. Randal already made himself at home the instant he walked through the door. At that point, he also acted like he didnt know what was going to happen. He was still lounging on the couch, rxed and at ease. Oh, you dont have to be wary of me, because Ill keep my mouth shut. Wayne and I are business rivals, so Im on your side. Maybe I can help you. Randal said inposure. And it was at that moment that Scott realized Randal might be the most cheeky person in the world. Scott rolled his eyes at him and said, Hey, its relevant to my sisters privacy, so youre not allowed to meddle in it. You can leave now, Randal. Im spending the night here tonight. No way. Randal refused. He appeared to have made the decision to spend the night there with Scott. Anna frowned and didnt seem to be in the mood to make them stop arguing. She said, Its okay, because Im not going to keep it a secret anymore. I want to take this opportunity to break up with Wayne and get custody of Matthew. After Wayne stormed out of the house before shouting at her hysterically, Anna immediately changed the code of the door. Even though it was the first time that Wayne had threatened Anna like that, Anna felt that he shouldnt have treated her so roughly whether there was a misunderstanding between them or not. She figured that no matter how angry and confused Wayne felt, he had no right to force her to tell him her secrets. So, this time, she would never forgive him again. After hearing Annas words, Scott froze and thought she was so angry that she got confused. He said, Yes, you must break up with him. But, did you just say something about custody? I know you like Waynes son, but theres no way you can get custody of him. Matthew is actually my son. Annas expression turned somber. She clenched her fists, and her soft palms were almost bleeding as she clinched her fists. Moreover, Anna didnt even look like she was joking. So, not only Scott was surprised, but even Randal, who was always calm andposed, was also taken aback. Almost the entire city was curious about who Waynes sons mother was, but no one knew the truth. So, none of them expected his mother to be Anna. After leaving Annas house, Scott put on a serious expression. Upon getting into the car, he looked at Randal, who was seated in the drivers seat, and said, Hey, you cant tell anyone about this. Randal rested his long fingers on the steering wheel. Between his hands, his Porsches horse and shield logo gleamed. His expression was calm and indifferent as he said slowly, Oh, I wont gossip. Besides, Anna just said that this wont be a secret soon. Scott looked even more somber when Randal mentioned this. He said, Gee, thats tricky. How is it possible that Wayne would be willing to give his son to Anna when he is so attached to him? Im afraid hell take Tammy away with him. Well, Im more curious about why Wayne slept with a woman that he didnt even know six years ago. Scott rolled his eyes at him and said, Shut up! I remember you saying that you were going to help Anna. Now, since you know the truth about everything, what will you do about that? Randal looked at him and said, Yes, I can help her. But, you have to give me a reason. By the way, I only help the ones I care about. Hearing his words, Scott frowned and was silent for a moment. His expression immediately turned unpleasant after he figured out what those words meant. He said, Randal, youre so screwed! Scott found that Randal had been pestering him ever since he met him and wanted to interfere with everything he did. Although he had to admit that Randal had gotten him out of a lot of trouble, the price he paid was that he was often teased by Randal. And recently, Scott found that the way Randall talked to him was bing more intimate and outrageous. Well, Im not in the mood to joke with you. Take me home, will you? Buckle your seat belts, said Randal. Just as he finished, he hit the gas hard. The roar of the car engine made them the focus of all passersby. The cars streamlined appearance made it look like a rocket, and it quickly entered the highway intersection. The night became restless after the truth became an open secret. The whole city was surrounded by rain. The thunderstorm washed over and over the streets as if trying to wash away all the traces of the past and prepare to start all over again. Meanwhile, Wayne was sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, with a bottle of tequ in his hand. Tipsy and upset, he picked up his phone and called Karl, saying in a low and depressed voice, Karl, I I messed up again. Wayne, whats wrong? Sensing that Wayne was somewhat off, Karl immediately closed theptop and listened to him carefully. I Anna told me to get the fuck out of her house earlier and even called the police. I just want her to tell me the truth. Does she have to treat me like Im a monster or a criminal?! I mean Does she love me? Does she even care about me? I love her so god damn much and yet, she hid the fact that she was still married to another guy from me! How could she do this to me?! Saying that, Wayne gulped down the tequ. Wow! Thats I didnt see iting at all. Im sorry, bro. How about But before Karl could finish his words, Wayne interrupted him, And she kept telling me that her husband was just her FRIEND! Can you believe that?! She has a child with her husband and her husband is merely a friend to her. Then what am I to her, hum? A fucking s*x partner that shoulde and go as she likes?! Wayne, I Damn it, Peace! Dont do it! Gosh Sorry, but I really gotta go. Bye! Soon, Karl hung up the phone. At the moment, Wayne was more than frustrated and depressed. Then he smashed the bottle in his hand to the wall. Bang! As the bottle smashed to the wall, it was thundering outside at the same time. And Wayne flopped on the ground, staring at the lightning and listening to the thunder, seeming to be lost in thought. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 That night in Birmingham, another persons heart was restless as well. The doorbell rang at the Gabriel vi. When the servant heard the bell, she impatiently answered it. As soon as she opened the door, she covered her nose when she smelled a pungent smell of alcohol. Allie, wee home. The maid had gotten used to Allie being drunk every night. She shouted a few times and called all the maids in the house downstairs. Then, they carried Allie, who waspletely drunk, to the sofa together. The bartender from the bar took Allie home that day, and it was the third time this week. The servant gave the bartender fifty bucks and let him go just like she used to do. If she goes to the bar tomorrow night, you cant let her drink so much again. To be honest, Im worried that something bad might happen to her if shees home sote at night. After all, Allies getting marriedter and she needs to be safe and sound. The bartender nodded and said, Please dont worry. Even if she gets drunk again, 1 promise Ill bring her back safely. It was a good opportunity to make money, so he wouldnt let it go. Just as the bartender left, the servant heard someone vomiting in the living room. Immediately afterward, the other servants all let out a gasp. She instantly knew what kind of miserable chaos the living room would look like. Okay, stop screaming and move! Get her bath ready, prepare the antidote, and get a new carpet. Just as they fumbled around, they heard an exasperated voice from upstairs saying, Allie, whats wrong with you? Why did you drink so much again? Shirley ran downstairs immediately after saying this. Just as she saw the puddle of vomit on the couch, she frowned and became even more annoyed. She scolded her, Whats going on, Allie? What are you doing? If your fiancs family knew you would do this, they would definitely hate you! Do you still want to get married or not? Allie, though very drunk, knew what her mother was talking about. She staggered up from the couch, sobbing and thenughing. She said, Oh, no, I dont want to get married at all! Hey, why dont you get married, mom? You can find me a stepfather! Immediately afterward, Shirley pped Allie across the face, and the crisp sound of the p echoed through the living room. Shirleys hand shook as she held it up. She said angrily, Allie, youre crazy! How dare you say that! Allie covered her face and immediately looked less drunk. She said through gritted teeth, You can hit me, mom. You know what, youd better beat me to death! Then, III O 219 Why Did You K?l Dad wouldnt have to be an indirect murderer, and I wouldnt have trouble sleeping at night! You know, I can see my fathers face when I close my eyes every night. Everyone in the living room went quiet. Then, the servants looked at each other in surpriseN?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Shirleys face turned pale with fear. She red at the maids and said, Hey, what are you guys doing here?! Allies drunk now, so shes talking nonsense. Dont tell anyone what she said, or Ill kick you out! With that, she yanked Allie by her shirt, staggered her to the second floor, and heaved her onto the bed. Allies long hair clung to her face in a mess. Shirley said to her furiously. Damn! Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what youre talking about? Do you want to put me in jail? Allie sat up from the bed with her arms and cried out loud, No, I didnt want to put you in jail. Mom, youre sending me to hell. Did you see that my dad left us all his fortune? But, you still suspected him. You had no proof that he would change his mind and gave it all to Anna at all, but you poisoned and killed him. Shirley clenched her fists and said angrily. Enough! Shut up! You know that this money was supposed to be ours in the first ce! I was touched when he said in his will that he would give it all to us. But, Allie, if he keeps living, he might change his mind. Allie covered her face and said in a dull voice, No! Thats not true! I know that you did it because youre so greedy. You killed him because you wanted it all! Tears slid down the corners of Shirleys eyes as she closed them. She felt remorse at that moment. if I had known that Frank would leave all his possessions to my daughter and me, / wouldnt have done that to him. But, since it had already happened, there was nothing/ could do about it. Shirley thought. Allie, honey, listen to me. What is done is already done, and theres nothing we can do to change the past. So, you cant think about it all the time. All you have to remember is that your dad died from illness, and it has nothing to do with us. Shirley then sat down on the edge of the bed and took Allie into her arms, saying soothingly, It will be a big day tomorrow! Youre going to be the president of the group! So, you should be happy about that. Ive been looking forward to this for so long, and its finally going to happen! Allie shook her head and cried helplessly, unable to catch her breath. Ever since she learned that her father had left the majority of his estate to her and her mother in his will, she could no longer turn a blind eye to what her mother had done. Whenever she closed her eyes at night, she could always see her fathers face. His face would be gentle at first, then it would turn fierce, and he would choke her like an evil spirit from hell. Allie, Ive been so good to you. Why did you kill me? No! Its not true! Listen to me, I didnt do anything, dad! Allie had a nightmare and woke up to find herself covered in a cold sweat. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw the time and date on the clock at her bedside. She stared at it nkly for a moment, then remembered that it was the day she would be the president of the group. She had to hold a public equity meeting and have the board of directors vote for the executive president. Allie, are you awake yet? Hurry up! She heard Shirley call her at the door. Shirley sounded very cheerful, but it made Allie feel a surge of nausea and even the urge to vomit. Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Im on my way. Allie replied coldly. Even though she was exhausted, she went to the bathroom to shower. That day, she realized just how busy a president would be. She had never thought that her father would have to deal with so many things every day. She was already tired, even though she had only been president for a few days. When she remembered there would be a board referendum that day, she became even more distracted. My father made me the president in his will. But why do I have the impression that / took it from him? Is it because my mother has done so many heinous things? I just couldnt take it anymore! Allie thought to herself. It rained for a long time and finally stopped until the next morning. In the morning, Anna met Mr. Lee, her fatherswyer, for coffee. Mr. Lee had been a close friend of Franks and was a well-knownwyer in Birminghams legal community. He was an expert inmercialwsuits for many years. However, Anna nned to seek his guidance on Matthews custody because she thought he was a trustworthy man. Mr. Lee surprised her by handing her an insurance policy before she could say anything. This is the insurance your father purchased when he was still living, and he had done so for the previous five years. And you are the beneficiary. Anna froze as she saw the huge words Death from Major Illness Insurance on the insurance policy in a daze. How did my dad She wanted to ask why did he suddenly buy this kind of insurance. And she wondered could it be that Frank had known that he would die because of serious illness. Mr. Lee said seriously, To be honest, he bought this insurance when you were still in America. He was healthy back then. In fact, I was confused about why he would buy this insurance. Butter on, after he died, I knew why. Huh? What do you mean by that? When Frank was in the hospital some time ago, he asked me to help him revise his will and resolve the property ownership issue. Im not quite certain of the Gabriel Groups financial status, but I have a general concept of it. Have you ever wondered why your father didnt leave anything for you, Anna? At that moment, she had an ominous feeling. She then asked, Whats wrong? What happened to the group? Many people in the group embezzled all the time. Because your father stopped taking charge of the company a few years ago, the subsidiaries have been fighting against each other for power and money. Although it seems that the group has a lot of real estate, almost all of them are mortgaged to the bank. So, the corporation has to rob Peter to pay Paul every year. Besides, thepany is already in a difficult situation. Anna said in astonishment, What? Really? Howe my dad never told me about this? He knew you had no intention of inheriting the group, so he didnt want you to get into this mess. While he was still alive, he had already prepared for who would seed him as president. Anna asked in disbelief, Huh? What arrangements? The TV in the cafe was ying the news channel. As they were talking, a piece of breaking news broke in. Twenty minutes ago, at exactly 10:00 a.m., the court shut down the headquarters building of a major corporation in Birmingham. The groups board members got into an argument once the police arrived. Miss Gabriel, the groups freshly appointed president, jumped off the roof and died right away. Ms. Gabriel, the vice president, however, disappeared. Annas hand shook, and the coffee cup she held knocked heavily on the table. Subsequently, the coffee spilled all over her. The waiter rushed over to her side and began cleaning it up. On the other hand, Anna kept her gaze fixed on the television. She was taken aback, perplexed, and even terrified. After a long while, she heard the waitress apologize to her. It took her a long time to return to her senses after hearing a loud ringing in her ears. Thank you, I can do it myself, Anna said. She looked flustered as she sat back in her seat. She asked, Mr. Lee, whats going on with the group? Mr. Lee hadnt looked at the TV at all. He replied coldly, My guess is that someone told the court that the Gabriel Group was evading taxes. Now, they have to pay a huge fine, and someone must be responsible for that. Thats a lot of money, so the person in charge may have to be in jail for a long time. Bewildered, Anna asked, What? Someone reported them? Who? Mr. Lee gave her a thoughtful look before responding slowly and firmly, Your father. Frank had perfectly organized everything a long time ago. Frank couldnt be a fool if he could achieve so much sess in business. So, of course, he knew whether the people around him were treating him sincerely or not. He pretended he didnt know about their schemes when he was about to die because he wanted to get back at themter. Anna thought everything was ridiculous at that time. To her, her father had always seemed like a kind and amiable man. What she didnt expect was that her father and Shirley would keep scheming against each other after they got married. In addition, he devised a n when he was about to die and set up his wife and daughter in his will. As it turned out, no businessman would give his whole heart and soul to anything. Mr. Lee walked along the street for a while aftering out of the cafe at noon. Then, he immediately got into a ck Ferrari parked by the roadside. The mans gentle face was reflected in the rearview mirror. He was dressed in an haute couture suit, making him look elegant. Did you tell Anna everything? The man sitting in the front seat asked. Mr. Lee nodded and replied, I only told her about the groups problems and Franks scheme on the will, as you said. But I didnt tell her that Frank had long been aware of Shirley and her daughters plot to poison him. The man breathed a sigh of relief and said, Okay, perfect. Ill have my assistant pay you what you deserve. Mr. Lee smiled and replied, No, that wont be necessary. Frank has already paid me. Besides, he didnt want Miss Gabriel to know too much. To be honest, I just hope she can live her life peacefully after she gets thepensation. So, Frank would have made up for what he owed her in this way. Well, I wont do anything beyond my duty. The man nodded and then pulled the car slowly to the side of the road. After Mr. Lee got out of the car, he pulled back onto the road. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Lilian then asked, Why couldnt he tell Anna the truth? She has a right to know the truth about her fathers death, doesnt she? No, thats not it. Anna no longer wants to pursue the case after it has been settled. If he had told Anna about it, Anna would have been annoyed. Since Frank intended to hide it from her, it seems that it was not the only thing he was worried about. He wasnt only worried that she would feel bothered. Jasper answered. What? What else? Lillian asked, puzzled. Jasper gave Lillian a look and replied, For the sake of the group. Frank is doing this to show Anna that he is fully aware of the situation. As a result, he doesnt want her to intervene. He even convinced Anna that what urred to the group was a nned retaliation against Shirley and her daughter. That way, Anna wouldnt get involved in the group because of her sister. But, in fact, nothing could save the Gabriel Group anymore. The tax evasion was just a trigger for its copse. Anyway, its best to keep it from her. You know, shes had a lot on her mindtely. So, Ill take care of these trifles for her. After that, Jasper looked out of the window, and his gentle gaze turned serious. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Everyone is talking about it, Anna. And you might get yourself into trouble because of it. So, you better not go to Allies funeral. Scott said to Anna over the phone. Oh, no! I wouldnt be there if I didnt know that her funeral was shortly after. Now that I know that, Im definitely attending her funeral. Anna looked at herself in the mirror and tried to make her ck shirt and ck pants look neater. She then tied her long hair into a ponytail. She heard Scott sigh through her wireless earphone. He said, Okay. Ive got stuff to do right now, so I might bete. Well, Ill be there anyway. All right, drive safely, Anna said. She then hung up the phone. Everyone said that Allies death was an ident. However, after asking several board members who were present at the time, Anna learned that Allie had jumped off the building on her own. They all said that the situation in thepany was a mess at that time. However, it was Shirley who caused all this chaos. But, no matter what, Allie was dead. Dn, Allies uncle, nned her funeral and invited as many people as he could, including Anna. When Anna got there, she noticed there were very few people around. So, she even suspected that she hade at the wrong time. However, it then urred to her that no one would want to be associated with the Gabriel Group after what had happened to them. Anna then went to Dn and said, My condolences. Dn nodded. His eyes welled up with tears at that point as he said, Allie had a bad temper, but she was a good girl, Although Anna didnt fully agree with that, she didnt say anything more. She just nodded her head and then turned around and prepared to leave. Dn suddenly stopped her and said, Wait a minute! Allie died because something happened to the company, and she couldnt handle the pressure. The group has be a mess now. You should be held ountable because you are Franks daughter! After hearing his words, Annas brow furrowed. However, Anna restrained the urge to create a fuss because they were at a funeral. She patiently exined, I dont own any of thepanys stock, and my father didnt give me any assets. I have nothing to do with the group. If youre still confused, you can ask Mr. Lee. Hes my fatherswyer. Dn looked irritated. He said, No, Im not going to talk to thatwyer; Im just going to let you take the responsibility! Why did Frank expect us to clean up this huge mess for him? You should take action since youre his daughter. Anna thought he was ridiculous and immediately said sarcastically, But when you knew about my fathers will, you didnt even seem to care about fairness at all. Dn looked even more somber. He said, Thats different! Now is the time for you to exin yourself to Allie and the rest of us! Thispany belongs to your father, so you must be responsible for this mess! Just leave Anna the f**k alone! Scott said. Even though he was standing in the crowd, Anna could hear him clearly. Anna felt a hand gently tugging at her before she could turn around. She had just looked up when she saw Randal standing behind Scott. Get Anna out of here. Randal, Scott said. He then took off his sunsses and looked at everyone; his expression became extremely unpleasant. As Anna left with Randal, she heard Scott saying in the distance, I knew you all were up to no good when you made Anna go to Allies funeral! What did you want to do to her? Did you guys think no one would support Anna? You cant me her for this disaster! When you divided her fathers estate, you utterly ignored her. What makes you think you get to take advantage of her now?! Im telling you, no f*****g way! Theres a lot of people there! Im afraid they will hurt Scott! Anna expressed her apprehension. Dont worry, Anna. Someone is protecting him, Randal said without ncing back as he helped Anna to get into his car. Anna immediately looked in the direction he was looking, Instead of pretending to be polite at all, Dn said meanly, Who the f**k are you? Youre just a stray dog Gabriel took in! Who are you to meddle in our business here? Anna became irritated as soon as she heard these words. When she looked up, she noticed Randal standing against the car door. He was dressed in a fine suit and expressionless. Teach that person a lesson, he said calmly. Someone let out a dismayed yell just as he finished speaking. Even though Anna was far away from there, she heard the man cry bitterly and the sound of bones breaking. Just hit him! Dont worry about anything else. Ill take care of everything. That miserable scream became more frequent in the distant crowd. Anna was taken aback when she noticed Randal wearing a ck wireless headphone clipped to his right ear. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The robust men in ck in the crowd were the bouncers Randal had left with Scott to protect him. No wonder Scott dares to scold the hell out of those shameless jerks, Anna thought. She exhaled a sigh of relief as she watched the chaotic crowd in the distance. She thought those people were pathetic and ludicrous at the same time. Shirley and Allie had spent their entire lives scheming and getting all their scrappy rtives to work for Gabriels group. What they didnt expect, though, was that something unexpected had urred. Then, Allie passed away, and Shirley disappeared. Instead of looking for Shirley, their so-called rtives hoped someone would continue operating the Gabriel Group. That way, they could keep getting paid for doing nothing. After leaving the funeral, Randal drove Anna home. Scott sat on the couch and said to Anna, Just ignore them, okay. Theyre all psychos. If I hadnte in time today, they might have hurt you. Once Anna realized what was right and wrong and weighed the pros and cons, she certainly knew that the most important thing was to protect herself. So, of course, she would not take responsibility for the group. She nodded before looking at Randal and then said, Youve been showing up together a lot recently. So, are you guys dating? Scott was taken aback by her words and nearly spit out the coffee he had just sipped. He said, No! Were just friends. Really? Anna looked at Randal skeptically. Scott might be too embarrassed to admit it, she thought. Randal answered, looking at Scott, Well, were sort of friends. What do you mean sort of? Anna pursued. You know, everyone has a different definition of friend. If he says were friends, then we are. Anna asked, puzzled, What are you talking about? In other words, hes the only friendI have. Anna understood what Randal meant. She smiled, looked over at Scott, and noticed his face turned from fair to rosy. She intended to tease him and deliberately asked, Hey, why are you blushing, Scott? Scott defended himself awkwardly by saying, I feel hot. What? Its fall already! Anna said teasingly. Oh, its really hot! Dont you feel hot? Its so hot in your house, so I dont want to stay here anymore. Bye, Anna, Im leaving. When Scott finished, he was ready to get up. At that point, Randall looked as if he had been ready to leave for a long time. He also stood up, straightened his clothes, and said, Ill drive you home. And Anna could see Scotts face flush even more. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Anna dialed Selinas number after Scott and Randal had left. She asked, Hello, Auntie Selina. Wheres Tammy? We had just finished eating our lunch. And Joe is trying to let her take a nap. Selina replied, and her voice sounded much softer than before. What? Uncle Joe? Doesnt he have to work? Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that your uncle retiredst week. He travelled to London this week for a jazz event. But he returned as soon as he learned Tammy wasing to stay with us. I knew he wasnt good at getting along with kids, so I told him to let me take care of Tammy. And he said he was sure he could make it. What a fool! Annaughed and said, Uncle Joe just retired, so hes probably looking for something to keep himself busy. Selina alsoughed and said, Youre right. By the way, theres a family gathering this Friday night. There wont be too many people there, just us and Bruces family. You shoulde too, Anna. Anna paused for a bit before responding, Is it necessary for me to go? Well, we havent seen one other for a long time. What do you mean? Dont you want to spend time with us anymore? Oh, no, thats not what I mean. Okay, then you muste. Ill pick you up at your ce on Friday. Anna felt that she couldnt refuse Selinas invitations any longer. Moreover, she realized that she didnt have any family members other than these two uncles and their families. In fact, she knew why Selina invited her. Selina arrived on time at Annas house on Friday night to pick her up and drive her to the hotel for dinner. Her ck Rolls Royce was parked next to Annas apartment. Tammy hugged Anna as soon as she stepped into the car. She said, Hi, Mommy! What took you so long? Im starving! Anna smiled, stroked her hair, and said, Well, sit in your seat, honey. The car is about to start. Anna greeted her uncle, who was sitting in the passenger seat in front of her, once she was seated. Mommy, look at my new dress! Do you like it? It has diamonds on it! Tammy eximed as she lifted the hem of her dress to show Anna when she sat down. Tammy wore a little blue yarn skirt and a ck leather jacket. There were two brown leather shoes on her feet and white socks withce. Anna had recently watched a lot of Fall/Winter runways of fashion brands because she was beginning a clothespany. She guessed that the outfit was thetest clothes from Bottega Va. She had no idea how much Tammys dress was worth, and she saw that she was holding a Gi handbag. You dont have to buy such expensive clothes for Tammy, Aunt Selina. Selina shook her head, Tammy is your only daughter, so you should let her wear nice clothes. You should strive to spend much money on your daughter if you have one. Otherwise, theds will think that dating her is easy. At that moment, Joe said, Yes, I agree with Selina. We arent coddling her in any way. We just want Tammy to be happy.N?velDrama.Org content. Aunt Selina, you shouldnt make life so easy for her. Anna said. If you want to talk to me about how to grow up in a stressful environment, then you can stop talking. My parents used to give me a hard time when I was a kid, and thats why! have a weird temper. Selina said. Then, Anna froze. She realized this was the first time Selina had described herself as odd. When she peered in the rearview mirror, she noticed Joe also showed a surprised expression. Thats rare, Joe said slowly. Selina, of course, heard what he said. She rolled her eyes and said, You know, someone even abandoned his wife and kids! Is that rare? Well, luckily, he got exactly what he deserved. Anna immediately understood what she meant. She guessed that maybe Tammy was the only person in the car who couldnt understand what Selina was saying. Come on, Selina, Tammys here. Dont bring it up again. Selina stated straightforwardly, No, I dont think we need to hide it from her. Tammy is little, but she knows how to tell right from wrong. So, we dont have to make her believe that this is a wonderful world. She isnt living in a fairy tale, after all. Okay, honey, Joe said as he felt resigned. Selina was obviously irritated by his attitude. She then furrowed her eyebrows and seemed to lose her temper. Anna immediately said before she got angry, Okay, Aunt Selina, its all right. We dont need to bring it up again now that its over. Tammys a big girl now, isnt she? She actually knows whats going on. She then cast a nce towards Tammy. Tammy instantly responded with a nod and said, Yes, I know everything. You dont need to be concerned about me. At this moment, Selina appeared to be less angry. She looked Anna in the eyes and said, Well, Anna, you shouldnt get involved with the Gabriel Group anymore. You know, its a big mess. Anna nodded, trying not to appear concerned. Everyone in the city knew that the Gabriel Group had run out of money after Allies death. Furthermore, the news had made every media outlets front page. And everyone was specting about why this urred, and why the tax office looked into it. Furthermore, Gabriel Groups ongoing projects had all been temporarily halted. Hundreds of people lost their employment as the real estate projects were halted. They were on their way to a downtown hotel for dinner, so they had to pass by the Gabriel Group headquarters along the way. Without ncing out the window, Anna could envision how chaotic the headquarters building of the group was right now. Many workers demonstrated, yelling, Give us our money back! Although there were many police officers there, none of them could stop the chaos. Unhappily, Selina said to Joe, Hey, stop looking at them. You know, hispany is just asme as he is. I really didnt expect them to have the nerve to evade taxes. Hey, we dont know the whole story yet, so we cant make any assumptions, Joe said in a soft tone. He was a politician, so he was used to seeing things from an objective standpoint. Moreover, he had a good temper. Anna wasnt going to pay attention to what was going on. But, as the traffic downtown became increasingly congested, she heard the gathering grow louder and louder. Then, she noticed a fire- fighting truck pass by them. She realized something was wrong at that instant. When she peeked out the car window, she noticed a large crowd gathered around the bottom of the building. Also, all of them were looking up to the top floor. Firefighters arrived at that very moment. They made their way through the crowd, set a cordon, and then filled the air mattress right away. Anna realized what had happened right away. Someone is trying to jump off the building! she heard a man say aloud at that very time, confirming her suspicions. Her expression became frightened, and her heart skipped a beat. She remembered the image of Allie falling from the roof she had seen on TV in the cafe Chapter 223 Chapter 223 The car crawled along the busy road like a bug because of the heavy traffic. However, just as the cars in front of them were driving away and they could move forward, Anna suddenly shouted the words. Tom, the driver, paused at Annas words. What? he asked. Tom wasnt the only one who didnt react, because everyone in the car froze. Selina was the first one to react. She grabbed Annas arm as quickly as she could and said, What exactly are you up to? You already said you werent going to get engaged in this! Anna frowned and then nced out the window again. She said anxiously, Aunt Selina, someone is going to jump off the building! Anna didnt do this because she was overwhelmed withpassion, but because she felt that she could empathize with them as human beings. She believed that everyones life was valuable. As the light was ready to turn green, Tom gave them a puzzled look. After Joe told him to stop, he pulled over. Selina said unhappily, Anna, do you think youre not afraid of anything because you have Wayne to back you up? But, you know, Gabriel Group is a huge group, so its financial problems are far bigger than you think. Wake up! You cant help them no matter what you do. Anna froze as soon as she heard Waynes name. Anna didnt get the opportunity to tell Selina that she and Wayne had broken up a long time ago, thus she was unaware of this. Aunt Selina, do you think that letting Gabriel Group go bankrupt is a thing worth celebrating? That group is not just my fathers business. My mother, too, put in a lot of effort. Anna took a serious nce at Selina beforeing to her senses and saying. Then, she felt Selinas hand froze. It had been a long time since Olivia died. So, Selina even forgot that Olivia had something to do with the Gabriel Group. In fact, rather than forgetting, she actually just refused to admit this. Olivia offered Frank a lot of money and publicity ideas when he just founded thepany. So, Olivia had the credit for the sess of Gabriel Group. Olivia was also a key Gabriel Group stakeholder and a member of the board of directors. The Miller family was enraged by Frank when she died. They didnt want to take possession of the shares of Gabriel Group, so they were all sold at a low price. I paid $30,000 for a down payment on a house developed by the Gabriel Group. I also borrowed money from many rtives for this! But, I didnt expect it to be halted. Now, my girlfriend broke up with me, and my father was so angry that he had a stroke. God, need money for his treatment! Also, my company hasnt paid me for six months! The Gabriel Group headquarters was thirty-five stories high. On the rooftop of the building, a man stood in the cool autumn breeze. The ck leather jacket he was wearing was worn out, and his lips were dry and cracked. His face was flushed weirdly as he was so angry. He med the Gabriel Group for all the misfortunes that had befallen him with indignation. He shouted, If you dont give me money, Ill jump! I will be a ghostter, and I will haunt every employee working here. Then, a slender man came out of the crowd in a hurry. After speaking to a firefighter, he walked into the building. The bosses of Gabriel Group are all sons of bitches! None of them even bothered to exin a word after such a big thing happened. Im going to jump off immediately if they dont pay me. Hey, calm down! Were already notifying the directors of the Gabriel Group. On the rooftop, the firefighters were roughly five meters away from that man. They all tightened up as they gazed at the man standing on the rooftop who appeared to be poised to jump off at any moment, and were thinking of a way to get him out of danger. Sir, please calm down. You can earn moneyter if you choose to live. But, if you die, youll have nothing. If I dont have money, why should I live? The man didnt look like he would be easily convinced. He says angrily, Donte here! I will count to three in a moment. If no one from Gabriels group exins to me, Ill jump off! Theyre already on their way. One. Ah! No! Two. Group two, get ready. Depressurize air bags and adjust their position. Three. Dont jump! Anna bolted down the stairwell nearly as soon as the man shouted three. She stood at the rooftop door, panting, and waved at the man who stood in the wind. She said, Hey, dont jump! Ill give you the money. The man froze, then asked, Who the hell are you? Oh, Im the head of the Gabriel Group that you wanted to see. The man said furiously, Youve got to be kidding me! Im not going to believe you, little girl. Ive met the Gabriel Groups executives, but Ive never met you! Are you a cop? Youre trying to trick me by pretending to be a boss. But Im not a knucklehead! Anna became calm immediately after her breathing became steady. She looked at the man calmly and said, Oh, Im Anna Gabriel. Im sure youve never seen me before. In fact, almost no one in the group has ever met me. But, let me tell you, I am Franks daughter. So, Im obligated to the group. You want money, dont you? I will give you the money you want now. N?velDrama.Org content. Really? the man eximed, shocked. Anna reached into her pocket and handed up her drivers license, saying, This is my license. If you dont believe me, you cane and see it. The man paused for a bit, and then moved down carefully, staring at Annas drivers license. The firefighters surrounding the man, who were already ready to act, pounced on him at that same time. The man screamed and was then pinned to the ground. The man struggled, shouting in anger, Let me go! Let me go! How dare you trick me! Anna, who was not far away, heaved a sigh of relief when she saw this. The firemen held the man tightly down and took him away. Just as he passed by Anna, he gave her a fierce re. He froze for a moment just after he saw the drivers license in Annas hand. Anna then also froze. She was about to ask something when she heard a man ask her, Hey, thank you! What district are you from? Howe Ive never seen you before? When she turned around, she saw a young police officer standing beside her. What is going on? Did he think I was an undercover cop? Anna thought to herself. Anna immediately shook her head and exined, No, Im not a cop. I came by just now after I saw what happened here. Oh, really? Well, thats quite a quick response. Impressive! What? No. Actually, Im telling the truth. Anna then followed the policeman down the stairs. At that moment, all the workers and onlookers were standing there. The policemen feared that the man would think about jumping again, so they immediately led him to the ambnce. Anna guessed that they were going to send him to a psychiatrist, as she thought that he had some mental problems from the way he spoke just now. However, just as Anna walked down the stairs, one of the firefighters said to her, Oh, this guy is lying. He doesnt have a girlfriend and didnt pay for the house. Right before the man was put into the ambnce, he suddenly turned to the crowd and yelled, Shes Franks daughter! If you catch her, youll get your money back! Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Nobody expected that the man would say something like that. Moreover, even the police officers around him didnt know how to respond He didnt cause anyone or himself any harm and all he did was just shouting a few words However, the crowd became agitated almost immediately. Then, nearly everyone dashed to Anna like a maniac I just w Pages devers license Her name is Anna Gabnel and shes Franks second daughter. You must etter and make her pay for you The man dederately continued shouting, trying to make things worse. Then, things became very turbulent Anna stood frozen in the crowd Although the young police officer beside her shielded her in his arms he was unable to prevent her from being dragged and kicked by the attackers Get her Make her Erve our money back *Give us out money All the workers yelled at Annar lunat Just as the polke there called the police station for backup there was a line of ck Porsches parked neatly on the street Then a doren of strong men got out of the cars Before the police could react to what was happening they walked through the crowd Everyone was making w for them then a young man in a suit walked brskly into that crowd When he walked out he was carrying Anna in his arms. The man mixuloutkappened and saved Anna However, she did not manage to see the scene Someone in the crowd huried something at her and hit her in the head, knocking her out before the man arned When she woke up she found that it was alreadyte at night She took a look around the room and noticed that it was decorated in a low-key but luxurious way vender scented candle was lit on the bed and the aroma made Anna feel calm and rxed. Anna sat up after propping her elbows on the pillows. The covers fell off her body at that very moment, revealing her pink silk nightgown *You ve finally woken up. Anna She heard a familiar voie say something to her, And she noticed Jasper standing in the bedroom doorway when she looked up. Moreover, he was carrying a brown wooden dinner te in his hand. She saw that there was a bowl of chicken soup on the te. It wasnt a big meal, but since Anna had been sleeping for a long time, it was what she needed most. Hey, youre stingy, Jasper! Why do you only give me soup when you can afford to live in such a big house? While Anna was sitting on the bed and drinking the soup, Jasper sat on the chair next to the bed and read a travel magazine. He felt resigned after hearing her words and asked, Can you eat a lot of food now? No, I cant. Jasper shook his head and whispered to Anna, as if she were a kid, Come on, Anna, take a sip.When youre feeling better, Ill take you to a fancy restaurant for supper. You cant eat too much because you have a head injury, ording to the doctor. Anna looked up at the mirror across the room after hearing his words. Then, she was surprised that her head was wrapped in bandages, making her look like an unfinished mummy. She then expressed her dissatisfaction by saying, Huh? Why are there so many bandages on my head? She then suddenly gasped, as she had identally touched her wound. Dont touch it. Jasper immediately frowned, as if he could feel the pain too. Anna didnt dare to move when she saw him being so serious, and then made an oh sound with her lips pursed. Then, it dawned on her that he was the one who had saved her. Then she asked, Jasper, did you save me? Are you disappointed because its not Wayne? Jasper asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression. Anna had lost her appetite after hearing Waynes name for the second time that day. In a t tone, she said, Do you have to bring him up? Since you now know everything about me, you must be aware that he and I are no longer together, right? At that point, Jasper stopped reading the magazine. He stared at Annas face and said meaningfully, If I hadnt known that, I wouldnt have turned up so promptly and saved you today. Anna frowned and asked, What do you mean by that? Jasper didnt answer the question, but he changed the subject by saying, The workers all appeared to be waiting for you to arrive, so I have a feeling this was all staged. Anna, what do you think about that? Anna frowned and said in disbelief, What are you talking about? How is that possible? They didnt even have to wait for me! You know, Im not even involved with Gabriels group. Jasper didnt seem to think so. He said, Isnt it true that theyve been attempting to me you for this? After all, youre Franks second daughter. Even though you have nothing to do with the Gabriel Group, they dont see it that way. Anna agreed with him and quickly recalled what had happened during Allies funeral. Do you think Dn did this? she questioned, unsure. It seems youre not aplete i***t, Anna, Jasper said such a mean word in a gentle tone. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Feeling resigned, Anna rolled her eyes at him and said, Youre the idiot. Anna changed her clothes and followed Jasper downstairs to stroll about after she finished her soup. After Jasper rescued her, he was afraid that the group of workers would follow them to the hospital. So, he took her back to his home. Oh, okay. What about Tammy? Did you see her yet? Since Anna had to deal with many thingstely, she was too busy to let Tammy and Jasper meet. Tammy didnt even know that their marriage was a sham. As a result, she assumed Jasper was her biological father. Oh, Ive met her. But, I just saw her at a distance. You know, it was so chaotic there. Before I took you away, I just asked Lily to say hello to your aunt on my behalf. Anna gave him a nod before thanking him. In that emergency situation, she knew Jasper wasnt in the mood to talk to Tammy. So, how about I take Tammy to dinner with you? Jasper nced at her and said as he was resigned, Youve already said that a few times before, Anna. Im afraid Ill be back in the States by the time you finally have time for supper. Youre really busy, arent you? I think you are even busier than the President of the United States. Oh, Im sorry. But Im serious this time. Why dont you decide when will we have lunch? Im sure Ill have time for it this time. Really? Yes, I swear. Jasper looked d as if the plot had worked. He immediately said, How about this noon? Mr. Wright, Ive gotten some reliable news. Just as you thought, Jaspers now working with many companies in Birmingham. Hes looking for a business partner to help him develop an artificial intelligence product. Oh, whichpanies is he working with? Ivepiled a list. Gabe ced a folder on Waynes desk right away. While Wayne was looking at it carefully, Gabe hesitated for a long time before asking, Mr. Wright, did you watch the news today? Oh, no. Whats going on? Someone tried to jump off the Gabriel Group headquarters building. Wayne paused and then asked calmly, So? What happened then? Miss Gabriel went there at that time. After learning she was Mr. Gabriels daughter, the Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Fortunately, she isnt seriously hurt, Gabe instantly exined after observing Waynes annoyed expression. She shouldnt bite off more than she can chew, Wayne grumbled as he remarked on Annas actions. He stood up after closing the folder. Which hospital is she in? he said as he put on his jacket. Huh? Gabe then was puzzled. He felt regretful right away and wished he could go back in time and beat himself up. I shouldnt have been a bbermouth! Im so screwed, he thought to himself. I was just asking which hospital she is in. Wayne nced at Gabe, then impatiently repeated his question. Gabe stammered for a few seconds, and then replied, Sheswell; shes not in any hospital. What? So, where has she gone? Well, Jasper took her away. Hearing that, Wayne looked even more irritated. When Gabe saw Waynes sullen expression, he felt terrified. He then asked, Mr. Wright, are we still going out? Of course, Wayne said, his fists clenching. Gabe asked, puzzled, Oh? Really? Well, where should we go? You know, Miss Gabriel isnt staying in a hospital. Is it okay if we go to Jaspers house? In fact, I dont believe we should. How about you give her a call in advance? What are you talking about? Do you mean theres nothing more I can do but search for her? Wayne asked in a frigid tone. He gave Gabe a threatening look. Gabeughed awkwardly and exined, Oh! No, thats not what I meant! All thedies in town know youre an attractive man, Mr. Wright. So, where are we going? Ill just go there by myself. You dont need to follow me. Wayne said sullenly and left. Jasper took Anna and Tammy to a famous fancy French restaurant downtown. The wonderful tune of the Blue Danube filled the lobby, creating a romantic atmosphere. Before leaving the house, Anna took off the bandage on her head and applied a BandCAid to the wound. Then, she covered it with her hair. Hey, I already said you didnt have to buy her expensive presents! She has a lot of toys. Anna said. At that moment, Tammy was unwrapping the gift. Jasper smiled, reached out and pinched Tammys cheeks. He said, Oh, Anna, its not about the money. Tammy is my little princess, so I must be nice to her. Otherwise, shell think that I dont want her. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tammy grimaced and said outright, You cant me me for that! I only see you a few times a year, Daddy. If you keep doing this, Im going to have to ask my mommy to find another boyfriend. Hey! What an ungrateful little girl you are! Jasper pretended to be enraged and locked his gaze on her. Ah, its Elsa! Ive always wanted this! Tammy jumped up and down with joy as she hugged the doll. She was so delighted that she didnt appear to notice what Jasper had just said. Anna rolled her eyes at her and then returned her gaze to Jasper, saying, In fact, she doesnt even care about it. She even used my photo to sign up for an online dating service when we first returned to Birmingham. She didnt even know a few words back then, you know. But I was taken aback by the fact that she knew how to use the website. Jasper frowned as he asked, What? Blind dates? Anna, do you really need a blind date? No! Of course, I dont need one! Anna gave a firm response. However, Jasper had mixed feelings. What he meant by dont need and what Anna said were two very different things. However, he felt it would take a lot of effort to let Anna realize that he liked her. While they were eating, they talked about what happened when they were in the United States. They bothughed as they thought of how awkward it was when they first met. Annater realized she hadntughed like that for a long time. Meanwhile, they didnt notice that Wayne and Charlotte were also eating at that restaurant at that time. There was a hall and a piano between them, so neither of them saw each other. Charlotte was dressed elegantly. After taking her seat, she hesitated for a long time before asking, Hows Matthew doing? Hes fine, Wayne replied. He didnt seem to want to talk to her at all. Both of them were silent. Wayne then seemed to notice that he was making things awkward between them. He then said, Matthew stayed at my grandfathers house after he got out of the hospital. There are nannies and maids to take care of him, so its going pretty well. Matthew was, in fact, doing exceptionally well. Thest time Wayne saw him, he even said a few simple words. But he only said just a few words. Wayne had vivid memories of the incident. One day, Tammy walked up to Wayne as she held Matthews hand and then said, as if expecting him to praise her, Mr. Wright, Im going to give you a surprise. So, you have time to think about what reward youll give me now. Then, Wayne realized that Matthew could talk, and he was extremely excited about this. Although it had been some time since that happened, he could still remember every detail clearly. Oh, Matthew is adorable, and I like him. But, he appears to like Anna more. Hearing Annas name, Wayne snapped back and frowned. If Matthew didnt like her, I wouldnt have dated her in the first ce. Wayne thought to himself. Actually, Wayne, theres something Id like to tell you. Ive wanted to talk to you about this a long time ago, but Ive been afraid to. Now, I feel like I have to tell you that. Charlottes voice was hoarse, as if it had taken her a long time to finally have the guts to say it. However, she still didnt dare look into Waynes eyes. What are you going to say? Wayne asked as he looked at her. He finally understood why Charlotte had invited him to lunch at that moment. After leaving the office, Wayne was irritated to the point of rage. As a result, he wanted to meet Karl and talk to him about it. Charlotte, on the other hand, called him as he was getting into his car. She exined that she needed to speak with him about something important and that she wanted to have lunch with him. Charlotte paused for a moment before saying, Actually, I did have something to do with that fire in the hotel. I didnt mean to do it. But, She waspletely oblivious to the fact that Wayne wasnt even paying attention to her. Wayne shifted his gaze from the pianist taking a bow in the middle of the hall to the dining table across the room. They look like a happy family, he thought. He hadnt seen Anna in a long time. He did notice, though, that Anna never seemed tough like that in front of him. Sheughed heartily at Jasper, looking extremely rxed and cheerful. Wayne, I I know the actual cause of the fire, Charlotte. Just drop it, okay? Wayne interrupted Charlotte before she could finish her sentence. Charlotte saw someone obstructing the light in front of her and suddenly disappearing at that moment. Wayne, where are you going? she asked, looking up in amazement toward the distant. Wayne strode across the stage in the middle of the hall, and even pushed aside a waiter who was in his way. He looked extremely upset and walked straight to a table on the opposite side of the room. Charlotte felt like she was simply his sidekick when she saw the way he walked. What are you doing here? Wayne asked Anna. When Anna heard the familiar voice, she stoppedughing. As soon as she looked up, she saw that Wayne was questioning her with justification. Moreover, he seemed to be trying not to get angry. The Reluctant Alphas Reluctant Luna As the younger son of the alpha of the Crimson Phoenix Pack, Dn had never wanted to be an alpha No Hed always wanted to be an ountant, maybe work for his fathers pack and live a comfortable life Chapter 226 Chapter 226 At that moment, the pianist was still ying the piano. Waynes furious questioning voice was drowned out by the wonderful sound of the piano. However, people around that table all looked at him in surprise. Jasper was the first to react to what was going on. Then, he immediately asked a waitress to take Tammy away. Anna then regained herposure. Her astonished expression quickly changed to indifference when she saw the woman standing behind Wayne. This is none of your business, Wayne, she answered indifferently. Wayne gave Jasper a harsh stare and stated, Is it true that you two are just friends? But, why do you look like a family to me? He recalled thest time he had seen Anna, and he watched Jasper leaving her house. Anna was able to defend herself eloquently during their fight. Despite the fact that Wayne had seen them together, she insisted that Jasper was simply a friend. Wayne began to doubt if the information he had been given was correct because of her righteous attitude. He didnt imagine hed have the opportunity to meet Jasper. Moreover, his intuition told him that Jasper certainly did not consider Anna as a friend. Maybe hes deeply in love with her, Wayne thought. Dont you think you owe me an exnation? Wayne asked. When Anna saw how aggressive Wayne was, she feltpletely disappointed in him. She exhaled deeply and replied, I dont need to exin anything to you, Wayne. You should leave now. Wayne clenched his fists and sneered when he heard this, saying, Oh, yes, I can certainly leave right now. He gave Anna a cold, indifferent stare. But, you have toe with me, he said as he grabbed Annas wrist and tugged her from her seat. Wayne was enraged with her. He had the impression that Anna had cheated on him from the beginning. So, he wanted Anna to give him a reasonable exnation. But, at that very time, someone pressed a strong palm on Waynes arm, preventing him from dragging Anna away. When Wayne turned to the side, he noticed Jasper staring at him with a calm expression on his face. In a charming voice, Jasper said, Mr. Wright, I dont think you can do that. Wayne gave him an icy re and didnt appear to care about him. Wayne responded coldly, It has nothing to do with you. This is between Anna and me, He calmly said, Anna is an adult, and she can make her own decisions. Whether interfere with this or not wont change the fact that she doesnt want to leave with you. Oh, it makes no difference whether she wants to or not. You should know that this is a private matter between her and me. Wayne pulled harder and attempted to yank Anna up. Jasper, on the other hand, appeared to be more powerful than him. He held Waynes arm down with just the right amount of force. Then, he spoke with a soft but firm tone, Oh, Im sorry about that. But I respect Anna. Waynes expression became extremely gloomy. He fixed his gaze on Jaspers face, as if his eyes were laser rays that could kill people. He warned, But Mr. Thomas, youre in Birmingham now, not Manhattan. He knew that Jasper was well established on Wall Street and well respected by those in the financial industry. He was, after all, just an outsider in Birmingham. And hed have to follow the rules in Birmingham as long as he was here. The Wrights were the ones who made the rules there. At that moment, the piano sound came to an abrupt end. The two men tensed the atmosphere of the entire restaurant simply by staring at one other. It appeared that a battle was about to break out. Some people then quietly took out their cellphones and began to take pictures of them. However, just as they were about to do so, some bouncers in suits warned them to stop taking pictures. Some of these bouncers worked for Wayne, while others worked for Jasper. Jasper appeared rxed as if he knew he was going to win. And he looked down at Wayne with contempt. Jasper said, if I want to win a race, it doesnt make much difference if its my home game or not. After all, I didnt get where I am now just by relying on my family. Everyone in the room was startled when they heard his words because they all knew Wayne was from the rich Wright family. Whether he was capable or not, he was the sessor to Carousel. As a result, no one dared to challenge or criticize him. Despite this, everyone thought that he was the right person for the job. Jasper seemed to have great contempt for Waynes sess. Moreover, he attributed it to the fact that he relied on his wealthy family. Waynes face became even more gloomy after hearing Jaspers words, and he tightened his grip on Annas arm. And he looked very intimidating. If things like this happened in the past, he would not have taken such words seriously. He knew that everyone was born into a different family, and it was not up to them to make Furthermore, even if two persons were born into the same ss, the one with no talent was doomed to fail. So, whether or not a person could be sessful was not determined by the family in which one was born. Wayne had the impression at the moment that Jasper was saying it to impress Anna. He used the contrast in their backgrounds to emphasize how sessful he was by bing sessful from the scratch. Wayne asked, What? You look down on me, dont you? Well, you dont seem to understand what the power of arge family means. He then turned to face his bodyguard, who stood beside him. The bodyguard immediately understood what he meant and asked all the guests in the restaurant out. Then, all the people left one after another in just a few minutes. Before that, the restaurant was filled with customers. However, there were only four of them and the bouncers left after that. Anna felt agitated at this point and attempted to free her hand from Waynes grip. She said, Wayne, what are you doing?! Let go of me! Wayne, on the other hand, didnt appear to want to let go. He gave Jasper a frigid look and said, Now, Ill show you how powerful my family is. Youll never get out of here if you dont leave us alone. He had made his point very clearly. The reason why the Wright family was so sessful in Birmingham was not only because they knew how to do business. There were rumors a long time ago that they had some connections with the gangsters, and that was true. So, it was easy for him to make someone disappear in this world without the police noticing. Jasper, to Waynes amazement, didnt appear to be scared at all. He pressed his sses up his nose and maintained a calm demeanor. He said, So, this is how you handle things, Mr. Wright. It seems that I overestimated you before. He still had a scornful attitude toward Wayne. At that moment, Wayne finally couldnt control his anger. He gave Anna a stern look and said, Ill give you one more chance, Anna. Do you want to leave here with me or not? You know that if you refuse me, Jasper will never be able to walk out of this restaurant alive again. N?velDrama.Org content. Anna stayed silent while they argued. When Wayne finally talked to her, she acted as if she didnt give a damn about him. She said through gritted teeth, Wayne, Ive never thought youd be this childish before. Anna said to Wayne with contempt, too, and she seemed to think he was pathetic. After hearing her words, Wayne felt as if a bucket of icy water had been thrown on his head, and he became calm. Then Anna abruptly shook off his hand with all the force she could muster. Because Wayne had gripped her wrist too hard, he had left a bruise on her hand. Anna then said coldly but firmly, Dont hurt Jasper! If youre as powerful as you imed to be, then you cane at me as well. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Wayne then felt a shiver running down his spine, and his heart ached. Thest trace of tenderness in his heart disappeared. He stared at Annas expressionless face and said word for word, Do you dare to say it again? Yes. And I wont change my mind. If youre to hurt Jasper, you shoulde at me as well Anna said in a decisive tone. She gazed at him with disdain as if she had been deeply disappointed in him. Then, she even began to doubt herself, I was so stupid that I fell in love with you, Wayne. It turns out youre just a narrow-minded pretentious man and would gloat over your wealthy family. You even think that you can just trample other peoples lives as you like! Waynes fists were clenched more tightly, and his bones made a clicking sound. He said those words with his gritted teeth, Are you willing to put your life on the line for one another? What a touching friendship you have! Anna, you were lying to me before! Anna frowned but didnt exin anything. However, Wayne misinterpreted her attitude as she couldnt defend herself. With a snarl, he added, Dont you think its silly of you that youre threatening me like that? Who do you think you are? Despite the fact that Anna knew Wayne was angry, she couldnt help but be curious about his answer. Im also intrigued as to who you think I am, she said, despite the fact that she didnt hold out much hope for it. Youre nothing more than my f**k buddy, Anna. Anna recognized then that reality was always harsher than it appeared. After hearing Waynes mean words, Anna felt as if a knife had stabbed her in the heart. She then tried to hit Wayne in the face with her fist. She discovered, however, that she had lost all of her strength. She used to love Wayne so much. Yet, she didnt expect him to treat her like a f**k buddy. Wayne had humiliated her to the point that she felt as if he had ripped out her proud heart and exhibited it for all to see. Wayne, I think I used to overestimate you. I used to thought you were a gentleman. Now, it seems that I waspletely wrong. Jasper spoke up at that point. He then unfastened his suit jacket, and his face became irritated. Then, he immediately punched Wayne hard in the face. Wayne let out a muffled grunt before copsing to the floor and knocking over the chair beside him. All of Waynes bodyguards ran towards them, trying to help their boss. Nevertheless, Jaspers bodyguards were all ready to do the same. These two groups immediately fought 227 Damon and Pythias with each other. They threw tables and chairs at each other and made a lot of noise. Also, some of them then fell to the ground and rolled around because they were hurt. The entire restaurant was a shambles. Before Anna could react, Jasper and Wayne had already started fighting. Jasper usually did a lot of extreme sports. So, he was good at fighting and could bear more pain than others. Soon, he got the upper hand, He then struck Wayne again, knocking him to the ground and toppling the huge ss floormp next to him. Wayne then fell to the ground, looking miserable. Oh! Wayne! Charlotte eximed. She yelled at Jasper as she stood in front of Wayne, Hey, Ive called the police! And, my brother and the police are on their way. Jasper had raised his fist and was about to strike Wayne once more. When he saw Charlotte, he nced grimly at her and then at Wayne. He then sneered and said, Oh, ! dont hit women. Wayne covered his chest and couldnt say anything after a long time. Why would Jasper say something like that? Was he being sarcastic about how rough! was with Anna the other day? Did he even know about this thing? Anna appeared to be open to discussing everything with him, Wayne thought. Jasper then wiped his hands with a towel from the table. When he saw how pale Annas face was, he felt overwhelmed with remorse. I shouldnt have hit Wayne in the first ce! Did I scare Anna? Jasper thought to himself. Anna, lets go. He said to Anna with concern and held her by the shoulders. When Anna looked over at Wayne, she saw Charlotte standing beside him with an anxious expression. Charlotte appeared fragile and adorable, as if she was going to cry. I could never be as gentle as her! Anna thought. Anna had wanted to go to Waynes side and see if his injuries were serious. However, at that moment, she gave up the idea. She clenched her teeth and left there without looking back. She noticed that the floor was littered with tables, chairs, and tes that had fallen to the ground. The elegantly designed French restaurant had be a battleground. She was well aware that anytime Jasper went out, he would be apanied by his bodyguards. So, she didnt ask any questions and just walked over to his car. Tammy was quietly eating pudding and watching cartoons in Jaspers car. She was oblivious to what was going on outside as a child, and nothing seemed to bother her. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Oh, Im so sorry. Look, we havent even finished our meal yet! Why dont we eat at a different restaurant? Jasper said. To Annas surprise, he was thinking about eating at that time. It seemed that what had just happened didnt seem to affect him at all. Yet, Anna had lost her appetite. Shaking her head, she responded, No, thanks. To tell you the truth, Im already stuffed. Is it possible for you to drop Tammy off at my aunts house? Ill have a meeting with the designers about the sample dresses tonight. Jasper nodded. After that, he told the driver to drive. Anna and Wayne didnt call or see one other for half a month after that day. During that period of time, Anna was busy making the first batch of clothing. Although she changed more than a dozen fabrics and about a dozen clothing factories, she was unable to make Andrew satisfied. Andrew was a meticulous designer and wanted to make clothes that would satisfy him in every detail. He was quite particr about textiles and procedures, which caused the entire program to drag. Fortunately, Jasper was willing to help her. He found her an Italian fabric dealer who agreed to work with Lemon on a temporary basis and supply them with high-quality fabrics. They were also able to enhance the apparatus of the factory on their own, thanks to Andrews efforts. Half a monthter, Lemons first store opened as scheduled, and it was located in a good position in Star Mall. Many people brought them flowers and cards to celebrate the asion, and almost all of them were Annas coworkers at the Carousel Hotel. Almost everyone was aware that Anna and Wayne had broken up. They didnt feel appropriate about going there in person to support Anna, so they could only send flowers to show their congrattions. After all, Anna could see why they did that. The first toe was Jasper. He presented her with a bouquet of sunflowers and congratted her on the opening of her new store. While he was talking, Lily said he needed to work and urged him to leave. After that, he left after Anna reminded him that it was time for him to return to work. Just after sending Jasper away, Anna saw a man in a blue suit at the door. She froze when she realized who he was. While she was dazed, the man walked into the store. He grinned as he handed Anna a lovely navy blue present box and said, Congrattions, Anna. I hope your business will be a sess. Anna took the gift box and said, Oh, thank you! Karl looked at her with a smirk, and then said, Oh, are you surprised that I came here? You seemed awkward just now after recognizing me. Anna frowned and denied, No, thats not what I meant. I thought you didnt have time toe here because you had to take care of Peace. Haha, I didnt mean it, Anna. Karl then followed Anna around therge store. Pretending to seem unconcerned, Anna, Im curious about who Tammys father really is. Can you tell me the truth? Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Annas heart skipped a beat after hearing Karls words. What did you ask that? She looked at him warily and asked. Karl appeared to be at ease. He answered, Actually, since I am taking care of Peace at home every day, I dont know what has happened recently. I just heard that you and Wayne broke up the other day. He told me that youre still married. Is it true, Anna? Anna exhaled a sigh of relief as she heard this. Thats right, she replied honestly, frowning. Bravo! Karl gave Anna a thumbs up, much to Annas amazement. He said, Anna, youre the only woman in this world that made Wayne be your lover willingly. Respect! His pliment did not sit well with Anna. She expressed her displeasure by saying, Thats so ridiculous! To tell you the truth, I married Jasper just to get a green card. That way, Tammy and I could live in the United States legally. I needed a green card, and Jasper needed the money. As a result, we made a deal. Karl rubbed his chin before realizing what was going on. He asked, Jasper isnt Tammys father, is he? So, what exactly do you mean by a deal? Why didnt you tell Wayne about this, Anna? Anna was bing increasingly irritated. She asked, What are you talking about? Ive already exined everything to him! However, he doesnt believe me at all. Theres no need for me to exin anything else now that he thinks that way. Shed told Wayne a long time ago that she married Jasper in order to obtain a green card. Wayne, to her astonishment, assumed she was doing it for the money. As a result, she didnt think she could exin herself. Karl was taken aback. As a bystander, he didnt think that either of them had done anything wrong. They quarreled because neither of them wanted to concede defeat. As a result, the hostility between them intensified. Karl gave Anna a skeptical nce and replied, To be honest, Im not sure what youre talking about. Can you tell me more about it? Im curious as to why your marriage is a deal. Oh, its a long story. Anna then began to tell him what had happened five years ago. She took Tammy to America like a fugitive just after she gave birth to her. Tammy was not an American because she was not born in the country. And Annas travel visa expired when they spent a little time in the United States. Anna had just two options at the time: return to Ennd to get a new visa, or confess to her family about her daughter. But, whatever she picked, she would have to return to her homnd. Anna, on the other hand, was terrified. She was scared that the man who forced her to have the babies would track her down and take her daughter away. So, she would rather stay illegally in the United States than return to Ennd. I was a cleaningdy at Jasperspany back then. What? Karl was taken aback. He didnt expect Anna, as a wealthy woman, would agree to work as a cleaningdy. Anna didnt exin to him why she wanted to do this job. She continued, Jasper had just started a business and needed two million dors. I happened to have some cash on hand at the moment. So, I went to his office and told him about it. He didnt believe me when I told him he didnt have to pay me interest and he thought I was crazy. Till this day, Anna could still clearly remember that scene. She walked into Jaspers workce wearing a brown uniform as soon as she knew he was short of cash. But, in the end, I was able to persuade him to believe me. I told him that I intended to marry him in exchange for a green card and the opportunity to live in the U.S. with my daughter. It was difficult to convince Jasper, but Anna did it. And, he did do what he was supposed to do. Karl went on to ask, So, what did you do after you were married? You two didnt live together? Anna answered, We didnt, of course. Heter moved to another office with the money I gave him. There was a strait between us because he lived in the North End and I in the South End. He would come over to my ce in holidays to spend time with Tammy and let her feel like she had a father. After knowing the truth, Karl breathed a sigh of relief in his heart for Wayne. However, he couldnt help but be concerned about him. Waynepletely misunderstood Anna! I knew him well enough, so I knew that he must have said a lot of hurtful words to Anna out of anger! I want to see how he could make it up to Anna. I cant help him with it, so Wayne has to do it on his own. He thought to himself. Karl looked at Anna and said, He didnt understand that probably because hes the one involved in it. You see, although Im a bystander, I cant look at this thing from an objective perspective. Even if I try my best to remain neutral, I will still be biased somehow. Youll forgive him, wont you? After all, he loves you very much. Anna rolled her eyes at him and said, Just say what you want to say. Karl, Im not in the mood to y word games with you right now. Karl nodded and did his best to exin, You didnt exin to Wayne at first that your marriage to Jasper was a sham, and that was why he misunderstood you. In any case, you and Jasper are not divorced now. So, you cant pretend that nothing has happened. I can apologize for him to you, Anna. Please, just let this go. I really hope you guys can make up. Anna thought he had a point as she had also realized that Wayne might suspect her because she had downyed the fact that she was still married. However, she grew enraged when she thought that Wayne would curse her and say so many hurtful words because of such a trifle. N?velDrama.Org content. Anna red at Karl unhappily and asked, He really meant it? He would havee here himself if he meant it. Karl said as he felt that he could do nothing about it, Oh, please dont make it hard on him, Anna. Hes staying in a hospital right now. Two of his ribs are broken, and he cant leave there these days. Otherwise, he would havee here and said it to you himself. Anna was taken aback and asked, What? What happened? Karl pretended to look surprised and asked, You didnt know about that? Oh, he was hurt in a fight at a restaurant half a month ago. He was admitted to the hospital on that day, and his wounds have not recovered yet. Someone broke his bones, and its pretty serious. The doctor said he had to stay in the hospital for a while. Annas face immediately turned pale. When she heard Karl say that Wayne had fought with someone else, she knew what he was talking about. She had no idea, though, that Wayne had been seriously injured that day. So, he called me every day while he was in the hospital. I thought he was annoying, so I just came here and asked you what happened between you two. As far as I can tell, nothing appears to have happened. Karl is indeed an eloquent speaker who can make the actual fact sound like a fake, Anna thought. I dont think he needs to mind Jasper at all since youre not actually a couple. You and Wayne truly love each other, so your fake husband cant stop you two from being together. Anna frowned and asked, Which hospital is he staying at? Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Gabes anxious voice echoed in therge VIP hospital room, They didnt say anything else in the meeting. But as you know, one of our projects in Leeds was canceled. So, many people on the board wanted you to exin it to them. Mr. Taylor said some good words for you, but Mr. Davis almost got into a fight with him. Okay, got it. Wayne had taken off his patient clothes and put on a ck haute couture suit. The suit fit his muscr body perfectly and concealed the bandages on his back. When he got up, he didnt look like hed been seriously injured. Do the discharge paperwork for me, please. But, the doctor said you cant leave here yet. Wayne acted as if he hadnt heard the words. After buttoning his jacket, he walked out of the ward with a big stride. Before he left, he said indifferently, Get me out of the hospital, Gabe, and figure out what youre going to tell them. Gabe thought there was nothing he could do but watch Wayne leave. He sighed, and then walked after him. Wayne suffered from two broken ribs in his chest, which could havepressed the hearts nerves. So, he should stay in the hospital for at least one month, ording to the doctor. Wayne, though, gave the impression that he didnt give a damn. When the elevator reached the top floor where they were, Gabe followed Wayne into it. At the same time, the elevator next to it arrived. A nurse came out first pushing a surgical bed, followed by arge group of people. Among them, a slim woman stood there helplessly. Because it was so crowded, she couldnt even take a step, and all she could do was to be pushed forward by the crowd. Wayne and Anna turned around at the same time, but they brushed past one other since it was so noisy there. Anna asked the nurse at the front desk which ward Wayne was in. She was shocked when she learned that Wayne had left there. What? How is that possible? I came over as soon as I heard he was here. Are you sure youre not mistaken? The nurse patiently exined to her, Yes, hes already left the hospital, and he just finished the procedure. Did youe from the elevator over there? He just left! Maybe you just bypassed him. Anna froze and asked, Huh? Has he just left? Yes. Just now, a man who appears to be his assistant checked him out of the hospital. They simply A senior nurse standing next to her interrupted her before she could finish. She said, They left. Well, you can run after them if you really want to see him. His injuries are not serious. But you know, rich people value their lives more than anything else. The doctor told him that he didnt need to stay in the hospital for so long. But, he was skeptical about it and stayed for days anyway. Anna snapped back to her senses and cast a confused nce at the nurse who had just spoken. She looked less anxious as she thought about what the nurse had just said. Then, she smiled mockingly to herself. Why did Ie here? I thought Wayne was seriously injured. Its good that he happened to have left the hospital. If he had known I wasing, he would have been sarcastic to me. Anna thought to herself. The young nurse at the front desk patted her chest in relief as she watched Anna leave. She said, Thank goodness you saved me! I almost said something I shouldnt have! If the head nurse knows this, she will me me for it. She just said that Mr. Wrights assistant told her that if anyone asked about his illness, we couldnt say anything. So, you didnt listen to her carefully just now, did you? The young nurseughed awkwardly and said, Oh, I heard her, of course. Well, I just didnt expect someone would ask me about it. Its just too bizarre! Its not like he has some kind of weird disease or something. So, why cant we tell anyone? Another nurse frowned and said, Oh, youre so naive! You know, all the people staying in the VIP ward here are rich and powerful. I think everyone is on guard because thepetition inrgepanies is so fierce. If someone is unable to work because hes sick, others will take his ce at any time. So, he definitely cant let anyone know what kind of illness he has. The young nurse said in shock, What? Oh my God! I had no idea at all. Ive just. Come on, stop thinking about it. Nothing bad happened, and she has left. You need to be careful about such thingster. I wont tell our superiors about it, dont worry. Well, you can now check on your patients now. Thank you, Im on my way. Anna returned to her store first after leaving the hospital. To her delight, there were many customers there. Andrew was also there because he was the designer. Like a salesperson, he followed the consumers and exined the clothings materials and howfortable they were. Moreover, he even listened carefully to the consumers suggestions on the clothes. Mr. Cooper, good job! The clothes you designed were sold out both online and at the shop. Just now, several customersined to me that they didnt get the clothes they wanted. So, they asked me to make sure to save a few pieces for them when the next collectiones out. The clerk told Anna about the sales that day. Then she said, Miss Gabriel, should we tell the manufacturer to make more of those clothes? ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Anna shook her head in response as she nced at Andrew, who was still speaking to the customers in distance, and replied, No, that wont be necessary. Hang the samples in the store with a out of stock sign once the clothing has beenpletely sold out. In fact, Anna had discussed this with Andrew before she opened her store. Andrew served as the chief designer this time and designed a series of fall clothes. However, he told the factory that there should be a limit on the number of pieces of each garment. So, after the clothes hit the shelves, some of them had been sold out immediately. Andrew, however, said that having the clothes go out of stock was his goal. Anna positioned Lemon as a fashionable and affordable luxury brand. She realized that Lemon could notpete with the well-known and expensive premium luxury brands. Regarding product price and manufacturing speed, Lemon could notpete with fast fashionpanies. So, they could only make each piece of clothing into a boutique. People want to make themselves the most unique person in the world. So, selling the clothes in limited quantity would make consumers get satisfaction. This demonstrated that Andrew was indeed a brilliant designer. In addition to creating exquisite clothes, he was good at making the consumers feel impressed. In addition, he would try to increase the value of each piece of clothing as much as possible. After the customer followed the salespeople to the checkout, Anna walked up to Andrew and said greeted him. She then asked, Hey, hows it going? Oh, not bad, and its just like what you expected. Well, after the collection is sold, someone will surely make copies of these clothes. Youll have to get busy to make them disappearter. Annaughed and didnt seem to care about it at all. She said, Dont worry, I will sue them. Then, I can use the money theypensated us for opening a few more stores. Its quite a deal! Andrew still looked aloof and said, Oh, I wont care about that. Im going to visit Peace in a little while. Do you want to go with me, Andrew? Andrew frowned and replied, Im not going, and I dont want to see how nuts she gets right now. Wait a minute, Anna. Could you bring her something for me? With that, Andrew went to the warehouse. When he returned, he had a bag in his hand. Oh! Whats that? Anna looked at the white fabric peeking out from inside the bag and asked curiously. Andrew replied with disgust, Nothing, just her graduation design. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Peace and Andrew graduated from Central Saint Martins in the same year. Andrew obtained his Ph.D. at that time, while Peace had a masters degree. Not only did they study with the same tutor, but they also often coborated to make clothes. The dress that Anna brought to Peace was the one she used to design with Andrew. Anna noticed that Peace had already looked much better than before. She was not only lucid and aware of who she was, but she also recognized Anna. Moreover, Peace seemed like a normal person, and she even went to the kitchen to prepare a sd for Anna. Seeing how enthusiastic she was, Anna was heartbroken, though. Peaces behavior did not indicate that she was improving; rather, it showed that her condition was worsening. Peace had told Anna before that if she seemed enthusiastic about everything around her after the attack, it was a sign of her schizophrenia getting worse. By repressing her feelings and trying to please others around her, she was attempting to hang onto her final hope. To be honest, you seem exhausted, Anna said to Karl, who was sitting across from her. Ah? Why do you say that? Actually, I feel pretty good. Karl had just returned home from her store, and he was still wearing the clothes he had just worn. In the light, Anna could see distinct dark circles under his eyes. Karl had always looked energetic in front of Peace. However, whenever she was not around him, he would look terribly exhausted. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Anna thought it was really a miracle that Karl, a rich young man, could take care of Peace for so long Anna said honestly, No offense, but I dont think either of you looks great. So, I think we should send her to a professional institution for rehabilitation. Oh, no! Actually, Ive visited every rehab facility and mental health facility in this city. But, I dont believe those ces are good for her. Karl immediately refused as if he didnt want to discuss this matter at all. Anna said calmly, There are a lot of psychiatric hospitals out there that are better than those ones. You know, I mean the hospitals in America. Im a good friend of Peaces, so I think she should go there for treatment. Did Jasper find that hospital for her? Anna frowned, nodding. Karl suddenly got emotional and said aloud, Damn! Are there no women in America? Why on earth did hee to Ennd? Not only does he want to break you and Wayne up, but he wants to do that to Peace and me! Im telling you, no way! Anna answered with calm but discontent, Karl, dont say that, please. Jasper is one of the few friends Peace has ever had, and I can swear that he only thinks of her as a friend. He only did it to help his friend. Youre misjudging him because you think too nasty of him. Karls expression became somber and his gaze slightly aggressive. He said, Well, Anna. Ill never allow anyone to take her away from me. Anna clenched her fists and said with gritted teeth, Youre so selfish! Anna thought that it was really very selfish of Karl to do that. She then thought to herself, Karl, youre not letting Peace get better because you dont want her to leave you. Youre not doing this because you love her! Anna was no longer polite either. She red at Karl and said, Peace is not an object but a human being! Ive known her for a long time, so I am more entitled than you to decide what kind of treatment she should receive now. Im not here to discuss it with you, Karl. Im here to inform you of my decision! Karl grew angrier and asked, What do you mean by that? Do you think you can do whatever you want in Birmingham just because Jasper has your back? After hearing his mean words, Anna finally couldnt help but get furious. She said irritably, I think that you and Wayne are the same kind of idiots! You think I want to take her away from you, dont you? However, it was you who kept her at home when she needs nt. Youll regret it if something bad happens to her in the future! Hearing that, Karl didnt appear to be pleased. When he heard the word something bad happens to her, he thought of the ident the other day. At that moment, he felt extremely heartbroken. I brought something important here. Anna then turned the huge shopping paper bag upside down. Instantly, a wedding dress dropped upon the couch. That dress was made of white yarn, and seemed to have been made of white clouds and stars as there were gold threads in it. The clothing was lovely and fluffy, and it shone in the light. This is Peaces graduation design, called Dream! Peace considered marriage a dream because it was out of reach for her, and she figured she couldnt get married like everyone else. But, rather than looking forward to marriage, she looked forward to bing normal. Just think about it, Karl, Anna said. Anna set the paper bag down, picked up her handbag, and walked away. Before departing, she gave him a quick nce and voiced her displeasure, By the way, I thought what you said to me this morning was absurd. Wayne didnt actually get hurt badly at all. If you want to mediate between us, you should at least ask about my opinion first! Just stop meddling in other peoples affairs, please. If this had been in the past, Karl would have questioned Anna as to why she said it. But at the time, he simply let Anna use him. He stared nkly at the wedding dress on the couch. He had always thought that Peace did not look forward to marriage, and even feared it. Besides, he had assumed she liked freedom and didnt care about having a family. At that moment, he knew he was totally wrong. He really didnt know Peace well enough. Right after Anna left, Peace came out of the kitchen with a sd bowl. After seeing that Karl was the only one in the living room, she asked, Huh? Wheres Anna? Shes gone, Karl replied calmly. Why? Why did she leave so soon? Peace asked in surprise, and then set the te with the fruit sd down on the coffee table. When she looked up, she saw the wedding dress on the couch. Then, she froze and asked, Huh? Why is it here?. When Karl saw her expression, he immediately got mixed feelings. He asked, Is this your graduation project? Peace said yes to him softly. Then, she touched the hem of that wedding dress and slowly sat down on the side. She said, But I havent seen this dress since graduated. To be honest, Ive almost forgotten what it looks like. I dont mean to brag, but I won the award for outstanding graduate work because of this! From the way Peace looked at the wedding dress, Karl knew what she was actually thinking. He thought, Peace would not be willing to be a patient with nothing to do every day. She has dreams and expectations for the world. So, she wouldnt be stuck in this house with me forever. Turned out Anna was right. Im negligent in caring for her, she would get hurt. Peace, do you want to see doctors in America? Karl asked in a low voice Chapter 231 Chapter 231 After a big fight with Karl, Anna went back to her office and worked through the night. She couldnt stop yawning when she woke up early the next morning. Then, Jasper called her and invited her to breakfast. It was only 7:30 a.m., so most of the people who would have bought breakfast at that restaurant were not up yet. In addition, no one would be sitting around eating breakfast as leisurely as Jasper and Anna. Jasper ced a peeled poached egg on the little dish in front of her after noticing how drowsy she appeared. He asked with concern, Are you tired, Anna? Didnt you sleep wellst night? Anna waved her hand while yawning once again. She replied, I didnt sleep at all! Well, actually, I slept for a while at five oclock. The office is not a good ce for sleeping, and that couch is ufortable. In fact, I had already woken up when you called me. If you want to run a business, you must take your time. Anna, you dont need to work so hard or use so much energy at first. As someone who had started a business before, Jasper gave Anna advice. However, Anna tole him the truth, Thats not true! When I worked as a cleaningdy in yourpany five years ago, you often worked overtime. And, Ive never seen you not work overtime for once. Sometimes, the lights in your office would remain on all night. Thats why we gave you a nickname, Work Machine Jasper smiled and didnt didnt appear to mind that Anna had mentioned something embarrassing that happened in the past. He said, But even robots have to be charged. My personal experiences can be used as a bad example. Even though I worked very hard, my business was still on the verge of bankruptcy. If you hadnt saved me in time, Im afraid Id be asleep in a subway station in New York right now. Anna took a sip of hertte. Despite her bad mood, she joked with him, It seems that there might be a lot of geniuses there. Well, Ill visit there some time and try to find a talent like Warren Buffett. Jasper looked at her, smiled gently and said, Hey, youre in the mood to joke with me! Anna, you dont seem to be as worn out as you imed. Are you wondering why I called you at such an early hour of the morning? Why? Anna asked casually and didnt seem interested. Her attitude didnt appear to bother Jasper at all. He said calmly, Actually, I think you can spend more time with Peace these days. You know, in a few days, she and I will be flying back to America. You wont see her frequently in the future. In shock, Anna put the ss in her hand and asked, Wait, what? Youre taking Peace back to America? Oh, my goodness! Who said yes to that? 231 Removing Wayne From His Position After a big fight with Karl, Anna went back to her office and worked through the night. She couldnt stop yawning when she woke up early the next morning. Then, Jasper called her and invited her to breakfast. It was only 7:30 a.m., so most of the people who would have bought breakfast at that restaurant were not up yet. In addition, no one would be sitting around eating breakfast as leisurely as Jasper and Anna. Jasper ced a peeled poached egg on the little dish in front of her after noticing how drowsy she appeared. He asked with concern, Are you tired, Anna? Didnt you sleep wellst night? Anna waved her hand while yawning once again. She replied, I didnt sleep at all! Well, actually, I slept for a while at five oclock. The office is not a good ce for sleeping, and that couch is ufortable. In fact, I had already woken up when you called me. If you want to run a business, you must take your time. Anna, you dont need to work so hard or use so much energy at first. As someone who had started a business before, Jasper gave Anna advice. However, Anna tole him the truth, Thats not true! When I worked as a cleaningdy in yourpany five years ago, you often worked overtime. And, Ive never seen you not work overtime for once. Sometimes, the lights in your office would remain on all night. Thats why we gave you a nickname, Work Machine Jasper smiled and didnt didnt appear to mind that Anna had mentioned something embarrassing that happened in the past. He said, But even robots have to be charged. My personal experiences can be used as a bad example. Even though I worked very hard, my business was still on the verge of bankruptcy. If you hadnt saved me in time, Im afraid Id be asleep in a subway station in New York right now. Anna took a sip of hertte. Despite her bad mood, she joked with him, It seems that there might be a lot of geniuses there. Well, Ill visit there some time and try to find a talent like Warren Buffett. Jasper looked at her, smiled gently and said, Hey, youre in the mood to joke with me! Anna, you dont seem to be as worn out as you imed. Are you wondering why I called you at such an early hour of the morning? Why? Anna asked casually and didnt seem interested. Her attitude didnt appear to bother Jasper at all. He said calmly, Actually, I think you can spend more time with Peace these days. You know, in a few days, she and I will be flying back to America. You wont see her frequently in the future. In shock, Anna put the ss in her hand and asked, Wait, what? Youre taking Peace back to America? Oh, my goodness! Who said yes to that? Technically speaking, Peaces boyfriend didnt say yes. But he did ask if I could help. Anna asked as she was even more surprised, Really? Karl called you and told you that he had decided to let Peace go to America for treatment? Yeah. Anna then felt speechless. Is Karl a masochist? I had calmly suggested this to him earlier, and not only did he ignore me, but he was also furious. But, after I went to his house and yelled at him, he suddenly changed his attitude. Anna thought to herself. When are you leaving? Anna asked aftering back to her senses. Jasper said, Well, just before the end of the month. That way, youll have time to say goodbye to her. To be honest, Karl wouldnt even let me be alone with her those days. Anna said calmly, biting into her eggs. Jasper smiled teasingly and asked, Are you talking about Karl? No, thats not it. In fact, hes nning to go to America with Peace. Anna was utterly shocked and opened her mouth so wide that it seemed her jaw dropped. She asked, What the hell?! Really? Of course! He asked me if he could stay with Peace in that mental institution. Hes nning to stay in the hospital with her? Anna thought to herself, when I mentioned this to Karl the other day, he looked frantic. He said that people shouldnt stay in mental hospitals and rehabilitation centers at all and that even normal people could be psychos there. It seems that he would do anything for Peace. Jasper was nning to return to the US at the end of the month, and Peace had to go with him then. Although Anna didnt officially reconcile with Karl, she always visited his house afterward. Moreover, Anna often cooked for them when she was not busy. Because Peace was also there, Anna and Karl were not awkward getting along. Someone once called Karl when they were having lunch. He rarely seemed slightly serious, but he did as he hung up the phone. Whats wrong? Peace felt worried and asked. Karl nced at Anna and replied, Oh, nothing. The board of directors of the Carousel Group asked me to vote. Vote? Peace and Anna both looked surprised. Wayne hadplete control over the Carousel Group because it was his familys business. Therefore, rather of having everyone cast a collective vote, he would make each significant choice on his own. Wayne rarely got everyone on the board to show up for a vote. Theyre removing Wayne from his position. Karl looked displeased. He seemed to ! want to say something more, but he left without saying anything after ncing at Anna. The majority of family business conducted equity meetings to choose their managers. People would rate the top five employees inside thepany ording to their respective shares at those meetings, and the board of directors would then vote on it. If they wanted to remove someone from their post, they had to follow the same procedure. Karl was the only one who showed upte to the meeting. So, he was also thest to vote. Before he cast his vote, there was a 50/50 split between those who supported and opposed the proposal. Karl, of course, cast his vote against it without hesitation. Immediately after the meeting finished, Wayne left thepany. He didnt even have time to say a word to Karl. Karl immediately stopped Gabe, who was following Wayne, and asked, Hey, whats going on? Why do they want to remove him? Gabe sighed and said, Gee, its all because that project at Leeds was canceled. The board made a huge thing out of it, and Mr. Wrights grandfather wasnt happy about it. They suggested changing the family business model and hiring a president with more experience. So, thats why they wanted to do it. How did that happen? Where is Wayne going to go? Gabe clutched the folder and said, Hes probably going to his grandfathers house. Excuse me, I have to drive him, so Im going to go now. Bye! With those words, he immediately left at a fast pace and took Wayne to Peters house. Wayne looked extremely gloomy, and he appeared to make the space even chillier when he stormed into Peters study. Grandpa, did you agree with that? Yeah, whats the problem? Peter was reading a book. Hearing Waynes words, he answered calmly. Wayne said angrily, Oh, there isnt a problem at all. However, why do you want Richard to take my ce? Have you forgotten what happened three years ago? Peters face turned pale at mentioning what happened three years ago. At that moment, they heard Natalie shouting from outside the window, Hey, Matthew, wait for me! Dont run so fast. However, Matthew didnt answer her. Technically speaking, Peaces boyfriend didnt say yes. But he did ask if I could help. Anna asked as she was even more surprised, Really? Karl called you and told you that he had decided to let Peace go to America for treatment? Yeah. Anna then felt speechless. Is Karl a masochist? I had calmly suggested this to him earlier, and not only did he ignore me, but he was also furious. But, after I went to his house and yelled at him, he suddenly changed his attitude. Anna thought to herself. When are you leaving? Anna asked aftering back to her senses. Jasper said, Well, just before the end of the month. That way, youll have time to say goodbye to her. To be honest, Karl wouldnt even let me be alone with her those days. Anna said calmly, biting into her eggs. Jasper smiled teasingly and asked, Are you talking about Karl? No, thats not it. In fact, hes nning to go to America with Peace. Anna was utterly shocked and opened her mouth so wide that it seemed her jaw dropped. She asked, What the hell?! Really? Of course! He asked me if he could stay with Peace in that mental institution. Hes nning to stay in the hospital with her? Anna thought to herself, when I mentioned this to Karl the other day, he looked frantic. He said that people shouldnt stay in mental hospitals and rehabilitation centers at all and that even normal people could be psychos there. It seems that he would do anything for Peace. Jasper was nning to return to the US at the end of the month, and Peace had to go with him then. Although Anna didnt officially reconcile with Karl, she always visited his house afterward. Moreover, Anna often cooked for them when she was not busy. Because Peace was also there, Anna and Karl were not awkward getting along. Someone once called Karl when they were having lunch. He rarely seemed slightly serious, but he did as he hung up the phone. Whats wrong? Peace felt worried and asked. Karl nced at Anna and replied, Oh, nothing. The board of directors of the Carousel Group asked me to vote. Vote? Peace and Anna both looked surprised. Wayne hadplete control over the Carousel Group because it was his familys business. Therefore, rather of having everyone cast a collective vote, he would make each significant choice on his own. Wayne rarely got everyone on the board to show up for a vote. Theyre removing Wayne from his position. Karl looked displeased. He seemed to ! want to say something more, but he left without saying anything after ncing at Anna. The majority of family business conducted equity meetings to choose their managers. People would rate the top five employees inside thepany ording to their respective shares at those meetings, and the board of directors would then vote on it. If they wanted to remove someone from their post, they had to follow the same procedure. Karl was the only one who showed upte to the meeting. So, he was also thest to vote. Before he cast his vote, there was a 50/50 split between those who supported and opposed the proposal. Karl, of course, cast his vote against it without hesitation. Immediately after the meeting finished, Wayne left thepany. He didnt even have time to say a word to Karl.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Karl immediately stopped Gabe, who was following Wayne, and asked, Hey, whats going on? Why do they want to remove him? Gabe sighed and said, Gee, its all because that project at Leeds was canceled. The board made a huge thing out of it, and Mr. Wrights grandfather wasnt happy about it. They suggested changing the family business model and hiring a president with more experience. So, thats why they wanted to do it. How did that happen? Where is Wayne going to go? Gabe clutched the folder and said, Hes probably going to his grandfathers house. Excuse me, I have to drive him, so Im going to go now. Bye! With those words, he immediately left at a fast pace and took Wayne to Peters house. Wayne looked extremely gloomy, and he appeared to make the space even chillier when he stormed into Peters study. Grandpa, did you agree with that? Yeah, whats the problem? Peter was reading a book. Hearing Waynes words, he answered calmly. Wayne said angrily, Oh, there isnt a problem at all. However, why do you want Richard to take my ce? Have you forgotten what happened three years ago? Peters face turned pale at mentioning what happened three years ago. At that moment, they heard Natalie shouting from outside the window, Hey, Matthew, wait for me! Dont run so fast. However, Matthew didnt answer her. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Peter froze as he heard Wayne questioning him and clenched the book he was holding. Wayne then firmly said out loud, Richard wouldnt have done those evil things if you hadnt put too much faith in him three years ago. That way, he wouldnt have harmed Matthew either. When it first happened, you didnt want to penalize Richard because he was a part of our family. Well, I did nothing at the moment because it had already happened. I didnt expect youd let him run for president once more! After he was done, he looked disappointed in Peter. Peter was a tough person who had a strong sense of right and wrong. Since Richard was a member of their family, Peter didnt think he should be held ountable for that incident. However, Wayne thought that was improper. Wayne had looked into who had harmed Matthew three years ago. In fact, he had almost known the truth. If Peter hadnt stopped him from pursuing the probe back then, he would have sent Richard to prison. But Wayne, you didnt have concrete evidence before. So, it wasnt necessarily Richard who did that. Peter stated while frowning and making an effort to control his anger. Huh? What do you mean by that? Honestly, I have the proof and have already shown it to you. You were the one who told me not to look any further and that you already knew the truth and who did it. So, why on earth did you say something like that in the first ce! Dont you remember that you said that belore? Is it because youre too old? Wayne said. With a heavy bang, Peter mmed the book in his hand on the table. He replied angrily, Yes, its true that Im old. But, its not like that Im confused! Wayne, do you really want me to spill the beans? I am fully aware of who injured Matthew. Peters voice sounded husky, but it was very firm and powerful. Wayne frowned and asked, What? What do you mean? Peters expression was grim, and his imposing aura seemed could take peoples breath away. He said, You rejected me when I said I wish you could get married and start a family. And, you even let a surrogate give birth to Matthew just to annoy me. Do you actually consider yourself to be Matthews father? To be honest, there are many shady things about that incident. Richard wasnt the only person whomunicated with Matthews nanny back then. This happened a long time ago. For various reasons, no one knew the truth. However, it baffled them all. Wayne had never anticipated that his grandfather would suspect him of hurting his own son. What? Grandpa, what do you mean? Are you suspecting me? Well, why shouldnt I suspect you? Have you ever thought of Matthew as your son before? It seems that you can take advantage of any person to get what you want. Peter replied with a grim face. Wayne clenched his fist and fell silent. After a while, he said grimly, Well, you should let Richard take charge of thepany from now on. You dont have to remove me from my position because I quit! As soon as Wayne finished speaking, he walked out of the study and mmed the door heavily behind him. He acted so quickly that nobody even had time to respond. Henry, who was standing in the doorway, said a few words to Wayne and tried to calm him down. However, Wayne left as if he hadnt heard him. Wayne, wait! Dont go! Henry said. Come on, Henry. Ignore him. Peter, who was seated in the study, firmly interrupted Henrys attempt to call Wayne back. Then, he sighed and went back inside the study as he watched Wayne walk farther away. Peter, why did you say that to him? He is no longer a child but a grown man. Peter wiped his hands with a towel. His books and papers were scattered on the floor in a messy way, which showed how angry he was. Peter frowned and still looked furious. He said. No, hes not a mature adult at all! You know what, hes not even a human being with emotions. Well, Im not sure where he got his personality from or why he has it. Profit is all that matters to him! No, I dont think thats true. Not only does he respect you, but he loves Matthew. Besides, hes going to marry Miss Gabriel soon. Youve been looking forward to this, havent you? As soon as he heard Annas name, Peter looked displeased again. He said, Well, dont bring it up again. It seems that I made a wrong judgment about her. Henry froze and asked, Oh, youre still bothered that she hasnt divorced? But, because they have been apart for so long, they can be regarded as divorced. Peter was no longer working, but he continued to have ess to all business-rted news in Birmingham. So, of course, he was aware that Jasper was searching for Birmingham-based businesses to help marketing his idea. While running a background check on Jasper, Peter was surprised to know that he was married to Anna. Also, the two of them had only been separated but not divorced. But, that wasnt the reason why Peter suddenly wanted to remove Wayne from his position. He nced at Henry and asked, What did Wayne tell the board about the canceled project at Leeds? He said that the talks broke down. Peter said with annoyance, Thats a lousy excuse! I might have believed him if I hadnt asked someone at the Leeds branch what happened that day. Midway through the negotiations, he left the conference room just because something happened to the Gabriel family. Frank Gabriel, Annas father, had passed away on that day. So, Wayne went straight to the airport. Henry exined to Wayne, Actually, I can understand this. You know, after all, they were in a rtionship. But, he shouldnt have been impulsive like that anyway. It was raining heavily then, and he waited at the airport for two whole days. He did that just to take the first flight back! Peter became even more enraged as he heard it. He pped the table and yelled, Thats so ridiculous! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Wayne grew up around him, so he knew that Wayne treated everything indifferently and would do some extreme things. Peter had always wished for him to settle down and start a family like regr people. However, he was worried that Wayne would be crazy and cause serious consequences because of falling in love. Waynes life had changed drastically since he was with Anna, and she also put him in danger of losing control. Henry tried to persuade Peter again. However, when he saw his furious look, he knew that whatever he said at this moment would only make things worse. So, he kept quiet. Wayne hurried to Matthews room. Before taking Matthew away, he told the maid to pack some clothing for him. At that time, Matthew was ying in the yard with Natalie. When he heard Wayne say he was taking him home, he immediately pulled out his little board and wrote down a line, Wheres Mom and my sister? Are they going with me too? Waynes face turned somber, and he said, Well, you dont have a mommy or a sister anymore. From now on, there will be just the two of us. Well live like the way we were before. No! Matthew said immediately, and his raspy, childlike voice echoed in the yard. Wayne froze for a moment; after all, he rarely heard Matthew speak. Then he looked a little gentler. He said patiently, Matthew, youve been staying here for too long. Its time for you toe home with me. Matthew, however, shook his head and wrote down a quick line, Tammy told me to wait here for her, and shell be back soon. Seeing Matthews determined look, Wayne felt angry. He immediately reached out a hand, picked Matthew up, and then strode toward the door. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 As Matthew struggled, his drawing board fell to the floor and made a loud noise, He cried out on Waynes shoulder. Seeing his sad face, the servants in the courtyard looked heartbroken as they pitied him. Natalie couldnt bear to see him cry. She mustered up all her courage to run to Wayne and stood in front of him. She said, Hey, where are you taking Matthew? Wayne nced at her and said, Get out! Natalie gritted her teeth and said, Hey! Im your aunt. Show me some respect, please. Wayne looked irritated as soon as he heard her words and then said, Natalie, stay out of my way. Natalie suddenly lost her cool after hearing his words. As she moved aside, she muttered, Oh, Im sorry, I was just kidding. You can go now. Wayne then went away without a word. Natalie felt upset as she stared at the broken drawing board on the ground. I heard Peter wants Wayne and Miss Wilson to get engaged, the servants in the corridor whispered as she bent down to pick up the board. Huh? What? But I remember him introducing Miss Gabriel to all his rtives some time ago! Oops! You know, something horrible has happened to the Gabriel family recently. And Wayne seems to have broken up with her. Did you hear that Peter let Richard run the group2 Waynes career will be ruined if he doesnt marry Miss Wilson. Yes, youre right! Men value their careers, let alone someone like Wayne. Natalie heard all the gossip of the servants. After picking up the drawing board, she went back to her room and made a call. Hello? Tammy, its me! Is your mother home? No, Im not looking for her. But I want to talk to you about something. Listen, could you tell your mom to forgive Wayne? Otherwise, their rtionship will be screwed. Hanging up the phone, Natalie felt mncholy. Honestly, she knew she was the least valued person in the entire Wright family. Even though she was Peters adoptive daughter, Peter would be extremely generous to raise her till the age of eighteen because, after all, she was adopted. Natalie was still young. But, because she spent a lot of time in an orphanage as a child, she knew whether her circumstances were good for her or not. As he grew older, Peter might not be able to support her for very long. Wayne was certainly the future owner of the Wright family. But, the two of them didnt get along with each other. So, at this point, the future hostess of the house could decide her She liked Anna, as she was a delicate and lovely woman. Also, she and Tammy were really getting along well. Natalie would prefer Anna to marry Wayne over Miss Wilson. So, she was on the same side as Tammy. However, she felt that Tammy sounded as if she didnt like her ideas on the phone. Why did Tammy change her mind so quickly? Natalie thought to herself. Tammy didnt go to school these days since she had a cold. After Anna had made lunch, she asked Tammy to the dining room. However, she noticed that the little girl looked upset. Anna touched her forehead and said, Whats wrong, honey? You dont feel well? But, it seems that you dont have a fever. Tammy reached out her arms and begged her mother to hold her in a childlike voice that was slightly muffled because she had a cold. Annaughed and said, Oh, baby, whats wrong? Youre upset because I havent spent some time with you in too long, right? Tammy sniffled and looked sad. Then, Anna instantly gave her a bear hug. She leaned on her mothers shoulder and said, Mommy, if you dont marry Wayne, is there any way you can bring Matthew back to us? Anna patted her on the back and asked, Hey, why did you ask that out of the blue? Ive told you Ill work things out. But, life was good for the two of us before you found my brother. Mommy, I dont want to stay in this city anymore. Lets go back to America. I miss my life there. Hearing Tammys words, Anna was silent for a while. Then, she frowned and asked, Whats wrong, sweetheart? Do you think its not a good idea to stay in Birmingham? Tammy blinked and said, Its great here! But, youve met a lot of bad people here, and theyre all trying to bully you. I used to thought Wayne was trustworthy, but I was wrong. Hes a bad guy, too! Anna stopped for a second and freed Tammy from her arms. She looked at her daughter and asked, What bad guy? Baby, what are you talking about? Tammy then told Anna everything that Natalie had said to her on the phone. She then said unhappily, Huh! He said he was going to marry you before! Why is he suddenly engaged to someone else? Hes some! Mommy, people here are not nice at all. Lets go back to America! I want you and Daddy to get back together. Anna froze and asked, What? Do you mean Waynes getting engaged to someone else? To who? Tammy said angrily, Huh! To Miss Wilson! I really dont understand that! Shes not as pretty as you, and all she does is fawn on Wayne all day. To be honest, neither my brother nor I like her. Anna knew that Wayne and Charlotte had grown up together and had a strong bond. Truco Cury Cryaye. She preferred to believe that Wayne hadnt lied to her and that he only treated Charlotte as a sister to him. However, it seemed that Wayne would not marry anyone else but Charlotte. If he were to get married, he would most likely marry Charlotte. Anna wasnt sure whether he would marry her or not. Even if Wayne would, then that was before. Since theyd had such a terrible breakup, it would be hard for them to get back together. Besides, they couldnt get along as well as they used to and thought of getting married. Anna could not ept the fact that Wayne didnt seem to trust her, but she was unable to bepletely truthful with him. Anna found herself in a dilemma. She thought, Maybe I shouldnt have dated Wayne in the first ce. Anna then said with mixed feelings, Okay, okay. Dont be upset anymore, dear. As soon as I get custody of Matthew, Ill take you back to America. I swear to you. Tammy nodded. She was still overwhelmed with the sadness of knowing that Wayne, whom she adored and respected, was marrying another woman. As she felt angry, she even thought about asking Matthew to get a new father as well. Lemon got off to a good start after a while. Not only did they open an online store, but they had sold out all the three collections theyunched. However, there was always a downside to their sess. While thepany was doing well, it was bound to face peerpetition and brand infringement issues. Anna was discussing a trip to Seriel City for a fashion magazine reception with Andrew when her assistant handed her a sample of thetest sample of White, a clothingpany. Miss Gabriel, look! This new dress from White is almost identical to Autumn Leaves, the dress of our second collection! Theyre totally the same, from the color scheme to the fit. All they did was change the cor! Theyre infringing! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Anna frowned after looking at the picture and asked, Get awyer to handle this. Without ncing at the image, Andrew stated calmly, No, it wont work. There are always some copycats in the fashion industry. You know, people in this industry are used to it. Numerous people will produce counterfeit versions of a dress as long as it is popr. You know you cant sue each and every one of them. Not only will you get no results, youll waste your time. Still frowning, Anna asked, What? So, cant we do anything about it? Andrew gave her a calm look and said, Oh, there is one way: You can have a big battle with them. But Anna, thispany belongs to the Carousel Group. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Carousel? Andrew turned around and started writing on the whiteboard beside him and said, Many years ago, the reputation of the Carousel Groups clothingpany turned sour because it used unqualified fabrics. After that, the entire business was liquidated due to bankruptcy. Later, they wanted to do the clothing business again. Because their reputation was ruined, they came up with such a name that seemed to have nothing to do with the group. In actuality, they did it to mislead people and give the impression that they were unrted to the group. In addition, customers wouldnt consider the brands source before making a purchase. After recognizing this, Carousel Group changed the name of the newpany to make it more well- known in the garment market. Honestly, Anna wouldnt have realized it if Andrew hadnt talked about it. Otherwise, she would have assumed that White was some type of obscure business. Ill sue them even though they are a part of the Carousel Group. You know, I at least want them to know they cant mess with us. Anna said with a frown. Anna thought, I dont even care if thispany has something to do with Wayne / didnt expect that a big group like them would set up a lousy clothingpany just to get profits. Andrew raised his eyebrows without saying anything. Then, he added, Okay, whatever. We wont produce that series of clothes anyway. So, they can only copy our outdated styles. Andrew was obviously not bothered about copying. In fact, Anna understood why he thought so. As an exceptional and unique designer, Andrew didnt want to spend his energy arguing with others. However, it didnt mean that Anna could tolerate their behavior. After that, Anna sent her assistant to findwyers and send legal letters to thosepanies, including White. Anna flew to Seriel City on Friday night to attend a business banquet. She came to the party since the general manager of the Joan Group was present. Thatpany was going to customize staff uniforms, and he was in charge of it. Anna might bring arge order worth tens of millions of dors to herpany if her bid were epted. Additionally, since Lemon had just started, it would be very beneficial for it to open the market. People working in leading clothingpanies in Seriel City and Birmingham gathered at that cocktail party. Carrie Brown, the chief editor of the Seriel City-based fashion magazine W, extended the invitation to Anna. She was introduced to Carrie by Jasper while they were in Birmingham, which was how she came to know her. Carrie struck Anna as a forthright, strong, and utterly elite woman. She said, Oh, Ive always been grateful to Mr. Thomas because he had helped me with my career. I had known he was married, but I didnt expect his wife to be so young. Anna smiled and didnt tell Carrie the truth about her marriage to Jasper. She didnt want to talk to anyone about the truth of their marriage because she really couldnt exin it clearly. Carrie led Anna around the hall and introduced her to many people. Afterward, she introduced her to Mr. Gilbert, the manager of the Joan Group. Mr. Gilbert, this is Miss Gabriel, the president of Lemon Clothing. I mentioned her on the phone with you the other day. Anna extended her hand to him and said, Mr. Gilbert, Nice to meet you. Im Anna Gabriel. Hello. Mr. Gilbert shook her hand politely. Anna thought that Carrie had obviously introduced her to Mr. Gilbert before. Otherwise, he would have asked what kind ofpany Lemon was as he had never heard of it. Mr. Gilbert, I think its a little noisy here. Why dont we go over there for a talk? Anna offered to talk to Mr. Gilbert. They were all business people, so no one came to the party to rx. Since all they cared about was business, she thought shed better cut to the chase. Mr. Gilbert agreed immediately. Then, the three of them walked together to the lounge of the banquet hall. Meanwhile, a beautiful woman in the corner of the banquet hall was holding a ss of champagne and looking at Anna thoughtfully. Her beautiful eyes were full of gloomy emotions. Hey, Ada, are you alone? Dont you have anyone to keep youpany? She heard a man say to her. Ada looked up at that man and saw that it was Gerard Jacobs, the notorious yboy of Seriel City. For the past few years, Gerard had been attempting to get her attention and bought her some pricey presents. He constantly flirted withdies, though, so Ada didnt fall in love with him. Moreover, she couldnt get Wayne out of her mind. She would, therefore, only spend time with him when she was bored. Gerald just so happened to show up right when she was bing bored. Actually, it was Gerard who invited her to this party. She came here because she had nothing to do after recently finishing a commercial shoot in this city. Ada grinned and answered, Yeah. Let me tell you, someone invited me here to be his date. But, as the party just started, he ditched me and flirted with other women. So, Im just sitting here alone. Hey! Only an i***t would do such a thing! Nobody at the party is more attractive than you, Ada! To make her pleased, Gerardplimented her and even cursed himself. Ada quicklyughed and pointed in the direction of the distance, I find that woman over there to be incredibly attractive. Shes as beautiful as I am, isnt she? How can that be! Gerard said. But the moment he saw Anna, he couldnt take his eyes off her. If Ada was a block of ice, then that woman wearing a burgundy outfit was unquestionably a zing fire. She had her long, curly hair cascading over her shoulders, looking elegant and stunning. N?velDrama.Org content. Gerard thought to himself, Wow! What a beauty! She must be that bosss lover! Ada remarked teasingly yet somberly, Hey! Why do you keep staring at her? You think youre an attractive man, dont you? If you like her, you can definitely go get her. As soon as Gerard came back to his senses, he shook his head and remarked, Oh, forget it, I dont dare to mess with her. Shes with Mr. Gilbert, the manager of the Joan Group. So, Id better stay away from her. Ada pretended to be perplexed as she spoke, Oh, no! Her name is Anna, and I know her. Do you see another woman over there? Shes Carrie, the editor-in-chief of W, and she was the one who invited Anna. I think Carrie introduced them to each other and wanted them to work together. So, they might have never met before. Oh! I see. Shes a businesswoman? What kind of business shes doing? She just opened a clothingpany. Actually, Anna is Waynes ex-girlfriend, and she started her own company after she broke up with him. Not only is she has many financial connections. Honestly, I think you guys are a good match. Gerard found Adaspliment ttering and couldnt help but continue to stare at Anna. He said, What? Shes Wayne Wrights ex? Hey, I remember you dated him too. So, you two are rivals in love! You want me to get back at her for you, dont you? Ada took a casual sip of wine and said, What? Of course not! Wayne and I havent spoken in a while. She and I had a problem with each other, but I would prefer you to have a good time tonight rather than get back at her. Gerard loved to beplimented, so he was delighted after hearing Ada praise him. He said, Thank you for thinking about me. Well, dont worry, Ill definitely get back at her for you while I have some fun with her. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Ada thought Gerard appeared foolish when she saw his vulgar smile. However, she looked very respectful and smiled at him even though she was cursing him in her heart. She suggested, Actually. I know Anna, and I know youd better not ask her to date you directly. You know what, let me give you some advice After hearing Adas advice, Gerard nodded thoughtfully and said, Wow! Great idea! Thank you, Ada, if I do get her, Ill definitely reward you. Ada smiled and said, Oh, great! Im looking forward to it. Ada emptied her ss of champagne as she waved Gerard off and wore an aggressive expression. That was her only means of amusement because she had just experienced a lot of shady stuff. As she set aside her ss, a man behind her greeted her, Hello, Ada. Its been a long time. Ada froze. Looking back, she saw a man in a suit standing behind her. After recognizing who he was, she became panicked. She asked, Oh, hey! What are you doing here? The man had a gentle but somber look on his face. He replied, Why cant I be here? Have you been particrly busytely? Well, you probably have no idea whats been going on in Birmingham recently. Do you know that Ive finally got the upper hand? Ada froze again and asked, What? What do you mean? Here, this is my new business card. You can call me anytime. N?velDrama.Org content. The man then handed a golden card to Ada, and his gold-stamped name on it looked blinding in the light. Ada couldnt help but read it aloud, Richard Wright, CEO of Carousel Group. What? What the hell is going on? Richard said indifferently, This group is once again mine after I left three years ago. No offense, but you seem a little down on your luck. Why are you dating a dude like Gerard? Adas face turned pale, and she defended herself by saying, Oh, you know, I was just so damn bored. Shall we go somewhere else to talk? Richard made a suggestion while smiling gently. He looked grim, making Ada feel she had no choice but to agree. Ada clenched her fists. With a reluctant smile, she said, Sure, its been a while since thest time we met. In the glittering moonlight, a silver-gray car pulled up in front of the hotel. Gabe then got out, opened the door and said, Mr. Wright, you never used to go to dinners held by smallpanies. What brings you here today, then? Wayne adjusted his cuffs and replied indifferently, Oh, Richard is here, and thats 1/3 why. Hes already the president of the group, just as he wanted to be. So, why would he attend a cocktail party like this? Gabe asked as he was confused, Oh? Why? The Carousel Group is veryrge. So, the small and obscure subsidiaries are often out of reach by the headquarters. Guess why Richard can easily rece me? Well, because your grandfather supported him? Oh, no. Despite Grandpa electing him president, he could not be qualified to do this job. Hearing Waynes words, Gabe immediately figured it out. Then, with wide eyes, he asked, Are you saying that Richard has been keeping in touch with those subsidiaries all along? Wayne remained silent. Then the two of them had walked to the banquet hall. Although that party was held for the clothingpanies in Seriel City and Birmingham, it was spectacr. Also, many people from other businesses were there. As soon as they walked in, Wayne met a few acquaintances. When exchanging pleasantries with those people, he asked Gabe to find Richard. Mr. Wright! I didnt expect you to be here! Wee. The organizer approached Wayne and gave him a phony smile as he did so. Everyone in the business knew that Wayne was no longer the Carousel Groups president. When Wayne quit the group a month ago, he received the invitation. He felt that otherwise, they wouldnt have invited him at all. Wayne, however, acted aloof. He took a sip of wine and greeted the person in charge. Afterward, he nned to wander the venue. However, he had just taken a few steps when he spotted Anna. Anna was wearing a burgundy dress, looking gorgeous. She was talking with someone in the nearby lounge area at that very moment. Wayne immediately had mixed feelings. After giving it some thought, he realized why she was here. Anna had no idea at that moment that several people were paying attention to her at the same time. She then eagerly introduced Lemons designers to Mr. Gilbert, mentioning how their clothing had already sold out when it first went on sale. Their chat went quite well since Carrie had set them up to meet. Lemon wasnt highly recognized, but it was an established business that had been operating for many years. It used to be a Gabriel Group subsidiary, but it is no longer a part of the group. As a smart woman, Carrie only introduced the merits of Lemon. When Anna observed Mr. Gilberts expression, she knew she probably had a shot. Okay, thank you. Youre more than wee to visit Lemon. That way, youll know that I was telling the truth. Gilbert grinned as he noticed how sincere Anna was and said, Miss Gabriel, it doesnt seem like youre just starting your business. To be honest, my daughter has always wanted 2JJ Me Luneback to be a businesswoman, too. She has been working on it with me for years, but she is still shy when speaking. In my opinion, you act much better than my daughter. Anna smiled modestly and said, Oh, thank you. Mr. Gilbert, you can reach me at any time. Well, we wont disturb you any longer. Good-bye. After they said their goodbyes, Mr. Gilbert left. Anna then breathed a sigh of relief and said, Thank you, Carrie. Carrie looked at her watch and said, My pleasure. Well, I should go now. You can call Mr. Gilbert and ask him if he wants to work with you. Bye! Bye. Then, Anna stood up and watched Carrie walk away. The server then handed Anna a ss of juice. Just as she took a sip and nced up, she saw a familiar person staring at her. I really didnt expect to run into Wayne here! Anna thought to herself. People were moving about with wine sses in between them while Wayne stood a short distance away and watched her. After they locked eyes, Wayne was still staring at her. Anna couldnt tell what Wayne was thinking and felt like he was just staring at her. Anna felt that her legs were not out of control. Then, to her surprise, she unconsciously took a step forward. Miss Gabriel! At that moment, a man stood in front of Anna. He prevented Anna from looking at Wayne and from moving. Anna froze. Then she noticed a young man in a Klein blue suit standing in front of her as she turned around. Anna thought for a moment and figured she had never seen him before. Oh, hello. She said. Gerard took a shiny gold card out of his wallet and handed it to her, saying, Hello. Im Gerard Jacobs, Vice President of the Berry Group. To be honest, I noticed you when you just came in. I saw you chatting with the president of Joan Group. So, do you know each other? Anna didnt want to get to know this man since she thought he looked like a yboy. She nodded politely and said, Oh, we just met. Excuse me, I have to go over there and talk to a friend of mine. Gerard smiled and said, Not so soon. My father is a good friend of the president of Joan Group. So, if you want to work with him, you can ask me for help. I dont think Mr. Gilbert would say no to my fathers request. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 After realizing that Gerard was threatening her, Anna politely declined by saying, Oh, well, thats very kind of you, sir. But you dont have to do that. Gerard wasnt angry about being refused and just put his hands in his pockets. Still, he didnt seem to be leaving. He said, Well, my friends call me by my first name. So, you dont have to call me sir! You know, its too crowded in here. Would you like to join me for a drink at a bar? Anna frowned as soon as she realized he was teasing her. She looked at him and restrained herself from rolling her eyes. She said, Oh, Im sorry. I have nster, so I cant go there with you. She then turned around and started to move in the opposite way. Gerard, though, moved more quickly than she did. He approached her and said, Why are you rejecting me, Miss Gabriel? To be honest, I value being respected the most. So, 1 believe you might not get what you want if you dont respect me. After giving what he stated some thought, Anna concluded that he was absurd. Meeting such a weirdo tonight made her feel uneasy. Well, it seems that what I want has nothing to do with you. So, why are you making things difficult for me? Did I offend you before? Anna asked with a bit of impatience. Gerardughed and said, Oh, no, you didnt offend me at all. But, you know, I want to go out with you. You want the Joan Group to make uniforms at yourpany, dont you? If you have a drink with me, Ill say a good word to Mr. Gilbert for you. That way, youre definitely in the running. In addition, ill let you design the Berry Group staff outfits for the uing season. Anna almostughed out loud and said contemptuously, What? Do you want to go out with me? But Im sorry, I dont have to do business by selling myself out. Anna then immediately looked displeased. She walked crossed Gerard and headed in the other direction. She heard Gerard sneer and say, Miss Gabriel, Ill give you one night to think about it. If you change your mind, feel free to visit me in room 419 at Moonlight Hotel. Anna left without turning around. Afterward, she kept cursing Gerard in her mind, thinking to herself, what a p*****t! I didnt expect there would be such a shameless man like him in the world! The man standing next to them was aware of what had just urred. He heard Gabes voiceing from the wireless headset in his ear as he turned to move towards Anna, Mr. Wright, Richard is talking to a woman on the rooftop. Oh, she appears to be Miss Xavier. Wayne had been frowning and only looked less angry when he saw that Anna had left Gerard angrily. He then replied, Oh, I see. Because the hall was full of people, Wayne knew Gerard wouldnt do anything to Anna. However, when Wayne thought about what that dude had just said to Anna, his expression became gloomy. After walking past Gerard, Anna lifted the hem of her skirt slightly with both hands and searched the hall for Wayne. She walked there for a moment before seeing Wayne heading towards the roof in the distance. Then, she froze. Oh, it seems that I have made aplete fool of myself! Wayne seems to have moved on a long time ago! Anna thought. Halfway through the party, Anna heard someone standing on the stage tuning the microphone. Then everyone headed there. Anna also had to walk in that direction because she was huddled in the crowd. Good evening,dies and gentlemen. Please allow me to introduce John Gilbert, the president of the Joan Group. Hello. Sir, its a pleasure to meet you. A young man in his thirties who served as the organizers director stood on stage and introduced Mr. Gilbert to everyone. His actions baffled Anna a little bit. She immediately looked for Carrie in the crowd and found her looking as puzzled as she was. They look at each other before shaking their heads at the same time. John Gilbert took the microphone from the person in charge, smiled, and said, Thank you. Hello, everyone. I feel privileged to attend this party sponsored by clothes retailers in the two cities on behalf of my group. Im here not only because my good friends invited me, but also because I have to do something. The Joan Group needs uniformstely. So, I was hoping you could bid on thepetition for this project. After he finished speaking, everyone started discussing that. At that moment, Carrie had made her way through the crowd to Annas side and frowned, What a sneaky bastard! I didnt expect him to do that, because he had just promised me that he would only work with yourpany. So, why did he suddenly change his mind? This is too outrageous. Anna frowned and said, Oh, I probably know why. Carrie was stunned and asked, Huh? Why? When Carrie turned to face Anna, she saw a man sitting there who seemed out of ce in the crowd. He raised his ss to Anna at that same time while leaning back on the couch. Carrie eximed while frowning, Gerard! Anna looked over at Carrie and said, Oh? Do you know him? He just asked me to go have a drink with him, but I turned him down. He then said something to me, but I didnt catch it at the time. It seems that he was the one who made Mr. Gilbert change his mind. Annas expression becameplicated. Then she asked, It looks like he did this on purpose to make things difficult for me. So, is there anything else I can do? How about I just go for a drink with him? Carrie immediately looked at Anna and said, Oh, no! If Jasper finds out I let you do that, hell me me. John may give credit to Gerards father, but hes a professional manager anyway. So, hell definitely do things well for hispany. Honestly, you can only bid together now. But Im afraid Gerard might go against you again. Hes a man who will do anything to get his way. Anna immediately felt like she was doomed. Im so out of luck! Ive just put so much effort into convincing Mr. Gilbert to cooperate with me. Well, I didnt expect that I was going to lose this opportunity because Gerard wants to sleep with me. Damn! Anna thought to herself. Sensing that Gerard was leering at her in the distance, Anna clenched her fist. At that moment, his voice echoed in her head, Meet me at Room 419 in Moonlight Hotel! He must have chosen that room on purpose. Its so obvious! I would definitely go there to see what he would do, Anna thought to herself. After the party was over, Wayne left the room. At that moment, a beautiful woman ran behind him and shouted at him, No, Wayne! You misunderstood me! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Ada ran so fast that her heels made crisp tters on the marble floor. At that moment, Gabe had opened the backseat door. Wayne got into the car without looking back as if he hadnt heard Adas words. Just as he closed the door, Ada finally ran to the front of the car. However, Gabe stopped her. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Ada stopped and then ed. What? What you going to do? On dont be homout dont want to do anything I must making ns for my future. The palm trees in front of the hotel attied at the cool autumn brerie blew their leaves When Ada saw Richards calm face the couldnt help but shuddet Anna followed the son around a remote area for quite some time before finding the Moonlight hotel brand a bat in the corner She had just entered the building when she noticed the receptonit ging het a peculiar look She walked upstairs just in time to see the door of one room open, and the cleaningdy was cleaning inside Looking inside the room, Anna was immediately startied The purple light illuminated the whole room, and then there was a tall ck and red $*x swing right in the doorway. Also some used whips and candles scattered on the ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. +25 Pants 237 Ill forog Kill You! floor. Anna immediately felt sick and realized why the hotel was located in such a remote ce. At this point, she remembered that thedy at the front desk was dressed slutty and was looking at everyone who walked in with lustful eyes. Anna thought to herself, I knew Gerard was a rich womanizer, but I didnt expect that he would be into this kind of kinky stuff. She walked around the fourth floor and failed to find room 419. She had just about convinced herself that Gerard was pulling a fast one when she heard a loud rm in the hallway. Then, as everyone in the hallway began to panic, a few people who looked like managers walked over quickly. Hey, something happened on the top floor! Tell the store manager that! I just saw it, and theres blood all over the ce! Someone might be dying. Call the police! What? We cant call the police! We cant let them see this hotel! Call the security, and then call an ambnce. It was very chaotic there, so no one even noticed Anna. And when Anna heard that people might die upstairs, she still hit a jolt. What? What happened? And, why didnt anyone here call the police? Thinking of this, Anna immediately took out her cell phone and dialed 911. She said, Hello, Im at the Moonlight Hotel. Someones dying here! Yes, please hurry up! Anna looked around after making the call and saw that no one was paying attention to her. Shre immediately went up the stairway entrance, ready to take pictures in case the police needed them. Anna knew that this run-down hotel maybe was for p**********n. Although this ce appeared to be an erotic hotel, there were actually many prostitutes working there. This hotel had 15 floors. The room where the ident happened was at the end of the corridor on the 15th floor. When Anna went to the door, she saw a group of people had gathered there, most of whom were hotel attendants. Among them, a strong man said in a Scottish ent, Hey! What are you guys doing? Why dont you stop them? What? We dont dare to walk in there! Dude, were waiting for security! What the f**k is going on here? I heard a fight happening here as I was about to fall asleep. Why would anyone get into a fight in a hotel like this? Dont they know how tomunicate? When Anna entered the room, she found that the door had been closed. So, she couldnt see what was happening inside. She nced at the Scottish man and said, Hello, excuse me, do you know whats happening here? That enthusiastic man looked at Anna in surprise and then said, Oh, I just heard about someone sleeping with someone elses fiance. Well, what are you doing out here? Anna immediately waved her hand and said, Oh, its not what you think. Im here to look for somebody. The manughed and said, Gee. My wife and I were traveling here, and the nearby hotels were all booked. So, we want to stay here tonight. Instead of continuing chatting with him, Anna took out her phone and tried to record a video. On her toes, she raised the phone and attempted to record what was happening in that room. Hey, can you do that? Let me help you. The man then immediately took Annas phone away. When Anna looked up, she saw that he was recording a video of the room with her phone. When the waiter saw that he was taking pictures, he immediately got anxious and said, Oh, sir! You cant take pictures here! Oh, its not me who wants to take the picture; its this girl. Shes short and cant do that by herself. The man said in a determined tone. The skinny waiters around him could only nervously stop him because he was tall and strong. Anna, who was standing behind him, was horribly embarrassed and was impressed by the mans bravery. While the waiters were reasoning with that man, some people watching the drama by the door left. That way, Anna could see what was really going on there. The first thing she noticed was that the room was messy, with devices dropped on the floor and broken light bulbs. Anna could see a man hitting someone on the bed through the thin purple curtain around him. The sound of his fist hitting another man was frightening. Just as Anna sighed, she looked closely at the man and suddenly realized that she seemed to know him. What? s**t! Isnt he Anna immediately made her way out of the crowd and entered the room. When she had just pulled back the veil, she saw that mans face. She became horrified and then eximed, Wayne! At the sound of Annas voice, Wayne froze as well. At that moment, the man lying beneath him punched him hard. So, Wayne grunted and then copsed on the bed. The tables had been turned, and he had be the weaker one. Gerard grabbed the bedsidemp and immediately smashed it against the back of Waynes head. He shouted, Ill f*****g to kill you! Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Gerard felt that he was kinda out of luck today. He came to the hotel just because he wanted to have a one-night stand with Anna. The fact that Anna didnt show up had already made him angry, and he didnt expect someone to somehow punch him. He then felt extremely angry. He knew he shouldnt offend Wayne, but he couldnt help but hit him hard. Gerard was sure Waynes head would c k a gash if he mmed themp on it. He had already thought of that scenario and how he would brag about it to otherster. He felt proud that he would beat Wayne, the arrogant guy from the Wright family, into a fool. However, the reality was not as ideal as he had imagined. Gerard felt something hit him hard in the back of the head as he prepared to smash themp on Waynes head. Then a warm liquid began to trickle into his neck, swiftly turning cool and continuing to travel lower. With a frightened expression, Anna held up the steel pipe she had randomly picked up behind him. After being hit, Gerard immediately froze and looked back. With a ng, the steel pipe in Annas hand fell to the ground, rolled to the corner and mixed with the shattered electronics. Before Gerard could respond, he noticed that his eyes were turning dark. He immediately fell to the bed after that. As Anna looked at her hands, her face became as pale as the wall. Then, she felt like she couldnt move her legs at all like they were out of control. I killed someone, I Anna muttered. She felt like a helicopter making noises in her head and that there was blood in front of her eyes. She continued repeating the word blood because she could not regain herposure. She eximed, Blood! Theres so much blood in here Just as she was dazed and confused, she felt someone holding her tight. She felt as though she couldnt even breathe since Wayne was holding her so tightly. Then, as if having discovered a long-lost priceless treasure, he ced his face into her neck. Until he was certain that the person in his arms was Anna, he didnt appear to be in such a panic. Wayne believed he would never see Anna again before seeing her here. Earlier, Gerard had said something to humiliate him, making him think that Anna had had an ident. Then, the siren of police cars sounded outside the window. Soon after, some police officers came upstairs to protect the scene and took the witnesses away. After being pulled away from Waynes arms, Anna was still feeling quite disoriented. Before the cops dragged her away, she had no chance to speak to Wayne. The cop then asked her, Whats your name? Anna Gabriel. Age? 25. After asking Anna these basic questions, a police officer found Annas information in the database. Then, he looked at Anna with surprise and asked, Oh? You are not British? Anna nodded and then exined, I was born and raised in Ennd and moved to the US five years ago. This whole thing has nothing to do with me, so you can ask me as many questions as you want. Well, I think the embassy is not going to care about this. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Anna was an American citizen. Therefore, the British police had no authority to punish her directly if this matter became serious. The police officer nodded and said, Please tell me what happened. Anna then honestly recounted the entire incident. Lastly, she added, Im not even sure why he invited me toe to this hotel, to be honest. By the way, I was the one who called you at first. Then, do you know the person who hit him? Anna froze for a moment, then said, Oh, yes. We. Just as Anna was hesitating on how should she put it, she suddenly heard a knock on the door. Then, an older officer opened the door and said, Anna Gabriel, youre free to go now. But she hadnt finished making her statement yet. the policeman in front of Anna said after a little moment of hesitation. Well, she doesnt have to do that anymore. Theyve checked things out, so she can go now. The policeman said with aplicated expression. The other cop immediately understood what he meant and then said, Well, you can go now, Miss Gabriel. Anna knew she wouldnt be at the police station for long because, after all, Wayne was here for her. Wayne was a powerful man, so he would definitely bail her out if she was detained by the police. Anna spotted Wayne in the hallway just as she turned to leave the police station. Then she saw that he had a visible bruise on his face. Anna knew that Gerard had hit him there. Gerard had only struck Wayne once, and it happened as Anna was yelling his name. Anna forced herself to walk toward him and was so awkward that she was unsure of what to say. They hadnt seen each other in a while and had never contacted each other after the breakup. They tried to avoid each other whenever they attended receptions and parties in Birmingham. Therefore, neither of them expected that theyd be meeting there again. Gabes waiting for us at the entrance. Lets go, Anna. Ill take you back to your hotel. Anna froze. She hesitated for a moment and followed him. Gabe drove the car away from the police station and got on the busy roads. Anna looked out of the window and found that the city was even more bustling than Birmingham Where do you live? Wayne asked her as she got into the car. Anna hesitated for a moment. When she saw the dried blood stain on the corner of his mouth, she said, Oh, wed better go to the hospital first. Wayne frowned and said, No, Im fine Before he could finish his sentence, he coughed violently. Gabe was driving at that time. He nced at Wayne through the rearview mirror and said anxiously, No, hes not okay! He got into a fight with Jasper earlier and broke two ribs. You know, hes supposed to be resting in the hospital now. He still hasnt recovered from the injuries he used to get. And I didnt expect that he got into a fight with someone else again. Anna asked in surprise, What? He injured so badly before? Of course! He With a chilly voice, Wayne cut Gabe off and said, Thats enough, Gabe. Youre bbing more and moretely. Would you please shut up and focus on driving? Gabe shut up, turned on Google Maps and sped off to the closest hospital. Wayne scowled and didnt want to talk to Gabe any further. They all fell silent after that. As Anna felt embarrassed, she lowered her head and rubbed her knees. She asked, Oh, by the way, Wayne, how did you get into a fight with Gerard at the hotel? Gerard was powerful and wealthy, but only people in Seriel City knew him. So, he couldnt even compare with Wayne. Moreover, Anna even doubted whether Wayne knew him or not. Wayne scowled again as if he didnt want to discuss that subject. Anna looked at him and asked tentatively, Hey, were you stalking me? I arrived at the motel around the same time that you did. Perhaps I should have arrived there first if I hadnt gone to the incorrect floor. When the Scotsman imed that Wayne and Gerard were arguing over his fiance, Anna promptly made an assumption. Even if Anna felt a little ashamed to think so, she believed it was the most usible exnation. She had walked into the hotel before Wayne, so she was probably the fiance who had gotten them into the fight. If that was the case, the whole Wayne and Gerard fight thing would seem much more logical. Youre overthinking it. Wayne, of course, didnt admit it. Anna looked at him seriously and suddenly had an urge to tease him. She nodded and said meaningfully, Oh, it seems Ive made a fool of myself. So, what were you doing at that hotel? Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Even though Waynes gaze became gloomy a bit, he remained silent. After getting the pleasure of teasing him, Anna deliberately said again, Actually, I can understand that you may be into some kinky stuff. Besides, all the people in Birmingham have long wondered about your s****l orientation. You see, Gabe and I are both your friends, so you can tell us the truth. In fact, Im just curious as to what could get two people into a fight in bed. Hearing that, Wayne looked even more upset. He managed to control his temper, though. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Oh, I guess you didnt have enough fun, you guys. Or, perhaps you didnt decide who would be at the top. Anna was making increasingly absurd predictions. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw that Gabe was holding back hisughter so much that he was blushing. Wayne said grimly, Anna, you know my sexuality and what kinky stuff Im into the best. His low voice echoed in the car, rendering all of Annas teasing impotent. At that instant, Annas face began to blush. She didnt even dare to look up since she was speechless, thinking, Wayne, you i***t! How could you say that? Seeing that Anna was speechless, Wayne became less irritated. He nced at her and thought, you dont seem to be as shameless as I imagined, Anna. Well, I didnt expect you to blush as those words. At that moment, the atmosphere became dull. Neither of them spoke, and they all felt oppressed. Wayne realized that perhaps he had just been too blunt and had offended Anna. Then, he felt regretful. He knew that no matter what Anna had done, whether it would upset him or what, a piece of his heart would always belong to her exclusively. After arriving at the hospital, the doctor treated the wound on Waynes face. Then, out of concern about anything else happening to his ribs, he had Wayne perform a chest XCray. While Gabe got his medication upstairs, the doctor left because he had to see other patients. As a result, the two of them were left alone in the ER. After a brief pause, Anna clenched her handbag and murmured, Well, since you are fine, Ill go. Wayne said as she was about to depart, Hey, arent you going to exin what happened today? Anna froze for a moment and asked, Huh? What do you want me to exin? Gerard asked you to go to the hotel, and you did go there. Dont tell me you went there because you wanted to talk business with him. When Anna saw him at the hotel, she felt deeply moved. She had a hunch that Wayne went there because he was looking for her, even though he wouldnt confess it. However, Waynes subsequent questioning irritated her. Again, you doubted me. What exactly did you think I was going to do there, Wayne? Why dont you believe that I was just there to talk business? Anna thought. She knew exactly what Wayne was referring to. Anna nced at him in annoyance and regretted that she had just felt moved by him. She said, Come on, this is my own business. You didnt tell me why you went to that hotel. So, why should I tell you? Bye, Im leaving. With those words, she turned around and prepared to leave. You know why I was in that hotel, right? Dont be ungrateful, Anna! With rage, Wayne said. Anna calmed down and said indifferently, Oh, really? Wayne, I appreciate you doing that. But, if it werent for me, Gerard would have cracked your head open. Were even now. What? What would you do with him if I didnt go there? Youve already nned what Im going to do for me. So I wont tell you. Anna said with her back turned to him. Then, she inclined her head and gave him a cold stare. Waynes rage burned like fire when he noticed how frigid Anna was. Then he pulled her wrist and forced her to sit on the bed without even thinking. Inmediately gasping in amazement, Anna struggled as much as she could. However, it was all in vain. Hey! What do you want to do?! Let go of me! Anna struggled hard. She lowered her voice because she was worried that others might hear her scream. Wayne stood up and propped his muscr arms on either side of her shoulders. He blocked the light that was supposed to shine on her face. Anna couldnt move at all. Wayne was taken aback by how helpless he felt as he nced at the woman looking up at him. After a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, Anna, you keep pushing my boundaries. Honestly, whenever I think I have loved you, I feel like a fool. Anna was irritated when she heard him say that. Consequently, she said grumpily, You know, you dont have to be a fool for the rest of your life. So, its not toote for you to stop! Wayne stared at her and squeezed her shoulders hard. He leaned closer to Anna and said, No, its already toote. You feel pain, dont you? My heart hurt far more than that when I heard you say those words. Anna, I never thought before that I would feel heartbroken for a woman one day. What were you doing when I was feeling depressed? You were dating the man who gave you that damn green card! And the three of you looked like a happy family! Anna bit down hard on her lower lip to prevent her from moaning from the pain. However, tears came to the corners of her eyes because of the pain. She felt like she hated Wayne to the guts. He caused all the tragedies that happened to her. Yet, he treated himself as a victim and kept questioning her. Do you think thats enough? If thats it, then let go of me. She uttered the words from her clenched teeth. Her forehead was covered with cold sweat. However, Wayne didnt look like he wanted to let go of her. He was hoping to see her struggle, retaliate, or maybe swear. However, she resisted him in such an indifferent way and did not respond to what he said. He said so many hurtful words to Anna. But in the end, he was the one who felt hurt. Then Wayne said indifferently, Oh? Do you think Im humiliating you? Anna, what will you do when I let you go? Will you call the police again? When they spoke about the past, they were not thinking of the good memories but of the tragedy that happened when they broke up. They both experienced heartbreak as they recalled that incident. The nerves throughout Annas entire body tensed up at that very moment. And she worried that Wayne would do something aggressive in the next second. At that very moment, she expressed her deepest feelings of fear. When Wayne saw it, he froze and then immediately regretted it. He slowly let go of Anna. He used to believe that only he could manage his emotions and that no one else could actually have an impact on him. But after he met Anna, he felt that his carefully nned life had suffered a major breakdown. Then, everything changed its course. After learning that Gerard had asked her out to the hotel, Wayne became preupied the entire evening at the dinner party. He wondered just how crazy Anna was and whether she would go to that hotel for money or not. He knew, after all, that Anna had married a total stranger for green cards a few years ago. When he thought about it, he became irritated. He had never thought before that one day he would fall in love with a woman who would do anything for money. Get out, Wayne said to Anna abruptly in a hoarse and indifferent voice. Anna was still clutching her handbag. Hearing these words, her nerves rxed a little. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 After a while, Anna calmed down. As she reflected on the conflict between them two, she felt that they needed to talk it out. After all, they could have worked it out properly and had a peaceful breakup. To be honest, I went there just to see what he wanted to do. Even if you didnt go there, I wouldnt have gone into his room directly like a fool. Well, I think that someone may have told him to do so. Otherwise, he wouldnt have sabotaged my deal with Joans group just because he wanted to go out with me. You know, he didnt have to bother to get himself into so much trouble. Anna believed she had made her point very clearly. After that, she turned around and watched Wayne carefully. She noticed that he kept frowning and didnt seem to be listening to her. Anna kept going, So, if you were there because you were concerned about me, then you could just tell me. You know, Id definitely appreciate you doing that. We dont have to fight, and we can work things out together. That way, we can still be friendster. Wayne cut her off with a chilly and irritated voice, Thats enough! No more bullshit, Anna. Just go! Anna frowned and exined, Oh, I just think its so bad that we havent had a talk after that incident. Wayne, we need tomunicate calmly like adults. She deliberately did not say what that thing was because she didnt dare to face it head-on. At the same time, Waynes expression also changed after hearing that word. He frowned and fell silent. Im sorry that I didnt tell you the whole truth earlier. But I felt that I didnt have to exin it since my marriage to Jasper was nothing more than a deal. If Tammy and I didnt have our green cards, we would be illegal immigrants. In that case, we would not only have to worry about police officers knocking on our door, but also about bing illegal immigrants. Oh, I see. So, that was why you married a random man for a green card? Wayne inquired indifferently since he was still perplexed as to why Anna was acting this way. However,pared to earlier, he was calmer now that Anna had taken the initiative to bring up this issue. Anna denied it and exined, No, I chose him for a reason, Jasper was not looking for a rtionship and was a total workaholic. He was short of money then, and I needed a green card. So, we took advantage of each other. We didnt live together after getting married and only saw one another once a year around Christmas. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Of course, she knew what Wayne was thinking. In fact, she understood where he wasing from because everyone would care about who his lover had dated before. Besides, wayne knew she hadnt yet filed for divorce from Jasper. Anna had nned to tell Wayne the whole truth when he asked about Jasper. She didnt, though, because Wayne said many hurtful things to her then and didnt seem to trust her at all. The look in Waynes eyes was of confusion and disbelief. He asked while clenching his fist, So, your marriage was a sham? Anna nodded solemnly. She thought they had misunderstood each other because they said things they didnt mean to in a fit of anger. Besides, Anna could totally tell from this that she and Wayne might not be perfect for each other. Wayne stared at her for a while as if thinking about this ridiculous fact. After some while, he finally appeared frustrated. He lowered his head silently for a considerable amount of time after carefully bending down and putting his long, thin fingers in his hair. When Anna saw Waynes reaction, she felt weird. She said, Ive exined this to Karl before. Didnt he tell you that? Wayne slowly looked up and tried to stop himself from getting angry. He replied firmly, No. His words were short but resentful, making Annas heart skip a beat. She felt at that moment that she may have gotten Karl into big trouble. Wayne seemed to lose his anger after Anna briefly rified the misunderstanding. Wayne then told her briefly what had happened this evening after he had stopped feeling uneasy. I overheard at the dinner party that Gerald wanted you to meet him at that hotel. Afterward, I told Gabe to stop the car when I saw you close to the bar. Well, I thought that! wouldnt have gone in there if you left in a few minutes. Wayne spoke in an embarrassed tone, which was rare. Anna finished the rest of her sentence for him, You assumed something bad had happened to me when I didnte out for a long time, didnt you? Yeah. Anna nodded awkwardly and then exined why she wasnt in that room. Actually, I went to the wrong floor. When Gerard said he was in room 419, I thought it was on the fourth floor. Yet, after walking back and forth on the fourth floor many times, 1 couldnt find that room. Well, I didnt expect this hotel to call thergest suite on the top floor 419. Its insane! So, with so many misunderstandings happening together, they met at the police station. Just as they were chatting, Gabe came back with the medicine. When he saw that they were talking calmly, he froze. Then, overwhelmed, he said, Oh, hi. Am I interrupting you two? He felt shivers running down his spine after Wayne gave him a threatening stare. He said, Oh, Im sorry, I forgot to get something. So.. 2/3 However, Anna stopped him and said, Well, I know what you mean, and you dont have to do that. Its prettyte now, so Im leaving. Wayne immediately said, Ill give you a ride, Anna. Anna nced at his chest and refused, saying, Well, thanks, but you dont have to. The doctor said youre not recovering very well. So, youd better stay here and have a good rest. My hotel is just around the corner, so Ill walk back there. Uh, well see each other again. She said, See youter, while holding the bag tightly in her palm. Wayne stood still and looked at her back, and his gentle smile faded as she walked away. Then, when he found his phone, he could no longer control his anger. Karl! Why didnt you tell me that Annas marriage to Jasper was a lie?! Why?!!! His voice was like thunder on a July night as he yelled angrily. Even though Gabe had seen him acting like that a lot, he was nevertheless filled with anxiety at that precise moment. As he shuddered, the pill box in his hand nearly fell to the floor. Gabe reacted quickly when he heard Wayne shout at Karl on the phone. Before the doctor and patient could see him, he quickly shut the door. He then hid next to the door and texted Anna. At that moment, Anna had just walked out of the hospital and was strolling in the moonlight. Then she heard her cell phone peep. She saw a text message, Hi! Excuse me, but could you tell me what you said to Mr. Wright? Would you mind telling me? Hes on the phone right now yelling at Mr. Xavier. So, want to get prepared for it. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 When Anna read the text, sheughed and immediately replied, Oh, thats because Karl deserves it. You need not worry about anything, I suppose. Anna thought to herself, Karlis such a bber. Well, I can tolerate his spreading rumors. Yet, it pissed me off that he asionally failed to say what he was supposed to. It seems that everything will be bad news whenever he spreads the word. Well, he really knows how to muck things up! However, it was clear to both her and Wayne that the biggest issue in this matter was not Karl at all. Wayne needed a way to vent his anger, though, as he never conceded to defeat. Even if she expected Wayne to apologize to her, Anna knew best that he wouldnt. The following day, Anna arrived back in Birmingham carrying a tender notice from the Joan Group. She had to go through the usual procedures of attending the tender because Gerard had destroyed her previously private arrangement with them. Andrew agreed with her after she showed him the tender specifications. He said, Oh, dont worry. We can satisfy all of these needs, and the design of the staff uniform is notplicated. So, as long as no one gets in the way, this project will be ours. Great! Thank you. Andrew asked as he set down the leather ruler in his hand, By the way, when is Peace leaving? After giving it some thought, Anna responded, Oh, I suppose its the day after. Jasper said they were leaving at the end of the month, so its probably that day. Whats up? Do you want to say goodbye to her? Andrew replied decisively, Oh, no. Please advise her to return as soon as shes recovered. She can still seed me as a head designer even if she returns earlier. If she doesnt return until a few years Anna grinned at him after feeling resigned. After staring at Andrew for a moment, Anna teased him by asking, Hey Andrew, I heard that you used to date Peace when you were at college. Is that true? Andrews tanned face immediately flushed. Then, he denied it while ring at Anna, What? Thats ridiculous! How could I possibly like her?! Anna answered with a serious nod, Yeah, right. I heard that Peace had been smitten with you for a while before, and she had made a lot of effort to convince you to be her boyfriend. Well, then, you broke up with her a few days after you started dating. It does appear that you didnt like her, though. After briefly freezing, Andrew asked, What? Did she tell you that? Yes! She said shed been trying to get your attention, but you thought that her designs were crap. So, you broke up with her after a fight. 241 My Heart Will Always Be. Andrew was silent for a long time. He was panicking and measuring something with a leather ruler when Anna cast a questioning nce his way. Also, he looked slightly dazed. Hey, Andrew! Anna said. Andrew snapped back to attention and exined, Huh? Oh, you know what, I broke up with her because she was so grumpy. I dont like grumpy women. Anna eximed, Oh, grinned, and then turned to leave. Anna suspected that Andrew might not have wanted to ept the fact that he still had feelings for Peace. Andrew wouldnt have given Peace his cell phone number when he left Birmingham if he didntCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. like her. Being a man who cherished istion, his ideal way of life was to live alone in the mountains. However, the fact that he only told her how to find him was proof that he had actually fallen for her before. Anna had no idea what had happened to them before. Therefore, she had no idea if their breakup was because of a misunderstanding or something else. Two dayster, Peace and Karl were ready to go to America. At that time, Anna drove them to the airport. Peace, call me when you get there. Dont forget me, okay? after saying that, Anna gave Peace a big hug. She sensed that Peace had significantly lost weight during these days and even noticed that her face had sunk a bit. Peace was very emotional at that moment. Then she appeared quite sorrowful and had tears in her eyes shortly after Anna stated that. Anna couldnt bear to look at her anymore, so she turned her head to re at Karl and said, Hey, Karl! Ill show up in America immediately if you ever do anything mean to her. You know, we havent settled the scores yet. Besides, you still owe me a favor. Karl nodded immediately. He then nced at Jasper, who was beside him, and said in a strange tone, Dont worry. You see, Jasper is with us all the time. He owns half of Wall Street, doesnt he? Anna looked at him indignantly and said, Come on, no one is expecting you and Jasper to get along well, but you dont have to keep talking like that. You know, on top of being a pain in the ass, youre a bad example to my Peace. What? Hey! Shes mine! Her body and her soul belong to me! Karl red at Anna as well since he wasnt scared of her. Huh? Who are you to make that im? Even if you say that, she wont actually be yours if you do. Let me tell you, no one agrees to that! Me, Jasper, and Andrew, who arent here, are all her best friends. So, you cant say that! As Peace stood between Anna and Karl, watching them arguing, she felt a bit of dj vu with this scene. After giving it some thought, she realized that Anna had always been the peacemaker whenever she and Karl had a disagreement in the past. She had never imagined that their roles would be swapped one day. As she thought about it, Peace had mixed emotions. She tried not to cry and said, Well, the ne is about to take off. Its time for us to go. Karl grabbed her arm and shouted, Wait! Waynes not here yet. When she heard Waynes name, Anna froze. Neither Karl nor Peace knew how long they would be in America. So, Wayne was supposed toe to the airport to see them off. They had been at the airport for half an hour, but Wayne still hadnt arrived. Maybe hes shunning me, Anna thought to herself. Peace said as she cast a quick peek at her watch, Hey, lets go. Hes probably too busy to make it. You see, our nes about to take off. Oh, no, I want to wait for him. Karl, though, insisted. A young man eventually entered the lobby where they were after waiting for five minutes. When Karl spotted him, he abruptly broke away from the group and started running in his direction. Hey! Im here! Wayne! When Anna and Peace noticed them, they exchanged resigned nces. Karl returned panting because he had run so fast. When Peace was about to leave with him, he suddenly came down on one knee. Many people were walking around the airport, and some were staring at them. Peace froze and said, What are you doing? There are a lot of people watching us here! Please stop. Peace, I have something to say to you, and I have to do it in front of them before we leave. Karl lifted his hand and held up the ck heart-shaped suede box. Everyone was amazed to see the sparkling diamond ring inside the box as he snapped the lid open. That diamond was priceless and dazzling. The diamond appeared to be a cluster of a flickering fire amid the ring in the light. Ive proposed to you before, and youve refused me. And I am not forcing you to say yes to me now. You know, my dear, that you still have the right to reject me. But Im not going to flinch like a loser like I did before. Peace, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, even if you say no to me. Karls voice echoed in the hall. Everyone was moved by his earnest gaze, and Peace had already started crying. Looking at the handsome man in front of her, she had mixed emotions. That ring is called My heart beats for you forever, and I made it especially for you, sweetie. Peace Brooks, will you marry me? Peace trembled. When Anna saw it, she firmly gripped her hand. She knew better than anyone how happy and torn Peace was at that moment. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Everyone knew how much Karl loved Peace. Anna had been dubious about how much he cared for Peace up until that point. He turned out to be willing not only to care for Peace for months but also to fly with her to America for treatment. Anna knew that very few rich young men could do this. He did a lot for Peace even though they were only dating, If she were Peace, she didnt think she could refuse him at this time. Peace remained the same firm and sober woman, nevertheless. She rejected Karl once more, even though he had said many heartfelt words, and she had tears in her eyes. She said, I cant marry you, Karl. Im so sorry. Karl was obviously at a loss when he heard this. His hand holding up the ring froze awkwardly, and he wasnt sure whether he should put it away or give it to her. Even Anna could feel how embarrassed he was. Peace inhaled deeply and spoke in an incredibly calm voice, Actually, the fact that you are with me right now makes me happy enough. But, I dont even want you to travel with me to America. I have no control over my life and have no idea what Ill be like tomorrow. So, I dont want you to marry me. You dont have to stick with me, Karl. Although Peace was extremely sensible, Anna felt sorry and bad for Karl after hearing her words. Despite all of his attempts, Peace could still not truly trust Karl or devote herself to him. Anna understood that since she was so disturbed, the two of them must also be experiencing more intense feelings. Karl put the ring in his pocket and whispered, Ah, its okay, and I can wait for you. You can give me your answer after youve recovered, honey. Seeing this sad scene, almost everyone was overwhelmed with sorrow. Meanwhile, Jasper was the only sensible one. He nced at his watch and reminded them, Okay, lets go to the security check. Jasper seemed remarkablyposed amid all the people who had be sentimental because of their love. His voice was also magically calming. Anna shook Peaces hand and said, Tll be there for you, honey, no matter what choice you make. Well, just keep in mind that I want you to cherish life. You still have a lot of ces to go and foods you havent tried. You said you wanted to experience and try everything wonderful in this world. So, dont forget all that. Okay, Anna, I know, Peace answered with a nod. She stopped talking because she was sure Karl would understand what she meant. Since time could change everything, he would get what he wanted if he had strong faith. Well, I understand that. Karl took Peaces hand from Annas and replied. He turned to face Jasper and said, Well go through security now, I suppose. Do you have anything to say to Anna? Then the two of them walked forward. Afterward, Jasper reached inside his jacket pocket and handed a blue suede box to Anna, saying, Here you go. Anna smiled and calmly took the box. When Wayne saw that, his expression immediately turned somber, Jasper looked at Anna and said, Anna, I have a lot of things to deal with after I get back to New York. So, Im not sure when well see each other again. Promise me that youll take care of yourself, okay? Anna nodded, I will, so you dont have to worry about me. You know, Tammy was supposed to see you off here. But, she had to go to school. Jasper said with a calm gaze, Its okay, Ill meet her again. Please call me as soon as possible if Tammy gets ill again, Anna. My friend knows a doctor in America who should be able to treat her. Well, Ill take Tammy to America for a check-up when I next return. Great! While talking, Wayne sullenly interrupted them by saying, The ne is about to take off. Wayne was just a few feet away from Anna and standing very straight when she turned around. He was lifting his wrist with his watch and looking at Jasper with an expressionless face. Then he said, You just kept pushing Karl to go. So, why dont you go in a hurry? Anna frowned. Wayne, you had rarely said anything like that before, she thought. Thank you for the kind reminder, Mr. Wright. I advised them to take the ne quickly because I was afraid of dying their admission to the hospital. As you know, there are limited rooms in that institution. And unlike them, Im not in a hurry. Jaspers expression was calm, patient, and starkly contrasted with Waynes anxiety. Wayne asked somberly, Oh, it seems youre not going to go at all, are you? After realizing that he might be deliberately provoking Jasper, Anna frowned and asked, Wayne, What are you doing? Oh, its fine, and I was just asking. Dont get me wrong. Wayne nced at her and replied. He tried not to be angry because he and Jasper had already been into a fight, and he had been badly hurt. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Jasper appeared nice and at ease while grinning. He said with ease, To be honest, I dont want to leave here because I havent had enough fun. Since returning here, I have been so preupied with work that I havent even had time for Tammy. In addition, havent helped Anna as much as I ought to with her business. Can you help her, please, for the sake of Karl and Peace? Jaspers words meant a lot. To Anna, Jasper was being polite and talking to Wayne as a courtesy. But to Wayne, Jasper was challenging him. He asked Wayne to help Anna not for the sake of them having dated before but for the sake of Karl and Peace. So, he had clearly stated his attitude. In fact, Jasper avoided the fact that Wayne and Anna had dated. Men could tell if they were in love with the same woman at the same time just by looking at each other. Moreover, Jasper had already said many things to show what he thought. Wayne could feel that Jasper was being hostile toward him. So, he became even more irritated. He gave Jasper a look that suggested he attempted to subdue Jasper with his imposing aura. He said, Well, lets drop the past. Ill take care of Anna even if its not for Karl and Peaces sake, but for Tammys and Matthews. Wayne promised he wouldnt bring it up, but he soon did. Bedsides, he did it as a manner of retaliating against Jaspers hostility. Jasper maintained hisposure and remarked, Actually, its not too difficult for the kids to get along with their peers. Tammy has always been a cheerful girl, so it was easy for her to get along with others. Well, its mostly because my son is very fond of Anna. Anna couldnt understand their words and then interrupted them by saying, Come on,e on, stop talking about kids. Jasper, stop it, will you? Its time for you to go through security. If not, your ne might take off without you. Jasper smiled and said, Okay, Ill go then. Anna waved at Jaspers back and said, Call me when you get off the ne! In response, Jasper waved at her. Wayne frowned unhappily when he saw it. Then, seemingly indignant, he inquired, Why should he do that? Youre not his mother, Anna. Anna nced at him and said calmly, But Im his wife. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 When Wayne heard Anna say it, he felt like he had been stabbed with a knife. His expression turned grim as he then asked unhappily, What did you just say? Anna raised an eyebrow and then said boldly, You know, although our marriage is a deal, we are still husband and wife. So yes, I am his wife. Wayne asked through gritted teeth, Anna, you said that on purpose, didnt you? Anna gave him a quick nce before purposely adopting a perplexed expression. She said, What? I didnt mean to hurt you and I was telling the truth. Tell me, which part of what I just said was wrong? Wayne questioned with a frown, So, who am I to you? Anna folded her arms and then sized Wayne up from head to toe. She said, Oh? Apparently, we are exes after we broke up. Wayne treated Anna nicely since he returned from Seriel City, and had people bring flowers and treat to Annas office every day. Anna wasnt impressed by these favors from him. She wouldnt forgive Wayne because he had done something wrong and hadnt apologized to her. Anna wouldnt have necessarily gotten back together with Wayne even if he had apologized to her. So, she was right; they were just exes. Wayne didnt seem to think that way at all. He looked more serious and said, Anna, youre mistaken. We are still together. Anna looked at him seriously and then said, Oh? Really? Therefore, she teased him by saying, You are aware that once you have said something, you cannot take it back. You did say that you wanted to break up with me, Wayne. I didnt expect Gabe to betray me, Wayne muttered after bing silent and clenching his fists. Anna looked at him and started to jeer, Please dont me him, Wayne. He didnt do anything wrong. Do you really have no idea who told me this? Oh, I guess youre not as smart as everyone thinks. So, it makes sense why your cousin got the job instead of you. Waynes face darkened with embarrassment right away, thinking, I shouldnt have told you such things, Anna! Did you intend to make fun of me in that way forever? Anna decided to stop making fun of him after observing how speechless he appeared to be. Well, Im leaving now, she said. Let me give you a ride, Wayne said right away. Anna shook her head and answered with a polite smile, No, thank you, I drove here. 243! ve Never DIORUM UP WIL Besides, it doesnt seem to me that were going in the same direction. Anna believed that she and Wayne needed some space to collect their thoughts and determine whether they were right for each other. And she felt that she had much more to consider about than Wayne. Theirst few fights had been over the kids and the secrets she had kept from him back then. Anna thought she needed some time to process what had happened before deciding whether or not to keep dating Wayne. Wayne stood by himself while Anna walked away confidently without turning around. He instantly realized what Karl had said to him just before leaving. ording to Karl, most women were, in fact, very vindictive and liked to talk about mistakes men had made in the past. Women would keep those thoughts in mind if they didnt say them throughout their argument. Andter, they would say all those things one day and then leave men speechless. Wayne felt that now was that time. As much as he hated admitting it, he was wrong. Andrew created a sample of the staff uniform after working with the design team for a week. Therefore, Lemon had a project meeting before the formal bidding process started. During the meeting, Oscar, Lemons administrative manager, gave a brief analysis of the project and stated, The Joan Group voted with a top-level resolution of 30% and a staff meeting vote of 70%. Anna asked, The groups employees mainly make the decisions, right? Yes, if this tender is fair. Oscar made his point clear. Although the employees ounted for 70% of the vote, no one knew if someone within the group would control the employee vote. The employees wont give a rip about what they wear to work, but the apparel businesses that participated in the bidding do. Therefore, there was a chance that someone would buy everyone out. So, in the meantime, we need to keep an eye on the internal movements of the Joan Group. We also need to see if anyone disrupts the vote and take action in time to deal with Everyone began talking as soon as Oscar finished speaking. What? Do we still need to do that? Were not spies! We dont know how to do that. Can you hire a professional one to do that? Annas phone rang at that very moment. When Anna saw who was calling her, she stood up and said, Sorry, I have to answer a call. Please go on with the discussion. Ryans pleasant voice came over the phone as she was just picking it up. Anna, Ive got everything figured out! Ill return to Birmingham this afternoon. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Anna was surprised and asked, Oh? Really? Ryan traveled across the whole UK and found almost every nanny who had worked in the Wright household then. Finally, he found out the truth about Matthews ident. It hadnt been a very easy task, so Anna had assumed he wouldnt be back until after Christmas. She hadnt anticipated that he wouldplete all the work in just two months. Yeah, right. Ill tell you exactly what I found out when I see you. I believe what urred to Matthew back then wasnt a coincidence, and Im afraid Wayne knew about it too. Hearing this, Anna felt her heart skipped a beat. Then, she asked in a low voice, What time will you be at the airport? Ill be there to pick you up. Oh, you dont have to do that. Ill go straight to your house after I arrive. After hanging up the phone, Anna had mixed feelings inside. If Matthews ident had something to do with Wayne, she would never let him stay in the Wright house. In the evening, one of the servants reminded Wayne that he had to pick up Matthew from school. Wayne set the newspaper down, gave his watch a quick peek, and got ready to enter the garage. The cook called out to him before he left and said, Sir, Matthew wont eat anythingtely. Is it because he doesnt like the food I cook? Wayne frowned and replied, Oh, you cant cook what he likes to eat. A little dejected, the cook frowned as well. Before working at Wrights, she was a well-paid nutritionist. However, the fact that neither Matthew nor Wayne seemed to enjoy her food once she had worked here really annoyed her. Wayne was driving a dark blue car when he came out of the garage. The beautiful car gleamed magnificently in the bright sunlight. He then drove the car out of his house. Matthews picky eating had bothered him. Because Anna doted on Matthew so much and often cooked for him in the past, he would only eat what she cooked. At lunchtime, Tammy would bring him some of Annas cooking, which was all he ate every day. He wouldnt eat anything else, no matter how delicious the food their cook had prepared for him. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Wayne stepped heavily on the gas and pulled out of his neighborhood. He was expressionless. However, he looked quite irritated at that precise moment. Wayne thought. How did you manage to break up with me so soon and leave me without a trace? Why did you let me deal with so many tricky problems, Anna? It was almost five oclock. In addition to the temperature bing lower as autumn arrived, it also started getting darker sooner. As a result, Matthews kindergarten dismissed them 30 minutes earlier than usual. At 4:30, Wayne showed up in front of the kindergarten. However, he was unable to find a parking space Wayne spotted a red car parked to his right under a tree while driving around the campus in search of a parking spot. Then, a woman wearing a longvender dress, whom he knew well, stepped out of that car Wayne was agitated and honked his horn a few times as he thought about what the chef had just said to him. When Anna looked back and saw Wayne sitting in the car, she frowned and said, Hey, youre near the school now. You cant honk your horn! Anna shouted loudly and sounded aggressive as there was another car between them. Wayne looked subdued and slowly said, Im going to pull over further away. I dont think there is room for me to park here. So, could you go pick up Matthew for me? When Anna heard Waynes request, she immediately said yes It took Wayne ten minutes to finally find a parking space. After he parked his car and returned to the entrance, he saw Anna standing at the end of the line. Anna, I want to discuss something with you, he said as he approached her. Anna looked at him suspiciously before a king, What? Anna thought to herself, if youre to bring up getting back together with me now, Ill definitely say no to you. Wayne. Wayne then told her the truth, Matthew doesnt want to eat anything these days. You have had Tammy bring him a meal every day at lunch before, right? But, you see, he would only eat that throughout the day. So, what am I supposed to do? When Anna heard this, she grew worried. She asked, What? Does he really refuse to eat anything? Wayne was taken aback by how anxious Anna appeared to be. He believed that since he and Anna were no longer together, Anna had no obligation to take care of Matthew. However, it surprised him that Anna actually cared about Matthew so much. Wayne nodded and said, Yes, Ive had three different cookse to my ce this month. He still wont eat anything they cooked, though. He had been reluctant to discuss it with Anna for fear that she would believe he was doing it to win her sympathy, Meanwhile, he had no choice but to ask Anna for help. Matthew was already physically weaker than his peers, and he couldnt afford to skip meals anymore. I think I can get Tammy to bring Matthew lunch and breakfast each day to school. Well, I probably cant do anything about dinner. Oh, yeah, I can bring it to you every day after Ive made the meal. Then you can take it home to him. After Anna agreed right away, Wayne continued seriously, It works for Matthew and me. But what will he eat on the weekends? You know, Matthew cant be hungry all weekend. Hearing that, Anna frowned. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. After ncing at her, Wayne added, Would you mind cooking for me every Sunday at my home? You know, Anna, just like we used to do. Anna rejected it right away, eximing. No way! She clearly remembered that she and Wayne used to start dating because she always cooked for him at his ce. Anna reasoned that repeating such action would be extremely risky Besides, she didnt want to stay around Wayne anymore. Wayne continued to ask, So, you want Matthew to skip dinner all weekend? Anna finally thought of a sensible strategy. She said, How about you send Matthew to your grandfathers house on the weekend? I think I can cook for Matthew at his house. Its not only near my ce but also rather crowded with people. That way, we dont have to face each other alone. Anna knew that Peter wasnt a fan of hertely. So, she thought it would be more appropriate to cook for Matthew at his house so as to assure him that she meant no harm to Matthew. After hearing Annas words, Wayne scowled. He looked impatient and said, Do you hate being alone with me so much? Everyone had adored Wayne for the past thirty years of his life. So, Annas behavior puzzled him. He didnt expect her to keep trying to avoid him and be aloof toward him even when he initiated a conversation with her. Anna said again, Im not trying to avoid you, Wayne, but I dont want everyone to suspect that were getting back together. You know, weve already broken up with each other. I know your grandfather doesnt want to see us being together again because Henry had told me about it. So, I fear your grandfather will retaliate against me if he learns that we are still in contact. Wayne, Im doing this to protect myself. Wayne responded with a quick grimace, Gee! Why do you make it sound like were living in those dramatic yet boring soap operas? My grandfather wont do that to you. He has things to do. 2/4 Anna rolled her eyes at him and said, Actually, thats not necessarily true. Some people may simply imagine themselves as the lead in a soap opera. What? What are you talking about? Well, Im talking about your fiance Charlotte, of course! Charlotte didnt do anything but talk to me when she asked me to leave you. She didnt even pay for my coffee, for gods sake! You and your friends, in my opinion, are quite rude. You guys always take everything for granted and want to get what you want for free! Wayne was irritated and unsure of what to say when Anna brought up Charlotte. After a while, he collected himself and said, Well, Anna, Ill pick you up at your house on Saturday. Well, you dont have to do that. Ill be at your grandfathers house on my own. As Anna looked at the kids who were lining up from inside the school, she waved to the two of them and said, Hey, kids! Over here! Wayne saw that Matthew and Tammy ran out holding hands. Tammy was so excited that her face was flushed. After waving goodbye to her teacher, she looked back and saw Wayne. She pouted unhappily and let go of Matthews hand. She said, Mommy, lets go. C Wayne frowned. He was going to say hello to her, but he finally didnt because he felt she didnt want to see him. Anna stroked Matthews head and said, Matthew, honey, your daddy says youre not eating anything now. Why? After a brief period of silence, Matthew said, Foods not good. Anna sighed and asked, So, you prefer the food I cook? Matthew nodded. OK, sweetie, I just made a deal with your dad. Ill start cooking for you at your great-grandfathers house every Saturday. Hows that sound to you? After hearing what she said, Matthew c****d his head and stared at her with bright eyes as if to ask whether she was speaking the truth or not. But you have to promise me that you will have your meals regrly even when you dont see me. Is that OK? Okay, Matthew immediately nodded his head. Anna grabbed Matthews tiny hand and hooked it onto her little finger, Ill pinky swear now. Promise me that, OK? Ill meet you on Saturday. After that, Anna left with Tammy. Matthews sparkling eyes dimmed after seeing them drift away. Matthew rejected Waynes attempt to sp his hand. Then Matthew seemed angry and got into the car alone. Matthew! Hey! Wayne knew there was nothing he could do about it. Meanwhile, he had to go to the back seat and adjust Matthews safety seat. When Matthew returned from school, Wayne sensed that he was always distant from Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Wayne said mncholy, Have you forgotten that you are my son, Matthew? Im your father, and Anna is NOT your mother. She is! Matthew quickly wrote two words on the drawing board and showed him. If Wayne continued to argue with Matthew, he thought he would lose his mind. He had to say this since he didnt want to discuss it further, All right, son. Were going to great-grandfathers house for dinner tonight. No! No? Then Im going to call your mom. Im going to tell her that you go back on your word. She wont visit you over the weekend if you do it that way. Then, you wont be able to eat the food she made. Matthews face heated, and his anxiety grew as soon as he said those words. He said while stamping his feet, You You are bad! Wayne gave him a quick look and added, Well, I am. You should think about whether you want to have dinner at Great-granddads house or not on the way. Wayne then mmed the back seat door shut before settling into the drivers seat. After that, he started the car and headed for his grandfathers house. Wayne had had nothing to do ever since Richard became the president of Carousel Group. He not only stayed at home and read books but also drove Matthew to school and picked him up every day as a nice father ought to do. However, Matthew didnt seem to appreciate it. On top of that, he frequently asked Wayne when he would reconcile with Anna. Matthew simply believed Wayne and Anna were only fighting and that they would make up with each other eventually. At the same time, Tammy sat in the back seat of Annas car, feeling angry. She asked, Mom, you and Wayne broke up, right? Then you two need to quit spending so much time together. Anna found what she said amusing and said, Baby, whats wrong? I remember that you used to like him quite a bit. Yes, I used to like him a lot, but that was in the past. You know, hes getting married to another woman now! He hasnt treated you as well as daddy has, either. Please stop dating him, Mom! You can date another man if you still dont like daddy. Geez! Since when did you be so mature? Did youe up with it or did someone else tell you this idea? Oh, Liam told me. Huh? Liam again? Anna froze. She knew that Liam was the new student in Tammys ss. Tammy had frequently been bringing him uptely, and even more often than she mentioned Matthew. As she was thinking about it, she heard Tammy warn her seriously, Okay! Anyway, dont you keep talking to him anymore. Otherwise, he will obstruct your chance to find your true love. Is that also what Liam said to you? Tammy nodded thoughtfully and replied, Yes! Liam is brilliant, mom. After a while, Annaughed and asked, But what if your brother refuses to eat at home? Honey, Ive promised Wayne to cook for Matthew at Peters house every weekend. Huh? Tammy frowned. She arched her brow and had a perplexed expression on her adorable little face. All right, baby. If you dont want to see Mr. Wright, then you dont have to go there. Ill drop you off at work on the weekends, dear. Uncle Andrew will help you dress your Barbie dolls while you y with him. Tammy eximed while folding her arms, No! Im going there, too! Why? You just said you didnt want to see Wayne. Anna asked, holding the steering wheel in disbelief. Ha! you know, Im going to watch him. If he dares to treat you badly again, Ill call Daddy. That way, Daddy wille back to protect you. Anna initially froze before smiling as she noticed Tammy making a stern face in the rearview mirror. She was deeply touched by her words and agreed, Okay. Adults always assumed that children had noprehension of anything. However, kids were actually considerably more sensitive to emotions than adults were. And Anna didnt even know when Tammy started to have so much resentment toward Wayne. Perhaps it was when she first revealed to her that Matthew was actually her brother that Tammy started to hate Wayne, she guessed. She assumed that Tammy had realized that Wayne was actually her biological father even though she had never told her before. There could be a variety of causes, in Annas opinion. However, she didnt realize the changes because they were so subtle. It was already toote when she realized that Tammy had loathed Wayne. They had previously had a huge fight and cleared up their misunderstanding by that point. When Anna brought Tammy home, Ryan had been waiting for them at the door. Tammy was delighted to see Ryan. She suddenly appeared joyful before leaping into Ryans arms. She said happily, Uncle Ryan! Youre finally back! I missed you so much. Ryan immediately picked her up and gave her a few shakes. He said, Hey, youve grown up a lot. Did you miss me, Tammy? Of course! Tammy said in her cute voice. When Anna saw Ryans luggage on the floor, she opened the door and said, Well,e on in. Ill go to the grocery store in a little while and make you dinner. Oh, you dont have to do that, Anna. I just need to have a quick meal because Im so tired. I only came to your home to sleep on your couch. Dont sleep on the couch. Its ufortable. Well, the guest room is yours tonight. Anna grinned and opened the door for him. Tammy excitedly walked into her room after receiving the gift Ryan had given her. After that, Anna entered the kitchen to prepare Ryans spaghetti. She said, Please wait a minute. Dinner will be ready soon. Ryan nodded as hey on the couch. After a while, Anna heard him snoring. When Anna came out of the kitchen with the pasta, Ryan had already fallen asleep. She hesitated for a moment and still couldnt bear to wake him up. She observed that Ryans face was illuminated by the living rooms warm, yellow light, making him still look like a teenager. Half of his eyes were hidden by the unkempt bangs in front of his forehead, and it appeared that he hadnt had his hair cut in a while. At that moment, Anna felt guilty. Hed been recuperating after shed hit him with her car. Later, he finally regained some of his memory. However, he assisted her in looking into Matthews ident immediately after that, regardless of whether he had fully recovered or not. In any case, Ryan was still a fresh adult despite his mature behavior. Anna wondered why she agreed to let him travel so far away in the first ce. She believed she would never be able to repay him for his kindness. Thinking of that, she sighed. At that moment, Ryan was suddenly awakened. He sat up from the couch, rubbing his drowsy eyes and asked, Is dinner ready, Anna? Yeah. Anna immediately ced the te in front of him. It was a te of delicious spaghetti with tomato bolognese and a few slices of ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. bacon. Ryan smiled happily and said with excitement, Ah! Ive always wanted to eat the food you make, Anna. With that, he immediately picked up his te and ate the spaghetti. Soon, he had finished the whole te of pasta. Are you still hungry? Ill let me make you some more. Anna said. Ryan wiped his mouth as he said, Oh, thank you, but Im good. Im full, so lets get down to business. He ced his fork on the edge of his te and made a crisp sound, and that sound seemed to herald the beginning of a new chapter in the story. There were two nannies who looked after Matthew three years ago. Matthews meals Chapter 246 Chapter 246 You actually found them! Anna couldnt help eximing. Ryan nodded and said, Yes, they now run a restaurant together in Leeds, called Sisters Restaurant. And theyre doing quite well. Mary and Kim were cousins, and both of them came from a remote, poor vige. So, after they left that vige, they had no intention of returning to their hometown. They had only been employed by the Wrights for two years, ording to their profile, which Ryan showed Anna. The Wrights had been training them during one of those years. So, they had been working there officially for a very short time. Since they made it through many tests, they were well-paid. So, they usually would not do harm to their host simply for a bit of profit. I checked their bank ounts, but I found nothing unusual about it. They earned a good sry as nannies at the Wrights house, and most of the money they received was the severance pay the Wrights gave them three years ago. That means that they werent bribed by anyone, right? No, Ryan said and shook his head. . Then he showed Anna an image of a bony guy standing on a road as he turned the material over a page. This man is Kims ex-husband. He went to Birmingham to look for Kim and extorted arge sum of money from her. Later, he developed a h****n addiction and ran up debt with loan sharks. But three years ago, the people asking him for money stopped, and he went into rehab. Anna scowled and looked in wonder at the man in the picture. At that point, she had already guessed precisely what had happened. Well, I found this man in a nearby county, and he had just gotten out of that rehab six months ago and had quit drugs. He admitted that the person behind all of this talked to him years ago. That person promised to help him pay back the loan sharks in addition to a substantial amount of money. And all he needed to do was to persuade Kim to put drugs into Matthews form. So, Kim did this whole thing, right? Ryan shook his head again and said, No, I cant say that for sure. Anyway, Im surprised at how smart this guy is. He imed that Kim filed for divorce with him after refusing toply with his request in the first ce. The two argued over it and even went to the Birmingham police station. Ive checked this record, and he was telling the truth. Anna kept asking, Hey, you just mentioned that two women set up that restaurant in Leeds. So, did Mary do the whole thing? Ryan nodded and said, Yes, it did have something to do with her. It was an easy situation. Kims ex-husband refused to divorce her after they got into a huge fight. The debt collectors couldnt get the money from him, so they went to her. As Kims cousin, Mary cared for her and couldnt stand it. So, she poisoned Matthew behind their back. At first, Kim was unaware of it. She questioned Mary about it after learning that something bad had happened to Matthew. But, it had already happened by that time, and the mastermind of the incident protected them. So, they left Birmingham and went to Leeds. Nobody took a penny from the beginning to the end, which was why the Wrights didnt find anything suspicious about them. Besides, no one would believe that someone didnt do this for the money. Oh? How do you know about this? Anna asked, puzzled. Back then, they didnt leave any traces of that crime. Therefore, they shouldnt disclose it even if Ryan found them. Ryan said with aplicated expression, Actually, Mary has cancer and is probably going to die soon. So, she confessed everything to me. Maybe she got sick because of karma. After poisoning Matthew, Mary felt uneasy. Although nobody else knew that she did it, she was constantly concerned that the Wrights would find out. She thus worried for all these years. She was subsequently diagnosed with stomach cancer six months ago, which was deadly. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna also felt conflicted upon hearing this. She believed that this woman deserved it. However, Mary did it to save her cousin rather than gain money. Anna then said,Oh So, who exactly is the mastermind of this matter? Have you also found it out? Ryan took a slow, deep breath and said, Actually, Mary said that it was the young master from the Wright family who made her do it. Annas fists clenched as her heart skipped a beat. She said, But you know, there were several young masters in the Wright family. Mary said she was pretty sure that man was Matthews father. She only met him during the holidays, but she frequently saw him on the news. So, shes certain that it is him. Anna felt the blood in her clenched fist turning cold. Then that coldness flowed back through her frozen limbs. She thought to herself, Did Wayne do this? Why?! Why would he make use of his twoCyearCold son? Looking at Annas pale face, Ryan felt sorry for her. Heforted her by saying, Well, Anna, you dont have to think about the worst-case scenario. Maybe, Wayne didnt anticipate that this would have such a huge impact on Matthew. I asked Mary about the medication she was giving Matthew at the time, and she said it was simply some nutritional powder. She only let him have a small amount of that because she worried he wouldnt digest it. Well, she didnt see why this would prevent Matthew from speaking. Additionally, the physician noted that Matthews vocal cords were healthy. So, maybe, the reason why Matthew didnt want to talk was that he was startled. Anna didnt feel any better after hearing Ryans words. She thought to herself, It seems that Wayne is indeed a cruel man! I didnt know he would make a profit out of his twoCyearCold son, who had just learned to talk. Hes horrible! Well, Ryan, you dont have tofort me. I know what I have to do. Anna said. She had already been mentally prepared for the worst-case scenario when Ryan had previously reminded her of this situation. At the end of the night, Ryan went to bed immediately after his bath. He was feeling exhausted after traveling around the country for months. In Tammys room, Anna struggled to sleep for a while. She felt terrible seeing her daughters adorable sleeping face on the bed. I wouldnt have allowed the Wrights to steal Matthew from me if I could have been more powerful back then. So, he wouldnt have grown up in such a dangerous family or been treated as a tool. Her phone beeped, and the screen shed up at that very time. Peace is fine at the hospital, and Im doing great, too. How about you, Anna? It was a text message from Jasper. Anna inhaled deeply and sat on the carpet while gazing at the screen. She immediately replied, Thanks, things are fine here. By the way, Ive made my decision about Matthew. Can you still find thatwyer you mentioned before? I need to consult him about his custody. Anna hadnt tried to get Matthew back when she and Wayne broke up because Wayne had raised him for so many years. So, she had no right to take him away. Sheter realized that since Wayne had already mistreated Matthew before, he could possibly do this again. Matthew would therefore be at risk if he kept living with Wayne. Jasper immediately replied to her text message and sent her thewyers cell phone number and email address. You can ask him some questions first. Ill be back to Birmingham next month, and you can talk to me about it. Dont be afraid, Anna. Ill always be there for you. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 The following day was Friday. Ryan suggested that he take Tammy to schoolter during breakfast. May I, Anna? Id like to do something for you. You know, maybe Ill be staying at your house for a while. Anna handed him a cup of ck coffee and said, Well, youre wee to stay at my house forever. I still feel bad about hitting you with a car, you know. Additionally, appreciate everything you did for me. You can stay at my home as long as you like, and Ill help you find your familyter. Anna asked, By the way, have you checked out any of those nearby universities? Have you visited all of them? Ryan froze for a moment after hearing her words. He said, lowering his head to conceal his intense feelings, Ive been to almost all the schools, except two art schools. It is easier than I thought. Okay, Ill go there with you this weekend. Ryan said while lookingposed, You dont have to do that, Anna. I can handle those things by myself. Anna chose to remain silent after realizing how firm he was. However, she was still somewhat worried. In fact, she had asked Wayne to help her investigate Ryans identity before. They could therefore ess Ryans information from the database if they provided the police with his photograph and fingerprint. However, Anna didnt bring this up after she split up with Wayne. Ryan dropped Tammy off at school after breakfast. The Joan Group made that afternoon the deadline for submitting bids. Anna didnt drop Tammy off with Ryan and instead went directly to the office because it was more urgent. In the office, Oscar, the manager of Lemons administration department, handed Anna the final version of the bid document and asked her to sign it. He said, Miss Gabriel, please take a look at that. I just had it revised. Anna read it carefully and found that it was excellent. She signed the document and handed it to Oscar, saying, Well, thanks. Can you deliver it to the Joan Groupter? Oscar agreed right away and then said, By the way, you mentioned earlier that you wanted someone to monitor the voting of the Joan Group. So, have you managed to find someone? Well, Ive found one. Anna nodded as she spoke. Oscar warily asked as he observed Annas facial expression, Oh! So, who is that guy? TP HIS !!! ! 49!!!Fully in Anna looked at Oscar as she scribbled a few words on the page and stated, Oh, no, hes a professional one. You dont have to worry about this, Oscar. All you need to do is to get the bidding done. If the Joan Group has any input for us, please let me know. Oscar nodded and said awkwardly, Okay, got it. Anna took one more look at the door after Oscar left. Lemon was in a critical development period, so all Anna had to do was hold on. She believed that if she made a mistake now and trusted the wrong person, it would lead to severe repercussions. Matthew said he wanted to wait for Tammy and get to the school with her when Wayne left him off at the kindergarten. So, Wayne had to stand with him and wait for her at the door. When Tammy arrived at the school, it was almost nine in the morning. Ryan! What are you doing here? Wheres Anna? Wayne inquired unhappily after realizing that Ryan had sent Tammy here. Ryan looked at Wayne with a fake smile and asked, Why cant I take her to school? I remember that you and Anna have broken up. But why are you acting like youre still intimate with her? People might misunderstand you guys, and its not good for the kids. Wayne gave him a casual nce and replied, I dont think this has anything to do with you at all! By the way, why did you leave my hotel so soon? I almost called the police because I thought brain surgeons had taken you back to the hospital. Now, it appears I will have to check you back into a mental hospital, doesnt it? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ryan had an imposing smirk on his face. He spoke disdainfully, Im currently staying at Annas ce, and things are going well. So, you dont have to do anything for me. Waynes face darkened even more at that point. Ryan left the school after he saw Tammy enter the school since he didnt want to chat with Wayne any longer. Just as he was about to leave, he heard Wayne say to him in a gloomy voice, I know who you are. Youre Ryan Tyler, a student majoring in detective and counter-surveince at Military Academy, right? Ryan froze. He slowly turned around and saw Wayne giving him a cold re as he surveyed him. Apparently, you remembered who you are. So, why did you pretend to be an amnesiac to gain everyones sympathy? Why didnt you tell everyone the truth? Im sure youve been staying in Annas house for a reason. Ryan Tyler, what do you want to do? Ryanughed contemptuously again and said, Oh, Wayne, unlike you, I dont necessarily do everything to gain profit. Honestly, Im by Annas side because I like her. Wayne asked more somberly, By hiding the truth from everyone? I believe that the jail would be a better option for you. Ryan remained calm and said slowly, You know someone is always keeping an eye on you. So, do you think it would do you any good to send me to the police? If I were you, I would have let me stay by Annas side. That way, Ill not only protect her, but also find out what Richard did to you. Are you also wondering how he managed to take your job? Hes only been president for half a month, yet, he already doubled the groups profit. Hearing his words, Waynes gaze became meaningful. Actually, he was well aware that Ryan was not an ordinary student. When he found out that Ryan was a student of Military Academy, he also found out the subjects he participated in and his transcripts. As a result, he was aware of Ryans exceptional and highly unusual talent. Gabe once met one of Ryans professors at the university. This professor said, Ryan is a gifted investigative genius. If he puts his focus in the right ce, he will be a brilliant detective. If not, he will be the best criminal ever. In a crime-solving contest held by his school and the criminal investigation unit, Ryan was once the first to apprehend a suspect. Hemitted another crime simultaneously, making himself appear even more innocent. He got warned by his school due to this crime. But he also earned the credentials necessary to pursue his masters and Ph.D. there. Why should I believe you? Looking into Ryans eyes, Wayne searched for any hint that the man was making up stories to mislead him. To his surprise, Ryan smiled at ease and said, Wayne, you can choose not to believe me. Even if Anna finds out who I am, she has no reason to put me in jail. But Anna will think youre making a big deal out of it for no reason if you put me in jail. Hearing this, Waynes expression became even more annoyed. After they remained locked in a stalemate for a while, Wayne asked indifferently, Did you just say that Anna will be in danger? Why did you say that? Ryan said grimly, I know what a man Richard is. But, you seem to know more about him than I do. He is an evil person who will do anything to achieve his goals. So, if you piss him off, hell do anything to get back at you. This is a matter between your family, and it has nothing to do with me. However, you cant involve Anna in it and hurt her. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Ryan wasnt making up anything. If hecked concrete evidence, he would never have said that. Okay. If you did this to protect Anna, I can apologize to you. But, could you perhaps share your discoveries with me? Ryanughed in a low voice and said, Im a professional detective, and I need to charge you at least $10,000 for this kind of information. So, you can stop staring at me like that, Wayne. Really? Youre not gonna pay me? Well, you can at least buy me a cup of coffee. Wayne sized him up for a moment and looked less guarded as he weighed the pros and cons. He asked, Youve got a minute? Let me treat you for coffee. He was a shrewd businessman and knew when to cave in. Wayne then took Ryan to a fancy cafe downtown. There were walls between each booth to ensure the customers privacy in addition to the lovely surroundings. Ryan then gave Wayne a brief summary of what he knew. He said, Well, thats all i know. If you think my worries are groundless, you can call the police and have me put in jail. Wayne fiddled with the coffee cup in his hand as he scowled at Ryans face meaningfully and asked, Well, lets just say youre telling the truth. But I still dont believe you approached Anna without a purpose. Ryan said frankly as he seemed unafraid of Wayne, Ha! You wouldnt know it, because I did approach her on purpose. You know, shes single now. So, I can ask her to go out with me anytime. Waynes expression immediately turned somber, and he said threateningly, Nothing seems to intimidate you, I suppose. Ryan looked at the pattern on the porcin coffee cup in his hand and said nonchntly, All right, stop threatening me. You wont scare me no matter what you do. You might want to think about how you will get your position back, Wayne. You dont need to worry about exactly why Im staying with Anna right now. Otherwise, youd be worrying about that every day. Wayne nced at him and said, Oh, you dont have to worry about me. To be honest, Im suspicious of your intentions. Can you exin why you know so much about my family? Do you find it hard to understand? You see, your family is so big and there are so many of them. So, its very likely that you have some poor rtives. Well, I think its not surprising at all. Wayne asked as he eyed Ryan suspiciously, Rtives? Ryan extended his hand so that Wayne could examine him more closely. And he replied, What? You dont believe me? Actually, I think we both look a bit alike. People might believe we are brothers, you know. Wayne gave him a stern look and asked, Really? But, I dont think so. Ryan felt embarrassed by Waynes indifferent response to his joke. He nervously sniffled and continued, You know I was joking, right? I wouldnt dare tter myself to say Im a rtive of yours. Well, youve been talking nonsense for a while, and you still havent told me what youre up to. Ryan responded as he slouched back in his chair. Well, youve asked me this question several times. So, Ill just tell you straight out. You would also know that the only thing I love in the world is money. Anna is the only heir to the Gabriel family now. Although her family has gotten into trouble, they are still very wealthy. You two used to date, so.. Go ahead, tell me how much you want. Ryan extended his left hand, showing five fingers. Half a million dors? Its not that much, said Wayne, looking at him grimly. Ryan, however, let out augh and said, Wow! Do you think Annas safety is only worth half a million dors? You know, Im selling you information about yourpetitor. In my opinion, that news is worth five million dors. Okay, deal. I hope you can do what youre supposed to do. Wayne had at first far underestimated that price. However, after learning exactly how much Ryan wanted, Waynes tone remained cold. Ryan even suspected that Wayne had known how much he wanted but deliberately said that to bargain with him and tease him. Ryan was left alone in the cafe after Wayne left after paying the bill. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ryan sipped histte and then quickly looked at the five million dor check lying on the table. Then he laughed mockingly at that. Ryan thought Wayne was just how he had imagined him to be. Wayne, it turns out that youre just a ruthless businessman who cares about you bottom line. He thought that was absurd. For twenty years, a member of Ryans family had felt bad about Wayne, but he didnt believe he deserved it. After leaving the cafe, Wayne went straight to Wrights house. He hadnt been home for a long time after he and Peter had had a huge fight. As a result, the maids all looked surprised when they saw him. Of course, Peter was surprised to see him. However, he kept his emotions to himself. He groaned and inadvertently said, Wheres Matthew? Why didnt hee as well? It seems to me that you dont want him to see me. Henry said, Oh, Peter, its Friday. Matthew have to go to school on Friday! Henry then received a scowl from Peter that appeared to use him of being nosy. Wayne said, Well, Ill pick him up tonight, and Ill let him stay here for the Wayne appeared to lessen the tension by stating this. Although he sounded just as aloof as Peter Peter calmed down after hearing that. He said, Oh, good. Im getting old, and I may kick the bucket soon. So, youll have to give me more opportunities to see my dear Matthew. By the way, Anna ising to make meals for Matthew on the weekend. Peters happy expression suddenly became irritated. Immediately standing up, he gripped the arms and asked, Huh? What did you say? Why? Wayne calmly exined, Matthew only eats what she cooks. He wont eat anything, no matter how amazing my chefs cooking is. Ill let here to my house if you dont want to see her. That way, Matthew wonte to your house and spend time with you. Peter got even angrier and said, You want her to go to your house? Wayne, dont you forget what I told you! I dont want you to see each other anymore. You know, shes already married to another man! Do you know what it will make you? Youre the other man! Before Peter could finish his sentence, he heard a girl holding back herughter at the door. She refrained fromughing but couldnt stop herself. Whos at the door? What are youughing at? Peter cast a glum-looking nce toward the door. Henry immediately exined, Oh, its Natalie! Come on in, please! A little girl entered the room through the door at that very moment. Her expression was somewhat contorted since she had to restrain herself fromughing. She purposefully moved passed Wayne to Peters side and said seriously, Im sorry, Father. This whole thing is quite funny. My nephew is a nice young guy, but its funny that hes the other man. Amused, Peter stopped looking serious anymore. He deliberately pointed to Wayne and asked Natalie, What if your nephew has been nning to bring his lover home? Natalie, what should we do then? Chapter 249 Chapter 249 249 I Took the Initiative to Break Up With Him ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Natalie cautiously added as she saw Waynes dejected expression, Actually, I think its a good thing. Anna came here just to cook for Matthew. You know that Matthew is your only great-grandson and he cant be starved. Oh? Do you mean that Anna cane to my house as she like? Peter said with discontent. Father, I remember that you once thought highly of Anna. Peter then scowled and grumbled, Oh, that was before. Back then, I had no idea that she was still married. When Natalie noticed that Peter was bing furious again, she didnt dare to bring it up again. She then abruptly shifted the subject and stated, So, just regard Anna as a new cook we hired, okay? We live in a massive mansion. So, if you dont want to see her, keep her out of the courtyard where you are. Natalie returned her gaze to Wayne once she finished, and then carefully said, Actually, I just overheard your conversation. You can ask Anna to go to Waynes house if you dont want her toe here. She will then stop bothering you. Peter smirked. He didntprehend the gravity of the situation until he heard Natalies words. He recognized that if he didnt allow Anna toe to their house, shed go to Waynes. He wouldnt know what would happen between the two of them that way. As a result, Peter agreed immediately, stating, Okay, Ill let here to my house this weekend. Everyone knew that he would never change his mind once Peter agreed to something. Natalie exhaled a sigh of relief after hearing what he said and even proudly raised an eyebrow at Wayne and grinned. Wayne, on the other hand, gave Natalie a cold stare that made her shudder all over. So, she immediately left. It was Saturday the next day. All the servants were courteous to Anna when she arrived at the Wright house with Tammy. After taking Anna to the kitchen, one of the servants said, Miss Gabriel, would it be okay if I lead Tammy the way to Matthews room? Tammy snorted and eximed before Anna could say anything, No way, Im not leaving! I just want to stay in the kitchen with my mom. Well, Matthew has been anticipating your arrival for quite some time. Besides, he has a gift for you. Tammy pouted, Huh! Im not going. When Anna noticed that the maid was still trying to persuade Tammy, she answered, Okay, thats fine. Ill cook as quickly as possible. Then Ill leave with Tammy as soon as I finish cooking. So, you dont have to keep her entertained. Anna was well aware that her mere presence would disgrace her. As a result, she wanted to leave as soon as shepleted cooking. She wouldnt havee to Wrights house in the first ce if she wasnt worried that Matthew would be hungry. Tammy sat in the chair next to Anna and watched her while she was cooking. Anna handed her a cleaned tomato, and Tammy ate it with red juice all over her face. She asked, Can you cook faster, Mom? I want to eat fried chickenter. Yes, baby, Anna responded. The ingredients in the kitchen were almost all pre-made, and the cook had already washed the meat for Anna. Therefore, Anna only needed to prepare a few side dishes and ce the food in the pot. The kitchen was then filled with the delicious aroma of food. Peter was staying two yards away from the kitchen. He was reading in his study when Henry said to him, Peter, the cook is here. Peter set the book he was carrying down and asked, Oh, please allow her in. Is Anna here already? The cook replied, Yes, Miss Gabriel came here with her daughter. I asked if the little girl wanted to y with Matthew, but she refused it. So, theyre both in the kitchen right now. Peter grunted, and then said, Gee, she sure is smart! Does she think Wayne and Matthew will go to the kitchen to talk to them that way? Invite them to the far side of the yard at lunchtime! They wont be eating with us this way. The cook gave Peter a thoughtful looh before saying, In fact, Miss Gabriel said she would leave as soon as she finished cooking. She also said she woulde back again before dinner. So, I dont think she ns to stay here all day. Peter grimaced and felt irritated when he heard this. Henry gave him a look before gesturing for the cook to go. Then he persuaded Peter, Actually, I dont think Miss Gabriel is that kind of frivolous woman. So, perhaps you misinterpreted her. Peter said unhappily, Hey, why are you putting in a good word for her? Did Wayne bribe you? Henry immediately shook his head and then said, Oh, no! I can swear to God Im not being paid off! But if youre still unsure, you can check her out in the kitchen. Peter looked up at Henry at this time and then seemed to be thinking about his opinion Henry once again suggested, Lets go check it out together, shall we? Then Peter put the bookmark in the book and walked away from the desk, saying, Yeah, lets go. The kitchen was filled with the enticing smells of cooking. Anna had prepared three dishes and a bowl of soup. Finally! Lets go, Tammy, she eximed as she removed her apron after cleaning her hands. Tammy sprang up immediately, leaped into Annas arms, and said, Yes, Mom. Gee, I smell like beef all over me now! Dont get so close to me, dear. Tammy rubbed her face against Annas dress and said, Oh! I dont mind it at all! Lets go. I want to eat honey-vored fried chicken. Okay, you got it, Anna said. She took Tammys hand and was ready to walk out of the kitchen with her. However, before leaving the kitchen, they noticed that Peter step in. He looked to be in good spirits and took a big stride toward the kitchen. Grand Mr. Wright, hello. Anna instantly corrected herself, and then said calmly. Peter nodded and looked at the dish behind her before asking, Well, youve got the lunch ready? Yes, I made three dishes plus a pot of soup; all of them are Matthews favorites. Peter said, Actually, youre not the first person that wants to marry Wayne by pleasing Matthew. But you are the first woman that Matthew relies on so much. You must remember that I am still the master of this family. Besides, youll never be able to marry my grandson. A woman like you cant be the hostess of our house! Hearing Peters harsh words, Anna gripped Tammys hand tightly and said gently, No. I think you misinterpreted me. You should know that your grandson and I are no longer together. Besides, I dont intend to get back together with him. Matthew and I are quite close, and he is a good friend of my daughter. So, of course, Im happy to cook him a few meals. You definitely dont n to get back together with Wayne? Peter asked, frowning. Anna looked unhappy and said, Oh, you probably did misunderstand me. While Wayne is brilliant and precious in your mind, not everyone wants him. Actually, Wayne and I really arent meant to be together. You wanted to set us up, didnt you? But Im not getting back together with him. Well, actually, Im the one who breaks up with him. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Anna felt that she had been pped by a cold fish when she realized that Peter assumed she was pestering Wayne. Peters expression changed, though, when he heard what Anna said. He asked with displeasure. Oh? Youre the one who dumped him? So, you dont think Wayne is good enough for you? Anna immediately went silent because she was speechless. After regaining hisposure, Peter clumsily coughed and apologized to her. Anna then said, Well, Im going to leave with my daughter, and well have lunch elsewhere. Before they left, Peter immediately called out to them, saying, Please dont go! I cant let you leave like this after cooking for Matthew. Otherwise, it will make our family look rude. Besides, you have toe here in the evening to prepare dinner. So, you dont have to go to the trouble ofing home. However, Anna felt that if she stayed here, then it would only cause trouble. Therefore, she declined and said, Oh, thanks. But Id better go home. Peter asked indifferently, Whats wrong with having lunch with us? You are merely a guest in our home if you dont want to get back with him. Peter seemed to be threatening Anna. He was implying that if Anna left without having lunch with them, it would mean that she was still in love with Wayne. Anna scowled and took a moment to think. However, she decided to stay here when she realized she could meet Matthew for lunch. So, she agreed to that and said, Okay, Ill stay here. I wont say no to you again since you invited me like that. Anna didnt know what Peter meant when he insisted she stay for lunch at that point. As she entered the dining hall, Anna was taken aback to see Charlotte seated across from her. She understood at that point that Peter had done it to intimidate her. In addition, he nned to inform her in front of everyone that Wayne was already engaged. So, he wanted her to stop having wild thought about Wayne. And Anna thought this was ridiculous. She gave Charlotte, who was seated across from her, a courteous smile to greet her. Peter said, You two have met before, am I right? I remember that Charlottespany and the Carousel Hotel have coborated with each other before. After that, Peter turned to gaze at Charlotte and Anna, who were seated on his right 250 Im Okay With the Engag and left, respectively. However, when he nced at Charlotte, his eyes were kind and weing A few months ago, Peter had recognized Anna as Waynes future wife, and he had been very contemptuous of Charlotte. But now, he seemed to adore Charlotte a lot and despised Anna instead. Anna didnt dare to think about it anymore. Just as she looked down in contemtion, Wayne walked in with one hand tugging Matthew tightly. Wayne didnt halt in his tracks when the maids greeted him. However, when he walked behind Anna, he stopped and asked, Oh, Grandpa, why is she here? He was asking why Charlotte was there. However, Peter misunderstood him and said, Well, Miss Gabriel insisted on leaving after she was done cooking. But I thought it would be rude if I let her go. So, I just asked her to join us for lunch. Wayne, take a seat here. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna clenched her fists as she felt very disappointed. She thought to herself, already known that Wayne would be engaged to Charlotte. So, why did I have toe here and make a fool of myself? / shouldnt have said yes to Peter! s, what the hell was / thinking?! Anna didnt know what to do and didnt notice Wayne standing behind her with a frown. He asked Anna, What? Did you want to leave here so soon, Anna? Anna replied as she turned to face Wayne and said in a dull voice, Actually, its not appropriate for me to stay here for lunch. You see, I only came here to cook for Matthew. Wayne said grimly, Well, thats pretty good. Anna had no idea what he meant by that. However, she realized that Wayne didnt seem to sound content. She thought, Maybe Waynes ming me for being out of ce. Peter smiled as he waved at Matthew and said, Come on, Matthew, sit next to Matthew replied firmly, No! He quickly made his way to Annas side after releasing Waynes strong grip on him. Climbing to the chair next to Anna alone was a little difficult for him, but he did it anyway. He and Tammy sat on Annas left and right sides as before. Peter frowned and said, Matthew! You Wayne interrupted him and said, Come on, grandpa, let him sit wherever he wants. He then walked around Anna and sat next to Charlotte. So, he and Anna faced each other with only the table between them. Anna felt that the seat he had chosen made them both awkward. She had to eat from 250 Im Okay With the Engag her te while keeping her head down. She mostly ate quietly while keeping her head down. Anna didnt even have the guts to look up. She could persuade herself into letting the past go and never speaking to Wayne again, but she was too ashamed to sit in front of Wayne and his fiancee. Here, Charlotte, try this cherry pie! Its delicious. Peter said to Charlotte. During the meal, Charlotte hadnt spoken much. She kept ncing at Wayne and Anna separately as though she wanted to say something. Yet, she felt she had nothing to say at that moment Charlotte, your father told me you two were getting engaged while we were ying golf the other day. I think the 23rd of next month would be a good date. Ill see what the weather will be like on that day. If its a wonderful sunny day, it will be perfect for you two to get engaged. That way, both of our families will be relieved. Peters voice echoed in the dining room. However, Anna felt that his voice was like a hand tightening its grip on her neck. To Annas surprise, Charlotte asked nervously and awkwardly, Oh, are we really in such a hurry? Actually, I dont think we must settle down so soon. You see, Wayne and I have only just started dating, and we Peter immediately interrupted Charlotte and said thoughtfully. You two are not just starting to date, honey. Youve known each other for decades! Okay, Ill schedule the date for you. But, Grandpa, Wayne hasnt agreed to this yet. So, I dont think its a good idea. What does it matter to him Before he could finish his remark, Peter cast a nce at Anna. He immediately asked Wayne, Wayne, what do you think? Anna was using a fork to ce the roasted chicken in the center of the table on Matthews te. Her motions were slow and stiff as if she were a robot. She didnt realize that Wayne was staring at her at the time. Wayne immediately turned gloomy when he discovered that she didnt seem to care about it. He answered slowly, Okay. Im perfectly fine with that. His indifferent voice echoed through the dining room. Anna felt like she couldnt breathe when she heard Wayne say this. Anna thought to herself, what do you mean, Wayne? Did you admit that you were going to marry Charlotte? But you swore to me before that you only regarded Charlotte as you sister! Gosh, this is ridiculous and humiliating! Anna whispered, Tammy, honey, are you full? Tammy nodded sadly, then immediately replied, Yes, Im full. Mommy, lets go home! Tammy hadnt eaten much. She felt she had lost her appetite when she saw Wayne and Charlotte seated together. She thought, Peter is the evilest person in the whole world! He promised me before that he would only let Wayne marry my mother! But he went back on his word! Anna smiled and patted Matthews head. She pretended to be calm and said, Im sorry, but my daughter is feeling sleepy, and Im taking her home for a nap. So, were leaving Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Tantrum Peter turned to face Anna and said, Oh, well, I wont make you stay at my house anymore. So, will you come back and cook for Matthew tonight? Anna nodded, and then lowered her head to make herself look less embarrassed. She said, Well, Tammy, lets go. At that exact moment, Matthew stretched out and grabbed Annas blouse. He yelled, Mommy! as if he were going to cry Everyone at the table froze except Wayne, who remained motionless. Matthew rarely called Anna Mommy in front of others but did it so frequently in front of Wayne. Wayne did nothing and simply waited to see how Anna would react. Matthew, do you think you can just call a random woman mommy like that? Peter asked him indifferently At the same time, Matthew appeared depressed. He yanked on Annas shirt, unable to ept that she was leaving Because he was grasping her shirt so firmly, his hands were already red, Matthew screamed, No, I want my mommy! Dont let my mommy leave me! All those who were present became flustered, and the servants looked at each other in surprise. Come on now, Matthew. Anna forced herself to say it. She prayed that she could whisk Matthew away from this ce for good right now. Even though Anna was sure she would be rejected, she requested, Can Matthew stay at my house for a few days? Peter responded coldly, as Anna had predicted, No way! Hearing his words, Matthew cried even louder. Immediately, Peter yelled angrily at Wayne, Hey! Why dont you do something, Wayne? Hearing that, Wayne still did nothing. He simply sat in his seat, his face expressionless. Then, indifferently, he replied, No, I cant help you. You know that once Matthew begins to cry, no one can stop him. Are you trying to make me furious on purpose? Peter asked, his face flushed with rage. He immediately approached Anna, grabbed Matthews arm, and yanked him away from her. Although Anna was reluctant to leave, she had to bite the bullet and walk away. She looked back before departing with Matthew. When she saw Matthew crying, and on the verge of choking, she was heartbroken. Then she drove away from the gate and then determined to leave this ce. Anna heard Tammy crying in the backseat and asking, Mom, Matthew is crying! Do we have to leave him? Anna still looked ahead after hearing her words, and she grabbed the driving wheel more tightly She replied, No, I dont want to leave him. But my love, theres nothing I can do now. Thewyer your father hired will arrive in Ennd soon. After seeing him, I will try my best to get your brother back to us. Tammy blinked her reddening eyes, sniffled, and inquired, Why am I with you, Mommy? Why did Matthew grow up around Wayne? Mommy, is it because you abandoned him when he was little? Tammy assumed Matthew was Jasper and Annas child, but he was sent away for unknown reasons. Anna didnt know how to exin this to Tammy. So, she said after a long silence, Oh, thats because I identally lost him when I gave birth to you two. At the same time, the dining room was chaotic when Anna left. Only Wayne remained seated. He didnt appear to want to cajole Matthew. Meanwhile, the servants were all scrambling and trying to make that little boy feel better. However, Matthew cried even louder when someone approached him. Peter mmed the table in frustration, feeling at a loss for words. After a while, he bent down to soothe Matthew, saying, Hey, good boy, stop crying, will you? Matthew quickly stopped crying and sniffled. Just as everyone was surprised that he could calm Matthew, something unexpected happened the next second. With a crisp snap. Matthew pped his hand heavily on Peters face. Then he yelled with great anger, Youre bad! Everyone in the room was taken aback by Matthew. Henry was equally astounded and couldnt believe what he had just witnessed. Peter had been a respectable gentleman since he was in business, and no one dared to mess with him. No one would have predicted that his great-grandson would p him in front of everyone like that As everyone had expected, Peter immediately became irritated. At this point, Charlotte stood up and said in a good word for Matthew, Okay, Grandpa. Matthew is still a kid. He doesnt know what hes doing. Please dont get mad at him. Wayne remainedposed, and all he did was sip his water Then, as if hed made up his mind, Peter frowned and took a deep breath. He knelt down, grinned as wide as he could, and said, Im sorry, Matthew. It was my fault. You can p me again if you are still angry. I will not me you for it. So, could you stop making a scene? Will you please finish your meal? Everyone was stunned, and Henrys jaw was about to drop to the ground. They realized how much Peter adored his great-grandson at that point. They had just learned it because they had rarely spent time together in a long time, and such things had never happened before. Matthew, on the other hand, was still wailing. He took two steps back after pping Peters hand away. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he eximed, No! I want my mommy!!! Peter sighed and finally understood why Wayne said that no one could coax Matthew while crying. In fact, it was true that no one but Anna could make Matthew stop crying. Matthew was taken away by the maids. They couldnt keep him quiet, but they could keep the dining room quiet However, no one had an appetite for lunch anymore After Charlotte realized everyone was depressed, she stood up and said, Well, Im full. Excuse me, but I should get going. Ive got ns in the afternoon. Hearing that, Peter said, But some dishes are not served yet! Charlotte smiled respectfully and said, Oh, thank you, but Im good. Im on a diet right now, so I cant eat too much. I also have ns for tonight, so I wont be able toe over then. Peter nodded his head after she finished her words. Charlotte then left Wrights house. After getting into her car, she spotted a number on her phone contacts. She stared at the screen for a long time before dialing it. Hello. Its me, Charlotte. Well, where are you now? You havent eaten much just now, have you? Why dont we get together for lunch? I just wanted to talk to you about something. After a few words, they hung up the phone. Charlotte then took a paper bag from the passenger seat and opened it, revealing the paternity report Gazing at those papers, she had mixed feelings. She used to believe that Ada had lied to her. However, when she saw the evidence, she realized that Anna turned out to be Waynes surrogate mother back then. LUL UNIC UNGU WE Anna asked Ryan to take care of Tammy. She said to him, Tammy hasnt eaten yet. So, would you get her something to eat, please? Im going to meet someone, and I might be backte. Ryan nodded and said, Sure, no problem. By the way, who are you meeting? Charlotte. Anna said after a brief pause. Charlotte asked Anna to meet her at a caf in the center of town. The caf looked just like the ones in Paris with beautiful iron ck tables and chairs. The leaves of the maple trees along the road were slowly turning red, and the weather was getting colder day by day. Charlotte was dressed elegantly, as she had been when she first met Anna. She wore a Chanel beige suit and looked like a ssical rich girl. After arriving at the cafe, Anna stood still and looked around, searching for Charlotte. Charlotte, seated by the wall at the time, waved to her and said, Anna! Im right here! Hearing that, Anna walked over and sat down in front of her. Charlotte said, Oh, Ive bought you a cup of caramel mhiato, a dessert, and a sd. Do you like them? Anna nodded and said, Yes, thank you. So, what do you want to talk to me about? Anna didnt think Charlotte and her knew each other well enough to go to lunch. After all, they had had an extremely awkward meal and hadnt even greeted each other back then. Charlotte stated with her lips pursing, Oh, Anna, dont get me wrong. I dont want to threaten you again. Besides, I want to apologize to you for my rude behavior earlier. She appeared sincere. Anna, on the other hand, felt that she was being provocative. Oh, you dont need to apologize to me. Charlotte, you now have everything you desire. So, no matter what you say to me, I wont take it as your apology. On the contrary. Ill think youre going against me. Charlotte quickly exined. That is not the case! To tell you the truth, Im not in love with Wayne any longer! And he and I are really just friends now. I hope you guys can reconcile so that things can return to the way they were. I hope I havent caused you too much trouble. When Charlotte said that, Anna felt that she was being ridiculous. Therefore, Anna frowned and said, Youve got to be kidding me, Charlotte! Im sorry, but Im too busy to y those foolish games with you. Im not kidding. Anna. Mypany is nning to relocate me to its headquarters in France soon. And my parents are moving to France with me. So, I may rarelye back here in the future. When Anna looked at Charlottes serious expression, she said suspiciously. What? Youre returning to France? So, how are you and Wayne going to get married then? Anna reasoned that Peter would never let Wayne apany Charlotte to France. Then it was impossible for them to get married if they lived in different countries. Charlotte chuckled and said, Actually, we werent nning on getting married at all. Wayne said that because he wanted to keep his grandpas mouth shut. You know, Peter will talk to Wayne about our engagement today. So, Wayne is about to reveal the truth to him. Anna then went utterly still. She couldnt believe that Wayne and Charlotte were getting married turned out to be a lie. Huh? How is that possible? Anna inquired, perplexed. She assumed Wayne would not deceive Pete with such a foolish lie. Charlotte took a file from her handbag and handed it to Anna, asking, Please believe me on this. I discovered something by chance recently, realizing that my meddling with you guys only makes me look like a fool. But I am still curious about it. Would you mind telling me the truth? Charlotte motioned for Anna to grab the papers from the bag. Then Annas face became pale as she realized it was a paternity test. I was puzzled about why you treated Waynes son so nice before. But now, I understand why. Charlotte said. Anna felt a chill running down her spine, and her blood was on the verge of freezing. She had never imagined that Charlotte would dig out the secret that she tried so hard to hide from everyone. She had believed she had kept the secret well hidden. Furthermore, she assumed that no one would ever find out about it if she didnt say anything about it However, I still want to know the truth from you. Anna, tell me, your daughters father is Wayne, isnt he? And youre the mother of her son, arent you? What the hell had happened? Anna clenched the paper so hard that her knuckles turned white. Does Wayne know about this? she asked after calming down. Charlotte answered with a shake of her head, No, he certainly doesnt. I didnt tell him because I wasnt sure what will happen if I tell him. Anna.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Yes, I see. What do you know? Actually, I only know the first half of it. Someone told me that Waynes son was born to a surrogate mother. He only did it because his grandfather persuaded him to get married soon. But I still find it puzzling. Your father was a sessful businessman, wasnt he? So, what made you decide to be a surrogate mother? Anna frowned and started to ponder. She thought Charlotte already knew most of what had happened, but she hadnt told Wayne about it because she was worried about some things. However, Anna knew what Charlotte was worried about Then Anna tucked that paper into the bag and sealed it. She said thoughtfully. Well, Charlotte, I can tell you more of it since you have already known my secret. But will you keep it a secret for me? Charlotte was stunned for a moment and asked, Huh? Do you want to keep it a secret? So, youre not going to tell Wayne about this, right? Anna answered indifferently, No. Its my own business. If you dont tell Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Wayne about it, I can keep your secret in exchange. Huh? What are you talking about? I dont have any secret, Charlotte asked, frowning. I know you have something to do with the fire that broke out at the hotel before. Charlotte flushed immediately, and she then stuttered, You Actually, Ive got to the bottom of it a week after that. But I didnt tell anyone about it. Anna, are you threatening me? No, youre overthinking it. Actually, Im trying to make a deal with you. You met me here today and showed me this file for some purpose, right? Im sure youre not doing this out of concern for me. Anna then pointed her finger at the paper bag and stated, In any case, Im sure you have your own reasons. So, tell me exactly what you want me to do for you. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After a long pause, Charlotte scowled and confessed. Okay, I admit I did it for other reasons. But, Anna, please trust me when I say I didnt aim to hurt you. I came here to meet you since we have common interests. Otherwise, I would have talked to Wayne about it immediately. Anna gave her a nk stare and didnt say anything. Honestly, I had no idea about it and assumed that you two were just dating. But someone informed me that the rtionship between you two was far moreplicated than everyone thought. Anna furrowed her brow and asked, What? Who was it? She figured that only the Wrights housekeeper back then knew the truth Well, it was Ada. Anna immediately eximed in surprise, Ada?! Ever since she and Wayne began dating, she hadnt seen Ada in roughly six months Thest time she saw Ada was at that reception in Seriel City. They didnt say anything but just stared at each other from afar. Anna couldnt believe that Ada knew the truth and had told Charlotte. She was the one who nned the fire. Later, I discovered that she had taken advantage of me. Charlotte said angrily Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Charlotte said, I didnt want to hurt these two kids at first. Ada exined that she had only intended to cause a minor mishap, giving me the opportunity to save Matthew. But I didnt expect the fire to be so large that it burned down the entire kitchen. Whenever I think about itter, I feel petrified. I would have felt guilty for the rest of my life if I hadnt had the guts to run into the kitchen and save Matthew. Charlotte said so with a horrified expression. Anna looked at her, paused for a moment, and then continued, So, Ada did try to kill Matthew, and she wanted everyone to believe that you were the murderer instead if that was the case. That way, Wayne would know that I was being a bad parent and didnt save Matthew. Also, she could get him killed. Even if Wayne investigates the case, he will conclude that you are the murderer because you have no evidence that Adamitted the crime. She was attending a film festival in another country when the fire broke out Charlotte nodded thoughtfully and continued. Im sorry, its all my fault. Anna inhaled deeply and felt a shiver running down her spine. She knew that Charlotte was telling the truth: Ada did seem like someone who would do this evil thing and nt it on her. Anna thought, Its very likely that Ada had nned this alone and convinced Charlotte to help her. That way, all my previous doubts can be proven wellCfounded. Anna had previously felt puzzled as to why a wealthydy like Charlotte would conspire with the pastry chef to murder two children. She also pondered why Charlotte would dash into the kitchen at thest second to save Matthew. It was crystal clear that her weird actions would make her suspicious. So, without even thinking about it, Anna trusted what Charlotte said to her. Moreover, she also knew that Ada had the guts tomit a brutal crime like that. Ada was not a wealthy youngdy like Charlotte, and she began working as an actor when she was 16 or 17. In the showbiz, she had met many strange people as well as witnessed many nasty deals. Therefore, she was highly likely to do something like this. Finally, Charlotte asked, So, Anna, can you trust me now? Ive been feeling very guilty since the incident happened. Wayne may know the truth, but he refuses to discuss it with me. This sensation makes me restless, and I dont want to bear this anguish any longer. Anna, I want to do something to get things back to the way they were. So, you want Wayne and I to make up with each other? Anna asked. Thats exactly what I mean. Anna inhaled deeply. She was no longer wary of Charlotte at that point, and she leaned back in her chair at ease. She said, Well, you should know that its impossible. Charlotte, I believe in what you just said to me. Honestly, there are a lot of issues between Wayne and me. The truth about the kids isnt the only thing keeping us from taking our rtionship to the next level. Anyway, its not as simple as you think it is. I think you should just tell Wayne about it. I know he adores you, and you know it as well. So, if he finds out that you are his childs mother and that he has a daughter, he will be overjoyed! Nothing can stop you from being together in that case. Hearing Charlottes words, Anna knew she had it all figured out and was desperate for them to get back together. Anna wished she couldugh out loud after hearing Charlottes naive words, but she couldnt. Then she added, Actually, I havent decided what to say to Wayne yet. But I have to tell him about it someday. Could you keep it a secret till then for me? I had no idea that Wayne was the man who forced me to be his surrogate when we started dating. If I had known who he was, I indeed wouldnt have fallen in love with him, Anna thought Charlotte paused for a while before saying firmly, Dont worry, you can count on me. In fact, I have hesitated whether to tell Wayne about this or not before. But I didnt dare to tell him about it eventually. If I tell him, he will definitely know about my deal with Ada. Although I believe Wayne knows that the fire has something to do with me, I dare not tell him the truth. We couldnt possibly be friends otherwise. Anna couldprehend her point of view and understand that everyone desired to be perfect in the eyes of the person they loved. Anna breathed a sigh of relief, pointed to the paper and said, Okay, Ill take this with me, then. Thank you for taking me to lunch and helping me keep my secret, Charlotte. Charlotte pursed her lips and tapped the table with her fingers. She spoke anxiously, In fact, I owe you an apology. I went against you before because I thought I relied on him so much that I couldnt leave him. Later, I spoke with my therapist and asked for advice from my brother. And Ive finally got it all figured out. Please dont hold grudges against me for what Ive done to you before. Im deeply sorry, Anna Could you please forgive me? Anna chuckled and replied, Okay, I forgive you. From Annas perspective,pared to Ada, who had done many horrible things, Charlotte had only said some silly things. Charlotte was arrogant because she was born into an affluent family and was spoiled by her parents. She was not just good at her profession but also a lovelydy. However, she wasnt good at dealing with her rtionships with others. Her first marriage wouldnt have been such a disaster if she wasnt a fool for love. They enjoyed a surprisingly pleasant meal after they talked things through. So, when are you going to France? asked Anna Charlotte chuckled and asked, Gee! Cant you wait to kick me out? Anna, are you afraid Ill back out? Anna rolled her eyes at her and said, Oh, no! Im just worried that someone might find out what you did wrong before. Did Ada tell you to do what she said? Charlotte sneered at the mention of Ada and eximed, Oh! Actually, Im not scared of her at all. Shes just a nobody. Ill have my brother pick on her if I dont like her. You know, its tough to be a celebrity, and shes too busy to meet and talk about our coboration. By the way. Im leaving at the end of this month. You can see me off at the airport if youre avable then. Wayne will be shocked by us. Anna nodded and said, No, I dont think so. Hes always been very emotionally stable. Why not give it a shot? +++ Peter set up the chess board in the living room. He and Wayne each sat on one side. Wayne, will you pick up the Wilsons and bring them to our houseter? Im going to talk to them about your engagement tonight. Grandpa, I dont even n on getting engaged to Charlotte, Wayne said, sitting up straight Huh? Havent you and Charlotte been together for a long time? So, you must get married right away. Only then will the Wilsons believe that were serious. Wayne ced a white piece on the board and blocked Peters move. He said, Oh, forget it Im not going to get married to Charlotte. I said that at lunch because I was afraid youd be embarrassed. Actually, were just friends. Peter frowned, raised his head, and asked. What do you mean? But thats not what you said to me before. What did I tell you? Wayne asked calmly. Peter thought carefully and realized that he seemed to have been fooled. Although Wayne had been seen with Charlotte recently, neither of them had publicly stated whether or not they were dating. Peter tapped the table heavily, causing the pieces on the board to pop up and fall down. He said thoughtfully, Thats bullshit! Im telling you, Wayne, dont try to fool me! You must get married by the end of the year!Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Wayne asked calmly. Grandpa, are you doing this to make things difficult for Charlotte or me? Peter yelled in annoyance, What are you talking about? Im not trying to embarrass Charlotte! Her mother has repeatedly expressed her desire for you to marry her. If you agree, the wedding can take ce straight away! Be a man, would you?! Oh, it seems that you have no idea about this. Actually, Charlotte is returning to France at the end of this month. Plus, her whole family is emigrating there except for her brother. So, you want me to settle in France with them, right? I think its quite a nice ce. Peters face went red with rage. He instantly stood up and paced back and forth in the room. Finally, he marched back to Wayne, smacked the table hard and shouted, Damn! I dont care whether shes in Paris or Birmingham, Wayne. You must get married by the end of the year! Does it mean I can marry anyone as I like? Yes, except for Anna Gabriel. Wayne then looked around the room, drew Natalie out of the corner where she was eavesdropping and said, So, Im going to marry her. Youre familiar with Natalie, arent you, grandpa? Natalies eyes widened in amazement, and she trembled all over. Peter became pale with rage and cursed, What the hell are you talking about?! How dare you! Henry was also taken aback by Waynes bold words. To prevent Peter from bing more enraged, he said, Please stop kidding, Wayne. Natalie is still a kid. What youre doing is not only illegal but also incestuous. Wayne replied calmly. Were not rted because shes Grandpas adoptive daughter. Plus, have no option because Grandpa forced me to marry this year. So, if you dont mind, I can wait until she reaches eighteen. How old are you, Natalie? Natalie was perplexed, then froze. Wayne then tightened his grip on her slim arm and pressed her to respond. L.. Thirteen, she stammered. Good. So, Ill marry her in five years. Its not too long, is it? Wayne said with a serious expression Peter became even more furious and pped the table again. He pped it so hard that the beautiful rosewood table cracked. He yelled fiercely. Youre insane! Wayne, youre making me mad on purpose! After letting Natalie go, Wayne fixed his jacket and tried to make it look neat. He said, It appears that you dislike everything I do. So, its best if I dont do anything instead. Get the hell out of here! Pete yelled. He pushed so hard on the table that the chess pieces ttered to the floor. 254 Running away From Ho_ No one dared to speak at that point. Meanwhile, his roar echoed throughout the room. Wayne Wright! If you dont apologize to me, then dont f*****g step into my house ever again!!! Peter seemed to be extremely irritated. Wayne on the other hand, exited the room indifferently When Peter saw Henry trying to stop him, he growled, Let him go! Henry, if you want him to stay. just get the hell out of the house with him! When Henry nced around, he noticed Peter yelling angrily in his rocking chair. Peter mumbled, Where did Wayne get this temper from? His dad was a gentle and nice chap. Gee, hes nothing like his father. Natalie and the butler exchanged nces before facing theining old man. They were both aware that Pete was the source of Waynes odd temper. Natalie was terrified. After letting her go, Henry poured Pete a ss of iced tea and gathered the chess pieces on the floor. He said, All right, Pete Wayne is still young, and he doesnt like to be disciplined. No, hes no longer a child! Hes in his thirties, for gods sake! Why does he refuse to get married? Henry, do you think that I made a mistake? Hes the only child in our family, so he must get married! Or, hell get himself into a lot of trouble. Did you see that Matthew has been involved in several mishapstely? Gee! Wayne has been apathetic and quirky since he was a child, so he needs a wife to keep his behavior in check Otherwise, he may get increasingly out of control in the future. Peter finished with a solemn expression Henry stated, Actually. I think hes doing just fine. Youve always thought James was too kind and lacked assertiveness, didnt you? That was why he was involved in that horrible ident. When Henry brought up the subject of his deceased son, Peters face became solemn. He looked energetic just then and depressed the next moment He said, James was a good kid. You know, I was delighted when he said he was going to marry Jennie. But, I didnt expect something like that would happen to himter. Its all karma! guess. Henry said, Im sorry, I shouldnt have mentioned it. Pete, dont think about that disaster anymore. Do you want to continue to y chess? Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Peter stood up and said, Forget it: Im done with it. Im exhausted and need to sleep. Henry sighed as he watched Peter enter the bedroom Peter had been through a lot of hardship in his life. His father died while he was a child, and his only son died when he was in his forties Plus, his grandson had an even worse temper than he did. As a result, the Wrights rarely had that joyous atmosphere. Thest time anyone in the Wright family laughed joyfully was when Wayne and Anna were dating At that point, Henry thought everything was going to turn out all right At dusk, Anna returned home from the supermarket Just as she opened the door, she shouted, Ryan, Ill be at the Wrights houseter to prepare dinner for Matthew! So I went to the hungry. Dont worry, Ill be right back! You guys Before Anna could finish, she saw several pairs of shoes on the shoe rack next to the door, and two of which were mens leather shoes A tiny kid rushed up to Anna while she was confused, held her leg tightly, and murmured, Mommy! Anna froze and wondered what was going on. She said, Hey, Matthew, my dear! What are you doing here? She then heard Ryan say from the living room, Gosh! I knew you guys came here without Annas permission! Why did you just lie to me? When Anna looked up, she heard Ryan exim angrily at Wayne, Well, dont try to fool me! Get out! Anna asked, Whats going on here? Natalie, why are you here too? Anna then entered the living room, holding Matthew in her arms. She noticed three people seated on the couch in a row. Ryan, Natalie, and Tammy They all seemed annoyed by Wayne, who was sitting next to them on the single sofa. Anna had no idea what was going on. While Anna was thinking about it, Matthew let go of her hand and sat on the couch beside Tammy He was staring at Wayne as well. Anna stared at them all, perplexed. She stood in front of the TV after washing her hands in the bathroom, saying, What exactly happened? Well, which of you would like to tell me first? Ryan was the first to raise his hand and angrily yelled, Me, me! He pointed to Natalie and continued, I noticed this little girl kneeling in front of the door after Tammy and I returned home from lunch at a restaurant. I let her in since she imed to be Tammys friend. But she then said she had sneaked out of her house without her fathers permission. Well, I was just about to call the police when Wayne suddenly showed up with the little boy. Ryan gave Wayne a look and said, He said that you told them toe to our house and that you would make dinner for them. So, Anna, did you allow them toe here? Wayne asked unhappily. What do you mean by Our house? Is this your house, Ryan? Wayne seemed dissatisfied with what Ryan had just said and stared at him with a frown. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Ryan raised his brows and added with purposeful provocation, Yeah, youre in MY HOUSE right now Ryan, are you serious? Wayne asked senously Before Ryan could respond, Anna turned to Wayne and said, Hey. Im not speaking to you. Will you please shut up? Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She turned to Natalie and said, Okay, guys, take turns to tell me what happened. So, what are you doing here. Natalie? Natalie pursed her lips and appeared resentful She sighed as she pointed at Wayne, who was sitting opposite her, andined, Yikes! Its all thanks to him! Wayne is insane, Anna! He told my father that he wanted to marry me Im still underage, for gods sake! Ryan instantly spit out the water he had just drank and then stared at Wayne in disbelief and eximed, Wayne, I knew you were apt, but I have no idea that you are this sick! Wayne scowled, disgustedly examining the wet spot on his sleeve and warningly looking at Ryan Let her speak! Anna spoke while looking at Natalie Although Natalies statements shocked her, she wanted to hear her exnation Okay My father asked Wayne to marry Charlotte, but he refused it. Then, they had a huge fight My father said Wayne must get married before Christmas and didnt care who his wife would be Id been hiding behind the door listening in on their conversation all the time. Then Wayne pulled me into the room and announced that he would marry me Dear lord! He went bananas! After hearing Natalies statements, both kids on the couch gazed at Wayne as if he were the most insane person on the. Tammy was disgusted by him, and Matthew looked as if he had detested him Oh, I was just saying it off the top of my head. Wayne answered, coughing awkwardly What? That is not a valid excuse! Natalie is only thirteen years old, you know. No wonder shes so scared that she ran away from home. Anna said, rolling her eyes at Wayne Before he could exin himself, she turned to Matthew and inquired, What about you, then? What exactly are you doing here? Matthew could pronounce a few simple words but not whole sentences. So he drew Dad had an argument with Great-Grandpa, so he got kicked out on his drawing board. When Natalie noticed the line, she eximed angrily, He deserves it! Wayne nced at Natalie and seemed annoyed. After that, she hid behind Ryan and didnt dare to say one more word, After listening to their exnation, Anna got the gist of what had happened. It began with the fact that Wayne had lied to Peter that he was dating Charlotte. However, just as Peter was going to set a wedding date for them, Wayne revealed the truth to him. After pissing 25 Points 255 Hes Insane Natalie couldntprehend that Wayne was just using her as an excuse, and Anna felt that she had no way to exin it to her. When Anna saw how much of a bummer Natalie was, she said to Wayne in displeasure, Look what youve done. Talk some sense into her, will you? Wayne turned to Natalie and stated, You think spending time with me is risky, dont you? But you know, its even riskier for you to be in the same room with me, Natalie. Everyone, even Anna, got goosebumps from his eerie tone. As expected, Natalie became frightened and cried, Thats ridiculous! Wayne Wright! You cant do this to me! Come on, stop crying! Thats enough! You know what, its time for you to go home now! Or, Henry will be downstairs in a minute. They will not punish you if you return home on your own, Wayne reminded her impatiently Well, then, Ill go! Natalie said as she stopped crying. After picking up her handbag, she sniffled and waved to everyone goodbye. She gave Wayne one more hard stare before walking away, leaving the crowd dumbfounded. Well, well, well. The drama queen finally left the room, Anna thought to herself. The room was utterly silent after Natalie closed the door. Anna felt a headache as she saw those four people sitting on the couch. To avoid staying with them any longer, she left with the perfect excuse, Well, Im going to make dinner. Then she locked herself in the kitchen. Of course, Anna knew why Wayne was here. She also knew that no matter how upset Pete was, he would not let Wayne sleep on the street. However, the fact that Wayne hade to her house and said those words demonstrated that he had no intention of leaving. So, Anna wouldnt bother trying to persuade him into leaving her house. She only cared about Matthew and didnt mind having another person in her house. Anna thought to herself, I could regard Wayne as Matthews essory! Besides, I have a feeling that he wont stay in my house for long. She was getting ready to cook when she heard the kitchen door open. Then a man entered and shut the door. Charlotte told you that, didnt she? Wayne asked Anna. Hearing that, Annas heart beat wildly. Her hand shook, and the carrot in her hand sshed into the water. Chapter 256 Chapter 256 What? Anna was confused by his words. Wayne frowned and replied, Come on, Anna, you know that Charlotte and I werent even nning on getting engaged. The only reason were usually together is that my grandfather has recently started pressuring me to get married. I only said that at lunch because I feared he would give you a hard time. Anna sighed, took the carrots from the sink, and resumed peeling them. Oh, thats your business, not mine, she responded, appearing indifferent. Wayne became depressed when he saw how aloof she was. He stated, Weve cleaned up all of our previous misunderstandings, Anna. So, I dont think you need to treat me like an enemy Annoyed, Anna threw everything in the sink, whirled around, and eximed, Well, if I treat you as my enemy, then why the hell would I allow you to stay overnight in my house?! Anna couldnt control her temper because she had been under a lot of stress recently. Furthermore, she disliked it when Wayne talked to her like that. Hearing that, Wayne suddenly froze, not knowing what to say. Anna scowled, picked up the carrots, and continued, You can wait in the living room with them. Dinners almost ready How can you care so much about Matthew but not me? Wayne asked as he stared at her back Anna gripped the peeler tighter, replying, Thats because Matthew is still a child. Really? Youre even jealous of your own son? Wayne was even more speechless. When he saw that Anna wasnt paying attention to him, he began cleaning the veggies in the kitchen. However, Anna was distracted by the way he moved around the kitchen. Anna finally lost it and said, Thats enough! You dont have to wash the enoki mushrooms one by one! Get the hell out of my kitchen NOW! After dinner, Anna took the two children to take a bath. That way, Ryan and Wayne could use the other bathroom Once she had finished bathing the two children and brought them back to their room, she saw Wayne standing in the doorway, looking at her in his suit. I forgot to bring any clothes with me, He said. Anna felt helpless as she had never seen anybody so proud of not having their clothes with them when they were going to stay overnight at someone elses ce. So, she said, You can borrow one from Ryan. No, Im not going to wear his clothes, Wayne said calmly yet firmly. Hearing that, Ryan yelled loudly behind him in the bedroom, I wont lend my clothing to a stranger either! NICY clothes now? Theres no mali nearby, Wayne. But theres a supermarket downstairs. The clothes in the supermarket are cheap, and I doubt youll want to wear them. Wayne replied, Oh, we can check it out there. The supermarket wont be closed until ten oclock. Anna looked at him in shock and deliberately teased him by saying, Huh? Do you know when the supermarket closes? I thought men like you would have no street smart. Oh, thats because my group has a stake in this supermarket, Wayne replied, looking at her. Anna froze for a long time beforeing up with an answer. She finally red at him as she felt resigned and said, All right, lets go, Mr. Wright. Lets go to the supermarket that your family invested in. That supermarket was a major national chain supermarket with three floors in total. And Anna regrly went there to buy her groceries. The apparel department was located on the third floor. Those clothes were often on sale, and some didnt even have hang tags. Anna pointed to the $5 each sign in the mens section and said, All right, take a look at the clothes here. All those clothes are of the same price. Instead of moving, Wayne stood still and said, Can you pick some clothes for me, Anna? To be honest, I dont really care what I wear. Anna gave him a thoughtful look and inquired, Really? Will you wear whatever I choose? Yeah. Wayne nodded without even looking at those clothes. Anna raised her eyebrows and then smiled a wicked smile. She rummaged through those narrow racks and found a few gaudy shirts and T-shirts at random. She showed them to Wayne like they were trophies and asked, Would you like to try them on? Wayne nced at those brightly colored shirts and didnt say anything. The sales clerk stood beside them, looking at them in shock. Wayne nodded and asked, Yes, where is the fitting room, please? The sales snapped back to attention and showed him the way to the fitting room. Then she watched in awe as Anna handed Wayne those awful and cheesy shirts. Hey, youngdy, are you guys going on vacation to Spain? The saleswoman asked. Oh, no. But he likes these clothing a lot. Anna replied with a naughty smile Feeling surprised, that sales clerk asked, Really? No offense, but I think these clothes are too tacky for your boyfriend. No, he likes these outfits a lot. If you dont believe me, you can ask himter. Anna tried hard not to burst outughing. She nned to film it and show Wayne how ridiculous he looked in those ugly shirts. Wayne went out of the fitting room just as they finished their conversation. Before Anna could see how he looked, she took several pictures of him and said, Ill send these photos to Peace and Karlter! Im sure they will Before she finished, she took a good look at Waynes face. She then swallowed and then shut her mouth Anna thought, the sales clerk and I both thought that anyone wearing such clothes would look like cheap and tacky. Well, it seems we were so wrong! Wayne was over six feet tall and in great shape, and he was dressed in a red and blue floral shirt with the first few buttons undone. So, Anna could see his vicle, firm muscles, and beautifully tanned skin. In addition, his legs were athletically strong. Anna figured that Wayne looked like a magazine model. Ah! You look fantastic in this, young man. You remind me of one of those famous supermodels. If we post a picture of you wearing it here, that shirt will sell well! Anna then awkwardly put away her phone, sized up Wayne, and found that he looked like a model on the runways of fashion shows. Wayne approached her, extended his arm, and asked, Do I look good in this? Yes. Anna nodded reluctantly. That shirt fitted Wayne well, making him look dashing Anna believed that if he walked down the street in this clothing, all the girls on the street would hit on him and ask for his phone number. How many more shirts do you have? Do I have to try them all on. Anna? Wayne asked. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Anna instantly came to a halt, looked at the sales clerk, and said, Hello, Id like to take all of these clothes. Wrap them all for me, will you? Im going to the checkout right now. After buying the clothes, Anna chose two more pairs of loose pants for Wayne She didnt want to tease him again, so she bought him some beige pants that he could wear as pajama pants or as outfits. After they walked out of the supermarket, they saw a stage in front of the door. Wayne looked at the table and said, Oh, Matthew and Tammy like that brand of chocte. Anna had not even noticed the stage before he spoke. She then cast a peek that way and read the words on the sign, Couples Co-op Game! The couple with the highest score can get a free box of choctes. Anna took a look at the rules of the game written on it. She was intrigued when she noticed the word a box. At the same time, Wayne was staring at the word couple. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 It was just about the evening And there were a lot of people gathering in the supermarket after dinner. Soon, the entrance of the supermarket was crowded with people Attention, everyone! The supermarket is now running a game The first award is a bicycle. the second a box of choctes, and the third a huge stuffed teddy bear. You may also receive a small prize if you participate in the game. You all are wee to participate whether you are a couple or not Wee, wee! The host shouted this while holding up a megaphone We need two more couples! Any volunteers? The host continued to ask Are we going? Wayne asked Anna as he looked down Anna eximed after a moment of consideration. Oh, no! Lets go back home! You know, we can buy our own chocte. Anna was familiar with this supermarket and knew that the events held here were always weird. As a result, she was hesitant to participate in this event in case she embarrassed herself They had just taken two steps forward when a girl asked Wayne, Hey, cute guy, are you alone? Can we y this game together? Please help me! We can share the prize together if we win! Annas heart skipped a beat She turned around and saw a young woman in her twenties looking at Wayne with a hopeful expression on her face She didnt appear to seek Waynes help but rather to hook up with him. Uh? Me? Wayne grimaced and seemed unsure about how to say no to her. Please I really want that bike! I go to college nearby, and it will be more convenient for me to commute by bike. The girl smiled and winked, looking cute. Oh, sorry about that, were going to participate in the game, too. Were just trying to ce the stuff we bought. Anna said while standing between the two people. Then, she eximed loudly as she put the shopping bag she was holding directly into Waynes hand, Its too heavy, help me carry it. The girlughed awkwardly and said, Oh! Sorry, madam, I didnt see you. Ill ask someone else to help me then. Hearing that, Anna got irritated, thinking. Maam? Why did you call Wayne a cute guy! when he is over thirty? Im just a few years older than you arent 1? Are you out of your goddamn mind?! The girl vanished into the crowd just as Anna was going to vent her anger on her. Then the host asked, Onest couple left! Does anyone else want to participate in this fun game? We do! Saying that, Wayne raised his hand. Before Anna could look back, Wayne had already dragged her onto the stage. Anna lowered her voice and said to Wayne as they were standing on the tform waiting for the host to start, Wayne, how old do you think I look? Wayne replied, Twenty-five. Anna, irritated, eximed, No! Im not asking how old I am, but how old I appear. Why did that girl call you a cute guy and me madam? Do I look much older than she? Shes in college, so she does look younger than you. S**t! You Anna was annoyed by him. Then she thought, What is wrong with you, Wayne? Did you say that to me on purpose or did you actually have no idea what I meant? Gosh! If I had known that youre such an i***, I wouldnt have dated you in the first ce! The hosts voice interrupted their talk at that point. Also, the speaker adjacent to the stage was so loud that it hurt Annas ears. The host said with excitement, OK, let the game begin! The game requires two persons to stand together, with one holding the other. But the person being held is not allowed to touch the ground! Also, no two groups can have the same posture! If a group cant think of a new posture, it will be eliminated. The group that holds on to the end is the winner! After hearing the hosts words, Anna became embarrassed. Then she turned away and red at Wayne Wayne looked at her calmly and asked, Whats wrong? Anna whispered, making an ashamed grimace and lowering her voice, Lets go! Please! To her surprise, the host had already stepped towards them and announced just as she tried to persuade Wayne to leave, OK, youre the first group! Wayne quickly carried Anna in his arms before she could flee. At this time, the audience was thrilled. As Anna struggled, she found that Wayne was holding her tightly. So, the more she struggled, the more she looked like a fish on shore. Out of shame and anger, she gave Wayne a hard stare. Wayne just nced down at her with a tender gaze at that point. As Wayne gazed at her affectionately, Anna blushed and tilted her head. She wondered why Wayne was so calm, and she even suspected if he had already known the games rules before. Then the four groups next to them also moved very quickly. One man carried his partner, while another carried his on his shoulder. Then, a short girl sat on her boyfriends shoulder. Thest pair was the most bizarre one. Perhaps because the boy couldnt think of any other option, he grabbed the girls legs from behind and raised her up to face the stage. Seeing how ridiculous they looked, every audienceughed. That girl immediately felt ashamed. She then broke free from her boyfriend and jumped on the floor, hammering her boyfriend hard before fleeing the stage in shame. What a surprise! said the host,ughing, Youre giving up now! Wonderful job, everyone! Guys, please hold this stance for one more minute! Then, well move on to the next set of positions. OK, there are just forty seconds left. The host started counting down on the stage. Anna inquired, tilting her head to stare at Waynes chin, What pose are we going to change? I really cant think of another one, Wayne. How about we just give up? By then, the host had counted to one. While Anna was dazed, Wayne put her on the floor. Wayne dragged her by the waist and lifted her up just as she was about to flee again. Anna was uneasy about being picked up in this way. She involuntarily reached out, hooked her arms around Waynes neck, and wrapped her legs around his waist to keep herself from falling Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Seeing them, the audience erupted in apuse. Blushing, Anna felt her face burning up. Wayne, let go of me she pleaded, lowering her voice. Which award do you want? Wayne asked, ignoring her pleading. I dont want anything! Let go of me! Can we please go home? Wayne immediatelyughed recklessly and said, Oh, then Ill get the first prize for you! Anna was irritated by him, but she didnt know what she should do. Another group afterwards gave up. In the end, only three groups remained on stage. Anna assumed that they were going to adjust their stance again. To her amazement, the presenter abruptly stated, All right, lets change the rules of our game. Please kiss now, and whoever kisses the longest time win! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! chanted the entire audience. Wayne! Put me down! Anna eximed, humiliated. Im not interested in this a Nheless, the host stated, OK, Im going to count down to three. You can start when I say one. Wayne, let me go! Anna began to struggle Three! I dont want this damn prize! Youll have to sleep on the road tonight if you dare kiss me in front of so many people! Two! One! Chapter 258 Chapter 258 G01 The host Shoutca The other two couples had already begun kasing at that point when Anna saw that Wayne was still a long distance away from her, she entialeta sporteller and said, OK, thank you. Im not sure if I want to Wayne kissed heasonately before she could misliliei sentence. She alcul al Wayne and would not believe that he washing her i hront of so many people she tried everything she could to push him away, build help Waynes grip on her waisttightened, keeping themelose together Anna had lost all her strength being hissedile that, so she didnt evenly to push him away anamn. Althat moment, they appeared to be the only two people in the world, The hosts voice stipped through her fingers like and, and she couldnt care less what he said. Anna just focused on the his, remembering only the chythm of the breathing as they kissed and Waynes determined .. Anna had been building a barrier in her heart to keep anyone from getting close to liet, Howeven at that moment she lound that there was lomally lichathining into herlicant That healing: lighi kept her womand made her leelsweclin a way she had never tell before. She slowly closed her eyes, lost all her sanity, and enjoyed that sweet kissan muchas possible, They kissed for a long time as il a century had passed. Iinally, when both of them were heavily breathing and dripping with sweat, the hostskod them to stop, The host then said in a teasing tone, You two are so good at kissing Youve been kissing for ten minutes! Are you guys done kissing? Anna then blinked her eyes open. By then, the other two couples and the host had all stood up to watch her and Wayne kiss. Anna was so ashamed and wished that she could flee the scene at once, Congrattions, guys! Youve won the first prize which is a lovely bicyclel Lets apuse for this cute couple, everybody! Afterwards, almost every audience was cheering for them. On the other hand, Anna buried herce in Waynes jacket out of embarrassment. She followed Wayne closely and received their pink bike alongside him. But I wanted chocte at first! she grumbled when she saw that bike, Wayne gazed into her eyes and said, Well, lets switch with the couple who won second prize, shall we? No, the bike is worth more money. Anna sald, standing on her tiptoes and peering out from behind Wayne. This is so embarrassing. So, I have to take this bike home! A lew boxes of choctes arent worth the embarrassment Ive endured! Anna thought. Wayne smiled gently and said, OK, you got it! They then pushed that bike home. Ryan was lying on the couch watching TV in his dark green pajamas. Wow! Where did you get that awesome bike? He set aside his bag of chips and said to them with suspicion. Well, we got it as a gift because we bought something in the supermarket, Anna spoke before Wayne could, and she didnt dare to look Ryan in the eyes. Ryan frowned, fixed his gaze on Annas mouth, and asked, Really? How many things did you buy, anyway? By the way, Anna, your mouth is swollen. What happened? Anna immediately covered her mouth and said, Huh? Oh, its nothing. I identally put on too much lipstick, Im afraid. And we ate some spicy food. Huh? Didnt you two have enough for dinner? Anna couldnt think of an answer, so she covered her mouth, ran into the bedroom like she was escaping, and said, Well, its time for me to go to sleep! Only Ryan and Wayne remained in the living room. Wayne parked the bike in the doorways corner and then lifted the supermarket shopping bag from the basket. He strolled towards the bathroom, looking extremely calm. Ryan didnt appear to be the funny young man he was just now. He took a serious look at Wayne and asked, Can you please behave yourself? Not only am I present, but so are these two children. You can move out of here if you dont like me, Wayne said without looking back. Ryan gripped the couchs back and looked at Wayne indifferently, saying coldly, Why? I arrived here before you! You see, Im already good enough to you by sharing my bedroom with you! Well, I dont mind sleeping on the couch, Wayne said as he stood in the doorway to the bathroom, ncing thoughtfully at Ryan. Ryan snickered and shifted his position to lie on the cushions, saying, Ha! Its not gonna happen! Lets face it, I know what youre thinking, and so does Anna. So, you can just spend the night in my room. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Wayne realized that Ryan looked very at ease, and it seemed that he had made himself at home. He then frowned and looked dissatisfied, At that precise moment, Anna llung open the door to the main bedroom. She told Ryan. *Ryan, could you pleasee here for a moment? Id like to speak with you. Ryan agreed immediately, and then jumped up from the couch and said, Yes, Iming Wayne immediately became solemn and inquired, Anna, what do you want to discuss with him? Why cant you say it in the living room? Anna looked at Wayne from head to toe before saying, word for word, Because I dont want to. Ryan gave Wayne a mocking look before storming into Annas room and closing the door behind him. Wayne was left alone in the living room, staring sternly at the closed door to the bedroom. The reason why Anna asked Ryan to talk to her alone in the bedroom was that she wanted to talk to him about Ada. You said that Wayne nned Matthews ident before. But, many idents have happened to Matthew in thest few years. Ive only known him for a few months, but Ive witnessed three idents. Isnt that strange? You see, Wayne had gotten what he desired. So, the idents that happened in the last three years should have nothing to do with him. Anna expressed her disbelief to Ryan. Wayne had many opportunities to harm Matthew three years ago because he wanted to be president. However, he had no reason to do so after his rival Richard left the Carousel Group Well, youre right. I dont think it was him who did those things. Anna, did you get some new information? Ryan said firmly. Anna said somberly, Well, Ada did it. Charlotte told me this afternoon that Ada nned the fire alone. So, I suspect that she has something to do with all of Matthews mishaps over the years. Ryanpletely dismissed her idea, saying, But what can she get out of this? Everyone knows how much Wayne loves Matthew, right? Ada could only have stayed with Wayne for so long because she was rtively close to Matthew back then. If anything bad happens to Matthew, she will be unable to be Waynes wife. So, why did she stage the fire them? Anna asked. Anna had long suspected Ada. She recalled that the hotel chandelier had fallen off when she first met Matthew. At that time, Ada happened to have just checked into the hotel. Therefore, Anna believed that it must be more than a coincidence. Ryan frowned and thought for a moment before saying, Actually, I doubt Ada would have the guts to harm Waynes son. Even if she did it, it was because someone advised or persuaded her to do so. What? Who would do that? Ryan responded confidently, Its someone from the Wrights. Matthew is Peters only child, so the rest of the family is eager to make him disappear. So, I think maybe Richard did it. You mean that Ada and Richard are cooperating with each other? Anna appeared nervous because she hadnt considered that possibility before. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Ryan said sternly, Its just my spection, Anna. But I think its probably the truth. Everyone in Birmingham knew Wayne didnt like dating or being around women. Ada was Waynes companion for the past six years, and she was the sole exception. In any case. Ada was a rtively unknown actress. Peter used to think of her as Waynes future wife because she had something out of the ordinary. Therefore, she was not only intelligent, but she also had someone tell her what to do. Anna felt a shiver running down her spine as she reflected on this. Plus, she reasoned that even Wayne might not have known about it. Ryan smiled as he noticed Annas worried expression and said, Stop thinking about it, Anna. Ill definitely look into this for you. If Ada is truly working with Richard, you should notify Wayne and advise him to be more cautious of her. Anna came to her senses and asked, surprised, Huh? Do I have to tell him that? Ryan nodded and cast a thoughtful nce at the bedroom door. He saw that there were swaying shadows there. Then he said, OK, Anna, I should get going. Otherwise, the door will be mmed. Anna froze for a moment, unsure about what he was saying. OK, good night, she simply replied. Anna sat on her bed, thinking about it after Ryan had left. She wondered whether Ada truly loved Wayne if she worked with Richard and how much time and effort had she put into getting Richard president of the group. Anna was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didnt even notice Wayne entering the room. Then Anna came back to her senses after hearing him gently close the door. She froze, turned around and saw Wayne standing in front of her. He was wearing the floral shirt and beige cks they had just bought, and his hair was still wet. Hed used Annas new shower gel, making him smell like the best jasmine in her parder *Anna, I cant find a hair dryer, he said. Anna paused for a moment before responding. Ah! Its on my nightstand. Wait a mingte, Ill go get it for you. No, Ill gp got it myself Wayne en proceeded to the bedside table. Anna meile the rich cent of jasmine flowers in the breeze as he walked past her, After that, she froze and didnte back to her senses for quite some time Anna thought, Wayne, are you to all here to get the hair dryer Hult, the case why did you shut the door? Wayne, its up there inside the top drawer. Anna reminded him. Wayne sat on the bedside and opened the drawer. Instead of taking out the hair dryer, he stared at the drawer for a while. Anna approached him, perplexed, and asked, Its not there? Oh, that cant be right! Let me have a look. The drawer was illuminated by the bedsidemp. Anna noticed an unpacked blue box inside when she walked over to the bed. Then, she came to a halt, and her entire face flushed. She realized that it was a box of condoms. Then she shouted secretly in her heart, Damn! I shouldve got rid of them a long time ago! This is so damn embarrassing! Wayne raised his head and asked calmly, Is this the box of condoms we had used earlier? Anna looked at him awkwardly, and then asked coldly, Huh? What exactly do you mean? Do you think Ill use it again after I break up with you? Wayne replied, looking less perplexed, No, thats not what I meant. I was just thinking that we used to use the entire box whenever we had sex. If this box of condoms were the one we had used before, it shouldve been empty. In a panic, Anna scrambled to get the hair dryer out of the drawer and said incoherently, OK, shut shut up! Just take it and get out! She had no idea that the more nervous she became, the more likely she was to make a mistake. The wire tugged on the condom box and ripped it out of the drawer with a pop sound as she reached for the hair dryer. The box thennded on the floor. Anna thought she couldnt possibly be any more embarrassed when she noticed the condom on the floor. She froze, unsure about whether she should pick it up. Then she peeked at Wayne. When she saw his handsome face, she somehow thought of the scene in which they French kissed passionately for ten minutes. All of a sudden, she felt as if ants were crawling on her heart, itching her. She thought, Wayne, youre such a jerk! How the hell did you keep your cool after kissing me for so long? And why the hell are you so calm when you saw those stupid condoms? Weve already broken up with each other! Youre supposed to be embarrassed, okay?! Inparison to Anna, who felt awkward, Wayne was extremely calm. He knelt to pick up the condom box and handed it to Anna. Then he extended another hand to her, Anna immediately took a step back and asked, Huh? What do you want? Wayne looked at her calmly and said, Please give me the hair dryer. Anna was at a loss for words, and she handed him the hair dryer. Meanwhile, she felt as if she couldnt breathe. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Wayne handed her the box of condoms as if to tease her and said, Thanks, Oh, by the way, this is yours. Anna felt like it was a miracle that she didnt break down at this point, Anna tried her best to take the condom box calmly. But, just as her fingertips were about to touch the box of condoms, she couldnt hold back her rape any longer She snatched the box and mmed it into Waynes body. She yelled, Oh, no! Dont ever annoy me like that again! Wayne Wright, youre the biggest moron on this whole f*****g! Anna had a gentle temper, but when she became enraged, she was terrilying, Her entire body trembled with rage, and she vented all of her frustration at the moment. She said, You tried to use my sympathy for Matthew and let me cook at your grandpas house. So, I went for Matthews sake. Well, I didnt expect that you would show up with your lovely fiancee while I was there! You and your damn grandpa implied that I was a frivolous woman and that I was not good enough for you. Since I had no way to argue with you, I could only be away with you. Anyway, I didnt expect you to show up at my door! I let you stay here because we used to date, but you continued to humiliate me! Is this your attempt to demonstrate that you are a charming man? Do you believe every woman cant get over you after leaving you? Wayne looked at Anna nkly, not seeming to agree to what she said. He did not, however, say a single word in his own defense. So, Anna assumed that he was acquiescing to that. She became even angrier, yanked a pillow from the bed, and smacked Wayne hard, saying, Get the hell out of here! Wayne felt no pain when the lighttex pillownded on his body. Anna was so exhausted after throwing everything she could at Wayne that she was out of breath. Then, with a shaking finger, she pointed at Wayne. Wayne pushed everything on the bed to the side, sat on the bed, and looked at her calmly. Although Anna had lost her mind, Wayne remainedposed. Anna was enraged when she saw his calm demeanor. So, you cant get over me, can you? Do you miss me? Wayne asked in a deep voice. Anna denied it, Hell no! Im not that stupid! Wayne asked peacefully, So, why are you so emotional? Anna was still dressed in the same outfit she had been wearing earlier: loose brown wideCleg pants and a light blue sweater cardigan. Because she was so agitated and threw almost everything she could grab at Wayne with all her strength just now, her cardigan exposed hall of her shoulders. Anna was trembling and couldnt stop breathing heavily. Anna thought, Damn it! I hate to admit it, but youre right, Wayne / wouldnt have cared about what you said to me if I were over you. So, what made me so agitated? Heck, I have previously lied to myself and tried to convince myself that I was over you. However, you just showed up in my life again and again unexpectedly, showing that you need me, and Matthew, my son, needs me. How the hell can I calm down when you keep pushing me like this? Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Anna lowered her head and sat to the side, making way for Wayne to leave. Get out! she then yelled at him angrily. On the other hand, Wayne was still staring at Anna with a calm gaze and didnt intend to leave. Anna took a deep breath and tried her best to remain calm. Then she took a big step forward and said, You dont want to leave, do you? Okay, then Ill go! However, just as she took two steps forward, Wayne grabbed her wrist and forced her to stop. She stumbled backward and fell onto the bed. Wayne had already pressed against Anna before she could regain herposure. In response, Anna reached out and pushed his chest, saying, Hey, what are you doing?! Let go of me! Otherwise, I will call the police! Wayne looked Anna square in the eyes and said, If you want, you can call the cops. If you need a lawyer, I can help you find one. You can also throw me in jail. Ill assist you in any way I can, regardless of what you want to do. Anna struggled, smacked him on the chest, and said, Damn! Youre a f*****g crazy! Get off me!!! Wayne clutched her hands tighter in his grip. Then he pressed his face against Annas and brushed the tip of his nose against her cheek. He said, Anna, after falling in love with you, I wentpletely insane. His pleasant voice made Anna lose her mind as well. After hearing his words, Anna looked at him in awe, as if she couldnt believe what he had said. Anna knew that Wayne rarely spoke of love and barely said sweet words to her. Wayne had teased Anna before, but he had never told her so openly about how much he loved her. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna had never seen him look so affectionate. However, Anna was unable to maintain her sanity and control her behavior anymore. She opened her mouth but didnt say anything. All she could do was stare helplessly at Wayne. Unexpectedly, Anna managed to turn Wayne on by looking at him with her dazzling and watery eyes. Wayne then kissed her passionately on the lips. Anna blinked, not wanting him to kiss her. She, however, did nothing to resist it. She simply kissed him back, appearing overwhelmed by his affectionate kisses Anna knew that being around Wayne would only bring her pain. However, she was very attached to the warmth he would give her. Anna was well aware that the warmth was fleeting, but she couldnt help but wish for more. Strangely, she hadnt even taken a sip of alcohol, and yet, she felt tipsy. They made love all night and used up the entire box of condoms. Wayne didnt stop until the first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds. By that time, Anna had long passed out from exhaustion. Wayne kissed Anna tenderly as if she were a priceless treasure. Hed known for a long time how much he loved Anna. As a result, even if she didnt trust him or want to get back together with him, he was still patient enough to change her mind. He filled the bathtub with warm water and ced Anna in it. After that, he returned to the closet to find pajamas for her. It was already dawn, and the rm clock above the bed read 7:30 a.m. Waynes phone started ringing at that precise moment. He quickly picked up his phone from the bed Hello, he said as he answered the phone. Hello, is this Mr. Wright? Yes * Hello, I am the store manager of Day Jewelry Store You and your friend Mr. Xavier came to our store before and ordered a diamond ring, right? *Oh, you asked if Id seen the ne before I just checked the records and discovered that ady came into our store six months ago with that ne. Do you know who she is? No, but she did leave her phone number Herst name was Gabriel. Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Oh, yeah. Thest manager told me that thisdy was about 23 years old and very attractive. She took the ne to the store and inquired who had ordered it. The store managers voice was so loud that it jolted Wayne awake like a siren. Wayne only knew one woman with the surname Gabriel, and that was Anna, so he naturally suspected her. However, in the next second, he felt that he was wrong. He and Anna hadnt even met six years before, so he assumed she couldnt have had the ne. Wayne had another assumption at that point. Hed always suspected hed lost the ne when he stayed the night with the surrogate mother six years ago. However, Leo, the butler at the time, stated that he had asked that woman about that, and she did not have it. To Waynes surprise, Leo abruptly resigned after bringing Matthew home from the hospital. Wayne asked Gable to find out what happened to Leo but only learned that he had died in an ident. Wayne remembered that whenever he tried to figure out who the surrogate mother was, someone would stop him in the dark. As a result, he assumed Leo was keeping something about the surrogate mother from him. When Wayne looked up, he noticed a line of birds flying neatly past the window, making the clear sky lively. Wayne looked out of the window and pondered for a while before calling Gabe and saying, Gabe, are you awake? Would you like to go to my grandfathers house right now? Im hoping that you can ask Henry, who has previously worked with Leo who that surrogate mother is. I dont mind how you get them to talk, but I just hope that youll find out who she is. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Gabe froze for a moment before returning to his senses and saying, Yes, Ill do it right now. Wayne went into the bathroom after hanging up the phone and grabbing Annas pajamas from the closet. He thought, Is there really something wrong with that surrogate mother? So, what could go wrong? Why did Leo suddenly quit after working at our house for so long? I have to figure it out. When Wayne saw Anna sleeping in the bathtub, he had an absurd thought. But, because it was so unbelievable, he dismissed it right away. Anna slept for several hours and didnt wake up until noon. When she woke up, she heard several people making a lot of noise in the living room. Later, she realized that they were Tammy and Matthew. In the living room, the two children were watching television. Tammy wanted to see a rey of Scotts concert, but Matthew refused. So, when she wasnt paying attention, he changed the channel. Then, they started to have a little fight. Anna didnt see Ryan, but she was surprised to see Wayne in the kitchen. For her, it was one of those pinch me moments. Anna stroked her unkempt hair and stood in the bedroom doorway for a long time, staring at them drowsily. Tammy then ran up to Anna, looked her in the eyes, and asked curiously, Mom, why did you get up so late? Oh! What happened to your lips? Anna froze for a moment before covering her mouth when she realized what Tammy was talking about. Then she stammered, Oh, well, I bumped into the closet by ident yesterday, and my lips were then swollen. Its no big deal, honey. Tammy grabbed her pants and tried to lead her out the door, saying, Oops! Does it hurt, Mommy? Let me take you to the hospital! Come on! Anna declined awkwardly and stated, Its really not a big deal, honey. I dont need to go to the hospital. You should watch TV with Matthew now. Anna walked past the two kids and got into the kitchen to get a ss of water. As soon as she walked in, she noticed that Wayne was looking at her intently. Whats the problem? Let me see how swollen your mouth is! Wayne said as he moved closer to Anna. Anna immediately backed up as her entire face turned bright red. She spoke softly, Geez Please dont get any closer. Wayne reached out and wrapped his arm around Annas waist, drawing her in closer. Teasingly, he said, Let me take a look. Which closet did you bump into? What a stupid closet! Lets take it down, shall we? Anna became enraged right away and struggled. She mmed her fist into Waynes chest and said, Thats enough! Stop teasing me. But I dont think Im the only one who got satisfied. What exactly are you talking about?! Anna shouted right away. Mommy, whats going on? Tammy asked at that moment. Anna immediately responded, Nothing! I was just making coffee! Anna red at Wayne and warned him, Listen, youd better act like nothing had happened between us last night. When Anna realized that Wayne was about to say something, she immediately said, Well, dont ask me for an exnation or something else. I havent thought anything through. You know, I need time to think about what happenedst night. Youd better shut up if you still want to stay at my house. Wayne remained silent, but he appeared to want to say something more. When Anna noticed his expression, she asked angrily, Whats the problem, Wayne? Whats on your mind? Are you cursing me in your mind? To Annas surprise, Wayne raised his eyebrows and said, Youre overthinking it. I just wanted to know how you like your egg cooked? Anna was immediately embarrassed and felt as if she couldnt breathe. Surprise me, she said feebly. She then walked out of the kitchen quickly after pouring herself a ss of water. Wayne smiled meaningfully when he saw Annas panicked expression and thought, Anna, you want to slow things down, dont you? Well, I happened to have all the time in the world. He realized the way they were getting along at that time reminded him of when they were still dating. However, the only difference was that they just werent a couple anymore. Wayne was okay with it, and he wondered if Anna liked the idea of having an undercover lover. He didnt mind pretending to be with Anna for a while because she seemed to enjoy it. However, he would only y the game with her for a short while. After lunch, Andrew called Anna and asked her toe back to the office for a meeting. So, she asked Wayne to take care of the two kids. Before leaving the house, Anna ced her credit card on the coffee table, along with a few bills. You can take them to the supermarket if you need anything, she said. Wayne froze and realized what she meant after a brief moment of thinking. He lied to Annast night when he said he didnt have a penny on him. However, he had no choice but to nod and say, Okay. My credit card password is Tammys birthday, Anna stated. Yet, she froze after saying that, and then blinked restlessly before telling him the number. Anna was flustered after that. Earlier, when she told Wayne Tammys birthday, she lied to him and said she was born in January on purpose. She could only pray and hope that Wayne had utterly forgotten about it. So, she panicked and said, Well, Andrew is waiting for me, so Im going to go now. With that, she then grabbed her bag and prepared to put on her shoes, Wayne was lost in thought as he looked at the money on the coffee table. Soon, he recalled the password shed just told him. He then raised his gaze to Anna. When he noticed how flustered she appeared, he became perplexed and asked, Was Tammy born in March? But you said earlier that she was born in January. After hearing that, Anna froze, and her face turned pale. She purposefully asked, Oh? Really? Did I say that? Anna was too afraid to turn around because Wayne would see how terrified she was. Then Wayne approached her slowly and said, Yes, you said she was born in January. Anna began to shake and replied incoherently, Oh, um When did I ever say that to you? Im sorry, I totally forgot about it! At that point, Wayne hade up behind her and said, Yes, you did. You know, Matthews birthday was in March. So, if Tammy had been born around the same time, Im sure Id remember it. Well, you just said that Tammy was born on the same day as Matthew. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Anna trembled even more violently as she heard Waynes words. She clenched her fist tightly and remained silent to calm herself. Anna knew that if she spoke, her voice would tremble in fear. To Annas surprise, Wayne simplyughed and said, Well, it seems youve always been quite guarded around strangers, havent you? Anna froze and then turned around. She felt relieved when she noticed him teasingly smiling at her. She murmured, not daring to look him in the eyes, Yeah, youre right. We were still strangers to each other at the time, so I cant tell you everything. Ah, you make a good point. It might rain today, so bring your umbre with you. Wayne said as he took an umbre from the stand and handed it to her. Thanks. Anna pursed her lips, her heart pounding as she looked down. Her heart was still beating like crazy as Anna walked out the door. She had a feeling that if she didnt tell Wayne the truth, something unexpected would happen. She knew Wayne was no fool. Therefore, if he had any clues, he would suspect her. And Anna felt that she had no idea what would happen next, which made her worried. *** Andrew called Anna because he wanted to discuss the Joan Group tender with her. There were recent Inte rumors that Anna was the sole heir to the Gabriel Group and had received all of Franks inheritance. However, most of that money came from the groups tax evasion. Therefore, the money Anna received was stolen by her father. Gabriel Group employed thousands of people, many of whom wereid off due to thepanys abrupt demise. The entire group was preupied with financial liquidation and had not paid any employees for the previous two months. While construction workers were protesting, whiteCcor workers in their offices became concerned. As a result, when the rumor spread, many people med the Gabriel Group. However, Anna was relieved that many people used her instead of Lemon. She sat in the conference room on the second floor of her office, staring out of the window at the trees. She was so preupied with her thoughts that she didnt even pay attention to what they were saying Have you seen the news about the rumors on the Intetely? Its time for us to take action. I think we can work with these social media tforms to have these posts removed. Its a critical time in the bid vote, so we cant afford to have any bad news cloud the Joan Groups judgment of us. We must act immediately. Tony, the PR department manager, was a young man. He appeared thrilled at the prospect of finally being able to put his abilities to use. Also, he was the first to notice that people were cursing Anna online. Anna, what do you think? Oscar asked. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. When Anna heard Oscar call her name, she froze for a moment before returning to her senses and asking, Huh? What? Shed been thinking about her conversation with Wayne before she left home. So, she didnt listen carefully to what the group was saying. At that moment, Andrew, who was sitting to her left, reminded her, Anna, whats going on? Tony said we should let these rumors die before anyone knows that its somewhat relevant to Lemon. If not, we may not be able to win the bid. If you ask me, I dont believe it is a good idea to work with social media tforms and have them block these posts. Theizens might think were feeling guilty that way. Anna returned to her senses and concluded, Okay, I get it. Andrews right. We cant just rely on social tforms to handle these posts, just like we cant hold back a flood by our bodies. After that, a quick brainstorming session started. Tony was the first to propose an idea, saying, How about this! We can get social media tforms to delete fake posts but keep the most outrageous ones. When everyone heard his words, they initially didnt understand what he was thinking. However, they realized Tony did it because he wanted to push things to the limit. Most of theizens tended to believe in those false rumors. It was difficult to exin that to them, and they were unlikely to ept the truth. So, the best way was to do the opposite and let people discuss these outrageous things as they wanted. After everyone found these rumors exaggerated and ridiculous, they would realize they were all fakes. Following that, everyone agreed on Tonys n. When Anna returned to her office after the meeting was finished, her assistant, Mona, had ced all of the documents she needed to sign on her desk. This is the invitation for the reception that AW Group is going to hold at the end of the month, she said as she handed Anna the invitation. Anna surveyed the invitation. It was a lovely blue card with the letters A and W printed in white on it. It looked more like a wedding invitation to Anna than a wine tasting invitation card. Anna asked, Who sent this? Its Mr. Wilsons assistant. Anna froze and thought, Isnt Randal quite busy recently? Why did he make his assistant deliver the invitation? When Anna unfolded that invitation card, she saw that someone had written a line on it with a pen. She read in her mind, The more Scott wants you toe, the less I want you to be there. Randal Wilson. Annaughed after reading the sentence. Mona didnt understand what she meant, and then asked, Miss Gabriel, will you be there? Anna folded the invitation, set it aside, and then smiled and said, Of course, Ill be there! I will definitely come because Mr. Wilson has invited me so sincerely. Anna felt that she was going there not only to meet more wellCknown business people but also to distract Randall. In fact, she found it interesting. Lemon had only recently been formed, so Anna needed to meet all business partners in person. She felt that having orders from the Joan Group was insufficient and nned to speak with Randallter. She knew that Randal, as a sessful businessman, knew many people in the business circle. After Mona left the office, Andrew walked in. Anna asked, Andrew, whats up? Andrew put a few manuscripts on Annas desk and said, Check them out. Ryan just emailed these to me. Anna, do you think its just too much of a coincidence? Why was someone spreading rumors about you when we were preparing to bid? Whats this? Arent these your designs? Oh, gosh! Anna immediately frowned after looking at a few of them. This is quite simr to the design we previously showed to Joan Group. So, if they make the sample clothes ording to this, their clothes will be nearly identical to ours. Anna took a deep breath and asked seriously, This is giarism, right? Who the hell did this? They sent the manuscript to Joan Group before we did. I dont have any evidence, but I think White did it. People in Birmingham were wellCknown in the localpany, White, a premier apparelpany with a strong marketing presence. Moreover, they also participated in this tender. Thispany was wellCknown for its deception. They frequently hire talent from smallerpanies and copy other peoples manuscripts. Because they didnt dare to offend White, those small businesses could do nothing when they were offended. Anna frowned, and she asked, What? Are they deliberately working against us? Im afraid so. Carrie introduced you to the president of Joans group, and that was why he took us into consideration. Were a smallpany or even a studio. So, when White saw us at this bidding session, they were envious. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Andrew analyzed thoughtfully, White did this because they wanted to eliminate all their rivals. They see us us a threat, you know. They can monopolize the industry if they have nopetitors. Andrew was telling the truth: businesspetitions were indeed cruel Do you believe we can always rely on Tonys solution. Andrew, who had always been hesitant to make lim conclusions about things he wasnt sure about, replied truthfully, I have no idea. However, as the two of them were discussing a better solution, someone entered Annas office and said, Oh, no! Miss Gabriel! Someone posted a long weer telling everyone that youre the president of Lemon, and many people retweeted it! All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna stood up right away. She hadnt expected this to happen so soon alter their emergency meeting. Andrew was right, it was all too much of a coincidence, she thought. As a result, she convened another meeting with the entire stall. The article was titled Gabriels heiress Anna Gabriel transferred the groups property and opened a newpany. The person who tweeted it was a local activist and had a lot of followers. So, in just one afternoon, the article became the most popr hashtag. Anna skimmed the article and discovered that it was mainly about three things. To get everyones attention, the person mentioned at the start that a worker was nning to jump from the roof of the Gabriel Group headquarters half a month ago. The second was that the Gabriel Group was in financial trouble, resulting in thousands of peoplesyoffs. Finally, that activist summarized these two events in his remarks. He was extremely sarcastic and med Anna for everything. He pointed out that Anna received the largest share of the inheritance because she was Franks daughter. Also, he med her for harming many people by doing so. This article appeared logical and straightforward, but it didnt get to the point. In reality, it was just a mashCup of all the recent Inte rumors. ording to the article, Anna transferred all of Franks inheritance to lemon. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Also, it mentioned that Lemon and directly stated that Anna was its president. At that point, a member of the technical staff eximed, I got it! This person is not far away. Oh, he is in the White Group building! These words confirmed Andrew and Annas suspicions, and they both looked at each other in surprise. Tony realized how serious the situation was at that point. He became pale with nervousness and said, Sorry, I didnt handle this well. I wanted to act before they did, but I didnt expect them to be so quick. Anna gave him a thoughtful look before saying, Stop ming yourself, Tony. Its not your fault. All we need to do now is consider how we should deal with the rumor. Okay, lets workte tonight and find a perfect solution to this. Anna knew that because everyone was using the Inte, bringing a smallpany down was very easy. So, when she first started thepany, she established a public rtions department. Anna knew that Tony was still a young man with limited experience. However, she believed that after going through the hardship, he would be a better employee. Anna felt that she could ept spending money and time training talents, but she couldnt ept those who betrayed herpany. As she was thinking this, she gazed at Oscar, who was standing next to Tony. Anna said, Tony, write a report to dispel the rumors and share it on social media. Please keep comments on the Inte minimum and notify reporters that we will hold a press conference. This was Annas emergency public rtions response. Tony didnt dare to be slow any longer, so he nodded and got to work instantly. Everyone was prepared to deal with the war, except Oscar, who appeared distracted. Well, thats a deal! Please stop what youve been doing recently because you need to devote all your energy to solving this problem. I will reward the first person whoes up with a perfect idea. The meeting went on for quite some time. While everyone else was frowning and thinking, Oscar appeared agitated and wanted to leave. He stood up half an hour after the meeting began. Oscar, where are you going? Anna asked in purpose. Oscar avoided looking at Anna and replied, Oh, Im going to the bathroom. Ill be back in a minute. After Oscar left, Anna texted someone, saying, Oscar is out. See what he is going to do. That person quickly replied to Anna, Got it. Thunder Media Group was the countrysrgest mediapany. A woman was on the phone apologizing to the editor-inCchiefs office in the groups building at the time. Although she was in her fifties, she still appeared to be young She constantly apologizes to others, saying, Yes, Im sorry, Ill have them remove all of these posts immediately. Honestly, those posts were made by someone in thepanys entertainment department Solm really clueless about that. Every day, as you are aware, we publish arge amount of news. Oh, no, I didnt mean to do that. Dont worry, Ms. Miller; we will definitely look into this matter. Okay, well remove the news right now. The woman was enraged after hanging up the phone. When she looked up and saw her assistant standing beside her, she became enraged and asked, Who the hell is Anna Gabriel, anyway? Why are so many people calling me about a stupid news story about her? Many people have called the woman since the news about Anna was published. In theory, she wouldnt have even picked up the phone. However, because the callers were all powerful people she couldnt afford to offend, she had to personally answer the phone and apologize to them one by one. Wayne Wright, the former president of the Carousel Group and a member of the wellCknown Wright family, was the first to call. He called to ask why they had spread this news. Then came Randall Wilson, the president of AW Group. Carrie, the editorCinCchief of the renowned Vivi magazine, was the third caller. She was followed by Selina Miller, the wife of the former taxmissioner. Plus, Mrs. Miller was being very aggressive on the phone. Her assistant was also perplexed and whispered, Anna is the second daughter of the Gabriel Groups president, ording to what Ive heard. But her family doesnt seem to like her. So, he has spent the last few years living alone in America. Isnt the Gabriel Group doomed to fail? Why do so many people care about her? Why did Wayne Wrights at Carousel help her? The editorCinCchief grumbled, Wayne isnt even helping her! I was afraid hed beat me up if he came into my office! Anyway, how does she know anyone at the tax office? She knows Mr. Miller, an official who has just been transferred to London to take up his position. This was also a mystery to the assistant. And he cautiously asked, Well, do we have to withdraw the news then? The editorCinCchief sneered and said, Huh? Yes, we must withdraw it. Well take it down after everyone has finished talking about it tonight. That way, weve not only satisfied the bigwigs but also informed many people about it. Will you look into this woman for me? Im curious as to why she has so many big wigs care about her. Yes, Ill have them look into that, said the assistant, who was also intrigued. Thunder Entertainment was known for not being afraid of authority. When they were med for something that went wrong, they would simply promise not to do it again. They did, however, often go went on their word. The employees were all confident that the groups leaders would protect them no matter what. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 264 Anna, Open the Door The Lemon team spent the whole night dealing with this situation. Then few people discussed the issue after sharing the rification article on social media. Finally, everyone gradually lost interest in the topic after the most crucial time: twelve oclock. The staff were ready to go home at that point. Anna and Andrew were walking downstairs together when they noticed Ryan waiting for her at the door. After seeing Ryan, Andrew nodded and said to Anna, Bye, Anna. Okay, goodbye. Thank you very much. Thats all right. You should be cautious these days and always go out only with apanion. Cyber violence can be brutal, you know. Andrew was concerned about Anna because he had been through something simr. As Anna nodded, she said, Dont worry. After returning home, Anna and Ryan discovered the light in the house was on. The house, on the other hand, was eerily silent. Wayne walked out of the childrens room just as Anna was about to open the door. Are they both asleep? Anna asked him immediately. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Wayne nodded his head and said, Yeah. Are you finished dealing with the matter already? What? Youve already known about it? Anna asked curiously. Then she put her handbag on the floor and walked to the fridge to get herself a drink. She figured that there must have been a lot of discussion about it if someone like Wayne, who seldom never surfed on the Inte, knew it. Hell know for sure! I heard that there had been another employee protesting at the headquarters of the Gabriel Group. The Carousels building is direct across the street, so Wayne must have known about it. Ryan answered for Wayne and then sat down on the couch. Wayne didnt say anything. He only nced at Ryan before following Anna to the kitchen. Anna gave each of them a cup of lemonade. Then, the three of them took their seats on the sofa. Hows your investigation going? Wayne asked, looking at Ryan. Ryan frowned and inquired, Huh? What? How did you know I was looking into it? Of course, Ryan knew why Wayne was asking him that. He was a smart guy, after all. Ryan gave him a thoughtful look before asking, Well, wise guy, if you thought of that, why didnt you warn Anna? Oh, I knew theyd write news about it, but I couldnt predict what else theyd do. So, we might as well get it over with now. Luckily, Lemon is just getting started now. If it had been arge corporation, it would have been much more affected by the rumors. You mean we can just stop caring about anything, right? Ryan,e on. Instead of wasting time with me ying word games, why dont you tell us exactly what youve discovered? Wayne stated. He did have the foresight to immediately change the subject to the point. Ryan was irritated by his demeanor, but he knew it was not the time to argue with him. As a result, he responded, Actually, I was already standing outside the conference room door when Anna texted me. I bugged the bathroom and recorded Oscars phone call. Although I could only record his voice, I was able to piece together what he was saying on the phone based on the signal wave. Rx, it was very urate. I have the file on myputer and will email it to youter. All right, tell me what he said. Anna was not going to listen to that tape. She didnt want to hear every word Oscar said because she was desperate to find the truth. Besides, she was certain that Ryan was an expert on this matter. Fine. In my opinion, Oscar is certainly a spy hired by White. Besides, he was the one who informed White ahead of time about Andrews design. Hes probably wanted to leave Lemon for a long time, but there are two possibilities as to why he chose to stay in Lemon. What are they? Anna asked anxiously. Ryan coughed and was about to say something to demonstrate his professional reasoning abilities when he heard Wayne say, First, he can stay at Lemon and keep updating your public rtions strategy to White. Second, White will not keep their promise to him in the first ce. Ryan shot Wayne an annoyed look and said, Hey, thats what Im supposed to say! Will you please shut up? Which do you believe is more probable? Anna turned away from Ryan and asked Wayne directly. Wayne continued calmly, I believe it is the second. If White wants him back right now, Oscar wont take the risk of staying at Lemon. Youll definitely fire him if you find out hes a traitor. That way, hell have a difficult time finding another job. Ryan continued right after that, In fact, there is another option. Perhaps White let him stay in Lemon because they could continue using him. That way, Oscar can keep revealing your information to White. Besides, theyre unlikely to hire him as hes a traitor. Theres a chance hell turn against his boss again wherever he works. Yeah, youre right, Anna said with approval. Then what are you going to do with him? Wayne asked. Oh, Im going to let him keep working in mypany for the time being Since Ive already known that hes the traitor and he intends to stay here, I can make good use of this opportunity. Plus, I hope you two can stick with my ns. Anna said, looking to be nning something big. tt After his shower, Ryan went to his room and came to a halt as he approached the bedroom door. He looked at Wayne, who was still sitting in the living room, and asked, frowning, Are youing in tonight? Wayne didnt say anything, just looking back at him. Ryan raised his chin and frowned, saying, Youre noting in, right? Okay. Ill lock the door. And youd better not knock on my door. He then shut the door and locked it. Wayne did nothing but sip the lemonade in his hand with ease. After he finished it, he headed for Annas bedroom. Since stepping into Annas house, he hadnt intended to sleep in the same room with Ryan. Anna had already finished her shower when Wayne was about to enter her room. She was sitting at the dressing table, wrapping her hair in a white towel and applying face cream. She looked at the doorway as she heard someone approaching. And her gaze became teasing at that point. Wayne twisted the door handle and discovered that it would not budge. He didnt seem to believe it and made several more attempts. Nheless, he failed. He then knocked on the door and asked in frustration, Anna, could you please open the door? Anna asked teasingly, Why? What do you want, Wayne? Well, I need to use the hairdryer. Anna yawned deliberately and said, Oh, theres a new one in the bathroom. Im so exhausted tonight. Bye, good night. She then turned off the light in the room before Wayne could respond. The only light in the bedroom was a small night light next to the bed, making the space appear cosy. For a brief moment, Wayne stood awkwardly in the doorway. When he looked into Ryans bedroom, he noticed that the door was shut. In fact, even if Ryan hadnt locked the door, he wasnt going to get in as he didnt want to share a bedroom with Ryan at all. Tammy woke up at six every morning out of habit. Just as she yawned and climbed down from the top bunk, she suddenly realized that something was ofl. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Tammy kept talking about everything she had seen this morning as they were having breakfast. She said, Our bed is small. Mr. Wright cant even stretch his legs when hes lying on Matthews bed! Matthew was curled up at the bedside and couldnt move at all. Ryan burst outughing and nearly choked on his food. As heughed, he coughed, and a bean came out of his nose. Tammy looked surprised at him, then sat back and eximed, Eww! Ryan, thats disgusting! Im sorry, Tammy, I didnt mean to do that, Ryanughed. Anna kept her head down and tried not tough out loud. She could swear that she had no idea Ryan would lock the bedroom door. Also, she had never thought that Wayne would sleep in the kids bedroom. The bunk bed in their bedroom was designed for children and didnt even have enough space for teenagers to sleep on. So Wayne, who was over six feet tall, was bound to feel cramped when he slept there. Wayne frowned at her and asked angrily, Do you think this is funny, Anna? Last night Anna stood up in a panic, afraid he would speak out of turn that they had had sex the other night in front of the kids. She quickly put her knife, fork and te away before picking up her bag and saying, OK, Im full. Well, Im going to work now. I havent checked what was on Twitterst night, so Im going to see what are they talking about now. She then walked away. The room became hushed after she shut the door. Tammy finished her meal and returned to her room, leaving Wayne and Ryan staring at each other at the table. You cant hold it against me! You were the one who said you didnt want to be in my roomst night! Sossumed youd prefer to sleep on the couch rather than in my room. Anyway, I had no idea youd sleep in the kids room! Ryan said. Meanwhile, Wayne pursed his lips and tried desperately to resist the urge to beat him up when he saw the innocent look on his face. Tony had just entered the office when he informed Anna of the change in onlinements on the previous night I bet the puble opinion is currently stable However, the time between twelve and five a mistupposed to be when inte data is suspended So, we cannot rely entirely on that information im worried that people will start talking about it again after a while so, wed better have another meeting and devise a backup n. Anna said calmly, Oh, that wont be necessary. We can all get back to work now. Could you please get ready for the press conference this afternoon? Ill let everyone work as usual. Andrew happened to walk in at that precise moment. Come on, Andrew, I want to talk to you about something, Anna said as she waved at him. Andrew turned around and saw a man hiding in fear behind him. Then, he gave the man a sidelong nce before mming the door shut. Anna ns to tell the press that she and Frank have cut their ties with each other long ago. Besides, she will announce her fathers will and tell everyone that she has nothing to do with the Gabriel Group. Oscar hid in the restroom and then made a call, telling someone what Anna had just said about the public rtions scheme. Good. Thank you very much. Ive already told you about her final proposal. So, can I leave this company now? The other man said, Oh, not so soon. You know, this battle is just getting started. Well discuss this after the meeting this afternoon. Oscar became agitated and said, No, I cant wait that long. Youre not going to let the press conference go on as nned, are you? If I leave at that time, they will undoubtedly me me. Theirpany will be out of business by that time. So, youll have a good reason to leave. No, thats really not the case. Listen to me OK, thats it. Im going to hang up now. Ah! No! However, the man cut Oscar off before he could finish. Oscar scratched his head in annoyance when he realized this. He was so irritated that he even wanted to smash the mirror in front of him. He wasnt an i***t. When the manager of the White treated him like this, he knew they wouldnt keep their word. At the break, Gabe left the office and went to the restaurant that Wayne had told him to go to. He was taken aback when he noticed Wayne eating with his two children, What do you want to talk to me about, Mr. Wright? You can say it over the phone, and you dont have toe to see me in person. Gabe said to Wayne respectfully, Thats all right. The kids wanted to eat here, and its close to the office. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing that, Gabe assumed that Wayne hade specifically to see him. However, he hadnt expected that Wayne was just here to take his kids to lunch. Are you ready? You know, about the press conference that will be held this afternoon. Gabe replied confidently, Dont worry, Ive got a lot of experienced boxers. So, Im sure we can keep the scene in order. If anyone dares to cause trouble, those boxers will teach them a lesson. OK, thanks, Wayne said with a nod. Youre wee. By the way, I nearly finished looking into what you asked me to earlier. All right, tell me what you know. In fact, only a few bodyguards were working around Leo six years ago, and two now work as personal trainers in a gym in Birmingham. They said they were looking for someone at the bar the night of June eighteenth. Wayne froze and asked, What? Who were they looking for? They were looking for a girl, Gabe replied, lowering his voice. He was cautious about this. However, he didnt even notice that Tammy, who was eating a chicken wing, was intently eavesdropping on what he was saying. They said that Leo asked them to find this girl. Then he told them to blindfold her, give her pills, and send her to a suite at one of the Carousel Hotel. Wayne thoughtfully recalled what had happened that night six years ago. He remembered that he was a little tipsy back then. Since there were no lights on inside that room, he didnt look closely at that girls face. Nevertheless, he remembered that the girls eyes were blindfolded and that she had been struggling. As Wayne recalled these details, he realized that the girl did seem to have been drugged. But they said that even though they tried every means to look for her all night long, they still couldnt find her anywhere. Wayne was taken aback when he heard Gabes words. He asked, Huh? What? Wayne made no attempt to hide his surprise. He thought, they didnt find the surrogate mother. But I did have s*x with a girl that night. So, who the hell is she? What the hell had happened back then? Leo soon informed him that the girl was pregnant and brought Matthew home eight monthster. Gabe continued, looking at Wayne, I asked them about it several times, but they insisted that they hadnt found the girl. Even after visiting numerous bars, they were unable to locate her. But Leo told them to stop looking for her in the early hours of the morning. Then, another weird thing happened. Leo told them to go to the hospital a monthter to kidnap a young girl who was about to have an abortion. Wayne thought carefully about this information and then deduced roughly what had happened: the surrogate mother had not shown up that night for some reason. However, another girl who wasnt supposed to be in his room slept with him that night. Wayne felt like one of the mysteries had been solved. Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Then he realized why the woman he slept with that night had been shouting another mans name at his bed. That night, Leo made a mistake and sent the wrong girl to his room. He didnt want everyone to know about it, so he made the wrong girl have Waynes child. Leo fired the bouncers and resigned, fearing that his actions would be exposed. When Wayne thought of the possibility, he realized it all made sense. Gabe said thoughtfully, Leo probably wanted to take the secret to the coffin. But, to his surprise, someone found out about it. That person not only questioned Leo about that but also knew that we were suspicious of it. Thats why they killed Leo. So, Leos death was not an ident. It appears that someone did not want us to know that the surrogate mother was swapped. So, about her Wayne wrinkled his brow, lowered his voice, and looked at Matthew, who was eating intently. He continued, Look into this for me. And youd better get Matthews genes and ask the Birmingham Gene Bank about it. Wayne knew that the situation was far moreplicated than he had anticipated. In fact, he had no interest in Matthews birth mother and would refuse to see her. However, once he realized that things had gone wrong in the first ce, he was eager to know the truth. Hearing that, Gabe realized how serious the matter was at the time. OK, Ill get to work on it, he said, nodding. The press conference was scheduled for 2 p.m. At that time, many journalists had already arrived in the conference room of the Maple Leaf Hotel downtown. Many of them knew that Anna and Wayne had dated, so they were eager to learn some titbits. Anna was already backstage, going through the script Tony had written for her. Just as she was about to go on stage in five minutes, she heard a staff member say, Sorry, maam, but you cante in. Ah! What do you wanna do? Hey, call the police! Anna noticed that the entrance to the lounge had be chaotic. Just as she assumed that something was wrong, or someone messed things up, she heard a woman say, Im looking for Miss Gabriel. Thismanding voice was familiar to Anna. Then, she was fuming when she noticed the door open. Aunt Selina! she eximed, surprised. Selina was standing in the doorway when Anna noticed her. She was dressed in a dark green cashmere coat with a beige silk scarf wrapped around her neck. Although she was fifty years old, she appeared to be in her forties. Meanwhile, three bodyguards were standing behind her, preventing the staff from approaching. Selina appeared to be furious. Anna, you dont have to attend this press conference, she said as soon as she walked in. Huh? Why? Anna asked in confusion. Then Selina yanked the script from her grasp at that precise moment. After a quick nce at it, Selina tossed the script into the trash. She stated, Come on, Anna, thats bullshit. You know, this bunch of journalists just want things to get bigger and bigger. Even though your father is no longer alive, you must solve the problems he left behind. Its so annoying! You should do as I say, Anna. No, I dont believe so. Anna answered her with a worried expression. She had everything nned out and hadnt expected Selina to show up and ruin everything. Selina said angirly, Why? You dont think Im helping you, do you? Just as they were arguing, Anna heard Wayne ask, Whats going on? Anna then felt two hands on her thighs. As she lowered her head, she saw that Tammy and Matthew were clinging to her. Tammy then raised her head to greet her, saying, Hello, Mommy. Anna thought that things were getting out of hand. So, she gave Wayne a defeated look and said, What the hell is happening? This is not a cocktail party but a press conference. What brings you all here? Geez! I came here to tell those journalists what a terrible man Frank was. He didnt deserve to be your father, Anna. You know, you have nothing to do with the Gabriel Group! You really should have listened to me. Well, dont you want to do that? Looking at Anna helplessly, Selina sighed after saying it. When she saw Selinas angry expression, Anna was at a loss for words. She felt she couldnt go on any longer and had to say, No, Im not. Wayne told the bouncers to clear the area, then shut the door and said, OK, Auntie Selina, please listen to me. As the press conference began, many reporters sat on audience seat, ready to record every word Anna said. Anna sat in the centre of the stage, alongside Tony, Selina, and a few of Lemons employees. The reporter who stood up the first appeared unfriendly. He asked Anna, Miss Gabriel, are you the daughter of Frank, the former president of the Gabriel Group? Anna nodded. So, youre aware that the Gabriel Group is in serious trouble this time, right? Almost every family member is troubled by this, and some have even had idents. Im curious why you are the only one not involved in it and have even started your own business? Are the rumors about you true? Did Frank give you his fortune and allow you to start a new business? Anna replied, No, of course not. My father left no money to me in his will, and I have no shares in the Gabriel Group. To be honest, Ive never even visited the groups headquarters. So, the group has nothing to do with me. None of the journalists believed Annas words. Then that reporter went on to ask, No, thatspletely impossible! You are Franks daughter, so how could youve never been to hispany? I know you have a lot of assets, including a vi worth tens of millions of dors. Ive heard it was given to you by your father when you turned 18! Then other reporters began to speak up, Frank gave you the mansion as a present, but why didnt he leave you anything? That makes no sense! I think Frank must have taken all the money used to develop the estate! Thats why the workers cant get their wages! Frank must have known he was seriously ill for a long time, so he wanted to pass that money on to you. Before Anna could speak, all reporters began to express their assumptions. At the time, the scene was VERY chaotic. C Then, suddenly, someone bumped and pped the table and eximed, Enough! Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The majestic voice of Selina echoed throughout the empty conference hall. She then pped the table angrily again and eximed, Thats ridiculous! Who is she? Howe shes talking like that? Everyone was afraid to say anything because Selena was so intimidating. Thats enough! Do you have any knowledge of thew? Even if he dies, he is still liable for the transferred property. Otherwise, Im sure there will be people plotting against their leaders and loved ones. Everyone in the room felt their hearts race as Selina spoke coldly and majestically. Let me exin why Frank didnt leave Anna a penny in his will. But, before I do, I want everyone to know that Anna is Franks daughter. Shes his second daughter. The woman who died was his sister, but they were not born to the same mother. The disappeared woman was Annas stepmother, not her biological mother. Journalists were more interested in gossip about famous families than in business disputes. As a result, everyone became very excited, Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Yes, you all think Anna is Franks daughter. You believe she is a wealthy youngdy, the rightful heir to the Gabriel Group. Despite this, Anna has not been treated fairly in her family for many years. Selina stated firmly and with an imposing aura that silenced the journalists, The truth is that, the reason why Frank got to found the Gabriel Group is that he relied on his exCwifes money. Then he abandoned her after achieving sess, and married his mistress. Annas mother died while she was in labor, and you can all imagine how Annas stepmother treated her. She doesnt even have a share in the Gabriel Group! Selina spoke solemnly, telling everyone about Annas hardship. Anna had spent her entire childhood in her grandfathers home. However, Selina made a difficult decision to let Anna live with Frank after her grandfather died. She did this to keep Anna from being a naive youngdy, as she was well aware that Anna would only be tough under challenging circumstances. Selinas biggest fear was that Anna would have the same cowardly personality as Olivia. As a result, she didnt want Anna to be a gentle but frail youngdy. Selina wanted Anna to learn to defend herself, even if it would make Anna hate her. Anna blossomed into a brilliant youngdy, just as she had hoped. She received high marks and was epted into a prestigious local medical university. Anna is, indeed, a wealthy youngdy. In fact, she hasnt gotten what she deserves. Anyway, shes still a young woman in her twenties. So, why does she have to clear up the mess caused by a bunch of bloodsuckers?! The journalists all fell silent after Selina finished speaking. Because almost no one was aware of the Gabriel familys rtionship, everyone assumed Anna was Frank and Shirleys second daughter. Plus, they suspected this because she had attended Allies funeral. She possessed numerous assets. As a result, everyone assumed Anna was wealthy and spoiled by her family. Then they expected her to be responsible for the Gabriel Group. Selinas entire body trembled because she was irritated. Seeing that, Anna turned to her assistant, who was standing on stage and asked her to let Selina rest. She knew her aunt had done enough to help her, and it was time for her to defend herself. Anna stood up and addressed the reporters, saying, You may not be aware that it was my aunt who spoke for me. She is my mothers best friend, the wife of my mothers brother, and a member of my family. I didnt invite her to the press conference. But you may be aware that there has been a lot of negative news about me during this time. She cares for me, so she came here and spoke on my behalf. Actually, Im grateful to her for saving me from having to exin anything further. One journalist inquired, Do you mean that the Gabriel Group has absolutely nothing to do with you? Well, we learned that Lemon was once a subsidiary of the group. Youve all looked into my possessions, havent you? So, you should be aware that I am not a shareholder in the Gabriel Group. Lemon is a small business that my mother ran when she was still alive. Before he died, my father asked if I wanted anything, and I told him that I wanted what belonged to my mom back. And I believe I made the correct decision. Well, a worker attempted to jump from the Gabriel Group headquarters buildingst month. You did save that man, didnt you? You stated that you were the one in charge of the group. So, why did you save him if you have nothing to do with the group? Anna froze and turned to face the journalist. She had known for some time that she would have to answer this question. Tony appeared irritated as the reporters questioned Anna. He stood up and attempted to exin to Anna, Miss Gabriel Anna pressed hard on his shoulder, forcing him to sit down. She looked at the journalist and said seriously, Thats because I havepassion for him. He would have jumped off the roof if I hadnt saved him. I cant bear to watch a human die in front of me. After hearing Annas words, the journalist froze. He became agitated when he learned that many people agreed with her. He immediately calmed down and asked, Well, I can tell that youre a nice person. But why are you ignoring other employees? Currently, nearly fifty workers gathered in front of the Gabriel Group building, attempting to reim their wages. Anna gave him a sidelong nce and said, What? Did I say I was going to ignore them? For Gods sake, I never said that! The journalist was immediately embarrassed. Then he heard many people discussing the hottest Twitter trend then. Meanwhile, a Twitter post by an activist was receiving thousands of retweets. In the post, he stated that Anna was sponsoring the leukemiaCstricken daughter of a worker. Furthermore, Gabriel Group announced on its website that the stalled real estate project would be restarted soon. The managers of the various media outlets then called their reporters to change their interview ns. Then there was a significant shift in the journalists attitudes. Will you handle the groups current issues, Miss Gabriel? Arent you concerned that no matter how much money you put in, things wont get better? Miss Gabriel, is it true that you and your father didnt get along well? If thats the case, why are you still willing to take responsibility? Is this for profit, or are you doing it because he was your father? Al the same time, a middle aged man stormed into the deputy managing directors office at the White Groups headquarters in Birminghams CBD and mmed a newspaper with a heavy thud on the desk. Take a look at that! Is this your perfect foolproof n?! His angry voice echoed in the office. Then the young man in a brown suit sitting beside the desk was stunned. When he saw what was in the newspaper, he was taken aback and asked, Huh? How did this happen? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The middleCaged man said grimly, Hey, I should have asked you that! Ive told you that we should just deal with the Joan Group! You shouldnt have been so smart in doing business. You fucking genius! The young man defended himself angrily, No way! Oscar from Lemon told me that Anna had no interest in Gabriel Group. Plus, I doubt that she would have done it! Its so absurd! The other man was trembling with rage and pointing at the papers, saying, Look whos on her side! My goodness, look who sits by her! You have no idea how powerful she is, do you? You should never have messed with her! As the young man froze, his brother roared at him, They are Wayne from the Carousel Group, Mr. Millers wife, and Carrie Brown, the editorCinCchief of Vivi magazine. And she knows a big shot in the U.S. Ben Jones, youre so screwed! Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Ben carefully examined the photographs in the newspaper. His face turned pale as he recognized a few of the big shots on them. His brother persisted in questioning him, Hey! What on earth are you doing? Ive already told you that those smallpanies will not pose threats to us! So, you dont have to make things difficult for them! Ben then said, somewhat awkwardly, Im so sorry! | had no idea Anna knew so many famous people! Ada told me that she was just Waynes ex-girlfriend. So, | thought she was just an ordinary woman. Surprised, Bens brother looked at him and inquired, Ada? Are you still seeing that actress? Jesus Christ! Are you f*****g. insane?! Bens brother interrupted his defense by saying, Ben, you donte to work these days. You should reflect on what youve done! The man then exited the office, mming the office door shut behind him. Furious, Ben ripped the newspaper into pieces and threw it in the trash can. At that moment, his phone rang. When he saw who was calling, his face darkened, and he answered it immediately. He asked impatiently, Have you not seen the news, Ada? Why do you still have the nerves to call me? Ada froze for a moment before saying sweetly, Dont be so mad at me! You see, you now know who is supporting yourpetitor. Actually, | believe this is a good thing. Ben grunted before saying, What? Do you believe this is good? Dont be ridiculous! For Gods sake, Im not that stupid! My brother yelled the s**t out of me just now! Well, you shouldnt get mad about that! See, youre scolding me right now, but Im still cheering you up, arent I? Ben froze when he heard her words, and then smiled as he was delighted. He apologized to her by saying, Sorry, | was in a bad mood just now. Ada, where are you now? Ill pick you upter. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Im ina bar close to your office. Dont worry, | already have a booth reserved for us. Ill sit here and wait for you, okay? Ben was beaming as they hung up their phone call. He was totally different from when he was enraged and upset moments before. Ben then grabbed his jacket and walked out of his office. Adas great strength was knowing exactly what she had to say. Plus, she could make men smile with just a few words. And she was extremely good at coaxing men into doing what she wanted. Ben had taken a loss this time, but he was d to do it because he was doing it for her. After the press conference, Ryan sacked the few traitors in thepany, including Oscar, for Anna. Although this shambles had already sparked heated debate over the city, it was only the beginning. Anna invited everyone who had helped her to dinner at a nearby restaurant in the evening. After dinner, Anna dropped Selina home. On the way, Selina expressed concern for her and said, So, if you want to solve the problems of the Gabriel group, you can do as you like. | know I cant stop you no matter how much I dont want you to. But, | have to make it clear to you that the Gabriel Group is now like a worm- eaten tree, and the senior staff are pure evil. So, | believe the first thing you should do is fire all of them. Anna nced at Selina, knowing her aunt didnt want her to deal with the groups problems. However, she knew it was the only way to make everyone believe that she wouldnt go back on her word, Besides, she didnt have any other options. Anna was deeply touched after hearing Selinas heartfelt words, and she reached out and touched her aunts hand, saying, Okay, | got it, thank you. Auntie Selina, thank you for helping me today. I used to be very resentful of you. And Im really sorry for that. Selina had kicked Anna out of the hospital and thrown all her belongings in front of Franks house that night of her grandfathers death, So, whenever Anna thought of Selina over those years, she felt that this woman was her worst nightmare. However, Annater realized that her aunt had been the one who had suffered the most. The fact that Frank cheated on his wife had led to many tragedies. Olivia died during delivery, and Selina lost her only child and could not have children again. As a result of these tragedies, Annas grandfather became depressed and he died soon after. Even though Frank, Annas father, the man who caused all this mess, had died, Anna didnt want to forgive him. Selina responded, You dont have to apologize to me, Anna. | think Frank and his mistress should be feeling sorry for me. If your mother had been as strong as you, those tragedies would not have urred. Anna realized that whenever anyone mentioned Olivia, they would describe her as a gentle and kind woman. On the other hand, it was these traits of hers that made it impossible for her to withstand too many blows. Selina then asked, By the way, have you found Shirley yet? Anna replied with a shake of her head, Nope. Actually, the police are not looking for her right now because there is no problem with the taxes. Maybe shell return after a while when she realizes the group is doing fine and that she can take advantage of it Selina looked upset when she thought about that woman and said, Geez! Shes such a scourge! Selina, lets not talk about her anymore, okay? You know, it will only make you feel worse. The car pulled up in front of a red vi at that time. The man in the drivers seat then said, Okay. Weve arrived. Selina looked out of the window and then said to the man, Thank you very much, Wayne. Bye. Anna waved goodbye to her. After that, she and Wayne went straight back home. As soon as they arrived home, they noticed Ryan standing in the doorway, looking at them with desperate eyes, and reaching out his hand, asking, Hey! Wheres my dinner? Anna and Wayne exchanged confused nces and asked each other, Huh? What? Ryan immediately expressed his displeasure and said, My dinner! You guys told me to go home and look after the two kids, after the press conference was over. Wayne, you promised to bring me something for dinner! Ive been starving all night. Dont tell me you didnt bring anything for me! Whats going on? Wayne, | remembered that you told me Ryan didnt want to go to the dinner tonight with us, Anna said to Wayne. Ryan red at Wayne and then said in displeasure, I knew it! Wayne, youre not stepping into this house today. Im sure youll do something even more out of the line to meter! Wayne looked at Ryan calmly and said, Oh, well, me me as you want. Gabe had asked a few Military Academy students to keep order at the conference. In fact, these students are majoring in surveying and reconnaissance Knowing that Wayne was about to expose his true identity, Ryan immediately became rmed, interrupted him, and said, | was just joking with you. You know, Im not that hungry. Anna looked at Ryan suspiciously and said, Whats going on? What the hell are you doing? Ryan said, somewhat awkwardly, Oh, nothing. Ive just been ying with the two kids for too long. So, Ineeded to talk to adults to keep my mind clear. | was really just joking with you guys. Wayne put on his slippers as the two of them talked. As he walked past Ryan, he shoved a bag of stuff into his arms and walked off towards the living room. When Ryan looked down, he saw thatit turned out to be a bag of food. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 You Hit on Me First Ryan twitched his mouth and mumbled, It turns out you brought me dinner. So, why didnt you tell me sooner, Wayne? Geez! With that, Ryan turned around and noticed a few dishes and a bowl of pasta on the table. Then, he was touched right away. It was getting darker and darker. The dark blue velvet night sky blended with the bustling Birmingham city, making the lights look as bright as the stars. As Anna stepped out of the bathroom, she noticed a man standing in her room. She then stopped and then thought to herself. Damn! Why did | forget to lock the door? Anna was exhausted from her long day. Shed been through too much and had thought about too many things. So, as soon as she walked into the bedroom, she went straight to the shower, forgetting to lock the door. rmed, Anna said, Wayne! What are you doing in here? Wayne was sitting on the sofa on the balcony at the time, holding a book called A Brief History of Time . t was the book Anna usually read before going to bed. He looked up, put the book down, and said, This is a fantastic book. Anna, you have excellent taste. No, it is not what you think it is. Every time | read this book, | fall asleep very quickly. In a way, its my sleeping pills Anna responded. She then folded her arms and turned to face Wayne. She added, Come on, | think you should go to Ryans bedroom instead of checking what Im reading before | go to bed. Otherwise, youll have to sleep in Matthews bed again. But | havent showered yet, Wayne said, raising an eyebrow. Then go take a shower. Theres a bathroom in the living room. But the shower in that bathroom is not working. Hearing that, Anna looked at him and said, What? Thats not possible! Wayne didnt continue to defend himself but just stood up and said, Fine. If you dont believe me, you can check it out. Anna said, OK, Ill go see it now. Actually, Anna didnt believe that the shower was broken atall. Ryan had stayed at her ce for a long time and always used the bathroom there. Anna would asionally shower there too, but the shower had never been broken. After checking the shower, she found out that Wayne was right. Wayne approached her from behind and said, Look! | didnt lie to you, did 1? Anna felt helpless in the face of the situation. She had to turn off the shower and ce it on the shelf, saying, Well, you can take a shower in my bedroom. But | hope you could leave my room as soon as possible when you finish taking a shower. By the way, can you please call someone to fix it if youre home tomorrow? OK, Wayne said immediately. He then smiled as he looked at the water valve switch on the wall, and it seemed that his ns had worked. Anna sat bored on the sofa, flipping her copy of A Brief History of Time. The only thing she could hear in the bedroom was Wayne taking a shower in the bathroom. After a while, Anna became sleepy due to the tedious physics book. Then she took a pharmacology book from the shelf and reviewed what she had learned in college. When she opened the book, she noticed the notes that she had written down on the book. She became extremely emotional after that. If it hadnt been for that ident, Anna would have worked as a doctor in a hospital now. At that precise moment, someone opened the door a creek. Anna then heard Tammys voice, Mommy! Tammy was standing in front of the door, staring at Anna in her pink pajamas. Surprised, Anna asked, Hey Tammy, what are you doing here? Tammy rushed over to Annas side. She appeared to be so tired that she couldnt even open her eyes, and she still said, Oh, Im so tired! But | need to tell you something, Mommy. Anna smiled and said, What do you want to tell me, honey? Are you going to tell me that you dreamed about me taking you to Disney Land again so that you can persuade me into taking you thereter? Tammy pouted and said, No, thats not it! | think something bad is happening! What exactly are you talking about, baby? j had lunch with Wayne and Matthew today. Then, | heard Wayne tell Gabe to find Matthews mother. So, are they looking for you? When Anna heard Tammys words, she was taken aback and immediately asked, What? What are you talking about? Tammy had overheard their conversation, but she couldnt recall what they had said. However, she felt that the two men were talking about her mother, which was important. So, Tammy then felt that she had to tell Anna about it. She had fallen asleep when Anna arrived home late from work and had been awake by noises in the living room. Anna realized what Wayne had asked Gabe to do after listening to Tammy. Her face turned pale as she clutched the book tightly in her hand. Anna knew that Wayne was a smart man with ess to any information he desired. As a result, he would almost certainly look up the truth and discover that Anna was the surrogate girl. Anna had no idea what she needed to do. Then, she heard Wayne turn off the shower at that moment. Wayne touched the foggy mirror and then saw his handsome face in it. After that, he walked out of the bathroom after wiping his hair. The bedroom was extremely quiet. Except for an orange bedsidemp that made the room look warm and cozy, all lights were turned off. Wayne had been suffering from insomnia for a long time. However, he could sleep soundly if he was next to Anna. That was why he felt he needed to sleep in her room. He noticed that Anna was sleeping as he sat on the edge of the bed. She breathed evenly, and the hair on her cheeks floated up with her breath. Wayne drew back the covers,y next to Anna, and then took her in his arms. That way, he felt Anna couldnt kick him out of the bedroom. Anna moved a few times and appeared to be awakened by him. When Wayne lowered his head, he noticed Anna staring at him with sleepless eyes, She appeared exhausted and drowsy. Wayne kissed Anna on the forehead and whispered in a deep voice, Sleep now, my love. You know that | cant fall asleep without you by my side. Hearing that, Anna rubbed her knee against his thigh and embraced him. Wayne froze and said in a raspy voice, Anna, stop Anna, on the other hand, didnt appear to know why Wayne asked her to stop. She then rolled over and grumbled, What? Im just changing my position. Ill be morefortable in this position. Annas voice sounded raspy and sexy, which was more than tempting to Wayne, who had long been rejected by her. Staring at the woman that he had been craving for and missing for so long, Wayne eventually was turned on. He then rolled over and got on top of Anna. Annas eyes widened as she appeared toe to her senses. Apparently, she was stunned by Wayne. What what do you want? she asked after swallowing hard. Wayne leaned down and kissed Annas rose-scented neck. Then, teasingly, he whispered to her ears in a maic voice, Well, you started it. With that, he gently touched her swan-like and smooth neck and then moved his hand all the way down to her soft and well-shaped boobs. Just as Wayne touched her n*****s, Anna froze. She then reached out and pressed her palms against his chest, saying softly as she was still struggling to keep herself awake, No |, | didnt Actually, Anna was also turned on by Wayne, but she just refused to admit it, as she still thought that they two were still in a cold war and that they werent supposed to interact with each other so intimately. Still, when she smelled the light scent that only belonged to Wayne when he wasying next to her, she felt that her heart had already skipped a beat. Moreover, the moment Wayne snaked his hand down to her left boob and even gently pinched her n****e with his fingertips, Anna was overwhelmed with desire and eagerness, feeling like a fire of desire just sparkled in her heart and spreading all over her body. Gosh! Youre like my guilty pleasure, Wayne How could you be so tempting yet dangerous at the same time? / know 1 should stay away from you. But the more | stay away from you, the more | want you. Now that you keep appearing in my life and | cant change the fact that | have had kids with you, | really dont think that | can get rid of you Thinking of that, Anna decided to let her desire outshone her sanity. After all, she was already waist deep into the quicksand named Wayne. And she couldnt part with him no matter how hard she tried. Since the quicksand wouldnt kill her and just wanted to ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. keep her by its side, why not just stay in it and let it be? Feeling that Anna deepened her kiss, Wayne was more than surprised and thrilled. He couldnt help opening his eyes while Anna was still kissing him. Seeing that her lush eyshes slightly trembled and her face was a bit pink, Wayne immediately had an erection. After that, he gently rubbed Annas perky boobs with his both hands, feeling her boobs that were made for him being rubbed into different shapes. Meanwhile, Anna was moaning in pleasure and looking at Wayne with those dazzling eyes of hers which were in and out of focus from time to time. Wayne couldnt hold back anymore. He quickly stripped off thece nightgown that Anna was wearing, revealing her milky white and smooth skin and her hardened pink t**s. After making sure that Anna was wet enough, Wayne, who had long been waiting for the day toe, instantly put his hard and huge d**k into her wet and tight p+**y. And right after that, he thrust in and out of her like a rocket. As the pleasure and thrill came waves after waves, Anna couldnt help moaning louder and louder when Wayne was frexexg her like crazy. Then, all of a sudden, a sense of rationality dragged her back from the verge of rocking the whole house with her moans of pleasure to keeping her voice down so that she wouldnt wake up Ryan and the kids. Wayne Plea Please Slow down. The kids Theyre still sleeping Slightly frowning, Anna stammered. Then she covered her mouth with her hands, trying not to moan out loud again. Seeing that, Wayne slowed down a bit. And then he kissed Anna gently on the lips, tasting her sweetness and licking and sucking her tongue. Emmm Anna let out a low moan, and she couldnt help trembling all over. It was at that moment that Wayne knew she wasing, as she couldnt help contracting the walls of her v+***a, which also brought extreme pleasure and excitement to Wayne. Just as Anna reached her o**#**m, Wayne also reached his cx#*#x, And then, he got off Anna andy beside her. Both feeling exhausted, the two of them didnt have their after-sex sweet talks like usual and soon, they both fell asleep. In Annas dream, she was having a pic with Wayne, Tammy and Matthew happily. However, seeing their smiling faces, she was somewhat worried and sensed that someone was staring at them at a distance. And when she looked back, she saw no one there. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Shes Just Betting So, you and Wayne are back together? Peace asked while she was on a video call with Anna. Peace appeared to be in good spirits and was looking forward to hearing the big gossip from Anna. Wayne had moved into Annas bedroom since they had slept with each other that night Since he didnt have to go to work anymore, Wayne had more time to spend with Anna and drive her to and from work daily. As a result, they were more intimate. Anna, however, was still unsure about their rtionship. She couldnt figure it out on her own and wanted to seek advice from others. Peace, after all, was the only one who knew what was going on between them, which was why she turned to her for help. Actually, | think thats perfectly fine. You and Wayne are already back together, so you dont have to worry about it too much. His son is your son, and your daughter is his daughter. So, Anna, stop overthinking it. Peace said patiently. Anna, on the other hand, appeared unsure. But, to be honest, | always felt guilty that | was lying to him, she replied. Anna was aware that Wayne had treated her very well recently. He was willing to do anything to please her and even doted on Tammy very much. That night, Anna would have resisted the temptation hadnt she known that Wayne wanted to find Matthews birth mother. It was thest bright day before the storm arrived for her. So, she desired to protect herself by doing so. Anna reasoned that if Wayne discovered she was Matthews mother, she could pretend she didnt know anything about it. Things would be simpler if that was the case. She felt sure that Wayne would never mention the past to her since they were already dating. All she was doing was gambling. Anna wanted to see if Wayne cared about her. Peace sniffled and said, Actually, | think youre making things tooplicated. If | were you, | would have told him the truth before he finds out about it. If youre afraid hell take Tammy away from you, then send her to America and let Jasper look after her. Wayne cant go there and kidnap her, can he? Oh! | need some time to think about it. With a frown, Anna stated. Even if she was going to confess to Wayne, she felt it was not the best time to do so. Huh? Do you have enough time to think of that? | thought you were going to clean up the mess at your dads Group? Are those executives of your dadspany willing to listen to you? Anna eximed angrily as she thought of that, Hell, no! Ive had two board meetings and only half of them have attended them. Im going to hang up now, dear, because | have another meetinging up. This time, Ill make sure everyone is present. Anna leaned back on her chair and pinched her nose, feeling worried after cutting the video. In fact, the Groups financial situation was not as dire as rumors suggested. The Group was only in disarray because there was a problem with the cash flow. As a result, Anna immediately made quick decisions about the financing, reorganized her shares, and invested all of Franks insurance money in thepany. Anna had since be the Groups majority shareholder holding 36% of the shares. She did not, however, own as many shares as Shirley and Allie. Allies shares were transferred to her mother after she died. Since Shirley had disappeared, Anna had to manage thepany as Chairman. Nobody on the board, however, listened to her. There were seventeen people on the board, including Shirley. Furthermore, half of them were Shirleys nephews and nieces. Rachel Turner, Shirleys third brothers daughter, was the one who enjoyed opposing Anna the most. Anna was attempting to get rid of all three finance department heads. So, she anticipated that a tough battle was waiting for her. Anna had just finished speaking out her thoughts at the meeting when Rachel said, What are you doing? Why do you want to fire the entire finance department? Are you attempting to fire the entire company, Anna Gabriel? Remember, youre only the acting Chairman. The real Chairman is still my aunt! Rachel was one of those rich girls who had no understanding of finance and was best at throwing tantrums and causing trouble. Anna knew she couldnt argue with Rachel, so she didnt even bother to talk to her. Anna nced at her coldly and said, Although | am only acting Chairman, | can exercise the powers of that position. As long as | am in this position, you all must listen to me. The three finance department heads are getting old and have a lot of vested interests in thepany. As a result, | dont believe they can contribute anything to thepany. Rachel immediately responded with contempt, No, | dont agree with you. Not only that, but | doubt my great uncle, father, or any of my uncles would agree with you! As she closed the folder, Anna said, So, lets stop talking about it. Im not going to argue with you about it; Im just going to tell you what Ive decided. Youll have the authority to deny me only IF you are the Chairman. She then stood up and exited the conference room. At that point, Annas assistant, Mona, informed everyone that they were free to leave. Actually, the meeting was called off after only five minutes because Rachel said too many stupid things. Furthermore, none of the senior staff said anything. Anna finally knew why the Gabriel Group had be so screwed up and almost bankrupt because of a small break in the financial chain. Anna walked out of the conference room in style without hesitation. At that moment, she heard someone angrily yelling her name behind her, Wait! Anna! Anna knew it was Rachel. She stopped and turned to face Rachel, who looked extremely angry. It appears to me that you are doing this not to help the group, but to see it fail! Rachel snarled. What? Dont be silly! You know that Im one of the Groups biggest shareholder. If the Group fails, | will lose a lot of money. Anna replied, looking at her in disbelief. Rachelined angrily, | have no idea what the hell youre thinking! But dont expect everyone to listen to you. Youre proud to be a shareholder, right? Actually, Im also a shareholder. My father, my uncle, and | have roughly the same number of shares as you. So, were not going to listen to you! Anna Gabriel, who do you think you are?! Remember that the Carousel Group can no longer back you up. Your loser boyfriend has been kicked out of his family! Almost everyone knew Anna and Wayne were in a rtionship. In addition, Waynes feud with his grandfather over her had be the most talked-about topic in town. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Wayne used to have a condescending attitude toward everyone. So, people gloated over that he ended up relying on his girlfriend. Furthermore, it allowed those he had previously offended tough at him about it. When she felt someone put their hand on her shoulder, Anna heard a familiar cold voice saying, | hope you would ask yourself where you got that little share before you call someone a loser.. she. Wayne put one hand on Annas waist and looked at Rachel with a cold gaze. Even then, he still looked like the proud man he was. Rachel panicked when she saw him but quicklyposed herself and said, What the hell are you doing here?! This is a matter between board members of the Gabriel Group, and its none of your business! Youre nothing more than an outsider! Wayne nced at her grimly and said, Yes, it has nothing to do with outsiders. But, it has something to do with the new head of finance department of the Gabriel Group. Chapter 271 Chapter 271 What are you talking about? Rachel was baffled by what Wayne was saying. Wayne didnt say anything but looked at Anna, who was standing beside him. Wayne is now the head of the finance department at Gabriel Group, Getting the hint, Anna exined. Rachels eyes widened as if she was skeptical of what Anna was saying. Huh? Thats ridiculous! Hes from the Carousel Group! How could he be our head of finance? Why did you take it upon yourself to make him this position? Do you take the board of directors seriously? Anna said thoughtfully, Yes, | took the board seriously. But, you see, no one on the board seems to take me seriously. Besides, | wasnt even going to make that decision on my own. Someone just had a temper tantrum at the meeting. At that point, | realized that | didnt really need to meet with you guys to discuss this. Rachels face flushed with anger as she stomped her foot, Damn it! Anna, my mother is right, youre a jinx! Anyone whos near you will be doomed! Not only are your own parents dead, but your half-sister, too! They all died because of you! Anna clenched her fists and became pale. When she heard Rachels words, she remembered what people had said to her when she was a child. Those voices haunted her, lurking in the depths of her soul like a nightmare. Anna didnt believe theirments, but she shuddered whenever she thought about them. Annas cursed! Her mother passed away shortly after she was born, and her grandfather passed away a few yearster!All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. So, why did you allow her toe here? Im terrified of her. We should probably avoid her. Just as Anna recalled her traumatic past, she heard Wayne say grimly, If what you said is true, then why are you pestering Anna, and making it a hard time for her? Arent you afraid that shell curse you to death? When Anna looked up, Wayne had already taken two steps toward Rachel. Besides, it doesnt appear that people are legally responsible for cursing others, does it? he said dismissively. Rachel was terrified. She took a step back and asked, What exactly do you mean?! Were in the office now, for Gods sake! Dont you dare! Wayne remained motionless, but his aura was very dominating. He said, Dont worry, | dare to do anything as | want. If you ever say that Anna is a jinx again, | will make sure you cant speak again for the rest of your life. Didnt you just call me a loser who was kicked out of his house? So, Im going to show you how powerful a loser can be. Rachel couldnt even stand still because she was so frightened. And then she ran away. Wayne walked to Anna after Rachel had left. He took her hand in his, and said, Anna, you are a very articte person, arent you? Why didnt you say something to defend yourself? Anna said glumly, her head bowed, Because people have been saying things like that to me since | was a child. So, | simply thought they were telling the truth. Wayne tightened his grip on Annas hand and wrapped his arms around her. He said, Gosh! If youre cursed, then I must be as well! Besides, Im sure Ive been cursed more than once. We cant change the past as it has already happened. But we can focus on the present and change our future. Wayne was 13 years old when his father died. At that time, he kicked his mother out of the house. For the next 20 years, Wayne lived on his own, rarely visiting his grandfathers house. As a result, he felt like he was more of a jinx. Anna sniffled and said, What? Are you really trying tofort me? Are you saying were a perfect match because were both cursed? Well, if thats what you want to hear. Anna immediately hit Waynes arm with her fist. However, because she wasnt doing it very hard, it appeared as if she was just flirting with him. Two employees were passing by at the time. Hello, Miss Gabriel, one of them greeted Anna. Before he could finish, the person next to him motioned for him to hurry up. When they got to the end of the corridor, that employee said, You didnt notice that Anna was with her boyfriend, did you? For Gods sake, dont bother them! Anna flushed immediately upon hearing such words. In embarrassment, she lowered her head and touched her face with one hand. Howe youre blushing? Wayne asked teasingly. Im blushing because Im angry! Anna eximed, ring at him. Oh, really? Anna coughed awkwardly before saying, Yes, Mr. Treasurer, | believe you should go to HR right now. Youre not the president here, you know. So, you should follow the procedure andplete the paperwork before working here. But you didnt follow the procedure when you hired me! People would think Im here because of you even if | came to your group like any other employee. Wayne said, his face calm. Anna rolled her eyes at him, and then put her hands on his shoulders, turning him around. She said, Well, everyone knows youre a Wright. Its an honor for us to have youe to lead our small group. Come on, stop talking nonsense and go to the human resources department. Anna assumed Wayne was only there temporarily as the head of finance, as they both knew he couldnt stay long in thepany. Wayne would still need to return to the Carousel Group once Peter was no longer angry because he was his only grandson. However, it was Waynes idea to work for the Gabriel Group, and he did it for two reasons. The first was that he wanted to organize the Gabriel Groups books. The tax office was investigating them because their books were in disarray. Wayne wanted to settle things here while also updating the companys financial system. The second reason was that Wayne wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to rejoin his group. He knew Peter would be furious and want him back if he found out he would work for his girlfriends small business. wee When Peter heard of the news that Wayne would work for the Gabriel Group, he smashed everything on his desk. He yelled angrily, I think Waynes just trying to irritate me! Why would he want to work for the Gabriel Group? Hed rather humiliate me than apologize to me, wouldnt he?! Seeing that, Henry directed the maid to clean up the mess before assuring him, Dont me Wayne. You kicked him out of the house, didnt you? So, he needs to get a job to support himself. It would be more humiliating for you if he bes a cker. Do you know what everyone is saying about him right now? What? They said that you dislike Wayne and would rather give away your family business to someone else than to him. Furthermore, you are aware that Wayne is extremely self-confident and has offended numerous people. Many people areughing at him now that hes not the president anymore. Peter pped the desk hard and walked around the study before saying, Son of a b***h! Henry, bring him home! Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Most employees of the Gabriel Group got off work at five oclock in the afternoon, and Anna also left thepany at that time every day. Meanwhile, Wayne had noticed several issues with thepanys finances, so he offered to stayte and work. Anna knocked on the door to his office before leaving and smiled as she asked, Wayne, do you need me to stay with you? Wayne was looking at hisputer. When he saw her, he instantly felt less tired and more refreshed. He said, You dont have to do that. Ill be home after | finish reading this. Then Anna chuckled,But | feel bad about this. Please allow me to give you a small raise. Wayne narrowed his eyes, motioned toward her, and said, But you dont appear to be guilty. Come on in, Anna. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. | knew you would let me stay with you. With a smile, Anna walked into the office and stood in front of his desk, leaning over to look him in the eyes. Just as Wayne finished his word, he held the back of Annas head and had her close to him. Then Wayne started kissing Anna hard before she could even react. Anna stepped away from him, and then looked back nervously and muttered, What are you doing, Wayne? | just left the door open! Others might see us! After asking Wayne to work as treasurer in herpany, Anna suspected that rumors about them were spreading throughout thepany. She was afraid that if they made out in the office and got caught, those board members would give her a hard time. Wayne, on the other hand, appeared to be at ease. All right, you can go now, he said, raising an eyebrow. What? Are you mad at me? Anna asked. Wayne gave her a friendly smile and said, Ill feel better after kissing you. Whats the problem? What else would you like to do with me to charge me up? Realizing what he meant, Anna blushed, and muttered, No. | think Id better go. Bye! Then she left the office without hesitation. At the same time, Wayne smiled tenderly as he looked at her receding figure. After walking out of the elevator, Anna immediately went to the underground parking garage and located her car. Hello, Miss Gabriel. Anna heard a familiar voice as she opened the car door. She turned around and saw Peters butler, Henry, standing behind her. Surprised and a bit startled, Anna froze for a while before asking, Hi, Henry. What brings you here? Are you here to see Wayne? Yes, Peter asked me to say a few words to Wayne, Henry nodded. Sure, hes upstairs. You can take the elevator to his office, which is on the tenth floor, Anna said politely, pointing to the elevator. Okay, thank you. Well, | actually needed to speak with you about something as well. Do you have a moment now? Anna was unsure what Henry intended to say. However, she felt that he wouldnt hurt her because he was Peters butler. As a result, she agreed. Good. Lets go to that cafe around the corner, shall we? Anna suggested. It was already November, and autumn hade and gone. ording to the weather forecast, a cold wave was predicted to hit recently. Along the street, a few dried leaves clung to the sycamore trees, waiting for the perfect moment to disappear. Anna and Henry sat by the cafe window where they could see the bustling streets. Henry, what do you want to talk to me about? Anna took the initiative to talk, looking at Henry, who sat across from her. Henry nodded, Okay, then Ill cut to the chase. Actually, none of this has anything to do with you. However, since you and Wayne are dating, | thought Id better tell you about it. What is it? You know that Wayne had a big fight with Peter because of you, dont you? Yeah. So, are you trying to persuade me into breaking up with Wayne? Henry said, shaking his head, No, of course not. Once Wayne decides to do something, not even his grandfather can change his mind. So, Im not in the position to intervene. Wayne likes you, as you are aware. And you dont want to be enemies with the Wrights. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Henry, an elderly man who had been through a lot, looked at Anna calmly andposedly. He said, Since Wayne is deeply in love with you, hell definitely marry you. He and Peter, you see, have been feuding for a long time. Youre a wise woman, so you can persuade them to reconcile. That way, Peter would wee you. Actually, | think youre overestimating me, Anna said, frowning, What makes you so certain that | can persuade them to reconcile with each other? | know Wayne is a cold person, but he would never do such a thing. They are at odds because they rarelymunicate with one another. Everything will be fine if you let Wayne agree to exin what happened before to Peter clearly. Henry was correct: Anna was the only person who could persuade Wayne. However, he had no idea that Anna had already investigated what had happened three years ago and was as suspicious of Wayne as Peter was. Meanwhile, Anna was convinced that people changed. As for Wayne, he was like a different person from the one she had first met six months ago. Also, Anna was sure that Wayne wouldnt do what he used to do anymore. Three years ago, Wayne was still a man who would do anything to get what he wanted. But now, to Anna, he had be a gentle person who cared about his loved ones. Henry, are you really sure it had nothing to do with him? Of course. Ive taken care of Wayne since he was a baby, so Ive spent a lot of time with him. You know the fact that he kicked out his mother when he was 13, correct? But, do you know the truth behind this? Anna froze, then looked at Henry, perplexed. When Jennie was kicked out of the house, she was five months pregnant. Jennie and Waynes father rarely saw each other, and shed return to the Wrights house to attend his funeral. So, there was a chance the baby she was carrying wasnt Waynes fathers. Seeing Anna not quite understand what he meant, he exined, Jennie was Peters favorite adopted daughter. If Jennie stayed in the family, Peter would realize that her child was not one of the Wrights. He would let that child disappear for the sake of the familys reputation and his son. So Wayne kicked his mother out of the house just to protect her child? Anna froze, asking. Actually, Wayne isnt as cold as everyone thinks he is, Henry sighed. People may have misunderstood him because he struggles to express himself. If you can help them, he and Peter can reconcile. And things will be easier. Anna had very mixed feelings. After hearing about it, she had a different impression of Wayne, but she couldnt let go of the fact about that incident three years ago. So, what actually happened back then? Anna thought to herself. Anna refused Henrys request, telling him she would consider itter. ee When Anna got home, it waspletely dark. Ryan had been looking after the children like a professional nanny since he had stayed at her house. At the time, all three of them were sleeping on the sofa, Tammy and Matthew on either side of him. Anna ced the dessert she had brought from the cafe on the table and stood there for a long time before deciding to wake Ryan up. Ryan yawned, rubbed his eyes, and turned to Anna, saying, Youre back! Yeah, and thank you for taking care of them. You can go to bed now if you want, Ryan. Ryan blinked as he smelled the dessert, and eximed, No, Im good. What is it that smells so good? Oh, | brought some cake and a fruit sd. Have you eaten yet? Ryan immediately nodded and said, No, | havent. Every time it was time to eat, the two kids would start ying. And | had no choice but to watch cartoons with them for a while after | fed them. | remember you telling me not to let them watch too much TV, so | persuaded them to go to bed. But, then they started arguing with me. Im sorry about that. Could you carry them to their bedroom with me? Ill make you something for dinnerter. Sure, thank you. Anna prepared a te of spaghetti with bacon and tomato sauce for Ryan. The entire room was filled with the tantalizing aroma of food after she finished cooking. Then, Ryan wolfed down the pasta and got tomato sauce over his face. He asked, Why isnt Wayne back with you? He would have grabbed this te from me if he had seen it. Anna eximed when she heard his words, No way! How could he ever do that? Ryan put his te down, wiped his mouth, and started eating the fruit sd. He replied, Dont you think so? In my opinion, Wayne is a childish but over-confident person whos not very good at expressing himself. Whenever he tries to do something nice, he starts by saying something very mean. Well, | dont think its difficult to get along with him. Is that your impression of him? Anna asked, frowning. Anna had always thought Wayne sucked at getting alone with people because he only had one friend, Karl. Even if someone tried to make friends with him, Wayne would scare them away. Ryan nodded and said, Yeah! Whats wrong? | feel like you have something on your mind. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Im wondering if we missed any details before, Anna said after a brief silence. You know, Im referring to Matthews ident. Ryan paused before asking, Oh? Like what? Like why Mary was so certain that it was Wayne who told her to do it. Well, | dont think we should just listen to her. Shes already seriously ill, so | doubt shed lie. Ryan appeared confident in the clue he discovered and annoyed that Anna questioned him. Anna then asked, Is that so? In fact, she was pretty sure of the oue of Ryans investigation. However, following her conversation with Henry, she had grown suspicious. She didnt think they had any evidence of Wayne doing it, so she couldnt draw any conclusions. Ryan wiped his mouth and said, Well, if you dont believe me, you can go to Leeds and ask them yourself. | can get Mary and Kim to talk about what happened back then and record it. Im very professional about it, so | can tell if theyre telling the truth. Professional? Anna inquired, her gaze fixed on Ryan. From the viewpoint of a junior at the Military Academy majoring in reconnaissance. Ryan looked at Anna and told her the secret hed been keeping for a long time. Anna froze for a moment, unsure about what he was saying, and then asked, Ryan, what are you talking about? My full name is Ryan Tyler, and Im a junior reconnaissance major at Military Academy. Ive wanted to tell you about this for a long time, but Ive never found the right time. So Im just telling you right now. Youre questioning my conclusions, so its the best time for me to tell you who | really am. | can assure you that | am not mistaken. The two of them immediately became very serious. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Anna was perplexed after hearing the truth that Ryan suddenly told her. She froze, and then lowered her head in thought for a moment and said, Actually, you can tell me about thister. Ryan was at a loss for words. When he looked up, he noticed that Anna looked at him with a gentle smile. Ryan asked, What? Did you already know about it? Anna said when shaking her head,! did, in a way, but | dont know about those details. All | know is that you may have recovered your memories. What? Then, why did you Anna sighed and said, Are you wondering why Im still acting as if | dont know anything about you having back your memory? Well, thats because | was the one who hit you. When | took you to the hospital, you were dressed so shabbily that | assumed you were homeless. Besides, you are free to leave at any time. So, you must have your reasons if you keep staying at my house. Her words both moved and amused Ryan. No, Anna, Im not a homeless person, he exined. Anna said with a wink, Well, | know. Youre a student at Military Academy, arent you? Ryans heart skipped a beat before he held her hand and said, Anna, youre so good to me. Thank you for everything youve done for me. | know! And you dont need to remind me of that! With a chuckle, Anna teased Ryan. So, how about you leave Wayne? His family affairs are tooplicated and exhausting. Why not be with me? | can support you and Tammy for the rest of my life! Anna red at him, and then withdrew her hand and pped his, saying, Ryan, dont talk nonsense! Youre still a student, and youre still relying on your parents for money. What makes you think you can support Tammy and me? What? Ive already started earning my own money since | was a freshman. | am capable of earning my own money. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Anna furrowed her brow, folded her arms, and asked with suspicion, Really? Then why are you still staying at my house, eating my food, using my stuff and yet you paid me nothing? Ryan immediately responded, trying to defend himself, Yeah Youre right. But its just temporary. Ill Hearing that, Anna said with a smile, interrupting him, Fine. Youre wee to stay at my house for as long as you want. Now, would you like some more pasta? Ryan exhaled a sigh of relief before smiling and saying, Sure! He felt relieved and at ease after revealing his true identity to Anna. Hed been lying to people, and he even got used to it. However, when he lied to Anna, he felt like hed committed a crime. ee Following the press conference, the news of the White Group disparaging the Lemon Group trended on Twitter. Anna was confused as she saw that. When she noticed that hashtag had been on the rank for a week, she knew who had done it. Anna found it odd that Jasper hadnt called her when almost everyone in the city was talking about it. So, she was sure that he did it for her. On the day she won the bid from the Joan Group, Anna called Jasper to thank him. Anna said, Thank you, Jasper. The Joan Group has ced their order from us. Jasper said teasingly, The order is supposed to be yours, Anna. Its just that there were a few twists and turns along the way. Why would you call me just to talk about something so insignificant when Ive already helped you so much? Anna didnt seem embarrassed and said, Well, itsmon courtesy. Of course, | have to thank you. Actually, Im calling because | have something else to discuss with you. Is it about thewyer? How did you know that? Anna asked in surprise. Jasper replied calmly, | heard that you and Wayne are back together. So, you wont need to file a lawsuit, right? Anna was immediately embarrassed and said, Geez! You truly know it all! Well, Im stuck because | dont want him to know Im Matthews mother now. Rx, Ill consider this matterter. Jasper said thoughtfully, But, you know, you and he have broken up and gotten back together on and off. So, | dont really think you two are perfect for each other. Anna, you still need a backup n. Do you still want custody of Matthew if you split up with himter? Of course | do! So, pay attention to what Im saying next. Thatwyer is now back in town, and | hope you could talk with him about the custody of Matthew. And then, you can decide whether or not to sue Wayne. Anyway, | hope you will be fully prepared for that. But Anna, listen to me. Dont put it off any longer. Thats all | can do for you, Anna. Ill be happy for you if you and Wayne get married eventually. And if not, | hope you can have what you want. | think you should send Tammy to America ahead of time in case something goes wrongter. Otherwise, youll be at a loss of what to do by then. Im too far away from you, so | cant help you right away. All right, Ill think about it, Anna responded. She knew Jasper was acting in her best interests and she should have prepared herself beforehand. Then, Anna looked down at her watch and eximed, Oops! Isnt itte at night in your town? Well, time for you to go to bed! Im on my way to Joan Groups headquarters to sign the contracts with them. Good night, Anna said before Jasper could speak. After that, she hung up the phone. Jasper sighed as he watched his phone screen slowly dim. He stood in his Manhattan condo, looking out of the window. He loved Anna so much that he considered her happiness more important than anything else. After seeing Anna being happy with someone else, he decided he could live alone for the rest of his life. However, he couldnt ept that Wayne would also make her feel threatened while bringing Anna joy. As a result, he attempted to provide Anna with more options. Anna and her assistant Mona arrived at the Joan Groups headquarters meeting room at the same time and signed the contract with the person in charge. Although what happenedst week was unpleasant, it helped Anna. Since that incident, everyone was aware that Anna had many big shots to support her. The things with Gabriel Group were getting better and could now provide some assistance to Lemon. The whole procedure went smoothly. hope that well enjoy working together, Anna said as she shook hands with the person in charge. It was Annas first significant contract since Lemons inception. Despite her excitement, she maintained herposure. Anna walked downstairs to wait for Mona to get her car after declining to have lunch with the person in charge. Anna had just stepped out of the elevator and was about to enter the lobby, when she met one of the last people she wanted to see on this: Richard Wright. Richard said to her with a fake smile, Hello there, Miss Gabriel, thedy boss. Are you here to sign an agreement with them? Yes, we won the bid,** Anna tried her best to be polite. Wow! Thats fantastic! Congrattions, Anna. Would you like to join me for lunch with their manager today at noon? Id like to celebrate with you. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Richard was dressed in a ck suit, looking quite like Wayne. However, they appeared to be two completely different people: Richard seemed much friendlier than Wayne. Anna nced at him, but she sensed that his gentleness was deceptive. She said, No, thanks. | need to return to the office and then ce the order at the factory. Its the only way | can repay the Joan Groups trust in us. Richard said with a smile, Oh, it seems that you really take your job very seriously. Ive heard that my cousin now works for the Gabriel Group. Is that true? | didnt expect that youd be able to persuade someone as conceited as him to work in a smallpany. He appears to be willing to do whatever you want him to. Anna was irritated by Richard, who was speaking in such a strange tone. Impatiently, she said, Okay, stop asking me any more questions. | think youd better do what you have to do. Otherwise, you will be fired again, just like before. Hearing that, Richards face darkened, and his tone became gloomy. Oh, it appears that he would tell you everything, he said. Til find out from someone else if he doesnt tell me. | used to work for the Carousel Group, so Im familiar with thepany. Anna said. Richard snorted and remarked, Well, you only know whats on the surface instead of knowing the facts. Actually, | dont need to know. If youve lost once, chances are youll lose again, or even three times. Richard lifted his chin and said coldly, Ive never lost. Ive just spent thest three years strengthening myself. So, | have no idea what it means to lose, and | refuse to admit that | have lost. What exactly do you mean? Ann asked, her brow furrowed. Richard didnt exin anything further but said, Well, since you dont want to have lunch with me, Im going to leave. He then took a stride into the elevator. Anna remained motionless, the words Richard had just said echoed in her mind. She had the impression that his words had a deeper meaning. Plus, she had no idea what he meant by strengthening myself. Anna then slowly walked out of the hall and reflected on these two words. Several minutester, Mona pulled up in the Gabriel Group parking garage and reminded Anna that they had arrived. It was at that moment that Anna suddenly realized what Richard meant. Seeing that Anna didnt seem to hear her, Mona said again, Miss Gabriel, weve arrived at the company. Arent you going to get out of the car? Anna regained herposure and said, Thank you. Mona, will you please deliver these papers to Andrew for me? Ive got some other things to do. Okay, Mona said after a brief pause. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna then drove directly to the Military Academy. Ryan was attending lectures at the time. The university was different from others. It was much more strictly managed. As a result, Anna was unable to drive her car into campus. Anna waited for Ryan to arrive on his bike for ten minutes at the entrance. Whats the matter, Anna? You told me something emergency happened. Ryan asked Anna as soon as he stopped his bike. j suspect that Richard was the one who harmed Matthew before, Anna said immediately. Then she told Ryan about what Richard had said to her in the hall. Ryan frowned briefly as he pondered over Richards words. He looked up at the sky for a while, patted the back of his bike, and said, Hop on, Anna. Ill show you around my school. And then well find a quiet ce to talk about it in detail. Huh? Anna froze when she saw the back of the bike. Ryan joked, Whats the problem? You think my bike is too shabby, dont you? If you could drive into the school, Ill show you the way. Well, the rules at my school are so strict that even the headmaster is not permitted to drive in. All right, lets go. Anna hesitated for a moment before sitting on the back of his bike. The reason why Anna was hesitant was not that she didnt want to sit on Ryans bike but because of what she was wearing. She was dressed in a long beige cashmere coat and a dark greence skirt that reached her calves. Right after she got on the bike, Anna clutched the coat tightly, so it wouldnt get churned inside the wheels. Anna immediately stood on the ground when they arrived at the cafe. However, the wire from the bike hooked into her skirt and tore arge gash. Ryan said as he felt sorry, Ah! Im sorry! Anna, are you okay? Anna chuckled and said, Thats all right. Before | sat on it, | knew my dress was going to fall apart. Ill get you another er, okay? Oh, no, thank you. Its a pricey skirt. I can still afford it. Then they entered the schools only cafe and took a seat in the corner. Two caramel mhiatos, please. Iced! Ryan said. Just as he finished, a girl behind the counter growled, Are you sure? Its quite cool out there. Only morons will want cold drinks now. Ryan rolled his eyes at the girl, Who said that? Whether | want it hot or iced is none of your business. Dont ever speak to me like that again, or Illin to your boss! Im not scared of you! Ill spit in your drinks, if you dare! Emily, youll scare your guests away! Dont you dare to do this! Ill tell your mother that you threatened me. Anna gave the girl a curious look and noticed that she was about the same as Ryan. She looked lovely in a blue striped jumper and a burgundy beret. Besides, her eyes were as beautiful as sapphires. After hearing Ryans words, the girl looked toward Anna as well. However, she froze and turned her head away for some unknown reason. Then, she stopped talking to Ryan. Well, dont let her disturb us. Shes mean, and | dont even want to talk to her. Ryan said to Anna, slightly frowning. Anna snapped back, smiled at Ryan, and said, Actually, when Henry said those words to me, | had a feeling that something was wrong. And after Richard told me about what happened three years ago, | couldnt stop thinking about it. Then | understood what he meant by that by connecting the dots to lines. What exactly did he mean? Ryan asked with curiosity. Wayne hadnt even been home for Christmas the year Matthew was born, ording to Henry. And he only allowed Matthew to live with him after the ident. So, what made Mary so certain that Wayne forced her to do it? Had she ever met Wayne? Anna assumed that Mary hardly ever watched the news, and It was even less likely that shed been paying attention to the financial news. Furthermore, Wayne had never been interviewed because he was not in charge of the entire Carousel Group at the time. So, Anna found Marys words suspicious. Mary was sure that she had seen Wayne several times at the Wright house and on television. So, she was pretty sure that the man was Wayne. Ryan was silent for a moment and said softly, Journalists would only interview the CEO of the group, right? And at that time, Richard was the CEO, wasnt he? With that, he looked up at Anna. Anna didnt say anything or nod, but Ryan could tell from her eyes that he got to the point. Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Ryan took a deep breath as if he couldnt believe hed made the wrong decision. Ill go to Leeds again and look into the matter/ he said after a brief pause. Anna turned to face him and said, You dont have to do that right away. You already know that the more hurried you are, the more likely you are to make a mistake. Dont miss a single detail. Ryan was embarrassed and muttered, Okay, | understand. This time, Ill get to the bottom of it. Otherwise, my reputation will suffer. You mean, your reputation of being The number one detective* in your school? Anna teased. Ryan blushed as he looked at Anna. His ssmates had previously given him that nickname to tease him. He thought it was silly, so he told them never to call him that again. However, the more he protested, the more they wanted to joke with him, and eventually, even his teachers called him that. Ryan, on the other hand, wondered how Anna knew about Anna said with a smile, Actually, someone called you that just now on our way here. Didnt you hear it? Ryan covered his face in embarrassment and appeared to want to leave the cafe. Anna, he felt, had treated him like a child. At that moment, someone heaved the tray onto the table and announced, Your two caramel mhiatos are ready. Emily then said fiercely to Ryan, Okay, stop that. Youre ying the shy card, arent you? But, you look disgusting! She then took her tray away and was leaving. Ryan expressed his displeasure, saying, Hey! Im not doing that! Are you insane? Emily turned to face Anna and then she said to Ryan, Am | insane? Youre insane, in my opinion! Then she said to Anna, Lady, you may not be aware that Ryan is a well-known womanizer at our school. He frequently bringsdies of all ages here for coffee and always orders two caramel mhiatos. Ryan became awkward and inquired, Hey, what are you babbling about? Anna, however, remained calm and asked, smiling at Emily, Really? He even tried to date olddies? Hes really sick, isnt he? Emily said with a nod, Yes! Hes such a p****=t. So, dont let him fool you! He just likes to mess with women. Ryan was so annoyed that heughed out of anger and said, Emily, youre a natural storyteller! Could you use your talent for selling coffee? Emily said firmly, Hey! Im beingpletely honest! | witnessed it firsthand! Anna blinked, and then she said, Thank you so much, Emily. That is very kind of you. But Im just his sister. Emily froze, and then asked, wide-eyed and surprised, Youre his sister? Shes not my biological sister, but were very close, Ryan said, rolling his eyes at her. Emily appeared to be at a loss for words as if she hadnt anticipated this. She inquired, Oh? Really? Anna said as she wanted to joke with her, Sure! You know, my daughter is five years old. So, does Ryan actually flirt with women of different ages? Hed been seeing a lot of them, hadnt he? Could you please keep an eye on him for me? Emily blushed immediately and said, What? Thats not going to happen! Miss, Im going to get you some pizza.** | didnt order any pizza! eximed Ryan. This is from me to thedy. Emily said as she entered the kitchen. Ryan thought she was acting strangely. When he looked up, he noticed Anna scowling meaningfully at him. Shes aplete psycho! Anna, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something wrong with my face? No. But | believe that the girl has a crush on you. Ryan looked at Anna, perplexed, not understanding what she was saying. After a brief silence, Anna made a curious face and asked, Cant you see that she likes you? Ryan immediately red and said, Stop teasing me, please Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna asked curiously, What are you talking about? | think shes cute, dont you think so? Ryan appeared hesitant, then eximed in horror, Shes cute, but shes insane. Do you have any idea what her major is? Anna didnt know what to say, so she said a few random things, What exactly is it? Nursing? Intelligence? Please tell me! Ryan took a deep breath and asked, Do you know about the Blue Eagle department at our school? Anna replied hesitantly, Ive heard of it. Isnt it a program that trains special forces for the army? Ryan nodded and added, Yes. These special talents will eventually be special forces, and they will be deployed to borders and battlefields in the future. They are subjected to much stricter discipline at school, and they are not even permitted to date other people. Besides, Emily voluntarily joined the department in the first ce. She had long been prepared to fight for her country, so falling in love is out of the question for her. What? You mean shell be a Special Forces soldier in the future? Although she saw Ryan nod, Anna still found it hard to believe. The girl was short and skinny, and she didnt look like a soldier. As a freshman, she broke the school shooting record. She had defeated hundreds of opponents over the years, and she was capable of taking on several trained adult men on her own. She was a maniac every time she arrived at the training ground. Ive never seen anyone go so crazy fortraining before, so Im afraid of her.* Anna became even more intrigued when she noticed Ryans fearful expression. Then, she asked, So, what kind of girls do you prefer? There are several girls who like you at the Carousel Hotel, so | can introduce you to a few of them. Do you prefer girls who are a little older than you? Ryan leaned back in his chair, seemingly contemting something. He said in a lower voice, not daring to look Anna in the eyes, It doesnt bother me if my girlfriend is older than me. | like gentle girls, and | hope she can be gentle with her family while being cruel to her adversaries. | hope she can be kind but not coddled, tough but gentle. Anna had no idea what he was referring to. Does such a person exist in the world? Yes. | wish she could look after me, buy me snacks, and be concerned about my well-being. Anna seriously looked at Ryan before asking, Youre not talking about your mother, are you? Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Ryan was so shocked that he almost couldnt a single word. When he noticed Annas suspicious expression, he could only nod and say, Oh, yes, its my mother. Meanwhile, he thought, But /m actually referring to YOU, Anna. Why cant you see it? Oh, the dreaded Oedipusplex. You know, a lot of girls do mind their boyfriends have thatplex. Im going to the office now, bye. Anna said as she reached for her bag. Let me walk you, Ryan said as he stood up. Anna waved her hand, and then pointed to the kitchen and said, Oh, no, you dont have to do that. Emilys gone to get your pizza, hasnt she? You should wait here for her. Dont worry, | can walk out on my own. Anna then picked up her bag and walked out of the cafe. Emily came back after a while. As she ced the steaming pizza on the table, the iron tray ttered against the table. Emily asked, Wheres your sister? Ryan said, You scared the hell out of me! Can you not be so rude? Emilys smile vanished as soon as Ryan said those words. She gave him a vicious re before saying, If you dont want to eat it, then dont! | can bring it home and feed it to my dog! Oh my goodness! Youre so rude! Its no surprise youve never had a boyfriend! Dont worry, youre the veryst man Ill ever marry! Hearing that, Ryan froze, and then he remembered what Anna had just said to him. Then, he smiled and lowered his head. Bewildered, Emily asked, What are youughing at? Ryan kept his head down and ate his pizza without saying anything. However, he didnt notice that Emily flushed when she looked at him. This allowed Emily to get a good look at him. She thought, Ayan, Damn! How could you be so good-looking? Youre far more attractive than those boys in my ss. ee When Anna returned to the office, she went straight to Andrew and asked, How is this order going? Dont worry, Ive asked the factory to do it. The Joan Group has given us a month to finish all of the clothes, which | believe is a very short period of time. Im concerned that if its rushed like that, the clothes will be subpar. As a result, we must let employees stay in the factory on a daily basis and keep an eye on them. So, do we have to send someone who is very knowledgeable about clothes? Anna inquired. Yes, we can only send designers to keep an eye on them, Andrew nodded. Anna became concerned and said, So, are you able to go there? You must be preupied with the designpetition these days, right? Andrew had signed Lemons design team up for a national clothingpetition to make them more famous. So, Andrew and the rest of the team had been working on new designs for a few days. Andrew stated confidently and calmly, Dont worry, thepetition is simple. Besides, we dont need people to work in the factory twenty- four seven. We simply have to go there every day. Anna realized Andrew might have already nned this, and she said, Well, then. Ill let you handle this. Andrew nodded and walked away. He nned to work out a shift schedule so the designers could work better in the factory. Anna regarded Andrew as the most hard-working and meticulous employee in thepany and admired him for it. Mona approached her as she was leaving Andrews office and reminded Anna that she had to attend a reception hosted by AW the following evening. Anna, are you going there by yourself? Mona asked. Huh? You dont think Ill be able to find a date? Anna asked, her gaze drawn to Mona. Mona paused before asking, Youre nning to take Mr. Wright with you, arent you? Yeah. Well, no offense, but | dont think its a good idea Anna paused and looked at Mona in surprise. Mona immediately responded, Please do not take anything personally, but | just think a lot of people enjoy making fun of others. You are aware that Mr Wright has previously offended many businessmen, arent you? Keep talking, Anna said, curious about Monas thoughts. Mona was silent for a few seconds as if she was considering how to phrase it. She stated, Mr. Wright is no longer the Carousel Groups CEO, but rather our Groups treasurer. He will run into someone he knows if he attends this reception. You know, Mr. Wilson and his brother are all rivals of Mr. Wright. So, if he goes there, | believe he will be embarrassed. Plus, people might say mean things about you two. Mona had tried to be as euphemistic as possible. Anna knew that most of the people in this circle were cruel. So, they would probably taunt Wayne if they saw him. Wayne was a proud and confident man and had never been as down on his luck as he was now. As a result, Anna was concerned that he would be unable to handle the situation. Thank you, Ill think about it. She expressed her gratitude to Mona. Mona sighed with relief and said, Great. You know, | was afraid youd be upset. How long have you worked at the Gabriel Group? Anna asked as they both made their way to the office. Its been five years. Anna was taken aback and asked, What? So, why are you? She didnt finish the sentence because she thought it was inappropriate. She was, however, at a loss as to how to say it differently. As a result, she had toe to a halt. Mona didnt seem to mind what she said. You want to ask me why Im still just a junior secretary after working here for so long, dont you? she said with a smile. Anna nodded awkwardly. Mona appeared embarrassed and stated, Thats because | didnt even finish high school. After graduating from junior high five years ago, | was ready to work. My uncle contacted your father and convinced him to let me work here. Despite the fact that my grandmother was also a Gabriel, she was only a distant rtive to your father. It already makes me happy to be a secretary here. Anna understood what she meant andforted her, Thats fine. You can definitely get somewhere if you work hard enough. When Anna first joined the Gabriel Group, she requested that a secretary be assigned her as her assistant. Being an assistant in the Gabriel Group was difficult, and the pay was low. Furthermore, finding someone attentive and sophisticated was difficult. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Fearing that Anna would impose her will on the entire Group, the Gabriel Group board of directors chose some of their family members, including Emily Lewis. Thank you very much, Anna. With her head bowed, Mona said. Anna realized Mona was mature and she had always been calm. So, that was why she had chosen Mona to be her assistant. In the afternoon, Anna apanied Andrew to the factory. Andrew was correct; the factory workers were not meticulous about their work. As a result, some of the clothes were subpar and had to be redone. Andrew was furious and even called the factorys owner. Whats going on here? Andrew looked at the owner coldly, threw all the fabric in his hands on the floor, and said, Are you questioning me? Is this what you mean by high quality? Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Everyone became serious and stopped talking. The owner of the factory was a middle-aged businessman who seemed to be very shrewd. He nced at Andrew awkwardly and said, Whats the matter, Mr. Cooper? Whats wrong with these clothes? Andrew widened his eyes and said, Dont you notice that? Look at how thepels on this one are messed up! Plus, the stitching is extremely poor. If we sell such clothing, it will be a disgrace to our company. Youre humiliating us! The owner became even more awkward. Anna quickly yanked Andrews sleeve and said, Okay, fine. Allow me to speak with the boss. Hello, youngdy. Ive never seen you before. The boss pushed his sses up and sized Anna up. Anna had never been here before because it used to be the designers task toe to the factory. Mona, who was standing beside them, introduced Anna to him, This is Miss Anna Gabriel, the chairman of the Gabriel Group. The boss eximed in surprise, Oh! Youre the chairman? | have no idea that you turned out to be so young. Please forgive me for ignoring you just now. Its alright, Anna said. Then she told Andrew to step aside and then began talking with the boss. Sorry, Andrew was a bit aggressive. The client asked us to deliver the clothes in a month, so we didnt dare to make a mistake. Please ept our apologies. The boss also appeared embarrassed and said, Sorry, its entirely our fault. | was away on business in Leeds the other day. You know, | just got off the ne. And | didnt anticipate such a serious problem. Well, youre a reasonable person. Besides, you know how important this contract is. If you do your best in the first ce, you wont have to rework the products. Otherwise, it would be a huge waste of time and money. Anna pointed out a finger before saying, We will recalcte the money if you finish early. Ill give you 5% more money if you can finish a day early and the clothes are of good quality. It is 10% if it is two days. If its 10 days, then its said the owner as he continued counting. He then came to a halt and smiled at Anna. It was clear that he was well-versed in the rule. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna knew that if she wanted to do business with someone, she should just negotiate the terms with them directly. In fact, Andrews ferocity and her gentleness were part of a n they had discussed on the road. Otherwise, the factory owner would think they were idiots that were easy to fool with. It was already evening when they left the factory, and then Anna went home. She dropped Andrew and Mona off at their ces on the way. Since one of Annas vis was vacant, she agreed to let Andrew stay there. Mona eximed when they arrived at Andrews door, Andrew, can | study design with you? Anna looked in her rearview mirror and saw Andrew furrow his brow and inquire, Huh? Why? Well, because | like it. You cant just do whatever you want because its fun. Have you ever studied clothing design before? No, Mona looked embarrassed. Mona had always been very calm. However, it was the first time that she looked uneasy. Andrew then walked out of the car and shut the door. Then Anna drove away from Andrews ce. While driving, Anna teased,! think its a great idea to learn design from him. But, you know, hell only think about design. And you might not get what you want if youre to start a rtionship with him by using learning clothing design from him as an excuse. Mona froze for a moment, and then quickly exined herself, Oh! Thats not what | meant, Anna. | really want to learn from him. Anna gripped the steering wheel and looked ahead. Then she said, So, this is more difficult than | anticipated. Most of these artists, you know, are very condescending. As a result, they will look down on their weaker peers. If you want to learn design from him, it will be difficult. Im not sure if hed be willing to teach you. Even if he agrees to do so, he may say some nasty things to you. Well, | dont care about that. If he agrees to be my teacher, Ill be extremely grateful. Mona sighed and said. Anna figured that Mona was serious about that at that point. She stated, Huh? Really? Do you really want to learn from him? If you really meant it, | can convince Andrew to be your teacher for you. Mona declined it immediately and then said, Oh, thanks. But, you dont have to do that. Ill just figure it out on my own. If you persuade him, he will undoubtedly say yes. But, he may be hesitant to do so. Since Mona didnt want to do it, Anna said nothing more. Besides, she didnt know if Andrew, who had an entric temper, would agree to her request. Before returning home, Anna went to the nearby supermarket and bought arge bag of fresh potatoes. When she got home, she discovered that the lights were turned off. Anna thought it was strange that she couldnt find the switch in the dark. The switch was right next to the door, and she could usually reach it in a fraction of a second. When she reached out, however, she felt something cold and soft. Then, the door behind her mmed shut. Anna screamed and immediately drew back her hand. At the same time, the stic bag she was holding fell to the floor. The echo of Annas scream and the sound of potatoes falling on the floor made the room appear even more terrifying. Anna was terrified and searched for her phone while yelling Waynes name. She assumed Wayne would be home by now, but no one was there. The moonlight shone through the thin curtains on the floor, creating an eerie atmosphere in the living room. At that precise moment, Anna heard someone walking out of Matthews room. Wayne, is that you? Anna inquired, rmed. Just as she finished speaking, she noticed a man in the doorway holding a chainsaw. Plus, there was scarlet liquid on the floor dripping from the chainsaw. Anna recalled some horror movie episodes at that point and remembered the wanted notice she had seen downstairs the day before. The wanted notice said that a serial killer had recently escaped from prison. As a result, the Birmingham police warned everyone to stay rmed and contact them if they found someone suspicious. Anna widened her eyes and shouted, Matthew! Tammy! The man then slowly walked out of the room. Anna picked up a potato from the floor and held the door handle with her other hand. Despite her fear, she tried hard to remain calm. Maybe Wayne and the kids arent home and nothing had happened. Or, perhaps this man has just broken into my house At that moment, the man walked out of the room. Anna immediately threw the potato in her hand at that man, opened the door, and ran for her life. Then Anna heard a muffled grunt and a chainsaw falling to the ground. The sound of that loud bang haunted her like a ghost. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Anna saw a light as she dashed out of the hallway. When Anna came back to her senses, she heard a cheer, SURPRISE! Then, confetti flew in the air. Many people, wearing various masks and costumes, were gathered at the elevators entrance. Among them, there were two small children with pumpkin hoods. Anna recognized that voice after she screamed Confused, Anna asked, Tammy, Matthew? The shorter child removed her hood and smiled happily, Hey, Mommy! Its me! Huh? What are you guys doing here? Happy Halloween, Miss Gabriel! At that point, everyone in costume removed their masks and hoods. Anna recognized that they were all her neighbors in the building. Anna, surprised, touched her forehead and said, What are you doing? Lisa, Annas neighbor, approached her at that moment. She was dressed as a Corpse Bride and wore ck lipstick. She said with a smile, Are you terrified? Its our Halloween event, and were scaring everyone who comes home after dark. Let me tell you, youre not the only one scared by us. Anna froze for a moment before regaining herposure and saying, Gee, | thought it was that serial killer! You guys scared the hell out of me. Anna looked around for a moment. She knew some of them, while she had only met others a few times. However, she was touched when she noticed that everyone was smiling at her. Selina bought Anna that apartment at a high price. And Anna rarely participated in the apartments activities because she was always on the go. They would, however, bring her gifts after each event Lisa suddenly asked, Wheres your husband? Anna froze and asked, What? My husband? Well, the father of your children. Hes inside your house, isnt he? Anna then said, Oh, you mean the man whos Under Everyones gaze, Anna quickly opened the door. When she saw that Slime had covered the switch, she realized why she couldnt turn on the light before. Anna noticed Wayne sitting in Matthews room as the light was turned on. His beige pants were stained with red liquid, and he had a visible bruise on his brow. He appeared to be in a daze and unaware of what was goingon. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Someone outside the door burst outughing. Then, everyoneughed joyfully together. Anna bet that Wayne had never been so embarrassed in all those years. Wayne refused to participate in the Halloween activity themittee had nned because he thought those customs were silly. Out of his expectations, he was embarrassed in front of all the residents. Anna took an ice pack from the freezer and ced it on Waynes brow, but she continued tough and say, Im sorry, that was just too funny! Sorry about that. On the other hand, Wayne was pleased when he felt Anna gently rubbing his face. Oops, | assumed you didnt want to take part in the event. Why did you bring the chainsaw? You scared the hell out of me! Fortunately, bought potatoes today rather than knives! Wayne became even more upset after hearing Annas words and said, You should have asked the kids! Im not sure why that ketchup- stained chainsaw is here. Tammy and Matthew were scaring people around the building with the other residents while they talked. Tammy quietly walked out the door, carrying the stic saw with her. So, Anna was aware that Tammy had done this. Anna guessed she wanted to scare people but couldnt find a better tool, so she had to make her own. Anna knew Tammy couldnt think of a way to scare people, so it had to be Matthews idea. Matthew guessed that Anna would return home soon, so he directed Wayne to his room to retrieve the saw. Anna thought to herself, Matthew, Tammy, you two are really bold. But Wayne, its all because you spoil them too much, Anna rolled her eyes at Wayne, then pressed hard on the bruise on his forehead and said. Anna poked him in the wound, causing him to groan. Wayne was about to retort, but he stopped himself. He came to a halt When he noticed Annas displeased expression. Asa child, he used to enjoy going to Charlottes house because he enjoyed watching her parents argue. He thought that when the Wilsons were fighting, they were more lovey-dovey than his parents, who were always indifferent toward each other. He loved that kind of cozy feeling. Therefore, he felt that he and Anna were like the Wilsons. When he realized this, he felt as if everything made sense. He realized he had everything he had been looking forward to. They would usually fight over trivial matters, and he initially hated them. Waer indulged Anna and med himself for everything that Went wrong. As a result, he had the impression that they were bing more and more like a couple. He remembered what his father had told him when he was a child, The world is, in fact, a lovely ce. If you dont believe it, its because you havent met the person who makes you feel good. The two kids went to someones house for dinner and then returned with arge bag of candy. Anna put them to bed after bathing them. The kids were so tired from ying that they dozed off when Anna only told them the first few lines of astory. As Anna returned to her room, she noticed Wayne reading a book in bed. Wayne said, Ive made some hot milk for you. Anna noticed that there was a pale pink cup filled with hot milk on the bedside table. Her cup matched Waynes, but his was blue. Anna lifted the cover and drank the entire ss of milk. Wayne seemed to be staring at her the entire time. He closed his book and turned off the light as Anna finished her milk, and said just in time, Good night, dear. Anna tried to sleep, but she couldnt. She asked him, Do you think we can keep living like this? Wayne pressed his chin against the top of Annas head, so she felt the vibrations when he spoke. He replied, Oh, | think its pretty good. Why? What if you run into someone you knew before? Wont you be embarrassed by then? Of course not. They are the only ones who will be embarrassed, Wayne said calmly, and he didnt seem to mind it. So what if | asked you to apany me to the AW Groups reception? Randal invited me, and | intend to attend it. If youe with me, youll certainly run into someone you knew! Wayne remained silent. Anna regretted discussing it when she realized how quiet the evening had been. She knew mens egos were big, so she shouldnt have brought it up. After some time, Wayne wrapped his arm around Annas waist and asked, If | dont go, who will you bring as your date? Anna froze, hesitated, and said, I was going to ask Andrew toe with me. Hes a designer, after all, so he can meet more people that way. But, hes been extremely busytely. Scott is definitely going with Randal, so only Ryan can go with me. Anna kept talking, so she didnt see that Wayne was bing increasingly upset. Chapter 280 Chapter 280 If none of them are avable/ Anna continued, 11 have to ask someone from mypany to go with me. Wayne became increasingly irritated and then inquired, Huh? You even thought of them? Are you serious? Youre talking about who youll bring to the reception with me, Anna/ Annas heart began to race as soon as she heard his gloomy voice. Wayne rolled over and pressed himself against Annas body at that, moment. Anna reached up and pressed her hand against his chest, saying, Ah, no! You misunderstood me. | did it because | was worried youd be embarrassed. After all, Im asking for your opinion, arent I? You want me to pick a date for you, dont you? Wayne growled. Anna felt she had no way of exining herself to him. She didnt feel like continuing arguing and could only say, Well, if youre not going, Ineed someone to keep mepany. Wayne bowed his head and stared at her. His muscr body and the quilt made Anna feel like she couldnt breathe. Hey, | didnt say that. Wayne said. Anna became even more upset. She did it because she was worried about him and didnt expect him to hold it against her. Anna said, I did it because of you! Why do you me me? She was about to finish when she noticed Wayne staring at her with an aggressive expression. She became even more agitated, turned her head, and said, Well, you wouldnt understand that. Feel free to think whatever you want. Wayne froze, then rolled over to lie beside Anna. When he tried to hug Anna, she struggled and moved to the beds edge and refused to speak to him. Wayne began to regret what he had just said after reflecting on what had urred between him and Anna during this time. He exined, Thank you for thinking of me, Anna. You know, | dont even mind being mocked. Im just worried about our rtionship. You could go with whoever you want if we werent a couple. But, because | am your boyfriend, | hope | cane with you to the banquet. Anna chose to ignore him: Wayne approached her once more and said, You know, Im worried that you might fall for someone else. Besides, attending a dinner party is not as simple as you think. So | dont want you to go there by yourselt. He hadnt anticipated Anna to continue ignoring him. Wayne was thinking about what he should say when he heard Anna say, Where are Matthew and Tammy? Should we bring them along? Wayne immediately brightened up and said, Ryan has plenty of time. Anna returned his gaze and said, Hey! Do you really think of Ryan as your babysitter? Isnt he? Wayne raised an eyebrow as if perfectly justified Ryan had frequently stayed by Annas side, exining that he did so to protect her and investigate things. However, Wayne was well aware of What he was thinking. He thought, Since Ryan took my money, | should treat myself to theContent ? N?velDrama.Org. services I deserve. After all, he could work as a babysitter, couldnt he? The reception was held the following evening at 7:30 p.m. AW reserved the top floor of Birminghams most luxurious hotel andid out a long red carpet in front of it. Many elites of the upper ss in town attended that banquet. AW was in the media business, so, many celebrities were present. Journalists who received invitations were overjoyed, while those who didnt could only take pictures at the entrance. Anna and Wayne stepped onto the red carpet hand in hand. Although they smiled for the camera, they kept whispering. Look, this isnt a reception, but a film festival! | understand he wants to make Scott more famous, but does he have to do so? Wayne took a moment to consider the venues setup before responding, Actually, hes doing it not just for Scott, but also for hispany. You should know that the film and television industries are very profitable these days. As a result, he wishes to employ Scott in order to attract more customers and gain attention. Huh? Why didnt hee out with Scott if he really wanted to get attention? Anna asked. Randal and Scott were dating, but they kept it a secret. Anna knew they did it because they couldnt find a suitable time toe out. If Scott suddenly revealed that he was gay, his fans might not ept it for a while. Anna had no problem with that. However, she didnt like that Randal constantly had scandals with many actresses these days. She was disappointed every time she heard the news. Wayne realized why Anna wasining about Randal. He and Randal had been rivals since they were children, so he wasnt about to put in a good word for him. Scott approached them as they entered the ballroom and asked, Hey, Anna, Ive been waiting for you for a long time! What took you so long to get here? Oh, the traffic was terrible. Plus, did you notice the red carpet at the entrance? If we wanted to get in, we had to wait in line. Anna cast a thoughtful nce behind him. Randal had indeed been following Scott, as she had predicted. Scott was meaner than Anna. He rolled his eyes at Randal, standing behind him, Oh, hes crazy. Okay, Anna, youreing with meter. Otherwise, youre going to meet some jerks. Whats the matter? Anna inquired, perplexed. Scott turned to Randal and said, Its time for you to answer Anna. He sounded as if he was pointing the finger at Randal. Anna chuckled because she wasnt actually asking Randal. Randal wasnt angry but simply said, Oh, there arent that many people in business. Its better to have one more friend than one more enemy, you know. Anna will definitely know what Im saying, right? Come on, stop those craps. Why dont you just say you invited Jacob and Lilian? Hearing those two names, Anna and Wayne both frowned almost simultaneously. Furthermore, they both had impatient expressions. Ah? Are they also here? With a frown, Anna asked. Randal nodded his head. He then looked around but couldnt find them. Randal exined, Yes, they two dide. But, to be precise, they didnt seem to be here together. They didnte here together? Randal, what are you talking about? Anna asked, puzzled. Randal had invited Jacob to show his respect for the Palmer Group. AW was arge group as powerful as the Carousel Group. As a result, smallpanies like the Palmer Group were eager to attend this banquet. Anna was well aware that Lilian wasnt wealthy. So, she had no idea how she coulde here unless she was Jacobs date. The three of them became perplexed, and then turned to Randal. Randal touched his sses and said thoughtfully, Yes, Palmer didnt bring his wife with him. And, if Im not mistaken, he arrived this evening with a young model from ourpany. More intriguingly, his wife is his brothers date. Anna froze briefly before continuing to frown. She hadnt seen her ex-boyfriend, Jacob or her ex-bestie, Lilian, who cheated on her with her ex-boyfriend, since their engagement party in six months. Shed heardter that the two werent getting along, but she hadnt expected them to stop pretending to be a loving couple. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Anna had noticed the two people just as Randal was speaking. Then she became emotional: Jacob and Lilian had once been so close, and now they appeared to be strangers. Jacob was standing in a banquet hall corner, clutching the waist of a thin woman. Anna realized that she appeared to be the model Randal was referring to. Scott noticed them as well and then said, Oh, thats Mia. How do you know her? We work for the samepany. Shes an unknown model, and thepany had low expectations for her. So, after her contract expirester, thepany wont renew it with her. Anna asked curiously, How long did they sign the contract for? Ten years. Anna was taken aback and questioned, What, ten years? Ah! Isnt that aplete waste of time? She wont be able to continue modeling after that, will she? Thats just not fair! Yes, the person who caused all of this is right here, Scott said, pointing to Randal. All models sign ten-year contracts with thepany. If she vites her contract, she must pay arge sum of money. So, models who are not famous can only get money by dating rich men. Otherwise, the sry thepany pays her is not even enough for her to live on. If your career doesnt work out in the future, are you going to date rich men as well? Anna asked Scott. Hearing that, Randals gaze became somber. Anna pretended not to notice him, then nudged Wayne and said, When the timees, Ill lend you my boyfriend. Oh my! Thank you very much, Anna. Thats very thoughtful of you. j need to talk to you, Randal said as he tugged on Scotts sleeve. Gee, what are you doing? Cant you see Im talking to Anna? Scott said with a hint of displeasure. Anna couldnt help butugh as she watched the two of them leave, saying to Wayne, I think Randal is scarier than you when hes jealous. I think Scott is as i jotic as you are sometimes, Wayne said, looking at her. Mia clung to Jacobs arms, acting vulnerable. She said, My goodness! There are a lot of people here! | need to use the restroom. Will you go there with me? Jacob tightened his grip on her waist and said, Geez! Youre not scared of seeing Lillian, are you? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Im not scared of her! Ill be as polite to her as possible for your sake, dear. Shes such a lunatic! Shell embarrass us if she ever goes insane, and its not good for you, you know. Thats very kind of you. So, do you really need to use the restroom now? Of course. Mia said with a sweet smile. Jacob was dazed as he looked thoughtfully at her smile all right, lets go, he said, taking her hand in his. Lillian and Jacob had been married for 6 months. They had been through a lot then Lillian had be highly paranoid since her miscarriage. She would constantly ask Jacob where he was and with whom he was doing whenever he went out, making him feel very annoyed. Jacobter met Mia when he went to a friends bar to do business. She wasnt a stunning woman and wasnt even as attractive as Lillian. However, he thought she had the most beautiful eyes in the world. After dragging Jacob into thedies room, Mia locked the door. At that precise moment, Jacob took a look around and said, This is the womens restroom! Why did you bring me here? Ill be outside waiting for you. Mia, on the other hand, wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him into the stall. Dont you think its more exciting for us to do it here? she whispered in his ear in a coquettish voice. When Jacob froze, the first thing he did was push her away. He stated, Stop! There are a lot of posh people out there now, and Im afraid theyll see us doing it. Mia said, Gee, dont worry, no one will see us. Ive locked the door. She then unzipped her skirt and sat Jacob on the toilet. He was taken aback to discover that she wasnt even wearing underwear. Then, she lifted her dress and sat directly on top of Jacob. Jacob, youre awesome. she said. Jacobs lust was quickly aroused. Plus, he immediately surrendered when he saw Mias attractive eyes. Their moans and the sounds of their bodies bumping echoed in the restroom. They were both so focused on the s*x that they didnt even notice a woman in a pink dress was standing outside the cubicle. She was furious and appeared to be about to rush in. She asked, What the f**k?l Are you two done? Mia screamed and cowered in Jacobs arms, terrified. Jacob was scared at first. And when he realized the woman in front of him was Lillian, he put on his pants and stepped in front of Mia What are you doing here? he asked. Lillian looked at them both angrily and said somberly, I should be the one asking what youre doing! Are you aware that youre in public now, and its not a good ce to f**k? Are you two animals?! After looking at the door, Jacob said, Stop right there. Everyone will hear you yell. Lillian yelled angrily, Whats the problem? You realize youre embarrassed now, dont you? What were you thinking while she was riding your d**k? Jacob was very embarrassed and didnt know what to say. Mia leaned her chin on his shoulder at that moment, then looked sheepishly at Lillian and said, So stop ming him, please. Hed be very embarrassed if everyone found out about it. You know, you should keep it between you two. Lillian approached her, attempted to pull her hair, and yelled, b***h, shut the f**k up! Who are you to tell me what to do?! Mia screamed and then retreated behind Jacob. Jacob shoved Lillian before saying, Stop! Ive had enough of it! You didnt seem to have any scruples when you used to seduce me into sleeping with you and cheating on Anna! Who are you to point fingers at me now?! Lillian took a step back as he pushed her backward She felt as if a knife had been stabbed into her heart and made her heartbroken. She suspected she had misheard it, but she didnt dare to say anything to refute it. Lillian stumbled to the floor and sobbed, I believed you when you said wed be the same as before, Jacob. You flirted with many women, and Ive neverined about it. But why did you bring her to this party? Did you ever consider my feelings? Because of you, | am unable to have any more children. Youre the only person | can rely on. Although what she said was heartfelt, she had said these words to Jacob time and time again, and Jacob was already sick of it. As a result, Jacob became increasingly irritated and enraged. Miaughed and interjected at the time, Do you really want everyone to know about your inability to have children? Im not Jacobs wife, but Im willing to bear many children for him. Because you are unable to bear children, you should allow other women to do so for him. Shut your we mouth! Lillian yelled angrily. Mia pulled the straps of her dress back over her shoulders and said, You should shut up. You know what, Im two months pregnant! Chapter 282 Chapter 282 282 Your Sister Set You up, Anna Lillian felt as if she had been struck by lightning after hearing her words Ah, how is this possible? she muttered, unable to believe what she had just said. Lillian stumbled and attempted to get up and grab Mia. Thats not possible! she eximed. Jacob, on the other hand, stepped in front of Mia. He said seriously, Yes, Mia is indeed pregnant with my child. You dont believe this, but you cant change the facts! Lillian froze, suspecting that the entire world was a lie. She asked, Jacob! Are you insane? Your parents would never agree to you marrying her! If | try hard, | will get them to say yes. Jacob replied to her with determination. Lilian was taken aback. She realized he had never been so firm, even when she suggested they should get married. Ithad taken her a lot of effort to persuade Jacobs parents to ept her and consent to their marriage. She had previously gone to great lengths to aplish this. She looked up and surveyed the woman standing behind Jacob at that moment. Mia was skinny and had small t**s. She did, however, appear to be much younger than Lillian. Lilian suddenly understood why Jacob was obsessed with her when she saw Mias eyes. It turned out that Mias eyes looked very simr to Annas. Then Lilian burst outughing. Jacob, puzzled, frowned and asked, Hey, what are youughing at? Lilianughed like crazy. She asked, pointing to the woman behind him, Are you truly in love with this b***h? Or, are you pining for someone you no longer have? Shes nothing more than ame substitute! Mia was perplexed by what she was saying, so she frowned and inquired, Lame substitutes? What the hell are you talking about? Jacob, however, understood Lillians words. As a result, his gaze grew somber. Lilian, Im warning you, you should stop talking right now! he warned. Lilian smiled strangely as she propped herself on the sinks marble tabletop. She said, Hey, Ill say whatever | want! If you had the guts to cheat on me, you should not be afraid of being med. What exactly are you doing here? You betrayed Anna in the first ce, so why are you cheating on me with a woman who resembles her? Thats enough! Stop talking! Jacob became enraged. Whos Anna? Mia asked curiously. Lilian burst outughing and eximed, Ah! Shes a At that moment, Jacob suddenly pped Lilian heavily, and that sound echoed in the bathroom. Lilian stumbled for a moment before copsing to the floor. Jacob said grimly, You have no right to mention her name! You should keep your mouth shut if you dont want me to divorce you! He strode away with that. Mia didnt want to be alone with Lilian, despite her curiosity about who Anna was. So she, too, quickly left and said, Hey! Jacob! Please wait for me. Lilian was left alone in the bathroom, wretchedly sitting on the floor. Her hands were trembling as she covered half of her red cheek. She couldnt believe that despite her best efforts, she was still no match for Anna in his eyes. Inside the banquet hall, Anna was chatting with some businessmen, and Mias yell caught her attention. She looked back and saw Jacob, who was very angry,ing down from the second floor, with Mia following him. She smirked. She and Jacob locked eyes right on cue, just as she was about to look in another direction. Jacob stopped walking. He hadnt seen Anna in six months, but hed heard much about her. He discovered she had led a much more exciting life after leaving him. He had loved several strong-willed women in his life, but Anna remained his dream girl. Anna gave him a slight nod before turning to talk to the people next to her. Mia had caught up with Jacob and grabbed his arm while he was ina trance. She stated, Im sorry, Jacob; its all my fault. Can youe over to my ce tonight? Jacob became very uneasy all of a sudden. He drew his arm out and replied impatiently, Id like some time alone. Stop following me. He then went downstairs alone. Anna felt slightly tipsy after greeting each of her acquaintances in turn. She looked around but couldnt find Wayne, so she assumed hed gone to the restroom. Then she set her ss down and stood in a conspicuous location to wait for him. Awoman in a pink silk dress approached her as she looked down at her watch. Anna, its been a long time, the woman said before she could look up. Anna raised her head to see Lilian standing in front of her. When Anna noticed the right half of her face flushed, she remembered the rumors she had heard about Jacob and her. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna frowned sympathetically and asked, Yes, we havent seen each other in quite some time. Are you all right? Lilians gaze turned somber, and she asked, Well, Im perfectly fine. What do you mean by that? Oh, youre overthinking it. | didnt mean anything. Anna regretted it. She knew that if she expressed sympathy for Lilian, she would be used of unting. Lilian became enraged and looked at her from head to toe. This made Anna feel awkward. What are you looking at2 she asked, her brow furrowed. Oh, | just noticed how much that model resembles you. Did you know Jacob had an affair with a stupid model? She looks quite simr to you. She then stopped talking as if waiting for Annas response. Anna, on the other hand, remained silent. She simply said, with a cold stare, Why are you telling me about this, Lilian? You and Jacob are already married; whatever happened between you has nothing to do with me. Are you saying that | caused all the problems in my marriage? Oh, no, | didnt say that. Lilian snickered and said viciously, Who do you think you are? There were a lot of men wooing you when you were in college. Ha! Didnt they all think you were a goddess? Do they know your sister once set you up so that you had lost your virginity to a few men? Do they have any idea about that? Annas ears began to ring, and her mind went nk. People gathered around them at that point. Anna couldnt feel anything. She could hear Lilians angry voice, Allie deserved to die. She even tried to hurt her sister, didnt she? She shouldnt have asked those men to r**e you! Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Lillians voice was so loud that it drew the attention of half of the people in the hall. Anna stood in the middle of the crowd, aware that some of those around her were sympathetic while others were contemptuous. Lilians voice was like a megaphone, amplifying the pain Anna suffered in the past. Allie certainly deserved to die in agony! She didnt even apologize to you before she died, did she? I admire you for that, Anna. | wouldnt have gone to her funeral if| were you. Anna, you were a wonderful sister. Anna clenched her fists and struggled to keep her cool. Lilian, Im not sure what youre talking about, she said. Lilian scowled at her as she folded her arms as if she had expected her to never admit to this. She said viciously, How can you not remember that? This happened just six years ago! It was your eighteenth birthday, and your father surprised you with a big house. Allie was envious of you, so she let a group of men get into your room. Later, you went to America. You tried to hide that from everyone, right? Annas face became paler and paler as she spoke in greater detail Jacob quickly stepped out of the crowd and in front of Anna at that moment. He snarled, What are you doing, Lilian? Have you gone insane? Do you have any idea what youre talking about?! Im just telling the truth! Everyone thinks Anna is a bad daughter because she refuses to take responsibility for her fathers group. Well, | want everyone to know how badly her family has messed up her life. People will stop ming her this way, so Im doing it for her sake. Lilian stated in her defense. Jacobs face was solemn after hearing her words, and he cursed, Lunatic! He turned to face Anna and said, Sorry about that, Anna. You should leave now, and Ill take care of everything for you. Dont forget, Jacob, you broke up with Anna a long time ago! Im the one whos married to you! Lilian was enraged to see how much Jacob cared for Anna. So, she shouted as if she didnt care how many people were staring at her. Jacob had long been irritated by Lilian. He became even angrier when he saw her humiliating him in front of many people and shouted, Not anymore! What do you mean? Youre going to divorce me for her? Thats enough! Lilian was interrupted by Anna. She calmed down as she observed this couple arguing. After some thought, she took a deep breath, looked around, and said indifferently, Lilian, we did once have a beef. But thats no reason to spread rumors about me! Plus, you cant make fun of Alllie because shes dead, When you intervened in Jacobs rtionship with me six years ago, you spread rumors at school that I was the one who cheated on him. Do you still want to humiliate me in this manner? They were young back then, so everyone believed your craps easily. But, everyone here is all decent people, so no one will ever believe you! In fact, the people around her joined in because they knew what Lilian said was outrageous. So, they all realized she was lying after some thought. The guests gathered around Anna began to speak as soon as she finished speaking. Lilian was enraged and eximed, What? | swear to God that Im not lying! Id heard Allie say she put aphrodisiac in your drink and had you taken to a hotel room. Plus, there were four or five guys in that room waiting for you! Everyone was stunned, including Jacob, who was wide-eyed. He only knew Anna had been in an ident that night, but he had no idea what had happened. So, he never expected that Lilian knew it. The guests all began to talk about this thing. Annaughed and said, Lilian, do you really know that much? Why are you so certain you knew everything? You used to be my best friend, so Why did you allow her to harm me? You should have informed me of this long ago, but you didnt. Why are you telling me now? Its been six years! Lilians face flushed in defense, and she said, Ah! | couldnt because Allie wouldnt let me! Anna stated icily, Of course, you can me Allie because shes no longer alive. Lillian, dont overestimate yourself What are you talking about? Lilian became enraged. That night, nothing happened. | was only drinking because | happened to see you having s*x with Jacob. Nobody took me anywhere after that! Thats impossible! Anything is possible. Scott emerged from the crowd, drawing everyones attention. Anna turned around and saw the crowd making way for Scott. Then, she noticed that Randal was walking behind him. Scott stood at Annas side. He was much taller than her, making her feel safe. His face was expressionless, and he said glumly, Because Anna had left the bar with me that night. | know youre an ignorant woman, so Im not going to argue with you about the rumors you just said. If you say it again, Ill make you bear the consequences. Lillian obviously didnt believe him and asked, Huh? You did? Randal interrupted her before she could finish, saying, Well, | threw this party because we hadnt all gotten together in a long time. We wanted everyone to meet new people and catch up with old friends. But, now is not the right time for you to talk about whats going on with your marriage Randal was the president of AW Group, and everyone looked up to him. Jacob immediately realized what he meant and responded, Im sorry, and | should not have allowed this to happen. We had a fight before leaving the house, which is why she said all of this nonsense. Im really sorry, everybody. Ill make sure she realizes shes made a mistake. Lillian was about to say something else when Jacob interrupted her and said, If you say one more word, Il divorce you tomorrow. Hearing that, Lillian had no choice but to keep her mouth shut. Meanwhile, a woman in a yellow dress stood outside the crowd at the time and witnessed everything. She looked around but couldnt find the person she wanted to see, so she went to the second floor. Randal became irritated as he looked around at the crowd. He said, Okay, people, stop watching. This is a personal matter between Jacob and his wife. Everyone gradually left. Scott touched Annas hand and noticed it was icy. So, he inquired, Anna, are you okay? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Dont worry, Im fine, Anna said with a sigh of relief. Randal looked at them as they held hands and said, Well, go get some rest. Scott echoed, Yeah, theres a lounge upstairs. Let me walk you there. Anna immediately withdrew her hand and said, No, thank you. | can go there by myself. If you see Wayne, please tell him Im there. Scott frowned, then said, Hey, why is he being a wimp now? Where is. he? Randal looked upstairs and said, Oh, hes probably in the bathroom. Maybe he didnt know what was going on here. Scott seemed unconcerned, then rolled his eyes and said, Why was he taking so long to use the restroom? Is there a problem with his, thing? Chapter 284 Chapter 284 At that time, Wayne had just stepped out of the restroom. The chilly wind from the balcony made him sneeze and feel cold Then Henry called him, trying to persuade him to reconcile with Pete. So, they talked for a while. Wayne respected Henry so much that he didnt say anything to retort Nheless, he never returned home. A girl stepped in front of Wayne as he was about to leave. The girl was dressed in a pale yellow dress and wore her hair in a bun with a silver crown hairpin. Wayne didnt like how she was dressed and thought she was childish. He noticed her because she and Anna both wore the same hairpin. On the other hand, Wayne realized Annas outfit was far more ssic than this girls. He asked, Whats wrong? The girl gazed at Wayne. She appeared upset when she realized he didnt recognize her. Did you forget about me, Mr. Wright? she inquired. Who are you? Am I supposed to remember who you are? Oh, Im Rachel! Im Allies cousin! RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Wayne gave the girl a calm look. He remembered her, but he had a negative impression of her. He remembered Rachel yelling at Anna when he arrived at Gabriels group to take the job. He frowned and repeated his previous question, Whats wrong? Rachels face turned bright red as Wayne was indifferent toward her. However, she felt she couldnt lose her cool, so she said as calmly as possible, Well, Id like to speak with you about Anna. | believe you should be very interested in this. Wayne said, I dont think I should waste my time on you. Rachel immediately shouted at him and said, Wait! | want to tell you What men Anna has slept with, Do you believe she would voluntarily tell you something like this? Dont let her fool you, Mr. Wright. Wayne froze, then red at Rachel grimly and asked, What are you talking about? ?Lillian just told me that Anna had group s*x with a bunch of guys on her 18th birthday. Gee, what a slut! She should be despised, but not cherished. Dont be a fool! Arent you concerned that people will gossip about you? Wayne looked even more gloomy. He quickly grabbed Rachels arm and dragged her into the adjacent lounge. Rachel struggled in terror, then stepped on her dresss ribbon and copsed on the sofa. What are you trying to do? she yelled. Wayne stood perfectly still, his hands propped on the sides of the couch. Hey, what do you want to do? she mumbled Wayne sneered and said contemptuously, If you say that again, Ill make people despise you. Rachels heart even paused when she heard his words. She was just shy at first, and then she became terrified. She felt a chill running down her spine and realized for the first time that what everyone said about Wayne being ruthless was true. Rachel had been spoiled by her family since she was a child, so she Was extremely obstinate. She was terrified, but she was determined to keep her self-esteem intact. She stated, Im telling you the truth! You can go ask someone else if you dont believe me. Wayne still red at her and then said grimly, as if possessed by a demon, Do you want to be mute for the rest of your life? | hate women Who like to spread rumors the most. While they were talking, Anna was looking for a lounge on the second floor. She went straight to a room in the distance with the words VIP Lounge written on the door. Someone opened the door to the room as soon as she took two steps. Rachel then bolted from the room with her hands covering her chest. Her hair was a mess, and her expression was terrified. Anna didnt get along with Rachel, so she didnt want to talk to her. However, because Rachel was an employee of herpany, she felt she should be responsible for the girl. Anna asked, Hey, whats wrong? You seem Rachel ran away before Anna could finish her sentence. When Anna looked up, she noticed Wayne trying to leave the lounge. His t suit had a few visible creases that reminded her of Rachels messy hair. What are you doing here? she asked, her heart skipping a beat. Oh, | just came out of the bathroom to take a break. Anna pointed to Rachels back, then asked suspiciously, So, how about Rachel? Are you guys resting in the lounge together? Wayne exined calmly, This lounge is open to the public, so anyone is wee to use it. Dont misunderstand me. Anna exhaled deeply and stated, Okay, | didnt misunderstand you. | know you well enough to know you wont be sitting in here alone with her. Isnt there some reason for this? Can you tell me what you were talking about? Wayne was never alone with a woman, Anna knew, to keep rumors about him at bay. As a result, he never had any scandals. However, Anna felt there was no way Wayne would change his habits for Rachel. When Anna saw Rachel running out of the lounge, she didnt pay attention because she assumed they had just walked in. When Anna noticed Waynes attitude, she tried to persuade him to clear the air. Wayne continued calmly, | have nothing to exin. Nothing happened. Anna was suddenly disappointed in Wayne and said, Did you notice how messy she looked? You two didnt do anything just now? Im sure | wasnt the only one who noticed her. You dont want to exin anything to. me, do you? Arent you worried about what people might say something about you two? I dont care what other people think. Anna was absolutely devastated. Lillian had just humiliated her in public, which made her want to disappear from the world. However, she didnt anticipate Wayne humiliating her as well. Anna said, Could you please put yourself in my shoes, Wayne? You cant take it when | look at another man. A beautiful girl just ran out of this room, and she looked like a mess. Meanwhile, you walked out of the room as well. Are you sure you dont want to exin it to me? Wayne remained silent. He didnt want to exin to her because he didnt want to say the horrible things Rachel had just said to him. He remained silent because he did not want to lie to Anna either. Anna clutched her dress tightly, then said thoughtfully, You dont want to exin yourself, do you? Well, theres nothing else | have to say to you. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Anna tried to leave when she finished. Wayne shouted, Hey! Anna! Where are you going? Its none of your concern! Anna was irritated. She then walked down the stairs and out of the hotel. Wayne was right behind Anna as she stepped out of the elevator. Anna reacted quickly, closing the door to keep Wayne out. She soon arrived on the first floor. Anna had already gotten into a car when Wayne stepped out of the other elevator and made his way to the front of the hotel. When Wayne noticed she was sitting next to a man, he clenched his fist in regret and called her. The limo then left the city center. Annas cell phone kept ringing and echoing in the car at that point. Are you not answering your phone? Jacob, who was sitting next to her, asked. ?Anna hung up the phone, turned to Jacob and said, Its none of your business. Driver, please just park at the intersection. Ill take a cab home. Jacob shook his head, saying, No, Ill take you home. Itste, and Ill be worried about you if you do that. ?Anna refused right away, Well, you can guess why | just got into your car. You dont have to be so polite with me. Im not doing this just to be polite to you, Anna. Anna gave him a cold stare and didnt want to speak to him. Jacob wanted to say something, but when he saw how indifferent she was, he shut his mouth. Anna, | have something to say to you, he said after a while. Anna frowned and said, Well, if you want to talk about what happened before, then you should shut up now. | dont want to talk about those things anymore, and theres nothing we can do about those ugly memories. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Jacob raised his eyes to Anna and said, Oh, | know | deserve to suffer all the consequences. | shouldnt have been seduced by Lillian in the first ce, and | shouldnt have broken up with you. | didnt realize how much | adored you until after | had left you. You are the only person | will ever love. Hey, what exactly are you trying to say? Jacob replied, I know its out of the blue, but | just want you to not hate me. Anna expected Jacob to have a small speech, but all he did was offer this desperately. When she looked at Jacob, she realized he was no longer the gentle and confident young man he had been in college. Time and his experiences had changed him, and he no longer looked energetic. At that point, Anna became confused and couldnt recall why she had fallen in love with him After a long silence, Anna eximed, I dont hate you, and no one is to me. You know, its all due to fate. So, Im not going to me you. | was so preupied with my job after moving to America that | didnt have time to think about my feelings. Plus, it would be better if you stopped saying things like youll never fall in love ever again . Hearing Annas words, he blinked awkwardly. You still have many years ahead of you, so you dont know who youll meet. Even if Lillian is not the woman you love the most in this life, it could be someone else. Jacob, on the other hand, insisted on taking Anna home. Anna didnt tell him where she lived, but his driver appeared well-versed in the area. They arrived at her apartment quickly. Thank you, Jacob, Anna said as the car stopped. Jacob smiled and tried not to appear upset. Do you need me to exin anything to him? he asked, looking out the window. Anna looked out of the window and noticed Wayne standing still like a streetlight in the distance. No, thanks. With that, Anna shut the door. Instead of watching her walk away as if they were in a romantic movie, Jacob ordered the driver to start the car, His car drove into the road, just like their love that faded into the crowd Wayne approached Anna. He said nothing but simply removed his jacket and draped it over her. Then, he said, Lets go home now. You see, its freezing out here. Anna thought Wayne was gonna argue with her again out of jealousy, as he had done before. Therefore, she was surprised that he was soposed. Asa result, Anna decided not to be angry with him any longer. All right, lets go, she said. It waste, and many residents of the building had their lights turned off. The streetlights and moonlight combined to illuminate the road ahead of them. They returned home along the stone path. Anna was sure she would have enjoyed the scene more if she hadnt been wearing such a heavy gown Anna took the initiative and said, Actually, its nice for us to take a walk like this every now and then. She said this to alleviate their tension. Wayne was silent for a moment before asking, What did you tell Jacob? Even if youre upset with me, you shouldnt have got into another mans car like that. Anna abruptly stopped smiling and threw the suit she was wearing at Wayne. Youd better exin what was going on between you and Rachel first! she yelled angrily. Anna stormed into the building with rage, thinking, Wayne, how dare you treat me with a double standard! Why didnt you tell me what happened between you and Rachel before asking why I got into Jacobs car?! After walking into the house, Anna mmed the door hard, making Ryan assume the earth was shaking. Ryan winced, then identally spilled the ss of water in his hand. At that moment, Wayne walked in. Eh, whats wrong with Anna? Ryan asked as soon as he saw him. Nothing. Ryan looked before pointing to the water stain on his pants. He asked, Nothing*? She appears enraged. Wayne gave him a warning gaze that seemed to tell him to keep his mouth shut. Ryan immediately realized what he meant and replied, Okay, | understand. You must have enraged her. Why are you so sure of yourself? What if! told you it had nothing to do with me? Well, then, Ill bet you wouldnt dare knock on Annas door, Ryan said calmly. For a brief moment, Wayne frowned and gazed at Annas bedroom. He then sat on the couch. Anna rarely lost her cool, but she was being unreasonable today. He shook his head after hanging his head to see if Anna was on her period. Ryan took two Coke cans from the fridge and handed one to Wayne. He said, Scott told me that Lillian embarrassed Anna at the party. Damn, she and her husband are idiots! They even brought up what happened in the old days. Wayne raised his head and asked, What are you talking about? Ryan froze, then turned to face him and said, At the party, Lillian and Jacob humiliated Anna. They talked about what had happened previously, which greatly embarrassed her. Youve got no idea about that? Really? Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Scott called Ryan about 30 minutes ago. He imed that Anna had left the party early and turned off her cell phone. As a result, he was concerned about Annas safety. Also, he told Ryan about what Lillian said at the party. Then Ryan said hesitantly, Well, thank God Scott and Randall were both there, and they saved Anna from being humiliated in time. Otherwise, she would have felt very embarrassed. Do you think this whole thing is true? Wayne stared nkly into the distance, not paying attention to what Ryan was saying Ryan replied to his own question, Well, | dont. In fact, there will be many coincidences in this world. So, you have no idea who youll run into the next second/ He then stood up and walked to his room after finishing his Coke. Wayne wasnt paying attention to what Ryan was saying at all. He went to knock on Annas bedroom door after that but froze. He didnt know what had happened on his way to the bathroom, but he seemed to have noticed that there was something fishy about the whole incident. When Anna was humiliated, Wayne was on the phone with Henry, and then he went outside and ran into Rachel. He finally understood why Rachel had said such a thing to him, but he regretted not asking her where she had heard it Wayne was immediately disappointed. He remembered promising Annast night that he would protect her at the party, but he failed, making him feel like an i***t. Anna stepped out of the bathroom after taking a shower. She wiped her hair and looked out the door. And she hadnt heard anything from outside. She hadnt gotten much sleep that night. She tossed and turned in bed, watching the moonlight shine through the curtains into the bedroom. Ithad been freezing recently, and Anna could feel the cold wind stinging her bones as she walked back home with Wayne. On the other hand, peoples hearts were colder than the weather in November days. Anna thought, People sometimes can be scarier than ghosts. People! used to know didnt seem to have changed. | expected them to at least change for the better, but it turned out Inever really got to know them. Jacob remained as cowardly as ever, and Lillian remained vicious. Furthermore, they still enjoyed doing awful things to harm others. That fact had not changed, no matter how hard Anna tried to hide what had happened six years ago. It knocked her down again at an unexpected time Anna wondered if Wayne knew what Lillian said at the party, but she hoped he didnt, in fact, she was worried about Wayne looking into what had happened to her six years before. The cold rain continued to fall all night. The following day, Anna awoke while it was still dark. She wore a heavy cashmere sweater because it was already getting cold. As she showered and prepared to leave, she hoped she wouldnt run into Wayne. She did, however, notice a man lying on the couch in the living room. Wayne was sitting on that narrow couch, looking pitiful. His legs were ced on the couchs arm, and he was only dressed in a thin nket. Plus, he was even wearing the same clothes he wore the night before. Anna paused for a moment before approaching and patting him on the back as she said, Well, you can go back to your room. Wayne didnt respond and appeared to be sleeping. Anna shook him by the shoulders and said, Wake up, Wayne. Im not in the mood to joke with you! Im off to work now, go to our room now. He still didnt move, much to Annas surprise. Anna froze, then touched his forehead and noticed it was hot. It was freezing that night, so Anna guessed that Wayne had caught a chill. Anna woke Ryan up and then moved Wayne to the bedroom with him. Ryan sat on the carpet and gasped, I didnt even lock the doorst night! | really dont know what Wayne was thinking! He has a thing for sleeping on the couch, doesnt he? Plus, couldnt he just turn on the air conditioning? Ryan waved his arms up in frustration. He wasnt a fan of doing sports. Instead, he preferred to sit down and solve problems. As a result, it took almost all of his strength to lift Wayne, a tall, muscr man, into the bedroom. Anna gave him a brief nce before tucking Wayne in and saying, Come on, he probably doesnt even know how to turn on the air conditioning. Im going to go to work now. So, please give him some medicine when he wakes up. Take care of him for me, will you? Ryan nodded and asked, Anna, do you really think Im your nanny? Nanny? Cant you think of him as your brother and look after him? Anna said. She didnt notice that Ryan immediately looked over at Wayne with mixed emotions in his eyes. After Anna left, the whole house became very quiet. Ryan stood up from the carpet and looked at Wayne from above as if he were a puzzle. Suddenly, his cell phone began to vibrate. He lowered his voice and answered the phone, then walked away, closing the door behind him and saying, Hey, Mom, | need to take care of some school stuff. So, I can only return home during winter break. His mother said gently, You havent been home in half a year! I called you two months ago, and you never called me back. What the hell have you been doing? Dont try to lie to me! | asked your supervisor, and he said youve been away from school a lot. Ryan lied and said, Oh, Im out doing research. Although | got my PhD in school, | still have to write my essay. Otherwise, Ill be unable to graduate. Ill be studying in America next year, so I need to finish my essay. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Geez! You always use this excuse to get rid of me whenever | ask you toe home. Okay, Im going to hang up now. Bye! Ryan immediately became gentle and pampered, Hey, Mom, did you miss me? If you miss me, then Ill be back tomorrow. Come on, you dont have to go home. Im not even interested in seeing you. By the way, you told me that youve got a crush on a girl, right? Can you bring her back home? | really want to meet her. Ryan was embarrassed and replied, Oh, Im afraid not. She doesnt like me, and she already has a boyfriend. His mother paused and said, Oh, | can understand how she feels about that. Youre sloppy and dont know how to say anything nice. Shes definitely not going to like you Ryan sighed and said, How can you say that to me? Im your son! No, | found you in a trash can. After talking for a while, Ryan looked at the door to Annas room and asked cautiously, Mom, do you want toe to Birmingham for Christmas? Why do you ask that? | told you before | really dont want to go there. Well, dont ask me that question ever again. Really? So, you dont want to see him? actually, | saw him, Ryan said. Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Ryans mother remained silent for along time. Ryan eximed eagerly, Whats wrong, Mom? | didnt do anything wrong, and he has no idea who | am. | was just wondering if you wanted to meet with him. He doesnt appear to be as cruel as you think.* His mother said, slightly embarrassed, Oh, no. | actually met with him during the summer.* Ryan froze and asked, Have you met him? Where? Tell me! Well, I, Im cooking. And, there are guests waiting for me to serve them breakfast! Im going to hang up now, bye.** She then hung up the phone. Ryan then took a deep breath and felt frustrated. Ryan knew that everyone had some secrets that they wanted to keep hidden. When what happened in the past was brought up, they would be flustered and overwhelmed. When applying to universities at that time, Ryan selected all those in Birmingham. He remembered feeling as if there was a ma in the city that drew him to it when he first arrived there. However, he had no idea he would meet Wayne by chance. After that day, the weather forecast warned everyone to take precautions to avoid getting the flu for a week in a row. Wayne first had a fever and then got the flu. Ryan became infected after caring for him for two days. While Anna was disinfecting the house with a mask, Ryan wrapped himself in a nket and coughed on the couch, saying, I need to return to school tomorrow for a lecture. A well-known professor from America is visiting our school. Anna gave him a sidelong nce and said, Well, | think youd better not go. Im afraid youll infect that professor. Stop going out these days, Ryan Tammy and Matthew, what about them? What are they supposed to do? Wayne asked, sitting on the opposite side of the couch. Because he had a terrible cold, his voice was extra hoarse and low. Anna sighed dejectedly, Oh, Ill bring them to my aunts houseter. However, my uncle told me that two of his nannies had a cold over the phone this morning. And their entire family is busy spraying disinfectant everywhere. Ryan said, Oh, well, then theyre probably infecting each other. Is there anywhere else the kids can go? Anna stood straight with her mop and said, Unfortunately, Im afraid no. Peace and Karl are in the United States, and Andrew works every day in the office to prepare for thepetition. Besides, | doubt hell be able to take care of the kids. Well, lets forget about Scott and Randal. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Why? | think their house is nice, and they also have nannies at home. Oh, theyre off to Bali. Wow! They are on their honeymoon. Ryanughed Anna walked to the bathroom, untied her apron and gloves, and put on a coat. She then said, Tammy, Matthew! Lets go. The two kids then bolted from the room. Anna put medical masks on them for fear of infection, and they also put on their yellow hats. Both kids looked at Anna with big blinking eyes. Okay, kids, go stay with great-aunt Selina for a few days. Ill pick you up and bring you home after these two guys recover. Both kids nodded and walked out the door, holding Annas hand and dragging their suitcases behind them. Annas phone rang just as they entered the elevator. After seeing who was calling, Anna froze for a moment before answering. Henry, hi. What can | do for you? After Anna and the two children came downstairs three minutester, they saw a ck Rolls Royce parked in front of the door. Then they saw Henry standing in front of that car. When Henry saw them, he approached them, saying, Hello there, Miss Gabriel. A lot of people have been getting a coldtely, you know. Peter was concerned about Matthew and asked me to pick him up and take him home. He hadnt finished speaking when Anna felt someones leg clinging to her. She lowered her head to see it was Matthew. Henry, you can take Matthew away. But, as you can see, he really doesnt want to go with you. Ill drop the kids off at my aunts ce, and | believe its rtively safe there. I heard that there are already two nannies with the flu at her house, right? Anna frowned, thinking, Peter, you seem to know everything! I didnt expect you to know that my aunts nannies were ill. Well, it seems that youre eager to get Matthew home. Anna realized she couldnt say no, so she let Matthew go and tried to. persuade him, Hey, honey. You heard Henry, someone at my aunts house has a cold, too. So, you should go home with Henry. Matthew shook his head in horror, wide-eyed, and eximed, No! ?Anna was caught in a quandary. She exined to Henry, I cant make him do something he doesnt want to do. | know Peter doesnt like me, but I cant force Matthew to leave me. Henry paused for a moment before responding, Peter isnt doing this to make things difficult for you, Miss Gabriel, if he didnt like you, he Wouldnt havee here with me. In fact, he didnt want to me you because you didnt do anything wrong. He was simply annoyed with Wayne. Peters here? Anna asked, looking at the car next to her. Anna turned around and saw Peter sitting in the car. He looked at the two children through the car window and seemed to miss them terribly. Anna paused for a moment before looking up and saying, Well, Henry, could you please tell Peter something for me? | know hes mad at Wayne, but I need to tell him something. So, can you help me? Henry froze and said, Did Wayne talk to you about it? Yes, | already knew what had happened, Anna replied. Henry immediately nodded and returned to his car. He briefly addressed Peter before returning to Anna and saying, Get in the car. Miss Gabriel. Its freezing in here. Lets go, kids, Anna said, nodding. They then went to a cafe close to Annas house. Anna and Peter sat across from each other at the table, each holding a cappino. Peter appeared dissatisfied and said, To be honest, | dont quite trust you. Well, Henry told me that If! didnt listen to you, you wouldnt let me take Matthew away. And here we are.* Chapter 288 Chapter 288 After taking a sip of her coffee, Anna said, Matthew is your great-grandson, so there is absolutely no way | can stop you from taking him away. Great, Im relieved now that you know that, Peter grumbled. Actually, | believe that you and Wayne should resolve your disagreement soon. Otherwise, youll make the two kids feel awkward and embarrassed. Peter nced at Henry, who was standing beside him, and said, Oh, it seems that Henry has told you everything Henry remained silent, and Anna nodded. She said, Henry did it so that I could help you reconcile with Wayne. What? Do you think you can really do that? Anna replied earnestly, No, | didnt think so. Thats why I declined him. Peter frowned, but he didnt appear as distressed as he had been before. He said, Okay, | understand what youre trying to say. However, you cannot fix our problem. Ive never mentioned it in thest few years because | didnt want to face the problem. You see, Waynes been getting on my nervestely. Anna said outright, What are you talking about? Is it the fact that Wayne and | are in a rtionship that irritates you? But, you used to be very supportive of us being together. Peter gave Anna stern look and said, Well, thats because | had no idea you werent divorced back then! | would not have done it otherwise. Anna said calmly, So, Ill exin this to you in detailter. The most important issue right now, however, is resolving the conflict between you and Wayne. Do you want to know the truth about the incident that happened three years ago? What did Wayne say to you? Peter asked after a brief pause. Oh, dont worry; he said nothing about that to me. | discovered the truth for myself Anna then ced her phone in front of Peter, saying, You can take a look at this. | had a detective go to Leeds earlier to look for the two nannies Who used to look after Matthew. He then asked them to record a statement. I will send you the recordingter if you want to listen to them. But | dont have that file on my phone now. When Peter saw those words on Annas phone, his face became solemn. Mary and Kim previously affirmed that the young man at the Wrights told them to drug Matthew. As a result, | assumed that man was Wayne. You must be aware of this information, right? But | have a question for you. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. What do you want to say? Did Waynee to your house frequently from the time Matthew was born until the time of his ident? Peter appeared solemn and afraid when answering the question. Henry chimed in, No, he almost never returned home. He was having a cold war with Peter at the time. Back then, Peter was so angry with Wayne for finding a surrogate that he broke his promise to make him president of the group. As a result, they barely spoke to each other for the next two years. Anna finally made the most critical point, So, what is it that makes these two nannies so certain that the man is Wayne? They said theyd only seen him a few times at your house. Plus, they said almost every servant in the house knew the man was a member of your family. Hearing that, Peter and Henry looked alittle surprised. Anna said, Well, do | need to go on any further? I showed those two nannies a picture of Wayne and Richard, but they couldnt tell them apart. Everyone knew that Richard was the only person in the Wright family Who resembled Wayne the most, and they had simr appearances and figures. It had been three years, and neither of the two nannies could recall Who in the Wright family had asked them to do this. Peter had obviously not taken this into consideration before, and he immediately appeared depressed. That bastard! he muttered. Anna was silent for a moment before saying, I wont say anything else about it because this is your familys business. Ive known the truth for quite some time, but Ive never spoken to anyone about it. You came to pick up Matthew today, and that made me believe youre concerned for him and his father. So, | want you to know the truth now. Peter felt very annoyed as Anna found out those unpleasant things happened in his family. And he remained silent for a long time. Anna knew exactly what she needed to say. Then she changed the subject and said, Well, Matthew doesnt really want to go home with you. However, if you do want to take him home, please take my daughter with you. Matthew will be more than willing to go with you in this way. Henry said, Ah, thats just wonderful! All the servants adore Tammy, and Natalie misses her. So, if theye home together, it will make everyone happy. Henry, youve been talking a lottely, Peter red at him. Anna chuckled and finished her cup of coffee. After that, she stood up and watched the two kids slide down the slide next to the childrens ying area with Peter. You just said you were going to exin to me why you didnt get a divorce. Can you tell me about it now? Peter said. Oh, | thought you werent interested in it, Anna said after a brief pause. Peter furrowed his brow and appeared dissatisfied. He said, Of course, | want to know about it. Im curious about your past. Youve been with him for quite some time, havent you? Youre probably bing a smartass like him. Anna was amused when she realized that Peter was referring to Wayne. The entire city knew Wayne was a genius in the business circle, but she hadnt expected Peter to think he was a smartass. Anna exined, My husband and | are actually just friends, and our marriage is a sham. Tammy is my daughter, and he is not her biological father. Anna only told the first half of the story. She knew that Peter appeared to believe that she was married because she had no choice. Peter looked at her and then asked, Oh? Does Wayne know about this? Anna was surprised and said, Of course he does! How could he possibly be willing to date a married woman? Peter paused for a moment before returning to his serious demeanor. Come on, he could have been confused by you, too, he grumbled Tammy slid down the slide at that precise moment. She smiled and stood on the groundjumping several times more. Wow! Tammy, great job! Peter eximed as he smiled at her. Tammy responded to Peter, You dont have topliment me! Youre a very bad person! Tammy and Peter used to be very close. So, Peter froze and asked, Then could you tell me what makes me a bad person? As she crossed her arms, Tammy said, Oh, youre such a horrible man! | know you dont like my mom. FYI, many men are interested in her! She doesnt need to marry your grandson. Do you remember the deal we had made? You wanted a wife for your grandson and | wanted a father for myself. Now, the deal is off. Youre a liar! Anna looked at them suspiciously before asking, What deal? Tammy, what are you talking about? Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Hearing Annas question, Peter and Tammy both stared at each other with wide eyes. Just as Tammy was about to speak, Peter suddenly coughed violently. Henry, who was standing nearby, immediately understood what he meant and asked him with concern, Peter, are you all right? Anna, too, looked at him with concern before forgetting about the question she had just asked Thank you. Im fine. Lets go home. Its quite cold. Peter exined. Anna then called the two children over and told them to care for themselves. She let Henry and Peter take them away. Tammy appeared hesitant at first. However, she smiled happily when she saw Peter hand her a box of choctes she liked. Annaughed as she felt resigned. Then she called a cab and went home. After Anna left the house, Wayne and Ryan, who both suffered from a bad cold, looked after each other. Ryan felt dizzy and would say some strange things. So, Anna thought that Wayne was easier to take care of. At that time, Ryan was sitting on the couch and wrapped himself in a nket He wiped his nose with napkins, threw them away, and said, Wayne, | dont think Anna wants to talk to you. Are you sure youre not going to do something about it? After all, you did make a mistake. Dont think Anna will let you go just because youre sick. Wayne was standing in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee, and he didnt appear sick. You should mind your own business, he said. Ah, dont you think I make sense? You cant spend your life pretending to be sick! Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Wayne simply raised his head and handed him a ss of water and some pills. Ryan expressed his displeasure by tilting his head and saying, Icant stand taking any more pills! Every time | take the pills you gave me, | feel dizzier. Wayne said calmly, These are the pills you need to take before meals. If you dont want to have them right now, you can have themter. But it was the doctor, not me, who prescribed it for you. Ryan asked, So why didnt the doctor prescribe you medication? Wayne didnt respond but gave him a thoughtful look. Ryan was a little sluggish to react because he had a bad cold. Then he realized what he meant when he met Waynes gaze. He reached out and took the pills, which he then poured into his mouth. He sipped his water and eximed, Forget it! I shouldnt have asked you! Waynes cold, in fact, had long passed. And even if he hadnt taken the pills, he could have healed himself long ago. Ryan would have assumed he was still sick if he hadnt caught him throwing his pills in the trashter. To return Waynes favor, Ryan didnt tell Anna anything about it. Wayne didnt tell Anna that Ryan had recovered his memory, so he pretended to be unaware of it Then they heard the sound of a key turning and opening the door. Wayne instantly became as supple as a dehydrated vegetable before Ryan could react. He leaned back on the couch and yanked Ryans nket away to cover himself. Ryan looked at him and said, Youre such a good actor! Anna then entered, carrying two shopping bags. Hi, guys! | got you something good to eat, she said. Ryan held up his hand and then said, Yeah! Thank you! Anna put on her slippers as she looked at the two men lying imply on the couch. She asked, Ryan, dont you feel cold? You should get a nket to cover yourself too, just like Wayne did. Ryan looked at Wayne as soon as he heard Annas words. The nket was originally his, but it was taken from him by Wayne, who pretended to be ill. Wayne coughed violently just as they were talking. And Ryan would like topliment Waynes acting skills if Anna were not present. Anna immediately approached Wayne, touched his forehead, and said, Whats the matter? Are you all right? Youve been sick for a week, Wayne. Why havent you got better yet? Let me take you to the hospital. Wayne shook his head, and then said in a deliberately low voice, Oh, no, Il just rest at home. As he spoke, he gave Ryan a wary look. Ryan bristled, and then went back to his room. He didnt want to be an eyesore there. Anna entered the kitchen with the two shopping bags and said, No, you cant. Your grandfather just came to pick up Matthew. So, | guess hell want you to go back to work for your group soon. Wayne said firmly, No! Im not going. t Then she said, Why not? Do you still have a grudge against your grandfather? You know, old people are usually stubborn. You should take the chance because he gave you the option. Wayne draped a nket over himself, revealing a sliver of his floral shirt. Actually, | think staying here is pretty good for me now, he said gently, looking around the kitchen. Anna muttered, Do you no longer want to work? Well, you are free to do whatever you want. I wont mind. Waynes expression changed when he heard this. Anna, are you still upset about what happened at the banquet the other day? he asked. Anna paused before responding without looking up, No. She appeared to be at a loss for words, but Wayne assumed she was still angry. So, Wayne exined to Anna one more time, As | previously said, Rachel told me what Lillian said to everyone that day. Then, | asked her to stop talking about it. | didnt realize it was Lillian who said those things at the time, so | kept quiet. I simply didnt want you to know that you were being ndered. You did say that. Anna continued to keep her head down. Then, she noticed that Wayne stood up from the couch and approached her. Anna, in fact, didnt mind that he and Rachel were alone in the lounge. She was enraged and made a big deal out of it because Lillian had irritated her. She was no longer taking it seriously, but Wayne seemed to be haunted by it. After a while, Wayne approached the kitchen door, looked at Anna with concern, and said, Well, it appears that you have been upset about it. Since that day, youve looked preupied. What are you thinking about? Why cant you talk about it with me? Can we stop talking about it? Anna inhaled and said as calmly as she could. Confused, Wayne said, She said that just to frame you. But, what if she was telling the truth? Looking at him seriously, Anna said in a low voice. Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Anna had known for a long time that Richard wanted to buy the Gabriel Group. He had been eager to do so since he became the president of the Wright group. Richard had been a rival to Wayne since he was a child and had always wanted to be a winner. He had rarely shown up in the past three years because he wanted to get stronger and then win the game. He had to admit, however, that Wayne was a genius: a genius who had built the foundation of the entire corporate culture. As a result, he believed he had a long way to go to rece Wayne. And Gabriel Group, a medium-sizedpany, became his primary target. He chose this group after careful deliberation for two reasons. First of all, Wayne worked there. Second of all, the Gabriel Group had been in a terrible situation since Franks death. Furthermore, he did not believe Anna could save the group alone. They have confirmed the time and location for dinner tonight, Mr. Wright, In a sweet voice, his lovely secretary said to him. Richard leaned back in his chair and used his right hand to turn the wedding ring on his finger. He smiled gently, but his face looked solemn By the way, | also told Miss Xavier about it. She said she would definitely attend it. The secretary added. Richard then nodded his head in satisfaction. Mr. John Gilbert of the Joan Group hosted the dinner that night. Anna went to the dinner alone because Peter had told Wayne to go, home and talk about something. Miss Gabriel, its been a long time. You look fantastic. Anna was surprised to see two people she knew sitting at the table after a small talk with John. John exined, Ah, Mr. Wright brought his friend along for the asion. Do you mind it? Annaughed, looked at the friend he referred to and said, Oh, | certainly dont mind. Well, it seems that Mr. Wright is really well respected, Im surprised that you were able to invite Miss Xavier to dinner. Hearing that, Ada blushed with embarrassment, and she said as calmly as possible, Miss Gabriel, if youre still upset with me for what happened before, please ept my apologies. If you dont want to see me, I can leave. John looked at them, puzzled, and asked, Do you two know each other? Anna chuckled and said, Yeah. But because we didnt know each other very well, | didnt understand what she was saying, I cant remember what she was referring to now because so many things have happened in the past. Anna was well-versed in social etiquette. Almost the entire town was aware of Richard and Adas affair. However, people were afraid to bring it up in public because he was married. Anna had not anticipated him inviting Ada to the dinner party with him. In addition to Richard, representatives from the Joan Group and the Gabriel Group were present. John said he invited them to celebrate the fact that they could coborate. Everyone knew, however, that he was attempting to help Richard acquire the Gabriel Group. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone just ate and talked at first, and no one mentioned the acquisition. After a while, Wayne called Anna. Anna nned to go to the bathroom to answer the phone, so she could talk to him as much as she wanted. Everyoneughed and joked with her as she stood up. John stated, Oh, Wayne called you, didnt he? Are you nning to marry him soon? If so, you have to invite me to your wedding! Yeah, of course! Anna joked. As soon as she walked to the bathroom, Anna answered the phone. Anna, they didnt give you a hard time, did they? Wayne asked as soon as she answered the phone. Anna said as she leaned over the sink, No. You know, they wouldnt dare do anything to me. After all, Im also a president. Well, you know what, Richard brought someone with him today. Guess who! Who is it? Annaughed, attempting to tease him. Ah, shes your ex-girlfriend! she eximed. Wayne paused for a moment before asking, Well, who is it? Anna was making herself angry instead of embarrassing Wayne. Dissatisfied, she answered, Its Ada. Does this name ring a bell to you? They arrived here arm in arm, like a married couple. Do all men have mistresses after they marry? Wayne deliberately asked, Is that right? Well, | know many men who have more than one mistress. What did you say? Anna asked. But, Wayne chuckled, I only love you. And | will never have a mistress. He did figure out the trick to coaxing Anna. Just as the two were chatting, Anna heard someone walk in. She immediately said, Well, | have to hang up now; someonesing. Il talk to you when | get home tonight. Wayne replied, Okay, fine. Ille pick you up. She hung up the phone before Wayne could finish his words. Hearing the sound of high heels on the marble floor, Anna looked up as she washed her hands. Then she saw a woman she knew well. Anna was familiar with Ada, not only because the woman used to be around Wayne but also because she had recently attended many social events. Anna admired Adas strongworking abilities. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Shes A Sophisticated Woman Looking at Waynes handsome side face, Anna felt somewhat secure. Okay, she said, Ill be there for you no matter what decision you make. Wayne gave her a look before straightening her scarf. He noticed that Anna had recently gained weight, making her more curvy and attractive. He smiled mischievously, thinking, Anna, youve gained some weight. And it seems that most of the weight you gained went to your breasts. Good. 1 like it Meanwhile, Anna had no idea why he was smiling like that, so she asked, Why are you smiling like that? Is it because | look good in your scarf? Wayne nodded but didnt exin anything. He felt it was okay for him to lie about those small things. Wayne, lets go to the mall, okay? Anna asked after noticing the LED screen in the mall ying an advertisement for skin care products. They had arrived at the mall just a short walk away because the restaurant where Anna had her dinner was in the busiest area of downtown. Even though Christmas was still a month away, many stores had already put up their decorations. Wayne walked through the crowd, holding Annas hand. Many people were dressed in business suits and appeared to have just got off work. Anna walked alongside him in the mall, saying, Gee, Ive been feeling so coldtely, so Id like to buy a hat. But My hair will look bad as long as | wear the hat. Just before they walked to the skin care counter, Anna noticed childrens products for sale. Then she grabbed several items from the shelves and ced them in her cart, saying, I think this hat is so cute, and Matthew will look great in it. Wow, | like this yellow one. Oh, let me pick out a red one for Tammy. Wayne pushed the shopping cart and followed her, and then said, Okay, lets get another green one then. That way, the three of us would look like traffic lights. Anna looked at him and asked, Really? Do you really want one of those childrens hats? Wayne froze and then appeared upset. Forget it, he said. Despite his trust in Annas aesthetics, he didnt want to wear a hat that would make him look like an elf in a fairy tale. At the time, Anna saw a green hat and immediately wanted to put it on Waynes head. Wayne, who was much taller than her, grabbed her hand and held it so she couldnt ce the hat on his head. At the same time, in the living room of a three-story vi hidden in the forest in the suburbs, a woman was smashing things angrily. Ada sat angrily on the couch, holding an ice pack to her face. She had smacked an expensive antique Victorian vase because she was so enraged. However, she didnt seem to mind that because it was Richards. Dont touch me! Stay away! she yelled. Richard stood next to her, keeping a distance from her. He had fingernail red marks on his face, and it seemed like he was bleeding. He said, Well, I wont touch you. Actually, | didnt see thising today, either. Honey, | promise you Il fire all my assistants tomorrow. | didnt expect that I hired a bunch of bbers, Ada grumbled contemptuously, No, you may have misunderstood them. Your stupid wife appeared just as you ordered your driver to take Anna home. Dont you realize by now who really did this? Will you stop fighting Wayne for that damn job? Richard frowned, and then suddenly knew what she was referring to. He shouted, s**t! It was Anna Gabriel! Yeah! | told you Anna isnt the i***t you think she is! Damnit! What a b***h! Richard growled. Then Ada said, If you want to impress Peter by buying the Gabriel Group, you cant rely on pleasing Anna. Shell just get in your way, you know. So, the only way you can get the group is to make her disappear. Are you saying that you want me to kill her? Richard asked as he looked at her. Ada snorted coldly. Then she mmed the ice pack down hard on the coffee table. No, | want her to suffer as much as possible to the extent that she will wish that she was never born! Annas a very arrogant person. So, if she doesnt admit what happened six years ago, well put her through it again. | dont think she can stay in this city any longer that way! Even if she could be brazen enough to stay with Wayne, he will leave her. Richard suddenly knew what she meant and then said, I see. You want me to get rid of your enemy, right? Well, Im not going to deny it. But it will also do you good. Oh? said Richard, sneering, Tell me all about it. Ada stood up and stepped barefoot on the beige carpet. She was dressed in a burgundy satin gown that made her look as delicate and lovely as a rose on a summer night. Shed only taken two steps when the ribbon on her shoulder snapped. Her face was still swollen from being beaten, but her gaze was seductive. Asa result, Richard was immediately aroused. She exined, Well, Anna isnt the one who made the Gabriel Group as brilliant as it is today. If she were truly that impressive, her family wouldve undoubtedly valued her. However, they didnt. Wayne was the one who helped her about that. Plus, he will break up with her if you do it the way | told you. In that case, you can do whatever you want to her. Ada spoke with a vicious gleam in her eyes. Richard had always preferred his women to be ruthless and cruel, so he would have put his hand inside her clothes if it were before. He, however, tried to tease her this time. Ifyou dont want to take the risk, you wont be able to get what you want, Ada said When she saw Richard was still hesitant, she quickly stepped forward and gasped before copsing on the couch Richard frowned and then asked with concern, Ada, whats wrong? He noticed Adas foot had splinters and was bleeding. Ada bit her lower lip and leaned back on the couch, trying hard not to moan. Richard then approached her, touched her foot, and asked, Does it hurt? Dont move, honey. Ill have my servant bring you some medicine. He then yelled out the name of his housemaid. Meanwhile, Ada wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed into his ear. She whispered tenderly, But | dont want other medicine. Richard, YOU ARE my medicine. Richard was immediately turned on when he smelled Adas rose perfume. He gave her a brief nce before carrying her to the second floor. When the servant returned with the medicine, she discovered that no one was in the living room. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only And as she went upstairs, she heard moansing from the bedroom and found a womans underwear and dress on the stairs. In the bedroom, Ada was clenching the sheet under her body, moaning louder and louder. Seeing that her soft and round boobs were shaking and that her pink n*****s were swirling like roses every time he moved back and forth, Richard was more than thrilled. Then he sped up, pinching one of her n****s with his right hand and sticking his left thumb into her rosy mouth. The bed shook more violently, as a result. And it even started creaking, As her eyes were in and out of focus from time to time, Ada licked and sucked Richards thumb before saying, Choke me. What? Perplexed, Richard slowed down and asked. Just put your goddamn hands on my neck and f****g choke me! Then Richard put his hands on her neck and started to squeeze her neck gently. Harder! | want | want you to choke me harder! Ada shouted. Frowning, Richard squeezed her harder and harder. Meanwhile, he sped up again as he felt that Adas p***y was getting tighter and wetter. Ahllll! With the blue veins on her forehead bulging out, Ada moaned in pleasure and excitement. And she even squirted, leaving some wet marks on the sheet. Damn | didnt know you were into this kind of kinky stuff Sneering, Richard said while wiping the liquid that Ada squirted on him with a towel. Panting, Ada said, Now you know Im doing it for you, right? Richard replied, Yes, youre right. But | want to see how Anna will deal with the problems shes facing first. Chapter 293 Chapter 293 In the early hours of the morning, Anna heard a beeping sound. Thinking that it was her rm clock ringing, Anna pped it heavily a few times but found that it was still ringing. She nced out the window and saw that it was still dark. And when she looked at the time, she noticed it was just 3:00 a.m. Anna quickly realized that it was not her rm clock ringing but her cell phone. She had just answered the phone when she heard Andrew say in a panic, Anna! The warehouse is on fire! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Ina hurry, Anna asked Wayne to go to the warehouse with her. When they arrived there, they discovered that the warehouse was still burning. There were two fire trucks spraying water to stop the fire, but they didnt appear capable of putting out a fire like this. Anna had just stepped out of the car when she noticed Andrew standing next to her. He seemed out of ce as if he had just gone out of the burning warehouse. Andrew said, | left here at 8:00 p.m.st night after checking the goods. Then | asked the staff to double-check them tonight. An hour ago, someone called me and said that the warehouse was on fire. Im not sure how the fire started, but Im sure it isnt our fault. Anna, who was struggling to breathe, eximed in frustration, What is the point of debating who is to me right now? You know, our deadline is ina week. | told you we needed to deliver the goods today to avoid idents like this. But you insisted on keeping them in the warehouse. And now the warehouse is on fire! We couldve avoided this incident! Hearing that, Andrew appeared tired and perplexed. He stood there silently, listening as Anna med him Wayne said, Enough, Anna. Calm down. The warehouse is still burning, and we have no idea what is happening. So, dont me Andrew now. What you need to do now is figure out how to fix it. Anna became irritated and yelled at Wayne, So, what do you have in mind, Mr. Know-it-all2 She was so enraged that she stomped on the paper box next to her. It was the first order of Lemon. Since founding thepany, Anna had discovered that she had faced numerous setbacks, but she had ovee them all. Much to her surprise, right before they were going to deliver the order, the warehouse was on fire, making all their hard work go in vain. And she guessed that someone must have done this on purpose. At that moment, Mona walked over to their side. She and Wayne exchanged nces before separating Anna and Andrew so that both of them both would have enough space to calm down. Andrew was devastated as well. He left his previous job because his boss didnt trust him and forced him to take the responsibility. Because that situation was simr to this one, he was filled with mixed feelings. Wayne said as he pulled Anna back into the car and wrapped his, jacket around her, Anna, take it easy. Just calm down, okay? Maybe things arent as bad as you think. Anna was irritated to the core. She buried her face in her hands and sighed, Isnt this bad enough already? This is a total disaster, Wayne! It appears that | am incapable of managing a group on my own! | would have just managed Lemon if | had known that. | shouldnt have let Andrew take care of everything. Hes not the boss and cant handle everything on his, own! Wayne felt sorry for Anna when he saw her sad expression He said, Well, you have two options now. The first is to gain credibility by earning less. You can negotiate a half-month delivery extension with Joan Group. However, you must pay at least half of the liquidated damages. If that happens, you will lose money. Anna clenched her fists, and then said, Actually, m very concerned that even after | spend the money, | wont be able to persuade them to change their minds about me. You know, that bastard Richard has been eager to see me being embarrassed. He just wants to buy mypany after | lose money and ruin my reputation. Wayne said calmly, Dont worry, honey. You have another way. The deadline is in a week. And there are only half of the goods in the warehouse, and the other half are still in the factory. Well, that means we can have all factories in Birmingham produce all the ruined clothing in a week. What? Wayne, thats not possible. Wayne said emphatically, Anna, nothing is impossible. Youll know if it will be possible if you try. Anna had been frustrated before. And she felt better and regained hope after seeing how determined Wayne was. The fire burned all night and was only put out at dawn by the firemen. The next morning, Anna held an emergency meeting at thepany and told everyone to go to various clothing factories in Birmingham to ce orders. She ran into Andrew several times but didnt have time to talk to him. Mona reassured Andrew in the pantry, saying, Andrew, please dont be angry. Anna said those words because she was feeling anxious. She wasnt trying to point the finger at you. Andrew remained silent and lowered his head. They were about to leave when they heard some employees outside discussing the matter. One of the employees said, Im sure someone in ourpany started the fire. Have you read the news? Carousel has expressed interest in purchasing ourpany, but Anna has refused it. Guys, were ina crisis! Huh? What are you talking about? Who would do that? Hey, it was the first person who arrived at the warehouse that did ite When Mona heard this, she looked at Andrew as she felt nervous However, he stopped her as she was about to walk out the door to exin to them. Then the employees all started talking. No way! Is it really Andrew? Are you sure you dont believe me? | once heard that Andrew had an ident at his previous company and quit because he betrayed his boss. Andrew now spends every day at thepany, working his ass off to design clothes. However, Anna does not appear to be treating him well. She didnt even provide him with a ce to live! Every day, Andrew sleeps in our small and shabby break room. So, if the Carousel Group gives him more money, hell surely work for them. At that moment, Andrew said, To be honest, | think Carousel Group may not be able to give me what | want. Hearing that, the employees looked surprised and terrified. Andrew looked at them all indifferently before saying aloud, Ive been staying at the officete because Im preparing for a designpetition. | just heard you say that Anna isnt very nice to me. If thats the case, Im curious how much other top Birmingham designers get paid? Miss Gabriel offered me to stay in her vi on Royal Road. As you all know, its a veryrge and expensive house. The Carousel Group can afford to pay for such a house for me. But their new president is not necessarily willing todo so. Everyone knew that the houses on Royal Road were allrge and upscale. And only the rich people among the richest ones could afford to buy them. Just as everyone was in a daze, they heard Anna ask, Hey, what are you doing? Why are you all surrounding Andrew? They turned around and saw Anna, who looked like an elite in her dark green trench coat, white shirt, and khaki wide-leg pants. She said calmly and briefly, Okay, enough with the gossip. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Adas voice seemed to sweep through the air like a ne making noise. Then it vanished. Meanwhile, Anna just frowned and didnt go on arguing with her. The dinner party went extremely well, much to Annas surprise. Furthermore, Richard never mentioned purchasing her familys business. At nine oclock at night, the men all exchanged nces and offered to continue drinking elsewhere. Anna knew where they were going and said, Okay, you guys go ahead then. Im sorry, but Ill pass. | have to go home and take care of my kids. Richard immediately said, Anna, let me take you home then. Except for Richard, almost everyone at the table was drunk by that point. Anna looked at the ss in his hand suspiciously but saw nothing wrong with it. Anna said, shaking her head, Thank you, but | am fine. | believe it would be best if you take Ada home with you. Dont worry, my driver wille and get me. Richard gave her a brief nce before smiling. His smile, however, made Anna uneasy. He said, Isnt your driver upied with something else? Youre notfortable being alone with me, | see. No, youre overthinking. Ill have my driver pick you up. I still need to go to the bar with my buddies. Richard was correct: Annas driver did take time off. Anna didnt dare to refuse it because there were so many businessmen around. She couldnt tell everyone about her and Richards feud, or shed lose a large group of potential customers. Anna weighed the pros and cons and eventually agreed Then Richard smiled and said to others, Guys, can we send Miss Gabriel to the door now? We only have onedy here, and we need to make sure she gets home safely. Hearing that, a few managers from Gabriels group who were there with Anna nodded. Mona was the only one who was anxious about that and kept winking at Anna. Mona knew they were bitter enemies, so she didnt trust Richard and had no idea where his driver would drop Anna off. And she even suspected that Richard was up to no good. Following that, everyone joined Richard in walking Anna to the hotels entrance. His driver had already parked the car there at the time. Richard pretended to be a gentleman and opened the car door for Anna. He said in a weird tone, Lady first. No, its better for you to get in first, Anna said after seeing the person sitting in the car. Are you going backwards? You know, a businessman should never break his word. An Huh? | believe you are the one who went back on your word! The woman in the car said in a shrill tone, interrupting Richards words. Ada, who was standing behind Anna, became pale immediately. The woman, wearing ssic Christian Louboutin high heels, stepped out of the car. She smacked the Hermes bag into Richards face and yelled, Screw you! Richard, youre so shameless! Ive already told you that youre not allowed to see your mistress again! How dare you bring her to this party! Did you take me seriously or not?! Richard was extremely embarrassed. He then eximed, Stop it! What are you doing here? The woman pointed at Ada, who was standing next to Anna, and then angrily snapped, Shut the fuck up! | just want to know why the hell shes here! Adal Im going to ruin your face! Ive known for a long time that youve been flirting with my husband! You know what, Im going to strip you naked today! Ada struggled and yelled, Are you insane? Let go of me! Richard and | are just friends! Shut up! Who the f**k believes that? The two women then began to fight. At the same time, the drunken crowd gathered around them as if they were watching a show, and some evenughed. Richard was embarrassed and felt he had never been so humiliated in his life He said to the driver, Hey, stop watching! Get my wife out of here! As Anna was standing in the crowd and watching them fighting, a man suddenly grabbed her wrist. And the man had pulled her out of the crowd before she could scream. Anna took two steps after the man before realizing he was Wayne. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She immediately became overjoyed and said, Ah! Oh, Wayne. Hil She stopped, smiled, and asked, Gee, when did you get here? You nearly scared the hell out of me! Wayne smiled at Anna before approaching her and asking, How much have you drunk tonight? Annas eyes appeared to be filled with stars when she smiled. She exined, Not much, | only drank half a ss of wine. You know, Mona drank the rest for me. Shes really good at drinking. Wayne removed his grey cashmere scarf and wrapped it around her neck, and then smiled and said, Okay, lets give her a pay raise, shall we? When he was finished, he tucked Annas hand into his pocket. They then walked down the street together. He asked, We should go back on foot. The cold wind can help you sober up. Anna walked faster to catch up with him. Then she smiled and echoed, Okay. But | dont have to sober up at all. What brought you here? Did you tell Richards wife toe here? How did you know? | didnt even know Ada wasing. And Richard certainly didnt tell anyone about it. | think that you only found out about it because I told you on the phone. Wayne did not deny it but instead smiled wickedly. He didnt like meddling in other peoples affairs, no matter how many mistresses Richard had. He knew, however, that Richard would not let Anna return home safely tonight. The Carousel Group had recently been looking for trouble with the Gabriel Group, and he reasoned that it would be better to take the initiative to strike first. Oh, | forgot to ask what you and Peter were talking about. Tell me, will you? Anna changed the subject. Just the usual. Well, he was pressuring me to return to work at the group. Oh? Really? So, how about Richard? Richard will be fired as soon as | return to the group, ording to my grandfather. Furthermore, he will never get to work for the group anymore. | see, What do you think of it? When Anna noticed Waynes calm and collected demeanor, she knew hed refused his grandfather yet again. Wayne replied as she had expected, I didnt say yes to him. Since | want him to leave the group, | have to make him leave for good. Wayne said and then squeezed Annas hand in his pocket. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Everyone was surprised when seeing Anna standing in the middle of the crowd. However, when they heard her words, they all became very terrified. Just then, one employee sat back down at his desk and said, Ill finish the second half of the n before the end of the day! And Ill be able to finish next years as well! Everyone began working hard after thinking about the expensive vi Anna had given Andrew. Mona looked around in awe, realizing what people would do for money. Meanwhile, Anna and Andrew just stood there, staring at each other a bit awkwardly. Instead of being panicked like she wasst night, Anna appeared calm and determined. She said, Do you have a moment? Do you want to try some new jasmine tea | just got? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Yes, thank you, Andrew said with a smile. As they walked into her office, they smelled the refreshing aroma of the tea. On her desk was a porcin kettle filled with freshly brewed jasmine tea. She handed Andrew a teacup and said, Im sorry, Andrew. Hope you dont mind what Ive said to you last night. | shouldnt have said that about you. Andrew paused for a moment before responding, Anna, | ept your apologies. But | believe you are right. | was the one who insisted on keeping those clothes in the warehouse. And | was to be med for it. We could have cut our losses in half. Anna said seriously, Stop ming yourself, Andrew. Someone is attempting to harm us! Even if you are extremely cautious and avoid making mistakes, they will find other ways to make us suffer. Andrew frowned as he realized what she was referring to. He said, Oh, the fire department called me this morning. They imed the fire was caused by deteriorating warehouse appliances and that some workers had been drinking there at night. Anna said, We dont have time to figure out why the fire started. But that doesnt mean were not going to take it seriously. All we have to do now is reach out to as many factories as possible and try to make all of the clothes weve lost in half a month. The contract stipted a one-month delivery period. The factory had previously worked hard to finish a week ahead of schedule. However, Anna discovered that it was difficult to redo the clothes they lost in a week after taking stock of all the goods. Even if they had all of the factories in the city working overtime, it would take them two weeks to finish the products. But our delivery is in a week, Andrew expressed his concern. Dont worry, Ill talk to Mr. Gilbert about it. We will undoubtedly have to paypensation. Andrew paused for a moment before saying solemnly, Dont do it yet, Anna. Let me think of another way. Dont worry, Ill finish it on time. Anna responded to his words by saying, But thats nearly impossible! We wouldnt be able to turn them in within a week even if all the clothing factories in Birmingham help us. Andrew replied, Its still possible. Well, just leave it to me. Ill take care of it. Andrew left after that. Looking at his cup, Anna noticed that he hadnt taken a sip of tea. She realized he was anxious about it. However, even if he was in a hurry, it would be impossible for him to make it. Thinking of that, Anna couldnt help frowning. ?Anna and Mona went to the Joan Group to see Mr. Gilbert the afternoon before the deadline. They were about to open the door when a blue Porsche sped past them like lightning. Then it stopped in between Anna and the gate. If Mona hadnt acted quickly enough and yanked Anna away, Anna might have been hit by the car. Mona patted Annas back worriedly and asked, Anna, are you all right? Thank you, Im fine, Anna replied. Anna recognized the driver without even looking at the license te number of the car. She had seen her adversary again, as she had expected. Richard got out of the car, put on a fake smile, and said, Hey, Miss Gabriel, its been a long time. Anna gently squeezed Monas hand to keep her from arguing with Richard. She said with a smile, Well, it seems that you know my routine very well, detective. Hey, instead of mocking me, why dont you think about how youre going to negotiate the extension with Mr. Gilbert? Richard sneered. Its none of your business, Anna said this before marching straight to the door. Richard yelled at Anna, Anna Gabriel, the best thing you can do now is ask for my help. Because John and | are very close, | might put in a good word for you and help you. Anna pretended not to hear him and followed Mona into the elevator. Mona said after the elevator doors closed, I know we should just ignore Richard. But, maybe we should be nice to him right now. Im worried hell stab us behind our backs. Anna sneered and eximed, Even if Im nice to him, hell still do it. Either way, the fire would have happened anyways. Lemon didnt even have its own warehouse because it was a newly establishedpany. Anna didnt want thispany to have anything more to do with the Gabriel Group, so she rented a spot inside a warehouse in the suburbs. After the fire, the person in charge of the warehouse needed to pay a lot of money because the goods of otherpanies in the warehouse were also burned. So, he escaped. Mona had just returned from visiting various factories with Andrew to ce orders, so she was unaware of this news. She was taken aback and asked, How could this be? Oh my goodness! So, what are we going to do? The person in charge has run away, and the boss refused to take responsibility for it. | kind of admire Richard because he had actually thought of every possible way to make us suffer. Mona froze and sighed. Of course, she knew that Anna was implying that Richard had something to do with the fire. And the reason why Richard came here might be that he wanted to enjoy a good show. No wonder they seemed more hostile to each other, she thought. As they walked near to Johns office, Johns secretary spoke to him before allowing them to enter his office. Anna sat across from Johns desk, staring at him. John ced his pen and the papers in his hand and said, Isnt tomorrow the day of delivery? You dont have toe here in person, Anna. Anna heard Johns secretary say just before she tried to speak, Mr. Wright, my boss is speaking with Miss Gabriel. You cant get in the office now! Chapter 296 Chapter 296 When Anna heard those words, she frowned. She knew that Richard was there for a reason. Richard added, Miss Gabriel and | both want to talk about the same thing, so | believe we can do so together. John, Id be wasting your time otherwise, wouldnt |? John made a thought-provoking expression. The Carousel Group and the Joan Group had no business dealings, and John knew Richard because they shared amon hobby. However, since John was many years older than Richard, he deserved to be treated with respect. Richard, on the other hand, sounded as if he didnt take John seriously at all. Richard then asked Anna, You want to talk to John about that order, right?* She gave him a cold stare and said, Oh, | believe it is between myself and Mr. Gilbert. More precisely, it is between Lemon and the Joan Group. This has absolutely nothing to do with you. Richard walked over to Anna, and then looked at John and said, You look like you want me to get the hell out of the office, dont you? However, you appear to be missing the point. What do you mean? John asked after a brief pause. Hal It appears that my prediction was correct! Why dont you just say it, Anna? John and | are good friends, so hell forgive you for my sake. Anna remained silent while frowning. Richard told John, A week ago, there was arge fire in a warehouse in the suburbs. This incident even made the news. John asked suspiciously, Yes, | am aware of it. But, Richard, what exactly are you trying to say? Richard smiled at him and said, Ah, what Im saying has something to do with Anna. What was going on waspletely unknown to John. He wasnt happy with Richards attitude, but he couldnt get mad at him. Well, what is it? John asked again. Richard smiled as if he had won a battle and said, The clothes you ordered from Lemon were stored in the warehouse where the fire broke out. Plus, | heard that over half of them were burned. So, Anna probably wants to talk to you about applying for a dy, John asked, Anna, is it true? Anna locked her gaze on John, nodded, and said, Yes, Richard is correct. The fire destroyed half of our clothes. Besides, it left us with a significant financial loss. It appears that Richard knows literally everything, doesnt it? John didnt know what to say. And Richard said first, Oh, | heard that you had your staff go to almost every factory in Birmingham to ce orders and offer high prices for them to work urgently. Hows that going? You must be aware of our progress if you know all the news in town. All of Birminghams clothing factories are busy, so none of them ept new orders. | was perplexed by the news and wondered which clothingpany would produce so many clothes. Well, |ter heard it was your group. Do you no longer concentrate on the hotel industry? Do you really want to start doing clothes business? Anna said with a sneer. You are right, and | want to make some money there. You should be concerned about what youll do aboutpensation right now. What are you going to do about it, John? With that, Richard looked at John. John looked at Anna seriously and said, Well, if what you say is true, then we must follow the contract we signed. If you dy the delivery, you will have to pay 50% of the money aspensation. The order was valued at $20,000,000. If this is the case, Lemon must Pay $10,000,000. Moreover, Anna had to pay the cost of redoing half of the goods. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only This order would not only not make her money but also cost her more than $10,000,000. Lemon was a smallpany that couldnt afford such a big blow. Moreover, Gabriel Group had just returned to normal and did not have that much money to pay for it. And that was exactly what Richard wanted. He wanted to make Anna and the Gabriel Group suffer. When Anna noticed Richards contemptuous expression, sheughed and said, If we truly cannot deliver the clothes on time, John, we willpensate for your loss. However, the deadline is tomorrow. Richard sneered and remarked, Youre not even going to finish this, are you? Youre not a magician, so you wont be able to finish making the other half of the clothes that quickly. Anna replied, Im not a magician. However, the awesome designer | hired is. Richard was taken aback when he heard Annas words. Anna handed John a folder from her bag and said, See, this is our delivery note. I was about to give it to you as soon as | got here, but someone was constantly talking and bothering me just now. John, | was hoping you could go check the goods yourself because we did them in a hurry. Well, thats why I came here to see you.* Richard and John were both stunned after seeing that file. In fact, Anna thought she was hallucinating because she was exhausted when Andrew told her that he had made it. She knew no Birmingham factories could take new orders because Richard had paid them not to do so. Hed rather spend a lot of money preventing the factory from doing anything than keep Lemon running. However, a miracle urred. When John saw the delivery orders type and quantity, he was relieved and said, Really? Great! | have plenty of time now, so lets go. Ifthe clothes are as good as | expected, Ill give you the rest of the money tomorrow. John knew that he could not offend Anna even more because she had Wayne to support her. He felt that all he needed to do was finish this deal as soon as possible, Surprised, Richard said, Oh! That is not possible! Youd never be able to make so many clothes in a week! Furthermore, no factories in Birmingham would even ept your order.* Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Anna stood up calmly and tried to make her shirt look t. When she looked at Richard, she lifted her chin gently and appeared condescending. She said calmly, If you dont believe me,e with us to the Joan Group warehouse and look for yourself, You know what they say about seeing is believing. And you may regret spending so much money renting so many factories.* Richard obviously did not believe what Anna told him. He then apanied them to the Joan Groups factory in the suburbs, much to her surprise. When they arrived at the warehouse, they saw that Andrew was directing the workers to move the goods. Andrew said, Put it here! Please keep the womens and mens clothes separate, or they will all get mixed up. Several designers from Lemon were also there to help move the goods. After counting the clothes, John handed the list to his secretary and smiled at Anna, saying, Okay, thats perfect. Ill instruct the treasurer to give you the remaining funds. Anna smiled and shook hands with him, saying, That would be great! Thank you. | hope we can coborate againter. Then John looked over at Richard, who was beside him and said, Of course, yes. Anna, youre very trustworthy, so Im delighted to coborate with you. Now | must return to the office. Ill invite you to dinner to celebrate our coboration. Lappreciate it. Richard stood at the warehouse door after John left. ?And then he questioned Anna, Exactly which factory did you make the order from? Tell me, how did you manage to do it? Anna said provocatively, with a smile on her face, Huh? Why should | tell you? Are you trying to rent all the other factories, Richard? But theres no point in doing so right now. Youd better save yourself some money. Richard restrained himself from bing enraged. He said, Were going to buy yourpany sooner orter! So, you shouldnt be too happy about that. Youre just lucky this time. Anna smiled calmly and said, So, bring it on. Richard clenched his fists again, gritting his teeth at her contemptuous demeanor. Then he bolted from the warehouse, thinking, Ada was right. Annas nota fool but a sophisticated woman. Besides, she has Wayne on her side. Watching Richards receding figure, Anna said to Andrew, Andrew, you should have a rest now. Let the workers do the work. Ill treat you all to dinner tonight. Since we have the evidence which showed that it was Richard who started the fire, why dont you sue him? Andrew asked as he patted the dust off his clothes. Anna exined, Wayne told me we would have to get back at himter. So, now is not the time. Anna had always been suspicious of the fire. She didnt believe the evidence which said that the fire was caused by dry weather and aging wiring. She had a strong suspicion that Richard did all these. Therefore, she asked Ryan to locate where the warehouse manager was staying. After that, they went there, apprehended him, recorded and videotaped his words, and withheld all of the money Richard had given him. While they were talking, a truck drove up. Then a driver said to the workers, Hey! What exactly are you doing? Who opened the door of the warehouse ? One of the workers replied, Ah! | dont know. We just know we have to move everything inside the warehouse. Anna and Andrew both look at them as they hear their conversation. Andrew approached the truck and spoke with the driver before he drove away. Following Andrew, Anna asked, Whats going on? Andrew borated, Oh, hes here to deliver something, but he went to the wrong warehouse. The ce he wanted to go was over there. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna nodded. The road outside the warehouse was extremely narrow, and the driver did not appear to be very skilled in driving. Then the vehicle collided with Lemons transport truck with a thud. Anna was concerned that they would make a big deal out of it, so she stopped him and moved closer to Andrew to take a look. Much to her relief, the transport truck was only dented because it was much more robust andrger than the vehicle. Because it had so much stuff inside, that truck appeared very unstable. After shaking a few times, one of the boxes inside fell heavily onto the ground. Anna and Andrew immediately tried to help the unskillful driver pick up the stuff. However, at that moment, they heard the driver roar anxiously, Dont touch it! Hearing that, they both came to a halt. The driver jumped out of the car and picked up the paper box. He red at Anna, quickly walked up to the car, and drove away. Anna regained herposure and said, What a weirdo! Andrew, however, did not respond. Anna asked him, Whats wrong? Andrew, what are you looking at? Anna, look what this is, Andrew said, pointing to the white powder on the ground. Anna froze, then frowned, remembering how nervous the driver had been a moment earlier. In the evening, the four people met in Annas apartment. Wayne and Anna sat on the double couch next to two single sofas upied by Ryan and Andrew. They ced an A4 sheet of paper on the coffee table alongside the white powders on the floor. The powder was mixed with gray particles. Ryan took a long look at the paper before saying, Im not sure what this is, so Ill have to show it to some of my friends who majored in chemistry. However, | think maybe what you say is correct. It might be illegal drugs. Anna shook her head as if she couldnt believe what she saw. She inquired, Do you believe the Joan group have done this? | asked around, and their warehouse is not open to the public. This warehouse is only essible to employees of theirpany. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 298 Pretty Boys Are the Best | dont think the Joan group would dare to have illegal drugs deals inside a warehouse they own because its too dangerous. They are in the airline business and make far more money than they do from drug dealing each year. If this is rted to this group, maybe one of their employees did it. Wayne analyzed. Anna frowned and asked, What do you mean? Are you saying someone secretly sells drugs out of the groups warehouse? That is impossible! You know, unless theyre insane. Ryan suddenly asked, You just said that the driver went to the wrong warehouse, right? Does that mean he was here for the first time? Yes, it appears so, Anna said after a brief pause. Ryan said, folding up the A4 paper on the table and putting it in his pocket, Okay, Im going to have the powder tested. Actually, things might not be what you think they are. Honestly, | dont think anyone would be bold enough to do this publicly. After all, this driver was only here for the first time, right? Why hadnt anyone told him where he needed to go? These four people sat in the living room and talked for a long time without reaching a decision. Ryan exined that he had a ss the following day and would spend the night at school after Andrew had left. Anna gathered up the coffee cups on the table. Wayne said as she was about to walk into the kitchen to wash the cups, Anna, let me do it. Then he took Annas dishwashing gloves from her grasp. Anna didnt refuse him, and she stood by his side and talked to him while ying Tetris on her phone. She said, Ryan seems to have his final examsing up recently, so hes always away from home. Sometimes, | feel quite lonely when hes not around. You mean, do you like having many people in the house? Wayne froze, gazing at Annas face. Anna nodded absentmindedly and said, Of course! You know, the more, the merrier. | do like having a lot of people in the house. Anna, how about we have more kids after we get married? Wayne suggested. He finished and returned to his cup-washing duties. Anna was preupied with finding the proper location for the squares and thought she had misheard something. She continued to y the game before asking, What were you saying? Im sorry, | didnt hear you clearly. Wayne ced the washed cups on the shelf upside down, then removed his gloves and said, Oh, | asked if you wanted more people in the house. Anna felt dizzy and realized she had just answered the question. Of course I do, she said again. She had been so preupied with the game that she hadnt thought much about what Wayne had just asked her. Wayne had finished washing the cup by then. Okay, lets go to bed, he said, gently pinching Annas cheek with his wet fingers.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Anna followed Wayne back to the bedroom, still blushing. She couldnt recall what Wayne had just said to her, but she was pretty sure he had mentioned the word married earlier. Meanwhile, a man was on the phone on the balcony of a huge house in the suburbs. Okay, | got it. Thank God that stuff is fine. After hanging up the phone, Richard returned to his bedroom. Ada had just gotten out of the shower and was putting face cream on the makeup table. She asked, Richard, who called you? He replied, Oh, you dont need to know that. All you need to know is that | intend to destroy your enemy as you told me. Ada was taken aback and asked, Huh? Have you already made up your mind? Yes, Ive already thought about it. You are right, Anna is indeed a powerful woman. Not only is she smart, but she also has Wayne to back her up. So, I cant treat her in the usual way. | must utilize some other ways to make her suffer. Ada seemed concerned about this and then asked, Really? So, how are you going to do it? Let me do it for you if you dont know what to do. Richard interrupted her and said confidently, Well, | know what you want to say. You dont have to worry about it because Ive already nned it. All we have to do now is force her to break up with Wayne. Richards tone was as cruel as the howling wind outside the house that night. Hearing that, Ada nodded and even smiled. The next day, the Gabriel Group held a morning meeting to discuss who should be chosen as the brand ambassador. The advertising director handed Anna a file containing a long list of names. He said, Look, weve chosen these performers. | considered how much they wanted to be paid, their poprity, and whether they fit in with the image of our group. The top three artists are all the best, but each has his own strengths and weaknesses. As a result, we need you to make the final call. Anna yawned as she looked over the long list and said, Well, you guys decide then. Why not use the first one since youve already ranked them? Anna had no idea who the new artists in the entertainment industry were these days. In fact, she believed that having Scott as an endorser would be best. But because he was still on vacation in Bali with Randall, he couldnte back immediately. ?A few dayster, Mona asked Anna to visit the shooting site. Anna was very reluctant about that and said, This is something the advertising department needs to do. Why should | bothering? Im not particrly interested in this. No, you muste! As our chairman, you need to meet our endorser, Anna. Well be screwed if the advertisement does not reflect our groups image. Anna looked at Mona and said, Well, | know you never care about such trivial things. Tell me the truth, why did you bring me here? Mona pursed her lips and appeared embarrassed. She exined, The spokesperson they chose is a well-known model, and some of my colleagues wanted me to ask him for an autograph. Well, we all think hes very attractive! Anna seemed to disagree with her and asked, Really? Is he really that attractive? Actually, Im not interested in the new generation of models. | believe they are all not as handsome as my Anna then stopped talking. Mona immediately asked, What do you want to say? Not as good as what? You want to say theyre not as attractive as your BOYFRIEND, right? Hearing that, Anna looked embarrassed. Mona said, Yes, Mr. Wright is indeed very handsome. Hes that tough and reserved type. But, you know, he isnt a popr type these days. Anna felt that she had lost track of the trend. She asked, Huh? So, whats in style right now? Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Perplexed, Anna blinked and asked, Really? Is this the current fashion? It is, indeed. Its also prevalent nowadays to date men that are younger than you. Oh Anna said, looking at her nkly. Mona then told Anna about thetest dating trends and what the pretty and cool boys were all about. She said seriously, Pretty boys, in general, are the kind of cute boys who are more considerate, gentle, and caring. Then there are the cool boys, who are more dominant but care about their girlfriends as well. Oh, it appears that both types of boys are nice. Its no surprise theyve be so popr recently, Anna said. Mona said with her eyes glistening, Yes, the model that thepany hired this time is very pretty. Surprised, Anna inquired, Really? Well, | would love to see how pretty the model is. After a while, they walked to the studio. Mona appeared to be very excited about meeting the model, but she hadnt forgotten about her work when she arrived there. She and a few other assistants handed out the cakes and coffee they had bought, and then looked at Anna expectantly. And it wasnt until Anna nodded that Mona dated to approach the model for an autograph. Anna didnt go there to greet the model because she wasnt interested in showbiz and models. Also, Scott asionally told her about recent events involving the actors, but she thought it was boring. When she looked up, she noticed that Mona was taking pictures with that model. The boy was tall. Standing in front of the filler lights, he looked as fair as a vampire, making it hard for Anna to see his face clearly. Anna sipped her coffee while talking with the nner next to her. It didnt take long for Mona to finish taking pictures with the model. Several minutester, Mona walked to Anna and said, Anna, please allow me to introduce you to our model Leon. Oh? With that, Anna looked up and saw Leon, the well-known model standing behind Mona. His eyes were light blue and as clear as spring water, His skin was fair, and his lips were rosy. With a few locks of his stunning blond hair dangling on his forehead, he reminded Anna of Leonardo Dicaprio in the 1990s, and he was indeed a pretty boy. Leo, nice to meet you, Reaching out her hand, Anna greeted him politely. Leon extended his hand, smiled, and said, Youre a lot younger than | thought youd be! Miss Gabriel, you are stunning. His voice was as refreshing as a spring breeze and very pleasant. Anna froze. And she immediately came back to her senses and said, How sweet of you. Young people like you are all so lovely, arent you? Leon blinked, and then ttered Anna, But Anna, youre also one of us. You look to be in your early 20s in my eyes. Hearing that, Annaughed. She finally understood why everyone liked those pretty boys nowadays. They were not only good-looking but also good at pleasing women with words. Anna replied politely, Why dont you go have some coffee and cake that my assistant brought you? | have to leave now, and Ill see youter. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she was about to leave, Leon grabbed her sleeve and asked seriously, When will it be? Anna wanted to frown, but she didnt. She only said that out of politeness. If theirmercial shoot went well, it would be finished for the day. As a result, they might never see each other again. Leons question surprised Anna, but she regained herposure soon enough. Well, Ill buy you dinner after you finish shooting themercial, she said. Leon smiled happily and said, They said they can finish shooting themercial this afternoon. Lets go out and have dinner tonight. His response astounded Anna. Leon had already turned around and returned to the studio by the time she came back to earth. Andter on, he turned around and winked at her. Mona, is this the pretty boy you were talking about? Dont you think what he said is a little cheesy? Anna asked Mona. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Do you remember what | told you before? Ryan asked. Even though Ryan had only recently be an adult, he handled situations with maturity. He would sometimes purposefully act naive in front of Anna. He didnt bother pretending in front of Wayne, though. Wayne appeared solemn, like a statue. He then analyzed, Richard owns approximately twenty nightclubs in Birmingham. The police discovered drugs in two clubs this time, but neither had anything to do with him. | paid close attention to where they were checking this time and was surprised that they didnt check even one of Richards clubs. Ryan looked at Wayne, hoping he understood what he was saying. Wayne certainly got his meaning, as he had expected. They both knew there would be no such thing as a coincidence in the world. Since the cops were going to search the entire city for illegal drugs, they wouldnt have spared all of Richards nightclubs. Asa result, they both suspected Richard of bribing the cops. What are your ns? Wayne asked, his brow furrowed. To be honest, Im not going to call the drug squad and tell them about it. Next month, our school will host a live exercise with the Eighth Military District, and the Blue Eagle Department is located right downtown. | believe they are more trustworthy than the drug squad. But Im only concerned about one thing: the driver saw Anna. Ryan paused briefly before continuing, Normally, drug dealers are extremely cautious and cruel. Im afraid that he might endanger Anna or even kill her. Wayne became serious after hearing his words, knowing that Ryans concerns made sense. In the evening, Anna had just finished signing with a client when her phone in her pocket kept vibrating. She took it out and found that someone had sent her several text, messages. To her surprise, they were all from Leon. Leon had just texted her to say hello after she left the studio. And she had no idea how he had got her cell phone number. She examined the messages and noticed that Leon didnt send any words to her. Instead, he sent a lot of emojis and selfies with words on them: Anna, what are you doing? Do you think Im cute? Why are you ignoring me? Im mad at you now! Im starving The longer Anna read his texts, the more irritated she became. As a result, she read his final message directly: Dont forget about having dinner with me tonight! Il be at the studio waiting for you. It wasnt until then that Anna remembered that she invited him to dinner. Then she asked Mona, Mona, what time is Mona, who was in the passenger seat, nced at her watch and said, Its 7:30. Whats up? Is themercial shooting over? Anna asked. Mona replied, I asked the nner, and she said they had just finished their work. Everyone is now ready to leave. Tell them not to leave just yet because Im going to treat them to dinnerter. Will you find a restaurant nearby for me? Sure, no problem. Will you be there? Anna motioned with her hand and said, No, Im not going. You can go there on behalf of me. OKI After calling one of her colleagues, Mona said to the driver, Sir, please stop at the next intersection. Ill take a taxi there. Will you please take Miss Gabriel home? Later on, as they passed through a downtown mall, Anna noticed arge LED advertising the Carousel Group. Ada had been appointed as the groups spokesperson. She was dressed in a pure white silk gown and appeared very innocent in the photograph. But Anna was well aware that Ada was no innocent woman at all. She had harmed Matthew several times in recent years and nearly killed him. Ada pretended to be naive at first. But after dating Richard, she began to get tired of pretending. Anna would have sued these two vicious people immediately if Wayne hadnt said it wasnt a good time. Someone called her just as she was still in a daze. Anna didnt recognize the number and paused before responding, Hello? Anna, why arent you here yet? Leon asked, sounding as if he was about to cry. Anna froze and asked, Leon? Is that you? He sniffled and grumbled, Yes, this is me. Its freezing outside! Ive been waiting for you for AGES, Anna. Huh? But my assistant has reserved a table for dinner. Didnt you get the message? Leon expressed his dissatisfaction, No! | was desperate to see you, so Heft as soon as I finished my work. Ill meet you at the fountain in the center square. Anna smirked and said, You really dont have to wait forme. Mona informed everyone that they were going out to dinner. Ill give Mona your phone number and have her call you. Leon cut her off before she could hang up. No! Dont hang up just yet! Were not having dinner alone tonight, are we? Anna expressed her resignation by saying, No. Im having the entire crew over for dinner because everyone has been working extremely hard today. And | want to reward them all for it. Are you noting? Sorry, Im not gonna make it. My assistant will go there on behalf of me. But youve promised me that you would have dinner with me this afternoon. Ive been looking forward to seeing you for a long time! Im not going to eat with them. Hearing that, Anna had a headache and felt like she was speaking to a kid despite the fact that Leon was only a few years younger than her. Im sorry, but Im afraid | wont be able to make it this time, Anna said as calmly as she could. Leon sounded like he was already crying, saying, Birmingham is far too cold, | just got back from Melbourne, where its still summer. And | forgot to bring my jacket with me. When Anna heard his voice, she suddenly thought of Scott, whom she had met many years before in the underground boxing ring. Back then, he was a quiet kid, and he just stared at her with his clear eyes. Anna was fifteen years old at the time. She told Scott, Do you wanna leave with me? Ill get you out of here, and Ill be your sister from now on. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Atst, Anna was finally persuaded by Leon into meeting him in the fountain za. It took Anna half an hour to get to the street he was referring to. She walked to the fountain za as soon as she got out of the car and noticed a tall man sitting by the fountain pool. He stood out in a crowd of people wearing down jackets. Leon wasnt wearing a jacket, which surprised Anna. He only wore a sweater and a cor over his face. He was shivering as he sat on the steps by the pool. Anna felt sorry for him and took off her jacket, wrapping it around him and saying, My God! Why dont you go wait for me inside the mall? Its freezing out here! Leon sniffled and replied, There are too many people in the mall, and | was afraid someone would recognize me. Anna understood his concern but was perplexed as to why he was waiting for her on such a cold day. She asked, You said wed eat here, didnt you? So, whats the big deal about being recognized by your fans? Then she thought to herself, Well, Leon, you dont seem to be a smart guy. But What can | do about it? Chapter 301 Chapter 301 When Leon heard Annas question, he froze. Oh Youre right, he said after blinking. Anna could hear his teeth chatter as he trembled. Feeling a headache again, Anna said, Today has been bitterly cold. Lets skip dinner tonight, and Ill take you to your hotel. Where are you staying? Leon followed Anna to the car without saying anything. The hotel where Leon was staying wasnt far away. A few minutester, Anna dropped him off in front of the hotel, saying, You should keep my coat. Or the wind will make you catch a cold. Since herpany asked Leon to be the spokesperson for herpany, Anna felt that she should take care of Leon when necessary. She was worried hed catch a cold because of the shooting. What worried her more was that she was afraid that some of his frantic fans wouldunch a cyber attack on herpany for it. Wrapping in Annas coat, Leon said happily, Great! Thanks! Ill give it back to you after | wash it. All right, you can return it to me the next time you visit this city. Anna smiled and waved him off. She sighed with relief as she shut the car door and asked the driver, Please take me home. Anna was aware that many famous celebrities were picky. So, meeting all of their demands was thus a difficult task. As the car drove into the street where she lived, Anna noticed a man dressed in a ck coat standing in front of the building. She immediately became overjoyed. As soon as the car stopped, she ran toward Wayne and hugged him. She raised her head and asked, Wayne, how did you know Ille back now? Wayne frowned when he noticed she wasnt even wearing a coat. Oh, | called Mona, and she told me about it, he said gently as he wrapped her in his coat. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Huh? You have spies watching me around? What else did Mona tell you? Wayne looked displeased and replied, She said you were supposed to return home half an hour ago. However, Ive been here waiting for you for over forty minutes. Mona appears to be a less-than- professional spy. Anna burst outughing and eximed, Mona isnt always with me. Shes busy tonight because shes taking the staff out to dinner. Dont bother her with my schedule, honey. You are wee to ask me, and Ill keep you updated on everything. Wayne wrapped his arm around her and led her toward the building when she continued to shiver and freeze. Oh, | get it. Youre too busy, he said. Anna nodded and said, But you used to be much busier than | am now. Im busy now, but Im home every day. Well, you used to travel for months before. Wayne pressed the elevator button after entering the building. While they were waiting for the elevator, Wayne removed his coat and draped it over her, asking, Wheres your coat? Anna sighed and exined, Geez! Im still mad about that! why? Do you know about the pretty boys and the cool boys? Anna asked, blinking. Wayne blinked in confusion, clearly unsure about what she was talking about. Oh, its a trendy look right now. Girls are currently attracted to both types of boys who are younger than them. The cool boys are the more dominant boys, while the pretty boys are the gentler boys. Wayne didnt appear to be interested in this at all. So, Anna, what does this have to do with you not wearing a coat? he continued. My coat was taken by a pretty boy. Anna shrugged her shoulders and tucked her neck inside the coat. Because Waynes coat was wide and had pads on the shoulders, Anna looked very funny in it, like a child wearing an adults clothes. She looked carefully at Waynes expression. Out of her expectations, Wayne wasnt as envious as she thought he would be. What exactly are you talking about? he asked after a brief silence. Anna felt helpless and lost interest in joking with him. She said, Do you understand what Im talking about? The boy Im talking about is named Leon, the new face of ourpany. You know, my employees adore him very much! Allin all, he took my coat. Hearing that, Wayne froze. At that point, the elevator had just arrived on the first floor. Anna walked into it immediately. Wayne followed her into the elevator, frowned, and asked, Huh? Is the Leon you mentioned a guy? As she looked at his expression, Anna teased him, Yes, it is obviously a guys name. In fact, | like Leon very much. Wayne became sullen and asked, Huh? What did you say? Oh! | said that | like Leon! Im not particrly interested in other celebrities, but Im a huge fan of Leon. When Anna looked into the elevator mirror, she noticed that Wayne was visibly upset. But you never told me that you liked him before, he pointed out. Thats because | like him deep down in my heart. Thats all that matters, Anna restrained herself from laughing aloud. She thought. Gee Wayne, you should take a good look at yourself right now. How could you look so serious yet funny at the same time? Im just joking with you! How is it possible that like a not-so-smart guy like Leon? At that precise moment, the elevator arrived at her floor. Wayne grabbed her wrist and pulled her back just as the doors were about to open. Anna let out a surprised gasp. As she came back to her senses, Wayne had already pressed her against the wall of the elevator. Looking down at her, Wayne asked seriously, So, you just met Leon, did you? Anna struggled for a moment but was unable to break free. She snorted and asked, What are you doing, Wayne? Hold on Are you jealous of Leon? Wayne became more somber and asked, Why are you stillughing? Do you think Im joking with you? Answer my question! Anna stopped struggling and simply leaned against the elevator wall, looking at him teasingly. Then she said, Yes, | met Leon tonight. He invited me to dinner downtown near the square. | took my coat off and gave it to him because he wasnt wearing one. Waynes anger red like fire when he realized that Anna was still wearing his coat. He tightened his grip on Annas wrist and seemed about to yell at her. Youre hurting me, Anna said with a frown. She immediately felt cold after saying that. Then she realized Wayne had taken away the coat. And he didnt want her to keep wearing it. Anna shivered from the cold and reached for his arm, asking, What are you doing? Im cold! Didnt you give Leon your coat? You are wee to wear his. Of course, Wayne knew Anna wouldnt cheat on him with another man. However, the fact that she gave her coat to the young model irritated Wayne. And yes, he was jealous because of it. Anna wanted to burst outughing when she saw Waynes unhappy and irritated expression. She would have liked to tease him a little longer if it hadnt been so cold, just to see when hed get mad at her. Not wanting to tease him any further, Anna winked and exined, The Leon Im talking about is Leonardo Dicaprio, one of my favorite movies, not this model. Wayne, youre overthinking it. Wayne froze and then turned to face Anna. He finally realized he was being fooled by her when he noticed the teasing expression on her face. After that, he quickly grabbed her arm and pinned her against the wall again Im sorry, | shouldnt have done that. Please dont tickle me! Anna begged. Wayne knew which part of Annas body he was supposed to tickle. Annas face flushed withughter as she begged him to stop. Wayne froze as he watched Anna blush and gasp. Then he began to pant as well. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 The light in the hallway was on and off as they hugged and kissed each other passionately. Anna was so intent on kissing Wayne that she tapped the wrong code for the door several times. Meanwhile, the beeps echoed throughout the empty hallway. The two of them didnt stop kissing and making out after they entered the apartment. Before they could walk to the bedroom, Wayne lost his patience and couldnt wait any longer. He quickly pulled off Annas skirt and panties and then put her down on the sofa. Blushing, Anna looked at Wayne, who was unbuckling his belt, with excitement glistening in her eyes. At the same time, she was taking off her clothes piece by piece. First, her jacket, then her sweater, and after that, her bra. Looking at the naked beauty in front of him, Wayne immediately took off all his clothes as well, revealing his muscr and firm chest, his eight-pack abs, and his long and hard d**k. Having leaned forward to Anna, Wayne rubbed Annas soaking wet p***y with the head of his p***s. Just as he was about to go all the way inside her, much to his surprise, Anna grabbed her d**k and pulled it out. With a naughty smile, she pushed Wayne on the sofa and got on top of him. anna, what are you Confused, Wayne slightly frowned and asked. However, the strings of pleasure that Anna brought her interrupted him. Emmm Wayne couldnt help moaning as Anna was licking and sucking his c**k. Gosh Anna, since when did you be so good at b*****b? Ahhh It feels soooOO good s**t! Dont go so fast! | dont wanna c*m so Soon At the thought of that, Wayne closed her eyes and continued groaning. Then he tried to stop Anna from sucking his d**k. Knowing that he would c*m if she kept sucking him like that, Anna stopped tacitly before Wayne could stop her. Then, having made sure that his hard d**k was aiming at the right spot, Anna sat on Wayne and began her riding. It was the first time that Anna took the initiative to ride him. Therefore, Wayne was overwhelmed with thrill and excitement. Following her instruction, Wayne kept gently rubbing her soft and perfectly-shaped boobs with both hands. And in turn, Anna moaned louder and louder. Seemingly wanting for more, Wayne suddenly sat up. Then he caressed her neck with one hand and grabbed her butt with the other, helping her move up and down more quickly. Ahhh Wayne, Im tired With her eyes in and out of focus from time to time, Anna said to Wayne in a pleading tone several minutester. Alright. Always at your service, my queen, With that, Wayne helped Anna stand up. After that, he led Anna to the back of the sofa and ced her hands on the headrest of the sofa. Realizing that Wayne wanna go for a doggy style, Anna tacitly bent her back and raised her hips. Little did she know that Wayne would go so fast and so deep right after she raised her hips. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Ahh Emmm Wayne Anna started moaning again. As Wayne sped up, she was even more carried away. Clenching the headrest, Anna suddenly gradually felt that she wasing. And she started trembling uncontrobly. At the same time, Wayne was about to c*m as well. As the room was dark, when the silver moonlight shone through the curtains, their shadows danced like mes on the walls. Ah The two moaned and reached o****m at the same time. After that, Wayney on the sofa with Anna nestling against his chest. Then Wayne brought up the topic, Was it Mona who told you that dating boys younger than you is a trend these days? Anna didnt want to dwell on it, but she nodded anyway. Then what about dating older guys? Is it that bad? Hearing that, Anna looked up at Wayne and felt she wasnt sleepy anymore. Do you really want to know about this? she asked. Wayne nodded. He knew he wouldnt like what Anna said, but he was curious nheless. Anna borated, The younger boys, ording to Mona, are cuter. However, older men are harsh, bad-tempered, and tend topliment others less. Wayne frowned and seemed to disagree with what she said. Is that your definition of harsh?? he asked Anna responded immediately, Of course! You see, youd never say any good words about me! After Anna said that, she looked at Wayne and realized he maybe had neverplimented others. Then she added, Wayne, dont mind it. Actually, | dont need people to praise me all the time. Wayne, still intrigued, asked, So, Mona actually said Im a harsh person? Anna pressed her lips together. When she saw his curious expression, she nodded and said, Sorry, but yes. Wayne became increasingly agitated before saying, Well, maybe its time for you to have a new assistant then. Anna wanted tough out loud but didnt dare to do so. She said, You said you would give Mona a raise the other day, right? Its your decision because youre the treasurer. Wayne had an embarrassed expression on his face as if he was ina difficult situation. When Anna saw his expression, she knew it was time to give Mona a raise and that it would be well worth it. Plus, she felt she needed to spend more time on TikTok to keep up with thetest fashion trends. Over the weekend, Anna went to Peters house to see the children. Wayne wanted Anna to take the kids home, but she refused it. She had recently been too busy to take care of them. Besides, Peter would be lonely if she took away the kids. When Anna and Wayne arrived at the door, they were greeted by Henry and several servants. Wheres grandpa? Wayne asked as he stepped out of the car, holding Annas hand. Well, hes up on the hill in the back garden with the kids. | suppose theyre building a snowman. Matthew said he wanted to y in the snow some time ago. Its been coldtely, so Peter got a snow machine and made a lot of snow on the hill. Wayne frowned and asked, Huh? Why are they interested in making snowmen all of a sudden? Anna said, Oh, | believe Tammy came up with the idea. Her favorite winter activity is having fun in the snow. | used to take her skiing every winter, but Ive been so upied with worktely and have no time for it. ording to the weather forecast, it will snow in the next few days. Every year in early December, it would snow in this city. However, it was already mid-December, and there had been no snowfall. Anna and Wayne had to go to the mountain behind the mansion because Peter and the kids were not there. After a while, they found the hills covered with snow, which looked like a winter wondend. The Two children in yellow and red hats were running through the white snow and throwing snowballs at a person hiding behind a tree. Anna recognized that it was Natalie. Then she noticed Peter crouching on the ground, who appeared to be full of life. He was standing still, but there were a lot of snowballs around his feet. Anna was taken aback, pointed at Peter, and asked Wayne to look at him. Wayne froze after he saw Peter. He knew his grandfather was always a serious man, so he would be thest person on earth to y in the snow with the kids. Anna said, Can we take a bet? Im sure I can convince Peter to y in the snow with us. Wayne said, shaking his head, No way! | know him, and he doesnt like ying in the snow. OK, so what should we bet on? Anna asked. Ifyou win, Ill do the dishes for the month. Anna immediately walked ahead and said, OK, its a deal! Ah, no! Youve always been the one in charge of doing the dishes. Wayne remained silent, smiling and looking at her calmly, waiting to see what she would do. Anna didnt care if the bet made sense or not. She raised her chin at Wayne before sprinting over to Peter and saying, Grandpa, hello! Peter shuddered with shock as he saw her. He looked awkwardly at her while trying to hide the snowballs by his feet. He said, Oh, its you, Anna, hi. Anna knelt and took two of the snowballs in her hands, saying, Please do not hide them. Look how perfect the snowballs are! With that, Anna immediately threw one of the snowballs made by Peter at Tammy, who was running wildly in the snow. Tammy copsed to the ground after being hit. When she turned around and saw Peter standing there, she said to him, Who hit me? Was it you? But you said you wouldnt y with us, Grandpa Peter! Peter said as he was in a daze, Ah, it wasnt me! | didnt do it. Anna was hiding behind Peter at that point. Tammy didnt even notice her mother because she was slimmer, and Peter was wearing a heavy ck down coat. Anna threw another snowball at Tammy, hitting her on the head, while she was arguing with Peter. Tammy screamed again and then shouted to Matthew, Hey, Matthew! Grandpa Peter threw a snowball at me! The two kids talked for a while as if they were nning something. They then threw more snowballs at Peter as they worked together. When Natalie realized no one was using her as a target, she ran out and eximed, Dad, let me help you! Then, like bullets, countless snowballs flew through the air. Tammy hit Peter because he couldnt dodge in time. Anna quickly picked up the snowballs on the ground and began throwing them. After throwing a huge snowball, Peter seemed as happy as a child. Everyoneughed as they were running and ying in the snow. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 The war of snowballs then became increasingly intense, and Wayne, a neutral standing on the sidelines, was hit. Later, he was forced to take part in their fight. Then no one cared about which side they belonged to anymore. They simply smashed the snowballs against the first person they saw. Henry told them to have dinner many times, but they all ignored him. Finally, they stopped ying because they were all starving. As they walked to the dining room, they were talking excitedly about the snowballs fight. Their faces flushed from running andughing. During the meal, while everyone was eating quietly, Peter suddenly said, Oh, | heard Henry say that Tammy likes skiing a lot. So, why not build a ski resort in the suburbs? Annas eyes widened in surprise as she heard his words. Wayne nodded very calmly and said, Okay, you make the call, grandpa. Although it snowed in this city every year, the snow would melt immediately. As a result, the snow in the ski resort was always artificial. It was a good idea because there were no major ski resorts nearby. Then Peter said, No, | cannot make that decision on my own. Wayne, you should be in charge of the investment and nning. Im an old man and dont have the energy to run around for investment. It took Anna a moment to realize Peter was pressuring Wayne to go back to the Carousel Group. Wayne handed a piece of dessert to Anna and said, No, Grandpa, Ive been extremely busy recently. So, maybe Ill think about it sometimeter. Peter said impatiently, What are you working on these days? Youre just a mid-sized corporate treasurer! You know, its not as good as being a president! Anna felt humiliated immediately because she was the president of the medium-sizedpany Peter was referring to. She felt awkward and even wanted to leave the table. When Wayne noticed Annas embarrassed expression, he paused for a moment before saying, Actually, | think being treasurer is a great job since its stable. If | were president, someone else would strive to rece me at any time. Hearing that, Peter was speechless. They wouldnt have had such a big fight if he hadnt misunderstood Wayne and thought hed done something terrible. Although Wayne took the initiative to resign, Peter actually forced him to do so. In fact, if Peter had reced Wayne with someone other than Richard, things might not have gone so terrible. Wayne and Richard had always been bitter enemies who despised each other to the guts. Therefore, Wayne was pissed off when he found that it was Richard who reced him. When Anna noticed Peter was silent, she said, Grandpa, Wayne is eager toe back. But, he isnt ready for it right now. Can you allow him to return to yourpany after the holidays? He needs to clean up the books at mypany right now. Just do it for my sake, please. To lighten the mood, Anna suggested. Peter nodded his head and said, Yes, you are right. As | said before, Wayne, you should finish everything you started. Well, you cane back after you finish your work at Annaspany. Then Anna said to Peter, Grandpa, its your birthday next week, right? Wayne is not only preupied with work these days but also preparing for your birthday party. Peter waved his hand and said, Thank you very much. But | dont like big parties, and | dont like being in a crowded ce. You can throw a simple party. No. We cant have just a simple one. Youre turning 80 soon, arent you? Henry said that many people have called recently to wish you a happy birthday. Besides, weve already reserved a hotel room for the party. By then, all you have to do is be there and have fun. Peter finally nodded his head as Anna continued to persuade him. After pausing for a moment, Peter asked, Then have you guys made a guest list yet? Hearing that, Anna cast a nce at Wayne. She hardly knew anyone in the Wright family and didnt believe she could make decisions on her own. Asa result, she had to let Wayne decide on the guest list. Wayne raised his head and said, Oh, no, not yet. | believe it would be better to let Henry handle this. Although Wayne had many rtives, he knew few of them. Anna, would it be okay if | invite your uncle and aunt to my party? Peter asked. Anna froze as she was unsure what he meant. Peter said, Well, | think its time for us to discuss your marriage again. | know you dont have any rtives, but arent your aunt and uncle close to you? Anna then looked at Wayne as she hoped he would say something to save her from the embarrassing situation. She hadnt anticipated Peter bringing up their marriage again so soon, so she was shocked. Wayne said, Dont be in such a rush, Grandpa. Its not easy dealing with Annas aunt and uncle. Oh, they dont like businessmen, do they? Annas uncle Joe worked for the government his whole life. He retired awhile ago and then left for London for another job. In all, hed had a very sessful career. Annas mother had been hurt by Frank before, so Peter suspected that Annas rtives might not like the idea of her marrying a businessman. In fact, Peters fears were justified. Anna had asked Selina about it and learned that she didnt particrly like Wayne. Annaughed, and then attempted to change the topic by saying, Im not sure about that, but | believe that they like Wayne. Gee, when | was Waynes age, both of my kids were about to graduate from elementary school, Peter sighed and said. Your two kids? Anna asked. When Peter thought about the past, he froze and looked sad. Well, lets not get into that right now, he said. Anna pinched her arm, regretting that she had asked that question so quickly. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The two kids Peter was referring to were Waynes parents. Anna had met Jennie in a town and knew that she was Peters adopted daughter. And Peters son died years ago. Moreover, the two kids he was referring to were Waynes parents. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Anna looked carefully at Wayne, who was sitting next to her. She was relieved that he didnt react much, as if he hadnt heard anything wrong. The two kids still wanted to y in the snow in the back garden in the afternoon. On the other hand, Peter seemed to have lost interest in it, and Anna suspected it had something to do with what they had said at lunch. Feeling guilty, Anna asked the kids to spend some time with Peter. Hey, kids, Grandpa Peters in a bad mood. So, can you guys cheer him up? Tammy blinked, smiled and asked, Oh, why is he upset? Is it because you didnt promise to marry his grandson? Anna patted her on the back and said, Tammy, stop. Just go there, will you? Tammy rubbed her head, pouted unhappily, and said, Okay, fine. Tammy was a smart girl who excelled at making others happy. She took Matthews hand and led him upstairs right away. Dont worry, Mom. Consider it done, she said, smiling at Anna. At that moment, Wayne was sitting on the couch reading a book. He couldnt help but look up when he heard Tammys sweet voice andughter. He noticed Anna standing at the top of the stairs, warning the two children to be careful. The sunlight streaming through the window cast a warm glow on her back. At the time, he thought everything in the living room was so lovely that even the ck furniture seemed toe to life. Wayne remembered Peter telling him, Its time for you to marry her. Wayne used to despise that remark. However, at that moment, he thought it was a good idea. Anna and I will make a lovely family if we get married. We can always be there for each other and care for one another. Wayne knew that getting married to Anna would be far better than living alone. Gabriel Group held several meetings after themercial was shot to discuss the data before and after themercial was released. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Leons fan base was more extensive than anticipated, and the advertising data nearly doubled in growth over the previous period. ?We signed one-year contract with him. Well, we can see the figures a yearter. Then, well renew his contract if the numbers still looks good. Anna talked about that with the advertising department manager. After a while, someone knocked on their door. Come in, Anna said. Hi, Leons assistant sent you something, Mona said as she pushed the door open. Whats that? Anna asked after a brief pause. He said you lent him a coat the other day, but he identally ruined it with coffee. So, he bought you a new one, Mona looked hesitant as she said this. You know Leon very well, dont you? asked the advertising department manager. Anna responded, No, I dont. Just put the clothes on the couch, Mona. Thank you very much. But, | cant make that decision myself, Mona admitted, looking embarrassed. Anna gave her a suspicious look. Then Mona pulled the other side of the door open at the same time. Then two young boys carrying many shopping bags immediately walked in. Anna asked, wide-eyed, What? Why are there so many clothes? Mona stopped one guy and said, Dont leave just yet. Tell my boss whats going on. The boy scratched his head awkwardly and replied, Leon said that the coat you lent him is no longer avable in the mall. To apologize to you, he bought all this brands new clothes and essories in your size. Mona and the advertising manager exchanged shocked nces as they knew those clothes were costly. And no one expected Leon to spend so much money on these clothes. Mona even wondered if he had even spent the endorsement fee on buying the stuff for Anna. Anna frowned and said, My goodness, thats totally unnecessary! Please take them back. | dont need so many clothes. The assistant immediately said, Well, we just came here to send you the stuff. So, we cant take them back. If you dont want them, you can tell Leon directly. Both assistants left quickly after that as if they couldnt hear Anna telling them to stop. Mona was embarrassed and turned to Anna, asking, Then, what are we going to do with these clothes? Anna felt another headache because of Leon. She then replied, Oh, put them here for now. Ill call Leon when Im done with the work here. Hearing that, Mona breathed a sigh of relief because she had just been worried that Anna would ask her to return them. Leon had been asking Anna about her clothing preferences for the past few days. She had been excited at first because she could talk to him, but she had quickly lost patience. Pretty boys seemed to care about girls inappropriately at times. Anna was in no mood to work because the shopping bags were piling up in the office, and she kept thinking about how to solve the problem. She spoke with the manager for a long time but had no idea what she was talking about. As a result, she let him go first. After the manager left, Anna spent a long time staring at therge pile of paper bags in the corner. Mona, figure out how much these are worth for me, will you? she said after letting Mona in Mona paused for a moment and asked, Huh? Now? Anna pulled the dress tag out of the bag and said, Oh, here are the tags. Just count them ording to the price tags of them, please. Mona had no idea what Anna wanted to do, and she didnt ask why. After taking the calctor, she squatted in front of the pile to do the math, and after ten minutes, she told Anna, Thats the number. Anna nodded, checked her watch, and said, Thank you, dear. You are now free to leave work. Bye. After Mona left, Anna went through the financial records, found Leons ount, and gave him the money based on the number. Anna became upset as she stared at the number. She felt she would not have lent him the clothes if she had known he would spend so much money buying the stuff she didnt need. After that, Anna packed her belongings and returned home. On the following day, Wayne and Anna had breakfast together. And Wayne had just ced a muffin on her te when he heard the phone ring. Anna checked her phone and saw that it was Mona who was calling. She was perplexed because it was still not time to leave for work. Hey, good morning, she said as she answered the phone. Anna, are you on your way to the office now? Mona sounded anxious as she asked that. Anna said as she took a bite of her muffin, No. Whats going on? When youe to the office, please take the elevator from the underground parking lot. Everyone on the Inte is talking about you now! Whats wrong? Anna asked in surprise, wondering what she had done wrong again. Mona said unhappily, Someone saw Leons assistantsing to your office to send you clothes and took pictures. Then his fans are all discussing it. help us to cIIck The aqs and we will have Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Anna angrily dropped the fork and looked at Wayne, saying, Damn! What a bunch of idiots! Do they think Im a sugar mommy who would pay hot guys to date me? | gave Leon $50,000st night, and it hurt like hell When | transferred thatrge amount of money to him. Wayne furrowed his brow, and then asked, What? Did you give him $50,000? Meanwhile, he thought, Anna, thatsrge sum of money. Why the hell would you give him so much money? Anna then also realized that what she said would be misleading. She borated, Oh, no! That was not the case! Leon had given mea bunch of clothes as gifts the day before, so | gave him the money back. Oh, he even bought you clothes? Wayne asked, frowning more. Sensing that things were going south, Anna took a deep breath, grabbed her jacket, and prepared to walk out the door. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She said, Ive only met Leon twice. And I have absolutely nothing to d with him. Hearing that, Wayne calmly handed her an iced coffee and said, Hey, dont go yet. You have enough time to finish your breakfast. Ill go to the office with youter. When Anna looked at Wayne, she noticed that he was smiling at her with affection in his beautiful eyes and seemed to believe what she was saying. As a result, Annas anger and anxiety faded right away. 305 | Want to Invite You to Dinner adh Were you just joking with me? she asked Wayne as she sat down and took a sip of her coffee. Yes, and I think its quite amusing. Wayne chuckled. Anna drank the entire cup of coffee and eximed, Thank you very much. Lets go to work now, Wayne. Im not sure how the rumor will affect ourpanys stock market. If that happens, the board of directors will me me again. On their way to work, Anna checked Twitter to see what was going on. It all started when a user posted a photo of Leon shopping at the mall with the caption, Guess what, Leonfans! | ran into Leon at the mall, and he appeared to be shopping for his girlfriend! He bought all of the new fall and winter clothing in the store! Wow! Then everyone began discussing the tweet. Someone then posted a picture in thements of Leons two assistants walking into Annas office to drop off their shopping bags. That person said, I know! His girlfriend is now the boss of mypany! Well, as far as I know, my boss already has a boyfriend. So I think my boss might be his sugary mommy. People were immediately excited to discuss this topic. Many media outlets then published articles iming that Leon was dating rich women. The Gabriel Group was recently the subject of heated debate due to workers jumping from the building. And Everyone remembered the incident and immediately thought of Anna. They discussed, Isnt she the chairman of the Gabriel Group? | knew pretty boys are frivolous! 305 | Want to Invite You to Dinner caf Stop arguing! | can totally understand that. If had money, Id also be looking for young, attractive boyfriends. Anna read through all those posts and discovered that no one was scolding her except a few frantic fans of Leon. Plus, almost everyone was cursing Leon. Also, Anna discovered that the incident was not as serious as she had assumed. The groups stock market fluctuated slightly but was within the normal range. Putting down her phone, Anna then said to Mona, Lets get the PR department toe up with a solution as soon as possible, OK? We should deal with the matter as soon as possible. Call Leons agent, by the way. We need to cooperate with them to soothe things out. OK, Ill call them now, Mona said, nodding. However, she returned immediately after leaving the office. Anna, | dont think we have to deal with this anymore, she said. What? Why? Leonspany has issued a rification statement. Anna logged into Twitter and discovered that Leons ount had shared a bank transfer note with the time circled. It was before anyone talked about the incident. He stated, Right now, Id like to im that the recent rumors about me are false. | only recently arrived in Birmingham from Melbourne, and | didnt bring any winter clothes with me. Out of sympathy, Miss Anna Gabriel lent me her coat. | was so grateful to her that | went out and bought her some clothes. But she still returned the money back to me. Please believe me that Anna and | are both decent people. | hope you will not 305 | Want to Invite You to Dinner a bring this up again, thanks. Leonspany also immediately tweeted that he would sue those who had defamed him. And People stopped talking about it after these two statements were made. After reading the posts, Anna returned Monas phone to her and said, Our public rtions staff should learn from Leons PR! Im astounded by how quickly they handle things! Our staff is probably still sleeping right now. Mona sighed with relief and said, Thank goodness, its over! | was really scared right now. | really regretted taking you to the studio on that day. I should not have let you get involved in it, Anna. Anna waved her hand and said, Its OK. Dont me yourself for it, Mona. It seems that they did not do this to hurt me. Well, maybe hispetitors did this. Oh, so do we still have to call hispany to talk about it? Anna flipped through the papers on her desk before saying, There is no need to do that now. Now that themercial is finished and everything is settled, just let it go. Anna said this for another reason: she thought that shed better stay away from Leon for fear that he would do something else ridiculous. By the afternoon, everyone had stopped talking about the rumor anymore. After they resolved the issue, Anna called Wayne and said, Lets go out to have dinner tonight! Im craving sushi. Wayne chuckled and said, Really? But Im not done looking through the books yet. | believe there is an issue with a few of these dividends. If you dont mind, Ill just let it go. Ill see you downstairs now. 305 | Want to Invite You to Dinner af Anna sighed and said, Oh, no, youd better work now. You should hurry up and finish the work before your grandfatheres after you again. Il grab something random to eat, so dont worry. Wayne, what would you like to have for dinner? No, thanks. You dont have to buy dinner for me. Ill be homete. Then Anna hung up the phone andunched the take-out app, intending to order Japanese food. She had just reached for her phone when she noticed she was being called. Looking at the phone number, Anna paused for a few seconds before picking up and saying, Hello. Hello, Anna, this is Leon. Oh, hi. What can | do for you? I wanted to express my regret for what happened this morning. Im sorry, and | know I made a mistake. | shouldnt have gotten you into this mess. I have no idea they would spread such outrageous rumors. Oh, you dont need to apologize. Actually, its alright. Then let me treat you to dinner, OK? Im already in the lobby of yourpany right now. Chapter 306 Chapter 306 When Anna came downstairs, she saw a group of people at the front desk asking Leon for an autograph. Therefore, she wasnt sure whether she should approach them or leave. Anna had a strong suspicion that the statement Leon tweeted was not written by him but by his publicist. He wouldnt have shown up at her office and let everyone see him if it was he who wrote the statement. As soon as Leon looked up, he saw Anna and waved to her, Anna, youre here! Why didnt you tell me? I was afraid to bother you. Otherwise, my name would have appeared on the hot search list again, Anna answered a bit awkwardly. No, Ive made a deal with them, Leon said with a smile. Leon was dressed in a white down jacket and jeans. The furry cor of his hat made his face appear very fair, almost girlish. Anna, let me buy you dinner. Ive reserved a table for just the two of us at the restaurant. Dont worry, no one will disturb us, Leon said to Anna excitedly. Hearing that, Anna regretted letting Leon know she was in thepany at this time because she was too embarrassed to refuse him. Anna still tried to refuse him, I still have to workte at night. Besides, you must be extremely busy. Lets meet for dinnerter. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Please dont turn me down. Ive already reserved a table at a Japanese restaurant. Anna froze, and then couldnt help but swallow a little. That was what she was craving most. 306 They Look Alike 4 So, Anna and Leon went together to a fancy Japanese restaurant downtown. When the sea urchin that Anna ordered was served, she immediately started eating it. And she eximed joyfully, Wow! This is so delicious. d that you like it. My assistant rmended this restaurant to me. Anna, | want to apologize to you. Im sorry, Leon said sincerely. Its okay, Leon. See, youve already bought me dinner and apologized to me. Besides, | dont believe its your fault. | know its difficult to be under the spotlight all the time | have the impression that you are constantly being watched no matter what you do, right? Anna said this while sipping the tea. Leonughed before saying, Its not a big deal; Im used to it. But if | dont do modeling, | will not be able to make ends meet. Howe? Anna asked in surprise. Oh, Ive dropped out of school since I was 10 years old and have worked various odd jobs. If | hadnt been discovered by a modeling agency agent when | was 13, | would have died of starvation that winter. Hearing that, Anna looked surprised at Leon. She had always assumed that he was the type of person born into a wealthy family and became a model solely because he found it interesting Leon touched his hair awkwardly before exining, Actually, nothing on the Inte about me is true. ording to mypany, people nowadays dislike celebrities with tragic past. So they made up a family background story for me. But, | dont even know who my parents are yet! ?Anna said. Oh Im really sorry about that. Well, lets not talk about it. 306 They Look Alike a shall we? Leon took a deep breath before exining, Its fine. You see, Im not even bothered by it anymore. In fact, | believe it is quite good. | was adopted at five years old after growing up in an orphanage. Back then, | thought | could live a normal life like everyone else. However,ter on, my adoptive mother died in an ident, and my adoptive father beat me when he was drunk. | couldnt take it any longer and fled their home, working part-time to support myself. By the way, | heard that you adopted Scott, right? Anna nodded and couldnt help but feel sorry for Leon. Many people knew that Anna had taken Scott in. So, it was no longer a secret. Leon pursed his lips as if in regret. If only | could meet someone like you at that time, he said after a brief nce at Anna. He then took a sip of the wine on the table before coughing and eximing, Urgh! This is awful! Anna handed him a ss of water and said, Come on, drink some water. Looking at Leon, Anna somehow thought of the scene in which she met Scott for the first time. Scott was only 12 years old when Anna met him in the underground boxing ring, and he was skinny because of malnutrition. Anna was only two years older than him, but she appeared much taller. Anna did, in fact, change Scotts life. In any case, being a singer was preferable to being a boxer in an underground boxing ring for Scott. After pulling herself back to reality, Annaforted Leon, Dont be 306 They Look Alike oY sad. You didnt meet me back then, but youre doing well now, arent you? Leonughed bitterly before saying, Truth to be told, | did meet someone like you back then. But | had a feeling that idents would always happen to my beloved ones. He showed Anna a photo in his wallet and said, Look, shes really pretty, isnt she? Anna saw that there were a grown girl and a teenage boy in the photo. Leon looked to be about 15 or 16 years old, and the girl was very sweet and lovely. Anna thought she did look like that girl. She realized then why Leon had been so enthusiastic toward her when he first saw her. Plus, she understood why he was willing to wait for her in the cold weather fora long time just to have dinner with her. Is she your girlfriend? Anna asked. Leon smiled tenderly at the girl in the photo before saying, Yeah. Her name was Chris, and she came from a wealthy family. After two years of modeling at my previous agency, | had a few unfortunate incidents. As a result, | left the agency. However, | had to pay them a substantial sum of money. Chris paid the money for me and helped me a lot. It was because of her that | was able to continue modeling later on. Well, we were actually supposed to get marriedter. But what happened? Anna asked, knowing it didnt seem to end well for them. Leon said, Its most likely all due to fate. She died two years ago after being diagnosed with congenital leukemia. She gave me everything she inherited from her father, and thats why everyone thinks Im wealthy. Leon finished the two bottles of wine and then told Anna about the 306 They Look Alike oY story of himself and Chris. And Anna was overwhelmed with sorrow. She hadnt expected that Leon, who appeared to be an innocent and cheerful man, would have such a miserable and twisted past. Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Anna grabbed his ss and said, Leon, you should stop drinking. And we should leave now. Then Anna went to the reception, take out her card and tried to pay the bill. But Leon stopped her. He handed the waiter his credit card and said, II pay it! I cant let you buy me dinner. Anna smiled, resigned, and asked the waiter to take him into the car and drive him back to the hotel. When she looked in the rearview mirror, Anna noticed Leon, who was in the back seat. His face was flushed from the alcohol, and he was mumbling something. Anna shook her head, asking, You havent had much to drink, have you? Why are you so drunk? Leon clung to his hug pillow before saying, Chris, | promise you. Im never going to drink again. Hearing that, Anna sighed. Several minutester, she told the bellhop to take Leon upstairs after she pulled up in front of the hotel. She then took the room key from his jacket pocket and pushed open the door. Having made sure that the waiterid Leon down on the bed, Anna switched on the lights and then shut the curtains. After that, Anna turned on the air conditioner and poured another ss of water for him, which she ced by his bedside. She was aware that many celebrities rose to prominence through 307 He Lied S 307 He Lied Anna grabbed his ss and said, Leon, you should stop drinking. And we should leave now. Then Anna went to the reception, take out her card and tried to pay the bill. But Leon stopped her. He handed the waiter his credit card and said, Ill pay it! I cant let you buy me dinner. Anna smiled, resigned, and asked the waiter to take him into the car and drive him back to the hotel. When she looked in the rearview mirror, Anna noticed Leon, who was in the back seat. His face was flushed from the alcohol, and he was mumbling something. Anna shook her head, asking, You havent had much to drink, have you? Why are you so drunk? Leon clung to his hug pillow before saying, Chris, | promise you. Im never going to drink again. Hearing that, Anna sighed. Several minutester, she told the bellhop to take Leon upstairs after she pulled up in front of the hotel. She then took the room key from his jacket pocket and pushed open the door. Having made sure that the waiterid Leon down on the bed, Anna switched on the lights and then shut the curtains. After that, Anna turned on the air conditioner and poured another ss of water for him, which she ced by his bedside. She was aware that many celebrities rose to prominence through 307 He Lied Y chances. She thought Leons story was very sad, almost as if fate deliberately yed a joke on them. On the other hand, Anna believed that he wasnt lying because no one would make up such a ridiculous story to gain sympathy from others. Anna stood at the curb to call a cab after leaving the hotel. While she was still immersed in Leons sad story, she saw Wayne standing across the street Because it was so dark, Anna thought she had got the wrong person. She could see, however, that Wayne was still wearing the ck coat she had given him earlier in the day. Wayne had just gotten out of a taxi. And Anna started to dash to the crosswalk and attempted to speak with him. Just as Anna was about to cross the street, the traffic light turned red. While she was standing still and waiting, she called Wayne. At that precise moment, Anna noticed another woman walking out of the same cab. They then proceeded to walk shoulder to shoulder toward the mall. Although Anna was far away, she could see Wayne take his cell phone from his pocket. And she could see the woman next to him staring at his phone screen. As soon as she got through to Wayne, Anna asked a bit anxiously, Where are you, Wayne? m working overtime at thepany. Whats wrong, Anna? Anna tightened her grip on the phone and said, Really? But howe I can hear car horns? Well, Im downstairs buying dinner, Wayne replied. You havent eaten yet? How about |e to get you? Itste; you 307 He Lied a should stop working. Anna pinched her thighs, trying to devise an excuse for Wayne. However, she really couldnt think of any. Instead, Wayne replied, No, thanks. Anna, dont wait up for me. Ill be backter tonight. Bye. Wayne then hung up the phone as if he didnt want to talk to her anymore. At the same time, Anna gripped the phone tightly and turned to face the man and woman across the street. She didnt like to think of the worst-case scenario, but Wayne was obviously lying to her. And she could tell that he was trying to conceal something. Passers-by began to cross the street once the light turned green. Anna dashed through the crowd, and then ran after them into the mall. Anna had no idea where to go after walking into the mall. She stood in the doorway, looking at the elevators, flustered and confused, unsure of what she was supposed to do. As the cell phone in her pocket was vibrating and that people around her were staring at him, she answered the phone as soon as she saw it was Peace calling. Anna, where are you? Are you in Birmingham? Peace asked with concern. Anna frowned, and then still looked around, trying to find Wayne. Yes. Peace said anxiously, Well, I need to tell you something. Karl said that Wayne has found Matthews mother. Annas eyes widened in surprise, and she asked aloud, What? How? What are you talking about? 307 He Lied a RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Peace said, Easy, Anna. | dont believe what Karl said either, because Matthew is your child. Well, Karl just told me that Wayne found Matthews birth mother and met with her. He said that the woman took the initiative to meet Wayne. Anna frowned and said, That cant be true! She must be a liar! Peace was silent for a moment before saying, So, have you ever thought of what if she isnt a liar? Are you certain that the man back then was Wayne? Honey, you cant tell if the man is him just by his ne. Besides, he imed to have misced the ne for a long time and had no idea when he did. Anna stood in the noisy crowd and found Peaces words very confusing. She said, No, let me think about it! Im pretty sure Matthew is my kid. Anna was certain Matthew was her child because the jewelry store clerk said the ne belonged to Wayne. And Wayne did get a surrogate to have his child Anna wasnt sure if Wayne had ever lost the ne, and there wasnt enough evidence to prove he was the man. As Anna panicked, Peace asked, Dont worry, honey. Did you and Matthew ever take a paternity test? Oh, yes, Ive done it before, Anna said as she gradually calmed down. It was done in secretly by Charlotte, not by her. That report confirmed that Wayne was Tammys father. However, Anna had just forgotten about it out of panic, Peace said anxiously, Oh my goodness, that woman is a liar! Anna, you must be more cautious these days. It always struck me as odd, and Karl exined that Wayne had his assistant investigate Matthews mother, 307 He Lied and it turned out that there was something wrong with that. What? Whats the problem? Thats the point of the problem because Karl wont talk to me about what happened afterward. He said he was afraid it would ruin your rtionship with Wayne. Anna froze, and then a shiver ran down her spine. She thought that because Wayne discovered something was wrong with that incident, he knew it wasnt the surrogate mother who gave birth to Matthew. And, just as Wayne was about to discover the truth, this woman appeared out of nowhere. Anna had the impression that an invisible hand was pushing them, making everything go wrong Moreover, she felt as if God was just joking with her. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Even though the mall was heated, Anna felt cold all over. When she spotted Wayne, she had just gotten off the esctor. Anna paused for a moment before ducking behind a billboard. Then she looked closely at the woman standing next to him. The woman appeared to be in her twenties. She was dressed in a white sweater and light blue jeans and holding a gray coat, seeming to be gentle and sweet. Anna thought that this woman might be the liar that Peace was talking about. They carried bags full of baby stuff as they took the esctor from the first basement floor. Wayne bowed his head andughed after the girl said something to him. They then walked out of the mall and took a taxi. Anna stood in front of the mall, watching them walk away. At the same time, the wind blew in her ears, making her feel both calm and disoriented. After a while, Anna finally went home to rx. Before going to bed, she took a shower. Trying hard to suppress the anger and frustration that arose in her heart, and remain calm, she hoped that Wayne would exin to her what had actually happened between the woman and him once he got back. Anna was confident that the woman was a liar. However, she knew she couldnt tell Wayne about it. She feared Wayne wouldnt believe her unless she told him the truth, which she was still unprepared for. 308 Who Is She? oS Anna was at a loss for what to do: confess or cover up a big lie with a new one. She was utterly perplexed. At the same time, Leon was sitting in his hotel suites room. He appeared to bepletely sober as if he hadnt been drinking at all. His phone rang as he sat glumly on the edge of his bed. After he answered the phone, a man asked him, Did you finish it? Its been a few days, Leon. Do you remember what you promised me earlier? Ah, chill. Anna Gabriel is very different from all the women Ive met before. Hal | told you she is a smart woman. Im telling you, you dont have to date her. You know, you just have to take videos. Did you bring the drugs I gave you? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing that, Leon frowned, and he looked at the bag on the nightstand, saying, Yes, | did bring it. But she didnt drink the water I gave her. What? So, what did you dost night? Did you record her driving you back to the hotel? Leon froze for a moment, and then said, No, she didnt take me back to the hotel. | took a cab back tonight. f**k! Im telling you, youre running out of time. Do what | told you to. as soon as possible. Otherwise, you wont be able to pay off your gambling debts. Leons face turned pale gradually. After hanging up the phone, he closed his eyes. The room was very quiet, and the air was filled with the scent of alcohol. He took a deep breath and then smelled the rose scent. His eyes 308 Who Is She? S became tender when he looked at Annas white coat, which was hanging in the closet. It was morning the following day when Anna woke up. The sun shone on her face through the curtains, forcing her to close her eyes. She frowned as she lifted her hands to shield the light before sitting up. Apparently, Anna had no idea when she had dozed off the night before. The house was strangely quiet. Looking at the neat pillow next to her, Anna knew Wayne didnt return to her apartmentst night. Anna clutched the covers tightly before recalling seeing him with a woman at the mall the night before. She then heard someone open the door with a key. And Anna stood there frozen. Then she walked out of the room. As soon as she got out of her bedroom, she saw Ryan, which was a bit disappointing for her as she was hoping that she would see Wayne instead. And Ryan was putting on his slippers while holding several stic bags. He blinked when he looked up and saw Anna standing in her bedroom doorway in her pajamas. Anna, whats wrong? he asked. Anna returned her gaze and said, Oh, | didnt expect to see you again. | thought you were still busy with your study. What brings you here so early, Ryan? | had left something here and needed to get it. | might not be able to go home recently because there will be a school drill at the end of the 308 Who Is She? oY month. Well, anyway, | ought you some breakfast. With that, Ryan then immediately held up the bag in his hand. Anna found a lot of food in the bag, and it looked like Ryan had also bought breakfast for Wayne. Ryan didnt ask Anna any questions. However, as a detective, he was skilled at observation. When he saw Annas expression, he knew Wayne hadnt been home all night. Plus, he was also aware that something had urred between the two of them. He said with a smile, Have some breakfast, Anna. | got you those delicious blueberry muffins. Anna sat at the table, her gaze fixed on the wall. Have some; its still warm, Ryan said as he handed her a cup of hot coffee. Thank you, Anna said with a nod. However, she didnt drink the coffee. Seeing that, Ryan couldnt help but ask, Anna, are you okay? You look worried. Is it about Wayne? You can tell me if you want No, Im fine. But thank you for asking, anyway Anna, dont try to fool me. IT IS because of Wayne, isnt it? Ah, is it really that obvious? Anna asked, frowning. Ryan sighed and exined, Yes, its quite obvious. Every time you made that face, | know you are worried about something concerning Wayne. So, of course, | know its because of him again this time. Tell me, what did he do to irritate you this time? Anna felt as if she were being choked when she heard the word again. She didnt say anything more because it was about the truth, which 308 Who Is She? SY was that she was Matthews mother. Hesitating for some time, she said, Sorry, but Im afraid I cant tell you about it. Ryan, go get your stuff. | have to leave now for work. Ryan, of course, realized Anna probably didnt want to talk about it even when he insisted, so he stopped asking questions. And he left the house with the things he needed after having breakfast. Anna arrived at the office an hour before the time for work. The security guard standing at the door was still yawning at the time. After seeing Anna, he froze for a moment, and then immediately looked awake. Hello, Miss Gabriel, he said as he greeted her. Anna greeted him with a nod and then took the elevator to the tenth floor. Mona had not yet arrived at thepany yet. Not only that, but no one seemed to be there for work. And Anna was about to turn on the light in the corridor when she noticed a faint light. Immediately after that, she realized that it wasing from Waynes office. Tip-toed, Anna approached Waynes office. The door to the office was ajar, with a dim light peeking through the ere She was surprised to see that Wayne was dozing off at his desk. Speechless, Anna stood in the doorway, staring at him. When she recalled the scene where Wayne was talking happily with the womanst night, she got mixed feelings. 308 Who Is She? She had no idea why Wayne hadnt returned home all night. However, Anna assumed he had spent the night in the office after sending the woman home. In Annas opinion, Wayne didnt even have to work hard for herpany. But she just couldnt figure out why Wayne didnt mention anything about that woman. Chapter 309 Chapter 309 309 Shirley Is Back Ye 309 Shirley Is Back Anna stood in the office doorway for a moment. Then she took a nket from the couch and wrapped it around Wayne. Wayne opened his eyes immediately, and then looked at her with drowsy eyes and said, Anna, its you. After that, he stood up, checked his watch, and said, Youve arrived early today. Did you get enough sleepst night? Anna said with a nod, Yes, | did. | ate too muchst night, so Ive been experiencing stomach pains. Hearing that, Wayne ced his hand on hers and said, Your hands are freezing! | see; maybe its because your sweater is too thin. Oh, dont worry. The heat is on in the office. Wayne abruptly let go of Annas hand. Then he reached into his desk drawer for a hot water bag. While handing it to Anna, he said, Its quite cold today, so take this. Itll be hot in a minute. Anna stared at the hot water bag, dazed After a while, she noticed that it was gradually bing warmer. Looking at the adorable Doraemon pattern on it, she asked curiously, Oh? Did you buy it? No. My secretary bought it. She exined that it was her Christmas gift to Matthew. Anna had asked an intern to look after Matthew and Tammy after they had visited thepany sometime before. After graduating, that girl came to work at thepany and became Waynes secretary. 309 Shirley Is Back You know what she meant by that, dont you? Anna asked, giving him a thoughtful look. Anna realized that Waynes secretary didnt just want to give Matthew a present; she also wanted to hit on Wayne. After giving Wayne the hot water bag, the girl could have a chance to ask Wayne if Matthew liked it. And she would almost certainly send more gifts, like gloves and scarves so that she would have more opportunities to get along with Wayne. Meanwhile, Wayne frowned and looked like he had no idea about that. He asked, What? Its so obvious! Wayne, she wants to flirt with you! Did she ask youter if Matthew liked this gift She did, indeed. Oh, thats obvious, isnt it? I didnt give it to Matthew because the directions say its not safe for children under the age of five, Wayne said. Anna blinked, picturing his expression when he opened the gift. She said, Give your secretary a raise then. Its pretty hard for her to work for you. Then Anna looked at her watch and said, So, Im off to the office now. Ihave a board meeting in the morning. Perplexed, Wayne asked, Youve got another board meeting? To be honest, having a board meeting every six months is sufficient. Although thepany has been in quite a lot of troubletely, you dont have to discuss literally everything with them. No, its Rachel who wants to have a meeting, Anna said with a frown. Anna knew Rachel well enough to know she was the type of person 309 Shirley Is Back Ye who enjoyed causing problems for others. Rachel had studied art in America and had grown conceited because she thought she could fix anything. As a result, she desired to be the advertising departments design director. When Frank was alive, he knew Rachel was untrustworthy, so he never let her work for thepany. However, after Anna became chairman, Rachel began to reconsider this idea. Rachel called everyone to discuss the advertising contract, just as Anna had predicted. She said, True, we saw a significant increase in performance following the first phase of advertising. However, | believe that the widespread negative rumors about Leon caused us to take too many risks. So I dont think we need to keep signing contracts with him. We can pay the same amount of money for a better candidate. Rachel did seem to have a valid point. Anna paused to allow Rachel to finish her sentences. Then she said, Well, the advertising department offered to renew Leons contract. Im no expert in advertising, but I think theyre on to something. But, Im also aware that we were taking a risk. The advertising department suggested a n B: we can hire someone else. Huh? Who is it? Rachel asked doubtfully. Scott. Hearing that, Rachel snickered, Anna Gabriel, are you kidding me? Everyone knows hes your brother. Anna said as calmly as possible, It has nothing to do with my rtionship with him. Well, theyre all convinced hes the ideal spokesperson. He not only has a good image, but he also has no scandals. 309 Shirley Is Back Ye Hes a perfect candidate. Rachel stood up, looked at Anna, and said, Anna, We all know what youre trying to do. Youve always wanted to make your people work in thepany, right? Ha! You cant fool us anymore. Since | got here, youve fired several employees and even sent two of my cousins to the branchpany. Are you trying to rece the entirepany before my aunt returns? Rachel was aggressive even though all of the directors were present. That was why Anna thought it was challenging to be the chairman here. Anna exhaled a deep breath and raised her head, looking at Rachel indifferently, saying, You got us all here just to criticize me, right? Rachel, | know you hold stock in thepany. But, this does not mean that you are free to do whatever you want. Were not at your house, but apany. So, you must follow the rules here. | fired your two cousins because they embezzled funds. Before that, Rachels two cousins were the most rampant employees in the group. They misappropriated project funds to make investments and lost a lot of money. Because the department lacked funds to pay sries, employees reported Gabriel Group to the government In the end, Gabriel Group was in trouble just because of these two people. Rachel borated, They simply made the wrong decision! Who are you to treat them this way, Anna? Youre only an interim chairman! Dont overestimate yourself! Yeah, maybe youre right. But as long as Im the acting chairman, | have that authority, Anna said calmly and indifferently. Rachel lifted her chin and appeared lofty and powerful. She said, So, 309 Shirley Is Back Content ? N?velDrama.Org. what if my aunt returns? She is the groups majority shareholder. Shouldnt you then resign? After a while, two secretaries opened the door next to the conference room before Anna could respond And then, Shirley, who was wearing a suit, walked into the conference room followed by two assistants carrying her bags. As soon as she entered the room, she red at Anna with contempt and said, Miss Gabriel, youve been doing exceptionally welltely. Now that Im back, you may resign now. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 It wasnt until then that Anna realized why Rachel was holding this board meeting. She knew that everyone on the board had to be present for the change of directors. Shirleys shares were slightly more valuable than Annas, making her the groupsrgest shareholder. Plus, she had previously served as the executive director. Well, Ive returned. And | believe everyone wants me to lead the group. So, Anna, you can hand over your position to me right now. Shirley was no longer pretending to be friendly but rather enraged. Anna frowned and sat to the side. She said, Oh, sure. This seat belonged to you in the first ce, didnt it?1 Shirley didnt try to remain polite and sat right down in that chair. Mona then got another chair for Anna. And Shirley gave her a stern look as if she were using her of being nosy. Then Shirley stated, Now that Im back, | hope the group can stay as it was before. Anna, you can take charge of your clothingpany as much as you want; Ive got this. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Everyone began to discuss after Shirley said this. They were all aware that Anna was the sole reason that the Gabriel Group could survive the crisis some time ago. Moreover, Anna made thepany even better after she saved the day. And Shirley was clearly trying to take advantage of her. 310 | Want You to Meet Someone Ye Of course, Anna was aware of what was going on, but she remained silent because she did not want to be in charge of the Gabriel Group in the first ce. She was only responsible for it before because it was in a state of emergency. OK, thats fine with me, Anna replied. In fact, Anna wanted to take a good rest at that moment. She had been so busytely that she had neglected her children. So, she was relieved that someone else could do the job. And she finally got to spend more time with Tammy and Matthew. Shirley had always desired wealth and power, but Anna couldnt care less. After the meeting was over, Anna returned to her office to pack her belongings and prepare to leave. At that precise moment, Shirley entered the office. When Anna noticed how energetic Shirley was, she wondered if this woman was truly living a miserable life as the rumors said. Anna, however, didnt care about what Shirley had been through recently. Oh, Ive packed my belongings so you can move in now, she exined to Shirley. Anna looked at her as she stood at her desk. Meanwhile, Mona was packing her belongings, leaving Shirley and Anna alone in the office. After Mona left, Shirley looked at Anna coldly and said, Anna, are you going to leave just like that? You dont want to work here at all, do you? Or, are you nning to retaliate against me? Anna replied, Oh, | am not interested in this group. | told everyone 310 | Want You to Meet Someone YS this before when my father was still alive. As you know, he did not leave anything to me in his will. If you still consider me a threat, | can sell my stock now. In that case, this group willpletely belong to your family. Shirley said indifferently, Dont pretend to be innocent, OK? Although Frank did not leave you any money in his will, the money for his insurance was left to you. | know that an insurance policy worst nearly $100,000,000. But. he never brought it up in front of me. | know he cared most about you, so he let me and my daughter deal with this huge mess. Shirley appeared depressed and angry. When Anna saw that expression on her face, sheughed out loud. Shirley, Im sure you know the actual cause of my fathers death. And | know that you definitely have something to do with his death, she coldly. Hearing that, Shirley frowned and appeared flustered. What the hell are you talking about? How is it possible that | have anything to do with your fathers death? she asked. Hearing that, Anna locked her gaze on Shirley like an abyss. She then continued, | know that insurance is worth a billion dors. But, do you know what kind of insurance it is? ording to the policy, | will receive the money if my dad dies in an ident. | used all the money my mom left me to invest in Gabriel Group, and my aunt has been managing it for me all these years. Gabriel Group was in a financial crisis and was only suspected of having one. You, on the other hand, fled. | know it was because you were afraid that the bad things you did would be exposed to the public. Were you scared that people would me you and find out what you had done? Also, youve got no idea what your brothers have been up to behind your 310 | Want You to Meet Someone YS back. Anna did not receive any insurance money because shecked proof that Frank died in an ident. Hearing that, Shirley looked more flustered Anna touched her cor, and then said, You know what Im referring to, and you know why Allie died. | will get out of here now, but dont you dare to hurt me again. After walking out of the office, Anna saw Wayne standing in the doorway. She froze and asked him, Wayne, what are you doing here? Wayne said calmly, Since youre leaving, | dont see the need for me to stay here. But if you want to stay here, | can stay here too. Anna said, tightening her grip on his hand, saying, No, | dont want to stay here. Lets go. Wayne rubbed his nose, and then said, Oh, great. Ive just handed in my resignation. If you dont leave. Ill have to go to HR Departments office and get it back. In that case, it would be really awkward. Annaughed and then patted him on the back. Mona ran over to them as they were about to leave the group and asked, Anna, do you really have to go? Are you sure youre nevering back? Anna replied,ughing, Yes, Im noting back. Bye. Mona was breathing heavily from running so fast. She asked, So, can! go with you? I can go to Lemon and work for you as an assistant. In fact, Anna knew why Mona was making such a request. Mona was the closest person to Anna in thepany. As a result, if Anna left, she would be in danger. Shirley would not be kind to Mona 3101 Want You to Meet Someone YS simply because she was rted to her. Oh, but Lemons sry is lower than what you got here. Anyway, if you want Mona immediately interrupted her, Ive always wanted to study design! If you agree, Ill work there even if Im not paid. Anna and Wayne looked at each other and smiled. Then Anna said, OK, you can call Andrew and talk with him about it now. | happen to need an assistant. Hearing that, Monas eyes widened in surprise. She then smiled and said, Yes, thank you. Ill go see him right now. With that, Mona turned around and left. Andrew is a lucky guy, isnt he? Anna asked Wayne, smiling at Monas back. Wayne squeezed her hand and said, You care a lot about other peoples business, dont you? So, when are you going to care about my business? Anna rolled her eyes at him and then said, Seriously? Are you just being jealous because of Mona? Im unemployed now, so please buy me dinner Wayne gazed at her dotingly and said, Ive made restaurant reservations; lets go. But first, | want you to meet someone. Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Wayne then took Anna to a fancy Japanese restaurant. The moment the waiter opened the booth, Anna froze. She noticed that the woman in the white sweater from the night before was sitting inside the booth. Wayne told Anna, This is Miss Sophia York, Anna. Sophia, this is Anna Gabriel, my fiancee. Sophia approached them and smiled as she said, How do you do, Miss Gabriel? Anna reluctantly smiled and said, Hello. Wayne didnt notice what Anna was thinking and simply pulled the chair for her so she could sit down. Anna had watched them from a distance the night before. And she finally had a chance to look at Sophia closely. Looking at her up and down, Anna found the woman very beautiful. She was wearing a in white sweater withce trim, and her long hair was tied in a ponytail. Sensing Annas gaze on her, Sophia gave Anna a shy smile and said, Oh, lonce heard Mr. Wright say that his fiancee was a gorgeous woman. You are so pretty, Anna. Anna was not ttered but rather disgusted. She looked at the two men, waiting for them to respond. However, the silence made them all ufortable. So, Wayne exined, Oh, Sophia is a psychiatrist specializing in child psychology. So Id like to have her to check on Matthew to see whats going on with 311 Is This Gonna Work? a him. Hearing that, Anna pressed her thighs together and said to Sophia, Really? Wayne previously said he nned to take Matthew to a German doctor. Are you from Germany, Miss York? Wayne and Sophia both froze because Anna sounded aggressive. After a while, Wayne frowned as realized that Anna might be irritated. Anna asked, So, Miss York, have you met Matthew? Sophia responded, looking relieved, No, | havent yet. I just talked to Mr. Wright about him. He said you had spent much time with Matthew, so | wondered if you could tell me something about him. ?Anna had seen several child psychologists because she hoped someone could treat Matthew. After asking Sophia a few questions, she discovered that Sophia appeared to be a doctor. So, Anna wondered if she had made a mistake. She remembered Peace saying that Wayne had seen Matthews mother, but she didnt know the womans name. So, when she saw Wayne and Sophia togetherst night, she assumed that the woman that Peace referred to was Sophia. Sophia appeared very professional and said seriously, Actually, | dont believe that Matthews reluctance to speak is rted to his illness. Maybe it was because he had been threatened before that hes unwilling to speak, | believe. Youve probably heard about babysitters abusing children in the news. Many people assume that children know nothing, but this is not true. Kids are sensitive and they are like white paper, and the adults around them are like painters. They will be colored if you give them colored ink. | hope you get what Im saying. So, | believe the reason why Matthew refuses to speak was most likely because he has been intimidated and threatened 311 Is This Gonna Work? a not to speak. Anna realized that what she said was most likely correct. Ithad urred to her that previously. Mary, Matthews nanny, had said that Ada frequently visited Matthew at the Wright house. Only Ada, however, was capable to to silence Matthew. Everyone assumed it was because she and Matthew were close. Plus, that was why Peter allowed Ada to date Wayne. When Anna and Ryan talked about itter, she felt very panicked. No one would think that Ada, an unknown actress, would have the nerve to threaten Matthew. But she might just happen to have the guts to do so. And Anna realized that not only did Ada have the courage to do so, but she had someone to back her up. Having pulled herself back to reality from her thoughts, Anna smiled at Sophia and asked, So, what do you think we should do? Oh, we can take our time. | believe it is best not to give Matthew his medication first. We can recreate the scenario if you remember what happened previously. | mean, if you want to. That way, we might be able to cure him step by step. Anna froze and then asked, Really? Can we really do that? Yes, Im confident about it. And the sooner we get started, the better the result will be. But the point is, no one knows exactly what hes been through, Wayne said guiltily. The three of them were then quiet. Actually, | know what Matthews been through, Anna said suddenly, breaking the silence. Wayne froze, then looked at Anna curiously, He was taken aback 311 Is This Gonna Work? because he had no idea that Anna managed to dig out the facts that he himself failed to find out. Anna, on the other hand, decided to lie to them, trying to cover the fact that she and Ryan had a profound investigation about what had happened to Matthew before. Having made sure what she was going to say made sense, Anna said after taking a deep breath, Actually, Matthew had given me some hints. | deduced something from his words and the painting he showed me. So | believe someone had threatened him before to keep him from talking. Waynes face darkened as he asked, What? Who was it? Anna frowned as well. She paused for a moment before shaking her head. Then she answered, I dont know. Sophia then added, Okay, then we can make that assumption. It is not difficult for me to recreate scenarios. So, | need you to make a choice. Hearing that, Wayne and Anna exchanged nces. Anna wasnt sure because she wasnt sure if she should trust Sophia Please let us think about it for a moment, she said. Sophia seemed to understand why they hesitated. She picked up her jacket and bag and said, No worries. If you make the decision, you can contact me at any time. I have to leave now; | wont be able to join you for dinner. Why? The meal will be ready soon, Anna asked. Sophia said with a bitter smile, Thank you, but | must go. Im going to the hospital because the nurses are only avable until 8:00 p.m.. | must change shifts. Anna had no idea what she was supposed to say when she heard her 311 Is This Gonna Work? words. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After Sophia left, she asked Wayne, The hospital? What is she talking about? Wayne exined, Oh, Sophias husband has cancer. The doctor says he only has six months to live. So he will always be in the hospital, and Sophia needs to be with him every night. Anna froze, regretting having been so hostile to Sophia before Meanwhile, she didnt notice that Wayne looked like he wanted to confess something to her. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 312 I Dont Trust Her Is she really a psychologist? To be honest, | believe we still need to see a few more doctors. Anna had been considering the treatment n Sophia had suggested. Anna knew she was being ridiculous, but Sophia was so young that Anna doubted whether she waspetent enough. Wayne blinked hesitantly, saying, Dont worry, shell never hurt Matthew. | swear to God she wont. Huh? Why? Have you known her for a long time? Anna looked up at Wayne, stunned. Anna, theres something I need to tell you about Sophia, Wayne said. Hearing that, Annas heart skipped a beat, and she asked anxiously, What is it? Sophia is Matthews biological mother, Wayne said after another pause. After saying this, Wayne looked into Annas eyes, curious to see how she would react. Anna was taken aback when she heard Wayne say this fact. Her eardrums were vibrating like a drum being beaten. After noticing Annas silence, Wayne exined, I didnt tell you earlier because | was afraid youd misunderstand me. | had long nned to never see her again after asking her to be a surrogate mother. The reason why | helped her was that | knew she was in a difficult situation. And you just heard what she said? 3121 Dont Trust Her You mean her husband has cancer? Anna forced herself to calm down before asking Wayne. Wayne frowned and said, Yes, | asked Gabe to look into it earlier. She told me she didnt want any money because treating her husbands cancer costs a lot. Shell be gone in a year to attend college in the United States, so she wont be here long. And she said that all she wanted was to see Matthew before she leaves. Anna took a deep breath as she shivered. She realized that this liar was quite clever. Sophia had made up a tragic story to gain Waynes sympathy. Most people, in fact, would be unable to refuse such a request, knowing that she was that unfortunate. Did you say yes to her then? Anna asked. Wayne had no idea what Anna was thinking, and he responded, I only told you the truth because | didnt want you to get the wrong impression. | can assure you that Matthew will never see her again after that. Anna approached him and asked again, What exactly do you want me to do? Please tell me. Wayne seemed to be irritated as he stared at her. Anna, you dont have to do anything, he said. When Anna noticed Waynes impatience, she clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Then she said angrily, Yeah, youre right. You did not request anything from me. You expected me to believe wholeheartedly that the woman who appeared out of nowhere was your sons biological mother. And youre expecting me to agree to let Matthew live with her for a while. ee ee ee ee, ee a ee en ee ee | 3121 Dont Trust Her right? Wayne froze as if he didnt understand why Anna was so emotional. He frowned and said, Okay, Anna, please stop. Youre overreacting. Ive told you about the surrogacy, and its a fact. So, if you still mind this, then theres nothing | can do about. Anna asked angrily, What? Do you think Im overreacting? Let me ask you how you concluded that Sophia was Matthews mother. Have you run a background check on her? Is she really Matthews mother? Hearing that, Wayne stiffened. Itwas at that moment that Anna believed she had hit the nail on the head. But when Wayne showed her the photo of the paternity test on his phone, she almost broke down. Tapping the screen, Wayne said, Gabe had Sophia tested for paternity at the hospital. So Im certain of it. Anna thought, As clever and cunning as she is, the liar would certainly fake everything perfectly so that she could put on a good show. But Wayne, why did you trust her so easily? How could a guy as smart as you be so stupid? Dont you know that nowadays its easy to forge a fake paternity test result? However, she realized she couldnt convince Wayne to doubt the credibility of the paternity test. Annas face gradually turned pale. Anna, whats wrong with you? Wayne asked as he felt Anna was off. Anna avoided looking Wayne in the eyes. And she did her best to 3121 Dont Trust Her appear calm. She said, Oh, Im fine. In fact, | heard that paternity tests are not always 100 percent urate. | believe you should consider doing another test. It might not be that simple to deal with Matthews matter. And we need to be patient and cautious about it. Besides, there are so many good doctors in the world, so we dont have to let her treat Matthew. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I see. Youre feeling bad because Sophia is Matthews mother, Wayne said thoughtfully, frowning. Anna clenched her fists so hard that her nails hurt her palms. She turned to Wayne and said, Okay, go ahead and do whatever you want. Ill say it again: | dont trust Sophia, and you cant let Matthew be with her Anna then rose to her feet, ready to leave. Where are you going? Wayne asked with a frown. Im going home. Bon appetit, Wayne Wright. With that, Anna took a deep breath, grabbed her coat, and left the private room. She understood why Wayne made the decision. And she believed that if Sophia was Matthews biological mother, there was nothing wrong with her request. But it was apparent to her that the woman was a liar. As a result, she Was unable to remain calm in this situation. It was already dark when Anna left the restaurant. Anna was walking alone down the sidewalk when her cell phone began to vibrate. She assumed it was Wayne who was calling. To her surprise, when she checked it out, she found that it was Jasper. Then she answered it. 3121 Dont Trust Her = What took you so long to answer the phone? Jasper asked. As she was walking, Anna absentmindedly kicked a pebble on the ground and replied, Oh, | didnt notice it until now. Whats going on? Nothing. Well, Peace just told me something about Matthew. How are you doing these days? Anna froze and eximed, What a bbermouth! Calm down, Anna. She did it because she cares about you. She wanted to help you but she couldnt help you in person. Anna interrupted Jasper and said, Huh? Everythings fine, and | can take care of my own business. Jasper froze and asked, h? So you still want to see thewyer, right? Hes been waiting for you in Birmingham for nearly a month now. Are you sure youre not going to see him? Anna froze, unsure of what to say. In fact, she had resisted filing awsuit for a long time, preferring to marry Wayne instead. However, she had recently realized that it might not be a good idea to marry Wayne. She paused for a moment before responding, Thank you; Ill see him tomorrow. Anna, remember that no matter what happens, | will always have your back. Jaspers soothing voice put Anna at ease. Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Peter had just finished his dinner when he was informed that Gabe was back. Following that, Henry poured two cups of tea and ced them on the table. Peter looked Gabe in the eyes and asked directly, Youve been away from thepany for quite a while. What exactly were you doing for Wayne? Gabe froze and asked, Oh? Did you know about it? He reasoned that since Peter was asking, he must have known what was going on. However, he still needed to ask and confirm his suspicions. Tell me whats up with Sophia York. Peter sipped his tea, then frowned. He appeared to be very intimidating. Gabe was nervous and had to take a sip of tea to ease himself. Then he responded, Wayne asked Leo to find him a surrogate woman six years ago. His n was that the woman would leave the country after giving birth to the child. But, by chance and coincidence, the woman did not go to the hotel that night. As a result, they let Sophia take her ce. After a few months, Sophia was pregnant. So, they agreed to let her have the baby. Peter remained silent but appeared agitated. He then snarled, What? This is outrageous! Peter thought Wayne looking for a surrogate was ridiculous enough, let alone that they had the wrong person. 313 Did You Invite Her to the Pa. Rest assured, Mr. Williams. Leo had previously paid Sophiapensation, Gabe said carefully for Wayne. Peter became angrier, saying, What? Does Wayne truly believes that money can solve all problems? Embarrassed and flustered, Gabe kept his head down and drank his tea. And he quickly finished his cup of tea. At this point, Henry said in a low voice, Gabe hasnt finished yet, Sir. Dont get angry just yet, okay? Let him tell us how he found her. Peter nodded slightly after hearing that. Gabe sighed quietly in relief and said, Wayne had a feeling that something was wrong a while ago, so he asked me to look into it. Later, | found that Sophia York turned out to be Matthews birth mother after a lengthy investigation. She was married but had no children. Her husband had terminal stomach cancer and only had six months to live. Ovee by mixed emotions, Peter sighed, We should help her. Meanwhile, Gabe shook his head and said, Wayne repeatedly asked me to give her money, but she refused it. She imed that she had no reason to get the money because her husband was doomed to die. Plus, she said that she would travel to America after her husbands funeral to further her education. Sophia has never had children with her husband, and her only wish is to see Matthew before she goes abroad. Well, that makes sense. We should just let her have it, Peter said. And then the housekeeper advised, Peter, | believe that you should think twice before making your decision. Miss Gabriel will be upset if she knows that Matthew meets this woman. Peter immediately frowned, realizing that it was indeed tricky. 313 Did You Invite Her to the Pa. After meeting Sophia, Anna was preupied with business and attending dinner parties for a few days. As a result, she spent most of her nights in hotels. She wasnt actually that busy. She did so because she didnt want to be alone with Wayne. Henry sent an invitation to Annaspany for Peters birthday party, which was held before Christmas. He did this not only to show her his respect but also to make future business between them easier. When Mona handed Anna the invitation, she to her said cautiously, Are you still upset with Wayne, Anna? So, will you attend his grandfathers birthday party? The purple-red evening sun had already entered the office through the window. And Anna noticed the invitation had Peters name on it in huge letters. Did Waynee to thepany again this afternoon? She asked. Mona immediately responded, Yes. He had brought us afternoon tea a few days before. | didnt give it to you because you said you didnt want anything from him. Hearing that, Anna thanked Mona with a nod. Wayne hade to Annas office every day when she hadnt been home recently. And every time he arrived, he had his assistant bring plenty of food for the staff. Anna was exhausted, and it appeared that everyone around her began to support Matthew, wanting them two to reconcile with each other. Moreover, it made her seem like she was the one who was 313 Did You Invite Her to the Pa. unreasonable. With a sigh, Anna knew she had no choice but to attend this party. Also, she wanted to take this opportunity to talk things over with Wayne. She was determined that she wouldnt let that liar take Matthew away from her. The next day, the Wrights hosted a party on the top floor of Birminghams most exclusive hotel. The venue was elegantly decorated with several circr tables next to the stage, keeping with the solemn yet joyful atmosphere. Peter was dressed formally in a ck suit and appeared energetic. As soon as Anna arrived there, Henry seated her at thergest table, next to Wayne. Anna believed that they had reserved this seat for her to show how much they valued her. It also allowed the guests to meet Anna and learn that she was Waynes future wife. Hello, Anna, Peter said as he smiled and greeted her. Where are Matthew and Tammy? Anna asked, nodding and looking past Wayne at her side to Peter. The babysitter took them to the bathroom, Wayne said before Peter could respond. Anna frowned and didnt reply to him. She simply turned her head toward the restroom. She did this to avoid looking Wayne in the eyes and embarrassing herself. However, Anna didnt expect to see a woman who shouldnt have been there, which was Sophia. 313 Did You Invite Her to the Pa. People unfamiliar with the Wrights but eager to see them sat in an out-of-the-way corner of the ballroom. The majority of them were journalists who wanted to take photographs. And Anna spotted Sophia sitting there at a nce. Sophia was dressed in a beige gown that made her appear gentle. And like Anna, she was staring at the toilet Anxious, Anna felt like a hand suddenly grabbed her heart, preventing her from breathing. She immediately turned around and asked Wayne, Did you invite her to the party? Wayne went entirely still. He noticed Sophia when he followed her gaze. At the same time, Tammy and Matthew ran out of the bathroomughing, one after the other, with the nanny following close behind them. Seeing Anna, Tammy eximed, Mommy! The two little ones ran toward Anna the moment they saw her. Matthew dropped something he was holding in his hand as they ran past Sophia. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Then Sophia knelt, picked the thing up, and handed it to Matthew. Seeing that, Anna clenched her fist and immediately became agitated. Chapter 314 Chapter 314 314 What Exactly Do You Want? This is from N?velDrama.Org. What put Anna at ease was that Matthew ran over to her after saying thank you to Sophia. Then he wrapped his arms around Anna and rubbed his cheek against her neck. Anna gently stroked both childrens hair while looking at Sophia. While everyone was eating, Peter said to Anna thoughtfully, Anna, could you possibly stay after the party? Id like to speak with you about something about Matthew. Anna immediately nced at Wayne and found that he was not surprised about what Peter said. At this point, Anna realized that Peter might have known about the whole Sophia is Matthews birth mother thing. That was why he had invited Sophia toe here. Anna clenched her fists tightly. When Anna noticed Sophia going to the bathroom, she stood up. Meanwhile, Wayne was feeding Matthew. Where are you going? he asked Im going to the bathroom, Anna said calmly, And Ill be right back. She realized that only she and Sophia knew the truth while Wayne and Peter still had no clue about it. As a result, she was curious about Sophias motivation for doing so. The restroom was far from the venue, and Anna had to follow Sophia through two doorways. Sophia was washing her hands as Anna approached her. She appeared haggard and exhausted. 314 What Exactly Do You Want? Sophia froze when she saw Anna and smiled and said, Hello there, Miss Gabriel. | apologize. | didnt say hello to you because there are too many people here just now. Anna walked in, looked at Sophia indifferently, and said, Okay, no one else is here, so you can stop acting. What do you intend to do? Oh, | dont know what you mean, Sophia frowned. Anna asked directly, Is it true that you are Matthews mother? Is it true that you were that surrogate? Sophia froze for a moment before taking two steps back and saying, | dont want to offend you in any way, Miss Gabriel. You should know that Ill be leaving for America in a year. So, the only reason why | contacted Wayne was that I want to meet my son. There is no way | would jeopardize your rtionship with him. Anna said coldly, Come on, stop pretending. Youre not even Matthews biological mother. Who the hell sent you here? What exactly do you want to do? When Sophia noticed how anxious Anna looked, she snorted and said, Well, | think Ive been polite enough to you. And I dont know why you suspect me. Who is Matthews birth mother, if not me? Is that you? Anna flushed, and her heart began to beat faster. She suspected that Sophia knew everything, including the fact that she was Matthews mother. However, Sophia purposefully avoided saying so. Anna felt that Sophia had a purpose for doing this. She lowered her voice and warned, What the hell are you looking for? Let me tell you, | will do anything for Matthew. Sophia then looked at her nails. However, the words she spoke bwed ana 314 What Exactly Do You Want? She said, No, Im not interested in doing anything. Id like to see him because Im his mother. Cant you understand this simple truth? Anna realized that no matter what, Sophia would not admit that she was a liar. She made up an almost perfect lie, leaving Anna speechless. Anna was so enraged that her hands trembled. Meanwhile, at the banquet. When Peter realized Anna had been missing for a long time, he asked Wayne, Why hasnt Anna returned? Wayne, go check out whats going on. Wayne looked down the hall and saw that Sophia wasnt there either. He became concerned when he realized something bad might had happened between them. After instructing the nannies to care for the two children, he went straight to the bathroom. Hed just walked up to the bathroom door when he heard a womans startled cry from inside. Anna! He violently pushed open the womens restroom door. And he was taken aback when he saw what was happening. Sophia copsed to the ground with one hand covering her face. How dare you hit me? she asked, her eyes welling up with tears. Anna was still holding her hand up in the air at the time. Furthermore, her face was darkened. When she turned around after hearing the door open behind her, Wayne looked at her in surprise. What exactly are you doing? Wayne asked grimly. Faced with his aggressive attitude, Anna felt disappointed. She said, | didnt do anything, Wayne, will you believe me? Wayne remained silent. He simply walked past her and helped Sophia 314 What Exactly Do You Want? up from the floor. Sophia struggled to stand up. She quickly yanked her arm away from Waynes grasp as if she was afraid of being touched. After that, she said, Oh, dont worry; we just had a small quarrel. Im fine. She was still covering her face as she spoke. Anna thought it ridiculous to see Sophia pretending to be soft and pitiful. She hadnt evenid her hands on her. Sophia, on the other hand, pretended to be beaten by Anna. Of all the women who threw themselves at Wayne Wayne, Sophia was the most shameless of them all in Annas opinion. Anna, did you hit her? Wayne asked Anna seriously. Hearing that, Anna was furious, shouting, Of course, | did not! But | would have ripped her stupid mouth into pieces if you hadnte in the way! Why? She just wanted to see Matthew! Anna, will you calm down? Anna pointed at Sophia and said, Yes, Im very calm. But she keeps irritating me. Wayne, please take your son more seriously. Are you sure you want him to be alone with a stranger? | swear to you, if anything bad happens to Matthew, I will kill you! Anna, Wayne eximed loudly. Anna yelled even louder, cutting Wayne off. She said, Stop shouting at me like that! I dont care if you think Im unreasonable or petty. But Im not going to be polite to this strange woman. With that, Anna stormed out of the bathroom. At the same time, Wayne frowned and tightened his fists. Sophia then said, Im so sorry, Wayne. Il exin everything to her 314 What Exactly Do You Want? right now. No, you dont have to, Wayne said. Just as Sophia was about to leave, Wayne asked her, Did Anna hit you? Sophia shivered as she noticed how cold his gaze was. Then she answered, Its okay, Im fine. No, Im asking whether she actually hit you. His low voice echoed in the room. Hearing that, Sophia felt a shiver running down her spine. Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Sophia became flustered. She stumbled and said, No, | fell down because | was just startled. Miss Gabriel has nothing to do with it. | told you that if you want to see Matthew, you have to get Annas permission first, Wayne said as he stared at Sophia indifferently. In fact, Wayne had no idea that Sophia would show up at the dinner party. But he guessed what had happened when he saw Peters attitude and what he said to Anna. Sophia quickly exined, I didnt offer toe here. Mr. Wright invited me. He arranged for me to sit at the farer table, where | could see Matthew. Wayne said indifferently, Youll never see him again. He then left the restroom. Wayne had previously felt that it was his fault that Sophia had be the surrogate by ident. As a result, when she offered to see Matthew, he agreed out of guilt. But he wondered if things were really that simple. As he walked back to the ballroom, he ordered Gabe, Run a background check on Sophia again.. Why, whats wrong? Wayne red at him and said, Just do it. Stop asking questions. Youve been a bber recently. Are you the one who told my grandfather about Sophia? Gabe shuddered slightly before saying, Ah, I Go ahead and report the results to me tomorrow. Gabe didnt dare to say anything else and dashed away. 315 You Cant See Him Anymore Gabe had worked as Waynes personal assistant for many years. Wayne had never doubted the oue of his investigation because Gabe had always been dependable and had never made a mistake. So, when Gable showed Wayne the paternity test and the evidence, he believed that Sophia was Matthews mother. But, because Anna was unhappy, Wayne didnt meet with Sophia again. Wayne honestly couldnt recall what the girl looked like. He couldnt be sure if that person was Sophia, no matter how much he remembered. However, after the recent incident, he had doubts about her. He was well aware that Anna would never hit anyone. As a result, he assumed Sophia was lying. After the party was over, Wayne sent the kids and Peter home. Then he and Peter sat alone in the living room after the babysitter had put the kids to bed. I was about to ask you why Anna left halfway through the party,* Peter said suspiciously. She wasnt feeling well, so she went home, Wayne exined as calmly as he could. Knowing that he was lying, Peter said, I guess it has something to do with Sophia, right? Anna is being a little paranoid about the whole thing. Actually, Matthews mother just wanted to see him. Besides, shes leaving the country in a year. Isnt she a psychiatrist? | believe she is the best person to see what is going on with Matthew. Wayne frowned and said, Well, Ill have to give it some more thought. Please stay out of this. Bh eo voi think Im being nosy? 315 You Cant See Him Anymore Wayne said coldly, Actually, | dont want Sophia to meet Matthew. Peter gave him a stern look and said, What? Her husband is ill, and she is extremely miserable! This poor woman has only one wish, that is to meet her son. Is that an outrageous request? Why cant you just give her what she wants? Wayne shook his head as if unconvinced no matter what Peter said. He said, Well, please stay out of this, Grandpa. Im going to go home.* Wayne then stood up and walked away. At the same time, Peter pped the table very angrily. Standing to the side, Henry sighed and said, Its okay, Peter. In fact, | believe there is something wrong with this situation. | dont think youve made a wise choice by letting Miss York go to this party. You know, it would irritate Miss Gabriel but whats the big deal about Sophia meeting Matthew? Peter asked in confusion. Well, let me put it this way: would you rather have Miss Gabriel look after Matthew or his mother? Of course Id go with Anna! Wayne and Anna are getting marriedter, after all. Henry nodded and said, Right. So, if you want Miss Gabriel to take Matthew as her child, you shouldnt have let Sophia interact with Matthew. It will only make the situation even more awkward and it might damage the rtionship between Wayne and Anna. Hearing that, Peter froze and asked, Well, what am | supposed to do then? You can let Wayne handle this on his own. He is an adult, and he can 315 You Cant See Him Anymore handle his own affairs. Lets not make any more trouble for him. Peter nodded, thinking he had made his point. Meanwhile, in a suburban vi, a woman was yelling at and pping another woman hysterically. You f*****g moron! | told you not to y games with Wayne! Why didnt you just do what | told you to do? | didnt ask you to nder Anna! You i***t! Sophia covered her face, then bit her lower lip tightly and said, Ada, Im only doing this to avenge you. Wayne trusted me in the beginning, and he didnt me me for anything. You know, he just asked me some questions. Ada was furious and wanted to p her again. She said, Oh, my God! Do you think Wayne is a moron? He must have had his assistant re investigate the entire thing right now! Youre screwed if he finds out who you are! Sophias face gradually turned pale as she realized she had made a big mistake. Ah, what am | going to do now? she asked. Ada pped the table angrily and yelled, Are you questioning me? You should return to your hometown now and avoiding to this city for the next few years. You know how powerful the Wright family is, so get out of here as soon as possible. Otherwise, youll get me involved. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Sophia hung her head and covered her face with her hands. She whimpered in pain because she was shocked and said, ! know. But, Im not going to tell him about you. I dont want to return home because Ive worked hard to get here. Ada screamed angrily, I swear to you, you deserve it! You really shouldnt have done it! id at that noint that che had loct all hone Fven if che eile pe 315 You Cant See Him Anymore was sorry, she couldnt do anything about it. Ada red angrily at her and said, Get out! | dont wanna see you! Previously, Ada had devised a perfect n in order to cause Wayne and Anna to split up. To her surprise, however, Sophia ruined everything. Chapter 316 Chapter 316 316 Please Trust Her and Protect Her At dusk, Gabe put some files on Waynes desk and said as he felt nervous, Mr. Wright, Ive checked the whole thing out. Sophia York is not a psychologist; all her documents are forged, including her name.* Go on, Wayne said, clenching his fist. Her real name is Lily Johnson, and she was still working in a clothing factory a few months ago. And | heard from her coworkers that she said would be wealthy before she quit her job. And she was in the hospital with her husband* when | found her. What? Where has her husband gone? Gabe said, turning pale, The point is, that man wasnt even her husband, and he was not even sick. They had already left the town, and thats all the information | found about them. Then Wayne asked angrily, What? How did she know so much about Matthew? Hearing that, Gabe broke into a cold sweat and stuttered, Ah, | think Leo told someone about this, and that may be why he was killedter on. | thought he had an ident a first because he had no enemies. However Bang! Enraged, Wayne mmed the file on the table to the floor hard before Gabe could finish his words. It hit Gabe on the calf, but he just gritted his teeth and remained silent. Wayne said through gritted teeth, Stop whatever you are working on and look into this. Tell them | told you to do so if anyone asks you about 316 Please Trust Her and Prote. = that. Find out the truth about what happened before. Im curious about why Leo died and who set up this scheme. This is so damn absurd! Gabe nodded immediately and said, Sir, III definitely look into it. Im sorry for my negligence before. Saying that, he left the room quickly for fear that Wayne would blow off steams again. After Gabe left, Wayne took a long and deep breath. His eyes were as dark as an endless abyss as he was so depressed and angry. f**k! Ishould ve seen iting! |knew things wouldnt be as simple as | thought it was supposed to be. | shouldve asked Gabe to dig deeper about Leo*s death so that | wouldnt be fooled by Lily Johnson that f****g phony! And | almost let her spend some time alone with Matthew. God knows what that phony will do to Matthew! Damn it Thinking of that, the blue veins bulged out on Waynes forehead. And he clenched his fists even more tightly. But on second thought, he gradually loosened his grip. Then, shaking his head, he was lost in thoughts again Thank goodness | asked Gabe to run a background check on that woman and know about her real identity. Otherwise, | might lose Matthew and Anna will definitely hate me for it Right, Anna, much as |hate to admit it, you were right about the woman. I shouldnt have trusted her so easily. | shouldve listened to you and trusted you more. It took us so long for us to finally be together. | know Im not a perfect boyfriend and | appreciate that you put up with my bad temper again and again, And |don*t wanna lose you again. This time, | mean it. | really want to get married to you and spend the rest of my life with you. Anna, | promise you. Well make it through though there are always some bad people and many unexpected obstacles getting in our way. 316 Please Trust Her and Prote. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Wayne felt that what happenedst night wasnt as simple as it seemed. He frowned as he reflected on the strange events that had urred recently. He realized many unexpected things had happened since Leo died in the ident. Furthermore, it appeared that someone was deliberately attempting to harm him and Anna. And he knew that coincidences wouldnt just happen in a row for no reason. At that precise moment, someone called him. As soon as he picked up the phone, he heard Andrew ask, Wayne, is Anna with you? I called Mona, but | heard that they were in a car ident. ording to the news, there was a serious ident on the overpass. And they seemed to be on that road. What? What are you talking about? Im not sure if they were involved in the car ident, but neither Mona nor Anna has answered my calls. Wayne realized at that point that he couldnt wait any longer. He immediately stood up and dashed out the door without even grabbing his jacket. Meanwhile, Gabe had just walked out of Waynes house and gotten into his car. Then Wayne opened the backseat door and said in a hurry, Take me to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, the emergency room was packed. A two-car collision on the overpass caused many car idents, resulting in many injuries because it had snowed a few days before. The news report described this ident: Due to the heavy snowfall a few days ago, a series of car idents urred on the overpass in the dubs tery priate aeee. The creliiinacy coricincon ie thate wucictalled 316 Please Trust Her and Prote. to brake. There is no casualty list yet, but three people have died. Hospitals are currently sending ambnces there. When Wayne and Gabe arrived at the hospital, they noticed that it was crowded. Wayne jumped out of the car before it even came to aplete stop. And Gabe was taken aback by his bold action and mmed on the brakes immediately. Before Gabe could say anything, Wayne had already run into the hospital. Wayne called Anna and Mona several more times, but no one answered. He stood nervously at the door, only to see doctors carrying stretchers to the emergency room. Excuse me! Get the pacemaker ready! Inform the patients families! Let them sign the papers! Wayne asked the nurse at the front desk eagerly, Wheres Anna Gabriel? The nurse said, looking over the list, Sir, sorry, but | didnt find that name. She may have been seriously injured, so thats why we didnt write her name down. You can look for her in the operating room. At that moment, a doctor walked right past him, pushing a stretcher cart. Wayne took a look around and noticed there was bright red blood on the white sheets. Thinking that the person lying on the stretcher might be Anna, he held his forehead and almost fell to the ground because of fear. Having ovee with fear, he instantly dashed to the operating room. Then he heard a nurse shouting, Were going to perform surgery on 316 Please Trust Her and Prote. Anna Gabriel. Does anyone know who she is? Hearing that, Waynes eyes widened in shock, and he dashed over there, pushing aside anyone who got in his way, dying to see what was actually going on. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Wayne heard the nurse repeat her questions, but he couldnt even move his legs. He froze for a long time before returning to his senses and saying, Ido! Im her family! The nurse appeared emotionless because she was so used to seeing this scene. She handed him a piece of paper and said, We need to operate on the right side of her chest because its prated by a steel bar. Shes in danger, and doctors are still trying their best to save her. Please sign here. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing that, Wayne went stiff. He felt like a bomb had exploded in his head, rendering him unable to think clearly. Sir, are you all right? the nurse asked. Wayne couldnt control his shaking hands as he took the pen and signed the paper. People were talking and walking around him, but he didnt seem to hear anything. He peered through the c***k in the operating room door, trying to see what was going on inside. After about ten minutes, three people approached him anxiously. They were Andrew, Scott, and Randal. In a panic, Scott asked, How is Anna? Wayne pursed his lips, and trembled all over. He tried to calm himself down before repeating what the doctor had just said. Seeing his reaction, Scotts eyes instantly turned red, and he grabbed Waynes cor and asked, Is this how you look after her? Why did this happen? Randal yanked on Scotts shirt and eximed, Please rx, dear. 317 She Is My Life Things may not be as bad as you think. Theyve already started saving her Ignoring Randal, Scott grabbed Waynes cor more tightly and said, Wayne! You promised me you would do everything you could to protect her! How could you let this happen to my sister? Wayne looked up at Scott at that moment, tears welling up in his eyes. In fact, if Scott hadnt questioned him, he would have remained depressed and silent. Yes, she is your sister, he said, but she is more important to me than my life. Everyone froze. Randal then said, Come on, honey, stop it. Theyre still in the operating room. After about 30 minutes, the lights went out in the operating room. When the doctors saw the people at the door, they bowed and apologized, saying, Im sorry, we did our best but she didnt make it. Scott felt weak in his legs right away and would have flopped on the floor if Randal hadnt grabbed him by the waist. The stretcher cart was then pushed out. Scott knelt next to it, clutching the white cloth tightly, and began to cry. Andrews eyes were moist, and Randal was trembling. Wayne was frozen, unsure what to do. He felt he wasnt even as brave as Scott because he was too afraid to walk over to the stretcher. God Why?! No | must be dreaming. Anna, after wake up from my dream, you will be sitting next to me and smiling at me, right? Right?! At the thought of that, Wayne pinched his arm hard to see whether he was dreaming or not. To his disappointment, the intense pain he felt showed that he wasnt dreaming at all. 317 She Is My Life Damn it! Im so so sorry, Anna. Im so sorry that I disappointed you by almost endangering Matthew again. Im so sorry that | didnt trust you more. | shouldve told you more often that love you and that I do care about you. But its already toote. f**k! What am Igonna do without you? I cant live without yor Ah, what brings you all here? A familiar female voice pulled Wayne back to reality. Hearing that, all of them turned around and saw Monaing down the hallway with two stic bags containing lunch boxes. Whats going on? she asked, surprised, of the five grieving men. Andrew whispered, Stop asking; shes dead. Mona froze and stared at the stretcher car draped in a white cloth. She sighed and exined, Im truly sorry. Anna and | did everything we could to get her to the hospital Andrew nodded but realized immediately that something was wrong. What are you talking about? he asked, looking at Mona. | said that Anna and | did everything we could, Mona said as she froze. Wayne reacted immediately as Andrew was about to ask another question. He dashed over to the stretcher cart and grabbed the cloth. Then, everyone was surprised to see a strange woman with a pale face. Scott was startled and flung himself into Randals arms. Thats not Anna! he eximed. Wayne finally calmed down. He put down the cloth and asked Mona, Where is Anna then? Mona scratched her head in confusion, then looked around and said, Im curious as well. | just got some food because weve been busy all night 317 She Is My Life and havent had dinner yet. Anna used to be a medical student, so shes off volunteering. = To Monas surprise, Wayne had already dashed off into the distance before she could finish her words. Andrew also reacted quickly and assisted the nurse in transporting the patient to the morgue. As for Mona, she had no idea what was going on. She raised her head and asked, What on earth is going on? Could somebody please exin it tome? Gabe paused for a moment before saying, A nurse just told Wayne that she was going to operate on a woman named Anna Gabriel and that he needed to sign for it. So, Wayne just assumed the woman was her.* Mona sighed and added, Dont worry, nothing bad happened to her. Our car collided with a guardrail, and I took it in for repairs. Upon that, Everyone let out a relieved sigh. Scott regained his sense and leaned over Randall, rubbing his eyes and muttering, Wayne just scared the hell out of me! Randal rubbed his hair, then asked, Do you still want to see Anna? Scott shook his head, No, lets go home. Ive got a full schedule tomorrow. They then both left, followed by Gabe. At the same time, Mona stood in the hallway with her food, not knowing what to do. Andrew looked at her and said, Lets go, Mona. The hospital will probably prepare dinner for Anna. | just finished designing a new prototype; would you like to see it? 317 She Is My Life Monas eyes lit up, and she eximed, Sure, Id love to! | havent had dinner either, Andrew said, looking at the lunchbox she was holding. Meanwhile, Wayne ran around the hospital like crazy until he came across Anna by ambnce at the entrance. She was assisting the doctors and nurses in carrying the patients down, and her pink coat was stained with blood. The scene was chaotic, but she appeared to be calm and organized. Wayne finally calmed down when he saw her and sighed with relief, thinking, Thank goodness youre safe and sound, Anna! Thats all that matters. However, on second thought, Wayne sensed that something was off about the car ident. He thought, How strange. Ive driven through that overpass thousands of times and Ive never witnessed a car ident happen there. Also, the overpass is famous for its safety. Moreover, over the years, only one car ident was reported taking ce on that overpass. However, the car idents that happened today is so serious that it caused dozens of people to injure and even several deaths! Something is fishy about the whole thing. | need to ask Gabe to thoroughly investigate the car ident. Then Wayne called Gabe, Gabe, | dont think the car ident is merely an ident. You have three days to investigate the ident. Gotiit, Sir! Gabe answered. Meanwhile, in the ambnce, a doctor knelt to wipe his brow. He said to Anna, Ive never seen you before. Are you a doctor here? Chapter 318 Chapter 318 As he spoke, the doctor handed Anna a white handkerchief and said, Here you go. This is a brand- new one Anna thanked him and wiped the sweat from her face with the handkerchief, exining, I drove a seriously injured person here, then | stopped by to help. Really? But | think you are very professional. Are you a medical student? Anna appeared to be younger than her actual age. She was dressed in a pink coat and had tied her hair in a ponytail to make it easier to move around. As a result, she looked like she was a college student. She shook her head, recalling what had happened. No, Im not, she said. The doctor insisted, No, Im sure youre a medical student! You did it professionally, and you were able to identify the patients injuries. So, Im guessing youre a medical student or a doctor. In what hospital do you work? Well, it doesnt matter, but Im curious. Anna was irritated and said, Im not even a medical student! They should have sent over the injured by now, so | should go. Its time for you to start working, The doctor then jumped out of the ambnce. Hed only taken a few steps when he returned and asked, May I have your phone number? Before Anna could say anything, she heard a man behind her say, Anna, Ive been looking for you for a long time. Lets go home. The doctor froze. When he turned around, he saw a tall man standing 318 We Need to Talk, Anna behind him. Even though the man was some distance away, he could still feel hispelling aura. He realized that a beautiful and kind woman like Anna couldnt possibly be avable anymore. He sighed in frustration as he entered the hospital. Anna had been standing at the ambnces back door. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Wayne and immediately stood up straight. She hadnt expected Wayne to be here, so she was taken aback by his presence What exactly are you doing here? She asked, surprised. Wayne approached her. Lets go home, take a shower, and have dinner, he said without further exnation. Anna nodded as she looked down at the blood stain on her jacket. They remained silent on the cab ride home, not even mentioning their big fight. RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only When Anna got home, she went straight to the bathroom. Her coat still smelled like hospital sterile water and blood, but her rose-scented body wash had covered it up. Anna remained in a trance as the warm water rinsed the foam from her back. After finishing taking a shower, Anna opened the bathroom door and she smelled the delicious scent of dinner. She froze for a moment before walking out of the bedroom, towelling off her hair. She was surprised when she saw the table piled with food. Lets have dinner, Anna. Wayne brought two bowls from the kitchen and ced a bowl of soup in front of Anna. Anna looked at the wall clock and saw it was twelve oclock. Are we 318 We Need to Talk, Anna having a midnight snack? she asked, perplexed. Yes, we are. You must be starving now, right? Wayne asked, handing her a fork. How did you know? Anna asked, lowering her head to sip her soup. Mona told me. Anna frowned and asked, Huh? Did she even tell you that? What else did she say to you? She also said that the deceaseddy in the ward was not you. Anna froze and slowly raised her head. Waynes eyes were red, but she didnt notice because the light was dim, and he kept his head down. He appeared tired and haggard as if he hadnt slept in a long time. What exactly is going on? She asked, perplexed. Then she started specting about what had happened while she was volunteering to help the injured back then. Wayne exhaled deeply and said, Lets just eat, Anna. Well talk about thatter. About what? conversation wouldnt be pleasant. ifortably, Anna asked. She had a feeling that the Lets go over what has happened since we first met. Then we can sort out and solve all issues of our rtionship. Anna straightened her back and looked at him with a frown. She paused for a moment before asking nervously, What if we cannot resolve these issues? Then what are we gonna do? And she thought, Wayne, are you going to talk to me about Matthews so-called birth mother? If youre gonna tell me that you insist on letting 318 We Need to Talk, Anna Matthew spend some time with her alone despite the fact that Im strongly against the terrible idea, then well have nothing to talk about. And, if thats really the case, | sure will do whatever lean to take Matthew away from you. And | might even break up with you. Then Wayne frowned and appeared dissatisfied when he heard what she said. He said, Lets not get into that right now. Anna, try this pie. He wanted to talk to her about everything, including the fact that he had already found out that Sophia turned out to be a phony. On the other hand, Anna was still waiting to hear what he had to say. No, Im not hungry, she replied. However, her stomach growled as she finished speaking, much to her embarrassment. The sound was so clear in the quiet, empty room that she awkwardly touched her hair. Stop it, Anna, Wayne said as he handed her a te of macaroni and cheese. So, Anna began to eat. Anna quickly ate all the food on the table before looking down, rubbing her stomach, and saying, So, Im done. Go ahead, tell me what you want to talk about. Anna, first of all, Im sorry. Youre right. Sophia isnt Matthews birth mother at all. And thank goodness Ive run a thorough background check on her in time. Otherwise, Matthew Saying that, Wayne lowered his head, pursing his lips in embarrassment. Its okay, Wayne. At least you listened to me and Matthew is safe and sound now. But you have to promise me that things like this wont happen 318 We Need to Talk, Anna again, Slightly frowning, Anna said to Wayne seriously. Okay, | promise you. You have my word. And secondly, youve probably already realized that | will know everything | want to know about you without asking you, right? Wayne said Anna furrowed her brow and seemed unhappy. She realized she had known Wayne was a condescending person who didnt seem to respect others since the first time she met him. However, to Annas surprise, Wayne then said, But I dont want to look into things about you because | would prefer you tell me about them yourself. | want you to tell me everything about you and your past. If you dont want to discuss it, then I wont pressure you into doing it. Anna froze and then stared in awe at Wayne. Do you understand what Im talking about, Anna? Nobody can tell me if youve ever loved anyone other than me. Im not sure how much you care about me, and Im not sure why you always consider keeping a distance from me or even breaking up with me when things go wrong between us. Wayne had always appeared calm, but at that moment, he seemed panicked and helpless. Anna was his only weakness, the person he cared about the most. And he wanted the entire world to know how much he adored her. After a brief pause, Wayne continued, Youve been wondering what | was going to say to you, and you probably thought what I was going to say would disappoint you so much that you might even consider ending our rtionship. But Anna, | want you to know that Ive never ever thought of breaking up with you even though sometimes my behavior might make you misunderstand me. Again, Im sorry about that. Hearing that, Anna was so astonished that she failed to utter a single Chapter 319 Chapter 319 319 I Dont Know Anything 319 | Dont Know Anything Anna paused for a long time before asking, Why did you suddenly want to talk to me about it today? In fact, Anna had no idea that Wayne had been on an emotional roller coaster since he arrived at the hospital. With all of his patience, he tried to reconcile with her and repair their rtionship. Wayne approached her calmly and asked, What would you say if! didnt tell you this? Would you just assume that | didnt trust you at all and then just walk away from me? Anna remained silent because Wayne had read her mind. To her, the most important rule of her life rule was to minimize losses. As a result, whenever something went wrong between them, her first reaction was to leave. She also did the same thing when it came to many other matters. Having weighed the benefits and drawbacks, Anna chose the former between the kids and Wayne, as well as her career and him. She felt that if she had to choose between her family and friends and Waer on, she would go with the former. She felt that love was the least important thing to her, and she knew why. After a pause, Anna said, The truth isnt always pleasant, and reality isnt always appealing. So, sometimes, being blinded by lies might be a good way to escape from the cruel reality. But, | have to be honest with you, Wayne. Sorry, but my children, family, and friends take priority over my lover. Im not sure if you mind, but its the truth. Well, its just like | believe you would choose Matthew over me if you have to. So, please dont 3191 Dont Know Anything force me to make a decision this way because it makes no sense. Wayne asked, Well, what if say | dont mind at all? In fact, he had nned everything ahead of time and had known for a long time what kind of woman Anna was. He used to have a lot of principles, but he was willing to change them all for Anna. Anna froze and then eximed, What are you talking about? I dont mind if you put me in thest ce, Anna. But all | want is to be a part of your life. He appeared determined, reminding Anna of how he had saved her from the embarrassing situation when they first met. Wayne stared at Anna, waiting for her to respond. He clearly realized that if he truly loved someone, he could change all of his previous beliefs. He only had one wish: to be by Annas side all the time. Anna felt her cold hands and feet slowly bing warm, and her heart as well. Despite their many misunderstandings and problems, she looked at Wayne with fondness and then slowly nodded. It wasnt until then that she realized that Wayne thought she was extremely important to him. Understood? Wayne asked, looking at her. Anna nodded once more. Then why havent youe to me yet? Wayne asked with a slight smile Anna paused for a moment before rising hesitantly. She approached Wayne and hugged him tightly. In the cold winter, she suddenly felt it was very warm to hug someone she loved. 3191 Dont Know Anything Three dayster, Wayne had just driven Anna to work when he received a phone call from Gable. Good news, | knew who did it and caught the person. After Wayne ordered him to investigate the car ident, Gable had look into the matter by any means necessary and finally found the person who deliberately caused the car ident with the purpose of killing Anna. Bring him to our warehouse in the suburbs, Wayne said coldly. Then he hung up the phone, mmed on the gas and drove there. The warehouse was an abandoned Carousel Group warehouse with arge basement inside. The person that Gabe caught was sitting in the corner, and someone threw a water pot on his head. He suddenly awake and asked, Who are you? Looking around, the man shivered in terror. There were two men standing in front of him, one holding a bucket of water and the other an electric baton One of the men sneered and then said rudely, Ha! We are devils. Wee to hell, you motherfucker! We know everything about you, Elliot. And we know that youre a fucked-up drug addict who deliberately caused the car ident a few days earlier. Elliot then shuddered and asked, Did Tom send you here? How much money do you want? Ive already paid off everything | owe him! From N?velDrama.Org. The man wielding the electric baton crouched and stared at him before poking him in the waist and saying, Whos Tom? What are you talking about? Elliot screamed and eximed, What? Youre not the ones sent by 3191 Dont Know Anything Tom, are you? So, why are you doing this to me? Youre in bad luck. You can pay it off if you owe money, but there is no way to settle this matter with money. The man finally dropped the bucket with a loud thud on the ground. The basement door was opened at that time as the chains rattled. Then a man wearing leather shoes walked up the stairs. Elliot looked up in horror, and all his hope was gone when he saw the man. Its you! he eximed, his voice shaking. Wayne stood in front of him and looked down at him with contempt. You know who | am, dont you? Wayne asked. Elliot said as he shivered, Of course, | know you! You are Wayne Wright, the former president of the Carousel Group. Everyone knows you. One of the men brought a chair to Wayne. Wayne waved his hand, then stepped back and stopped speaking. Gable appeared from behind Wayne at that precise moment. You can go out now and let us work it out, he told the two men. The two men left before they said, Okay, well wait outside. If you need help, feel free to call us. Gabe knelt in front of Elliot and tugged on the rope he was wearing before asking, Do you know why youre here? I dont, Elliot gritted his teeth, but | know that | early morning hours. The next day, several young armed people gathered around the Joan Groups warehouse on the citys eastern outskirts. Theyd been waiting in the public restroom across from the gate all night. Are you sure this is the ce? Emily asked Ryan in a low voice. Ryan pointed to the warehouse across the street and said, Ves, Im certain of it. ve been here several times. Every week around this time, theye here to deliver drugs to the downtown nightclubs. Ryan, its 2:00 a.m. and everyone is wearing casual outfit. We cant keep waiting any longer. We should retreat. Ryan frowned and replied, No, hold on a little longer. They will definitelye. Emily knelt down and looked at her watch, which read 59 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. She feared theyd get sick if they stayed in this weather all night. Ted, are you there? she asked after pressing the inte. Ted replied, Yes, Im here. What is it? Go back to the car. It might get colderter, and we didnt bring any heating devices. So, Im afraid someone might get sick. What? So, how about you? Emily knew what he meant, then frowned and replied, Dont worry about me, Ted. Ryan and | will just wait here. If anything goes wrong, Il let you know. Cut the crap and get out of here. Ted replied, Okay. It was early in the morning, so there wasnt a soul around the warehouse. Five minutester, the two members left, leaving only her and 323 Toxic Heroism > Ryan. Emily nced at Ryan and asked, Are you cold? Actually, you can leave with them. I can be here by myself. Well, | doubt anyone wille now that its nearly dawn. Ryan appeared dissatisfied, then refused by saying, No, Im not going. You can go with them, Emily. | told you Id be fine here by myself. Emily became even more enraged and said, Ryan, will you please stop talking? | can join you in facing the danger, but | must be responsible for my crew. They cant possibly stay here all night! Will you watch fewer superhero films? Im sure Ill get the school to discipline you after the rit Whatever! Theres absolutely no way Ill be teamed up with you again in the future. Emily was so outraged that she didnt want to talk with Ryan anymore. She paused for a moment before standing up with her gun and saying, What exactly did you say? You dont want to be in the same group as me, do you? Okay, Ill go now. Then | will ask the school to transfer you to the campus in London. | dont want to spend any more time with you here. Damn! Only a fool would do that! Emily packed her belongings and left after she finished speaking. Meanwhile, Ryan shivered as he clenched his teeth. He couldnt feel his hands because it was so cold. He became hungry after about 30 minutes. As he reached into his pocket, he found a hard object inside. He took it out and discovered it was hardtack. He froze for a beat before looking in the direction Emily had just left. Ryan actually knew why Emily was strongly against his idea. They were only ona drill, and the school and the troops had made the best 323 Toxic Heroism pial safety measures for them. However, they would still be at risk. Their group was the most special one because they were literally going to a crime den to fight criminals. While Ryan was still immersed in his thought, he heard the sound of a car driving by. In the quiet, snowy night, the sound seemed very clear. The streetlights illuminated the entire warehouse, and eventually, a white van drove up to the warehouses entrance. Five men then stepped out of the car. After that, one of them opened the door to the warehouse and said, As soon as we finish this deal, we can go home for Christmas. Yeah, and well get a good cut of the profits this time. To be honest, | just love doing business with Fred. Isnt he the best? Actually, its not all because of Fred. His bosses decide how much of a pay cut to give us. Who are them? Another man got out of the car while they were talking. Ryan couldnt see his face because he wore a ck raincoat, sunsses, and a mask. Indifferently, the mysterious man said, Stop chatting and start working, guys. Because this is the final batch, we should be extra cautious. One of the men said disdainfully, Whats the problem? Are you scared? You know that if you want to make money, you must take that risk You shouldnt be in this business if youre terrified. Shut up. If you guys keep talking, Im going to drive the car away. What? What the f**k are you talking about? From N?velDrama.Org. Ryan frowned at those men, pondering over when he should rush out. 323 Toxic Heroism al He believed that if he fought with them, they would take the upper hand Meanwhile, this time, he had a lot of gear with him and he was well-prepared, so he figured hed give it a shot. The group then drove the man in ck away. Then he slowly walked toward the bathroom. At the same time, Ryan had been waiting for him in the corner for quite some time, holding a dagger and a drug- filled gauze. As the man walked in, Ryan grabbed the mans neck and ced gauze over his mouth After a brief struggle, the man copsed to the ground. Ryan sighed in relief and cursed in his heart. He froze when he took off the mans mask because he recognized him as Mr. Gilbert of the Joan Group. Ryan knew that Gilbert and Richard were involved in some illegal transactions, but he had not expected Gilbert to do drug trafficking in person. He appeared highly cautious about it and feared that those guys would mess things up. Ryan tied Gilbert up and shoved him into the bathroom stall after putting on his clothes, disguising himself as Gilbert. After that, he walked out by himself and across the street to the warehouse. The snow was still falling and hadnded on Ryans raincoat, making him look like a grim reaper. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 324 What If I Die Ryan stood outside the warehouse door, surveying the five men. From N?velDrama.Org. As far as he knew, Dn was the most powerful of them all. He appeared to be the boss, directing several other men to move the boxes. Several of the other men appeared to be junkies and were skinny in a weird way. Dn turned to Ryan and asked, Whats taking you so long to use the restroom? Come help us move our stuff. You mentioned earlier that you wanted to empty this warehouse, didnt you? Ryan nodded and approached them. Dn muttered, perplexed, What exactly is going on? Why are you willing to assist us today? After carrying a box of stuff, Ryan stood in the back of the van, surveying the contents. He believed the drugs could put them in prison for the rest of their lives. Then Dn said to all of them, Tom said were going to sell all this s**t before Christmas. Then, well make a new vacation batch to sell next year. Think of all the money well make, dudes! Everyone nodded excitedly and then continued to move the boxes. At the same time, Ryan saw a lot of drug-making tools, such as test tubes and measuring cups in the corner. While calcting how much money these people could make out of the drugs, he heard Emilys voice in his headphones, Where are you? Ryan had signaled Emily five minutes before, but she had not responded. He assumed that the group had previously blocked all of the signals of the area. (324 What If! Die il Im at the warehouse, but there are people in here, he said quickly, lowering his voice. Hold on, Ill be right there, Emily said right away. Then Dn tapped Ryan on the shoulder and asked, Who are you talking to? Ryan immediately began to think, attempting toe up with a usible exnation for himself. Then he heard someone shout from the bathroom, Ah! Mr. Gilbert is lying in the restroom! Ryan shook off Dns hand and stabbed the knife deep into his stomach before Dn could react. Dn screamed in pain, then squatted down and covered his stomach. The guys quickly realized Ryan was their enemy and rushed towards him. One man said, s**t! We cant let this guy leave here alive. Hearing that, all five men pounced at Ryan like crazy. Ryan was an exceptionally gifted student. But, as Emily pointed out, he was terrible at fighting. As a result, when he saw the group of men approaching him, he immediately searched in his pockets for the powder he had brought with him. Before leaving, he had taken a small amount of allergy powder from theb. Although the medicine would not work as quickly, it would cause pain in these peoples eyes. To his surprise, he didnt find it. Then he remembered that he had just is jacket on Mr Gilbert for fear that he would freeze to death in the At that critical moment, he heard several shots from the southeaster of the warehouse. He then quickly covered his head with his hands and knelt on the ground. 324 What If | Die ol The man who had just hit him was kicked and fell to the ground. Then he struggled and covered his arm in pain. When Ryan looked up, Emilys leather boots were stomping on the mans face. She appeared to be the actual hero. Emily turned to him and asked, Ryan, are you okay? Ryan shook his head and stood up slowly, holding on to the box next to him. Soon, the two group members pointed guns at the men and Mr. Gilbert and had them crouched in the corner. Is everything here? Emily asked, looking at the paper boxes in the vans rear. Yes, | saw boxes like this thest time | was here, Ryan replied. Emily drew her saber and unwrapped a box, but she froze when she realized what was inside. She found that there were a lot of childrens watches there. Ryan frowned, unpacked several more cartons andter flipped them all over, He found that it was all filled with childrens watches. Emily stared at him in disbelief, speechless. Ryan threw down the box, took up the knife, and headed towards the cowering men in the corner. Wheres the stuff? he said, tightening his grasp on Dns cor. Dn asked in surprise, What are you talking about? What is it? Ryan pped him and yelled, Dont try to fool me! Wheres the meth? Dn was astonished and asked, What? The meth? We would never, ever deal drugs. We are just law-abiding citizens. Damn! As Ryan was about to hit him again, Emily stopped him and asked 324 What If | Die wal Dn, Are you guys really toy sellers? Then, why did you run when you saw us just now? Besides, | doubt a toy retailer could afford to rent a warehouse here. Joan Groups warehouse was located on the citys east side and near the city center. The warehouse was quite expensive to rent and was exclusively for the group. They would not have been able to rent such a costly warehouse if it hadnt been for Mr. Gilbert. Furthermore, no one would store worthless toys in such a warehouse. Dn gave Emily a hesitant nce before saying, I swear to God, youngdy, this business is all about toys, if you dont believe me, | can break it and show you. Emily nodded her head. However, her instincts told her that something was definitely wrong with these watches. Dn then approached the van and then opened a random box. He took a watch from it, unscrewed the back cover, and presented it to Emily and Ryan. Look, its just a regr watch! he eximed Ryan had just neared it when he noticed a glittering light ahead of him. At that critical moment, Emily shoved him aside before he could react. He was surprised when he heard Emilys muted grunt of pain. Despite appearing to be in considerable pain, she took the knife from Dns grip and kicked him to the ground. Following that, Dn was shackled by members of their group. Concerned, Ted asked Emily, Are you okay? Emily nodded her head, but sweat soon dripped from her brow. She clutched her stomach wound tightly. Ryan immediately noticed blood ees bel Fue aire Baan iat ied rides She Udbilie on Ale is | eee ae 324 What If | Die adh hurt! he shouted in panic. Emily! Ryan instantlyid Emily on his back and told the other two group members, Okay, Ill leave this to you. Theres clearly something wrong with this stuff, so please take it to school for testing. Im going to take her to the hospital. Emily had always been a tough young girl. She felt the bumps on Ryans back, chuckled, and said, Dont worry, Im just fine. Look, | was just stabbed. During my training, Ive been harmed far worse. Ryan gasped, then ran faster and said, Shut up. You were hurt in training because of training, but this time you were hurt because of me. That is not the same thing. Ryan, what if | die? Ryans face quickly became pale, and he asked in a panic, What? You just said you were fine! Emilys voice was bing increasingly quiet. She responded, Im just kidding, dont worry. Chapter 325 Chapter 325 325 | Wont Eat Him Alive Emily, Emily, wake up! Ryan kept calling Emilys name the whole way. He tried his best to run, and it was almost dawn when he dashed to the hospital. Twenty minutes ago, she was stabbed in the left side of her abdomen, Ryan told the doctor in a hurry. The doctors took Emily into the operation room after they heard Ryan precisely detailed about the knife and her condition. Ryan then sat motionless in the doorway for two hours, waiting. Shortly before 9:00 a.m, Anna arrived at the hospital. When she awoke in the morning, she had a small talk with Peter and learned that Richard had been arrested by the police. She knew something had happened at the warehouse after hearing the news. Wayne had gone to the group in the morning to discuss the situation. When Anna called him and asked aboutit, she discovered that he and Ryan had nned the whole thing. She was enraged and yelled at Wayne, Ryan is still a kid! Why on earth did you do stupid things with him? Its dangerous! Why dont you leave it to the cops? Wayne did not respond while she was speaking. Finally, he said, Okay, after | finish this, Ill go to the hospital. You can go there first. Hes not hurt, but someone from one of his groups is. When Anna arrived at the hospital and learned that Emily had been stabbed when defending Ryan, she became even more enraged. She yelled angrily, Are you and Wayne both fools, Ryan? If she doesnt make it, how 325 | Wont Eat Him Alive nal 325 | Wont Eat Him Alive Emily, Emily, wake up! Ryan kept calling Emilys name the whole way. He tried his best to run, and it was almost dawn when he dashed to the hospital. Twenty minutes ago, she was stabbed in the left side of her abdomen, Ryan told the doctor in a hurry. The doctors took Emily into the operation room after they heard Ryan precisely detailed about the knife and her condition. Ryan then sat motionless in the doorway for two hours, waiting. Shortly before 9:00 a.m, Anna artived at the hospital. When she awoke in the morning, she had a small talk with Peter and learned that Richard had been arrested by the police. She knew something had happened at the warehouse after hearing the news. Wayne had gone to the group in the morning to discuss the situation. When Anna called him and asked aboutit, she discovered that he and Ryan had nned the whole thing. She was enraged and yelled at Wayne, Ryan is still a kid! Why on earth did you do stupid things with him? Its dangerous! Why dont you leave it to the cops? Wayne did not respond while she was speaking. Finally, he said, Okay, after | finish this, Ill go to the hospital. You can go there first. Hes not hurt, but someone from one of his groups is. When Anna arrived at the hospital and learned that Emily had been stabbed when defending Ryan, she became even more enraged. She yelled angrily, Are you and Wayne both fools, Ryan? If she doesnt make it, how 325 | Wont Eat Him Alive aad are you going to exin it to her parents? Ryan lowered his head without saying anything. Anna pinched his arm and said, You and Wayne are exactly the same! You start ying dumb when you do something wrong. Say something! Seeing that he was stil silent, Anna mmed Ryan with her purse and asked, What are you still doing here? Get Emily some food. Yes, Ill go immediately, Ryan responded, snapping back to attention. Anna groaned, resigned, as she noticed his scared expression. She assumed she knew Ryan well enough to know that he was typically a logical and sensible individual. He was only neen, but he was more mature than his peers. However, Anna couldnt figure out why Ryan couldnt manage his rtionships with women. He hadnt eaten all night and had also forgotten to get Emily something to eat. Anna shook her head, thinking, Ryan, you shouldve at least got Emily something to eat. Emilys surgery had beenpleted by the time she arrived at the hospital. Anna wasnt rushing to go to the ward; she even bought a bouquet of flowers from the store downstairs. When Anna walked into the ward, Emily was reading a magazine. Hello! | know you, youre Ryans sister, Emily greeted Anna as she looked up. Anna smiled as she ced the flowers on the bed and said, Im Anna, and Im here to visit you. You must be hungry, arent you? Ive already asked Wayne to buy you some food. Hell be here soon. Okay, thanks foring to see me, Anna, Emily said after a brief pause. 325 | Wont Eat Him Alive adh Youre wee. Your name is Emily, isnt it? | heard that you were injured when trying to save Ryan. Emily shook her head, then said thoughtlully, Thats part of my responsibility. | was hismander in this exercise, thus | was responsible for his safety. Anna raised an eyebrow, then asked, Oh? Is that true? It seems | misunderstood you guys. Earlier, my friend asked me to set him up ona blind date, but | declined since | assumed you two were in a rtionship. Ill phone my friendter and ask her to set up a blind date for Ryan. Hearing that, Emily sprang up from her bed in a panic. Anna grabbed her by the shoulders and yelled, No! Dont move! Your wound has not healed yet. Emily said anxiously, No! Dont do that! Anna teasingly chuckled, Oh? Why? Emily blushed immediately and responded honestly, Because | like him. Ryan opened the door just as Emily finished speaking. He came in holding a bag of cakes and didnt appear to hear what they were saying. What did you just say? You like what? he asked as he set the bag on the bed. Emily bit her lower lip and looked at him for a few seconds before saying, You. Ryan froze and then remained still for a long time. Ryan, why dont you respond Emily? Anna thought they were amusing. Ryan didnt move as if he was frozen, and it took a long time for him to stand up straight. He shifted the topic and said, Ah, | forgot to buy coffee. 325 | Wont Eat Him Alive al Im on my way. Emily shouted at his back, Stop ying dumb, you already know | like you! Otherwise, | wouldnt have saved your life! Emilys voice was so loud that she didnt sound like shed been stabbed and got six stitches. Anna understood why Ryan described Emily as tough. She thought about them and figured they were built for each other; Ryan was brilliant but terrible at sports. Emily was a natural fighter, but she was also incredibly naive. The differences between them allowed them to make an adorable couple. Emily then grumbled, Why is he running away? Its not like Im going to eat him alive. Stupid Ryan! You did just seem like you were going to eat him alive, Anna chuckled, then gave Emily a thumbs up and continued, but you did a terrific job. Emily didnt appear to be in a good mood. She sighed and said, But, he doesnt like me at all. Anna, what kind of girl does Ryan like, anyway? This is from N?velDrama.Org. Anna sat silent for a moment before recalling what Ryan had said. Her eyes brightened up as she remembered the talk they had had in the cafe. She said, | know! He once told me something about that! Really? Come on, tell me. Anna couldnt recall what they had said, but she remembered Ryansst words because they were so unbelievable. He said he loved girls who are like his mother, she said firmly. Emilys eyes widened in surprise, and she stammered, What? Ah! His his mother? | wasnt expecting him to have an Oedipusplex. Isnt that a little nerverted? Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Anna was not busy recently. So, she visited Emily in the hospital every day at noon with the food she made. When Anna walked into the ward, she frowned, nced around, and asked, Ryan is not here? Has he ever visited youtely? Emily replied, Hes actually been here a few times. He generallyes at night because our drill isnt finished yet. I dont have to participate in it because we discovered a drug den. But they put Ryan in charge of this and made him write all the paperwork. He has a lot of work ahead of him, so hes super busy. When Anna realized Emily was speaking for Ryan, she sighed and shook her head. Youre too sweet and thoughtful, Emily. Here, have some chicken soup. Anna opened the lunchbox, poured the chicken soup into a bowl, and handed it to Emily. Anna, your boyfriend is a lucky guy; Emilymented as she took the bowl. Why? Anna asked in amazement. Because youre such an excellent cook! If | wasnt straight, Id surely fall for you. Really? Then why dont you go on a date with a chef? Emily froze, realizing what she had just said was silly. When Anna noticed she was genuinely thinking about it, she giggled and turned on the TW. The police made progress the Joan Group drug trafficking 326 They Are Brothers uF investigation a few days ago. They discovered methamphetamine The case caused quite a sensation in Birmingham. In fact, it was one of the citysrgest narcotics seizures in the recent decade. To everyones surprise, it was some students from Military Academy who caught the criminals. Everybody could see this news for the past three days whenever they turned on their TVs. In addition, the authorities discovered several nightclubs rted to this crime. Almost every nightclub ownerter expressed worry. By the way, | heard that you found the boxes full of watches. Where did they hide the meth? Was it curiously. inside the watch dials? Anna asked Emily was sipping soup at the time. She swallowed and replied, Im not sure how they found it, but they said it was inside the watch straps. The straps were made of rubber, and after cutting them open, they discovered that they were hollow on the inside. Each watch contained a single dose of drugs. Anna was taken aback by the fact that they were concealing drugs in such a hidden ce. If she and Andrew hadnt seen the spilled meth, they wouldnt have guessed there were drugs in those watches. Soon, a tap on the door interrupted their conversation. Then a woman asked as she stood by the door, Hello, is Miss Emily Lewis here? Anna and Emily both turned around and saw an elegant woman at the door. She was dressed in a navy blue coat and a beige dress, with her hair ina lovely bun. Emily had never met her, but Anna had. So, Anna asked in surprise, Jennie? Is it you? She recognized this woman as Jennie Wright, the owner of the ieleculnir toed Aidat aor tani aie war Wihires chothac. 326 They Are Brothers adh Jennie paused for a few seconds when she saw Anna. They didnt say anything to each other, which made the atmosphere awkward. Emily didnt seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. She asked, tilting her head to look at Jennie, Hello, how can | help you? Im Emily Lewis. Jennie then stepped into the room. She ced the bouquet of flowers in her hand on the bedside table, looked at Anna, and hesitantly said, Hi, Im Ryans mom. | heard you got hurt because of him, so Im here to see you. Anna felt she couldnt think straight when she heard her words. Anna thought to herself, What the hell? Ryan is Jennies son? Then it will make him Waynes brother. So Ryan was the child of Jennie and another man? Dear God, hes Waynes half-brother! Anna stared at Jennie as if expecting her to exin something. On the other hand, Emily had no idea what emotional roller coaster Anna was on and just asked, wide-eyed, What? Youre Ryans mom? Jennie answered with a nod, Yes. Ryan said hes too busy with school right now toe see you. So he asked me to look after you. Ill stay if you want me to. Well, if you dont want to, Ill hire a caretaker. Yeah! Yes, yes. Thanks! Emily immediately nodded her head, feeling joyful and touched. She thought the fact that Ryan had asked his mother to take care of her meant that she might have a shot with him. Then Anna excused herself from the conversation and walked out. After that, she paced in front of the hospital room instead of leaving. This was a stunning realization for her. She couldnt decide whether to pretend she didnt know anything about Ryans real identity or to tell Wayne about it. In fact, she knew very little about the incidents that happened in the 326 They Are Brothers ol Wright family. Wayne had mentioned this to her a few times, so she only knew roughly about what had happened. She knew Waynes father had died in a car ident and that it seemed to have something to do with Jennie. Plus, Wayne kicked Jennie out of the house because she cheated on his father. Jennie was pregnant when she left the Wrights house, and Ryan was neen years old. Anna did the math and concluded that it was entirely conceivable. After confirming this, Anna asked herself: Did Ryan know nothing about this? Why would such a bizarre coincidence happen? Just as she was thinking, Jennie opened the door. She did not walk out right away, but turned back to say goodbye to Emily. She focused her gaze on Anna as she closed the door, and her expression then went serious. Anna, are you waiting for me? She asked. Anna frowned and said,! know its inappropriate for me to ask these questions. But | wanted to make sure that if Ryan and Wayne Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Jennie looked at her calmly, for she had known this fact for a long. time. She said, Thats right, theyre brothers. Do you have a moment? Lets talk about the past, shall we? Jennie spoke softly, giving the impression that she was the type of woman with a low profile. Anna realized she didnt appear to be the selfish, cheating b***h Wayne described. She knew that only those who had gone through the ident could exin everything. And everyone had their own side of the story. They then went to a cafe near the hospital. Jennie smiled as she surveyed the cafe, saying, I havent been downtown in many vears. The decoration here is very different from what | 326 They Are Brothers adh remember seeing when | was young. Do young folks nowadays like this style? Should | also update the design of my hotel? Anna looked around the cafe. It was decorated in a fashionable style with poprponents and was a far cry from the pleasant environment of the Maplesugar Hotel. No, | believe it is best for you to keep to yourself. | truly like the way you decorated your hotel. Jennie gave a bashful smile, took a deep breath, and replied, Anna, you are wee to stay at my hotel at any moment. | heard that Ryan has been staying at your ce these days. Thank you for looking after him. Anna asked hesitantly, So, you knew Ryan had been around Wayne? Did he do that on purpose? Anna felt uneasy because she knew there could be no such coincidence. Ryan stayed at Annas house recently because she identally hit him with her car. However, she began to wonder if the whole thing had been nned. Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Jennie frowned, then slowly raised her head and said, Actually, I wouldnt have allowed him toe here if Id known what he was thinking. Anna noticed that although Jennie was no longer young, she still appeared elegant. She asked, He never said anything about that to you, did he? Jennie sighed and exined, Not exactly. He didnt tell me what he was doing at first. | realized he couldnt stop thinking about it when | heard he was applying to the military academy here. He hadnt done anything weird in the previous few years, so I never asked him about it. He did tell me the other day that he had seen Wayne. Oh, Anna let out a sigh of relief. She believed that everything would be alright if Jennie did not purposefully allow Ryan to approach Wayne. She thought Jennie was a nice woman, not the type of evil person Wayne said she was. Asa result, Anna figured that there might still be a chance for the two of them to reconcile. Jennie appeared to know Anna was worried and added, Ryan doesnt want to do harm to anyone. | never mentioned he had a brother when he was a kid. He always wanted to be a detective, so he took it as the first case he would solve. He asked me one day when he was thirteen why I had left his brother and grandfather behind. | then discovered that he had looked through my diary and old photos. Jennie never told Ryan why she had left the Wright family when she RAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only was pregnant with him. However, in so many years, Ryan never gave up 327 Ada Nearly Killed Me as searching for the truth. Im not sure how much he knew about it. But | can guarantee you that he would never hurt Wayne no matter what. Anna immediately trusted Jennie since she sounded earnest. Are you going to meet Wayne this time youre in town? Anna asked. Jennie froze for a second, clutching her coffee cup with both hands, and replied, No. Anna got mixed feelings. May | ask you a question? she asked. Go ahead Ryan and Wayne dont share the same father, do they? That was the source of Wayne and Jennies conflict. Waynes father died in a car ident, but Jennie was pregnant then. And Wayne wouldnt have kicked her out if the baby in her belly was his fathers However, based on her observations of Jennie, Anna concluded that she did not appear to be the type ofdy who would cheat on her husband. Furthermore, she had been raising Ryan alone for many years and had never remarried. Thus, Anna assumed there might be some misunderstanding about what happened back then: Jennie was silent for a while and then nodded her head. Then Anna felt like her hope had all gone. Disappointed, Anna said, Okay, | get it. Im sorry, | know | shouldnt have brought it up. Jennie said with a smile, Dont worry, its all over now. Wayne has been doing fine without me for many years. So, | dont want to disturb him. Ryan is going to school in America next year, so Illtell him to stop being around Wayne. 327 Ada Nearly Killed Me = Anna was at a loss as to what she should say or do. She then drove Jennie back to the hospital out of courtesy. They had just arrived at the hospital entrance when they noticed Ryan gazing around for something. When Ryan noticed Anna and Jennie walking towards him together, he said hesitantly, Anna. Jennie said calmly, Well, Ill give you two some privacy. Ill go keep Emilypany. The chilly wind blew against them, making the winter appear even colder. Snow piled up on both sides of the door, and the road was muddy. Anna waited for Ryan to exin in the bitter wind for a time. She eventually became agitated and said, Is there anything else youd like to say to me? No? Then bye. Ryan yanked on Annas sleeve and eximed in a hurry, Anna, did you know everything? Know what? You mean that | mightve known that you lied to me and pretended that you suffered from amnesia, or that your mother is Jennie Wright, or that you and Wayne are half-brothers? Anna was quite irritated, All this time, she treated Ryan as if he were her own family. Also, she had even given him the key to her house. She didnt expect him to lie to her after all she had done for him. Anna thought that if she hadnt met Jennie that day, Ryan would lie to her about more things. Ryan muttered with a sad face, Im sorry, Anna. | apologize for keeping this from you. Anna sniffled and said, Oh? So, how do you want to exin? You have five minutes now because I need to pick Tammy up from school. 327 Ada Nearly Killed Me _ After hesitating for a while, Ryan said nervously,! would have told Wayne that Matthew was your son if | wanted to screw everything up. Otherwise, | would not have helped you hide this secret from everyone. Anna froze, and then asked in surprise, What? How did you know this? Ryan stammered and replied, Many people were curious about what happened in the Wright family back then. | used to work as a detective, and Ihave looked into a few things about that. | found out about it because Ada asked me to look into it. What? Ada? Anna went entirely still. She immediately remembered Sophia, whom she had met sometime before, and realized what had happened back then made sense. What did she ask you to do? Did you tell Sophia to reach Wayne? Anna asked coldly. She looked very serious and angry, making Ryan panic. As a result, he instantly exined, No, this has absolutely nothing to do with me. Ada was worried that Wayne knew the truth about you and Matthew, so she intended to murder the witness. She dragged me into it, and Im still pissed about her for that. Honestly, that whole ?Sophia* thing had nothing to do with me. Please believe me, Anna. Besides, | was in school at that time preparing for the drill. At the moment, Ryan appeared to be a kindergartner who was frightened of being punished. Seeing his pitiful and panicked look, Anna remained silent and did not reply. Anna stood still for a long time before clenching her fist and saying, Okay, | believe you. But | want you to tell me what youve been up totely when you get closer to Wayne. Otherwise, Im not sure if youre worthy of 327 Ada Nearly Killed Me all my trust. Then, | will decide whether or not to reveal your true identity to him. Anna knew that if Wayne discovered Ryan was Jennies son, he would be enraged. Wayne had always been distrustful of his mother and despised her. Hed be suspicious of many things if he knew Ryan was his half-brother. Chapter 328 Chapter 328 328 My Mom Is Not A Cheater Ryan became uneasy when he noticed how coldly Anna treated him. He pinched his own hands, paused, and decided to tell her the truth about everything. He said, Okay. Im going to take you somewhere, Anna, because | want you to trust me. Where? Youll know it when you get there. Ive documented everything Ive done over the years to be close to the Wrights. Later on, Anna drove carefully through the snow. Then they arrived in front of an apartment building near Ryans school and took the elevator to an apartment on the fourth floor. Except for a bed and a desk, there wasnt much furniture in that modest house. However, the wooden floor was piled high with various books, and the massive bookshelf was crammed with folders and labeled books. Ryan drew back the sheet that covered the bed, allowing the dust to float in the air. He exined, This is where | used to live while | was working as a private detective. But | havent been here for quite some time. You see, there are a lot of notebooks on the shelves. Thats the records Ive been writing in since | was thirteen years old, and Ive arranged them in chronological order. My mother refused to tell me about them, so Ive been investigating them little by little over the years. Anna froze for a moment and hesitantly walked over to the bookshelf. She casually pulled out a hardback notebook and flipped it open. The 328 My Mom Is Not A Cheater saadl notebook had the date written on it. It seemed that Ryan had recorded it three years ago when he was a freshman. The first page of the book included a newspaper clipping with the heading CEO of Carousel Group Richard Wright resigns, and Peter Wrights only son takesmand. Anna browsed the article and found that it was from a tabloid Flipping through the journal, she found it filled with records of Waynes interviews and some notes written by Ryan analyzing Waynes actions and words At first, he described Wayne with words like cold, intelligent, and business genius. Ryanter described him as protective, not so scary, and a bit obnoxious. Ryan wrote these notes as though he were talking to himself during adolescence. He couldnt find anyone to share those secrets with, so he kept an eye on his brothers every move all those years. Anna was moved when she finished reading the notebook. She put it back, gazed at Ryan for a long moment, and asked, So, what motivated you to do this in the first ce? Why do you want to get to know Wayne if youve never met him? Ryan said without hesitation, Because of my mom. My mother used to cry when she was watching a few photographs when I was a child. She would even call Waynes name in her dreams in the middle of the night. At first, had no idea what she was talking about. Later, | discovered she had a son named Wayne, who kicked her out of the family when he was thirteen A person would have a different perspective on the same thing if they were in a different stance. Anna could appreciate Ryans need to prove his mothers innocence to everyone. But when she put herself in Waynes 328 My Mom Is Not A Cheater ol shoes, she knew Jennie had hurt Wayne deeply. As a result, Anna found it difficult to judge who was right or wrong in this matter. So, you want Wayne to reconcile with your mother, right? she asked. Wes Anna said to him without thinking, But I dont think its possible. | can understand why you thought that way. Maybe you didnt see the whole picture My mother would never cheat on her husband, Ryan abruptly cut Anna off. Anna went entirely still. When she looked up, she noticed Ryan was staring at her. | know what youre talking about. Believe me, theres no way my mother would have an affair with another man, he said firmly. Anna frowned and said, Ryan, but your mother told me that you two were born to different fathers. Anna wanted to say something but remained silent after some hesitation Meanwhile, Ryan looked preupied with this and had long since decided to do it. So, Anna didnt think she could persuade Ryan, but she was also worried that things might be out of control if Ryan kept pressing on Wayne and Jennie to reconcile with each other. This is from N?velDrama.Org. To get closer to Wayne, Ryan even worked as a private detective and discovered the truth behind previous events, which was why Anna thought it was too risky for him to do so. Ryan tightened his fist and bitterly asked, Do you believe my mother cheated on her husband, Anna? But my mother always told me that my father was James Wright. (328 My Mom Is Not A Cheater Hearing that, Annas eyes widened in shock. Waynes father James Was Peters only son. When Wayne was thirteen, James died in an ident. So, he kicked Jennie out of the house. For the next twenty years, they hadnt seen each other for once. So, Anna was taken aback when Ryan imed that his father was also James. My mothers surname is Wright, but | am not. She said that we were no longer a part of their family because we had left the Wrights. My mother was an orphan who was adopted by Peter. Im called Ryan because James liked this name. He and my mother made an appointment that they would name their second child James if it was a boy. So, Im pretty sure hes my father. Anna got mixed feelings again. She didnt know the whole story, and Jennie didnt appear to want to bring it up again. However, Anna constantly felt that something shocking had urred twenty years ago. Then she said, Lets assume that youre telling the truth. So, what caused your mother to leave the Wrights? Ryan frowned and replied, Im looking into it as well. Im not sure Who spread the rumor about my mother having affair with another man, but its unquestionably wrong! Anna wanted to believe Ryans words but she knew she had to side with Wayne, After thinking for a while, Anna said, Ryan, have you ever wondered why your mother has hesitated to tell you the truth? You see, perhaps she left the Wrights for a reason. What? Ryan, | believe what youre saying. But you need to think about a few questions. Why would your mother take you away from the Wrights, give you a new surname, and never bring you back to Birmingham in all 328 My Mom Is Not A Cheater those years? Its so simple for her to prove her innocence, so why didnt she do that? She didnt think that Ryan would lie at this critical moment. Yet, her instincts told her that Jennie was telling the truth as well. She thought about it for a long time, recalling every bit of information she knew. Finally, Anna made a bold guess. But, because it was so bizarre, she hesitated to say it. At the same time, Ryan was perplexed and looked at her in confusion. Ryan, dont panic yet, because its useless. The most important thing we should do now is to hide this fact from Wayne, Anna had no idea what to say, so she told Ryan to rx. She believed that theter Wayne discovered the truth, the less severe the situation would be. Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Anna then drove Ryan back to school instead of taking him home. Ryan had to do a lot of paperwork because their group had caught the criminals. After Anna knew the truth, they both felt awkward getting along. And Anna was relieved that Ryan had to return to school because she didnt know what to say to him. After that, Anna drove to the kindergarten to pick up the two kids. On the way, Wayne called her and asked, Anna, where are you? almost there, and | still have one more intersection to go. Whats going on? Wayne said gently, You dont have to go there, Henry has picked them up. Lets meet together for supper tonight. Do you have any other ns for tonight? Anna froze and then realized it was New Years Eve. She asked, Really? Just a moment, | need to go home and change. Its just the two of us tonight, With a chuckle, Wayne said. After hearing his pleasant voice, Anna said, Will you please give me a minute? | still need to get changed. You dont have to do that, Anna. No, its our date! We havent gone out on a date in a long time. | want to bring out the best of me. The Carousel Group had been in crisis recently, so Wayne was upied with work. Therefore, Anna felt touched that Wayne had taken the time to go on a date with her. Besides, as there would be just the two of them tonight, Anna felt that she had to wear her best dress to celebrate 329 | Will Always Love You a the asion When Anna returned home, she opened her wardrobe and took practically all of her outfits out to try on. Then she even made a video call to Peace and asked her to pick out an outfit for her. It was still noon in America. Peace sat on the bed and kept shaking her head at Anna, vetoing her choice of clothes. Peace said, No, this is too low-key. Christmas ising, and everyone is still in a festive mood. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Yes, its a lovely dress. But dont you forget that its winter now! Youll catch a cold wearing it! Anna spent an hour changing her clothing before deciding what she should wear tonight. She wore a long knitted beige dress with a red and white id coat and ck boots. She believed the outfit was ideal for the New Years Eve atmosphere. After getting herself prepared, Anna went to the citys busiest central square that was known for its large electronic screen to meet Wayne. Since the next day was New Years Day, Anna could hear cheerful music at every corner she went. After arriving there, Anna called Wayne to ask him where he was. It was still cold outdoors because it had just snowed a few days before. The weather forecast also predicted it would continue to snow in the next few days. Im at the end of the road, Wayne said. The chill made Anna wince. With a smirk, she sniffled and murmured, Why must we gather outside? You do know its much warmer inside the mall, dont you? Well, just wait for me there. 329 | Will Always Love You oF She then walked to the za Wayne had mentioned. When she noticed a lovely fireworks video on the large screen, she had just finished walking down the stairs. Anna said, Id never seen it before, but it turns out to be rather beautiful. Can we stay here after dinner for a while? Id like to see the fireworks. Sure thing. Its very beautiful here! Too bad that there are no stars in the sky tonight, As she walked to Wayne, Anna said to him on the phone. She turned around as she approached the end of the road and asked, Ive arrived, Wayne. Where are you? Then Anna sneezed. There was a two-story high Christmas tree encircled by colored lights in front of her with various decorations, such as gingerbread men, bells, and gift boxes. All those things made the za appear to be quite cheerful and Christmassy. It wasnt surprising that there were decorations there after Christmas, but what surprised Anna was that there was no one around. When she entered the square, she saw that it was very crowded. However, she discovered that they had all vanished at that moment. Anna immediately became rmed and asked, Wayne, where are you? Wayne hung up the phone at that point. Anna then stared at the screen of her phone nkly, not knowing what to do. With the shing lights, the skincare advertisements on therge screen across the road disappeared. Then Wayne showed up on the screen. Chapter 330 Chapter 330 The square was getting crowded after a little while. Everyone was holding hands and dancing as if celebrating Christmas. As for Anna, she felt dizzy and was at a loss for words. Then aman dressed in a white suit emerged from behind the Christmas tree. Anna immediately recognized that it was Wayne. This is from N?velDrama.Org. She ran up to him, patted him on the shoulder, smiled as she said, Did you ask them to do this? You didnt have to do that! Its just New Years Eve, isnt it? Yes. But you know, this is the first New Years Eve that weve spent together. Anna, | hope we can celebrate this day together every year from now on. Anna said with delight, Sure, of course! Or, who else would be there for you? Wayne smiled, took Annas hand, and said, Dont regret it, dear. He then knelt down on one knee in front of everyone. Anna froze and gazed at him, taken aback. Then Wayne took a pale blue rectangr velvet box from his bag and opened it. Anna saw ten distinct diamond rings inside. They shone like stars in the moonlight. Anna then asked with excitement, Wayne, are you proposing? Wayne nodded, then added earnestly, Yes. | made ten rings because | was terrified you might say no because you didnt like the ring. Take a look. Theres bound to be one ring that you will like. Hearing that, Anna burst outughing, and then tears welled up in her 330 Will You Marry Me? 7 eyes. Meanwhile, she covered her mouth in surprise. Wayne looked at her tenderly, and then said, Come on, pick one. Anna sniffed and avoided making eye contact with him. | want them all, she replied, holding her hand. Wayne smiled before putting the rings on Annas fingers. Soon, each of the fingers of her left hand had rings on. When Anna said that, she was just kidding him. She didnt expect that Wayne would actually help her put on all the rings. Then she stepped back and shouted, What? Are you serious? Wayneughed and said, Give me another hand. Anna then wore rings on all ten of her fingers. She had a strong desire tough even though she was moved, and her tears sparkled like diamonds. Raising both hands, Annaughed and said, God, this is really tacky. You know, as soon as you put on my rings, youre going to be my wife, Wayne said. ?Anna whispered, Yes, am. She felt she and Wayne had a rocky journey to love and that they were fated to be together. Despite her hesitation, Anna had worked it out atst. She would rather spend her life with Wayne than with another man. For her, marrying Wayne was not a multiple-choice question but rather the most obvious solution. By then, the New Years bells were ringing, and the people dancing in the square seemed even happier. Wayne then brought Anna to a fancy restaurant on the top floor next door. They sat at the window and took a look at the entire city. 330 Will You Marry Me? 7 Anna said, | thought youd bring the kids. Ive heard that when, people propose, they want their family and friends to be there for them. Wayneughed, then said calmly, But all | need is you. Wayne wanted Anna to marry him just because she loved him, not because of the children or because her family epted him or for any other reason or anyone else. Anna blushed and couldnt help but covered her face with her hands. She said, Youre so sweet today, Wayne. Whats going on? Wayne had never said so many sweet words before, which surprised Anna and made her want to laugh. At that moment, the waiter brought up their dessert. He looked at Anna in surprise and then said, Maam, sir, heres your dessert. Anna thanked him. After the waiter left, he looked back several times and muttered something to the other servers. Anna wondered what was going on and then asked, Wayne, how does my makeup look? Do | look weird? Wayne replied, looking intently at her hand on her face, I dont think its because of your makeup. Anna then noticed she had big, gleaming diamond rings on each of her fingers. She instantly reached beneath the tablecloth and asked, Why didnt you remind me of that? | hadpletely forgotten about it. | dont think thats necessary. You see, you need to hold your forks. Chapter 331 Chapter 331 In the United States, Peace was bored in her room of the nursing home, which was an Antic Ocean away from Anna. It was a lovely sunny day, but she could only lean against the window, tweeting and eating snacks. There was no big news that day, just posts from a few actors wishing everyone a happy new year. So, she was bored as hell. Then Karl sent her a picture of a dessert counter and asked, Do you like this? Ill buy you some, honey. Peace gave his message a quick scan before responding, Dont call me honey, Im not your honey. Karl went out that morning to get food and texted images to Peace Wherever he went. He said it was a new style of shopping, so Peace would think she was shopping as well. However, Peace didnt feel like she was shopping with Karl at the mall and cake store, but rather that he was showing off that he could go out. Peace was grounded after attempting to climb out the window for a Christmas party a week before. And her doctor stopped her just as she tumbled out the window. Therefore, she was depressed for a week and missed the air outside. Because the nursing home was a closed facility, Peace was not permitted to leave until she had fully recovered. Peace was so furious that she begged her doctor for a month to let her go out. But the doctor refused her every time she begged him. Just when Peace decided to do other things to kill time, she saw a 331 Not Your Honey: tweet that said, Rich Birmingham businessman proposes on shopping street. Peace noticed that post since it urred in her hometown. When she saw the photographs, she became enraged and smashed the chips in her hand, eximing, Damn! She yelled so loudly that the patient in the ward beside her could hear her. She looked at that tweet and called Anna as soon as she was sure it was true. As Annas bestie, she couldnt believe that she knew the news that, Anna was getting married on the Inte. In her mind, as she and Anna were best friends, she believed that Wayne shouldve at least talked to her before proposing to Anna. With that in mind, Peace called her several times in anger, but she didnt answer them. Looking at the clock on the wall. Peace realized it was still early morning in Ennd, so Anna definitely wouldnt answer her calls. At the thought that Anna might be making out with Wayne in bed at that hour, she felt like she needed to have s*x, too. Just as she was thinking about it, Karl sent her another voice message, Honey, do you like this dress? | want to buy it for you. Do you prefer purple or brown? Peace immediately replied, I dont like either of them. Come here soon, Im so sleepy. From N?velDrama.Org. You can go to sleep now, dear. You dont have to wait for me. Ill go get you some more food. Karl didnt appear to grasp the hint. Peace rolled her eyes and drew her blouse down to disy her left shoulder. She bit her lower lip and took a picture before saying, Okay, III sleep now. 331 Not Your Honey: After posting it, she flung her phone onto the bed and walked to the restroom. Sheughed as her phone continued to ring. Karl woulde to visit her in half an hour, she predicted. Netizens followed Waynes proposal because everyone was taken aback by his wealth. He had always been a low-key man who disliked being the center of attention. When thepanys public rtions manager asked if he wanted to do something about it, he said, No need. The PR manager looked surprised at Gabe and then said, Really? Ourpanys name has been on the trend list for so long. Isnt that a little inappropriate? Gabe shrugged and said, You can ask him yourself if you dont believe me. Thats what he told me anywa The manager waved his hand and said, Forget it, lets just listen to him. He must have a reason for doing it. Gabe didnt have much work to do then, so he started chatting with him. Why? He asked. I just conducted some investigation and discovered that our groups stock market has been rising since Wayne proposed to Anna. Everyone praises him as a devoted man, so ourpanys reputation improved. He is really a business genius! He can even make our stock grow by proposing Anna. Gabe gave him a thumbs up in surprise and said, Im sure PR professionals are amazing at analysis, but | think youre overthinking it. This is not soplicated. Is that so? Then so why did he buy so many diamond rings? You know, everyone is envious of his wife! Gabe replied after a while of silence, Thats because hes rich. They both paused and sighed over how much money Wayne had at 331 Not Your Honey: the same time. After a while, Gabe left the PR department and went to Waynes office. When he entered the office, Wayne was reading the annual reports that each department had given him. Everyone was very busy at the end of the year, especially the finance department. Many staff had been working long hours, and Wayne had also worked hard. Wayne looked up when he spotted Gabe and asked, How are you getting the M&A contracts ready? Anna had previously resold all of her Gabriel Group shares to Richard. But the contract was canceled because it was unreasonable, and Richard was arrested Anna assumed that was the end of the story. However, she had learned through a Gabriel Group employee that Shirley intended to sell thepany, and she informed Wayne of this. She felt more at ease selling the group to Wayne because it was her fathers lifes work. Yes, its almost done. The project managers have been extremely busy recently, so we are currently waiting for the official start date Okay, thank you. Gabe then said seriously, By the way, Id like to show you something Ive repaired surveince record in front of Leos house, and I found several visitors who stayed there at that time. He then handed Wayne the screenshot printout. As Wayne examined it, his expression gradually bing grim. He recognized that the young man wearing the ck hat was Ryan. Gabe frowned and said, Actually, | thought at first that this guy just looked like Ryan. Then I checked his travel records for that period and he did buy a train ticket from Birmingham to that town. Hed been staying there for a month before you asked me to look for Leo. Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Only part of that security footage was avable, and Gabe had seen Ryan on it. At that time, Wayne didnt know who Ryan was or what was wrong because Anna had just met him. Almost everyone in that town had converted their homes into B&Bs. So, Wayne assumed back then that Ryan was just a college student visiting that town, and it was no surprise that he was staying at Leos ce. However, as he gathered more evidence, he found that Ryan was there at a strange time. As a result, he was suspicious of him. I think this matter is quite serious. If this really has something to do with him, wed better let the police handle it. Gabe said. Wayne answered, shaking his head, No, lets talk about itter. You can work on your searching now. Why? Because Miss Gabriel would be worried about it? Wayne frowned tightly, but didnt answer the question. He asked, Hows that other thing youre working on? He was talking about Lilly Johnson, who had previously imed to be Matthews mother. He wanted to find her because his instinct told him that someone had told her to do so. He felt that if he didnt know what had happened, something bad might happenter. Gabe said, Yes, | did find her. Shes recently been working as a call girl in a bar, She met a wealthy businessman some time ago and hasnt worked since. | believe she probably wille back to work soon. Gabe had no trouble finding her. He found that many women would not have the guts to do so, so he went to numerous bars and nightclubs in 332 Hes Really Nice search of her. She had offended the Wrights, so she usually didnt go out during the day. Recently, many nightclubs in Birmingham were closed because the police had found drug dens. Gabe instantly discovered Lily within one of them. Wayne nodded seriously and said, Dont forget to ask her whats really going on. You know what you should do then, dont you? Wayne hadnt been this enraged in a long time. Gabe winced, then immediately nodded and said, Yes, | do. Wayne was conflicted after Gabe left as he gazed at the screenshot in his hand. He had prevented Gabe from telling the cops about itnot just because of Anna but also because he didnt believe Ryan would murder anyone. Ryan attended Ministry Academy, which had extremely strict restrictions. If they call the police, the police department would undoubtedly inform the principal of his school. That way, the principal would know that Ryan was working as a private detective and conducting uwful investigations, which might get himself into huge trouble. Besides, Wayne thought he could directly ask Ryan about it. After doing all his work, Wayne found that it was exactly 3:00 p.m. He reasoned that he could ask Ryan about what was happening before heading to the nursery. Meanwhile, Emily was lying on the hospital bed, beaming Jennie and saying, Thank you, Aunt Jennie. Those oranges are so delicious. Jennie was peeling an apple by the bedside at the time. Ill buy you some moreter, she said cheerfully. As for Ryan, he was sitting at an adjacent table, staring at hisputer. He raised his head and asked, Yeah? Im worried about you, 332 Hes Really Nice Emily. Youve been eating too many oranges recently, and maybe youll get constipated. Emily gave him a stern look and replied, Why are you speaking in this manner? Youre just jealous that I can eat such delicious oranges! | wont give you any of them! Okay, mom, buy her some more oranges. If she bes constipated, she can just go upstairs to the anorectal department, and you can still take care for her. Hearing that, Jennie red at him and said, How can you talk to Emily like way, Ryan? Thats so rude. Emily lifted an eyebrow, then gave him a dismissive expression and eximed, Right! Ryan closed hisptop after hearing Jennie speak up for Emily. He said, It appears that Im an eye- sore here. So, Im going to leave right now. Emily asked, What? Where are you going? Are you asking me? | think both of you think Im annoying. You see, my mother even treats you like shes your mother. | wonte here again. Bye! From N?velDrama.Org. Emily looked panicked and yelled, No! | was only kidding with you. When Jennie realized how badly Emily wanted Ryan to stay, sheughed and said, Dont make fun of Emily anymore, Ryan. Youve known each other for a long time, so you must know her better than | do. She thought youre being serious. Emily froze. And Ryan burst outughing. Then he lifted his chin ina condescending gesture, saying, No, shes quite silly. Ill attend a meeting tonight at the school about the new equipment. What do you want to eat 332 Hes Really Nice tomorrow morning? Send me a messageter, Emily. Emily realized at that point that Ryan was just joking with her. She pouted her lips, then couldnt help butugh. After Ryan left, Emily was still giggling, so Jennie sighed and asked, You really like him, dont you? Emily touched her hair shyly, and then said, Yes, | think hes really nice and cute. Jennie gave her an apple, I think youre probably the only one who think that way. Come on, have an apple. Im not going to buy you oranges, dear. Ill get you something else to eat tonight. Emily eximed joyfully, Of course! | like everything you give me. Seeing her reaction, Jennie shook her head andughed Ryan had just left the hospital when he noticed Wayne waiting in the parking lot. He froze, realizing he didnt have time to dodge the way. Ryan had no choice but to approach him and ask, What are you doing here, Wayne? Anna is not here right now. Wayne looked at him and said, No, Im not here to see her. Actually, | wanted to talk to you about something, Ryan tightened his grasp on hisputer bag before asking, What is it Wayne was just about to speak when he suddenly realized that many people were around them. He knew it was not a good ce for having a serious conversation, so he asked, Where do you want to go? Let me drive you there. Ryan signed with relief, then replied, Im going to school. Seeing that Wayne was fairly calm, Ryan knew that Wayne didnt talk to him because he knew they had the same mother. And he felt 332 Hes Really Nice relieved. Wayne replied, nodding, Lets go then. My cars in the parking lot. The two of them then strolled together to the parking lot. Theyd only taken a few steps when the hospital gate opened. At first nce, Jennie stepped out to see Ryan and finally shouted, Ryan. Then Ryan and Wayne both came to a halt and looked back at the same time. Chapter 333 Chapter 333 The only reason why Wayne turned around was that he heard someone call Ryans name. At first, he didnt know who the person was because he wasnt familiar with her voice. And he saw Jennie as soon as he turned around. His face got serious as he said, What are you doing here? When Jennie saw Wayne, she paused, and her face grew pale. She froze and remained silent for a long time. Lets go, Ryan whispered anxiously and uneasily to Wayne. Wayne appeared to notice what was going on and asked, Do you know who she is? She called you just now. Ryan sighed, realizing he couldnt hide it from Wayne anymore. He frowned and told him the truth, Shes my mom. All three of them were quiet after he finished. Wayne pursed his lips and appeared enraged. Please dont be mad, Wayne. There might be some misunderstandings Jennie attempted to exin, but she only made matters worse. Wayne sneered, then cut her off. He gazed coldly at her and replied, Why are you iming | misunderstood you when | didnt say anything? Tell me what you think Ive gotten wrong. Hearing that, Jennie was speechless. Wayne gave her a frigid stare before turning to face Ryan as if the two were just strangers to him. Then Wayne said, I know whats going on. You promised my grandfather that you would never return to this city for the rest of your life 333 Mom, Dont Beg Him When you left my house 20 years ago. So youve been living in another city, far away from me, for all these years. | was surprised that you would send your son here, and hes been around me for a long time. And you two managed to fool me around all these days. | definitely underestimated you, Jennie. Jennie exined anxiously, No, thats not it! Ryan came to this city just for college. Hes around you because he wants to get to know his brother. Believe me, he doesnt want to hurt you at all. Wayne red at her and eximed, How dare you! Damnit. | dont even know him. We were strangers by the time you left my house, let alone the bastard you had had with some asshole. At that moment, Anna had just walked out of the parking lot with the dinner she had prepared for Emily. She was taken aback when she heard his words and almost dropped the box she was holding on the ground. Immediately after that, Ryan pped Wayne hard just as she was about to walk toward them. Wayne didnt have enough time to react, so he didnt dodge away. He couldnt believe that Ryan would have the guts to hit him. And then, he covered the corner of his bleeding mouth with his hand Are you okay? Jennie asked as she grabbed Waynes arm. Ryan scowled fiercely at Wayne before telling Jennie, Mom, ignore him! Who the hell does he think he is? What did my mom ever do to you, Wayne? Why do you hate her so much? Wayne yanked Jennies hand away before saying, I thought you knew everything going on in the world, Ryan. Its true that she never hurt me, but she did hurt my father badly. Ryan approached him and said, Stop talking! You know absolutely nothing. My mother is not the kind of person you think she is. 333 Mom, Dont Beg Him Wayne gave him a frigid stare and said, Yes, | used to think it that way, but now I dont. She can nevere here again as long as she has any moral scruples! Why did you approach Anna and me? This whole thing must be more than a mere coincidence! Anna couldnt take it any longer. She dashed toward them, grabbed Waynes arm, and said, Wayne, its not asplicated as you think, and its just a coincidence. Calm down. Wayne grew increasingly enraged when he discovered Anna was speaking for Jennie and Ryan. Did you know about this all along? he asked. Anna frowned, consenting to his words. She had known about it for quite some time. Plus, she understood that keeping Wayne in the dark would be best for everyone. Ryan then said, This has nothing to do with Anna or my mother, Wayne. Im around you because | want to see what kind of jerk you are. | was curious as to what kind of person could kick their own mother out! Jennie became agitated and tugged Ryans arm, saying, Ryan, stop it And Anna tightened her grip on Waynes hand, fearful that he would hit Ryan. Everyone was quiet. After a while, Wayne burst outughing and said sarcastically, Ryan, I dont think you should be a detective. You should consider being an actor! You are as good at acting as your mother, and you deceived us all! So, you two better get back to your hometown. Someone else will inherit my familys property even if | cant. So, you dont even have a chance! Hearing that, Ryan appeared more furious. He rushed towards Wayne 333 Mom, Dont Beg Him like crazy and attempted to punch him again. Then Jennie had a firm grip on him around the waist. In the midst of the chaos, Jennie eximed loudly, Okay! Stop! Everyone froze and then looked at her. Jennie then let go of Wayne. Despite her unkempt hair and sloppy scarf, she maintained a calm demeanor. She said as she trembled, I dont care what you think of me, Wayne. | came here to see Ryan, and I didnt even try to contact you. If you dont want to see me, | wonte back to this town ever again! Ryan will be attending college in America this September, and he will no longer bother you. Please dont make it difficult for him, Wayne. Im begging you. Just for the sake of | am your mother, okay? Mom! Dont beg him! Ryan shouted. Jennie suddenly pped Ryan and said, Shut up! Anna and Wayne both froze, not expecting Jennie to hit anyone. Jennie said, Ryan, youve been a good boy. | hope you can go to school in America as nned and nevere to this city again. You need to focus on your study. Wayne is not your brother, and you dont have a brother. Jennie gave Wayne a mournful nce before turning away. The cold wind was whipping through her hair, making her appear miserable. This is from N?velDrama.Org. And Ryans handsome face had a visible red mark. Wayne, youll regret thister, he said, gritting his teeth and giving Wayne a harsh gaze. After that, he followed Jennie and left, leaving Anna and Wayne in front of the hospital. Anna stroked Waynes hand and discovered that it was cold. She whispered, Wayne. Wayne was still enraged with Anna for lying to him for Ryan. If youre trying to persuade me to forgive them, you can shut up, he added. 333 Mom, Dont Beg Him Anna frowned, and then sighed as she felt bad for Wayne. Why would | do that? Im just trying to tell you that you should move on so that you can live a better life in the future. Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Waynes gaze was still burning at that time. After hearing Annas words, his palm gradually warmed, and he became less enraged. Im sorry, Anna, he said after a brief silence. Anna could empathize with him, so she said, Its okay. | didnt take it personally.* Then Wayne hugged Anna closely and appeared exhausted. He said, Actually, | had previously imagined how she would appear in my life. After all, Im her son. But she never came to see me after all these years.* Wayne had mixed feelings when he saw Jennie in that small town. Anna wanted to say something to him, but didnt believe it was the right time. Moreover, Anna knew that if she continued to stand out for Ryan and Jennie, she might worsen matters. As a result, she remained silent. In the evening, they picked up their two children and headed to a hotel restaurant for dinner to discuss their wedding. Anna invited Bruce, her mothers second brother, and his family to dinner. When they arrived, Peter had already sat in the front seat, his face solemn. He grinned and sat the two children near him as soon as he saw them. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Lydia, Bruces wife, greeted Anna immediately and said, Anna, youre finally here! We havent seen each other for a long time.* Though she sounded friendly, Lydia looked very unfriendly and kept sizing up Anna. I just went to pick up the kids, Anna exined gently. She was not familiar with Lydia and her family. She had lived with the Millers as a child, but there was just her and her grandfather. Selina would 334 She Pushed Me pay them visits asionally, but she only saw Bruce and Lydia at Christmas. Lydia said to Anna, I heard that both of your children go to Blue Castle Kindergarten, right? Johnny and Daniel are about to go to kindergarten. Sylvia and her husband have been to a lot of kindergartens, but they cant find an ideal one. | went there yesterday since | heard Tammy was there. Isnt this a wonderful school? Could you send both of my grandchildren there to school? The kids could keep each otherpany. Well, actually, you could just apply with the kindergarten, Anna replied, frowning. She hadnt seen her Aunt Lydia in a long time, so she wasnt expecting such a request. Anna, | dont have as much power as you do. Can you help me out? Lydia insisted. Unable to contain herself, Selina snorted coldly and added, Lydia, please stop. We are not here today to talk about your grandchildren. Selina was one of the familys most powerful members. So, Lydia had to pretend to respect her even if she didnt want to listen to her. Then Lydia quickly shut up, but she didnt appear happy. Looking over at Peter, Selina said, Sorry, sir Smiling, Peter said, Never mind, its fine. Please take a seat, Anna. Its just a family gathering, you dont have to be so nervous. Were just having a casual conversation. The private area had a wide round table that could amodate twelve people and was full. Peter and Wayne were the only two from the Wright family, and the rest were members of the Miller family. Everyone knew why Bruce and his family hade. They had paid 334 She Pushed Me little attention to Wayne and Annas marriage, but asked a lot about Waynes business. Lydias daughter, Sylvia, had been asking Anna about the kindergarten. It seemed that they were only here to get a bit of benefit. Joe and Selina were more trustworthy, and they kept talking to Peter about date and details of the wedding as if the family next to them didnt exist. Their chat was going well. Aiter finishing the dinner, Tammy gazed up at Anna, who appeared to be bored, and said, Im full, Mummy: Do you want to y right now? Anna asked, smiling and pinching Tammys nose. Tammy had been ncing towards the childrens section since she walked in and seemed to want to y there for quite some time. Tammy grinned, exposing her pearly whites, Youre so smart, mommy. Okay, pumpkin. Do you also want to y over there, Matthew? Have fun, honey, Anna whispered, touching Matthews brow. Okay, Matthew nodded. He went to y there as well, with a nod. Johnny, Daniel, go y with your cousins for a while, Seeing that Tammy and Matthew went to y, Sylvia said to her two sons. Because both boys like those slides and toys, they dashed over to it. After the children had all left, the room seemed much quieter. Then Sylvia gave Anna a thoughtful look and said, Our children are almost the same age, Anna. It would be fantastic if they could attend the same kindergarten. Anna said with a smile, Theyre still a year apart. Even if they went to the same school, they probably wouldnt be in the same ss. 334 She Pushed Me Anna was confident that taking the two kids to kindergarten would be a breeze. She only needed to talk to Wayne and convince him to do it. However, she didnt want to help them. She believed they would only ask for more if she helped them once. Sylvia became frustrated when she realized she couldnt persuade Anna. Forget it, Im better off relying on myself she said, with an unpleasant expression and a scornfulugh. Anna was grumbling but pretended not to notice it. She paid close attention to Selina and asionally spoke with Peter and Joe. Bruce and Lydia were unable to get any useful information from Wayne. As a result, their entire family appeared distressed and made the atmosphere grow awkward. Anna realized a cozy family get-together with them was out of the question. So, her biggest expectation from them was to be nice and finish the dinner peacefully. However, her wishes did note true. Soon after, she heard a boy scream. When Sylvia turned back, she jumped up and dashed over, yelling, Johnny! Johnny was lying on the ground close to the slide, his mouth swollen with blood. He appeared to have fallen to the ground and broken his lip. At the same time, Tammy was sitting at the top of the slide, stunned, staring at him. She seemed to be about to slide down and had no idea what was happening. Whats going on? Sylvia asked in a panic. She pushed me! Mommy, she pushed me! Johnny shouted. Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Johnny was crying and gasping for air. He pointed to Tammy, who was sitting on the slide, and shouted, She pushed me! Tammy froze for a moment and immediately exined, I didnt! Youre lying! Tammy, you brat! No one has ever hurt my Johnny like that! Im gonna teach youa lesson today!__ Thinking of that, Sylvia grew enraged immediately, and then got up and walked up to Tammy, trying to drag her down. Before she could touch Tammy, someone behind Sylvia pushed her. And she stumbled and almost fell down. Matthew stood with his arms wide open in front of the slide, warning Sylvia not to harm Tammy with his cold gaze. What are you doing? You mute! Frustrated, Sylvia blurted out. At that moment, others also hurried over. Anna walked in front, and her expression changed when she heard this. She then dashed over, drew Matthew behind her, and carried Tammy down the slide, After that, she asked Sylvia furiously, What did you just say to Matthew? Sylvia said grimly, Anna, dont me me. Youd be as angry as me if your daughter had been pushed off the slide/ Anna nced at Johnny and replied,! would not have med someone else first if my daughter got hurt. The first thing Id do is check to. see whether shes hurt.From N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Sylvia was holding Johnny and crying on the floor. She shouted, Stop looking! Get my son to the hospital RIGHT NOW! What 335 | Wont Allow Anyone to Bull, if my Johnny is seriously hurt? If so, | wont let you all go! Hearing that, everyone scowled at her as she was making a scene. Anna was furious because Bruce and his family had disrupted the family dinner she had been looking forward to. She felt she should have listened to Selina and not invited them. When Annas grandfather was still alive many years ago, Bruce took his family to the hospital to make a scene over the family inheritance. In that way, he had shamed the entire family. The doctor is here, Wayne said. While everyone was engrossed in the drama, Wayne sent the waiter to get the doctor from the hotel. Johnnys nose was no longer bleeding when the doctor arrived. The doctor said, He simply bumped his nose, so dont worry. Hes no longer bleeding. The crowd sighed with relief at those words. Then Sylvia gave Anna a cold stare and eximed, Thank God, Johnny is fine! Anna, you need to punish your daughter since she is as rude as you. If something like this happens again, you will bring the Wrights to shame. Anna would have fought back fiercely if this had happened in the past. However, she didnt want to embarrass everyone because it was a special day and Peter was still around. Therefore, she tightened her fists and chose to ignore Sylvia. As for Selina, she became enraged and attempted to scold Sylvia, but Joe stopped her. Everyone in the Wright family knows whether Anna is polite or not, Peter said at that point. Peter hadnt said anything since Johnny got hurt. And everyone turned to face him after hearing his words. With a stern face, Peter continued, You are Annas family, so you are supposed to protect her. Well, this is the first time | have seen someone 335 | Wont Allow Anyone to Bull. who would give their rtive a hard time. | have never seen such uncivilized people like you in my whole life! Also, | heard that you just called Matthew a mute, Sylvia. Get the hell out of here. Youre not wee here anymore! Peters words were like a p to Bruce and his family. At the same time, Sylvias face became paler. And everyone was stunned. Hearing Peters words, the two bouncers had yanked Sylvia out before she could get back to her senses. She continued to shout as she walked away, looking defiant. Sylvias husband followed her out the door. And Bruce became embarrassed and also followed her out, leaving Lydia sitting on the sofa with a child in her arms, looking unhappy. Anna didnt look pleased either because they were her rtives anyway. Peter was saying this to protect her, but she still felt embarrassed. After all, no one wanted their family to humiliate them on such a special asion. Whats going on? You think you can do whatever you want just because youre rich? Lydia said loudly. Anna closed her eyes, not wanting to watch what would happen next. Selina yanked Joes arm away from her and yelled at Lydia, Stop talking! Youve already humiliated Anna! Selina took a deep breath after saying this. Then she stood up, looked at Peter, and said, Sorry for what happened, Peter. How about my husband and I take you to dinner in a few days? Please ept my sincere apologies. Please just call it a day. Saying that she approached Anna, gave her a little pat on the shoulder, and then went away. Immediately after that, Lydia left, clutching her baby. 335 | Wont Allow Anyone to Bull. The dinner, was originally for celebrating Anna and Waynes engagement. But in the end, it turned into a farce. Anna scratched her hair and whispered to Peter, Im sorry, Grandpa | didnt expect this to happen. Wayne knew Anna was upset, so he spoke up for her, Grandpa, Anna is not very familiar with them. So, they are not considered to be her family. Today Peter interrupted Wayne, Anna did nothing wrong today! His voice was majestic, and he seemed to feel sorry for Anna. In shock, Anna slowly looked up at Peter. This would not have happened if | hadnt insisted on inviting all of her rtives. Im sure it had nothing to do with Anna, Peter added. Hearing that, Anna felt touched and was no longer embarrassed and upset about what had just urred. Peter then said softly, Anna, it appears that you endured a great deal as a child. Dont worry, no one will ever treat you unfairly again. You are Waynes wife, and you are now part of my family. | wont allow anybody to treat you like that! At that moment, Anna remembered that when she was a child, her grandfather said to her one Christmas, You are my most precious granddaughter, the apple of my eye. | will not allow anyone to treat you unfairly. As her grandfathers words and Peters words echoed in her mind, Annas eyes welled up with tears. She sniffled, nodded and said, Peter, thank you. Chapter 336 Chapter 336 When Anna was a child, no one in her family cared for her except her grandfather. Selina had been cold to her back then, so her grandfather was the only person who treated her nicely. Peter was a cold, serious man, the pr opposite of Annas warm and loving grandfather. They were, however, both men who would protect their families. The dinner didnt go well, but Peter said nothing about it. When he returned home, he took the two children with him and asked Anna not to worry about it anymore. Anna wasnt bothered but figured Selina wouldnt necessarily think so. It waste in the evening when Anna and Wayne got home. Wayne got into bed after taking a shower and then he read the financial magazines by his bedside. After a while, Anna sighed. Wayne smiled, still looking at the magazine, and asked, Youre still furious about what had happened this evening, am I right? Its okay; you didnt know each other that well in the first ce. Just dont contact them ever again. Anna rolled over and gazed at Wayne, saying, Im sure | wont see them again. But Im more worried about Auntie Selina. She must be enraged, and Im afraid shell overthink it. You know, its bad for her health. Its all right, Anna. If youre really worried, you can pay her a visit tomorrow. Anna moaned once again and added, Of course, yes. To be honest, | 336 Owing Her an Apology think something might go wrong. Wayne wasnt in the mood to read his magazine after hearing her say that. He ced it on the nightstand,y down, and tightly held Anna. Then he said gently, Dont think about it anymore, sweetheart. Good night. However, Anna was unable to sleep at all. She knew that Selina had never wanted her to marry Wayne in the first ce. Selina didnt know that Matthew was Annas son, so she always disliked the idea that Anna would be the stepmother to someones child. Selina was also concerned that Wayne would not devote himself to Tammy because he had a son. Anna believed she must tell Selina the truth before they married. However, the most important thing for her was letting Wayne know about it first. After a long moment of hesitation, she plucked up her courage and said, Wayne, | need to talk to you about something. Upon hearing that, Wayne wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. What is it? he asked gently. Well, its about Matthews birth mother Wayne quickly tightened his grip on her, which made Anna so nervous that she suddenly lost her courage to say anything further. After a little pause, Wayne said, Im sorry, Anna. | should not have done that. Dont think about it anymore, okay? I dont want to, and Im not going to look for his birth mother again. Matthew has you. And its all that matters. Wayne assumed that Anna was still thinking about Sophia. He was well aware, though, that he owed her an apology. So, he took the opportunity to talk to her about it. However, Anna was left with conflicting feelings. She found it difficult to say anything after hearing Waynes words. After a while, she asked, You knewter that Sophia was a liar, didnt you? What did she say about that? 336 Owing Her an Apology Wayne rubbed his chin on the back of her head and whispered, She said nothing because | couldnt find her. Gabe will handle this. Anna asked nervously, Huh? What are you going to do to her? Why are you so concerned about this woman, Anna? Wayne asked suspiciously. Anna hardly dared to breathe. She said, No, nothing. | was just asking. Wayne was going to ask another question when she yanked on the nkets. Im tired. Good night. Im heading to Selinas ce tomorrow morning. Wayne then switched off the light and said nothing further. In the dark, Anna could hear Waynes steady breathing and feel his heartbeat. She realized that she wouldnt feel so torn about it if it hadnt been for all the webs of lies she made. Also, she felt it was too difficult for her to exin it to him in a moment. While they were sleeping, the clubs in Birminghams city center were as loud and bright as daytime. Many people danced and had a nice time under the lights. In one of the luxurious private rooms of the club, Ada was standing on stage, wearing fis garter stockings, and singing a pop song. She appeared attractive as she sang and danced in a s****l way. Asim man on the sofa cheered and stopped the music before she finished singing. With a sneer, the man looked at her and said, Well done! You can be the female lead, Miss Xavier Thanks! Ada rose to her feet and smiled at the man. After Richard went to prison, Ada lost her money andwork. She needed money, so she decided to act again. That way, she had to go to all sorts of social events. 336 Owing Her an Apology And she had never thought that she would one day attend such an event. She wanted that five million dor paycheck, so she had to attend such parties and entertain the directors. The man surveyed her and said, But theres something missing. Do you have any idea what it is? | dont know, Ada said, frozen. The man took a puff on his cigarette and smiled. He said, Youre not wild enough. The main character in the film is a p e who isnt ashamed to sell her body. You simply did not act wild or shameless enough From N?velDrama.Org. Ada had been an actress for a long time and was aware of what this director desired. He seemed like he was directing Ada, but he meant he wanted to see her naked. Then Ada slowly lifted her head. Her lips were red as roses, and her eyes were very attractive. She slowly pulled the top she was wearing off her shoulders, revealing her fair shoulder and her plump boobs. After that, she said, Let me do it again. In the early hours of the morning, the bar fell silent. Lily, who was dressed in a bunny girl costume, dozed against the wall outside that room. When Ada walked out of the private room, Lily yawned and asked, Sis, are you done with that? Ada red at her as she was humiliated. Lily immediately covered her mouth and said, No, | didnt mean it like that. ?Ada said tly, Remember, Wayne and Anna are the only reason why Im having such a bad time right now. One day, Ill get back everything they owe me! Hearing that, Lily trembled and followed her with caution, saying, I didnt even dare to go out today. Waynes assistant has been around 336 Owing Her an Apology recently. Hes probably trying to catch me. What should | do now? | cant spend the rest of my life selling drinks here! Ada sneered as she looked at her impatiently, Dont worry, Lily. Even if he catches you, he will not do anything to you. If he finds you, you can just tell him the truth. That way, hell know that the woman he loves has been lying to him all the time. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 The next morning, Anna went to Selinas ce with some fruit and flowers. Selina was alone in the garden trimming roses when Anna arrived. The maid opened the gate for Anna and showed her the way to the backyard. She said, Anna, youre quite polite. You always bring so much stuff every time you visit your aunt. Before Anna could reply, Selina said, Every time | see these things, it makes me feel like youre here to visit a patient. Anna immediately frowned and said, No, Auntie Selina. | brought them because | respect you! Selina hadnt smiled at Anna since she walked in. She was concentrating on the roses and almost cut all the leaves off, and she seemed to also be mad at those flowers as well. Anna felt terrible for the lovely roses, and then sighed. She sat next to. Selina and asked, Are you still upset over what happenedst night? Dont be angry, it really doesnt matter. Selina asked, frowning, Dont you think it matters? This is your familys first meeting with Waynes family, for Gods sake! The Gabriels have a poor reputation, and Im afraid the Wrights will look down on you after you get married. Bruce and his family are unbearable people. They not only embarrassed me, but also made you look awful in front of the Wrights. What a bunch of snobs! Hearing that, Anna wrapped her arms around Selina and leaned on her shoulder, saying, Gee, Auntie Selina. You know what kind of people they are, and Peter will find out about it if he wants to. Wayne and Peter 337 About Matthews Mother are nice people, believe me. Also, they know Im not familiar with Uncle Bruce and his lousy family. But they acted so rude and outrageousst night! They were very eager to get familiar with you, so they can take advantage of you. They didnt even greet you before trying to get you to do something for them. Its such a disgrace! Selina said furiously. But | didnt say yes to them. Even if they had persuaded you, | would not have agreed! Theyre all idiots! Bruce wouldve still been poor if your grandfather hadnt adopted him fifty years ago. | hope they could get a job and stop idling around. Anna giggled at Selinas words and realized she was still as skilled as ever at swearing. When Anna was a child, she was very afraid of Selina when she was angry. However, Anna only found that she was actually amiable now. Then Annaughed and said, If you keep pruning, youll get nothing but the branches. Selina lowered her gaze to her rose, then asked Anna, Do you really not care about it? if so, I dont even want to talk to you anymore, Anna. Anna eximed as she shook Selinas arm, No. | still need you to n my wedding for me. If you dont talk to me, then | will have difficulties nning a wedding. I need your help, aunt Selina. Selina soon stopped being angry. She smiled and said, You were a dependable little girl when you were younger, but how did you be like this now? Though Selina was grumbling, she was delighted for Anna. Selina could tell Anna was doing well since she seemed happy in love. Then Selina added, Actually, it would be nice if Wayne didnt have children. | truly dont want you to be someone elses stepmother. If 337 About Matthews Mother something goes wrong, theyll all point the finger at you. Anna immediately stoppedughing and said seriously, Auntie Selina, | actually came here to tell you something. Ive been keeping this a secret for years. What is it? Anna pursed her lips and said, Its about Matthews mother. In the evening, Ryan helped the waitress clean the tables at his mothers hotel. Numerous tourists were visiting this town during the recent holidays, so it was often messy. The waitress asked as she wiped the tables, Ryan, does your mother still have a cold? She hasnt been downstairs in several days, and Im worried about her. Is everything okay? Ryan frowned and turned to face the first floor. The door to his mothers room was locked, as he could see through the wooden railing of the stairs. He exined, Probably because its been so coldtely, so her cold will worsen if she catches a cold breeze. Its fine. She just needs a couple more days to rest. Ill have the cook prepare something shell enjoy and send it to herter. The waitress nodded and asked, Fine. By the way, howe you came back with your mom this time? You said that you were busy with school and wouldnt be back for a while. Ryan made an excuse and said, Im not busy anymore. Huh? Ryan became irritated and snatched the rag from the waitresss grasp, saying, Sally, why are you asking me so many questions today? Why dont 337 About Matthews Mother you clean up the front desk and stop bugging me? The waitress didnt get angry with him. She just sighed and rolled her eyes. As she walked toward the front desk, she said, Im not interested in that at all. No wonder your mother is always worried that you cant find a girlfriend. See, you have a really nasty temper. Ryan was in no mood te talk to her and said nothing, Jennie had never left her room since they had returned from Birmingham a week before And Ryan had the waiter bring Jennie meals every day, but she was losing weight by the day. Itwas already dusk. Because it was a local festival that day, most of the guests were out celebrating, and there was almost no one in the hotel. Sally was sitting at the front desk, dozing, After a while, someone opened the door and asked, Is this the Maplesugar Hotel? Sally replied as soon as she awoke, Yes. Are you staying here? From N?velDrama.Org. Yeah. Have you made a reservation? No, | forgot. Is there a room avable? Sally observed the man wearing a ck bowler hat and clutching a camera. She then lowered her head, checked herputer, and smiled, saying, Lucky you! It just so happens that someone checked the room out at noon. But the cleaners havent had a chance to clean it yet. Just a moment, Ill go and clean it for you. Chapter 338 Chapter 338 The man looked around the small motel thoughtfully as if he was thinking about something. Sally handed him a cup of coffee and told him, Sir, here you go, Please wait a moment; Ill be down shortly. May | have your surname, please? Davis. Okay, Mr. Davis. Sally then went upstairs to clean up that room. The man took a sip of his coffee and took his camera out of his bag. He sat in the lobby before pointing the camera to the first floor. Then he zoomed in on and noticed a sign in a room on the second floor that said, Bosss room, knock if you need anything. The man then smiled. At the same time, Jennie was sitting by her rooms window and reading a book under the weak light that illuminated her face. She had her long, shining blonde hair down over her shoulders and was wrapped ina brown nket. Ryan had already been standing in the doorway for ten minutes. He was carrying a tray and said, Mom, you can be mad at me as long as you want. But youve got to eat something. Jennie nodded, still engrossed in her book. Leave it there, she said. Ryan said anxiously, You havent eaten much since you returned from Birmingham. Even Sally can tell youre in a bad mood! What are you expecting me to do about it? Did you think of me when you got close to the Wrights behind my 338 Time Flies Away back? Jennie asked, frowning. Ryan became frozen, unsure of what to say. Jennie sized him up and realized he was strikingly simr to Wayne. She started to feel bad about it, believing she should never have allowed him to travel toThis is from N?velDrama.Org. Birmingham in the first ce. When Ryan discovered Wayne and the Wrights in Birmingham, he never tried to hide it from his mother. Hed even called Jennie several times to see if she wanted to meet with Wayne. At the moment, she assumed he was joking. Jennie thought it was lucky that only Wayne knew the truth. Things would have gottenplicated if Peter had known about it. She sighed after awhile, and said, Leave it there, Ill eat itter. Ryan fixed his gaze on his mother. She appeared gentle and delicate, yet she was a tough woman. As he ced the tray on the coffee table next to him, he said, You have to eat. If the meal gets cold, Ill reheat it for you. Jennie nodded and then looked away. Ryan was depressed, so he opened the door and walked out. However, as soon as he opened the door, he heard the shutter, and a sh shone on his face. He quickly covered his face and asked angrily, Hey! What are you doing? Then he noticed a man seated in the lobby on the ground floor. Although he knew the man could be a guest, he couldnt remain polite anymore. He asked angrily, Who are you? Why are you taking pictures here? The man was a tall 50-year-old man. He was wearing a ck jumper and had a camera in his hand. He tilted his head, looked at Ryan suspiciously, and asked, Cant | take pictures here? No one has ever told 338 Time Flies Away me that, sorry. Ill delete the pictures right away. Just then, Sally happened toe out of the guest room. When she spotted Ryan, she looked at the door behind him and asked, Your mother still hasnt eaten anything, has she? No. Hearing that, Sally didnt say anything else. When she noticed the man on the ground floor staring at them, she said, By the way, Ryan, this is Mr. Davis. Hes our new guest. Mr. Davis, this is our young boss. Davis nodded, and then looked at Ryan suspiciously and asked, Why do you call him that? Because the owner of the hotel is his mother. So, hes the young boss. Ryan didnt stop her. He nodded and appeared to be in a bad mood. As he proceeded to his room, he added, Sally, go entertain the guests. Im returning to my room. Bye. The men gazed at his back till he shut the door behind him. Sally then said, Sir, I need you to check in here. Would you mind showing me your ID? Davis handed Sally his identification card. After taking the ID, She silently typed his name into the computer before saying, Mr. William Davis, your room is number 205. If you need anything, you can call the front desk. Theres always someone here 24/7. Davis then took his room key and went upstairs. The guests gradually returned at almost midnight when the festivities ended. They gathered in the hall to talk for a while, and then all went back to their rooms. Meanwhile, Jennie yed Billie Holidays music on the gramophone 338 Time Flies Away in her room, and the tune was gentle but sorrowful. Listening to the music, Jennie got a photo album from the safe she hadnt seen ina long time. She had kept i previously destroyed all of the stuff rted to the Williams. Shed done it n the safe for the past 20 years. Furthermore, she had to say goodbye to the past and to make a clean break with the Wrights. And she had never shown Ryan that album The first page of the album was a ck and white photograph. In the photo, a young man was standing beside a young boy, and a woman was standing beside them, holding a baby in her arms. The woman was cheerfully smiling, but the man was expressionless. That year, James, Peters only child, had just turned one year old, and Jennie had just been born. Jennie was abandoned at the door to a church shortly after she was born. At the time, it was winter. If Mrs. Wright had not gone to church and found her, she would have probably frozen to death. The Wrights saved her life and raised her since then. They treated her like one of the Wrights, giving her the finest of everything, They even gave her James, a man who loved her deeply. Recalling the past, Jennie couldnt stop crying. She turned the page and saw another picture of a teenage boy and a girl. They were both only eighteen years old and smiling happily for the camera. At the bottom of the photo was a line written in blue pen, At Jens eighteenth birthday party. She felt like she was eighteen again when she saw that name. She remembered a lot of things from the past. At that precise time, she heard a knock on the door. Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Jennie came back to her senses, wiped her eyes, and then asked, Who is it? The person at the door did not respond. Jennie froze and then repeated the question she had just asked. It had already been 1:30 a.m She initially assumed it was a guest. They would visit her if the receptionist could not solve their issue. However, the person was clearly not a guest. Just when she thought she had heard wrong, she heard a knock on the door again. She then proceeded to move towards the door. Through the peephole on the door, she looked around but saw no one. Just as she was perplexed, she noticed a ck shadow obscuring the peephole. Taken aback, Jennie stumbled. Then, she heard another knock on the door. Secondster, a piece of paper came in through the door and touched her toes. Jennie was frightened and almost screamed out as she saw a line on the paper: Jennie, how is our son doing now? Her face turned pale quickly, and she didnt return to her senses fora long time. In fear, she copsed to the floor. The knock on the door woke Ryan up. He was always a light sleeper and would wake up at the slightest sound. When he heard the sharp knock on the door, he became uneasy. He got out of bed and opened the door to his room, only to discover that no one was in the corridor. The waiter sitting at the front desk had fallen asleep. The hotel door Was shut, and no one appeared to havee in. Ryan paused, walked to his mothers room, knocked on the door, and asked, Are you awake? Mom! 339 How Is Our Son Doing? Jennie was silent for a minute before asking, Whats wrong? Ryan exhaled a relief before saying, Oh, | just heard a knock on the door, but no one was there. Did you hear it? No, | didnt hear anything. You probably heard wrong. Oh, Im sorry. Good night, Mom. From N?velDrama.Org. Good night, sweetie. Then Jennie heard Ryan walk away. Still standing in the doorway, she looked back at the man sitting on the couch and frowned. The weak light illuminated his features as he grimaced at her. He said, What are you afraid of? | just spoke with him. It must have been difficult for you to raise our son alone for all those years, Jennie. Howe you never called me? Jennie cut him off, Shut up! As she was afraid someone would hear her, she lowered her voice, Ryan is not your son, William. He has nothing to do with you! William lifted an eyebrow, then locked his gaze on Jennie and said, I knew it! Hes so young and not even twenty. So, Wayne is my son, | guess. Jennie clenched her teeth and said, Stop talking! That has absolutely nothing to do with it. Youve immigrated to America, havent you? Why are you here? William sighed and seemed to feel sorry for that. He said, Jennie, you havent changed a bit. You wont even give me the opportunity to talk to you. Youve left me heartbroken, dear. Why would | want to talk to you? I dont want to have anything to do with you. Back then, you only went out with me because you wanted my money. Youve been lying to me all the time, bastard! 339 How Is Our Son Doing? No, you misunderstood me. How would you have known James adored you if it hadnt been for me? When you were younger, you fantasized about a love story in which a man would die for you. I didnt make it, but James did. You should be grateful to me for it When she heard him talk about the past, Jennie trembled with rage and said, Stop talking! | know you nned the whole scheme and got James killed. How dare you say that to me?! James sneered and said, Why wouldnt I? It has been 20 years since the incident urred, and the period of litigation is over. I dont think youd dare to sue me. Ido! Well, then youd better sue me. Youd better let everyone know that Wayne is not a Wright but my son. Just as Jennie was about to yell at him, someone suddenly opened the door. In the corridor light, the extra key on the door glinted like moonlight. Ryan stormed in, yelling at the man, Dont you dare say it again! Jennies face immediately turned pale at that moment. She had forgotten that her son was a detective, so she hadnt even just fooled him. And she knew that Ryan mustve heard the conversation between them. William rose up and made a scornful grimace, which made the wrinkles on his face even more obvious. He said, Did you eavesdrop on our conversation? Then you must have heard everything just now! Do | need to say it again? Jennie scowled angrily at him, wishing hed just leave them alone. Get the hell out of here or Il call the cops! she snarled. William inhaled deeply and snarled, I dont think youd dare do that. 339 How Is Our Son Doing? Youd rather take this bastard and leave the Wrights* house to save their familys reputation. You dont have to threaten me Like that! Hearing that, Ryan said angrily, My mother cares about the Wrights, but I dont. Do you really think there are no police stations in our town? With that, he instantly took out his phone and attempted to dial 911. Jennie stopped him and grabbed his phone. She was gasping for air as a result of her rage. She tried to calm down before saying, Ryan, you cant call the police. William, what do you want? William chuckled and said, Youre smarter than | imagined. You should have asked me that question sooner so we wouldnt have had to argue. | couldnt have gone all this way only to catch up with you. Ryan wanted to rush forward and punch William, but Jennie stopped him again. She said, Tell me, what do you want from me? | dont have anything but this hotel. Besides, Im no longer a Wright. William then said, I want $5,000,000, and | dont care if youre a Wright or not. | expect you to give me the money within a week. Jennies eyes widened in surprise at what she had just heard. She asked, Are you insane?! | dont have that much money! William smoked a cigarette, then turned to Jennie and said, Whatever. But if you cant give me the money, Ill go visit my son. | dont have any money, so hell definitely give me some. Because, you know, Im his father. Chapter 340 Chapter 340 340 Ryan Was Taken Away As soon as William finished speaking, Ryan lifted a chair and threw it at William, shouting, Fuck you! You wish! He moved so quickly that Jennie didnt even have the time to react. The chair hit William and fell to the floor with a loud ng, waking almost all the guests. In disbelief, everyone opened their eyes. Someone yelled as they opened the door, What the hell is going on? Itste at night! Then a bunch of bulky men smashed the ss door with a steel pipe. Terrified, the receptionist ducked under the counter, and the guests who had gone out to see what was going on ran screaming back to their rooms. After that, the bulky men beat the hell out of Ryan and captured him. Seeing that, Jennie yanked on Williams shirt and yelled hysterically, What the hell are you doing?! Let go of Ryan! This is from N?velDrama.Org. William covered his bleeding head wound with a towel in his left hand. He shook Jennie off harshly before saying, Jennie, | was nning to have a nice conversation with you, but I dont think its necessary right now. How about letting your son stay with me for a few days? Id like you to send me the money in a week. But if you dont give me the money, | might hurt him. Jennie clenched her teeth and yelled, Youre such a jerk! William was used to hearing her say that. He sneered, then said, Yes, Ihave always been a jerk. He then led Ryan away with the other men. They smashed everything before leaving,pletely destroying the hotel. 340 Ryan Was Taken Away: Because there was a traffic jam on the road in the morning, Anna arrived at Lemon around noon. The company had only recently opened, so there wasnt much financial work. Shede to give everyone more time off. Anna entered the office and dered, You guys have been doing really welltely. So Ill give you all some more time off. Hearing that, everyone cheered with joy. Someone asked, Really? How long is it? Anna smiled and said, About two weeks. You havent had enough rest for the New Year, have you? | think you are all drained. So, Im going to give you all some more time off to rest. When youe back, | hope youll put all of your energy to work. Of course, well do our best, one of the employees said. Following that, everyone thanked Anna, making the office full of joy. The break begins next week, Anna said, Dont forget toplete the tasks at hand. Andrew said, and he did not appear to be happy. Everyone immediately shut up at his words, returned to their desks, and started working. On the way back to the office, Anna said to Andrew, Andrew, | think youre more of a boss of this company than | am. How about I sell thispany to you? No, Im not interested in being the boss. | dont want to do anything else but design. Even if you give me thepany for free, | wont take it, Andrew replied Annaughed and patted him on the shoulder, saying, No. | was just joking! | wont give you the company for free. 340 Ryan Was Taken Away Then why did you give the Gabriel Group to the Carousel Group? Andrew asked. What? You know about this? Anna asked, frozen. Actually, almost everyone in town knows that his group is buying the Gabriel Group With her brows raised, Anna asked, Do you think its a mistake? Andrew shook his head and said, I dont have a problem with that But | think if you want to make Lemon better, | believe you should buy the Gabriel Group and be the biggest shareholder. That would save Wayne the effort of merging. Anna sat at her desk and smiled, replying, No, | dont believe that would be good for me. There are a lot of things that dont make sense within the Gabriel Group. Id worked there before and had Wayne help me, but I was still exhausted. So, | think its important to take everything slowly. | cant take on such arge task all of a sudden. Andrew said nothing more after realizing she had made her decision. He handed Anna the papers and said, So, whatever. Sign here, and then you can rx and n your wedding. Somewhat nervously, Anna said, I dont need to do anything for the wedding, Ive been considering visiting Laxis Town recently. Could you please keep this from Wayne for me? Andrew had never gotten along with Wayne, so he agreed quickly, saying, Dont worry about it. Since Jennie and Ryan had left the hospital, Anna hadnt spoken to Ryan. She had called him several times, but he had never returned her calls. Anna visited his school and was relieved to know that he had finished his final exams. However, she was still worried about him. She had a feeling that Jennie must have been hiding something from 340 Ryan Was Taken Away her. And Ryan certainly had every reason to prove that James was his father. Then Anna suddenly recalled the words Ryan had said to Wayne at the hospital door, Youre going to regret this one day. She was terrified every time she thought about it because she thought it was more of a reminder than a warning to Wayne. In the evening, Anna had just arrived home when she was taken aback by what she saw. She noticed Wayne standing on a foldingdder with several small pink wind chimes taped to the ceiling of his bedroom door. Anna approached him, tilted her head to look at him, and said, Wayne, you only need to add a few decorations. You dont have to do that. By that point, Wayne had finished decorating. He came down thedder and pped his hands, Karl has shown me so many videos of other peoples weddings, and | see all of these lovely decorations in the homes of those brides. There were wind chimes, candles, balloons, and other decorations. Ill go to the supermarket after that and get us some pretty balloons, dear. Anna immediately smiled and wrapped her arms around Waynes waist. She followed him from the bedroom door to the kitchen, saying, Im so lucky to have you! Youre such a wonderful groom-to-be! Wayne washed his hands as he said, Im only doing this because standing on adder is dangerous. Can you make other decorations by yourself? Anna blinked and said, Sorry, cant. | havent had the time for it recently. Why? Have you been busy at worktely? 340 Ryan Was Taken Away Anna lowered her head and said, Yeah, Im really busy because | have to do the liquidation thing. Ive been working overtime recently, so | may not be able to see you during the day. Then Ill wait for you at home in the evening. No, you dont have to. Auntie Selina told me that we could not stay together until we get married. Otherwise, well have bad luck. So, youd better go back to your house tonight. We just cant see each other the night before the wedding, Wayne grumbled Anna took his hand and said, No, | still dont feel good about it. | dont want to be apart from you, but its the tradition, so we should just follow it. But still, she hadnt convinced Wayne. Finally, Anna pursed her lips and then yed her trump card by gently twisting her waist, shaking his hand and saying, Wayne, my darling. Please Chapter 341 Chapter 341 She said, Dont make this hard! for me, okay? Wayne froze and then locked his gaze on her. Can you repeat that? he asked, his voice husky. From N?velDrama.Org. Please promise to stay at your house during this time, okay? Wayne agreed right away. Anna knew exactly what she had to do. Wayne also knew when he needed to do what she said. As Wayne was about to do something to her, Anna said, I want to have ice cream. Now? Yeah. Honey, | love you. Could you please go downstairs and get some ice cream for me? Wayne was immediately aroused with lust when he heard her sweet voice. He even desired to sleep with Anna immediately. On the other hand, Anna had learned how to bargain with him. She said, Darling, Im going to take a bath right now. Im hoping to get some ice cream after my bath. Wayne was excited, thinking about how lovely Anna would look after her bath. Wait for me, he said as he walked out the door. When she saw him leave, Anna smiled smugly. She changed thebination lock on the door and then texted Wayne. Youre not going to make it back tonight, my dear, she thought to herself. She had nned to visit Jennie the next day, so she needed to pack her belongings for the night. Plus, she didnt want Wayne to know 341 Do You Have Five Million D. aboutit. Wayne had just walked downstairs when he saw Annas text message, Ive thought about this. Why dont we start it tonight, since youve promised not to stay with me until were married? In case you change your mind, Ive changed the code of the lock. You should return to your house tonight. | love you. Annas words were like a cold breeze on Waynes neck, killing the burning desire in his heart. He became aware that whenever Anna acted cute in front of him, bad* things would happen to him. However, he couldnt always see through her trick. Then he walked downstairs, then sighed and went to the garage. Wayne felt there was nothing he could do about it because he loved her with all his heart. The next morning, Anna drove to Laxis Town. Shed just gotten out of the car when she noticed Sally standing in the doorway, taking out the trash. The ss in the garbage ttered as it collided with the bin. Seeing that, Anna walked over to her right away. | know you, youre Anna, Sally said when she saw Anna. Why is there so much ss in the bin? Anna asked, nodding, Basically everything in the hotel is ruined now! Sally eximed, looking depressed. Anna froze and asked, Why? What happened? Sally then led her inside the hotel. On the way, Anna noticed that the windows and the ss above the door had vanished as she walked through the door. The tables, chairs and benches inside the lobby were also broken and cluttered on the floor. She remembered that there used to be people sitting and talking in the lobby on the first floor, but there was no one at that moment. Sally exined, Three days ago, a group of people broke into the 341 Do You Have Five Million D. hotel and smashed almost everything. And they took Ryan away. Annas eyes widened in surprise as she asked, Did you call the police? Sally shook her head and whispered, Jennie wouldnt let me call the cops. After | cleaned up this mess, she told me to go home and rest for a While. But Ive been concerned about Ryan for a few days. Is he in huge trouble? Why did someone break in and destroy everything here? Anna looked at the second floor and asked, Wheres Jennie? Is she upstairs? Yes. Allright, Ill go check on her. Then Anna went straight to Jennies room. She thought this was a very serious situation, but she couldnt figure out why Jennie hadnt called the police. And she had a feeling that those people knew something about her secret, which was why Jennie didnt call the police. At the time, Jennie was in her room, packing her belongings. She had piled her jewelry on the desk, which was unusual for her because she was a neat person. Dressed in a pink knitted dress and with tears in her eyes, Jennie wiped her tears and asked as soon as she saw Anna, What are you doing here? Anna shut the door and asked, What happened? Who kidnapped Ryan? Jennie frowned and then said, It has nothing to do with you, Anna. Youre going to marry Wayne soon, arent you? You should be nning your wedding right now.** No, Ill never leave you alone. You are Waynes mother and Ryan is. 341 Do You Have Five Million D. Waynes brother. Youre both my family. 11 Still, Jennie was stubborn. After hearing Annas words, she remained silent as if she wanted to force her to leave. Anna calmed down and patiently said, Jennie, please calm down Please let me know what I can do for you. | will do everything | can to help Ryan because Ive always considered him my brother! Jennie slowly raised her head, then locked her gaze on Anna. She was crying again, and after a long time, she said, Could you please lend me some money? | can take my hotel as a mortgage and Ill pay you backter. Im at a loss for what to do now. Anna sighed with relief and said, You can solve this problem with money? Dont worry, Ill find a way for you. How much do they want? Jennie clenched her teeth and appeared hesitant to tell Anna. She finally said, after a long time, He wants $5 million, but | only have a few hundred thousand right now. | dont have enough time to sell my hotel. That was a lot of money for Anna as well. She frowned and resisted the urge to ask about what was happening. Awhileter, she said, Ill figure it out, dont worry.* Anna couldnt get that much money in such a short period of time, but Wayne could. Wayne was Ryans brother, and she was confident he would lend a hand to them. Knowing that Jennie didnt want to talk to Wayne anymore, she reassured her once more before going downstairs to call Wayne. Wayne, do you have time now? | want to talk to you about something, What is it2 Do you have $5 million? 341 Do You Have Five Million D. iad Yes. Whats the problem? Its along story. Im at the Maplesugar Hotel, the one that Jennie owns. Something went wrong here and she needs money. Can you help her? Is that why you kicked me outst night? Wayne asked after a brief silence. Yes, but thats not the point. Can you help her? After a brief pause, Wayne said coldly, No, | will not. Gabe will pick you up tonight. This whole thing has absolutely nothing to do with me. Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Wayne sounded very calm and didnt seem to care about it. Anna was silent for a moment and said, Wayne, | know its reasonable that you dont care about this. But no matter what, shes your mother. And youve always thought of Ryan as a friend, too. Wayne cut her off before she could finish her sentence, saying, Stop it He sounded cold as if he didnt care and didnt believe it had anything to do with him. Then he continued, I dont want to help her. Since she left my house, everything she has done has had nothing to do with me. Im not obligated to help this total stranger. Go home, Anna. Anna said, I treat Ryan as my brother. Why dont you help him for the sake of me? The only brother you have is Scott. Hearing that, Anna was so angry that she was speechless. She paused for a moment before saying, Okay, | dont need you to help me. Ill figure it out by myself! She then hung up the phone. And she became even more irritated When she saw the smashed door. Anna had always believed that Wayne was very kind despite he looked cruel. However, she realized she might be mistaken. Jennie might have done something wrong, but it was all part of a grudge between the previous generation. Jennie and Wayne had no bad blood; she was his mother anyway. The more Anna thought about it, the more enraged she became, so (342 Hes My Worst Nightmare she called Andrew and asked him, Help me figure out how much working capital thepany has left. She then made a few more calls and calcted how much money she could withdraw. Anna realized she couldnt sell her properties right away and couldnt get that much money out for a while. After that, she sat in front of the hotel, lost in thought. In the evening, a car drove up to the door, and Gabriel stepped out. He said to Anna, Miss Gabriel, Waynes worried about you, so he asked me to pick you up. However, no matter how hard Gabe persuaded her, Anna refused to return with him. Helplessly, Gabriel said, Miss Gabriel, please dont make things difficult for me. If you donte back with me, I cant go back either! Anna said, Then youd better stay here. There are plenty of guest, rooms here so you can just stay here like | do. Gabe paused for a moment before saying, Hes actually doing it for you. | believe you should leave this matter alone. Wayne said some not- so-nice things about this. But if youll go back, hell be polite to them. Anna frowned and asked, What? What did he say? Gabe hesitated, then said cautiously, He said it was the first time they had seen each other in thest twenty years, but this happened immediately. It doesnt seem like a coincidence. Five million dors is not a small sum of money. The money meant nothing to him, but he was worried that they was actually ckmailing him. Anna pped the table hard and stood up, shouting, What is wrong with him? Who the hell would do that? Ryan is going to be a policeter, and he has a promising future. How is it possible that he and Jennie would (342 Hes My Worst Nightmare ckmail Wayne?! Gabe remained silent and listened patiently to Anna. Wayne had ordered him to say that because it would enrage Anna so that she would go home. Then Anna stood up and said, Im going to argue with him! Gabes eyes widened, he looked up, and he was taken aback. Wayne, you re really smart. | didnt think that your trick would work, but it works anyways, he thought to himself. Great! Let me drive then. Miss Gabriel, do you have any luggage? No, | dont. Before Anna could finish her sentence, she noticed someone standing on the second floor. When she turned around, she discovered that the person had vanished. Annas heart skipped a beat as she realized Jennie had probably just overheard their entire conversation. As Jennie sat at her bedroom desk, flipping through her photo album, there was a knock on the door. Its me, Anna, Anna said. Pleasee in, Jennie said, wiping her tears. Anna quietly opened the door and walked in as if she didnt want to startle Jennie. Are you crying? she asked cautiously. Jennie tried to smile and said, No. My eyes have swollen from crying over thest few days. You just heard our conversation, didnt you? Anna asked after a brief pause. When she saw Jennies sad expression, she realized it was true. She then exined, Dont get me wrong; Wayne wasnt doubting you. He was trying to make me angry so that | would go home. Jennie nodded and said, You dont need to exin, Anna. He has (342 Hes My Worst Nightmare every reason to hate me, and James would have been alive if it werent for me. | will always owe it to the Wrights. | believe I can save my son myself. Besides, | dont even want him to help me. Anna frowned and asked, Tell me, who exactly did Ryan offend? Why cant you call the police? Jennie frowned and didnt want to talk to Anna about it. Seeing that, Anna said, Well have to call the cops if we cant get that much money. Hes a top student at school, so they will take this very seriously. That is the best option for us. To be honest, | still think we should call 911. Jennie abruptly grabbed Annas sleeve and eximed, No! Dont! Anna asked suspiciously, Why? You should at least give me a reason because Ryans life is on the line. Jennie appeared to be torn as if she couldnt breathe. She immediately broke into a cold sweat. Anna went on, What matters more than his life? Hes your son, Jennie. Jennie became increasingly depressed and then started crying. Anna was speechless, standing still and whispering Jennies name. Jennie let go of Annas hand and motioned for her to sit down, wiping her tears away, saying, I understand what you mean, Anna, because Ive considered it myself. If | cant find that much money, Ill have to call the cops. However, the man who kidnapped Ryan is an ouw. If he knows it, he wont let Ryan go. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anna frowned, thinking the incident was rted to what had happened before. Who the hell is he? she couldnt help but ask. 342 Hes My Worst Nightmare Jennie said through gritted teeth, William Davis. That man has been haunting me like a ghost for the last thirty years. Hes the one who got James killed. Hearing that, Anna was stunned. Chapter 343 Chapter 343 It was already dusk at this point. The room was dim, with only a small tablemp on the table remaining lit Jennie brought the photo album to the coffee table and showed Anna the ck and white photograph on the first page. In the photos, a young man and a woman stood side by side. A short little boy stood beside the man, and the woman held a newborn baby. Jennie said, My biological parents abandoned me when | was born. At that time, Waynes parents went to a church nearby and found me at the gate. Then | became a member of the Wright family. James was only a year old at the time.* Peter was already a sessful man when he was young and he was very much in love with his wife. A few more yearster, Mrs. Wright finally became pregnant with James. Back then, as usual, they went to a church on a nearby mountain. There, they picked up Jennie. And they treated her as if she were their own child. The Wrights never told me | wasnt one of them, and I didnt find out until | was 17 that | was adopted. Its hard to tell because you and James look so much alike, Anna said, looking at the picture of the two of them. Jennie began to smile when she saw the picture of James. Her cold, pale fingertips stroked the photograph gently as if she wanted to touch her past. People often asked Peter if his children were twins. Peter and his wife thought it was because of fate, so they never exined anything to others. 343 The Twists and Turns Therefore, Jennie didnt realize she was adopted until she was seventeen. Everything was perfect for her at the time. Nothing would bother her because everyone around her was friendly to her. So, she even thought that everyone in this world would be nice to her. Later on, she fell in love with William when she was in college, which was the best time of her life. She had her parents to spoil her when she was at home, her brother to look after her when she was away, and her boyfriend to spend time with her at school. I was young and stupid at the time. | had always assumed that there would be no liars in the world, and that | had found true love. So, | was naive and willing to believe in anything. William said hed marry me after graduated, and | agreed because | was afraid something unexpected would happen later. Jennies face gradually turned pale as she recalled the painful past. Then | got pregnant, she said The baby is Wayne?, Anna asked, her eyes widening in surprise. Jennie nodded as she felt regret. She became pregnant the first time she and William had made love. Although Jennie had great faith that James would marry her, she still felt scared about the whole situation. So, she told James about it. James had always been a gentlemanly gentleman. When he found out about it, he became enraged and even hit William. While they were fighting, Jennie cried out and tried to stop the two men from beating each other up. James then took her straight out of the school. On the way, he told her what he knew about William Davis. It wasnt until then that Jennie From N?velDrama.Org. realized William was a liar. 343 The Twists and Turns William told Jennie that he was a graduate student at the university and that he was here for sses. He was, however, only there to hook up with girls. He was interested in Jennie because he already knew she was a rich girl from the Wright family. For her, he even broke up with his fiancee, who was already pregnant before he met Jennie. Jennie borated, James was an exchange student abroad at the time and had recently returned home. By the time he knew what had happened, it was already toote. As a result, he didnt have time to stop me and prevent me from making this mistake. On their way home, James offered Jennie two options, and the first one was to get an abortion. He promised her to keep this from her parents for her, and let her stay in his apartment. And, he said he would teach William a lesson. Twas hesitant to do so because | still thought William was a good man. | had the impression that, despite being a liar, he genuinely loved me. James thought | was stupid. Then he said he wanted to put William to the test. If he passed that test, he promised me that he would put in a good word for me to my parents. Later on, James told William that Jennie was only the Wrights adopted daughter, so she would not inherit the family fortune in the future. However, his parents would give her some money when she got married. Frowning, Jennie continued, | thought it wasnt a tough test and that William wouldnt think it was a big deal at the time. | waited a long time trying to get him to meet my parents with me. But he vanished three monthster. At the time that Jennie heard the news that William married the principals daughter and moved to another country, Jennie was already 343 The Twists and Turns four months pregnant. And it was too late for her to get an abortion. Heartbroken, Jennie didnt want to keep the baby at all. I went to numerous hospitals. They all said that if no one signed for me, they would not operate on me. | was desperate, so | went to a clinic in an alley. However, James barged in and halted me. | told him that my life was doomed. People were not always as open-minded back then as they are now, and my reputation would be ruined if | had an illegitimate child. To my surprise, James hugged me tightly and said he was going to marry me. That night, James went home with her hand in hand and told his parents they were going to get married. Peter and his wife were taken aback and outraged. They had always regarded Jennie as their daughter and believed it was incestuous. My father refused to say yes no matter what. My mother led me into my bedroom and asked me what was going on. | was so humiliated that | couldnt stop crying. Then James told them | was carrying his child, and that he had had a crush on me for years. Peter had been a soldier before inheriting his familys hotel business, when he was young. As a result, he got the majesty and strength of a soldier. He couldnt ept this, so he whipped James mercilessly all night. James was severely injured and had to spend a month in bed recovering. Later, the two of them married in a hasty ceremony. To avoid gossip, James told everyone he was taking me to trip around the world. So we spent a year and a half abroad before returning with the baby. He exined to people that the child grew faster than his peers because he had the best living conditions. Anna clenched her fists, unable to imagine what would happenter. Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Jennie continued to talk about the past and looked very sorrowful. She said, Every time | saw Wayne the first few years after he was born, | remembered that horrible past. | felt terrible about James, so | kept traveling overseas and rarely returned home. As a result, Wayne and | had never been close for all those years. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Jennie was away from home since she did not want to interfere with James love life. When he met the proper person, she nned to divorce him. But James had done nothing for over a decade and didnt appear interested in dating otherdies. Anna couldnt help butment, Dont you see it that James loved you deeply? Dont you know how much he loved you? Jennie gave a self-mockingugh and said, Of course, | can see that, Im not stupid. Whenever he was around me, | could feel that he loved me very much. No matter how busy he was, he would pick me up at the airport and cook my favorite food every time I returned home. Even though Wayne and | were not familiar, James would teach him to call me mom. Anna asked in disbelief, Why? at first, the whole situation made me feel really humiliated. | thought James was the most wonderful man on the. He was an attractive and talented man born into a wealthy family. Meanwhile, I was just a Woman who got pregnant because | was a total i***t, and | was not good enough for him. Jennie dried her tears and appeared to be terribly sorry. 344 | Will Find A Way: Anna was ovee with sadness after hearing the whole story. She didnt dare to ask any more questions, so she sat quietly. At that time, Jennie had reached thest page of the photo album, which included a photograph of her and James together. They were standing on the top of a hill, holding hands. Both were cheerfully smiling, and James was looking at her tenderly. Anna was taken aback when she noticed the time in the lower righter of the shot. She remembered that James had died in an ident not long after. Jennie touched the photographs and sobbed, We shot this photo in a beautiful valley at the time. We were nning to take Wayne and Peter there once Ryan was born and take a family picture together. However, they didnt make it. Anna remained silent for a moment before recalling what Jennie had said before. Do you suspect that William killed James? she asked. Jennie clinched her hands and widened her eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks like a river. She said, Yes. Later on, William got divorced and came back here to see me. | didnt want to see him, so | rushed to a nearby mountain to hide from him. He then followed me there. If James hadnt arrived in time, I would have died with him. Later, William ran away. James drove down the mountain to catch up with him. On the way, the brakes of his car had a glitch, and he collided with a guardrail and tumbled off. After the investigation, the police said the ident was intentional, and | know that William must have had something to do with it. Did you talk to the police about this? Yes, I did. However, because |cked evidence no one believed me. At the time, William had run away, and | had no idea where he was. There was nothing | could do after that. 344 | Will Find A Way. Anna was aware of what happened after that since Wayne had told her. He saw a mane to the house asking to meet Jennie when he was 13. They moved to the corner to chatter, and Wayne followed them. He overheard them talking about she was pregnant. At that time, Wayne was too young toprehend what they were saying, Then his father died, and the police arrived at his home to ask him questions. It wasnt until then that he realized what had happened. Afterwards, Wayne went to the hospital where Jennie had gone and confirmed that she was pregnant. He was so enraged that he kicked Jennie out of the house during James funeral. When Anna learned about all of this, she didnt know what to say anymore. She used to believe that Jennie was in pain but wasnt as miserable as Wayne. Wayne grew up without a mother to look after him andter lost his father. Therefore, she used to be on Waynes side firmly and felt that Jennie was the viin. And after knowing the whole story, Anna was heartbroken because Jennies life had been so tough. After a while, Anna came back to her senses and asked, So, William is threatening you with what happened back then, right? Jennie nodded and said, Anna, | know youre a good girl, and | appreciate you thinking of me. But | dont want anyone else to find out about it. | was often away from Wayne while he was a child, and James always took care of him. So, they formed a deep bond. He would be devastated if he discovered James was not his biological father. My father is old now, and he would not be able to take such a huge blow. Anna frowned and asked, You think a lot for them, but why dont you worry about yourself? Think about Ryan, hes in danger. Wouldnt you want to go to them for help if we were in trouble? Ryan is your and James child, you know. 344 | Will Find A Way. In fact, Ryan was actually the only child of the Wrights. Anna believed that Jennie and James considered Wayne their child the same way Ryan was. James was a decent gentleman, or he would not have raised Wayne. Jennie pursed her lips, and then something seemed to hit her. She sped Annas hand in hers and eximed, Thats right, Ive got an idea! Anna, will you help me? Can you go to an antique store for me? Antique store? Jennie went to the closet, opened the drawer, took out a wooden box, and said, Yes. When she opened it, Anna saw a slew of jade bracelets inside the box. My mother gave them to me. | was going to give them to you or Ryans future wife. Im going to give you one and then let you sell the other. This bracelet was worth more than three million dors decades ago and should be worth four million today. Anna carefully took the beautiful bracelet and asked, Are you serious about selling them? Your mother gave them to you! Theyre so precious. Although Jennie was hesitant, she pretended not to care about it and replied, Its okay. Im doing this to help Ryan, so she would understand. Chapter 345 Chapter 345 345 Selling Waynes Ne anna, | was hoping you could find Mr. York at the Charleston Antique Shop in Birmingham. Then Id like you to present him with one of the bracelets. Hell buy it as soon as he sees it, believe me. Jennie appeared to be sure of it. Is he a friend of yours? Anna asked. Jennie shook her head and said, No. Hes James* friend, and Ive only met him a few times. | wore this bracelet at my wedding. He spotted them during the wedding and told me | could sell them to him later if | didnt want them. Jennie was heartbroken simply thinking about it as she never expected to sell them one day. Anna didnt know how to say no, so she took the bracelets. After that, she rushed back to Birmingham that night because it was an emergency. Anna couldnt wait any longer because three days had already passed. She arrived in Birmingham shortly after sunrise. And she spent a long time searching the house before discovering a safe deposit box in the garage. Taking a deep breath, Anna opened it The safes door opened, allowing sunlight to illuminate everything inside. There was a ne there, as well as some cash and evidence of ownership. Anna took out the ne and held it for a long time in her hand. In the sunlight, the lovely green gem gleamed beside a few diamonds. Anna considered the ne to be more valuable than the bracelet Jennie had given her. The ne had been the sole clue that had led her 345 Selling Waynes Ne sContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. to Wayne, and she had always treated it as a hot potato, refusing to take it out. Anna had hoped to tell Wayne the truth before their wedding, but she had to take it away first. Charleston Antiques was among a row of Victorian buildings in the suburbs. Before being transformed into an antique auction house, it was thergest pawn shop in the entire city. After Anna entered the shop, the receptionist told her that he had photographed the bracelets for Mr. York and that he would be there in a few minutes. Anna sat in the lobby and sipped her coffee. After ten minutes or so, a man came out. His hair was gray, and he appeared to be in his fifties. He was dressed like a gentleman from an old movie from the 1930s. He sat across from Anna and then asked his helper for a coffee. He asked, Hello there, Miss Gabriel. Where did you get these beautiful bracelets? Anna replied, My fiances mother gave them to me. Mr. York froze, looked at Anna in shock and asked, Youre Waynes fiancee? Anna was astounded to see Mr. York startled in this way. The entire city was aware that she was marrying Wayne. Because Anna was frequently in the news a few years ago, many people recognized her, even if they were not businessmen. Mr. York seemed to understand what Anna was thinking and smiled as he responded, | apologize. | frequently attend my church in the suburbs rather than the city, so | dont know the big newstely. | had no idea Wayne was going to be married! Time flies by.* 345 Selling Waynes Ne York then said, I had my eye on these two bracelets previously, and theyre now even more valuable. Tell me, how much do you want? Anna looked at York carefully and said, Please dont misunderstand me. In fact, | didnt want to sell the bracelets. | know that if | donte here with something from someone you know, you probably wont even see me. Im sorry, | shouldnt have done that. She then noticed York appeared to be unhappy. After that, Anna took the box with the ne out of her bag and ced it on the coffee table, saying, But theres something else Id like you to see. How much do you think this ne is worth? York nced at the ne, widened his eyes, and eximed, Oh my! This is the best emerald Ive ever seen! A magnificent emerald jade with eight diamonds was put in the center of the ne, and four of them were rare pink diamonds. Even if Anna only sold the diamonds, she could make a lot of money. York asked, How much do you want? Five million dors. What do you think? York blinked in surprise, then said, Oh, actually, | think Anna asked, You think the price is a bit low, right? Anna knew that the ne had a lot of precious stones on it, so there was no way it was worth just five million. What do you mean by that? he asked, nodding his head. Anna said, | know this store used to be a pawn store, so can | pawn this ne? I only need $5 million, and I will pay you back within a year. York looked at Anna then calmly asked, What if you cant give me that much money in a year? 345 Selling Waynes Ne Then the jewelry will be yours, ording to the rules. After a long pause, Mr. York nodded and said, OK, deal. Leaving the ne for a year at the pawn store was Annas best solution. She knew that Jennie had done many things she didnt want to before. Wayne was still young back then and couldnt understand her at all. Anna did this with Waynes ne to make it up to Jennie on his behalf. However, she knew she still had to redeem it. Not only was the ne extremely precious, but it also did not belong to her. therefore, she nned to sell one of her vis for money to take the ne back once she settled everything. At noon, Wayne walked into his office after a meeting. Standing next to him, Gable said, It looks like there are no more problems with the acquisition program. So, we can start it right away. Wayne flipped through the files, then stopped and stared at one of the pages. After some while, he abruptly sprang up and said, Take me to the hospital. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Alter getting the bills, Anna immediately rushed back to the town without even having time to rest. She hadnt slept all day, and it was. alreadyte. Afraid shed fall asleep while driving, she bought a lot of coffee. Right after Anna arrived at Jennies hotel, she handed her the check. Meanwhile, Jennie appeared relieved and said, Thank you! Youre wee, Anna smiled and said. She didnt say anything about the bracelets because she feared Jennie would feel pressured. Ive thought it through. Ryan will go to school in America as nned after this, and | will travel somewhere else. William wont be able to find me anymore, Jennie said. Anna replied, Dont worry, hell get his karma one day. Thew will punish him. Then Jennie looked down at her watch and said, Well, | hope so. You can have a good rest now, and Ive got a room ready for you. Youve gone through a lot for me over thest few days, and | appreciate it. Anna said, No, thanks. Im not tired. Just as she finished speaking, she yawned and then blinked awkwardly. Seeing that, Jennie smiled, reached out her hand, and said, Thank you very much, Anna. Thank you for helping me. Wayne is really lucky to have you. Anna blushed immediately when her future mother-inwplimented her. After that, she went upstairs, took a shower, and went to bed. Later, she heard a knock on the door, and Jennie asked her in a ;346 Wayne Is So Lucky to Have, gentle voice, Anna, are you asleep? No. | didnt lock the door. You cane in. Then Jennie came in with a tray and said, Its been quite coldtely, so | made some chicken soup for you. Its a family recipe my mother gave me, and its super delicious. It smells so good! Anna eximed as she sat up. Jennie ced the bowl on the bedside table and sat next to Anna, saying, You can eat it in bed if you want. You dont have to be so polite with me. Hearing that, Anna felt touched as she sipped her chicken soup and looked at Jennie. Jennie struck her as a generous, beautiful, and gentle Woman. She was not only mature but also very sweet. Anna felt she could describe her with all the wonderful words in the world, and she finally realized why Ryan said he liked women like his mother. Thinking of that, Anna said slowly, Actually, | sincerely hope you can clear things up with Wayne. Wayne always minded that you used to spend little time with him. He misses you, even though he comins about you a lot. Jennie paused, saying, I know Wayne is a good boy. However, Jennie knew she could not live as she did the way she wanted to. She would always be bound by the opinions and views of others. Have you ever considered what will happen if you tell Wayne everything? | believe he would understand you. Jennie immediately refused, as if she had already considered it and made a decision. No, | cant, she said. Why? Because youre worried about what other people think of you? It doesnt matter; all you need is for him to understand you. 346 Wayne Is So Lucky to Have. Jennie smiled, trying her best to pretend she didnt care. She said, He wouldnt ept the truth that easily, and he always felt that James was the closest person in the world to him. He wasnt very close tome when he was a kid, so | didnt really care what he thought about me. But | cant ruin the image of his father in his mind. Besides, how is he supposed to get along with the Wrights if he knows the truth? Anna felt her heart skip a beat. Wayne had always been a proud man. So, if he knew he had nothing to do with the Wrights, he probably wouldnt even care about their group anymore. Besides, Peter might not be able to ept the oue. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Smiling tenderly, Jennie added, One cant always get what they want. So, | cant be too greedy. Actually, Ive been very happy with my life for now. Thank you, Anna, but you dont have to worry about me. Well Good evening. With that, Jennie took the bowl and walked away. Anna raised her head and paused for a long moment. As Jennie was about to shut the door, Anna said, James has passed away. So, the bond between Wayne and him will always be the same. But we can change things because we are still alive. You should think about it again. Good night, Anna, Jennie said as she shut the door. Anna was feeling bad about that. And she fell asleep as soon as shey down on her bed because she had been so exhausted recently. She slept for along time without even hearing her phone ring. It was nearly noon the next day when Anna awoke. Isnt Jennie up yet? she asked as she walked downstairs to say hello to Sally, who was sitting at the front desk. Sally blinked and said, She left early in the morning. Didnt she tell ;346 Wayne Is So Lucky to Have, s you that? What? Where did she go? Im not sure about that. But | saw that she left with her suitcase Annas eyes widened in surprise as she reached for her phone. She was about to call Jennie when she noticed several unread text messages. Jennie texted Anna in the early morning, I called William, and | will get it over with alone in three days. Youve been a huge help to me, and | cant put you in danger any longer. Thank you very much. Anna was extremely uneasy, thinking, Ofcourse, William only wants Jennie to go there alone. But, like she said, hes a bold criminal. He might hurt Jennie and Ryan even if he gets the money. | have to do something about it. Anna immediately asked Sally, Do you know where shes been? Sally closed her eyes and started remembering. She used theputer here to log into the airline ount! she eximed after a while. Would you check it out for me? Anna asked. They both walked over to theputer at the front desk. Sally looked at it for a while and said, Last night, she bought a ticket to Seriel City. Lets see, that ne takes off at 8:00 a.m. Upon hearing that, Anna hurried out, clutching her bag. While driving, Anna called Jasper and said, Will you please do me a favor? Is the tracking Chapter 347 Chapter 347 You gave me two phone numbers, one of which is a virtual number that changes its address every five minutes. So, it will take me some time to locate it. But | found the other numbers address and texted it to your phone. Jasper said. Okay, thanks. Hold on a second, let me see. Anna quickly checked her phone and saw the address. It turned out that Jennie was in a hotel in Seriel City. After leaving Seriel Airport, Anna got into a cab and headed for the Kings Inn. Then Anna put the phone to her ear and said, Hey Jasper, m in a cab now! This is from N?velDrama.Org. Okay, let me know when you arrive at the hotel, ll have someone check the number and get back to you tonight. Thanks! Anna, does Wayne have something to do with this again? Jasper asked as Anna was about to hang up the phone. Yes, and its a pretty serious matter. So, where is he? Why does he always get you into these dangerous troubles? Oh, its quite a long story. Ill tell you about it after | settle this. Jasper abruptly hung up the phone after a long silence. Anna sighed and nced at her phone, but she didnt feel guilty. Jasper had always treated her like a sister and was kind to her, so she had taken it for granted. As a result, she didnt believe hed be angry with her. Later on, she even texted him, saying, Please check that number for me as 347 Dont Worry soon as possible! Thanks! Little did she know that Jasper was feeling blue. For the past five years, he had treated Anna as the most precious person to him. So, he was disappointed to learn that Anna had been busy solving problems for Wayne. The Kings Inn was located outside of downtown but close to the airport. So, Anna arrived there half an hourter. Then Anna knocked on the door of Jennies room. It was already past midnight, and Jennie appeared haggard. Her expression indicated that she had recently been tired and panicked. When she saw Anna, she was taken aback and asked, Anna? What are you doing here? Please ept my apologies, but Im still worried about you. Please dont try to get rid of me again, Jennie. Believe it or not, | can help you. Anna walked straight into the bedroom. She made noints and only asked, What happened? Why did you leave in such a hurry? Jenny realized that Anna really wanted to help her out. Otherwise, she wouldnt havee to the city. So, she was conflicted and embarrassed to keep it from Anna anymore. She said, William called me and said he would only allow me to go there alone. | didnt tell you because | feared something bad would happen to you if! told you. Hearing that, Anna found Jenny to be more naive than she thought. She then said, You thought there might be an ident, but you still came, didnt you? What on earth were you thinking? Have you ever considered what would happen if anything goes wrong? You and Ryan would both be in danger. Dont worry, Im all prepared, | will not drag anyone into this. 347 Dont Worry ia Anna sighed and said, Jennie, | will be your daughter-inw, for Gods sake. And soon, Ill be your family. Im not yet married to your son, but its the truth. Jennie froze after hearing her words as if she couldnt believe them. It took her a moment to regain her composure and say, Yes, of course, know that. Anna smiled to reassure her and said, Dont worry, ve got everything taken care of What did you do? You dont have to know about that in detail. Anyway, Il be there with you tomorrow. Im quite confident in myself, so I can buy you some time. When its time to run, Ill let you know. Jennie wanted to say no. However, Anna appeared determined and seemed wont take no as an answer. The next day, the meeting time was changed from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Every time Anna and Jennie arrived at a ce, William called them and told them to change the site in an hour. He kept making them go around various parts of the city until 7:00 p.m. It was winter, so it was completely dark at that time. William said in a low voice, Theres a power nt located north of the town, and Ill be waiting for you there. If you call the cops, | guarantee youll never see your son again! Jennie clenched her teeth and said, Dont hurt him! Ive prepared all the money. If he gets hurt one bit, III die with you. That way, neither of us will get what we want. Hmph, cut the crap. Ill cut off one of his fingers and throw it in the river if youre a minutete. Is it true that your son wants to be a cop? His dream will be shattered if he bes disabled! 347 Dont Worry Jennie nearly burst into tears when she heard this terrifying threat. Jennies face grew paler and paler, even as her lips turned purple. She lookedpletely drained William had asked them to switch ces just to see if they had called the cops. If that was the case, it was unlikely that the police would be able to fully assemble at the new location in a short amount of time. Furthermore, many police officers switching ces in the city would be obvious. On the way to the nt, Anna kept talking to Jennie to keep her calm. You mentioned earlier that William married a wealthy woman, right? So, how did he run out of money? Jennie replied, Hes always bringing troubles to everyone. He had been gambling and owed a lot of money, so she divorced him. But he couldnt quit gambling after all those years. After this, he kept dating rich women to get money from them. At the same time, inside the abandoned power nt on the north side of town, a broken light bulb illuminated the ce. Shivering from the cold, two men stomped and paced back and forth on the concrete floor. Its f*****g freezing! | heard its going to snow here today. This is really not a good time to do that! He cant decide that. The New Year has just passed, and he still hasnt paid his debts. ire will never forgive him. The other man quickly covered his mouth and whispered, Shh! Stop it! He will not let you go if he hears you. The man broke free of his friends hand and spat on the ground, Are you trying to kill me? Hes on the phone right now on the top floor, and | believe hes pleading with ire. He is too busy to pay attention to us. 347 Dont Worry The two menughed sarcastically while looking at each other. ire was the daughter of the boss of the gang they belonged to and was dating William. Otherwise, they wouldnt have paid any attention to William atall. On the top floor, the wind was howling. Despite shivering from the cold, William said gently, ire, Im not fooling around. Ill be back ina couple of days. Dont worry, | got all the money back that they owe me. Yes, | have three million dors. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Late at night, a cab drove to the north of the city near the highway entrance. Anna and Jennie got out of the car while they were still miles away from their destination. And the driver looked surprised by it. Keep the change, sir! Anna said as she handed the driver a fifty-dor bill and looked him in the eyes. The driver took the bill and kindly reminded her, Thank you. Please be careful because this is a dangerous neighbourhood. Do you two live here? Anna said with a nod, Our house isnt far away. Well just walk there because the road ahead is rocky. Thank you so much: After that, the driver drove away. The location was deste. There were dim street lights on both sides of the road, and no one was in sight. Anna turned on her phones navigation and walked slowly to the abandoned power nt by the river with Jennie. Boss, theyve arrived. Therge, abandoned nt echoed with a mans voice. William soon walked down the stairs. He walked down the concrete stairs slowly, wearing his military boots. More dust drifted in the dim light with each step he took I told you that | only allowed you toe alone, William said, surprised, as he saw Anna standing beside Jennie. Jennie turned to face him and shouted, She drove me here because | didnt know the way. Cut the crap, William. Ive brought the money. 348 Dont You Dare Hurt Him! Wheres Ryan? William nced at Jennie with a cold stare and said, Hes where he belongs. Show me the money! Here itis, Jennie said, pulling the check from her pocket. When William saw the check, he froze and yelled angrily, Jennie, are you kidding me?! Jennie screamed angrily, Heres your money. You want to break your promise, dont you? In that case, Ill die with you and immediately tear up the check! Then you wont get a penny from me! William gave her a stern look and said, Do you think Im stupid? | know what will happen after that. Youll tell the bank after | take the check. After | get to the bank, | will not be able to get the money at all. Plus, the police who are there in ambush will take me away. Huh? What do you mean? I want them in cash, William exined. When she heard this, Jennie almost shivered with rage, You didnt even say that in the first ce! Besides, | dont even have that much cash! Are you out of your mind? William frowned at Anna and said, Fine! | want one of you to stay and the other to pick up the money tomorrow morning. You wont see him unless you give me the cash. William, you f*****g asshole! Jennie tried to rush over to William and hit him. However, Anna stopped her. Anna answered, Okay, Ill stay while she goes to the bank to get the money. But we have a request. | want to know if Ryan is still alive. William had no idea who Anna was. He looked at her and said, Who the hell are you? Who are you to make a deal with me? 348 Dont You Dare Hurt Him! Anna lied calmly and said, I work at the hotel and | am Ryans best friend. You must allow me to see him! Otherwise, were not sure whether we will exchange $5 million for a corpse or a living person. Meanwhile, Jennie winced, gritted her teeth, and yelled angrily, If Ryan gets hurt, | wont give you a penny! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Their words irritated William. He became even more enraged when he realized he wouldnt be getting the money for a while. Bring that guy over here, he said, pacing around and kicking the man next to him. The gang member bolted up the stairs. He then dragged Ryan to the ground and mmed him to the ground. Ryan stumbled and fell to the floor,nding on his back. His brows were covered with frost, and he appeared to have passed out. Ryan! Anna and Jennie both shouted. But Ryan didnt respond. Jennie asked anxiously, What did you do to him? William said impatiently, Hes too weak to take the cold wind. It has nothing to do with me. Anna had suspected something was wrong from the beginning. Since they had brought the money, William should have turned over Ryan to. them. However, William didnt do it until they forced him to do so. Whats wrong with him? Anna asked angrily. The gang member beside William grumbled, Why are you speaking to William this way? Hes far too frail! He has a high fever because he spent the night in the wind. This has absolutely nothing to do with us! Shut up. William gave him a stern look. Why dont you guys take him to the hospital? Out of nervousness, Jennie asked a stupid question. Then she realized they didnt care if Ryan was sick because they kidnapped him. 348 Dont You Dare Hurt Him! William said grimly, Cut the crap! You have to give me the cash before twelve tomorrow! Otherwise, | will drown him in theke! Because William was being too aggressive, Jennie knew it was not the time to deal with them. Her son was lying on the cold ground, making her heart ache, So, she had no choice but to agree to Williams demands and went downtown with a gang member to withdraw money from the bank. Jennie left shortly after nightfall, so Anna had to stay there and wait with them for a long time. The wind was blowing in through the factorys wall. Taking a step back from William, Anna couldnt bear the thought of Ryan lying on the cold floor. She said, Will you help Ryan get up and find him a chair to sit in dont give a f**k! a gangster said, rolling his eyes at her. Anna said grimly, Its too cold today, so he might get sicker if he lies on the floor all night. That way, youre not going to get the money. And you will definitely regret it! William looked at them and said, Shut the f**k up and go get him a damn chair. The man dragged a broken chair over and leaned it against the wall. He then helped Ryan sit on the chair and lean against the wall. For fear that hed fall off, they roped him to the wall. After that, William surveyed Anna, When he realized she had remained calm, he began to suspect her. He asked, Youre Ryans best friend? Howe Ive never seen you before? Chapter 349 Chapter 349 | was on vacation when you went there, Anna replied calmly. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. William frowned and did not ask any further questions. He didnt mind that Jennie had brought Anna along with her. After all, he only wanted the money, and Jennie only wanted her son back Much to his surprise, he never imagined that Jennie could manage to get five million dors in such a short period or that she would have so much money. And he began to regret not having asked for more before. When Anna noticed Williams eager and greedy eyes, she felt sick. She could obviously see that William had entirely destroyed Jennies life. Ifit werent for William, Jennie wouldve still been the naive affluent woman, and Wayne would not have be withdrawn. Anna believed that this selfish and cruel man was the source of all the tragedy. Ithad already gottente. Anna looked down at her watch and spotted the person beside Ryan resting against the wall, yawning, and appearing to fall asleep in the next second, William also appeared sleepy and smoked a cigarette every ten minutes to keep himself awake. Then Anna coughed softly, signaling the teams to take action. Roger, ready to move, a voice said through the headset she was wearing. Two teams of Special Forces soldiers dressed in grass-green uniforms crawled across the floor and encircled the entire nt. One of the team members, an athletic female special forces soldier, climbed up against the wall hose after the captain gave the signal. 349 Do As | Say or Ill Kill Them! The girl gave him an anesthetic injection before the guard on the second floor could see someone coming over the wall. He then copsed without making a sound. The faint light showed the girls oil- painted face, and only those who knew her well could tell that she was Emily. Emily was pretty nervous. She had participated in several practical exercises recently, but this was different. This time, she was agitated rather than calm. She walked slowly forward, her footsteps not as loud as the wind. As she walked, fine dust wafted beneath her riding boots. After a few tumbles on her seat, she made it to the first floor and hid in a corner. The first floor was almost empty. There was a vast open space in the middle with no cover other than the load-bearing wall. And Emily knew William would notice her as soon as she came in. As a result, she didnt dare to walk around. Itwas already morning at that point. William stomped out a cigarette on the floor after finishing it. He eximed anxiously, Call Tom and see how things are going. Its cold in this damn ce. And tell Jennie that | have changed my mind. Il kill her son and the woman she brings along if she doesnt pay me in cash before ten oclock. Sure! The man next to Ryan was startled awake. He yawned as he dialed the phone number. Oh no! Anna suddenly heard an anxious voiceing from the headset. At that moment, her heart began to rush. She suspected that the special forces who had arrived to rescue the hostages had already caught the thugs around the bank. It took a long time for Williams man to answer the phone. What exactly is going on? Youve spent the entire night there. Is the bank open yet? He put the phone on speaker, so Toms voice echoed 349 Do As | Say or Ill Kill Them! throughout the nt. Weve arrived there, but the bank doesnt open until nine a.m. Well have to wait just alittle bit longer. Tom said. Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She wasnt sure if the cops wouldnt let him talk about it or if they hadnt yet arrived there. Tell her that William said that he would only wait until ten oclock, so let her hurry up and bring the money here. Its too damn cold in here. Got it The man hung up the phone, looked over at William, and said, You heard him. William nodded slightly. He froze and looked around, saying, No, somethings wrong. He returned his gaze to Anna and said grimly, saying to his men, Tie up Ryan and this woman. Somethings wrong with Tom. Annas eyes widened, and she took a step back, asking, What are you doing? The other man seemed to havee back to his senses as well. He took a bold stride towards Anna and said fiercely, Dammit! How dare you call the police! He and the other man seized Anna by the shoulders and dragged her to Williams side. Anna yelled, terrified. What are we going to do? Anna then felt a stinging sensation on her scalp. William gripped her hair more tightly and forced her to lift her head. She yelled in pain but didnt dare to struggle. With one hand on her hair, William inspected her face. Finally, he took 349 Do As | Say or Ill Kill Them! alittle earpiece the size of a fingernail from her ear. He growled, | warned you Id kill him if you tell phoned the cops!!! At the same time, a man pointed his gun at Ryan, who was passed out. Dont shoot! Anna shouted sharply. Emily, who was a few steps behind Anna, shouted the words together with her. She was pointing a gun at the hooligan, At that moment, two special forces teams came on the second and first floors, encircling the entire nt. They had already beaten the other thugs, leaving only William and his three helpers. William immediately became anxious and shouted, Donte over! Or III kill him! Anna calmed down and said, Dont you dare! Dont even think about it! You wont get out of here alive if you hurt Ryan or me! Emily yelled over the loudspeaker, Listen, release the captives! We can go over the terms. What should we do, William? Those guys were frightened and asked. Calm down! William said. He spat on the ground and grabbed Anna with one hand. Then he shouted at Emily in the distance, Im not afraid of you! All wants five million dors. Now, send me to the port. Otherwise, Im going to kill her right now! Anna shivered uncontrobly. She didnt believe William would let her and Ryan go if theyd done as he said. She thought hed probably kill them both because they had called the cops. Jennies right. William is indeed a bold ouw, Anna thought. 349 Do As! Say or Ill Kill Them! Emily looked flustered but still said, Calm down. Okay, well do what you want right now. All of a sudden, they heard the sound of a car engine. The headlights of the car illuminated the entire nt, making it appear to be daylight. A white Porsche drove by, its tires leaving tracks on the ground. Then the car door opened, and a man ina ck suit stepped out. Ive brought five million dors in cash, just as you wanted. He said. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 350 | Am Your Biological Father 350 | Am Your Biological Father Wayne! Anna blurted out at that moment. After hearing her words, William tightened his grip on her neck and asked, What? Who the hell is he?! You wont get any money if you dont let go of het, Wayne said thoughtfully. He had a cold gleam in his eyes as if he were from hell. The trunk of the car slowly opened behind him. Two huge aluminum suitcases were carefully packed with 400 gold bars inside. Theres five million in here? William asked, wide-eyed. Wayne said coldly, Six million. You can have this money right now if you let her and the guy next to you go. William sneered and said, Who do you think you are? Tell these cops to back off and leave the car keys here. These two guys will be useless When I reach the port terminal. After then, Il return them to you. Wayne frowned and looked at Emily. They were both aware that kidnappers always had the upper hand in these crucial situations. Emily made a motion, and the soldiers with shields began to retreat. However, Waynes Porsche remained still William grasped Annas shoulder with his right hand while clutching a saber with his left. Ryan was dragged behind the three men who walked cautiously and approached the Porsche. Anna could tell William was anxious about this because he had sweat on his brow. She thought to herself, Williams a greedy man, so he cant possibly want to die. Then she frowned and shouted, Let Ryan go! Hes passed out, and hes just a liability now. | can go with you. 350 | Am Your Biological Father William snorted and said, Dont overestimate yourself, youngdy. Youre just a prop. That boy is the target. Anna was ready to say something when she observed Emily winking at her. She abruptly realized she shouldnt tell him that information. By then, those few people had moved to the trunk. The two boxes of gold bars emitted a sun-like brilliance, causing these greedy peoples eyes to light up. They all understood, though, that if they couldnt get out of here, they wouldnt be able to get any of it. Then William said, Bring the boxes to the front and carry them to the ship when we arrive at the dock. One of the men quickly shut the box. He attempted to lift it and said, Its far too heavy. It will take at least two people to lift it. The two boxes included 400 gold bars weighing several hundred pounds each. As a result, it was difficult for a single person to carry it. William frowned and let go of his hand, saying, That guy has passed out, so get him into the car. Fine, Ill let this woman go. William then let go of Anna. She realized why Emily wouldnt let her speak at that point. Wayne knew they couldnt carry two boxes of gold bars. Besides, five of them, including Ryan, couldnt fit in one car. So, as long as William didnt know who she was, hed have to let her go. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna stood in the same spot as the car drove away, her legs unable to move. She was indeed very nervous right now. Honestly, no one would be calm in that situation. Seeing that, Wayne rushed to her side, hugged her tightly, and murmured, Anna, its okay. His voice was shaky, and he didnt appear as composed as he had been. Anna took along time toe to her senses. What about Ryan? she asked, clutching the cuffs of Waynes coat. Wayne replied grimly, Well bring him back. 350 | Am Your Biological Father The wind blew in as the white Porsche sped down a side road along the highway that led to the river. William sat in the passenger seat and called someone, Yeah, pick us up at the dock in twenty minutes. Were almost there. Oh, crap! Were out of gas, the man driving said urgently as the phone hung up The petrol gauge had turned red, and the car was slowing down. The car came to aplete stop within minutes. William was beyond enraged. He mmed the door and said, f**k! They fooled me! Then, several ck cars approached them. After those cars stopped, multiple security with rifles stepped down from them and encircled Williams car. Donte any closer! William yelled. He then got out of the car and dragged Ryan out of the rear seat. William had one hand around his neck and a revolver aimed at him in the other. Ifyou guyse over here, Ill kill him, he said. I dont believe you dare do it. Waynes voice was extremely loud in the open wilderness. He stepped out of the crowd as he spoke. He was dressed in a custom-made overcoat that made him appear quite fit PUL Kill him right now! William threatened again. Wayne said indifferently, Whatever. Ive already taken away the person | wanted to save, so | dont care who you want to kill. Im not a cop. William asked, wide-eyed, Who? Youre talking about that woman? Shes my fiancee, Wayne said with a smile. When William heard it, he remembered something: Anna had shouted 350 | Am Your Biological Father a name when Wayne had just stepped out. He froze. He looked at Wayne for a time beforeughing and asking, Youre Wayne? Wayne said calmly, You know me? Well, then you should know what @ person | am. Im not interested in the young man you caught. But if he dies, my fiancee will be heartbroken. That way, you cant get away with it Suddenly, William rxed and said, Wow, you really love her! He fixed his gaze on Wayne as if he could deduce something from his attractive features. Then he asked meaningfully, Wayne, you should let me go. Otherwise, you will get your karma. Do you know who | am? Though confused, Wayne frowned and did not say anything. At that moment, a car stopped in the distance. Jennie got out of the car and ran towards them, but the bodyguard stopped her. She heard their conversation, and she shouted at Wayne, Wayne, dont listen to him! Hes a psycho! Seeing Jennie, Williamughed wickedly. Heughed loudly and said in a voice so loud that it echoed through the wilderness, Wayne, youre going to love this secret. Im your biological father. B wetina revine Hi, my dear readers! Do you enjoy reading the book so far? So, William told Wayne that hes his biological father, which would happen sooner orter. How do you think Wayne will react to Williams words? And what do you guys think he will do to William? Please leave yourments. Id appreciate it if you follow this book and share it with others. Many thanks! Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Wayne raised his eyebrows in surprise. Jennie then seemed to lose all hope. She shouted with all her strength at William in the distance, You bastard! Stop talking nonsense! On the other hand, William scoffed, nced at Wayne, and said, Thirty years ago, your mother was going to marry me. However, she lied to me. She wasnt even a Wright; shed been adopted. In fact, your grandfather adopted her so she could marry James when she came of age All of my efforts that year were futile! Later, your mother became pregnant with you, my child. James beat me when he found out aboutit, yet he still wanted to raise you. He raised you while | was away from home for all these years. And look how sessful you are; he sure did a great parenting* job! Are you done? Wayne said at this point, and he appeared to regain hisposure. Wayne didnt react much as William spoke, as if he didnt believe what he was saying. He just looked at William with contempt. You should have given me that money because | gave you your life. You should be thankful that I left you in time! Otherwise, you would not have received any money from the Wrights. William said smugly as he looked at Wayne. Wayne sneered and eximed, It appears 400 gold bars are insufficient. You should have taken half of what | own. Im delighted you think so, William said shamelessly. Anna stood by Jennies side, holding her cold hand. She scowled, unwilling to believe such a jerk as William existed in the world. 351 Not A Chance! Meanwhile, Wayne stood firm, saying, But it appears you wont have a chance to enjoy it, his low voice resonated through the countryside. As he finished speaking, two men stepped out of the Porsche behind William . One fought with the three gang members while the other punched William hard. William fired a shot in the blink of an eye. The bullet flew out toward the crowd, but Emily dodged it in time. She quickly broke Williams wrist, causing him to scream. Emily then kicked him so hard that he copsed and couldnt move. Ryan fell back in Emilys arms as if he was already unconscious. When Emily noticed that he appeared terribly weak, she stamped fiercely on Williams face and yelled, How dare you touch my man?! Asshole, go to helt! At that point, a man next to Wayne approached her and said, Enough, Emily! Get him cuffed and out of here. Or you will be punished for lynching abuse.* Emily frowned and reluctantly stopped. The man who ordered her to stop was actually a SWAT officer disguised as a bodyguard. His two colleagues then approached, handcuffed William, and led him into the limos rear. As for Anna, she didnt know Wayne nned the whole thing until he saved her. Wayne had no intention of letting William go from the start. Once William arrived at the dock and managed to escape, it would not be an easy task to track him down and punish him So, Wayne nned to entice them with something else. He offered them gold bars to make them want to leave as soon as possible. Because the gold bars were way too heavy, theyd have to leave one of Anna or Ryan behind that way. William thought that Ryan was more valuable, so he let 351 Not A Chance! go of Anna. Following that, Wayne requested that the SWAT team disguise themselves as his bodyguards. William knew that the cops had to follow the regtions and could not even shoot the kidnappers until thest moment. As a result, he was more scared of Wayne. He was afraid that Wayne didn*t care for Ryan, which might make him at a disadvantage. Later, Ryan was taken to the ambnce by paramedics, and Emily followed him. Everyone engaged in the case went to the police station to make their statements. After along time, Wayne turned around and stared at Jennie and Anna, who were a few steps away. He gazed at them without saying anything. Jennie stared at him, wanting to say something. She paused for a long moment before whispering, Wayne, dont believe anything he says. Hes just a lunatic. Wayne approached her and said, Why should | believe him? Anna, lets go, Wayne murmured indifferently as he moved past her. He was stone-cold as if nothing had happened. Hed never helped her with anything and still didnt care about her. Anna, however, suddenly eximed, Jennie! Wayne paused. When he turned around, he saw Jennie in Annas arms, unconscious. He was taken aback and walked over to them. Three dayster, Anna went to Jennies ward at lunchtime and peeled apples for her in bed. She said, Jennie, the doctor said you had too many mood swings. Because you had barely slept the previous week, your blood pressure was unsteady. Dont worry; he said youll be able to leave the hospital in a few days.* Jennie was unconscious for two days. The doctor said nothing was 351 Not A Chance! wrong with her, and she was exhausted. She hadnt been able to eat anything for two days, and the doctor could only give her an infusion. Im fine, and | can leave the hospital right now. Jennie still appeared frail. Overnight, strands of gray hair emerged at her temples. She smiled gratefully at Anna, but she was still sad. Anna handed her an apple and said, No! You cant. | called Wayne, and he said hed see youter. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Jennies eyes widened with surprise as she pulled the covers and attempted to get out of bed. Anna tried to stop her immediately but failed because she was holding a knife. Then she shouted, No, please dont go! Be careful! Jennie said anxiously, Anna, let me go. He doesnt want to see me, and Im afraid to see him. Dont! Please calm down. Dont go. No! Let me go! Just then, someone pushed open the door of the ward. Then, a tall man stood in the doorway. He looked nervous, asking, What are you two doing? Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Alter seeing Wayne, Jennie was stunned. Seeing that, Anna immediately pressed her on the shoulders and forced her to sit down. Til give you two some privacy/ Anna said, then put the apple and the knife on the nightstand. As she walked past Wayne, she showed him an encouraging smile. Wayne and Jennie misunderstood each other for 20 years, so they couldnt solve these problems overnight. Wayne resented Jennie, and she kept holding on to him. Therefore, they still needed more time to get along and understand each other. Jennie appeared even more uneasy after Anna left. She said, Til leave here this afternoon, Wayne. | wont bring you any troubles.* Wayne frowned at her and said, The doctor rmended you stay in the hospital for a week. So, why are you leaving this afternoon? If the doctor knows that youve left, hell me me for it. Youre making it difficult for me. Jennie froze, unsure of how to respond, Wayne frowned again, this time in an unnatural way. They were both silent for a long time. Wayne then said, breaking the ice, William was apprehended by the police. He has previously committed other crimes, so he might be sentenced to life imprisonment this time. Is there anything else youd like to say to him before the trial? No, she replied quickly. Then Jennie let go of the sheets and then rxed. She felt she could no longer pretend she didnt know anything about Waynes true identity because Wayne already knew everything. 352 The Reunion Rather than avoiding the subject, she was forced to face the harsh reality. Wayne said with a nod, My brother is not badly hurt. He just has a high fever but hasnt woken up yet. They took him back to Birmingham yesterday, and he is now in the military hospital. You can go there if you dont want to stay here any longer. Jennie looked surprised and asked, What did you just call him? She hadnt expected Wayne to be willing to admit that Ryan was his brother. She assumed she would be content if Wayne would treat him as if he were a stranger. Wayne avoided her gaze and said, No matter what, hes dads only son and grandpas only grandson. He will eventually be the heir to the Wright family and the Carousel Group. | will be responsible for his lifeter on. Hearing that, Jennie felt a sharp pain in her chest. Her greatest fear was that Wayne would doubt himself after knowing all this. However, it Was inevitable. Nonsense! A voice interrupted their conversation at that point. Then, Peter walked in. Grandpa? Dad? Wayne and Jennie both eximed at the same time. Peter walked in and said, Your dad raised you for thirteen years, and Iraised you for twenty. You cant deny that fact, Wayne. So, youll always be my grandson and James son. Wayne frowned but appeared deeply touched. I know all about it, Looking over at Jennie, Peter said. He felt 352 The Reunion conflicted when he saw his daughter for the first time in twenty years. Immediately, tears welled up in his eyes. He was embarrassed to be seen crying, so he turned away to wipe his tears. Dad, Jennie tried to stand up andfort him, Peter waved his hand and said, Im fine. Dont worry about me. Were a family, so its time for us to have a conversation. Tell me how you raised Ryan on your own all these years. Jennie stared at Wayne, unsure what to say. Grandpa, Im leaving Peter cut Wayne off before finishing his sentence, Dont leave! | have no idea what youve been up to every day. Do you even have no time to spend with your family? | heard you say you would let Ryan be in charge of the Group. Are you doing this because youre not James* son? Im telling you, youre your mothers son. Your mother is my daughter, so youre still my grandson. Wayne then looked at him in amazement. At the same time, Anna sat in the lounge area near the rooms entrance, with Matthew and Tammy leaning against her. Peter had brought them with him, and they kept asking her to tell them what had happened Mommy, you are so brave! Were you not afraid at that time when facing the bad guys? Tammy asked with a wink. Matthew was also curious but appeared more concerned about Annas safety. Anna hugged them tighter and said,I was terrified. But Ill be brave to protect the people | care about. Tammy nodded firmly and said, Im going to protect you, Mommy. 352 The Reunion Im not going to be scared.* Matthew wrapped his arms around Anna. He didnt say anything, but he looked earnest. Aweekter, Jennie was discharged from the hospital. After she checked out, Wayne picked her up and drove her back to Birmingham. And he took his mother straight to the Wrights house. When Jennie arrived at the house, she stood in the doorway for a few moments before entering the house. She had moved out of the house twenty years before. She had not only lost the love of her life at the time, but she was also alone. So, when she came back here, she felt mixed emotions. That night, the whole family had dinner together. Ryan was doing well, so the hospital agreed to let him out for one night. Selina had been looking for an opportunity for them to have another family dinner. So, she chose that night. The atmosphere was much cozier than that previous get-together. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Jennie prepared the meal on her own. She cooked so well that even Selina, a picky eater, kept complimenting her and even expressed an interest in learning how to cook from her. Jennie and Selina went for a walk in the garden after dinner; Peter and Wayne were in the study discussing the acquisition project. So, Ryan begged Anna to show him around the house. Its far too dark here! Cant you just visit here during the day? Annained. The hospital wont let me out during the day! Ill have to leave first thing in the morning. Anna apanied him down several corridors. The shlight in her hand illuminated the path ahead, but she still felt scared. The mansion was 352 The Reunion enormous, and only the courtyard they lived in had lights. So, the rest of the yards waspletely dark. Lets go back after seeing this one, okay? You can stay here as much as you Want after you get out of the hospital. Id be happy to! But, after a while, Ill be going to school in America. Anna froze, surprised, Really? Howe you never brought it up? Hal Anna, do you expect me to stay? Well, ll tell the school Im not leaving* Anna was about to say something when she heard someone behind her say, You want to use that as an excuse to stay here forever, dont you? Its not a good option. The maid told Wayne that Anna and Ryan were in that courtyard. He was worried that something might have happened to her because it was so dark, so he came to check on her. But just as he arrived, he saw his brother harassing his fiancee. As Wayne was upset, Ryan suddenly shouted, Hey. Its Wayne, my dear brother! What brings you here? Wayne and Anna both fell silent. Wayne showed a fake smile, unsure what to say. He admired Ryans skill at pushing his luck in his mind. Chapter 353 Chapter 353 353 Do You Want to Know Who Matthews Mom Is? Tell me why you went to Leos house. | saw you on surveince. Wayne asked Ryan right after the three returned from the small courtyard to the side room. He didnt even give Ryan the time to prepare. Anna clutched her teacup tightly and cast an unintentional nce at Ryan. She was extremely nervous. You think I killed Leo, dont you? Ryan asked. Wayne said calmly, I didnt say that. If you didnt do this, just exin why you were at Leos house on those days. Then they both became silent. Wayne knew that Ryan was his brother, but he wasnt more friendly with him because of that. Plus, he was curious whether what happened to Leo had anything to do with Ryan. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. All right, | admit it. | went there because Ada asked me to look into something. Ryan said. Hearing that, Annas heart skipped a beat, and her hands trembled. She thought, Ryan, are you going to tell the truth? Will you tell Wayne about Im actually Matthews mom? Wayne became surprised and somber as he asked, Really? What did she tell you to do? She asked me to look into things about Matthew because she wanted to know who his biological mother was. Leo left your house shortly after Matthew was born, so | thought he was involved in it. That is why I traveled to that town. Annas grip on her teacup became tighter, and her face turned pale. Wayne frowned when he noticed Annas unusual expression. 353 Do You Want to Know Who. I found out about the whole truth. Matthews birth mother is not the surrogate mother you found, and she happened to enter in your room by chance. Fortunately, | know who she is. Are you curious about that? Ryan abruptly asked. Wayne turned to look at Anna and noticed that she was very restless. After a few seconds of silence, he replied, No, | dont, just tell me how Leo died. Surprised, Anna looked into Waynes eyes. She was conflicted. And she knew that Wayne wouldnt let Ryan speak because he was afraid she would be upset. Meanwhile, Ryan looked at Anna as if he was thinking about something. He thought, The truth is right in front of them. Wayne, Anna, you two are still in love with each other despite numerous coincidences and trials. ?So, you are meant to be together. Well, Id better not say anything but let Anna speak for herself. After all, its her privacy. A few secondster, Ryan continued, Ada knew that you were also looking into this matter. She was afraid that you would want to find his mother, so she wanted to kill Leo. | pretended to agree to her proposal, but | had no idea that Ada didnt trust me. She also wanted me to die for good, so she attempted to burn both Leo and me into ashes. Iter stayed at the Carousel Hotel. In fact, | recall everything at the time. But | couldnt say anything about it because | needed to make sure Whether Ada did it to me or not. Thats why I kept pretending to lose my memory. Ryan then told them about his encounter with Ada at the hotel. And, | asked her for one favor to test her. Then | was confident that many of Matthews idents over the years had something to do with her ?Like the kitchen fire thing? Wayne asked with a frown. 353 Do You Want to Know Who. Ryan nodded, Thats exactly what | told her to do. She quickly found a hotel staff to help her and let Charlotte take the me. | could tell she not only knew the hotel well, but she was also good at committing crimes. So, this isnt the first time shes done something like this. In fact, Ryan immediately regretted asking Ada to do this. He had only wanted to test her at first. He had nned that he would protect the two children if an ident urred. But, by chance, he met Matthews nanny in Leeds when Ada did it. Fortunately, Charlotte felt guilty and saved Matthew. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unbearable. Ryan lowered his head to avoid Waynes gaze when he mentioned the incident, looking guilty. After he recounted it, the whole thing became clear. Wayne had suspected Ada for years, but she was too good at concealing evidences, so he couldnt find anything. Everything became crystal clear after he discovered she was Richards mistress and heard what Ryan had said Wayne was furious when he realized how much pain Ada had caused Matthew over the years. He clenched his fists and had the urge to punch the wall. Ryan noticed Waynes rage and immediately said, Wayne, | believe we should leave this to the police. This cannot be resolved privately. The group has been having many problemstely, and the press keeps tabs If this had happened before, Wayne would have probably left Ada on a remote Pacific ind. But he chose to listen to Ryan as what he said made sense. So, he had to leave Ada in the hands of the police. After the conversation was over, they went to their rooms respectively. In the bedroom, Anna sat preupied in front of the makeup mirror, 353 Do You Want to Know Who. applying hand cream. She didnt even notice Wayne approaching from behind her. Whats on your mind? He asked. Anna was taken aback. She gave Wayne a wide-eyed look before settling down and replying, Nothing. | just recalled something from the past. Does it have anything to do with what Ryan just said? Anna rubbed her fingers in confusion and said, Wayne, are you sure you dont want to know who Matthews mother is? Wayne tightened his grip on her hand and said, Yes, Im sure. To me, shes just a strange woman. | know the truth will break your heart. So, its best if | dont know anything about it. Lets pretend this person doesnt exist. Matthew is still young, and since he believes you are his mother, let it be. Wayne did this for a reason. His encounter with Sophia had already caused him and Anna to have a big fight. So, he knew he couldnt do anything about it further, or they would fight again. At the same time, Anna looked a bit dazed. She had a lot to say to Wayne but didnt know how to put it. Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Wayne asked Gabe to let the police handle the case the following morning. Later, Gabe found the fake Sophia York in a local bar. Gabe told Wayne about everything over the phone, She tried to run away, but all of the doors were guarded. So, we just caught her and handed her over to the police on suspicion of fraud. They checked out her identity. Her real name is Lily Johnson, and shes Adas cousin. But Ada ran away. She left the vi where she lived with her valuables with her. Have the police asked the woman where Ada went? Yes, but she refused to answer no matter what. This will most likely take us some time. Its all right; were not in a rush, Lets see if she has more patience or | do. Waynes tone was icy, like the bitter winds of winter. After this family dinner, the Williams began to prepare for Wayne and Annas wedding which would be held on February Ist. Anna hadnt divorced Jasper yet, and she was an American citizen. So, after she got divorced, her marriage to Wayne needed to be vetted and Would take about a month. While Selina and Peter were discussing the wedding, Jennie sat next to them and listened. She froze when she learned Anna was married and asked, What? Annas still married? Yes, but thats not important, Peter replied calmly. Then he said to Selina, I think we can start with a traditional wedding. Its crucial to the family. They can have a wedding like other 354 Youre Not Divorced Yet? young people abroad if they dont like it. I think so, too. Ive heard that young people nowadays prefer to have their weddings in Bali or Tahiti. | think its best to let them make their own decisions. Selina echoed Peter said, We can ask Anna and let her decide. The point is, when will she get a divorce? PII leave for America to deal with this matter, Grandpa. Rest assured. Anna replied. Okay, Peter answered with a light sigh. After a brief pause, he said, Wayne and Anna decided to live at Waynes house after they got married. Jennie, since you majored in interior design in college, how about you help them redecorate it? Jennie didnt say anything, despite being perplexed. After getting the houseyout n from Henry, she went to look for Anna inside Waynes other yard. Jennie disyed several style design ns she had found to Anna, Look, I just discovered a few different decoration styles. Which one do you prefer, Anna? | found some decorating diagrams online. Do you have a favorite fashion style? Ill rework it for you. Anna touched her nose. She couldnt decide what to do as she looked at the fancy drawings. She said, I dont know much about this. You are a professional, so | believe you should make the decision. Jennie said nothing except to point to two of them and ask, How about these two? Its not bad. Anna quickly nodded her head. In fact, she thought the two Jennie pointed out were nearly identical, even down to the colors. Jennie didnt leave after asking Anna questions as if she needed to 354 Youre Not Divorced Yet? say something. Do you want to talk to me about something, Jennie? Anna asked. Jennie said, somewhat awkwardly, Yeah. Can | ask you a question? Sure. Jennie frowned and asked, So, are young people nowadays okay with homewreckers? Anna looked up in surprise, puzzled, and asked, Huh? Who are you talking about? Jennie said hesitantly, Ummm mean, youre still martied, and Wayne is already nning to have a wedding with you. Doesnt it make hima Anna quickly came to her senses and exined, interrupting her, Oh! You got it wrong. I was married to someone in the United States for a green card. My husband is a friend of mine, and we are not in love at all. Its just a sham marriage. Anna then exined briefly to Jennie what had happened between herself and Jasper. Hearing that, Jennie exhaled a long sigh of relief and said, I was so terrified! | thought the world to be apletely different ce than it had previously been. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna shook her head, embarrassed, and said, I apologize for not exining it to you earlier. Its all right, | understand. Grandpa was also worried about this matter before.. Jennie patted her hand on the back and said, Thats fine, honey; | understand. | understand how difficult it is to raise a child alone, and I can 354 Youre Not Divorced Yet? only imagine what you endured to stay in America. It must be hard for you to raise your daughter alone. Anna liked the Wrights because everyone in the family was friendly and understanding. Peter appeared cold, but he was actually very nice. Jennie was straightforward, friendly, and gentle. Ryan was dependable and kind. Even though the Wrights were arge family, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. And Annas only concern was when to talk to Wayne about the truth. A few dayster, Anna traveled to the United States. As soon as she stepped off the ne, Anna noticed Lily waiting for her. Lily wore a suit with long chestnut brown hair in a bun and carried a briefcase with a Hermes silk scarf. She appeared to be sharp andpetent. Hello, Anna. She approached Anna with a smile on her face. She took Annas suitcase and handed it to a male assistant beside her before exining, Jasper said he wanted toe in person. | stopped him because he has an important meeting today. Im sorry about that. Anna nodded and said, Oh, its okay. Chapter 355 Chapter 355 When Anna got out of the car, she noticed that she hade to the house she used to live. She eximed, I remember that | sold this, house. From N?velDrama.Org. Lily exined, Jasper was worried you dont like living in another house. So, after you left, he asked me to buy this house. Hearing that, Anna had mixed feelings. As she entered the house, she discovered that the furnishings in the house were nearly identical to what she had seen before. There was a Christmas tree near the firece. The tree was beautifully decorated and very Christmassy. Jasper decorated this tree himself before Christmas. Anna asked as she touched the silver bells on the tree, Oh? Did he invite his friends to spend the holidays here? He threw a party here every year, and it was always a st. Lily replied, No. He spent the night here alone on Christmas Eve. Annas hand froze. By himself? she asked, slowly turning her head back to look at Lily. When Anna was in America, Jasper would n every holiday for a month in advance. He would roast the turkey, choose the gifts, and even prepare the games and food for the party. So, Anna thought he was just a guy who liked to celebrate the holidays. Lily nodded slightly and looked very sorrowful. She said, Yes. Actually, he doesnt have many friends in America. His friends are his coworkers, and they arent close. After you left, every holiday became just an ordinary day for him. 355 Youre So Cruel Lily knew Jasper differently from the way Anna knew him. She helped Jasper establish and grow his business. So, whenever she saw him, he was troubled by his work. However, regardless of how worried he was, he always smiled at Anna. When thepany was in a merger crisis, he even spent considerable time decorating the Christmas tree and buying gifts for Anna and Tammy. Lily wanted to help him, but he refused her. So, Lily believed that Jasper loved Anna deeply. And she even thought that no one else would love Anna more than Jasper. Anna became restless when she realized Lily was staring at her and said, Oh, Id better stay in a hotel. Just give it to me, thank you, she said to that assistant, who was about to carry her luggage to the second floor. Lily stopped her and said, Dont go, Anna. You should stay here, and everything can remain the same as before. It wont be the same because everyone has their own life, Anna said as she drew the suitcase to her side and turned slowly. Lily said tly, Dont you think youre being cruel now? Howe you never said anything like that in thest five years? He was very nice to you and gave you everything you desired, Now, you got tired of him and left him. How could you do that? Anna sighed with relief and said, Oh, I see why you brought me here. It was your own decision, not his, right? Lily frowned, irritated, and asked, Whats the difference? | have to make you realize how nice he treats you. Youve only known for so many years that he treats you well. But have you ever considered what he has done for you? Have you ever considered why he treats you so well? Tell me, what do you expect me to do? Do you want me to go to his 355 Youre So Cruel office right now and talk to him? Jasper, why dont we actually get married? | know you love me, and I love you very much. Ill stay for you. You want me to say that? Lily froze Anna gazed at Lily calmly and said, You think Jasper is nice to me and will even meet my every request? But even though we are married, he still treats me as a friend. He hasnt asked me to respond to his feelings in any way. Why do you think he does that? Do you think hes afraid hell be rejected? Isntit? Lily asked, looking at her. Anna said thoughtfully, He didnt do this because he worried about losing me. Even if we stay together, theres a chance well break up. In that case, hed have even more to be worried about. Jasper was abandoned by the love of his life when he was in his twenties, and it had nothing to do with Anna He doesnt believe in love and doesnt care about me. His feelings for me are an unbreakable expectation. Youve known him longer than | have, so youre more aware of whats on his mind than | am. Lily went into a trance and froze. Im going to stay in a hotel tonight. Tell Jasper Im too tired to see him today, please. By the way, tell him to have dinner with me tomorrow night. After Lily left, Anna went straight to a hotel. Then she took a shower andy on the bed to video chat with Wayne on theputer. She said, Wayne, honey. Im perfectly fine! Whats wrong? Youre worried | wont go back, huh? I dont think youre going to leave Tammy behind, Wayneughed. Anna sprung up from her bed as if she had realized something, She 355 Youre So Cruel said, Its no surprise you recently signed her up for a winter camp trip to d. How dare you kidnap her! Wayne chuckled and said, No! Thats not true. Anna, | have a lot of faith in you, but this little one is weak-willed. Im afraid if Jasper is nice to her, she will choose to stay in America. Instead of having Jasper kidnap her, Il make the first move. Anna rolled her eyes at him and said, Ha! Bad move, Wayne. While they were talking, her phone rang. Ill take a call. Anna set herputer aside. She hesitated for a moment when she saw the caller ID before answering, Hello. Hello, Anna, Its me, Jasper said. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Thank You Jasper didn''t sound cheerful. Anna wanted to make himugh, so she teased him by saying, "I know it''s you because I saw your number on the caller ID! We''re at peace even though we''re getting divorced." Jasper let out augh and said, "Yes, you''re right." He was silent for a short moment before saying, "I know that Lily took you to the house you used to live in.Please do not take this personally; she didn''t mean to make you mad.She''s never done anything so outrageous before." "It''s all right, Jasper.She probably assumed I''d prefer to live there.You didn''t punish her, did you?" "Well, actually, I suspended her for a month." Anna signed and said, "Dude, would you please be kinder to her? Lily has worked for you for seven years, and she deserves to be treated well." "She brought it up herself." Anna mumbled, "Ha! That really surprised me." They made small talk for a while longer before hanging up the phone. Anna sighed as she sat at the edge of her bed, reflecting on what Jasper had just said. Wayne was staring at her while she was on the phone.He then asked, "What''s the problem? You feel bad about answering your ex-phone husband''s call?" Anna froze for a moment before recalling that she had just turned on the video call. She asked, "Huh? You were listening the whole time?" Wayne nodded, looking dissatisfied. "You will divorce with Jasper in peace?" he asked, word for word. "What else should I say? Do I need to fight with him and go to the police station with him?" Wayne was speechless. Annaughed out loud after seeing his expression and said, "Ha! Did you notice how picky you are with me? You''ve probably been sitting around too muchtely.Aren''t you busy at work?" "Thepany is having a party recently." The Carousel Group would host an annual party at the start of each year. They would rent the top floor of thergest hotel in the entire city and bringin many stars. It was both a celebration and an advertisement, which worked well. As a result, this was likely to be the busiest time for the group. Anna was shocked that he had time to be jealous and make jokes. To reassure him, Anna exined, "Because of Lily, I sighed.She and Jasper both graduated from Yale, and she helped him to start his businesses shortly after.She has been around him for nearly eight years.In fact, everyone knows she likes him, except for himself." "Men are not as insensitive as you assume, Anna. He''s probably pretending he doesn''t see it." Anna frowned and said, "No, you''re wrong.I have a feeling Jasper is totally unaware of that because he''s used to having her around.So, he doesn''t even realize how important she is to him.For example, you wouldn''t get attached to the cup you usually use, will you?" Wayne was silent for a moment and replied, "I''ll miss it when I lose it." Anna froze and remembered something. She suddenly realized what was happening and said, "Now I know why she took a month off! Great n, Lily!" Wayne called Gabe after finishing the video and said, "Cancel all my trips for the next few days and buy me a ticket for tomorrow." "Sure.Where are you going?" From N?velDrama.Org. "To New York." Anna barely slept that night. As a result, she had to admit that she couldn''t sleep without Wayne by her side. Early the next morning, Anna went to the nursing home with many things. When Peace saw Anna, she screamed and jumped out of bed. She yelled, "Ah! My favorite potato chips!" She then wrapped her arms around Anna''s neck. Anna coughed a few times before saying, "God! Did you miss me or the snacks more?" "I can''t even find these chips in America!" Peace took the little snacks Anna had brought from Ennd cheerfully, then invited her to sit by the window. "Anna, you are the best!" She said with a smile. Anna winked and said thoughtfully, "Karl will buy you snacks if you ask him to.Are you worried that your future mother-inw will find out about it?" Peace shook her head, "No! No! He''s used to expensive food, so I think he might not know what I want." Anna didn''t want to argue with her about such trivial matters, so she said, "Fine.The good thing is, you can finally have your rice pudding now.What did the doctor say about your condition?" Peace smiled cheerfully and said, "He said I''m doing fine.If my condition does not get worse, I should be able to leave the hospital and return home within a few days.I''ll be just in time for your wedding." "Really? That''s fantastic!" "Look, I have the wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses all designed," Peace said, pulling a sketchbook from a drawer in a nearby cab. "Brilliant! Let me take a look." Anna couldn''t wait to see it. Like most girls, Anna was looking forward to her wedding and hoping to wear the most beautiful wedding dress. Anna slowly looked up and stared at Peace after flipping through a few pages, "Peace, are these my wedding dresses?" On those drafts, there were dresses of various styles and colors, but they were all bridesmaid dresses. Anna was disappointed to discover that there was nota single wedding gown. Peace blinked and defended herself, "To be honest, all wedding gowns are the same.Right now, I could draw you one in five minutes.A nice bridesmaid dress, on the other hand, is difficult to find." "Honey, you''re a bridesmaid! You should put on a stupid rag so I can be the most beautiful woman in the room." Saying that, Anna pinched and rubbed her face. "Ah! I''m sorry!" Peace yelled. Peace then let go of Anna''s hand and struggled to take out a thicker sketchbook from the cushion she was sitting on. "Here," she said as she handed the notebook to Anna, rubbing her face. Anna didn''t seem convinced. "If this one is full of best mans clothes, I''ll rip your mouth off," she said as she flipped open the book. Peace sighed and said, "Whatever! Do you have any idea how much one of my designs is worth?" Anna had already opened her sketchbook at that point. The designs on the first page took her breath away. The gowns were made of satin and were extremely elegant. Peace had created six wedding gowns and twelve dance gowns for her. "I figure you''ll have a wedding at home and another one abroad.So, you need to prepare at least three wedding dresses, and a backup one.You can choose four out of these six dresses.Well, you can choose a few more dresses because you will be dancing a lot." Peace had always enjoyed joking with people.So, when she became serious, Anna was taken aback.Deeply moved, tears welled up in Annas eyes. Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Bad Habits Peace knew Anna was about to cry, so sheughed and said, "Oh, my goodness! You''re not going to cry, are you? Really? Will you kneel for me if I show you the wedding gown when it''s finished?" Anna red at her and said, "Damn! I certainly would not!" "I just have one request," Peace said, rubbing her nose and smiling, "I have to be the only maid of honor." "I only have two bridesmaids in total, you and Mona.Yeah, I''ll make you maid of honor, of course." Peace tilted her head and said, "I want to be the maid of honor! And I don''t want to wear the same dress as her.I want to wear my own design, and I don''t care what she wears.You can get one for her at Target or whatever.Everyone will know I''m your best friend this way." When Anna realized Peace was jealous, sheughed.She teased her by saying, "You don''t like Mona? Why? I get it; it must be because of Andrew." Peace rolled her eyes and grimaced as she said, "No! It has nothing to do with me! I knew she is Andrew''s apprentice." "Oh, you don''t mind if Mona and I are friends?" "No!" "You''re bothered by the fact that my kids both like Mona." Peace was pissed off and red at Anna, "No! Will you please stop talking? I need to get out of the hospital as soon as possible!" Anna burst outughing and eximed, "I understand! You were really worried about that.You''re afraid that things will change too much once you''re discharged from the hospital, so you''re suddenly cooperating with the doctors.You just want to get out of here as soon as possible." Peace denied it, "No! Stop it!" Anna knew she was right, but she didn''t say anything else. Peace promised Anna that if she went to the United States, she would cooperate with her treatment. However, when the doctor asked her about her past, she remained silent. Karl was worried because she had been like this for two months and had called Anna to ask her to do something about it. After that, whenever Peace called, she didnt say much to her. So, Anna frequently praised Mona, making Peace envious and in crisis. Peace was more concerned with her friends and loved ones today than the traumatizing experience in her past. Therefore, even if it was a very painful thing to tell the past, she was willing to suffer. Once she could be open about the pain of the past, the doctor had a way to treat her. That way, they made a lot of progress. Around noon, Karl returned to Peaces ward, and the three ate a dreadful nutritious meal inside the ward. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After the nurse left, Anna immediately took a bottle of chili sauce from the cupboard. "I can see why you keep calling and asking me to bring you some chili sauce and seasoning.The food here is disgusting!" Anna eximed. Peace said anxiously, "Anna, save some for me! I still need to be here fora month!" "Are you allowed to eat this?" Anna asked suspiciously. Karl snatched the bottle from Anna''s grasp and said thoughtfully, "No! The meals you eat here are tailored to your specific needs and have a calming effect on your condition. The doctor said you can''t eat any more snacks until you''re discharged." "This isn''t a snack!" "Sorry, my dear." Karl then slipped the bottle into his jacket pocket. Anna had just ced the spoon into the bottle and hadn''t yet scooped out the chili sauce.She licked the spoon silently, thinking, I''ll nevere here at mealtime again. Peace said angrily, "Karl! Anna brought this to me from Ennd! What''s wrong with you?" "Anna had no idea you couldn''t eat this.So, she would not have brought you anything if she had known it!" Karl had never been that serious, so he looked a little scary. Anna licked her spoon and listened to Karl''s pliment" on her. She was at a loss for what to do and was conflicted. Peace gave Anna an edgy look. "There''s another bottle over there, a bunch of snacks under the bed, corn kes under the pillow, and two packs of Twister in the toilet locker," Anna gritted her teeth and avoided her gaze, pointing to the bedside cab and saying to Karl. Karl took a deep breath and began to collect all of the snacks. Then, before Peace, he locked them into a cupboard containing all the snacks she had smuggled in. Peace appeared to have given up all her hope. She turned to face the two people in front of her and said, "Anna, I don''t want to talk to you anymore! Karl, I''m breaking up with you!" Karl nudged her bowl and said, "No way.Eat some, honey." "No one could possibly eat that." Peace looked at the food bowl in front of her as if it were a piece of poop. Then Anna noticed that Karl took a spoon and took a bite of his meal. He ate quickly and without expression, so Anna couldn''t tell if the food was good or bad. And he almost finished all his food in a few minutes. Peace couldn''t help herself and began eating her food. However, she ate out of rage, as ifpeting with Karl. Anna wondered if she had just lost her sense of taste as she watched these two people gobble down their food. She thought to herself, Am / the only one who doesn''t find this tasty? If I take a few more bites, will it be delicious? Then she took a tentative bite of her meal. She swallowed reluctantly after seeing Karl persuade or even threaten Peace to eat it. At that moment, Anna realized that Karl loved Peace so much. As a wealthy man, it was unusual for him to be here with her eating such lousy food. After lunch, Peace was still upset with Karl and Anna. She hid her face behind the nket and refused to speak to either of them. Karl walked Anna out,ughing as he felt resigned. "I believe you are spoiling her.We''re doing this for her benefit, so why is she throwing a tantrum with you?" Anna couldn''t help but ask. Karl didn''t think it was a big deal and said, "It''s fine.She simply enjoys the feeling of being tolerated.She argues with me every time it''s time to eat." Annaughed, sizing up Karl and teasing him, "When did you be a psycho as well?" Karl smiled, "You appear to be in a good mood! Did things go well with the divorce?" "It did.Tonight I''m going to have dinner with Jasper and talk about it.Then we''ll divorce tomorrow." "Good! I''m so happy for you." Anna then motioned for a cab. Karl abruptly stopped smiling and walked up to her, saying, "Don''t worry about me or Peace, Anna, if you get into any trouble.All you need to remember is that Wayne is still waiting for you." Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Arent You Worried that Youll End Up Alone? Anna froze and looked at Karl in confusion. Just then, her cab arrived.She was about to inquire as to what Karl meant by that. However, he opened the car door for her and said, "Anna, bye.I wish you the best of luck." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Thank you," Anna replied with a smile.She then got into the cab. Karl''s smile faded as he watched the car disappear around the corner.He appeared to be very worried. Wayne was his best friend, so he wished for him to find the right person. But he had recently been concerned about his friend. At first, he didn''t know why Jasper was looking for a sanitarium for Peace. Later, he overheard Peace''s attending physician talking with the nurse on Christmas Eve. The doctor said that he wanted to reduce Peace''s medication dosage because Jasper wanted Peace to be able to receive prolonged treatment and stay in the hospital for a longer time. Karl pondered for some time after hearing their conversation.He could only think of one reason. And that was Jasper didn''t want Peace dischargedter, and that was because of Anna. Anna had no more ties to America after she returned to Birmingham. She had made a new life for herself there and was doing well, so she saw no reason to go back to America. As a result, Jasper invited Peace to America. Anna would ask him about how Peace was doing whenever he was in New York. At the thought of that, Karl realized how scheming Jasper could be. Karl didn''t expect Jasper to be that smart, though. He had one more advantage to take advantage of: he and Anna had not yet divorced. Therefore, Karl became worried and even urged Peace to cooperate with the doctors so that she could be discharged sooner. They would have gotten Wayne in trouble otherwise. Jasper and Annas divorce required extensive paperwork and even a trip to a court in the United States. So they had to go through more than six months of tedious procedures from the day they filed for divorce. If they had unresolved issues, the time would be extended indefinitely.He''d heard of people going through divorce proceedings for five years. Anna took a taxi to the French restaurant that Jasper had reserved for her. Jasper was sitting in the window seat, waiting for her. He waved to her and pulled out a chair for her as soon as he saw her. Anna handed over her coat to the waiter and asked Jasper, "Why did you choose this ce again? When I walked in just now, I was afraid the waiter would stop me again. I''m dressed very casually today! Why didn''t you tell me earlier?" Jasperughed, and then said, "You still remember the first time you came to this restaurant? Right, at that time, you didnt know you had to follow the dress code, so you came here wearing a T-shirt and jeans after work.The waiter stopped you and embarrassed you." Annaughed awkwardly and said, "Let''s not dwell on the past.Look at how the restaurant has evolved with the times.Despite the fact that I''m not wearing a dress, they let me in." Meanwhile, Jasper was perusing the wine list. He said with a smile, "Of course! You''re a friend of the owner of the restaurant, so of course, they let you in." Anna froze for a few seconds before asking, surprised, "What? You bought the restaurant, didn''t you?" Jasper admitted it with a smile. "This is a rare good restaurant.You''re not going to ruin it, are you?" She said. "Before you jump to conclusions, you can order something to try," Jasper said to Anna after calling the waiter and handing him the menu. Anna flipped through the menu that was written entirely in French, as it had always been. It irritated her even more. She looked up and saw Jasper smiling at her as if he was waiting for her to make a fool of herself. "You own this restaurant, so I can order whatever I want, right?" Anna said as she closed the menu. "What do you want?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow. "Steak and kidney pie." Hearing that, the waiter then wentpletely still. Everyone knew what that was, but it wouldn''t be served in a proper French restaurant. Anna sat back in her chair and said, "This restaurant does not appear to be as good as you imed! I assumed you had every type of dish." Jasper then spoke French with the waiter, but Anna only understood the word "Fully cooked." The waiter nodded and seemed to have been assigned a difficult task. He didn''t appear to be going to the kitchen to ce the order but rather to a nearby farm to catch the cattle himself. Sheughed loudly and said, "I suppose they won''t do that. They''re probably just going to give me a steak." Jasper sighed, resigned, and said, "Are you serious, Anna? Do you do that when Wayne and you go out to dinner?" "It''s fine.He''d been to one of those food stands on the street with me before for dinner, and he didn''t mind about that.Actually, he''s not pretentious at all.But if I make jokes like that in front of him, he''ll just think I''m an idiot." Anna said as she sipped her lemonade, not noticing that Jasper''s expression had be serious. Jasper used to take Anna to such upscale restaurants, but Anna was always put off by the elegant setting and felt uneasy. Because she couldn''t read the Italian menu, she once asked the waiter directly if there were Scotch eggs. Later, Jasper called the restaurant manager and told him how to do it. Anna had enjoyed teasing Jasper at fancy restaurants since then. She thought he was too serious about details, so she wanted to throw in some surprises to lighten the mood. "Are you okay with Lily not being around?" Anna asked.Jasper calmly responded, "I believe so.The new secretary she trained is great, although he''s aspetent as she is.Anyway, he''s great." Anna said in awe, "Huh? Isn''t she worried about losing her job? But if she wants to start her own business, I''ll be happy for her.She is a fantastic woman." Anna said this to remind Jasper, but he didn''t seem to understand what she was saying. "You know, if she leaves you, you won''t have anyone around to keep youpany," Anna said after a brief silence. Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Chapter 359 You i***t After hearing her words, Jasper looked up and asked, "Will you stay if I ask you to?" Anna froze, not knowing how to respond. Jasper calmly looked at her and said, "I already knew this.If you''ve already decided to leave, I won''t be able to keep you no matter how hard I try." Anna remained silent, knowing that it was not the time to speak for Lily. When it came to making a decision, Jasper was always firm. Then she asked jokingly, "You''re putting too much pressure on me, as if I were cheating on you.Are you going to use me of cheating in court?" Jasper looked at her, serious but innocent. "Didn''t you?" he asked. "Come on, stop joking with me," Anna eximed. The waiter then ced a te in front of Anna and said, "Ma''am, here''s your dish." They both burst outughing when they saw the kidney pie inside the massive white te. Jasper said, "After we file our application with the court, we must wait for six months for a review.It will be good if everything goes well.But you''ll have toe here again when the trial arrives." Hearing that, Anna nodded. Meanwhile, Karl was in the nursing home, worried about his best friend''s marriage. Peace asked him what he was thinking, and he told her everything. Peace then asked suspiciously, "So, that''s what you''ve been worried about these days? Do you think Jasper is using my illness and their divorce to keep Anna here?" "Yes, otherwise, why would he want you to stay here any longer?" Peace fell silent, his gaze fixed on him. "What''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Peace smacked the pillow she was holding into his face and eximed, "What on earth were you thinking?! You''re such a moron!" Karl fell from the bed to the floor because he didn''t see iting, which caught him off guard. Peace then grabbed Karl by the cor and led him to the doctor.She asked him what he had said to the nurse that day when she entered the office. The doctor froze before replying, "That was one of the two treatment options the attending doctor gave to Jasper.The first one is a quick treatment with huge side effects.The second is the opposite, and that hurts you a little less.To save money, most patients choose the first option." Karl finally understood what they were talking about. Peace pped him on the head angrily and then said, "You''re simply overthinking! Stop making a fool of yourself and let''s get out of here." Karl rubbed his chin before the following Peace back to the ward. From N?velDrama.Org. Before he got halfway, he pped his head and eximed, "Oops, I''ve gotten into trouble again!" "What? What did you do this time?" "I told Wayne about it, and he''ll probably be here in a few days," Karl frowned. Peace looked surprised, then asked, "What on earth were you thinking? Youre unbelievable!" In a panic, Karl eximed, "So, what should I do now? He was furious at me thest time I got him into trouble.I''m screwed!" "I can''t save you this time.You''ll have to face this on your own," Peace said, rolling her eyes at him. She then mmed the door shut, shutting him out. Karl sighed as he realized he had offended two people. The following afternoon, Anna and Jasper went to the notary''s office and filed their papers. They were well prepared, so they could divorce in six months if things went smoothly. As the two of them walked out of the hall, Jasper asked, "Is there anywhere you''d like to go? I''m not busy right now, so I can show you around.By the way, you can talk to me about what''s going on between you and Wayne." Anna was about to respond when she noticed a tall man looking at her from the bottom of the steps. He was looking at her with a soft gaze and a smile. Anna eximed, "Wayne! Hi!" Then she dashed down the stairs and jumped into his arms. Wayne stepped back, rubbed her hair, and eximed, "You look so happy to see me!"Anna raised her head and said, "Of course I''m happy! What brings you here?" "I was afraid someone would take you away." "What? You don''t believe me? " "I think he probably doesn''t trust me," Jasper said at this point. Anna''s face flushed as she realized Jasper was still present, and she let go of Wayne''s waist with an embarrassed smile. "Wayne''s here because he''s worried I won''t let you go, isn''t he?" asked Jasper sarcastically. "I believe it is best for you to be cautious when youre around others." "What exactly do you mean? So, if you say so, I''d better do something to live up to your expectations. "I''m already here, so there''s nothing you can do about it." They were about to have another argument. Anna couldn''t help but elbow Wayne in the waist and say, "Okay, shut up.Jasper isn''t that kind of guy, Wayne.Don''t get upset, Jasper.He''s just joking." "But I don''t think that''s funny," Jasper winked. Wayne immediately said, "That''s because I never joke with people, and I didn''t just now." Anna sighed, realizing how difficult it was to be a peacemaker. Because Wayne had arrived in America, they would have to take him with them whatever they did this afternoon. Jasper had already made ns for them, and Anna had promised him they would do so a long time ago. But it would be disastrous if all three of them hung out together. Anna considered it for a while and decided that the best thing to do was cancel the ns. She thought that everything would be fine if the two men found a reason to excuse themselves. So, Anna immediately said, "I''m not going, I''m too tired.." Jasper remained silent, much to her surprise. He simply looked at Wayne and asked, "She isn''t going.So, how about you? Do you want to join me for a drink?" Anna''s heart began to race immediately. "Yes, let''s go," Wayne said with a nod. "I''d bettere with you guys!" Anna said nervously. "You see, it''s a mens night out," Jasper exined. Wayne nodded and said, just before Anna said anything, "You can go back to the hotel now, honey.Don''t wait for me.Anna froze, then looked at Jasper and Wayne and found both appeared serious.She was at a loss for what to do. Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Arent You Curious Who Tammys Father Is? Wayne and Jasper ditched her right outside the door. Anna sighed, her gaze fixed on the car that had vanished in the distance.She thought to herself, Wayne doesn''t seem to havee all this way to meet me, but to meet Jasper.I hope that things wouldnt go wrong between them. It was still early afternoon, so she went to see Peace at the sanitarium and told her what had happened. She said, "What do you think the two of them will do? They don''t seem to know much about each other, do they? The two of them have only even met a few times." Peace sat by the window, unusually quiet, reading a magazine.She then said, without looking up, "ording to what I know about Jasper, he may be trying to figure out how much Wayne truly loves you.But I''m not sure about Wayne.Don''t you know him better than I do?" Anna, on the other hand, had no idea. She lowered her head in embarrassment. After a brief moment, Peace raised her head and asked, "Why aren''t you talking? Do you have any idea what he''s up to?" Anna blinked awkwardly before exining, "Wayne is a one-of-a-kind person.So even if I spent my entire life with him, I''d have no idea what he was up to.He never follows the rules and enjoys surprising people.He''s the same way when he''s working, you see.So, I really have no idea about what hes up to." With wide eyes, Peace said, "You don''t seem to like men who y by the rules, do you? You like men who keep you guessing, and you like them to give you surprises." "What are you talking about?" Peace approached Anna and said, "I''m simply curious.I''ve met a lot of men, but Jasper is definitely in the top three.No offense, dear.I recently read a book that said that if you think about getting divorced before getting married, it will most likely happenter. It''s all about a woman''s intuition." "What exactly do you mean?" "mean, what do you think will be the reason if you and Wayne divorceter?" "If I answer your question, does that mean we''ll divorceter?" she asked. "Don''t be nervous, I''m just asking.It won''t necessarily happen.What do you have in mind?" "Well, we might get divorced because what''s between us doesnt seem real," Anna thought for a moment before saying. "What exactly do you mean?" "I felt as if everything was surreal after meeting him.We don''t even date like a typical couple.When you were dating Karl, you two went on dates, went shopping together, quarreled, and made up.And it''s all real." Peace nodded and asked, "So you and Wayne never went on a date?" Anna grumbled as she thought of that, "OK, enough about that." Wayne was usually extremely busy at work and had to travel frequently. As a result, he couldn''t go on a date with Anna. They''d never even seen a film together. Anna felt it did not matter, but she was still upset by it. She believed that if she and Wayne married, she would never be able to date again, which would be a shame. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The two women chatted casually about their thoughts. They were unaware that Karl was standing outside the rooms door, listening in on their conversation. And he thought he''d found a way to get Wayne to forgive him.It waste at night. In a Queens bar, a jazz band was ying soothing music. Jasper and Wayne sat at the bar, each holding a ss of whiskey. Jasper started their conversation with an awkward question: "I''m not sure if you''ll give me your wedding invitation." Wayne gave him a calm look and said, "Anna doesn''t have a lot of friends.She had made the guest list the day before, but I hadn''t looked at it.Why don''t you ask her yourself? After all, you''re her friend." Jasper said even more provocatively, "And if I attend the wedding, how will you introduce me?" "At weddings, we don''t introduce guests." Wayne frowned as he spoke. "Anna and I have that part of our wedding," Jasper said with a deliberate smile. "If you''re still hoping Anna will get back together with you, you should dream on. She trusts you, and you dont want to lose her trust, do you?" "Really? She trusts me?" Jasper was, indeed, a wise man.He was able to get Wayne to say what he wanted to hear and to talk about what he wanted to talk about with just a few words. "Youe from a very traditional family, so you don''t mind that Anna and I got married before?" Taking a sip of the cocktail in his hand, Jasper asked. "I know that your marriage was a sham.She married you for the sake of getting a green card." Then Jasper gave him a thoughtful look and said, "Men and women have the same level of suspicion in terms of rtionships.You believed Anna when she said our marriage was a sham.But I know you''re the type of man who believes nothing but his own eyes and evidence.Do you really believe what she said? And even if you did believe it, have you ever wondered who Tammy''s father is? As you know, she has dated a few guys before meeting you." "What exactly are you trying to say?" Wayne asked, tightening his grip on the ss in his hand. "If you suspect Anna or want to know about her past, you''d better perish the thought," Jasper said coldly. "This is between her and me.So, just stay out of it." "If you dare to hurt Anna again I will definitely step in." Jasper said tly. He didn''t appear to be the gentleman he usually was, but rather hostile. Wayne kept thinking about Jasper''s words.He couldn''t figure out why Anna hadn''t mentioned Tammy''s father.He thought he''d been honest enough with Anna, but she seemed to be hiding many things from him. At that precise moment, the cell phone in Wayne''s pocket vibrated, interrupting their conversation. Wayne then answered the phone. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Chapter 361 No One Will Love You Like I Do Anna stayed in the hospital untilte afternoon. When it was almost time for dinner, the nurse asked if she wanted to stay for dinner.She immediately refused her and left after making a random excuse because she didnt want to eat the terrible meal again. On her way back to the hotel, she went to the supermarket to buy some snacks. After returning to the hotel room she sat at her desk to have a video chat with her kids. Tammy was dressed in a pink gown and wore a crystal crown hairpin. She looked like a lovely flower girl. Matthew was wearing a white suit and looked just like the mini version of Wayne. Tammy asked happily, "Mommy, do I look good in this?" "Yes, you look so cute," Anna said with a smile. "Have you seen Daddy yet? Is he willing to divorce you?" Annaughed and asked, "Why did you ask that? We''re getting a divorce, of course." In a sweet voice, Tammy said, "Because you have finally found your true love! We only saw Daddy a few times a year when we were in America.To be honest, ! almost forgot what he looked like." Tammy blinked her eyes, appearing innocent and cute. Anna couldn''t exin what had happened before, so she continued, "What if he doesn''t agree? What are we going to do then?" "He won''t say no because we''ve already made a deal." novelebook Anna asked, wide-eyed, "What? You made a deal with him?" "Before you left for America, I called Daddy. He has assured me that he will not make things difficult for you. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. And he said he''d give you and Wayne his blessing.He said he wanted me toe back to America more often to visit him."It was at that point that Anna realized what had happened. She learned why Jasper didn''t seem surprised when she mentioned the divorce to him and why he didn''t even ask her questions. Anna felt sad. She knew that Jasper had always taken care of her and would help her anytime. Even though she had done nothing wrong to him, she always felt she owed him a lot. Jasper always gave her the best he could provide. She pondered it for a long time and couldn''t think of anything she could do to repay him. As a result, she felt that his kindness had be a burden. The doorbell then rang loudly, and Anna stood up. When she opened the door, she smelled alcohol. Standing at the door, Wayne wrapped his arms around her, kissed her on the cheek, and whispered, "You smell so good." Annaughed and pushed him away from her, "Oh, dear.You''re so drunk.Do you even know who I am?" Wayne said in a husky and soft voice, "I know who you are, Anna.You''re my wife." Anna''s face flushed, and she murmured, "But we''re not married yet!" Wayne held her tightly again and said, "So? You are my wife, anyways." He pressed so hard against Anna that she felt them almost copsing. Then she pushed him onto the couch and said, "Christ Jesus! Why did you drink so much? Take a seat here." Wayne sat down but he still clung to Anna''s arm. He always seemed aloof, but when he got drunk, he was very clingy. Anna said, "I''ll get you some water, Wayne.Let go of me." "No, don''t go," Wayne said, shaking his head. He couldn''t speak clearly and seemed to be acting cute. Anna couldn''t help but shiver and stare at him in awe.She even thought he was not Wayne but a fake one.She sat next to him and asked, "Did you spend all night with Jasper in the bar?" Wayne nodded. Anna knew Jasper very well. Whenever he had dinner with clients, Lily would drink all the wine because he couldn''t drink. Wayne, on the other hand, misinterpreted her words. "Anna, why do you care about him?" he asked, looking up. Anna felt he was really crappy when he was drunk. "What the hell did you two talk about?" she asked. Wayne was still thinking about how much she cared about Jasper. He pushed her onto the couch without even giving her a chance to react. Anna grunted in pain and then looked at him with a frown. Wayne felt guilty the moment he saw her expression. "I''m sorry," he apologizedAnna sighed and said, "What are you doing? If you don''t want to talk about it, just forget it. I won''t ask any more questions." Wayne then began mumbling in hushed tones. Anna couldn''t understand a word he was saying.He kept gasping for air, making his voice sound shaky.He talked for a long time. Finally, Anna heard hisst sentence, "There is no one in this world who loves you more than I do." Anna froze, then immediately guessed what Jasper had said to him. She rubbed Wayne''s back and patted him, saying, "It''s okay, dear.I love you, too." Wayne had lost his cool and was staring at Anna with lust. He was desperate to make love to her. And Anna could sense his lust for her. She was turned on as well. After leading Wayne to the Sofa, Anna was about to kiss Wayne. Suddenly, she recalled that theptop was still on. Abruptly, she turned off theptop, leaving Wayne in confusion. "Why...turned it off?" novelebook Wayne asked. "Just ignore it, okay?" At the moment, Anna put her hands on Waynes firm chest, feeling that she was wet down there already. With a chuckle, Wayne gently pushed her down on the sofa, looking into her eyes with affection. "Wayne..." Consumed by desire, Anna said in a coquettish tone. And Wayne immediately had a hard-on after hearing it.He then buried his head in her soft boobs, caressing them. At the same time, Anna moaned in a low voice. Having taken off all of their clothes, Wayne supported himself with his elbows and yed with Annas hair, stroking it and sniffing it. "Anna, you smell soooo good," Wayneplimented her again. "Thanks, Way..." But before Anna finished her words, Wayne had already gone all the way inside her, and she was overwhelmed by the pleasure he brought her. As Wayne moved back and forth rhythmically, Anna felt so good that she felt like she was floating on clouds. That night, though Wayne was drunk, he was very gentle. And they spent a wonderful night together. After Anna got everything done, she and Wayne returned to Birmingham. Before leaving, Anna gave Lilly the invitation and said, "Lily, would youe to my wedding with Jasper?" After Anna and Wayne walked into security, Lily opened the invitation and found her name written next to Jasper''s. She froze, then nervously closed it, afraid that someone would see it. After a brief pause, sheughed at herself. She thought she had hidden her feelings for Jasper, but everyone seemed to notice it. Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Are You Scared? Wayne recently noticed that Anna didn''t want to talk to him.He used to think Karl''s advice was nonsense. However, after thinking for a while, he felt it might make sense.So, one day, he asked Gabe to go to his office at the end of the day. "What can I do for you?" Gabe asked. "Are you married?" Wayne asked, staring at him. Gabe froze, and he stammered a bit, "Ye...Yes.I''ve been married for two years.What''s wrong?" "So, you must know how couples get along, right?" Wayne said after a brief pause. Gabe thought for a while and replied, "Yes and no.Normally, my wife and I often went on dates." "Then how do you go on dates?" "For example, after buying your girlfriend breakfast, you could wait downstairs for her.You could go to an amusement park with her, go to a restaurant for dinner and then to the movies in the evening.At the end of the day, you have to drive her home.Otherwise, she might think that youre not considerate enough and might even suspect that youre not serious about the rtionship." "I''ve done all of that with Anna.I often bought breakfast for Anna and took her and the two children to amusement parks.Also, we often went to the cinema to watch thetest movies with the kids.Because we live together, theres no need for me to drop her home.We just go home together," novelebookWayne rubbed his chin, saying somewhat proudly. Hearing that, Gabe raised his eyebrows in surprise, thinking, Wayne, I didnt expect that you would regard it as "dating? You dont bring the kids with you when you go on a date! Otherwise, its not a date but a family gathering. Moreover, ! thought a guy like you would be more experienced in dating than me. After all, you''re always surrounded by women who want to throw themselves at you before you met Anna, However, for fear that Wayne would be upset if he spoke his mind out loud, Gabe then added, "You can prepare her breakfast with care. For example, you could write something like Good morning, it''s good to see you'' on her coffee cup." "Go on." "You''d better not bring your children on a date.So, stop taking them to amusement parks with you.You can take pictures for Anna there and then go on a roller coaster or to a haunted house with her." Wayne turned pale when he thought about roller coasters. He had once ridden a roller coaster with Anna but never wanted to do it again.However, he felt that going to a haunted house would be a good idea. "And then?" "Then, you can take her to a popr restaurant in the evening.You can take pictures of her and post them on Instagram.Believe me, girls love it.Go to a regr theater instead of a private theater.You can eat popcorn and drink Coke in the crowd, and that''s also romantic." Wayne frowned because he hadn''t realized before that it was so troublesome to date. "Is there anything else?" he asked. "Also, when you take her home at night, you need to send her a little gift.You can secretly buy something she likes in a store during the day, such as a doll or jewelry.It will show that you''ve been paying attention to her all day." Gabe became increasingly excited and blurted out, "When my wife and I went on our first date, I gave her the ne she had her eye on.She was so impressed that she agreed to go on a second date with me." From N?velDrama.Org. The following day, Anna had just finished breakfast when she got a call from Wayne, telling her to meet him at the door. Anna then walked out of the house and noticed Wayne standing in the courtyard.She said, "You could have juste in.Why do I have toe here and get you?" Wayne handed her the Starbucks paper bag he was holding and said, "Here you go." Anna took a look at it and eximed, "What? A sandwich and coffee? I''ve already had breakfast." "Are you free today? Let''s go on a date." "Where are we going?" "Amusement park." Anna''s eyes widened, and she eximed, "That''s fantastic! The kids asked me to take them therest night! I''ll go tell them this good news! Wait for me." She was about to leave when Wayne grabbed her hand and said, "Don''t go." "What''s wrong?" Anna asked suspiciously. "It''s just the two of us today." "Just the two of us?" Anna asked, her eyes widening in surprise. Wayne pulled a Minnie hairband from his pocket and said, "Yes.Let''s go, shall we?" Anna took the hairband with surprise, then eximed, "Really?" She went there with Wayne anyway.It was a weekday, and it had snowed the day before, so hardly any people were there. Wayne immediately led her to the haunted house inside as they just walked in. They were standing in front of the deserted haunted house. Anna shivered as the cold wind blew through her hair. "Are you sure we''ll go there at first?" novelebook she asked. Meanwhile, she looked at Wayne, puzzled, and assumed he was having some kind of problem at work. Wayne grabbed her hand and said, "Don''t be afraid, I''m here. I''ve heard it''s a lot of fun." "All right, let''s go in." They then arrived at the entrance after passing through two doors. When Anna felt that Wayne tightly squeezed her hand, they had just walked in the haunted house. Wayne stared nervously at the door when she turned around, not even blinking. Sensing that Wayne might be nervous, Anna asked him, "Are you scared?" Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Not Like Yourself "No." Wayne denied it right away. At the same time, Anna clearly felt that he squeezed her hand tightly. "Are you sure you really want to go in? Let''s get out of here, dear." Wayne stroked her shoulder and said, "It''s all right.Don''t be afraid.I got you.Let''s go." Anna was very skeptical of his words but knew she couldn''t embarrass him. "All right, let''s go in," she said hesitantly. The haunted house in that amusement park wasn''t huge. After ten minutes, the two walked to the exit. The sun was shining down on them, making them both appear pale. Wayne was holding the trash can and seemed to be on the verge of vomiting. Anna stood behind him, rubbing her ears in shock. The scene in the haunted house didnt scare her, but Wayne did. "Are you okay?" Anna walked over to Wayne and tapped him on the shoulder after regaining herposure.He had only just touched her shoulder when he stood up straight.He stared at Anna as if she was one of the scary ghosts. Anna couldn''t stopughing and asked, "Are you really scared?" Wayne attempted to appear less terrified and defended himself by saying, "No! They didn''t frighten me! I was just feeling sick." Anna thought he had a good reason. The zombies in the haunted house were disgusting, and their makeup was very realistic. Wayne had been so terrified that he kept yelling so loudly that the actors ying the zombies didn''t dare to approach them. Actually, he was terrified rather than disgusted. Seeing that Wayne was still feeling terrible, Anna stopped making fun of him and didn''t say anything about him lying. She said, "You''re right, dear.That was really disgusting.What is our next destination?" Wayne paused for a moment before replying, "To the roller coaster." Anna''s eyes widened as she touched his brow and asked, "What''s the matter with you today? Are you all right?" She had been on a roller coaster with Wayne before. At the time, he had just thrown up all over the ce after stepping off of it.It was a scene she never wanted to see again, so she didn''t understand why Wayne was doing it. "Don''t you like it?" novelebook Wayne asked, his brow furrowed. His eyes were gentler and kinder than usual. "No, it''s not important whether I like it or not.You don''t like roller coasters, so don''t push yourself.Look, we can go over there! That seems fun.We waited in line for a long time with the kids thest time, and we didn''t have the opportunity to y it.There are fewer people here today, so let''s go." With that, Anna took his hand in hers and walked happily into the distance. Wayne followed her.He stared at their hands together, and his gaze slowly became tender.He couldn''t help but smile as his eyes brightened. In addition to thrilling rides, the amusement park had a variety of family-friendly activities. They ended up watching a 5D movie while being sprayed with water. "We''ll have to bring a raincoat the next time wee here," Anna said as they walked out. There were almost no people there, so they had a chance to y all of the facilities without waiting in line and experience everything they wanted. They left there around 2:00 in the afternoon. Standing at the gate, Anna checked her watch and said, "Wayne, let''s go home.We should be able to return in time for dinner." "We''re not going back for dinner today," Wayne said, taking her hand in his. "Huh?" Anna looked at him, puzzled.She was aware that Wayne had been preupied with the work these days. Shirley refused to sell the group to him, so the acquisition was tricky.So, she assumed he wanted to rx because he was too stressed these days. As for Anna, she hadn''t been busy with worktely, so she was willing to apany him.She asked, nodding her head, "Good! Where are we going?" Wayne then drove for two hours after they left the amusement park. It took them half an hour to get to the restaurant before hitting rush hour when they arrived downtown. As soon as they arrived at a crowded Mexican restaurant that had recently be very popr on Instagram, Anna eximed, "Are we going to have dinner here today? Have you made a reservation?" Hearing that, Wayne looked puzzled. It wasnt until then that Anna realized that he had underestimated how popr the restaurant was. Plus, she expected that they would have to wait at least two hours for dinner. "Please, a table for two," novelebook Anna said as she squeezed into the doorway and told the waitress. Then she held up the card and said to Wayne, "Bad news, we have fifty tables ahead of us." "What? Fifty?" Wayne frowned as he looked at the small restaurant, which could only fit twenty tables. "How long do we have to wait?" Wayne asked impatiently. "I''d say an hour or two. I''m not sure." Anna appeared rxed as she sipped the lemonade the waiter had just brought her. She returned her gaze to the crowd and asked, "Is this a good restaurant? I''ve seen a lot of my employeese here to eat and post pictures on Instagram recently." Wayne frowned and looked at his watch as if he hadn''t heard what she said. "You''re up to something, aren''t you?" Anna asked. Turning around to face her, Wayne said, "Nope.Actually, I nned to watch the movie at 7 tonight, but I''m afraid we won''t make it." Anna eximed cheerfully, "What''s the matter with you today? Why do you suddenly want to do that? We''ve never been to amusement parks or a popr restaurants alone before.We''ve never even followed a movie theater schedule.What exactly is going on? I thought you hated wasting time." Wayne paused for a few seconds before asking, "I thought you like to go on dates with me like other couples.So, I arranged the day like this.I can''t afford to waste this much time every day, but I''d do it for you." "You''re doing this because of me?" Anna froze. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. She thought for a long time before returning to her senses. Then she asked once more, "Is it Karl who suggested that you do so again?" "To be honest, I still think it''s a waste of time." Wayne said. Anna thought this was ridiculous, She asked, "So, who gave you the idea to go on a date to an amusement park and to eat at a popr restaurant?" "Gabe." Anna frowned and said, "He''s wrong.Not every couple in a rtionship has to go on dates like this.We don''t have toe here if you don''t like going to haunted houses.Besides, Mexican food is not my type." "You don''t like it?" Anna wanted tough out loud.She grabbed Wayne''s coat and made him stand up, saying novelebook , "Seriously, I don''t like this restaurant.I thought you liked it here, and I had no idea you did this just for me.I know there''s a really nice barbecue restaurant around here; why dont we have dinner there?" Anna then drove Wayne to a barbecue restaurant near an office building. There weren''t many people there, but the roast meat smelled delicious. After the waiter served their dishes, Anna ced a piece of beef on Wayne''s te and said, "You just scared the crap out of me.I thought something had happened to you because you had been acting not like yourself all day." Wayne was feeling down. He had meticulously nned the day and had not anticipated Anna to mock him.He thought about the entire day again and decided to deduct Gabe''s year-end bonus. Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Not Going Back Tonight After she realized why Wayne had arranged the day this way, Anna asked Wayne to return the movie tickets for the evening. Following that, they went for a walk along the river. The wind was cold by the river. Wayne put Anna''s hand in his coat pocket and said, "I wouldn''t have done it if I had known you didn''t like it.I think it will be better if we just spend the entire day at home today." Anna said with a smile, "That''s okay, I appreciate it very much.I know you''re doing this to make me happy.If my aunt knows about this, she will be happy for me." "I think its best if we don''t tell anyone about this," Wayne said after a brief silence. Annaughed and asked, "Aside from watching a movie, what else did you n for today? I''m very interested." Wayne cast a silent nce at the car''s trunk in the distance. Anna looked at him for a second, then ran to the car. The trunk slowly opened, revealing a massive purple gift box. Anna turned back and asked, "Is this for me?" Wayne nodded, but he appeared embarrassed. After opening the box, Anna saw a brown teddy bear. "It''s so cute!" she eximed. She took the bear out of the box and squeezed its tummy. Then, the bear suddenly made a loudughing sound. Startled, Anna let go of the bear out of instinct, and the bear fell to the ground. Much to her surprise, After falling on the ground, the bear kept wriggling on and making a weird laughing sound. Anna froze for a moment, and then couldn''t refrain herself any longer. She held the car andughed louder than the bear. Sheughed so hard that tears almost fell from her eyes. Wayne became even more depressed as he picked up the crazy bear and asked, "Is that amusing? You were staring at this bear as we left the amusement park, so I thought you liked it." "l probably would have watched it longer if I had known it would make such strange noises," novelebook Annaughed. Frustrated, Wayne threw the bear back into the box and said, "Gabe is so screwed! This is ridiculous!" Anna felt touched when she saw Wayne''s embarrassed and angry expression. She wrapped her arms around his waist and said, "Don''t be upset, honey.Actually, I think it''s nice for us to do this every now and then."As a highlypetent workaholic, Anna seldom showed her soft side in front of Wayne.At the moment, seeing her acting so cute, Waynes heart beat faster and faster.He hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek. "If I had known you didn''t like this, we could have done something else," he said. Anna smiled and asked, "What else could we do? I know romance is not your thing.The most romantic thing you''ve ever done was to propose to me." "Or, we could do something we both like," Wayne whispered in her ear ina sexy and deep voice. Anna froze, and her entire face turned red. "I''d better leave you in the haunted house!" novelebook she said and smacked him on the shoulder. Wayne smiled brightly. Then he pointed at the car and said, "Get in, Anna." "Seriously? Right here? Right now?!" With her eyes widened in astonishment, Anna asked. She thought, Wayne, what the hell are you thinking?! I''m not going to have s*x with you right here! People can see us! Seeing the astonished look in her eyes, Wayne immediately realized that Anna had misunderstood him. Shaking his head while giggling, he exined, "No, Anna.I was going to ask you to watch the stars with me inside the car as it is cold out here.What are you thinking, sweetie?" "Oh...Oh!" Hearing that, Anna blushed in embarrassment. Then she added, "You should''ve just told me directly, Wayne, you know." "But I just couldnt help teasing you like that.You should take a look at your face just now.Gosh! You look so adorable." "Okay, enough.Lets get into the car, shall we?" Anna said. Having opened the car door for Anna, Wayne said in a dramatic tone, "After you, mydy." With augh, Anna got into the passenger seat. After that, Wayne got into the car as well. Later, through the sunroof, they saw countless stars sparkling like diamonds in the sky. "Gosh...I miss this.When I was a kid, my grandpa often watched the stars with me at night on the roof.And he would tell me the names of the stars.Im terrible at remembering their names, though.Ever since he passed away, Ive never watched the stars." With a sigh, Anna said with a bitter smile, and the rims of her eyes turned red. "Well, you have me now, Anna.As long as you want to watch the stars at night, you''ll have me apany you." "Thank you, Wayne.It means a lot to me," Holding his hand tightly, Anna said in a gentle tone. After some time, the renovation of their house was nearly finished. Jennie was extremely efficient and had hired a professional renovation crew. They worked nonstop for a month and a half toplete the renovation. "The original color of the curtain was too dark and it looked very depressing, so I changed it.I didn''t change any of the furniture.I connected the coatroom with the bedroom, and made it more convenient for you to get dressed.Is there anything else you want to modify?" Anna led Jennie to sit on the couch, saying, "Thank you, Jennie.I''m quite happy with that.You should take a break now.Look, you''ve been so busy for so long that you haven''t had much time to rest." Anna had suggested that Henry arrange for someone to stay here earlier, but Jennie had refused it.She preferred to work by herself. Jennie smiled, "Just leave this to me, I''m fine.I really hope you would like my design.Did you let tell your aunt toe over for dinner tonight?" Anna said,novelebook "Yes, they''reingter.Actually, Wayne will probably be here soon.He hasn''t been too busytely, but hes been preparing for a partytely.So, he still has to go to the office." Hearing that, Jennie immediately became nervous and asked, "Is that so? I''m going to check the kitchen now." Anna could tell what Jennie was thinking. Since she and Wayne had been away from each other for many years, they were still unfamiliar with this. "Don''t worry, I''ll go there too," Anna said. They had just entered the kitchen when they heard a car engine in the yard. Then Anna heard Wayne ask the maid in the living room, "Where''s Anna?" The maid replied, "She''s in the kitchen cooking with Ms.Wright." Anna then walked out of the kitchen and said, "I''m here, Wayne.Come help us flour the chicken wings." Jennie immediately said, "That''s okay, I''ll handle it myself.He has no idea how to do it." Anna smiled and said, "No, he does.Don''t you think so, Wayne?" Wayne smiled and nodded.He took off his jacket, then walked into the kitchen. When he saw Jennie was also there, he lowered his head and appeared uneasy. "Tell me how to make it," he said to Anna. Anna pushed him closer to Jennie and said, "Help your mom, dear.I''m going to ask my aunt if she''s set off." Jennie tried to stop Anna. When she turned around, she saw Wayne standing beside her. And she said nervously, "It''s all right.Wayne, you don''t have to help me.Go to the living room." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. After she finished, the entire house fell silent. Then, Wayne asked, "Should I just directly coat the chicken wings with the flour or after I mix the flour with the eggs?" Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Chapter 365 How About a Bet Jennie froze as if she couldn''t believe what was happening. She locked her gaze on Wayne for a moment beforeing back to her senses and saying, "No.You need to coat it in egg first, then in the flour." "All right, I''L try." "There are disposable gloves over there.You should put them on." "Got it." At the same time, Anna sat on the couch, listening intently to the two conversing in the kitchen. And she felt much relieved now that Wayne gradually epted his mother. Everyone soon arrived for dinner. The dining room appeared to be very cozy as if it were Christmas. Because Anna and Wayne hadn''t yet married, Selina suggested that Anna stay at her house before the wedding. She might be able to leave after the wedding. "Anna is a lovely youngdy.So I''m confident that you''ll be very happy when you get married.I''ll be happy for you because you both trust and support each other." novelebook Selina said. Jennie nodded her head and said, "Yes, I know.Anna is a wonderful youngdy.Ryan has mentioned that the two of them have been through a lot together.So, I am happy that they''re getting married.I''ve always felt bad about not taking care of Wayne when he was a kid.But now, Im already grateful and happy enough that I get to attend his wedding." Everyone was being sentimental, and Peter heated that. He interrupted them and said, "Okay, everyone.It''s a good day today, so let''s not bring up the sad memories anymore.Sometimes, life can be difficult.But we have a good life now, and that''s all that matters." Anna looked at Jennie and said, "Yes.You are wee to move in with Wayne and me after we marry.So we can spend more time together." Jennie froze for a moment and replied, "No, thanks.I''ll just live with my father." Peter grunted and said, "That''s not necessary.I''m used to living alone, and you''ve nevere back to see me in all these years! You can stay at their house and look after the kids, and then visit me when you are free." Peter was still bothered by the fact that Jennie hadn''t paid him a visit in all these years. As a result, he would bring it up once in a while and express his dissatisfaction. But he''d only allow himself toin about Jennie, and he''d be furious if anyone dared to criticize her. After a few days, Peace and Karl returned to Ennd from America. Anna wanted to pick them up at the airport, so she called Karl. But he refused her because his family wanted to celebrate with them at home. "Is your family supportive of your marriage?" Anna asked Karl over the phone. "I''ve told you for a long time that my mother and sister are good people." "You''d better not lie to your family! There is still a chance that Peace will rpse." Karl eximed, his voice shaking with excitement, "My parents are open-minded.I''ve told them about this whole thing, and they''ve given it some serious thought.Plus, they wouldn''t let me off the hook if I lied to them.They truly consider Peace to be their daughter-inw." Anna then heard Peace''s voice saying, "Shut up! I didn''t even agree to marry you!" Peace then grabbed the phone and said to Anna, "I''m just going to their house for a meal, and I won''t be there long.I might stay at your house for a few days." "Sure, you''re more than wee.But I guess you won''t leave their house." novelebook Anna said. She was genuinely happy for Peace. This time, Anna didn''t feel as worried as she did before after she hung up the phone. After that, she turned around and saw Ryan sitting on the couch, watching TV. She said, "Ryan, I''m going to the mall tonight to buy some stuff for the wedding.Will youe with me?" "Why don''t you bring my brother with you? I think it''s a little inappropriate for me to go with you, If you know what I mean." As she sat next to him, Anna said, "It was theirpanys annual meetingst night.He was very drunk and came back home at the early hours.And hes definitely dreaming now.So, I dont think he will want to go with me." "Let''s take a bet! I''m sure he''ll be downstairs as soon as I say a few words." Anna shook her head, clearly unconvinced, and said, "No way! He''s exhausted and hasn''t even had lunch." Ryan smiled meaningfully, rolled up the magazine on the coffee table as a microphone, and yelled at Wayne who was in bedroom on the second floor, "Wayne! Are you going to the mall with Anna to buy wedding stuff? If you''re not, I''ll tell her what you''ve been nning recently!" Wayne didn''t answer. Anna said, folding her arms, "I told you! He''s been sleeping all day." At the same time, Ryan counted down while sticking out his fingers, "Five, four, three, two..." Before he could count to one, he heard someone on the second floor open the door. Wayne emerged from his bedroom, still in his pajamas. His hair was unkempt, but he seemed sober. "I''ll go," he said calmly. "Wow!" eximed Anna, stunned. Ryanughed and leaned back on the couch. Although Ryan didn''t spend much time with Wayne, he knew him very well. So, he made a bet with Anna just now because he was sure that he would win the bet. Wayne said he''d go. So Anna went upstairs with him to change their clothes. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. And Ryan sat alone in the living room, watching the news on TV, and his face became gloomy. On the TV, the anchor reported the news with a serious expression, "Arge amount of methamphetamine was discovered today in a suburban warehouse.It is connected to a drug case that urred two months ago in downtown Birmingham.Three of the drug traffickers were apprehended by police.The main perpetrator of their gang, they imed, is the same as the one in Birmingham.We don''t know what his real name is right now, but his nickname is Dragon." Ryan looked at the screen thoughtfully, and then thought of the news that happened half a month ago: Two people were killed in the suburb of Birmingham. The police blocked the news to avoid social panic. However, they told Ryan about the investigation of the incident. Dragon was the leader of a well-known drug cartel that had been in business for over 20 years. His brother was apprehended by police in Birmingham and sentenced to life imprisonment without probation. Enraged, Dragon killed two people in retaliation, both of whom were students at the military academy who had worked with Ryan to solve the drug case. Ryan felt heartbroken when he thought about it and even had tears in his eyes. Those two students were his ssmates, but they were murdered by criminals. As Anna and Wayne walked down the stairs, Ryan looked at her and warned, "There are wanted murderers on the loosetely, so be careful." Chapter 366 Chapter 366 366 Trying on the Wedding Dress YY 366 Trying on the Wedding Dress Itwas a beautiful day. Anna felt good as the warm and balmy winter sun shone on her face. On the way, Anna asked as she spotted that the scenery on both sides of the road was Somewhat unfamiliar, Arent we going to the mall? What are you taking me to? Wayne then stopped the car in front of a store. He extended his hand to Anna, and the sunlight made him appear very gentle. I have a surprise for you, he said. Anna took Waynes hand, smiled, and said, Im excited about it! Do you need to blindfold me like other people normally do? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Itwasnt until after a while that Wayne realized she was teasing him. He smiled as he took her hand and led her into the store. Wayne had informed the clerks of the store that he would be taking Anna there beforehand. As a result, the clerks asked all the other customers to leave so that Wayne and Anna would be the only two customers in the store by the time they arrived there. When one of the clerks saw them, she smiled at them and said, Sir, maam, Ive got everything ready for you. Anna looked around, and her heart started racing. She had an idea about what might happen. Still, she was surprised by what she saw. Then the clerk pulled back the curtain. Anna tried her hardest not to scream when she saw the many different styles of beautiful wedding dresses there. Anna, like most girls, adored beautiful wedding gowns. She could tell that those wedding gowns were 366 Trying on the Wedding Dress not store disys but were made specifically for her. She was so moved that she almost cried. When did you start nning this? she asked Wayne. Before I nned to propose to you, Wayne answered with a gentle smile. Anna had always been a strong and assertive woman. However, at the moment, she looked like a happy little girl. Seeing the excited look on her face, Wayne couldnt help but smile before brushing her hair. Moved and joyful, Anna thought, Wayne, perhaps youre the only one who would do clumsy but sincere things like preparing ten rings and many wedding gowns, But thank you, anyways. Still, she asked, How did you know | would say yes to your proposal? Wayne asserted, I knew you would. These wedding dresses are custom-made for you by the famous designer called Cami, and I think they are all stunning. Why dont you put them on? Anna smiled cheerfully, then remembered something. How did you know what size Im wearing? she asked. Wayneughed, kissed her tenderly on the forehead, and said meaningfully, I know all your sizes. Hearing that, Anna froze, and then noticed that the clerks beside her looked at them and seemed to have heard what Wayne had said to her. In embarrassment, she gave him a re and pinched him in the shoulder. Then she followed the clerk into the dressing room. The first one she tried on was a white fishtail wedding dress. The dress was tight around the waist and had a wide hem that looked like a mermaids tail. The dress outlined Annas figure perfectly, making her appear both elegant and sexy. 366 Trying on the Wedding Dress OY Stunned by how perfect the dress was and how perfectly it outlined her model-like figure, Anna couldnt help staring at herself into the mirror again and again. Meanwhile, she couldnt help but smile as she reflected on what Wayne had just said to her. After she finally finished appreciating her own beauty, she wanted to show Wayne how she would look in this wedding gown. then she slowly drew the fitting room curtain open and walked out of the fitting carefully. As a mother of two, she still anticipated her grooms reaction like a naive girl, though. Well? Do I look good in it? Anna asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Wayne was reading a magazine on the couch at the time. When he looked up and saw Anna, he froze, and his eyes lit up as if there were gxies inside. He then stood up and stared at her affectionately. Seeing Waynes expression, Anna had the impression that they were not in a bridal shop but at their wedding. Dont | look good? Anna asked, clutching her dress nervously. Wayneplimented, You look stunning! You look beautiful in the dress. Hed heard grooms would get ecstatic when they saw their brides in their wedding gowns, and he thought that was exaggerated. But when he saw Anna, he realized this was a natural reaction. At the moment, Wayne wanted to kiss her, and he appeared nervous as well. Anna chuckled and said, Thank you for your kind words, dear. Im already in a good mood, Wayne was not a romantic person, and he continue saying, You look really gorgeous now. Annaughed and replied, Yes, I know. Im going to try on the next 366 Trying on the Wedding Dress Y one. After that, Anna entered the dressing room again. At the same time, Wayne slowly lowered his head as he desperately wanted to kiss Anna just now. The following wedding gown was a more traditional style with a tight top and arge hemline. Dressed in the wedding gown, Anna looked like a medieval princess who lived in a castle. The long hemline had diamonds and gold threads on it, making the dress sparkle like stars at light. Then the stylist put Annas long hair up. Just as Anna thought the stylist would put a veil on her, Wayne walked up and ced a diamond crown on his head. With the crown on her head, she looked like a queen. Stunned, Anna asked, When did you get this? Wayne answered, I prepared it when I prepared the wedding dresses for you. You dreamed of wearing a beautiful wedding dress and a crown when you were a child, right? And now, you look breathtaking in this dress. If you like it, you can wear it at our wedding. Hearing Waynes sweet words, Anna almost shed tears. She couldnt remember when she had said that, but Wayne remembered it and made her dreame true for her. Many women had fantasized about what their weddings would be like when they were still children. As for Anna, she used to fantasize about it. Butter on, as she had been through so much, she gave up the thought of wearing a wedding gown and a diamond crown at her wedding. It was just a slip of the tongue from Anna, and she didnt expect Wayne to take everything she said seriously. Wayne, honey, Anna said, feeling delighted. yes? 366 Trying on the Wedding Dress Anna grabbed his tie and brought him closer to her. She said, Thank you for surprising me so much. Well, Im going to give you a gif, too. The princess then stood on her tiptoes and kissed her groom-to- be as the sun shone through the window andnded on them Chapter 367 Chapter 367 367 | Want Mommy Itwas already evening, and Matthew was still crying like a wind-up toy, causing everyone to feel exhausted. Henry said anxiously to Peter, Matthew is still refusing to eat anything, sir. Hes been saying he wants to see his mother for days. After he fell asleepst night, his nanny fed him some milk secretly. But he didnt eat anything other than that. What should we do? Peter frowned and said, Before, | knew Matthew and Anna were close, and | assumed he simply liked her a lot. But it seems that blood ties appear to be extremely powerful. He only listens to Anna, so we may be out of options. Henry said cautiously, What about calling Miss Gabriel? Shes Matthews mother, and shes definitely going to take care of her son. Peter said, shaking his head, Shes going to sue Wayne in a few days, and Anna wants Matthew back. Matthew is my only great-grandson, and Wayne probably wont get married again. So | cant hand him over to Anna. But Matthew wont eat anything! Peter took a deep breath and said, Let me go check on him. Peter used to be a very energetic old man. He had, however, been through so much in that time that he appeared exhausted. Matthew shared a yard with Peter but lived in a different house. He cried almost every second of the last few days, keeping everyone in the whole yard awake. During the day, the servants would yawn while working asa result. 366 | Want Mommy Peter quickly made his way to the door. A porcin bowl smashed to. the ground at that moment, spilling the porridge inside. A servant sat on the bed, looking exhausted. When he saw Peter, he stood up and said, Sir! Let me handle it, Peter sighed, waving his hand. Matthews voice was hoarse from crying, but he still didnt stop. Peter approached Matthew. He no longer looked imposing but very gentle. He took one of Matthews hands and asked softly, Matthew, why are you crying? Could you please tell me? Matthew was crying so hard that he couldnt even breathe. I wa want my mommy! he mumbled. Peter had known that Matthew would say that. But when he heard it, he still felt very heartbroken. He said, Matthew, your mother and father will not get married. Your father will find you a new mommy that you like in the future. Is that OK? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Matthew shouted, No! | just want my mommy! Matthew was crying so hard that Peter had no idea what to do. He hugged the little guy and said, OK, you can meet your mom. Stop crying, dear. Ill take you to see your mom tomorrow. Matthew leaned into Peters arms, gasping for air from crying. He looked up, puzzled, and asked, Really? Yes, Ill let Henry take you out tomorrow as long as you promise to eat your dinner, Peter stroked Matthews head. He said, OK, Ill eat my dinner. He got out of bed after wiping his face with his hands. Henry sat him in his chair right away, and he drank the soup by himself with a spoon. While drinking the soup, Matthew looked depressed and kept wiping his 366 | Want Mommy tears. Peter sighed as he looked at his great-grandson. He felt that if he had known what would happen, he would not have forced Wayne to have children back then. It turned out that the child was the one who suffered the most. Matthew had been crying in the Wrights house while Tammy felt disgruntled at Jaspers house. Since she came out of the amusement park, she had been staying at Jaspers house. She was happy for the first two days but became bored after wandering around. She asked Anna, Mommy, why do we have to stay here all the time? Did you have a fight with daddy? At the time, Anna was taking her medication. She froze for a moment before asking, Dont you like it here? I like this house, but this is not our home. Mommy, I want to see Matthew and daddy. Tammy couldnt stop asking questions about it. It wasnt until then that Anna realized she should tell Tammy the truth, so she exined, Im not going to marry Wayne, honey. You might not see your brother again in the future. Its extremely dangerous out there these days, so dont go out. Tammys eyes were wide open, and she didnt say anything for a long time. Why? she asked Anna knew Tammy was a smart kid, but she probably wouldnt understand suchplicated things. She only said, The situation is extremelyplicated. Wayne and I got into an argument. We cant get along, and theres no way to make things right. So, we wont get married. Ill try to get you to see your brother againter. Tammy seemed to understand what she said. She then said, You like 366 | Want Mommy Wayne, dont you? He likes you a lot too, and he told me so. That was before we argued. No, he told me that while we were at the amusement park. He said that he loved you and that he intended to marry you in the future. He also said that would have younger brothers and sisters in addition to a brother. Anna froze, not knowing what to say. She was staying at Waynes house at the time. Wayne left early every morning and returnedte every night. She assumed he didnt want to see her on purpose, but she didnt expect him to always be there for Tammy. However, she didnt know if this was true or why Wayne didnt say it to her himself. Also, Anna couldnt think straight and felt irritable and depressed when thinking about the trial in 10 days. Tammy took her arm and shook it, asking, Mommy, how long are we going to be here? | want to go home! Can we go home? Anna also felt very sad when she saw her daughters sad face. But remembering what Wayne had done, she was afraid that something bad would happen to Tammy again. She didnt dare to gamble anymore. Then sheforted Tammy by touching her head and saying, Can you please wait a little longer, baby? After the trial, Ill take you back to America. Youll be able to go wherever you want by then. Hearing that, Tammy thought to herself, Mommy, youre taking me back to America? If so, I will never see my brother and father again! No, | dont want it! Chapter 368 Chapter 368 368 Give My Daughter back to Me ha Meanwhile, employees of the Carousel Group presidents office held an emergency response meeting to discuss stock market fluctuations. Is this what youvee up with all night? Wayne mmed a stack of folders on his desk. None of them dared to respond to him. Mr. Wright, your phone is ringing, Gabe said at that moment. Wayne nced at him and said, Im busy right now. Ill call the person back when the meeting is over. Gabe wanted to say something else. However, Wayne had already opened the folder and pointed out the programs ws at that time. He appeared to be unwilling to discuss anything else. Wayne was eager to resolve this matter because the Carousel Group had recently been in crisis. The meetingsted for more than an hour. After awhile, all of them heard the sound of people talking loudly from outside. Miss Gabriel, Mr. Wright is in a meeting. You cant go in! Let go of me! Wayne froze when he heard that familiar voice. He then got to his feet and walked out. Hed just gotten to the door when Anna mmed it open and dashed in. She stormed in and pped Wayne across the face The sound was so loud that it echoed throughout the quiet conference room. Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they were witnessing. Waynes right side of his face swelled up quickly. He looked at Anna in a daze, unable to respond to what had happened. Annas eyes were welling up with tears. She had one hand on Waynes cor and she looked almost broken. She yelled, What happened to my daughter? Why did you kidnap my daughter again? Wayne, I dont think Ive 367 Give My Daughter back to Me done anything horrible to hurt you. I just want my child to grow up safely! Why are you doing this to me?! You know she has asthma, dont you? She could die if she has an attack! Wayne frowned and asked, What the hell are you talking about? Anna reached out to hit him again, but he grabbed her hand and asked, Anna, are you crazy? Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. She screamed, Yes, Im insane! Tell me where Tammy is. Give my daughter back to me! You have taken her away! But you steal her from me again! Anna eximed incoherently. She appeared agitated, but Wayne had no idea what was wrong. He was no longer bothered about being pped but instead inquired anxiously, What? Tammy has disappeared? Anna almost passed out from crying, She froze when she noticed his. attitude and asked, You dont know about this? He hasnt left the meetings sincest night. Gabe said to Anna in a low voice. Anna slowly let go of Waynes cor at that point. She became even more flustered and muttered, It cant be! No one else will take her away from me except you! Annoyed and angry, Wayneined, Its all your fault! Why cant you keep an eye on your daughter? You used to fight with me for her, and now you me me when shes disappeared. What exactly are you doing? Anna clenched her teeth and tried hard not to cry. She said, Tammy has gone missing! Why arent you worried about her? This is not the time to me me! 367 Give My Daughter back to Me Wayne was irritated. He turned to Gabe and said, What exactly are you doing? Gett rid of her! Now! | dont want to see her in my conference room. Wayne then left without looking back. Miss Gabriel, Gabe said tentatively. Anna wiped away her tears and stated, Dont bother. Ill leave on my own. I came here to look for my daughter. Theres no point in wasting my time here now that shes not here. After Anna walked out of the building, Jasper called her, Anna, | checked the surveince and | found that Tammys missing has nothing to do with Wayne, Anna was filled with remorse, but she still tried her best to make herself sound calm. Then she inquired, So, where is she? She went out by herself. The doorman let her out because he thought she was a friend of the bus by herself. Dont worry, well follow the bus route and look for her. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Jasper continued to reassure Anna. She had just been worried that Wayne had taken Tammy away again because things would only get worse if that happened. Wayne was getting ready to leave his office, putting on his jacket. He had just stepped out of the office when he ran into Gabe, who had just walked in. Where are you going, Mr. Wright? The meeting is not yet over. Wayne nced at him and said anxiously, Im going to find Tammy. Gather a few more people to help me with it. Gabe stopped him and asked, What n do you have? This city is 367 Give My Daughter back to Me large, and finding hers as difficult as looking for a needle ina haystack. So, what do you have in mind? Wayne asked, frowning. What if | call Mr. Xavier? We can have him call the police and watch the surveince cameras near Miss Gabriels house. Then well know which direction she went, and well be able to find her as long as she doesnt leave the city. Then Gabe sighed and thought, Wayne, youre usually sensible and decisive. But why do you act stupid every time when its things rted to Anna? Twenty minutester, Karl called Wayne. Wayne asked anxiously, Have you found out anything? Call Henry. Tammys inside the trunk of his car. What? Waynes eyes widened in surprise, and then immediately called Henry. By then, Henrys car was just pulling onto the overpass. Henry answered when he saw it was Wayne calling, Whats the matter, Wayne? Wayne asked anxiously, Henry, where are you now? On the overpass. Whats going on? Tell the driver to slow down and stop the car. Then open the trunk. Huh? Hurry up! Wayne sounded very anxious. Henry had no idea why, but he did as he was told. After the driver stopped the car, Henry got out. He opened the trunk suspiciously and then immediately became surprised. 367 Give My Daughter back to Me Then Henry asked, Wayne, why is Tammy in the trunk? How is she doing? Shes gasping for air Shes having an asthma attack. Take her to the hospital now! Chapter 369 Chapter 369 369 | Will Give You Compensation Anna went to the hospital as soon as she got the call. The operation had been going on for half an hour since she arrived Wayne sat on the sofa near the door, wearing a ck coat. He had no expression on his face and appeared to be in a daze. After a while, a doctor came out of the operating room. Wayne immediately stood up and inquired, How is she? Were still trying to save her. A nurse said, then closed the door to the operating room. Wayne clenched his fists. He had always been calm, but he was shaking at that moment without knowing what to do. On the other hand, Anna appeared calm because it was not the first time she had witnessed such a scene Tammy had suffered from asthma since she was born. When Anna travelled to the United States, she brought arge sum of money with her. But she ran out of cash soon because she had to pay for Tammys medical bills and surgery. As a result, she had to go to work. Despite spending a fortune over the past five years, she could not cure Tammys asthma She looked at Waynes worried expression as if she were seeing herself for the first time outside the emergency room, waiting for Tammy. Anna paused for a moment before finally saying, Please take a seat. Shell be fine. Wayne looked at her in a daze as if something had urred to him. He asked after a long while, Tammys had a lot of surgeries over these years, right? 368 | Will Give You Compensation He had known before that Tammy had asthma. Hed even used it to persuade Anna to let Tammy and Matthew attend the same kindergarten. However, at that time, Wayne didnt pay attention to this, and he had no idea that this cheerful little girl was his own daughter. She often had to have surgery when she was younger, but she rarely had an attack after she was three. After that, she knew she was not allowed to y strenuous sports or go to ces that are crowded. In summer, I wont allow her to go out too often and always make sure she has first aid supplies with her. Tammys still a child, though. And she forgot to bring to bring first aid supplies with her from time to time. As a result, she usually has one or two attacks per year. Anna spoke calmly as if she were telling someone elses story. Nheless, Wayne was heartbroken. He hadnt spent much time with Tammy, but she struck him as a cheerful and sweet young girl. She made him feel the warmth that Matthew could not give him. And he had no idea that such a sweet little girl was constantly suffering from illness. Then Wayne was lost in thought, Tammy/is physically ill while Matthews mentally traumatized. | couldve provided them with a happy family but failed to do so. Damn it! What the hell was | thinking?! Why would I decide to have children with a surrogate back then? None of these wouldve happened if I hadnt made those stupid mistakes! Was Jasper always with you when Tammy had a seizure? Wayne asked. He wanted Anna to tell him the answer he wanted tofort him At that critical moment, he didnt want to reckon with Jasper about what had happened before. He hoped Anna had someone by her side when she had a nervous breakdown over her child. To his surprise, Anna shook her head and said, I hadnt met him when I first arrived in America. At that time, Tammys health was at its worst. | 368 | Will Give You Compensation couldnt even fall asleep every day because I was so worried. I was afraid Id wake up one day to find shed stopped breathing, Wayne was heartbroken and at a loss for words. Back then, I got pregnant unexpectedly and was unprepared. I had no idea what to do or how to do it. At that time, no one told me how to bea good mother. So, I had to figure it out on my own. Tammy became such a mature child because of this. I was raised to be overlypassionate. As a result, Im always unwilling topete for things and I tend to easily forgive others. So, others always treated me casually. But I dont want Tammy to grow up like that. I want her to be a carefree child that can do whatever she likes. Hearing her heartfelt words, Wayne was deeply touched, extended his hand to her and attempted to hug her. But then, the lights went out in the operating room and interrupted his movement. How did it go? Anna asked right away. The doctor took off his mask and responded, She is fine, but she will be in intensive care for some time. Which of you two will handle the procedures for her? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Me. Anna and Wayne both said it almost simultaneously. Henry sighed in relief and said, Ill do it. Thank you, doctor, and God bless you. Wayne, Anna, you can have a good talk here. Henry had been nervous since discovering Tammy in the trunk. He had no idea why she was there, but he knew if anything happened to her, he would be screwed. Anna and Wayne went to a cafe near the hospital after Tammy was admitted to the intensive care unit. It was alreadyte afternoon, and neither had eaten anything at noon. So, they ordered a simple meal. 368 | Will Give You Compensation Anna said as she sipped her coffee, I know Matthew means a lot to you, and Tammy means a lot to me as well. So, even though | want to get custody of Matthew so badly, Ive never made up my mind to do so. I know he cant live without you. Wayne froze because that was not what Jasper had said that day. However, he still listened to Annas story without interrupting her, You got the wrong surrogate girl six years ago. After | found out I was pregnant, my first reaction was to get an abortion. I was only a sophomore then, and | knew | couldnt afford to be a single mom. When it came to what happened back then, the atmosphere became strange, and Wayne looked embarrassed Anna took a deep breath and said, But you used my fathers group to threaten me, and I had no choice but to agree. The more I got to my due date, the more | regretted it. I didnt want to give my child to you then because hes not amodity but my baby. So, when the doctor told me had another child in my belly, I paid them a little money to help me hide it. Then | left the country with Tammy. Wayne said hesitantly, Believe it or not, I didnt threaten you at all. After Leo found out he got the surrogacy thing wrong, he kept it from me. Anna froze for a moment. She said as she looked down and stirred the foam in her coffee, It doesnt matter because its all happened. Ive had two children, and Im giving you one. Im not taking Matthew away from you. I want Tammy to stay with me because she cant live without me. Wayne was irritated because he hadnt mentioned taking Tammy away, and Anna brought it up. Is that what youre trying to say? he inquired. Anna nodded hesitantly, ! dont want to go to the trial. I dont want to 368 | Will Give You Compensation make a big deal about it because its bad for all of us. If the kids find out about itter, they will be upset as well. I still want to settle this matter peacefully with you. Peacefully? Wayne asked. When Anna noticed Wayne wasnt upset, she said, Ill take Tammy to America, and Ille back to see Matthew once every six months. What do you think? Wayne felt sympathetic toward Anna at first. But when he heard her words, he immediately regretted it. He frowned angrily and thought, /t seems that you really only care about two kids, but not me. Anna, you didnt even think about our future. After a long time, he red at Anna and said, Since you signed the contract with Leo in the first ce, the children will be mine. ording to the contract, you cant take Tammy away. Since shes in poor health and cant leave you, youre free to take her. But youll no longer be able to see Matthew. Youve had a difficult time recently, and Illpensate you with money. What? Anna froze, not knowing what he meant. Youve decided to drop the case, havent you? Ill give you money for the sake of our rtionship and the two kids. Annas face turned pale. She said, No, thats not what I want. Wayne, you dont understand what Im saying. Im just trying to talk to you Wayne interrupted her, Thats enough! You dont want to see me againter, do you? Then the negotiation ends now. Anna, how much is your phony love for me worth in thest six months? Ill give you the check now! Chapter 370 Chapter 370 370 Have You Ever Thought about Me? Anna was surprised by Waynes attitude because she was honest about everything and wanted to have a peaceful conversation with him. Clenching clenched her fists, Anna snarled, Wayne, dont be such a jerk! | apologize for not telling you the truth sooner, and I was wrong. How much longer will you whine about it? Im not going to hurt my child, and | dont think my request is unreasonable. He is your child, and you are not being unreasonable. But | believe Leo had discussed my demands with you before we signed the contract. All I want is the child, and I want the childs mother to stay away from this city for the rest of her life. Anna shouted, So | said I would leave! Im just negotiating with you now. Theres nothing we need to discuss. At that moment, Anna realized the conversation was going nowhere. And she had no choice but to say, Okay, I made a mistake, and | should not have kept it from you. Ino longer want custody of Matthew. Hell be devastated if he grows up and discovers this. For the sake of those two children, Ill drop the case. Ill go back to the hospital, bye. Anna then stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked away without looking back. And Wayne stood up and followed her out the door. As she walked out the cafes door, he yelled to Anna, Why do you always act like a victim? Did you ever consider anything other than your children? Have you ever thought about me? 369 Have You Ever Thought abo. Hearing that, Anna frowned and turned to face Wayne, surprised. Wayne remained enraged, You said that you did not want to hurt anyone. Everyone believes | owe you something and that | ruined your life. You could return to Ennd for the sake of Matthew, you would do whatever you could to cure your daughter. But what about our rtionship? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Wayne was afraid that if he didnt say anything, Anna would assume he was still arguing with her about the kids. In that case, she would travel to America with Jasper as soon as possible. Surprised, Anna said, No, thats not what | meant. Wayne grew cold, but he still said, in apromising tone, But, think about how you did it. Have you really not thought about it that way? Call me when you think it through. Then he turned and walked into the cold wind, looking very lonely. Anna froze, her emotions jumbled. She had been getting considering custody of her children for some time. It wasnt until Wayne said those words to her that she then realized she had made a minor but fatal error, Wayne, I knew that you can not ept not being valued by the people you care about. And/m sorry about it. However, it isnt just my fault that wed ended up in such an awkward situation. Sometimes, you can be quite arrogant and paranoid, Wayne. And its always me whopromise in the end. Also, being with you makes my life so full of uncertainties and you know that Im always insecure. So, Im always worried about our future so much that Icant fully devote myself to our rtionship. Thinking of that, Anna walked to the hospital. On the way, she met a homeless man. With a bowl in his hand, the man said to her, I havent eaten in days, 369 Have You Ever Thought abo. youngdy. Could you please give me some money? Anna assumed he was a liar and said, How about | buy you some food Instead? She assumed he would leave, as other liars. The man, however, nodded and said gratefully, Yes, thank you. Then Anna realized she might run into someone who was in trouble. She took a look around and said, Okay, follow me. Theres a convenience store nearby. Wait for me and Ill go get you some food. The homeless man looked at the convenience store she pointed to. Then, as he noticed a small alley next to it, his gaze became evil. Anna went into the store and bought two bags of bread, milk, and a heated frozen pizza. She noticed the homeless man crouching at the entrance to the alley around the corner as she walked out of the convenience store. Then she walked up to him and said, I thought youve gone! I got you something to eat. These should be enough for you for a few days. The homeless man took the bag, then immediately opened the pizza bag and began to gobble it down. Feeling sympathetic toward him, she paused for a moment before pulling out her wallet. Aman quietly emerged from the alley as she was looking for cash to give him. From behind her, he covered her mouth and nose before yanking her into the alley. Anna struggled with her eyes wide open, looking to the homeless man for assistance. Yet, the homeless man appeared unconcerned. He wiped his mouth, threw the bag into the trash, and walked into the alley after Anna was dragged into it. 369 Have You Ever Thought abo. Meanwhile, in the Carousel group. The Gabriel Group appears to have reached an agreement with us, Mr. Wright. However, several of our projects have recently been halted due to funding issues. Gabe said. rll be away on business next month, Wayne replied Where are you going? France. I have to go there since the group is not doing well. Gabe was taken aback; he had not expected Jasper to wield such power over Wayne. A few seconds later, he asked, So, wholl be running thepany during this time? Leave it to Ryan. Ryan stayed at Peters house with his mother after leaving the hospital. Jennie was heartbroken whenever she saw Matthew crying all the time. So,she brought him to her house to give Peter some time to rest. Matthew skipped dinner because he was exhausted from crying and immediately fell asleep. Jennie made a bowl of milk paste with milk and bananas and bottle-fed Matthew while he was sleeping. And Jennie left satisfied after seeing him drink half of the bottle. Ryanined when he realized Jennie only looked after Matthew almost every day, Mom, I know you adore your grandson, but dont neglect me. In two months, Ill be leaving for America. Jennie gave him a stern look and said, Stop talking! It all happened because of you. Why didnt you say you knew Anna was Matthews mother from the start? Ryan shook his head and said, I didnt say anything because I didnt 369 Have You Ever Thought abo. have the opportunity. I cant betray Anna because she saved my life. Sitting on the couch, Jennie looked at Ryan, and said angrily, But you should have at least told me, so I could have been prepared! You helped Ada to check this matter before. If that hadnt happened, Leo wouldnt have had an ident. That way, Wayne wouldnt have known nothing about it. And everything might have been different. I know that and Ive apologized to everyone. Why do bad things keep happening to me? Then aman outside eximed, They always happen to me, too! Wayne! eximed Ryan and Jennie. Ryan appeared embarrassed and coughed with his head down while Jennie cheerfully approached the door and said to Wayne, Why are you back now? Have you seen your grandfather? Have you had dinner yet? No. Jennie said cheerfully, Ill go prepare dinner! There was a lot going on in the Wright family recently, and Jennie had few opportunities to see Wayne. Wayne only came to Peters house once a week and always left quickly. He appeared thinner and haggard, and his jawline was more visible. After Jennie left, Wayne looked at Ryan, who was sitting on the couch, and said, You think youre hurt, dont you? Im hurt more severely than you and yet I haventined about anything about that! Ryan was already feeling guilty, and his face turned pale after he heard Waynes words. He said, Im sorry, I didnt mean to. ljust didnt think | had a chance at the time. It would have been too strange for me to tell you the truth all of a sudden, after all. 369 Have You Ever Thought abo. You mean, it was always the bad time for you to tell me about what you knew? Wayne asked as he sat across from him. Ryan quickly nodded his head. Wayne then stopped talking but stared straight at Ryan, making him feel more guilty. Then Ryan said, Im sorry, Wayne. If know anything else in the future, Ill tell you first. Fortunately, you now have the opportunity. Id like you to help me out. Thinking that Wayne wanted him to pry something out again, Ryan asked, What? Im going to France soon, so youll be in charge of the Carousel Group Hold on Are you, are you serious? Ryan asked in disbelief Chapter 371 Chapter 371 371 Anna Is Missing Look at me, Ryan. Do you think Im joking with you right now? Ryan shook his head right away, saying, No! Im not interested in business, you know. Besides, Ill be in America in two months. I cant run the business. You must do it! This is our family business, so you should run it along with me. However, because you didnt grow up here as a child, no one told you about it before. But Im not interested in any of this! You cannot force me to do so. Listen, Ryan, Im just going to let you run thepany for a while. Dont worry, itll only be for a few months. Hearing that, Ryan nodded his head. He remembered that Henry and Peter discussed the stock market some time ago, and he knew the group had been struggling recently. Has work been particrly difficulttely? he asked. I didnt leave thepany in your hands because things have been toughtely. Ryan frowned. He wanted to exin but didnt know what to say. He paused briefly before saying, Oh, I didnt mean that. But are you sure | can handle it? He knew the group had a lot of management talent and that any of it Was more reliable than him, a complete amateur. But Wayne let him do it because he trusted him and, most likely, because of Jasper. Jaspers vicious attack on the Carousel Group came entirely against 370 Anna Is Missing Wayne. So, if the groups CEO was changed, he would be less hostile. Jasper couldnt do anything else because Ryan was Annas friend. At the thought of that, Ryan looked at Wayne suspiciously as if he wanted Wayne to confirm his suspicions. Wayne then said, This will at least buy me some time. Ryan knew he was right. He looked down, thought for a moment, and said, Okay, Ill do it for you. He decided to give it a shot because Wayne had dragged him here. He did so to make up to Wayne and apologize to him. After dinner, Wayne took his coat and left. Jennie followed him and asked, Where are you going? Wayne cast a nce at Jennie. When he realized Anna had helped him find his mother and brother, he felt conflicted. Im returning to the office to take care of some business. Itste, and youre returning to work? You havent gotten enough resttely: Jennie insisted on dropping him off at the gate, and she didnt walk back until his car left the yard. Wayne might be going to France for a long time, so he wanted to see her daughter before he left. After he reached the hospital, many nurses on duty at the hospital recognized Wayne and greeted him. Mr. Wright, Tammy has been sleeping and she hasnt woken up yet, one nurse said. Aiter a brief moment of hesitation, Wayne asked, Is there someone with her? Theres a nurse with her. But no one came here to see her this whole afternoon. She is doing well now and is being treated in a general ward. | 370 Anna Is Missing called Miss Gabriel, but she didnt answer the calls. Shes probably busy. Surprised by the nurses words, Wayne thought, The person Anna cares about most is Tammy. Strange. Why isnt she here apanying Tammy? After seeing Wayne, the nurse in Tammys ward left and shut the door. There was only one dim light on in the ward. Wayne approached the bed and satin a chair to gaze at his daughter. Tammy was a beautiful little girl. Her eyes were as blue as Annas, and her nose and mouth were simr to Waynes. When Wayne first saw Tammy at the airport, he thought she looked familiar and gave her a box of choctes. He had no idea she was his daughter at the time, though. And his heart broke as he thought of how much Tammy had suffered from Asthma since she was a child. She had spent much time in the hospital since she was a child, but she appeared cheerful and lively. On the other hand, Matthew had been cared for by many nannies, but Tammy looked better taken care of than him. Wayne froze as he realized Matthew would have been just as lively as Tammy if he had grown up around Anna. /t looks like | didnt do a good job at taking care of my kids, Wayne thought. At that moment, Tammy twitched her fingers and said, Daddy. When Wayne heard her sweet voice, he froze. He looked up and saw that she was awake, but she looked very confused. She said in a husky voice, Why are you here? Where is my mother? Wayne knelt beside her bed, took one of her hands in his, and said gently, Your mom is busy now, and shell be hereter. How are you feeling? 370 Anna Is Missing Tammy asked weakly, Did you and Mommy make up? Wayne didnt respond, and Tammy took his silence as ano. She said, You cant hurt my mommy because shes a very kind and amazing woman. She loves you, but you are cruel to her. Youre not as sweet to her as Uncle Jasper is. How can you do this? She said a lot, and that made her cough. Tammy did, however, look at Wayne with disappointment. And Wayne felt amused and embarrassed after realizing he had been educated by a child. Did your mommy say she liked me? he asked. Howe she married you if she didnt like you? I thought she wanted to marry me simply because of you and Matthew. Tammy yelled angrily, No! Absolutely not! Never, ever say that again. If mommy hears what you said, she will be upset. Shes not someone who alwayspromises for the sake of others. Hearing that, Wayne clenched his grip on Tammys small hand, thinking, Tammy, youre right. Annas not the type of person to ept second best, so she will not marry me for the sake of two children. She must have had feelings for me. My mom and I say that we cant just judge a person simply by their actions and words; we have to put ourselves in their shoes, sometimes, The fact that she didnt tell you the truth doesnt mean she didnt love you. Id love to live with you and my brother. But, more importantly, | want a father who loves my mother. So, if you cant make my mother happy, youll never be my father. Youll be just Uncle Wayne to me. Tammys words broke Waynes heart, and her final sentence made him nervous. After leaving the hospital, he called Ana. He needed to get everything 370 Anna Is Missing off his chest because he couldnt bear the thought of his child being heartbroken. However, Anna had not returned his calls. And he assumed she was still upset about the things in the afternoon. About an hourter, the driver eximed as they approached the front door of the Wrights residence, Oh, crap! Wayne looked up and noticed that the vi was well-lit. He frowned as he heard people screaming in terror from there. As soon as he spotted the line of ck cars at the door, he wasirritated. ts only been a few days; why is Jasper here again? What the hell does he want?_ he thought. With that in mind, he said to the driver impatiently, Stop the car. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Henry tried to stop the bodyguard from running around, but he failed. Then he shouted angrily, Ive called the cops. If you keep barging in like this, the cops will arrest you. Ifyou dont let her go, the cops will take you all away with us. We can leave the police station, but you cannot. Lily said. In her high heels and business suit, she seemed powerful. Jasper stood next to her. He hadnt said anything since he walked in, but he was clearly angry. Its only been a few days since thest time you broke into my house. What are you doing here? Wayne said as he stood in the doorway, Oh, you didnt just break into my house this time. You brought more people with you. When Jasper saw Wayne, he immediately approached him and grabbed him by the cor, yelling, How dare youe back?! Wayne then immediately grabbed Jaspers cor. They appear to be evenly matched due to their simr height and shape. Wayne said, This is my house, of course | dare toe back! Jasper, youre so over the line! You not only attacked mypany but also broke 370 Anna Is Missing into my house twice! What the f**k do you want?! Jasper took a deep breath and said, I dont have time for small talk. Where is Anna? Chapter 372 Chapter 372 372 The Fight kidnapped her. What? k*******g? Wayne asked. Jasper wiped the blood from the corer of his mouth and said grimly, Dont y dumb. Anna has been missing for the entire day! She only met you this afternoon and didnt go anywhere, Where have you been hiding her? Wayne was rmed when he remembered the nurse saying Anna hadnt been to the hospital all day. The cops arrived and asked the man next to them about what had happened. When the sergeant saw the chaos, he eximed, This is arge group brawl. The officers then took everyone at the scene, including Wayne and Jasper, back to the police station to make statements. This police station was in charge of the situation when Wayne hid Tammy at the Amusement Park a few days before. Wayne was well- known, so the cops were all familiar with him. Everyone appeared nervous and unsure of what to do when they saw him again. With difficulty, the young cop who took his statement said, Its me again, Mr. Wright. Im not going to ask you for basic information right now, so please exin what this is all about again today. You should ask them about it! m curious as well. With a frown, Wayne said. Hed been wondering where Anna had gone the entire time. Also, he was confident that Jasper would not screw him over for nothing. But he had no idea why Anna had gone missing all day. Okay, Ill ask them, the officer said after a brief pause. After a while, he returned and said, He said you kidnapped his friend, and he went to your house to look for her. Oh? Did they ever find her? 371 The Fight No, So they asked where youd hidden her, the cop said, shaking his head. Is that why they broke into my house? Did they use my house as a hideout for women and children traffickers? Wayne kept asking. The officer said cautiously, No, not at all. But youve already done this before. Wayne looked him in the eyes and said coldly, Really? Check your cases now and see if ve committed any crimes. The officer smiled and said, Certainly not! Youve already resolved this privately, havent you? That issue has been resolved. So, why are they so obsessed with this? They can go to the police station if they cant find her. Why did they feel the need toe to my house? Wayne said anxiously. He felt that they Were wasting precious time looking for her if Anna was truly missing Yes, they indeed called us. We cant make a case because she hasnt been missing for twenty-four hours. Maybe shes busy with work. Wayne was irritated, What? Youre keeping me here for a busy person? The cops froze, thinking Wayne had a valid point. Karl came to the police station when he got the call and got help from his friends working at the police department. They didnt have any evidence to prove Waynes k********g. So they let him out. As they were leaving, Wayne said to Karl, Tell your friend not to let Jasper and his secretary go. They are free to keep them in there for as long as they want. Ah! Thats no way to get your revenge! Wayne pressed his eyes that Jasper had punched and felt pain. He 371 The Fight said, They asked for it. Theyll bring less trouble to me this way. By the way, have you found where Anna is? Yes, I told Ryanright after you called me. He used the satellite positioning system in the schoolb to find Anna. Her cell phone signal had vanished by the time she was over the river, Karl said, pointing to a river on the outskirts of town. Wayne asked, perplexed, Huh? When? It was half an hour ago. Just as we found her phone, the signal began to fade. Then it vanished completely. Did someone cut it off on purpose? Wayne asked, imagining the worst-case scenario. Karl said, shaking his head, Ryan examined the data and thought that this was not the case. He said that there was no signal in the area. Why would Annae here where there is no signal? Karl said seriously, It wasnt because there was no signal coverage; rather, someone had installed a signal blocker. Oh, and he also mentioned They thought that Anna couldnt have gone there by herself. Annas movements indicated that she had passed through a fishing vige on the outskirts of town in the middle of nowhere. Except for small fishing boats, there was no other transportation there. What else did he say? Wayne asked. He imed that the drug dealer Richard had previously worked with was on the run. A few months ago, a group of students discovered a drug den. The gang members took revenge on the families of two of the students. What did Anna have to do with that? Wayne asked, rmed. 371 The Fight Karl inhaled deeply and said sternly, If you hadnt broken up with Anna, shed be Ryans sister-inw right now. So, they began their search for the Wrights. They did so because Richard dragged them down, and they knew it was the students from Military Academy who caught them. On hearing that, Wayne broke out in a cold sweat. Lets go back to the police station, he said anxiously. Karl squeezed his trembling hand and said, No! Ryan said the drug dealers are all ouws. If we call the cops, they will immediately go to all of the inds and search them. We dont know where the gangs are, so Im afraid theyll strike first. You understand what I mean. Wayne frowned tightly, looking flustered. Then Karl said, Lets go back to your house first, Ryan said he had an ideaFrom N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 373 Anna Is Kidnapped Asmall boat was docked on the ind in the rivers center. Then two men dragged a sack down from the boat. One man carried the bag on his back, while the other hid the boat in the reeds along the shore. The two men then walked deep into the jungle, one after the other. How should we handle her? We can keep her in the house and put her with Lily. The boss sent them here to entertain us. Both men burst outughing and opened the door to a room in the. east room. A woman in the corner began to tremble when they opened the door. She crouched inside theforter, wide-eyed at them. She appeared terrified. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The man carrying the sack frowned and ced the bag on the ground. Before he left, he said to the woman, Theyre going to drink tonight, so you know whats going to happen. Allow them to do whatever they want with you, or youll be damned. The woman in the corner shook even more violently. She began to gasp heavily as she remembered an incident from the day before. The man sighed and shut and locked the door. And the entire room went dark again. Anna woke up as she felt herself lying on the cold floor. She was surprised to find herself wrapped in a sack and struggled for a while to peek her head out from inside the sack. She was looking around when she noticed a pale, ghost-like woman staring at her. Then Anna screamed in horror. 372 Anna Is Kidnapped The woman made a hush gesture, then squatted beside her and began untying the ropes on her. Anna gradually rxed. Sophia York? she asked in puzzlement, surveying the woman in the moonlight shining through the window. The woman suddenly frowned. She froze, then whispered, No, Im not Sophia. My name is Lily Johnson. Anna froze as well. After Lily untied all the ropes from her body, Anna asked nervously, Did you kidnap me? What exactly do you want? Lily sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Anna. Anna, now that youre here, you should ept your fate, she murmured nervously. What? Here, we can only be their s*x toys. Anna was terrified after hearing her words. Youll find out tonight if you dont believe me. Lily smiled. At the same time, Anna sized Lily up carefully and concluded that she was mentally ill. Not in the mood to talk with Lily, Anna pulled out the door. She discovered that the door had been locked from the outside and that the windows had been sealed. There were no lights inside, and only a sliver of light came in through the window slits. Anna noticed a small two-story building across the street with lights on through the window. And she heard a group of menughing there. At the thought that she was trapped on a deserted ind with a group of men, Anna was even more horrified. She thought, f**k! / might as well just kill myselfif! were to be a s*x toy of those bunch of thugs! Suddenly, it urred to Anna that Lily was Adas cousin. She had an assumption and asked, Why are you here too? Did they kidnap you? Lily said in a dull, hoarse voice, They didnt kidnap me. Ada has 372 Anna Is Kidnapped brought me here to protect me from you. Ada? Anna asked. Hearing Lilys words, Anna knew right away who had brought her here. Other than Ada, she didnt have any enemies. Plus, Ada had vanished from public view after Richard had gone to prison. Anna thought to herself, What does Ada want? Does she want me to take me down with her? Having pulled herself together, Anna asked, What on earth is this ce? Lily looked at Anna, and then her eyes became frantic. Her pupils dted as if she were high on something. She said, This is a deserted ind. Anna, no one wille to save you. Well have to spend the rest of our lives on this ind. Anna frowned and asked, Why would Ada get us here? Lily red at her and said, Shut up! She brought me here in order to save me. She hates you, but shes been nice to me. Anna surveyed Lily and noticed that she was dressed in filthy and tattered clothes. So, Anna deduced that she most likely did have a mental disorder. And she continued, If you werent kidnapped and brought here, why are you imprisoned here with me? Did she ask you toe here to keep an eye on me? Lily seemed to have found herst hope and said, Yes, she told me to watch you here! Ill be able to get out as long as I dont let you escape. Anna stopped talking to her and began looking around the room for a way out while Lily continued to laugh and talk like a lunatic. Frowning, Anna wondered what had happened to her to make her this way. After probing around the room for a while, Anna realized she was in a 372 Anna Is Kidnapped horrible situation. There were only two windows and one door in the house. Because the back window was sealed, opening it would alert the people outside. The front window was only partially closed, so she could see the yard through the c***k. She thought about it for and concluded that she could only get out through that door. But Anna had no idea when that door would open. Lily didnt say anything else, and Anna realized she couldnt get any helpful information from her either. So, after walking around, Anna crouched alone inside the corner to assess her current situation. She was indeed terrified. However, she thought that since Ada had captured her here but did not rush to kill her, so she still had a ray of hope. Awhileter, the sound of men talking outside faded as it got close to midnight. Then several men entered the yard. One man pushed open the door to the room, making a loud noise. Anna looked up, startled. She noticed several drunken men entering. When the man in front of her saw her, heughed and eximed, Hey, this must be the new girl! Nice! All the men behind him also came over to Anna and said, Miss Xavier has been so good to us. She knew we were bored here, so she brought us so many beautiful women. Anna shivered and cowered in the corner. She looked at Lily and noticed that she looked so numb that she seemed to be used to it. Clinging to the wall, Anna said shakily, Dont touch me! How much money do you want? I can pay you. Hearing that, all the menughed, and one of them said, You dont get to negotiate with us. Well reward you with some money as long as you 372 Anna Is Kidnapped serve us well. The man then extended his hand toward Anna. Anna let out a startled cry. A man with a beard behind this man said, Dont touch her! Dragon told me to take her to his room. The man stopped. He froze for a moment before smiling and saying, Youre right. Dragon must enjoy her first because she is new here. All of the men turned around and went straight to Lily. Breathing a sigh of relief, Anna retreated into the corner. She couldnt bear looking at what Lily was going through and couldnt stop shaking. Follow me, the man with the beard said to her. Anna and the man left that room. As she walked to the door, she could still hear Lilys screams. The sound was so depressing that she felt as if she were in hell. It wasnt until then that Anna saw why Lily had to make up lies to fool herself because it was the only way she had any hope of survival. Several minutester, the man led Anna to a room on the second floor. The heating was turned on in that room, but Annas hands remained cold. She was certain that something bad would happen to her. She had been sitting in the cabin for quite some time when she heard someone open the door and walk in. Anna smelled a familiar perfume before the person entered. When she turned around, she saw Ada. Chapter 374 Chapter 374 374 Getting Away With It 373 Getting Away With It Ada was wearing a short one-piece leather dress and boots. With the heavy makeup, she looked aggressive. Its been a long time, Mrs. Wright, Ada said to Anna mockingly, stressing the word Mrs. Wright, Im sure you didnt expect to see me here! Anna smiled at her and said, Indeed, we havent seen each other for a long time. But dont you know that Ive ended my rtionship with Wayne? Anna knew that Ada held a grudge against her because of Wayne, so the most important thing at the time was to tell her this. You guys broke up? Youve broken up and gotten back together many times, and Im not interested in that. You are really a smart woman, and I didnt expect you to say that, Sneering, Ada took a sip of the juice on the table and said, You think Im going to let you off the hook just because you say that? No, youre too naive. Or, more precisely, you believe | am too naive. To tell you the truth, Im the one that made you two break up this time. Anna froze, looking at Ada in surprise. Wayne had the police interrogate Lily harshly. I told her to state those words on purpose so that you and Wayne would have a huge fight. Wayne is a paranoid person, so I gave him some evidence that you approached him with other intentions. Just as I thought, he suspected you. And you werent honest with him. You did meet thewyer, and you did try to steal his son from him. But it was Jasper, a man who adored you, who told thewyer to use unusual means. Saying that, Ada stood up and walked around the room 373 Getting Away With It Meanwhile, a shiver ran down Annas spine. She thought, /knew/ messed things up. I was hesitant to tell Wayne the truth because | was affaid to make a decision at the time. But it had never urred to me that you, Ada, would use this opportunity to plot the entire situation and got me and Wayne into a fight. Ada, you vicious b***h! Gnashing her teeth, Anna said with hatred, What do you want? Ada scowled at her and asked, What do you think | want? Look, this is what you and Wayne have dragged me down to. Im going to spend the rest of my life on this deste desert ind and Ill never be that beautiful actress again. And its all because of you! We wouldnt have hurt you if you hadnt tried to hurt us at first! Stop talking! I would have married Wayne a long time ago if it hadnt been for you! Anna didnt want to go on with this pointless conversation with her, and she sneered in her heart, You re so sick and pathetic, Ada! A person like you will always believe that your sess is due to your good fortune. But when you fail, you simply me it on someone else. Im so d that Wayne didnt marry a crazy b***h like you back then. As she walked near Anna, Ada tightened her grip on Annas chin and forced her to look up at her. She asked, You like to steal my men, dont you? Let me tell you, my man is a nationally wanted drug lord now. Ill take you to his bed myself and let you have fun with him. Anna gasped. Ada was squeezing her chin so hard that she felt like she couldnt breathe. Just as Anna was about to faint, Ada released her grip. Anna then copsed to the floor, coughing and panting heavily. Are you going to force me to sleep with your man? Thats not a good way to punish me, Ada. Have you considered what would happen if he falls in love with me? You nned on relying on him for the rest of your 373 Getting Away With It life! Ada red angrily at her and eximed, Shut the f**k up! Who the hell do you think you are? Do you think every man on the will fall in love with you? Anna covered her chest andughed coldly through her throat. You can try it. I can make Wayne fall in love with me, so Im not some kind of stupid woman. And Im sure your man will eventually fall for me if I want to. Suddenly, Ada grabbed her hair and pped her. She growled, Shut up, b***h! | should show Wayne what you look like now! Ill show him what kind of person you are! Ada kept cursing Anna, causing her to scream in pain. And her screaming was especially loud in the dark. Someone soon began smashing things in the main bedroom on the second floor. The moment Ada was about to hit Anna hard again, a man knocked on the door and interrupted her, Miss Xavier, our boss is pissed. He couldnt sleep because of the noise you made, so hes looking for you. Ada then let go of Anna, allowing her to fall to the floor. Ill be right over, she said. What about her? Keep her locked up and do not allow anyone to speak to her. Ill deal with her when I get the chance. Sure With that, Ada dashed into Dragons room. In the bedroom, Dragon was lying on the bed. He gave a frown but did not open his eyes. What have you been up to? he asked Ada. Adaughed and replied, Nothing. Do you have a headache now? Let 373 Getting Away With It me give you a massage. Then Dragon rested his head on Adasp. As Ada massaged his head skilfully, she kept thinking about what Anna had just said. Gradually, her mind drifted away. Yeah, Anna that f****4g w***e was right. Shes like a witch who can easily mesmerize men. As Dragon is the only man that Ican rely on from now on, Icant let her steal him away from me, either! Just wait and see, | torture the s**t out of her! Ouch! Whats wrong with you? All of a sudden, Dragon opened his eyes, red at her and asked as identally picked at his scalp with her nails. And Ada was immediately brought back. Im sorry! Ada said in a panic. Her eyes immediately filled with tears, making her look very pitiful and innocent. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Youre seducing me! Il give you the punishment you deserve, naughty girl! Ah! Be gentle, please At the same time, Anna was led back into the dark room by a gang member. As soon as she walked into the room, Anna smelled a fishy odor permeating the room. She almost threw up when the smell of mens sweat and sperm came into her nose. The men had all left, leaving Anna standing in the center of the room. With mixed emotions filling up in her head, Anna stared at Lily, whoy on the bed like a broken doll. She was naked, and her body was covered in scars from previous injuries. There were tears all over her face, and she looked like shed been tohell. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 375 Dont You Want to Take Revenge? 374 Dont You Want to Take Revenge? Anna stood there, holding the table and feeling ufortable. Lily was sobbing in a low voice. Her voice was intermittent as if she were being choked. Then Anna looked back, only to see that Lilys eyes were bloodshot. She was biting her wrist, and blood was dripping from it. Panicked, Anna ran over and grabbed her arm, saying, Stop it! Youre gonna die if you lose too much blood! Were in the middle of nowhere and there wont be a doctor for us! However, Lily bit her wrist again, letting the blood bleed. Anna lowered her voice and persuaded Lily, please listen to me. After all youve done for Ada, she brought you here as a s*x toy and forced you to. live a miserable life. Dont you want retaliation? Take a look at her life: she appears to be having a good time. Lily paused as she stared in awe at Anna. It would be a tragedy if you died right now. Ada would throw your body into the mountains and feed the vultures. Hearing that, Lily finally let go of her wrist. She shivered and cried, I really hate her! Shes worse than devils from hell! Anna grabbed Lilys wrist and tore the sheet off as a bandage to dress her wound and stop the bleeding. She said, Yes, she is insane. She could have lived a normal life, but she chose to join drug dealers on a desert ind. Whats ore, shes a murderer! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. A murderer?! Lily asked in surprise. Anna let go of her wrist and said thoughtfully, Yes, SHE IS A 374 Dont You Want to Take Rev. MURDERER. Ada killed someone, which is why the police are constantly on the lookout for her. She stayed with this group of people out of desperation. You are not like her, because you just made a small mistake. You can start over if you leave here and go somewhere no one knows who you are. You are still quite young, Lily. And you still have the chance to start over. Lily didnt seem to have considered the possibility before. She was in a trance as she listened to Annas words. Having stood up, Anna knocked on the door and asked the bearded man standing in the doorway to come over. She asked for a bucket of clean, warm water and a towel and then wiped Lilys body. after washing, everything can be as good as new. But first, you must be in a positive frame of mind. But how do we get out? Anna lowered her voice and said, There is always a way out. We cant just stay here and do nothing. This ind is not well guarded, and there arent many people on it. We can get out of here if we work together and open the back window. Lily shook her head as she looked at the sealed back window, then down at her bandaged wrist. She said, No, youre making it far too simple. Ifit was that easy, I would have left long ago. We cant even leave this courtyard because the man at the door is on high alert. Then well deal with him first, Through the window slit, Anna looked out and murmured Meanwhile, several people were debating what they should do to rescue Anna at the Wright house. The signals range is too broad. There are thirteen inds in total, so | have no way of knowing which one Anna was taken to. However, looking 374 Dont You Want to Take Rev. for them ind by ind will take a long time. Ryan examined the situation by pointing to theputer tracking device in front of him. He then marked the dozen or so inds on the map Where Anna was most likely to be one by one. Peace suggested anxiously, Why dont we just leave it to the cops? They can gather arge number of people to search those thirteen inds. So long as they start their operations at the same time, those viins wont find out about it. Nice idea, Karl said, nodding. Wayne said, shaking his head, No! If an ident urs, the consequences will be severe. Its extremely suspicious that so many people would suddenly appear at sea. The gang must have its own anti-detection equipment, and they would kill the hostages before escaping. Moreover, the police have no way to hide themselves. Karl said anxiously, What? Do you wanna go there and rescue Anna alone? No way! I will not let you go alone! Youre not Spider-Man, Wayne! Turning his head, Wayne looked at Ryan and said, There is another option. Since the anti-drug campaign started earlier this year, this mob hasnt done much business. They wille out to do business as soon as someone dares to buy drugs from them now. It would be great if we could get them all off the ind. Karl, wide-eyed, asked, Youre going to get into drug dealing? Are you insane? Ryan said, Actually, I believe we can give it a shot. Three years ago, narcotics officers in London used this method to deal with this gang. However, they were discovered, and several people were killed. They were at their most powerful at the time. But now things are different because 374 Dont You Want to Take Rev. they are much weaker. If he doesnt get bolder and do more business, the members will all leave. Besides, our goal this time is not to gain Dragons trust. What do you mean? Karl asked. Ryan spoke slowly, We can first take care of his men. He might note out easily, but his men will. We can find out who is still in the business if we ask around. But, because of what happened a while ago, everyone is wary now. What makes you think theyll believe you? Ryan cast a nce at Wayne and said, The cash. They dont believe in people, but they believe in money. We can definitely make this work as long as we have the money. Karl had always looked unsure about this. When he saw how certain Wayne and Ryan were about it, he knew he couldnt say anything else to talk them out of it. So, what are you going to do? he asked We n to begin with the ck market. First, we will track down vendors who have recently sold drugs. They will offer to take more shipments after we purchase some drugs from them. Most of those vendors must have gotten their goods elsewhere. As a result, they will introduce us to his supplier and profit from it. How do you know these traders are rted to Dragon? Karl asked as he was worried. Ryan said, Dragons gang controls the entire citys drug trade, so no one dares to mess with him. Now that the narcotics police here are on guard, other cartel groups avoiding here. As a result, the only drug dealers who remain here are members of the Dragons gang. But you still didnt convince me. Its too dangerous! Karl said. Peace rolled her eyes at him and grumbled, Shut up, Karl. If Wayne 374 Dont You Want to Take Rev. hadnt had a fight with Anna, she wouldnt have been traveling alone. If Ryan hadnt messed with the drug cartel, she wouldnt have been involved in this mess. After all, the Wrights were the ones who put her through this. And the Wrights should have tried to save her at all costs! After hearing Peaces words, Karl didnt dare to say anything else. Then Ryan said, I know its all my fault, so Ill take responsibility. Il find a way to bring Anna back safely. Peace frowned at Wayne and said angrily, Im not even sure if shes still alive! Wayne will irritate her once more if she returns. Everyone stopped talking, After a while, Wayne abruptly said, I will agree to whatever Anna requests as long as shees back safely. She can take Matthew to America, or I will never bother her as she wishes. Ryan said, Dont worry, Anna is definitely safe now. If these drug dealers truly wanted to kill her, they wouldnt have gone to the trouble of bringing her to the ind in the first ce. It seemed strange to me because Dragon had never done anything like that before. Peace understood that the most important thing at this point was to get Anna out, so she simply said, Talk to the police department and let Jasper go. Wayne frowned. Peace, Wayne did not tell the cops to arrest Jasper Peace gave Ryan a stern look and said, Cut the nonsense. If ? were Jasper, Id be the first to suspect that Wayne was hiding her too. You guys let the cops lock them up because you dont want him involved in this. Stop it and let him go. Ryan was about to say something else when Wayne took out his phone and called his friends, telling them to let Jasper go. And Peace appeared a little satisfied. Afterwards, Wayne and Ryan asked someone for 374 Dont You Want to Take Rev. help. Ryan had previously discussed it with his ssmates involved in the drug bust, and they almost all agreed to help him. Theyd already offended Dragon, so they werent going to sit around and wait to die. He said cautiously, Theyll meet us tomorrow night at the back door of the downtown nightclub. Weve ordered a dozen or so, and the delivery man will be a skinny guy. Chapter 376 Chapter 376 376 Hitting His Softest Spot 375 Hitting His Softest Spot Lily told Anna everything she knew about this ind. On this ind lived the Dragon and his most trusted members, and about twenty of them lived there. Every day, they would patrol in teams in each direction to prevent anyone else from essing the ind. They had people on duty during the day and night, but there were a few people who kept guard on the ind, such as Mike, who was always doing carpentry work in the yard; Skinny Josh, who only kissed the Dragons ass every day; Tim, who always helped the Dragon deal with secret missions, and Ada and the Dragon himself, Anna had been on the ind for three days when those guys arrived one after the other, all having s*x with Lily. Lily asked Anna to hide in the corer and be quiet because she was already used to it. So shed take it all on and start over after she got out. However, Anna had never seen Ada except for the first night. She asked Lily, puzzled, Why doesnt your cousin leave her room? Lily said indifferently, That b***h is no longer my cousin, and | feel sick when I think of her; After cursing Ada, Lilly exined, Dragon is a picky man, and Ive heard he has some strange fetishes. When hes high on drugs, he bes even more bizarre, and he frequently hits Ada. You heard the noises in their room the night you arrived here, didnt you? | believe she will be unable toe out of the room for some time. Anna shuddered, a chill running down her spine. She was d she had been wise enough to stop Ada from sending her to the Dragons bed, or she would go through worse things Lilly suddenly changed the subject and asked, Do you really mean 375 Hitting His Softest Spot everything you said? Of course, Anna nodded and said, I dont know anyone else, but this man with the beard is very important to us. We can begin with him because he is the one Dragon trusts most. Also, | believe that he has a child They call him Mike. But how do you know that he had a child? Anna lifted the newspaper from the window to let the light through They could see out the window into the yard this way. Look what he does every day! He sits on a bench chipping wood. Theres a small chair, a small wooden pot on the ground, and a small duck made of wood. All these things are clearly made for children. Anna eximed Yes, youre right. But why didnt he bring the kid with him? Anna pointed to the houses second floor and said, I guess hes afraid that the kid will be in danger on the ind. Earlier, Ive overheard Mike talking with Skinny Josh and | know his wife died. At that time, Mike was enraged. It looks like his wife died miserably on the ind. Give these to him. Children love these toys, After a pause, Anna said, pulling two toy capsules from her pocket. Lily examined the toy for a while and said curiously, There are so many toys in this world! Ive never seen these delicate little toys before. When we get out, Ill take you to a ce where no one knows who you are. You can livefortably there and see sights youve never seen before. Lily said as she held the two toys, It would be nice if | had the opportunity. Im sorry, Anna. I should not have hurt you before. Then Lily wiped her tears, took a deep breath, and shouted out the window before Anna could respond, Im hungry, Mike. Could you get me 375 Hitting His Softest Spot something to eat? Soon, Mike delivered two loaves of bread to her through the window. Thank you! And, could you please bring me another cup of warm water? Lily asked. Her voice was sweet, and she appeared innocent. She had previously fooled Wayne, so she could fool this man who had been living on a deserted ind. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Mike quickly handed her a ss of water through the window. Lily touched his hand and said, Wait a minute! Mike abruptly became agitated. He jerked his hand back, asking irritably, What do you want? Lilly became pale with fear. Dont get me wrong, I just wanted to give you this, she shuddered as she spread her hand, revealing the two toys. Anna was sitting in the corner of the room, so she could see Mikes, expression. Mike looked surprised and guilty when he saw the two toys in Lilys hand. Lily said, You can give these to your kid. Mike frowned and asked, How do you know I have a child? Lily still held her hand up, looking embarrassed. I saw the things you made in the yard, and I guessed those were for your kids, she exined. Thank you, Mike said after a brief pause. Then he took a boat and left the ind. When Mike returned to the ind, it was almost evening, and he looked much happier than usual. He served the meal from the window but did not leave right away, as he had done previously. He simply stood 375 Hitting His Softest Spot there. Lily whispered to him, Im sorry, I have nothing else to give you now. Mike said, I didnt mean to ask for anything. I just wanted to ask where you got those toys. Did you get them in the city? Oh, I bought them at a mall in the city center. Mike nodded sadly and remained silent. Lily added, There are more of the toys in the game rooms. Hearing that, Mike walked away, nodding absentmindedly. Having made sure he was far away, Lily turned to Anna and asked, What should we do next? Ive already done what you said. Ill teach you moreter. Im still nning. That deserted ind had a dense forest, and they were in the center. They couldnt leave on their own if there were no road signs. Except for thinking about what Lily should say to Mike, Anna had been working on how to leave the ind these days. She couldnt swim, so the only way out was to leave the ind by boat. Whats this? Lilly asked as Anna scribbled on the ground with a branch. Anna lowered her voice, pointed to the branch in the center, and said, This is a map of the ind. Were probably here, you see. I arrived on the east side of the ind. Every day, patrols are conducted in all four directions. However, the people who patrol from the west side return thetest, implying that the west side is probablyrger. Mikes child is supposed to live over there. Lily looked at Anna admiringly before sitting on the bed, eating her bread, and saying, But Mike hasnt mentioned his child to me, and he 375 Hitting His Softest Spot hasnt asked where | got this toy. What if he tries to get to the city on his own? Anna said, Then its for the best! The more frequently they appear in the city, the more likely it is that the police will find them. We might be rescued this way. Just as Lily was about to say something, they heard a noise from outside. It turned out that the men returned from their patrol change. Then a man came into the room to see Lily. Lily said nothing and simply gestured Anna to go to a corner with her eyes. Anna remained crouched in the doorway, not daring to move. At the same time, Mike had been working on some woodwork in the yard. He appeared to be focused but actually, he always kept an eye on Annas movements. After a while, Skinny Josh opened the yard gate. He walked around Mike as soon as he walked in and said, ! have something to talk to you about. Mike nced at him and asked, Do you want to get out of here again? Youve been out several times this month. Do you know how dangerous it can be? Josh muttered, Rest assured. Im always cautious. Its so damn boring in here, and I just want to have some fun. Besides, Im not doing anything dangerous. Do you want to get something for your daughter? Because the yard was small, Anna clearly heard the phrase your daughter. Josh looked dissatisfied and red at him. Josh also saw Anna in front of the cabin, and then he whispered in a lower voice, You cant keep your daughter in here! Do you want her to live here for the rest of her life? For your deceased wifes sake, Dragon will make it up to you. Chapter 377 Chapter 377 377 A Narrow Escape Mikes saw suddenly dropped to the ground with a loud thud. He was enraged and stared coldly at Josh. Anna was taken aback as well, and her heart began to race. No, I didnt mean that, Josh eximed in a panic. Mike was always friendly, but he seemed irritated at the time. He looked at Josh coldly as if he wanted to kill him. Anna reflected on what Josh had said. She was sure that Mikes wifes death had something to do with Dragon, but she wondered why he shouldpensate Mike. Just do it for the sake of your daughter, Mike. You cant leave her with us for the rest of her life because she might end up being a s*x toy here! Mike picked up the saw on the ground and slowly sawed the wood as if he was thinking about this. And he didnt give Josh an urate answer until the man who was having s*x with Lily in the cabin left. Anna didnt dare to stay by the door much longer for fear of being suspected by them. So, she had to go back. The odour of sperm permeated the room and became more pungent. Lily was getting dressed on the bed. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were nk. Anna couldnt stand looking at her any longer, so she poured some hot water and tried to help Lily get clean with it. As she was pouring the water, she heard Lily saying, John said that he was going to ask Dragon for a favor and let me be his woman from now en 376 A Narrow Escape Did you say yes to him? Anna asked, frozen Lily bit her lower lip and said, I dont think the n you mentioned is. any better than doing nothing. I no longer want to live like this. After Anna turned her head, she saw that Lilys face was already covered with tears. Sobbingly, Lily muttered, He promised me that no one would ever treat me unfairly again if | became his woman. Hell be nice to me. We cant leave here right now, but he said hell take me out after a while. So, you believed him? Anna asked, frowning. Lily clenched her teeth and sobbed, I dont believe him, but Ill give it a shot. Mike is a good man, but its difficult to impress him. I wasnt sure if We could pull it off, so I wanted to give it a shot. Anna eximed eagerly, Dont make a hasty decision! Think twice before you make a decision. if you stay with that man, you will only have a good life for a short time. What if he gets tired of youter on and wants to rece you with another woman? By then, what will you do? Listen to me, Lily. This isnt a way out. Lily lowered her head as if shed made up her mind, And Anna realized she couldnt persuade Lily any longer. Sighing, she said helplessly, Let us wait for a while. If Mike doesnt talk to you within the next few days, you can go with John. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Lily nodded. Anna had no idea what would happenter. She had just overheard the two mens conversation, but she didnt know if Josh would eventually persuade Mike. Mike and Josh left after a while and returned to the indte at night. Lily and Anna were still awake at that point. When Lily heard a noise in the yard, she dashed to the window to check it out. Anna sat up as well. When she saw Lilys sad expression, she realized her n had failed. 376 A Narrow Escape Mike was carrying a supermarket shopping bag filled with toys. He must have gone downtown, and | doubt hell ever speak to us again. Lily spoke in hushed tones, but her voice was loud in the small space. Yes, Anna nodded, but we still have a chance. Lily took a deep breath and turned to face Anna, saying, I dont want to wait any longer. You can do it your way, and Ill do it my way. Im desperate to leave this ind. But the more those people torture me, the more | want to die with Ada. So | have to leave here as soon as I can. Idont know how much longer | can bear the suffering! Sitting on the ground with her mind cluttered with all kinds of thoughts, Anna did not say anything else. The next day, John told Dragon about this and took Lily away. After Lily left, no one came here anymore. The small, cramped room seemed even more empty to Anna. She sighed as she sat by the window, knowing that she couldnt rely on Lily and had to figure out how to escape alone. While she was lost in thought, she looked out of the back window. She carefully shook the nail above it and pulled it out after making sure no one noticed her movement. Little by little, she took the wooden bar that held the window shut, removed a nail and c****d the next one. She then heard the sound of the door opening. Anna froze, shoved the wood under the bed, and turned around. And she saw Josh enter the room and leer at her. Theres no one else in the house today except you, Josh said. Anna panicked and asked, What do you want? Get out! Josh looked at her and smiled, asking. Why did you do that to your lovely face? | get it, you dont want them to know that youre pretty. They arent here today, so Ill treat you good right now. 376 A Narrow Escape Dont touch me! Anna screamed in horror. She kept putting dust on her face since she got there. That way, the men patrolling the yard wouldnt see her face and would never notice her. But Mike and Josh were the ones who brought Anna to the ind, and they had seen Annas face. Josh used to think the room was packed with people, so he didnt dare to get into the room. He eventually waited until no one was there. Josh pounced on Anna and said, Ive been protecting you these days! Are you sure you dont want to give me something in return? At that critical moment, Anna snatched the wooden bar from under the bed and smacked Josh on the side of the head. He screamed and sat on the floor. While covering his bleeding head, he shouted out of anger, You f*****g b***h! How dare you hit me! Anna smacked him on the head several more times until he stopped moving. When she noticed the door open, Anna ran toward the door without hesitation. Just as she got out of the courtyard, she bumped into a man and fell to the ground. Who the f**k are you? the man asked her. Anna shuddered as she noticed the tall man who was staring at her. The man had a beard and appeared to be very fierce. Like a pirate captain, he wore an eye patch over one of his eyes. Annas face turned pale from horror; it was the first time shed seen Dragon since she arrived on the ind. Then Dragon squeezed her shoulder and asked angrily, Answer me! How did you get here? Who brought you here?! Chapter 378 Chapter 378 378 Saved by A Little Girl What the hell?! Arent you the one who ordered your men to kidnap me and bring me here? Why do you act like you know nothing about it? Thinking of that, Anna shuddered in panic and said, I dont know. Ive been here for a month and I dont know how | got here Then Dragon looked at her in surprise and asked, What? Who brought you here? Anna eximed, pointing to Josh in the room, Its him! And a man with a beard! Dragon immediately understood what had happened. He shouted angrily, Bastard! Anna deliberately pretended to be aggrieved and crouched in theer. And Josh was shivering on the ground, blood dripping from his head. Then Ada walked down the stairs. She looked exhausted and didnt appear to have gotten enough rest. When Ada saw Annas sad expression, she immediately smiled. She leaned on Dragons shoulder and said in a coquettish voice, Its not a big deal, Dragon. Dont get upset over a small thing like this. If Josh likes her, let him have her. Im not asking which woman Josh has his eye on, but why is she here, woman! Dragon said, refusing to let the matter go. Josh copsed to the ground, trembling, and eximed, It wasnt me! Miss Xavier had asked Mike and me to bring her in. Im not sure whats going on! Immediately, Adas face became paler. She said, Voure talking 377 Saved by A Little Girl nonsense! You wanted her, so you brought her here. I have absolutely no idea about this! Boss, you must believe me. You can ask Mike, he was there with me. He couldnt have kidnapped her without your orders. Dragon nced at Mike, who had been standing off to the side, and asked, Whats going on? Tell me! Josh was right, Miss Xavier told us to do it, Mike said indifferently. Adas eyes widened in shock. Dragon angrily pushed Ada to the ground, I shouldnt have been so nice to you! How dare you order my gang around and keep sending people from outside?! Are you trying to get me killed? Dragon, Im trying to take revenge for you! She is Waynes wife and Ryans sister-inw. That family caused you to suffer so greatly! Is that so? Then why dont you just kidnap that i**t Ryan? Dragon snapped. He grabbed Adas hair and pped her face several times, making her mouth bleed. Ada fell to the ground and couldnt even speak clearly. She suddenly said, Dragon, Ill kill her now. Im sorry, Ill never do it again. Hearing her words, Dragon red at Anna as if he were looking at an ant. For him, killing her was as easy as pie. He said, We should kill her quietly. And we need to step up patrols these days so the cops wont find us. After that, Dragon looked at Ada indifferently, pointing to the cabin next to it and said, Leave this to Mike. Ada, | underestimated you. | didnt expect you to dare to order my gang. Dont you ever go to my room again! Since you like to put women in that room, you can stay there for the rest of your life! 377 Saved by A Little Girl Ada cried and fell at the Dragons feet, but he had no mercy for her. He kicked her hard and quickly returned to his room. Ada stood up and followed him. Meanwhile, Josh shuddered and stood up, feeling relieved. He then asked Mike, What are you going to do with her? Hearing that, Annas face turned as pale as a ghost. She didnt know if Mike was a good guy or not. However, even the good guys might have killed people on this ind. Mike looked at Anna coldly and said, Im going to take her to the mountains and get her killed and buried. Lets go. Josh said, Why dont you leave it to me? Ill have to teach hera lesson because she hit me. Mike said, looking up at the second floor, Dragon ordered me to handle her, not you. If you want to do that for me, you can ask him yourself. As Mike was speaking, there came the sound of a leather whip striking someone and Adas screams. Josh shuddered and said, Forget it! Ive just gotten out of trouble, and I cant risk it again because of this woman. Take her away! Mike let out augh and took Anna away. They kept walking through the woods. It was almost dark when they arrived at a stream. And Anna saw that there was a grave with a cross on it. Her heart was racing, and she thought in depression, You want to drown me here and bury me, dont you? f**k! Ive never imagined that Il die in this way. If! die, who will look after Tammy for me? | know Wayne will be responsible for raising Tammy and Matthew. But God knows whether there will be another Ada who tries to harm the kids so that she can be with Wayne! 377 Saved by A Little Girl C Mike walked alone across the stream to the grave, removing the grass away from it. Anna felt it was weird. After a brief pause, she asked, Is this your wifes grave? Thats not the question you should be asking, Mike growled. Anna shut up and thought, Whats wrong with you? Do you have to get your wifes permission before you kill someone? Cant you just hurry up and get it over with?! dont want to suffer anymore! Suddenly, she heard a little girl say, Dont you touch my mother! The voice echoed through the peaceful woods. When Anna looked up, she noticed a skinny little girl running out. I said Im the only one who can touch my moms grave! she yelled as she ran to the grave and pushed Mike hard. Mike sat down on the ground. He didnt seem pissed but he looked sad. After a while, he patted the dirt on his clothes and said to Anna, Lets go. Anna looked at them and decided she couldnt go with him. She asked the little girl, Do you like the toy | gave you? The girl froze and blinked at her. Mike angrily yanked Annas arm and said, Dont talk to her. Go now! Anna continued to pray in her heart that God would save her. The little girl then stopped them and asked Mike, Who is she? Where are you going to take her? Stop asking that! All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The little girl ran up to them and shouted, Thats what you told me before my mother died! Leave her here! No! Then donte back here to see me. Im going to have to leave this 377 Saved by A Little Girl hellhole sooner orter! Mike frowned. Anna said, I cant run away for now, so maybe you can kill meter. Let me live a few more days and take care of this kid. It wont do you no good. As Mike was hesitant, the little girl took Annas arm and said, Come with me. Chapter 379 Chapter 379 379 Lets Get out of Here The girl led Anna through the woods to an isted cave. Anna followed the girl into the narrow cave and found that it was actually well- furnished. The furniture there was all exquisite woodwork, with a bed, a table, a chair and a mirror. Anna noticed some wooden ducklings in the bathtub and assumed they were the ones Mike had carved that day. Mike clearly loved his daughter, but Anna couldnt understand why the girl seemed to despise her father so much. My name is Tracy. Whats yours? said the girl. She didnt seem to be scared of Anna. Anna was relieved that she still had a few more days, and she smiled and said, Im Anna. Thank you for saving me. Youre very wee. But | can only save you for the time being. After awhile, hell still kill you. Hes just one of Dragons obedient dogs, and he will do whatever Dragon wants. Hes your father, isnt he? Anna froze. I wish that hes not, Tracy said, frowning, Hes not worthy of being my father or my mothers husband. He stood by and watched as those bastards abused my mother, but he didnt dare to say anything or do. anything about it! Hea that, Anna felt conflicted emotions and for Tracy. Then Tracy picked up two toys from the windowsill and said, The little toys you gave me are awesome. When | opened them, I found these 378 Lets Get out of Here two things. What are these? | followed the instructions and made two monsters. Theyre not monsters; theyre Bumblebee and Spider-Man, Anna said with a smile. What exactly are they? They are both heroes. And And Tracy listened intently as Anna told the story of the Marvel characters. How old were you when you came here? After finishing telling the stories, Anna asked. About four or five. I dont remember, Tracy said nkly, Im going to have to leave here eventually anyway! But no one talks to me except for the box. Which box? Tracy proudly disyed her box to Anna and eximed, I always talk to it when Im bored. To be honest, I dont understand anything the box says. But I think youll understand because youre from outside. Anna smiled as she looked at the old radio. She had an idea and asked, Where can you hear the box talking? Tracy pointed to the sky outside and said, I can hear it when I climb to the top of West Mountain! Is this because the gods all live in higher ces? She referred to a hill to the northwest as West Mountain. Do you always bring this radio to that mountain? Anna asked. Pointing to the box, Tracy said happily, Oh, this thing is called a radio! Anna nodded her head. 378 Lets Get out of Here Tracy continued, After | climb to the top of the hill, I will press this button. Then the radio will start ying, But I can only hear it when the Weather is nice, and it wont talk when it rains. Anna took her phone from her duvet pocket. When she woke up after she was taken to the ind, her first thought was to get her phone, and she was surprised they hadnt taken it away. Sheter discovered that it was because there was no signal there. And as she learned that there was a signal at the top of the mountain, Annas eyes glowed. Tell me what its like out there, will you? Tracy said, waving her hand. Anna stared at the little girl and thought for a moment. Then she said, Life is much more exciting out there than it is here! The kids love these toys, and they loveic books and movies. Tracy listened intently to Anna about the outside world. And Anna also got some information from her. Looking around, Anna noticed orange lights on, making it look quite cozy. She asked, Youve been living here for over seven years, right? Actually, my dad was supposed to send me out of here after my mother died. But he didnt. You were little then, so he couldnt send you away. But | heard there were orphanages where children could be adopted. They have food and games, and Im not sure why he didnt send me there. Those children are orphans and have no parents. They have a miserable life. I dont have a mother, and Mike doesnt deserve to be my father. Also, I was trapped here and had to watch out for wild animals. So, I ive a miserable life too. Let me go to the orphanage! | really, really want to go 378 Lets Get out of Here there! Anna felt mixed emotions. By the early morning, Tracy finally felt tired and fell asleep. Having snuck out of the cave on tiptoe, Anna ran up the hill. She turned on her phone and found it had only a 3% charge. She was very anxious and went around the hill for a long time, trying to find a signal. But she had just taken two steps when her phone died. Anna sighed as she put her phone back in her pocket and walked back to the cave. The next morning, Mike came in and put a thermos on the table. Anna ducked back and gave him a wary look. Mike told Anna, Tell my daughter to get up and eat breakfast. There are wild animals here, so dont run around at night. If you meet them, no one can save you. Anna froze, realizing that Mike knew she had gone up the mountainst night. Tracy awoke after Mike had left. She sat at the table, looked at the insted lunchbox, then put the lid back on it. Sheined, Its the same meal every day! | dont wanna eat it Anna asked, Tracy, do you want to get out of here? Tracy eximed as she ate her bread, Of course I do! | even made a raft in secret. But it doesnt float, and I cant swim. I dont even have an idea about which direction | should go. Would you mind showing me your raft? Do you want to run away? Let me tell you, its okay for me to run and get caught. But if you do that and get caught, you will be screwed. But dont you want to get out of here? The world outside is full of wonders! 378 Lets Get out of Here No. Anna, stay here and talk to me, please. I can pretend Ive been there if you tell me a little more about the outside world. It was at that moment that Anna realized she had probably talked too much about the outside world the night before, leaving the girl with little interest in what was out there. Still, her eyes lit up when she saw the bread in Tracys hand. Do you know what people eat out there? she asked. What? Pheasant, steak, and bread? Those are main dishes. Do you know about dessert? Ive heard the box mention it. What exactly is it? Is it tasty? N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Try it, Anna said, pulling a bar of melted chocte from her jacket pocket Tracy refused to eat the chocte after looking at it. She asked, What is this? No, Im not eating it! It looks like s**t! Anna said as she popped half of the chocte into her mouth. It tastes really nice. See, try some. Tracy was finally persuaded. A few secondster, Tracy ate the chocte quickly and even licked the wrapper. She said, This is so good! Do you have any more chocte? Ifyou want more of this, get out of here with me, okay? There are things that are better than chocte out there, such as burgers, donuts, cakes, lobster and so on. Tracy asked curiously, Wow! Are there really so much tasty food? Anna said, Im not lying! But Mike lied to me! He keeps telling me that if | go outside, Ill starve to death. He doesnt want me to leave here. 378 Lets Get out of Here You will indeed starve to death if you go out there by yourself. But if youe with me, Ill make sure you get to eat all of this. Tracy asked, her eyes brightening, What are we waiting for? Ill show you the raft | built earlier. Chapter 380 Chapter 380 380 Running Away Ryan had been staring intently at the radar signal receiver. After a While, he stood up and yelled in the living room, I just found Annas phone signal. | found it N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. A crowd rushed from the living room into the study immediately. Wayne was the first to run over, followed by Jasper, Peace, Karl, Andrew, Mona, and a few members of Emilys Blue Eagle Reserves. They all couldnt believe what they were hearing. Wayne asked, When did this happen? How? Where? Right now! There was only a brief signal just now, and it has disappeared. Ryan became agitated and even forgot how to operate it. Jasper shoved him aside and began typing into theplicated instrument. He smiled as he looked at the red dot on the satellite map. He said, Thats Annas phone signal. We can go find her now! Wayne said as he was delighted, Karl, tell the police about this. Tell them the location and let them rescue Anna with us. Vm on my way, Karl called the police, while Peace was on the verge of tears. Meanwhile, Anna followed Tracy to the river, where she discovered the broken-down raft. Anna realized they couldnt get away by taking this shabby raft. As a result, they began work on a new one. When it was nearly dark, Anna and Tracy returned to the cave, and they covered up the halfpleted raft with weeds. Mike delivered the food to them as usual in the evening. Tracy didntin about food 379 Running Away anymore because she was too tired. She didnt even mind that Mike didnt leave. Anna sat far away from Mike and took her time eating. She hid two loaves of bread in her pocket in case they became hungry while floating down the river. What would you like to eat tomorrow? Steak! eximed Tracy immediately. She looked at Anna and said, Also, I want some bread! Give me some more bread Why do you suddenly like bread? Mike asked in doubt. Theyre delicious. Really? Why are you asking so many questions? All | want to do is eat bread! Allright, Ill bring you bread tomorrow. Mike said. He looked meaningfully at Anna before leaving, sending chills down her spine. The wind howled outside the cave at night. Tracy fell asleep after Anna told her a story. Anna tucked her in and walked cautiously into the woods. She still tried to repair the raft. Are you nning to leave? she heard someone ask as she struggled to lower the raft into the water. rmed, Anna asked, Who is it? Mike stepped out of the forest. His shadow appeared extraordinarily long and slender in the moonlight. And he gave Anna a cold stare as if she were prey. In a fluster, Anna exined, No, it. its not what you think itis. Im not trying to run away. Im helping your daughter test this raft to see if it works. She wants to get out of here, so I need to make sure shell be 379 Running Away safe. Would you believe that excuse yourself? Mike sneered. Anna began to shake all over. She gritted her teeth and said, I can give you the money you want if you let me go. Come with me. Mike said. Anna had no choice but to follow him. They arrived at another shore a few momentster. She noticed a fishing boat anchored in the water with a young girl inside. And Anna recognized that it was Tracy. Mike said, The raft will not work in this river, and it will sink before reaching the shore. You can leave the ind if you use this boat. Do you want me to bring your daughter? If you want to go, you have to bring her with you. I already put some things | want to give her on this boat. Dont evere back after you leave. If she asks you where | amter, just tell her Im dead. You dont want her to leave the ind, do you? Anna asked, surprised. Yes, but she cant spend the rest of her life on this ind. I dont want her to end up like her mother. By then, it was almost dawn, and Anna didnt dare to waste any time. Mike pushed the boat hard against the shore after she got into it. The boat then swayed and moved toward the rivers center. Anna sat on the boats bow, looking at Mike, who was standing on the river, feeling conflicted. But she was only sorry for a moment before being ovee by the joy of getting out of here. She was ecstatic because she didnt believe she could escape. After the boat left the shore, Anna noticed smoke rising from the inds far side shortly. As if the entire sky had been set on fire, golden fire 379 Running Away spread throughout the ind. She stood up as her heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself, Whats happening? She could hear underwater engines starting up around her at that, moment. Then, with a bang, someone shot a hole through the boat, causing it to shake violently. Anna screamed in shock as water poured into the cabin, leaving her at a loss for words. Tracy! Tracy! She tried to wake Tracy up. But Mike had given her a strong sleeping pill that made her fast asleep. Anna kept tapping her, but she didnt wake up. The boat was rapidly sinking. Anna yanked Tracys hand and tried to drag her to the shore. She drowned in the river after choking on the water. Then she passed out. Those on the boat arent drug dealers! There are two women there! Several people jumped into the water right away. When Anna was floating in the water, she felt someone pick her up. She was so used to this persons embrace that she gave up fighting and closed her eyes and instead. In her dream, she discovered that both Tammy and Matthew had been kidnapped by drug dealers. Ah! She sat up abruptly and broke out in a cold sweat. The man beside her shook her hands and said in surprise. Anna, youre awake! Anna turned her head in a daze and saw the person in front of her. Jasper, is that you? Jasper took her hand in his and said, Does your chest hurt? s me. How are you feeling? 379 Running Away Anna only had a slight headache. She took her hand out of Jaspers, felt her forehead, and asked, Where am I? My house. You stayed in the hospital for a few days after you fell into the river. I took it upon myself to bring you back here after the hospital said you could go home. Anna gradually regained consciousness after noticing that the roomsyout appeared familiar. She gave a thoughtful nod and said, I fell into the water. Right? You left the ind in a boat. The police thought you were drug dealers, but they didnt dare to take action. So, they shot the boat and sank it Anna gradually remembered everything: she escaped from the ind in a boat. Someone shot the boat and broke it just as she was rowing. Then both she and Tracy fell into the water. Where has Tracy gone? Who? The little girl who fell into the water with me. Shes about this tall, and shes twelve years old. She was in aa, and she cant swim either. Where is she? Jasper handed her a ss of water and told her, Rx, we saved her. She was in better condition than you and woke up after a short stay in the hospital. She is currently taking a statement at the police station. Thats great, Anna said, taking a sip of water to soothe her parched throat. As soon as Peace knew that Anna woke up, she hurriedly came to the room and told her, Thank goodness, youre alive! You know what? That night, all the drug dealers on the ind started fighting, and no one was even on patrol. The cops barged in. But before they could do anything, the 379 Running Away ind began to burn. The fire was sorge that it engulfed the entire forest. When Emily and her ssmates arrived at the scene to clean it up, they discovered more than twenty bodies inside the house. More than twenty people? Annas eyes widened in surprise, asking, There were about twenty people on the ind. Who started the fire? I have no idea. Thank God you left! It would have been a disaster if you were still there. Has anyone survived? Anna remembered that the fire had only recently begun when she left, and Mike was still watching her from the shore. I heard they caught a man with a big beard. He told the police everything. What did he say? He imed that a woman had burned down the entire ind. A woman? Who? Peace asked, blinking. Do you really believe that? When they cleaned up the bodies, they discovered over twenty men and one woman. Could this woman have burned them all to death and then died? Awoman died? Chapter 381 Chapter 381 381 You Can Have the Kids Scott was in Europe on tour at the time. Annas eyes widened in surprise as she realized what had happened. After entering the venue, fans discovered that the singer did not appear. If the fans were enraged, the consequences would be disastrous. Anna thought to herself, Randal is the organizer of the event, and hes going to lose alot of money. After doing the math in her mind, she said, Hes going to lose at least 70 to 80 million dors on this one. He deserves it! Scott gritted his teeth. Hearing that, Peace and Anna exchanged meaningful nces andughter. This is the first time Ive seen someone waste their money to get back at their boyfriend. You can give the money to me if you have too much money to waste, Peace said teasingly. Everyone left after dinner, but Scott stayed and said he would spend the night there. Just as he finished his sentence, Jaspers housekeeper walked in and said that Randal had arrived there Scott was ying a game on his phone intently. So, he told the housekeeper to get rid of Randal. Stretching out andying down on Annas bed, Scott said to Jasper, who was sitting on the couch across from him, Im not going anywhere! Youre the host, right? So, can I stay in your guest room tonight? Jasper sipped his coffee and said, No problem. Actually, I dont think you might be able to stay here tonight, so Ill ask them to prepare a room for you after Randal leaves. Anna doesnt like too many servants in the house, so I told many of them to take a leave. Scott frowned and said to Anna, Help me! Anna and Peaceughed happily and said, No, we cant intervene in it. Didnt you discuss it with Randal? 380 You Can Have the Kids Im not going to talk to him! Seeing Scott acting so unreasonably, Anna said, You can stalemate. Can you sleep if you leave him downstairs all night waiting for you? Lean. Im afraid hes not going to let you sleep either if thats the case, Anna said. Mr. Wilson is here, and he says he wants to see Miss Gabriel, the housekeeper returned and said. Everyone wentpletely still. Are you sure hes here to see me, not Scott? Anna asked. He said he came here specifically to see you. Scott was humiliated because he had just asked the butler to kick Randal out. It seemed that he was making a fool of himself. Anna nced at Scott and noticed that he looked extremely embarrassed. After that, Annaughed and walked to the door. He probably felt humiliated by you kicking him out, so he made an excuse to say he wasing to see me, she reassured Scott. Ill be right back. Meanwhile, Randal was drinking tea in the living room. Because the maid hadnt had time to put away the tes from the dining room table, it appeared a little cluttered. Anna exined awkwardly to him as she came downstairs, Weve just finished eating. If you had come earlier, you could have eaten with us. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Randal said, He wouldnt eat anything if I was there. Anna realized she was correct and said, After all, you came to pick him up. Why did you ask to see me? | thought you were here for Scott. Randal said, I have something to say to you. Scott was abroad at a 380 You Can Have the kids concert when I learned you had been kidnapped. I didnt tell him because he couldnte back to help you. I see what youre saying. I kept an eye on everything. I also looked for people to help with the search. But I didnt really help you because Wayne took care of many things. What does it have to do with him? Anna asked in surprise. Randal put down his cup and said calmly, Oh, he should thank me for telling you this. Wayne was the first that had learned that you had been kidnapped, and he devised the entire rescue n. He was initially hesitant to contact the CID because he was afraid that it would backfire. So he enlisted the help of a few Blue Eagle reservists and struck deals with drug dealers. He also went to the ind on that day. But Im not sure why you didnt see him. He went back to thepany after returning from the ind to continue his work trip. I wouldnt have known about this if he hadnt beente for the meeting yesterday. Anna felt conflicted as she listened to Randals words. Shed just realized Wayne had been busying for her all these days. She thought, But why has Wayne nevere to visit me these days? Seemingly knowing what Anna was thinking about, Randall said, Wayne was going to visit you, unfortunately, he had a high fever on the way. His assistant was worried about him and drove him to the hospital. Turned out he got pneumonia, and hes been staying at the hospital these days. Anna froze as she realized Wayne was the person who had saved her in the river that day. Randal nodded, Thats all | have to say about it. As for the matter 380 You Can Have the Kids with Scott and me, I can take care of it myself. That night, Randal took Scott away. Jasper told Anna she needed to rest, and then left. So, Peace was the only one who stayed in the bedroom with her. Theyy side by side on the bed, staring out of the window at the stars and talking. Anna knew she couldnt listen to Randal alone, so she told Peace what he had said to her. Peace didnt deny it. She said, Actually, I dont think you should keep thinking about it because he was the one who got you kidnapped in the first ce. Anna reminded her, Thats not true! It has something to do with him, but it isnt entirely his fault. The next morning, Anna went to the hospital to visit Wayne. As soon as she stood at the doorway to the ward, she saw Jennie sitting by the bed. Sitting in bed, Wayne appeared to be out of breath and a little pale. He coughed while signing the papers Gabe had brought. Please return it to the board of directors, He said to Gabe in a husky voice, Gabe then left the hospital room with the paperwork. On his way out, he noticed Anna standing in the doorway. Miss Gabriel, he greeted. Hearing that, both Wayne and Jennie looked at her. Anna smiled as best she could and lifted a bouquet of flowers in her hand to block Waynes gaze, I just learned you were in the hospital. | apologize for showing up so.te. Jennie stood up immediately and said, No, it is not toote. I thought you were still resting at home! Please take a seat and Ill get you a cup of tea. Anna walked through the door and said, No, thank you. Ill leave ina 380 You Can Have the kids minute. Jennie was at a loss for words and nced nervously at Wayne. Could you please give us some privacy? Wayne asked Jennie in husky tones. The atmosphere became awkward after Jennie left. Anna ced the flowers on the table. She stood at the foot of the bed and kept a distance from Wayne. You saved me, she finally said after a long pause. Wayne replied calmly, Technically speaking, I didnt. Someone else would have saved you if hadnt picked you up. Anna knew he was telling the truth, but she still felt sad. She thought for a while as to what to say next but couldnt think of anything to say. Then Wayne said, breaking the ice, Ive been thinking about the kids. Tammy grew up with you, and her nominal father is Jasper, so shes all yours. Matthew is your child, and we forced you to sign that contract. So, you can also take Matthew away. Hearing that, Anna froze and looked at Wayne in dismay. He was much thinner and haggard than before. He had been so calm that Anna couldnt tell how he felt judging by his expression. I talked to Grandpa, and he agreed to it. Ill have someone send Matthew to your house this afternoon. Wayne added. Anna clenched her fist and felt as if she couldnt breathe. Chapter 382 Chapter 382 382 Back to the Beginning 381 Back to the Beginning When are you going to leave? Wayne asked, pulling Annas wandering mind back. Anna was at a loss for words. She hadnt thought much about when she would leave, but Wayne seemed to have assumed she would. Then she said, I found a girl on the ind, and I want to adopt her. Maybe Ill leave once the adoption process ispleted. Wayne nodded thoughtfully. Just call Karl if you need any help, he said calmly after a brief pause. He looked convinced Anna would leave soon. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna was trembling and forgot what she was going to say. She knew she couldnt stay in the hospital any longer, so she left. Itwasnt until she stood at the gate of the hospital that she recalled that she simply came here to visit Wayne. Also, she was hesitant about whether to tell Wayne she was pregnant before arriving at the hospital. However, the moment Wayne asked her when she would leave, she was so shocked that she completely forgot what she was going to talk to him about. In the evening, Henry drove Matthew to Jaspers house. On the way, he said to Anna, Miss Gabriel, thank you for looking after Matthew. Anna felt guilty as she looked at Henrys sad expression. She asked, What did Grandpa say, Henry? Is he really willing to let me take Matthew away? Matthew is his only great-grandson. And he puts all of his hopes for thepanys future on Matthew. Henry sighed and exined, Of course he disagreed. He had a big 381 Back to the Beginning fight with Wayne, so he still refuses to go to the hospital to see him. Hearing his words, Anna felt even worse about herself. Henry paused for a few seconds before saying hesitantly, Wayne told me that he was going to marry another woman after you leave. Peter found him a nice girl, and they will marry soon. Anna was having trouble breathing. Her face was turning pale as she was astonished. As they arrived at the Wrights residence, Henry opened the car door for Anna and told her, Now that my task isplete, Im leaving. You can go back to our house with Matthew anytime you want and let him meet his father. Then he walked away. In the living room, Matthew sat on the sofa. He looked at Anna with a puzzled expression and said, Mommy, Grandpa Peter said I can see you all the time from now on, right? Anna tried her best to smile and said, Yes. From now on, youll be able to live with me and your sister at all times. and my sister? Yes, and your sister. What about Daddy? Ill send you back if you want to see him. Wont Daddy live with us? ene Matthews eyes had dimmed. Why? he asked, disappointed Later, the two children appeared to have lost interest in Wayne after Jasper picked Tammy up from Selinas house. In their room, they were happily ying with Legos. Jasper handed Anna an application to a prestigious foreign medical 381 Back to the Beginning school and said, Ive thought about it. You might not be used to giving up everything here and returning to America with me. I think its better for you to do something you like. Anna opened the file and immediately calmed down. She said, But | never finished college. Is it okay if | skip ahead to this? Jasper gently encouraged her, Its no problem. I sent the paper you wrote to the dean of the medical school. After reading it, the dean of the medical school believes you are exceptionally gifted and he is willing to admit you. You can sit in on their sses as an auditor for six months. And you can be one of them if you pass their exams after six months. Anna had dreamed of being a doctor ever since she was a kid, and she had never given up her studies over the years. But, having given up on that dream six years ago because of Wayne, she never imagined she could study medicine again. Jasper had secretly prepared her school application, which had touched her. Ifyou dont want to go there, you can find universities you like in Ennd. Anna took a deep breath and said, No, thanks. Youve made so much effort for me, and its a prestigious school that many medical students aspire to attend. I mean, why would I not want to go there? Are you sure you can leave everything here behind? Yes, I can give it a shot. Theres nothing left for me here. Ill let Peace and Andrew take care of Lemon, and Ill be ready to go once Tracys adoption ispleted. Okay. Jasper gave a thoughtful nod. This year had been a follow-up to Annas ident six years earlier. She knew that only by resolving this issue would she be able to start living a new life. 381 Back to the Beginning Tracy quickly adapted to life on the outside after leaving the ind But when she found out she was going abroad with Anna, she looked disappointed. That man inside the garden said you were taking me abroad, Anna. Dont you want to go abroad? Im going to leave, but I cant leave you here alone. Am going with that middle-aged gentleman? Tracy blinked. Huh? Anna was stunned for a moment before realizing Tracy was referring to Jasper. Jasper was about to turn forty, so Tracy assumed he was middle-aged. Anna couldnt stopughing and said, Yes, we will leave with him. But we wont be living with him, so dont worry. Tracy asked, disappointed, Huh? Were not going to stay together? Anna asked suspiciously, Whats wrong? You look disappointed. Of course Im disappointed! He was the first person I saw after leaving the ind, and he saved my life! Also, he has been looking after me these days. I can tell that hes a gentle and considerate person. Anna exined, We dont live together, but we live close to where he lives. We can see each other quite frequently. So, dont worry, Tracy. Upon hearing Annas words, Tracy appeared less disappointed. Then Anna added, Well, dont think too much about it. Ill show you around the city these days. Well leave once the adoption paperwork ispleted. Tracy nodded. Anna suddenly thought of something as she walked to the door and asked, Do you want to go see your dad before you 381 Back to the Beginning leave? Tracy frowned and said, No! Hes not my dad. Anna nodded and closed the door, thinking, Ofthe twenty people on the ind, only Mike made it out alive. He was arrested and sentenced to life in prison at the police station. He might never leave the prison again for the rest of his life. Tracy Yeah, she hates Mike to the core even though hes her father. !dont think she will want to get in touch with him anymore. Tracy was going to an orphanage after the police department verified her identity. As a result, Anna was unable to adopt her directly. The adoption policy at the orphanage said that children could only be adopted by married couples. Jasper finally registered her as his adopted daughter. He also gave her anew name: Isabe Thomas. Chapter 383 Chapter 383 383 Daddy Only Has Me Inside Jaspers courtyard, there was a small yground for children. Anna could hearughter as soon as she stepped into the courtyard. Jasper was worried that Tammy would be bored at home, so he invited her kindergarten ssmates over for the weekend Anna noticed a small figure sitting on the corner slide, looking out of ce, and a group of children jumping up and down inside the bouncy castle. She walked over, frowning. Matthew, why arent you ying with them? she asked. The setting sun reflected on his face, making him appear lonely. Mommy, he said, tilting his head. Why dont you y with them? Anna was alittle worried. Matthew shook his head, seemingly unhappy. Matthew had always been a sensitive child. Anna was worried about him, so she sat down beside him. The two of them turned their backs to the evening sun. Whats wrong? Tell me, baby. Matthew looked at Anna seriously. As he frowned, he looked like a mini version of Wayne. He murmured sadly, Tammy says that Uncle Jasper will be my daddy from now on. I wont be able to see my daddy after that. Anna froze and nced back at Tammy who was ying in the tunnel. She didnt seem bothered by anything. Tammy wouldnt be upset about leaving as she had grown up in America and was used to living there. Besides, she was closer to Jasper who had always cared for her than she was with Wayne. But all this was different for Matthew. (382 Daddy Only Has Me Anna sighed and said, You miss your father, dont you? Do you still want to go to America with me? Matthew stared at her for a while, finally shook his head and said, Im not leaving Anna frowned and asked, Why? Dont you want to live with Tammy and me? Matthew counted on his fingers as he held them out, You have a lot of people to keep youpany. You have Tammy, Uncle Jasper, and Isabe. But, my daddy only has me. Anna felt very guilty after hearing his words. After thinking for a while, she clenched her fist and said, But your daddy has your grandmother, Uncle Ryan, and your great-grandfather with him. I only have you and Tammy. Matthew shook his head and said, Great-grandpa and daddy are always fighting. My grandmother and Daddy dont talk much, and Uncle Ryan is going to America soon, too. Daddy doesnt know how to take care of me. But | know he loves me very much. At that point, Anna realized that no matter what, Matthew was still closer to Wayne. Although she wished Matthew could leave with her, she felt it was inappropriate. So, she chose to respect Matthew and let him make the decision himselt. At the end of the month, Peace and Karl held their wedding. It was a little hurried, but Karl was eager to finish it as soon as possible. He was so taken aback by the ident that had happened just before Anna and Waynes wedding that he decided to hold the wedding immediately. Their wedding took ce at a suburban resort. Many people attended the wedding and the entire resort was packed with luxury cars parked inside. (382 Daddy Only Has Me Peace was dyed by an ident when she left home in the morning, so they arrived at the venue a littleter than expected. And it made the entire process appear rushed. As a result, they cut right to the chase and started with the most important ceremonies: the ring exchange and the bouquet toss. Ona rose-covered stage, the girls waited for the bouquet. Peace tossed the pure white bouquet into the air, her back to the audience. The bouquet formed a beautiful arc in the air and hit Anna, who was just Then the crowd apuded. Mona shouted, Anna, | heard that the person who caught the bouquet should get married within three months. Otherwise, they will not be able to marry for the rest of their lives. The crowd burst outughing. Then Anna walked to the stage and said to Peace, Why dont you throw it again? | cant take this bouquet. Why? Youre worried no one will marry you? With that, Peace took the bouquet and tucked it into Annas arms. After looking around the room, she took the microphone, took Annas arm in one hand, and said to the audience, This is my best friend, Anna, and Im sure many of you know her. She is the sweetest woman | have ever met. She did, as you can see, catch my bouquet. If she does not get married within three months, itis said she will be unable to marry for the rest of her life. So Id like to ask a question for her. Does anyone want to date her now that she is single? Many people began to say, Sign me up, as soon as she finished. Anna was stunning and elegant; many of the rooms men had already noticed her. Everyone became more enthusiastic. Meanwhile, Anna lowered her head in embarrassment and dashed off stage, not even waiting for Peace to finish her words. (382 Daddy Only Has Me As soon as she left the crowd, Anna asked the waitress who was passing by, Hello, can you tell me where the restroom is? Over there. Anna immediately went to the restroom. She felt resigned as she looked at her flushed face in the mirror. She had just taken out her lipstick to fix her makeup when she heard a loud bang from the bathroom stall behind her. Having turned around, Anna was startled when seeing a cell phone fall out from under the bathroom stall. However, the person inside didnt move at all. Hello, you dropped your phone, she said as she put her lipstick away, picked up the phone, and knocked on the door. The person was still silent. Anna was about to knock again when she noticed the door had been left unlocked. When she looked through the door, she saw a man ina ck suit on the floor, with a strong smell of alcohol. She opened the door to look inside and recognized Wayne right away. Anna then took him to the hotel room. After a while, the waiter arrived and ced a bottle of water on the table, saying, This is the warm water you asked for, Miss. | left the chaser on the table outside. Do you need it brought here to you? No, thank you. The waiter looked at the person on the bed and said, Youre wee. Call me if you need anything. Thanks, bye. After the waiter left, Anna wet a towel in the sink and rested it on Waynes forehead. She knew Wayne had been drinking too much. That exined why he, the best man, hadnt shown up at the wedding. She 382 Daddy Only Has Me thought it was because he deliberately avoided her, but then she realized she was overthinking it. Youre a terrible drinker. Why are you drinking so much when everyone else is sober? Anna mumbled. She took another towel and gently wiped his hands. Wayne was very drunk, and he suddenly grunted, Anna Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna stopped and listened to him. He said, Dont evere back Wayne awokete in the afternoon. He felt a headache. As he moved a little, the towel on his forehead rolled off the pillow. Mr. Wright, said a waitress as she approached and stood in the doorway. Wayne sat up and touched his forehead. All he remembered was following Karl to the resort after getting drunk. He went to the bathroom when he felt pain in his stomach. And he had no idea what had happened after that. Why am here? Wayne asked in confusion You fell down in the bathroom and the maitre d brought you to the room. Youve been sleeping all afternoon. Wayne looked at his watch and noticed that it was past six oclock. He had indeed slept the entire afternoon. Frowning, he asked, Where have the bride and groom gone? They left for their honeymoon immediately after the wedding was over at about three oclock in the afternoon. Their ne should be taking off at this point. Wayne nodded thoughtfully. He noticed a bouquet of flowers at the 382 Daddy Only Has Me nightstand as he lifted the covers and got out of bed. Who else apanied me besides the maitre d? he asked Chapter 384 Chapter 384 384 Please Come Back This afternoon? Who caught the bouquet at the wedding today? Thats her. Why? What time does her ne leave? Eight oclock. The airport radio had already reminded passengers to board the ne, so Karl hung up the phone. Wayne tightened his grip on the phone and urged Gabe, who was driving, Drive faster. He assumed hed had a dream about Anna this afternoon. He fantasized about her scent, smile, and beautiful body. However, he didnt expect Anna to forgive him for everything hed done to hurt her after everything hed been through. He couldnt forgive himself, even if she was willing to forgive him. There was already a gap between them, and he couldnt fix it no matter what. Wayne still needed some time to consider what he needed and could offer her. But she was ready to go before he could think it through. Time is so cruel to everyone, he thought to himself. At 7:30 p.m, Wayne arrived at the airport terminal. Then Wayne dashed out of the car and toward the airport. He was on time because the flight to New York didnt leave for another half hour. Gabe followed Wayne there and booked their tickets for that flight. They got on the ne and got into VIP ss. Though the crew stopped him as he entered the VIP cabin, he was going to look for Anna no matter what. Sir, the ne is about to take off. You cant go over I need to find someone. 383 Please Come Back Sorry, but no. After the ne takes off, you can look for her through the in-cabin broadcast. Wayne immediately walked into the cockpit and asked, Wheres the microphone? The captain wentpletely still Wayne repeated, Wheres the microphone? The captain remained silent and subconsciously pointed to the microphone on his side. Wayne grabbed the microphone the next second and said sharply, I apologize for bothering you all. I didnt board this ne to travel to America or anywhere else in the world. I just want to find someone. So, if shes willing to give me another chance to rebuild our rtionship, Ill cherish her even more than before. The flight crew dashed to the cockpit door to stop Wayne. And Gable blocked all of them. He stood in the doorway, motioning to the captain not to do anything. The captain shrugged as if he didnt care. I thought it was right to respect your choices and let you go. But my heart broke the moment | realized you were leaving. I knew if! let you go this time, Id be sorry for the rest of my life. Please give me a chance to apologize to you, Anna, if you hear me. Wayne sounded as if he was about to cry. The passengers exchanged surprised nces, all looking for the woman named Anna. None of them, however, responded to him that they had found Anna. Then the captain said regretfully, All right. Times up. Immediately after that, he pinned Waynes shoulders against the console and shouted into the microphone, Security! 383 Please Come Back Annas ne had already taken off when Wayne was at the airport police station. She did not take the flight to New York; instead, she travelled to France. She felt that since she was starting over, she should overturn the past and start over. Three monthster, Peace visited her in France. Wayne kept asking Karl where you were the entire month you were gone. Peace said. Did he? What happened next? I didnt tell Karl, so he has no idea about it. Wayne appeared to have given up on you after asking around about your whereabouts for about a month. Anna sat down again. She was not surprised, as if she expected things to happen this way. That makes sense to me. Im relieved that he stopped looking for me. Really? | never understood why you avoided Jasper as well. You previously said that you were returning to the United States with him, so Why have youe here? Anna sipped her coffee and said, Im not avoiding him. I came here to attend the school he found for me. I cant ask him to relocate his business here to be with me, can I? Okay. But | believe Jasper will do it for you if you want. Anna chuckled and said, Come on, I know what youre trying to say. But youre really overthinking it. Jasper is getting married. Peace froze and asked, With who? He never told me that! Lily, his secretary. Lily has always liked him, which is why she has worked for him for so long. Wow! Shes got a good chance! 383 Please Come Back That is why didnt move to New York. | couldnt meddle in their lives any longer. What makes me think youre sorry for that? When she realized Anna was calm, Peace asked. Anna paused for a moment before saying, Its fine. You should know that love is not the only thing in my life. I have a lot of other things on my te. Peace was bored as she looked at the medical books on her desk. She said, Okay, youre distracting yourself from your grief. Thats great news, but | still feel bad for you. Im leaving tomorrow; do you have anything youd like to say to him? Anna paused for a moment before responding, Yes. Please give this back to him for me, she said as she took a ck suede box from under her desk drawer and handed it to Peace. Without opening the box, Peace knew what it was: the ne had changed Annas fate for six years. Their fate gears were entangled in this ne. After Anna returned the ne to its owner, it might appear that everything had returned to normal. What should say if he asks me where you are? Just tell him I gave it to you before I left, but you forgot to give it to him. Peace sighed and said, Okay. Wayne deserves to be alone in Birmingham because of how he treated you. But now that Jasper has married someone else, I think you should return to Birmingham. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Anna rolled her eyes and said, Ive told you many times before that Jasper and | are just friends. We are understanding and supportive of one another, but we dont love one another. Peace was fiddling with the jewelry box when she said, Now | believe 383 Please Come Back it. Jasper cares about you and would go to great lengths to help you. But hes not obsessive. Wayne, on the other hand, is more passionate about you. Hearing that, Anna was surprised and then she stared at Peace in disbelief. Being stared at like that, Peace became embarrassed. She lowered her head and said, Dont stare at me like that! Wayne has a bad temper and used to fight with you frequently. But after you left, he went insane. He even traveled to America to find you. He returned to Ennd after meeting Jasper once and never mentioned looking for you again. Maybe Jasper said something to him that he had no choice but to give up on you. Anna had only been gone for three months. But when she heard Peace tell the story, it felt like a lifetime had passed. However, she was not sad about it. Peace left in the evening, and Karl waited for her outside. They had recently married and didnt want to be apart for even a second. Anna and Wayne used to be madly in love and couldnt stay apart. But then, everything had be a memory. Everything can change with time. They were still in love but could let go and give each other space. Ifa person can afford to give up the pain, they will be able to find happiness. (TBC. Theyll meet again a few yearster. Chapter 385 Getting Over You Chapter 385 Getting Over You Five years passed quickly. Spring had juste, and the weather was chilly. The maids were so busy that they were walking around the house. Henry stood in the kitchen and asked them, Why are you in such a rush? Take it easy! He then noticed Jennie washing vegetables in the yard and asked, frowning, Why are you cooking again, Jennie? You dont have to do that. There are plenty of servants here. Jennie raised her head, smiled softly, and said, Its fine, I have nothing else to do, anyway. Ryan is coming back, so Im going to make him his favorite dish. Henry sighed and exined, I get lonely at times. Ryan lives on the army base, and Wayne frequently goes on business trips with Matthew. Natalie is studying abroad, and Peter hardly ever walks around. Youre the only one I can meet every day here. Jennie smiled sweetly and said, The kids have grown up and have their own lives. Besides, theyre all returning today. Ryan mentioned that hes bringing Emily back. If Peter knows about this, he will be delighted. Henrys eyes shone brightly. He asked, Is Ryan bringing Miss Lewis back? Thats fantastic! Peter has been looking forward to him getting married because Wayne is unlikely to marry again. Im going to tell him right now! Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. With that, Henry dashed off to Peters yard to break the good news to 384 Getting Over You him. Jennie smiled and continued to cook. She knew her childrens lives were in their own hands, and she wouldnt meddle in their lives. However, Peter was getting older and needed something to hold onto, so he always cared too much about their lives. Ryan and Emily had been dating for a long time. However, they were both living in the army and rarely returned home at the same time. Although they had never mentioned that they would get married the Wrights had already regarded Emily as Ryans fiance. At night, the family gathered for dinner, which had been a long time since they had done sost time. As for Natalie, she was still abroad and did not show up. Peter was so delighted that he had the maid fill his wine ss. Seeing that, Ryan frowned and said, Grandpa, the doctor said you cant drink. Maybe you can have some tea. Ill just drink a little, its no big deal. Peter had always been adamant about his decisions. There was nothing anyone could do to stop him from drinking. Ryan gave Matthew, who sat across from him, a wink. Getting his hint, Matthew said, Great-grandpa, if you have one drink today and one drink tomorrow, our cer will be empty. Everyoneughed when they heard that. Matthew was eleven, and he looked quite handsome in his Burberry id vest. He was still a child, but his gaze was determined as if he had been through a lot. He resembled his father in appearance. Peter froze and eximed, Why are you so worried about the wine? You should be as concerned about my health as Ryan is. You know your health better than anyone else. I dont need to remind you that youre still waiting for Ryan to marry and have children! 384 Getting Over You Ryan immediately red at Matthew. Matthew, on the other hand, pretended not to notice his gaze. He thought, Ryan, youre the one who gave me the wink and asked me to persuade my great-grandfather. You gave me this hot potato, so Im giving it back to you. Peter paused for a long moment before setting his ss down. He told Ryan, You and Emily should definitely get married. Youve been busy recently, but youll be busy after you get married, So, you should get married right away. Lonly have three days off, Grandpa. Will you let us have the wedding tomorrow or the next day? I didnt say that you two should hold the wedding right away. You only need to give me the exact date. Then Ill arrange your wedding. You dont have to worry about anything; all you have to do is attend your wedding. Hearing that, Ryan and Emily looked at each other, both resigned. Ryan said, The problem is, we both cant really settle on an exact time. Were about to be sent on a mission, and we have no idea when well return home. Emily left for a symposium two days ago, and I have no idea where she went. We both were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Neither of us will know when the other is going on a mission, let alone when both of us would be avable. They used this reason to turn down Peter numerous times. Unhappily, Peter said, Cant all military people get married? Can | still attend my grandchildrens weddings before | die? No one said anything, and everyone knew who Peter was referring to. Wayne had rarely returned home in recent years. Even when he returned, he would leave right after he finished dinner. He was even more reserved than before and less chatty than Matthew. 384 Getting Over You Jennie realized Wayne was also upset, so she said, Dad, the kids are now adults. They have the freedom to decide when they want to get married, or if they want to get married at all. Peter became even more enraged and eximed, I raised him, so he owes me at least some of my wishes. He cannot simply do whatever he wants! Jennie came to a halt, knowing she couldnt persuade Peter. Wayne ced his fork firmly on the table at that moment. Dont get me wrong, but Ive been dating ording to your arrangement, he said calmly. Peters eyes widened as he eximed, You have no right to bring that up! After they go out with you, every girlins to me about you! Why would you say something like that to them? Henry whispered to Peter, Lets talk about thister. Dont forget that Miss Lewis is still here! You dont want to embarrass her, do you? Peter couldnt control his anger just now. However, he sat down anyway after hearing this. He paused and looked at Ryan and Emily. Jennie immediately said, Well, stop fighting. Try the salmon | made. Emily, do you think its good? Emily took a bite of the salmon, smiled, and said, Mmm, this is delicious! My mom loves to make salmon, too. Why dont you two get together sometime? Allright, I happen to be free these days. So does my mom! They talked and tried to lighten the mood. Peter refrained from losing his cool because Emily was present. But after a while, he left, saying he wasnt feeling well. After Peter left, Wayne asked Ryan how he was doing. He then left 384 Getting Over You without eating, taking Matthew with him. Then Jennie exhaled a sigh. Emily winked at her and assured her, Its all right, Jennie; were still here. Ryan and | enjoy eating your food. Jennie said with a smile, Thank you, Emily. Youre so sweet. Peter has a bad temper, and he always fights with Wayne. Actually, hes just worried about Wayne. Emily asked, perplexed, Why is he worried? Waynes son is already in his adolescence, so who cares if Waynes married or not? He has everything, in my opinion. Ryan said, Grandpa is not forcing Wayne to get married. He just doesnt want him to keep getting caught up in the past. Or, Wayne will be sad for the rest of his life. Emily paused for a moment before asking, You mean, Grandpa is worried that Wayne will never get over Anna? Chapter 386 Are You Going to Marry Someone Else? Chapter 386 Are You Going to Marry Someone Else? Ryan nodded, When Anna left, Wayne had a big fight with grandpa about Matthews custody. Wayne insisted at the time that Anna bring Matthew to the United States, but Grandpa disagreed. To make Grandpa agree with him, Wayne even said that Grandpa could decide his marriage: No wonder Wayne talked about matchmaking. Matthew didnt leave with Anna, and Grandpa still remembered Waynes promise. He has been arranging blind dates for Wayne for the past few years, but they often fight with each other over it. Emily said in astonishment, Why? What are they fighting about? | thought Wayne is a mature man. He isnt the gentleman he seems to be. He said hed do it for Grandpa, but hes not going to do it. Thats why Matthew was born. Mom, what exactly did Wayne say on the blind date? After a brief moment of thought, Jennie frowned and said, Hed begin by informing the girls that he had an eleven-year-old son. Hed also tell them that theyd have to have their property notarized before getting married and that theyd be separated afterward. The girls from wealthy families would not agree to such requests, so theyined about it to Peter. Peter was humiliated and got into a fight with Wayne because of it This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Well, he must have offended a lot of people over it, Ryan remarked. Jennie said with a nod, Yeah. The good news is that the Wrights are $385 Are You Going to Marry So. well-known and prestigious, and no one dares to say anything to discredit us. However, our reputation will be harmedter. Whatever! We all know what Wayne is thinking, dont we? Jennie sighed and exined, Anna has been gone for five years. He never speaks of her, but can tell that he still loves her. Then why doesnt he try to get back together with her? Emily couldnt help but ask. Back then, a lot had gone wrong: Anna had been kidnapped by drug dealers, and Wayne had rescued her before being hospitalized for a month with pneumonia. Therefore, Emily believed that Wayne could have kept Anna with that good opportunity. She had already made the decision to leave, so he couldnt keep her. Jennie exhaled a sigh. He couldve at least given it a shot! He wouldnt have any regrets if he failed. And if he and Anna reconcile, they will live happily ever after. He had tried, Ryan said at the time. Emilys eyes widened in shock. Thats why he insisted on returning Matthew to Anna. Matthew is their strongest connection. Wayne assumed that after all the years he had spent raising Matthew, Anna would bring him back frequently. But Matthew didnt leave with Anna. At that moment, Wayne and Matthew walked into the house, and the sound-activated lights turned on all around them. Its gettingte. Good night, After saying goodnight to Matthew, Wayne walked to the study on the second floor. Standing at the top of the stairs, Matthew asked, Great-Grandpa says 385 Are You Going to Marry So. he wants you to get married as soon as possible. Will you marry another woman? No, Wayne answered firmly. Matthew didnt look nervous anymore. He said firmly to his fathers back, Well, my mom will definitely be back. Hearing that, Wayne remained silent and shut the study door. After that, he stood motionless in the study doorway. Anna had not returned to Ennd for five years. Still, Matthew insisted that she would return. And Wayne had no idea why he thought that. Wayne used to think he was a favored child of God and that his life could unfold as he desired. But he made a mistake five years ago and lost everything. Five years ago, Anna had just escaped from the ind and lived in Jaspers house. Wayne had pneumonia and stayed in the hospital for two days before waking up. When he awoke, the first thing he did was talk to his grandfather about custody. Gabe was by the bedside at the time. When he heard Waynes decision, his eyes widened in surprise, and he eximed, Are you sure youve thought this through? Matthew is your only son. You raised him for six years! Wayne leaned against the beds side. His face was as pale as a vampires, his gaze as calm as stagnant water. Then he uttered, Shes stubborn, and Ive hurt her before. She med me for being self-centered and never thinking of her. There was already a gap between her and me. I saved her, and she might forgive me. But we already have a lot of disagreements, and its difficult for us to reconcile with each other. Howe you gave her Matthew if thats already the case? You dont get it. Wayne simply said that without further $385 Are You Going to Marry So. exnation Later on, when Wayne couldnt find Anna on the ne to America, he dashed to the airport reception and stopped all international flights from departing. The airport police apprehended him, and the story made headlines and was widely discussed throughout the town. Everyone was baffled as to why he did it. They knew that he was the one who let her go and made no attempt to keep her. Everyone thought they would break up for good. Anna would have left sooner orter, so she didnt see the point in telling him. They all assumed Wayne had seen too many romantic movies and was trying to impress her at the airport. Gabeter traveled to America with Wayne. They did not find Anna, but they did meet Jasper. Then Gabe knew everything. Jasper said to Wayne, You are all aware that Anna returned to Birmingham in the first ce for the sake of her two children. The fact that shes leaving without the kids shows that shes given this a lot of thought. Her life will have nothing to do with you after she gave you Matthew. I have no idea where Anna has gone, and even if I do, I wouldnt tell you. Let it go, Wayne, and stop interfering with her life Wayne became very ill after returning from America and didnt leave the house for three months. Peter paid him a visit but did not see him. Nobody knew what he did during those three months. Jennieter took Matthew to his door and begged him toe out. Wayne left the house because he hadnt seen Matthew for a long time. Wayne had been taking Matthew to business events ever since. Matthew was only eleven years old but was already helping Wayne with small business decisions. Wayne stayed upte reading until the early hours of the morning. 385 Are You Going to Marry So. There was an open jewelry box on the table, and the emerald ne glowed brightly in the light. Outside the window, he could hear birds singing. Before leaving the study, he closed the jewelry box and carefully locked it in the safe. Then his phone rang. Wayne, did you get the invitation? Karl asked cheerfully as he answered the phone. Chapter 387 See You Again Chapter 387 See You Again Since youre calling me, its actually quite unnecessary for you to send me an invitation on purpose, Wayne said, looking at the invitation on his desk. No, I believe it is absolutely necessary. Ive been looking forward to having a daughter for a long time. So you must attend this party. Ive been extremely busy recently. Ill be in London at the end of the month on business. Huh? It seems that youre jealous of me! Youre jealous that | have a daughter, but you dontKarl abruptly came to a halt and did not finish his sentence. He was silent for a moment before saying, You have no choice but toe. Do you want to be the godfather of my daughter? Ill give you a fair shot! Maybe, Wayne murmured, clearly unhappy. Karls one-year-old daughter was the apple of his eye. So, he nned to throw a party for his daughter at the best hotel in town, and he had invited a lot of celebrities. Wayne had initially refused to attend the party and had turned it down several times. He was aware that Karl was considering making him his daughters godfather. Karl was attempting to persuade him to let go of the past and focus on the present. On the other hand, Wayne didnt think it was a good idea. In the evening, Jennie quickly crossed the hallway with her coat on and went to Ryans room. There was an open suitcase on the floor of the room, which was in disarray. Ryan sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes, seemingly unaware of what was happening around him. 386 See You Again Where has Emily gone? Jennie asked Ryan. Ryan yawned,y back on the bed and answered, Shes left. Shell be ona mission. But she hadnt even packed her suitcase! It was an urgent mission, she didnt have time to pack it, Ryan blinked. Wheres she going this time? I dont know. You didnt ask her? Ryan thought his mother was asking too much and said, Its confidential! She wouldnt have said anything even if | had asked her about it Jennie let out a sigh and began packing the suitcases on the floor. She said, Why is she in such a rush to get out? | was hoping to use this opportunity to discuss your marriage with her parents. I get nervous every time | read the news about her troop. How can you sleep at night like a baby while shes away? Arent you worried about her? Shaking her head, Jennie looked down at the bed. And she noticed Ryan was already fast asleep, snoring. Miles away from Ennd, a helicopter hovered in mid-air near the border, the wind blowing the weeds on the ground to float. A rope was thrown from the cabin, and several people slid to the ground from the rope. They quickly hid in the grass after that. ording to new information, the terrorists are holding thirteen hostages, some of whom are seriously injured. Following the rescue, Group 2 will be in charge of covering while Group 1 will be in charge of treating 386 See You Again the injured on the scene. If we find hostages with severe injuries, members of Group 1 will transport them to the nearest medical facility. The border medical team is expected to arrive in the afternoon. Emily had her face painted ck and green. After giving the order, she moved quickly toward her destination. In her headset, she could hear the team chatting. Wee here at least three times a year and have saved numerous hostages. Why are there so many terrorists in this ce? I really want to kill all of them. Stop talking! There are mines here, so take care. Stop! Dont jinx it! Ha! Hes envious of your beautiful girlfriend. If something happens to you, he will look after her for you. Emily couldnt take it any longer and eximed, Okay, stop talking now. This mission is unlike any other. This time, there are a lot of hostages, two of whom have been abused to death by the terrorists. They posted the video online, causing widespread panic. Do you believe this rescue will be simple because youve met them before? They are aware of our habits! They know everything about us! So, stay focused and stop talking! Yes! Roger that! The border aid station was close to the border between the two countries, with only a row of barbed wire separating it from the other side. There were many homeless refugees from neighbouring countries living across the border. A few skinny kids crept through the vines and trees to get over the barbed wire fence. The medical station had only recently been constructed. The tent was green, with a prominent white cloth printed with a red cross hanging 386 See You Again outside. At the time, the tent was unguarded. The lead kid shushed the kids behind him and crept inside the tent on tiptoe. Hed just gotten a few hardtacks when he heard Doctor Vincents voice outside the tent, Hey, who are you? These kids seemed to be used to stealing. They quickly flipped over the protectiveting like monkeys. Because the environment is so bad here, almost no medical personnel want toe here. I never asked you why you came here before. | happened to look up your profile the other day and discovered that you studied child psychology. So, how did you get here? Vincent asked Anna Anna replied calmly, I volunteered toe here on my own. Vincent was taken aback, Huh? Why? Anna smiled and said, To serve my country and contribute to it, of course. Thats what they said on the recruiting promos. After saying that, she walked into the tent and opened the curtain. Before she arrived there, her mentor warned her that Vincent, the chief surgeon at the border aid station, liked to take advantage of women. Asa result, she had to be cautious of him. Once it waspletely dark, the medical team returned to their tents to rest. Anna leaned against the pillow and turned on her phone. Her phone still had no signal, as she had expected. On her screen was a family photo taken six months ago, with Tammy smiling happily at the camera and Isabe looking as if she didnt want to talk to anyone. Lora, her coworker, came over, looked at her phone, and asked, Is that your child? Which one of them is it? Both of them, Anna replied. 386 See You Again Lora stared at her screen once more, stunned, Really? These two girls have nothing inmon. The younger girl looks like you. Im guessing the other one resembles her father. Suddenly, they heard a loud noise outside. The on-duty nurse opened the tent door and yelled, Three wounded people have been brought to us by special forces from the front lines. Get ready for surgery. The doctors and nurses inside the tent immediately stood up. Anna put her phone away, put on a white coat, and followed the crowd to the makeshift operating room: Two of the injured are hostages. One person suffered from a traumatic injury and showed signs of internal bleeding. The other had a bullet grazing the lower side of the atrium through the chest. Lora, look after the person who is bleeding internally. You, go get the bullet. The others, follow me to thest one. Vincent asked Anna and the two surgical interns to go to temporary operating room three together. His leg was blown up by the bomb, but its not serious, Anna said after examining the patient. This person was not even seriously injuredpared to the other two. Anna believed that Vincent, as the primary physician here, should be treating the other two patients rather than this one. Vincent looked unhappily at Anna and said, This is a serious situation. The instruments here are simple. He could contract an infection if the surgery goes wrong. He wont be able to walk that way. Anna had something else to say. But when she noticed the insignia on the wounded soldiers camouge, she stopped talking. She recognized the soldier as a member of the Blue Eagle Special Forces. The operation went on for half an hour. Throughout that time, Vincent 386 See You Again asked Anna to wipe his sweat. Anna had no idea why he was sweating so much for such a minor procedure. After the operation, Vincent wrapped the injured mans leg in bandages. Then he let the injured man lie down to rest because he was still asleep from the anaesthesia. Anna suggested, Should we go see the surgery next door? We might be able to help. You guys go ahead, Ill stay here. Vincent pulled up a chair and sat next to the operating table. Anna and the other two interns exchanged nces before walking away. They had just walked out the door when they noticed someone walk in and asked, How is he doing? It waste, and the lights were dim outside. As a result, Anna couldnt see the person who spoke. All she knew was that the person was dressed in a grey-green outfit and had face paint. Anna came back to her senses and said, Hes fine. The operation is over, and the doctor is here taking care of him. Will he be able to walk again? Anna said with a smile, Yes, he will, as long as he gets enough rest. You are wee to see him, but we should leave for the next operating room now. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Lets go, she said to the two interns. Anna? The soldier hesitantly called out her name. Annas hair blew in the wind as the warm, humid evening breeze blew in her face. Hearing that, she froze and looked back in surprise, taking a long time to recognize who it was. Emily? 386 See You Again Its me! Emily took a big step forward and looked up and down at Anna as if she couldnt believe she was going to meet her. She said, Isnt it really you, Anna? | thought | misheard it but it turns out its really you. What a happy coincidence! Chapter 388 Anna鈥檚 Going Back Home 387 Anna鈥檚 Going Back Home Chapter 388 Annas Going Back Home 387 Annas Going Back Home After turning around and staring at Emily for a moment, Anna asked, Emily? Is that you? The Blue Eagle Special Forces had many female soldiers who had previously served here. Anna had never imagined that she would meet Emily here. Emily wrapped her arms around Anna and didnt say anything for a long time. All right, lets go inside. Okay. The operating room smelled like sterile water and blood, just like any other hospital. And the soldier was still unconscious on the hospital bed. After checking his injuries, Emily exhaled a sigh of relief and sat down face to face with Anna. Emily said, I didnt expect to meet you here, Anna! | mentioned to Ryan about you before | got here. We hadnt seen you in years and were wondering what you were up to. Wow! It turned out that youd be a doctor. Annaughed and exined, Ive always to be a doctor. was a medical student in college before dropping out because I was pregnant. After | left Birmingham, | studied in a medical school again Then are you a surgeon now? Anna shook her head, No. Surgeons mustplete at least eight years of medical school. Im now studying child psychology. Puzzled, Emily asked, So what brings you here? It doesnt appear to 387 Annas Going Back Home be a high demand for psychologists in this area. Anna lowered her voice and said, Its just an opportunity for me. As long as I can work here for a set period of time, Ill be able to apply for an internship when | return to Ennd. What? Youre going back home? Anna knew what Emily was thinking and quickly exined, Well, Im going back for a while. Tammy will be in Ennd for a year for asthma treatment, and I am looking for an internship. I need to finish my internship in the UK for a year so that I can spend time with her without missing work. My mentor gave me this great opportunity. Emily nodded as she felt disappointed, I thought you were doing it for She didnt finish the sentence. She simply looked at Anna and said, Forget about it. Well leave tomorrow and have a nice conversation tonight. Ryans been missing you. Anna smiled and said, Great! The night remained humid. Those two surgeriessted all night and Were notpleted until the following morning. Anna and Emily sat by the soldiers bedside all night, talking. Emily asked in curiosity, So youve spent all these years in France? And Tammy was living there with you? Anna shook her head and said, No. Shes living in a boarding school in the US. At first, Jasper insisted on having Tammy live with him. But back then, he had only recently married and was already raising Isabe, who was not rted to him by blood. As a result, | felt that having Tammy live with him would be unfair to Lily. Before I told Jasper about my decision, Tammy finally took the initiative and said that she wanted to stay at school. Emily frowned and said, Indeed, Tammy is a considerate and mature 387 Annas Going Back Home girl, given that she handled the situation herself. But, isnt she being overly sensitive? Jasper is her legal guardian. So, under localw, he is required to support her. Hes even willing to let the kid on that ind live with him! And Tammys always thought of him as a father, so why would she do that? Well, Tammyter realized Jasper wasnt her biological father, and she minded it. But | believe she did the right thing. She would be in an awkward situation if Jasper has his own childter. How about Isabe? Emily asked. Isabe chose to live with Jasper on her own. Jasper was the one who rescued her from the river at the time, so she chose to live with him. Dont you think thats strange? You saved her, Normally, she would choose to live with you. Why would she want to live with Jasper? Anna said thoughtfully, I can understand that. Jasper was the one who rescued her from the river, and heter looked after her in Birmingham. Jasper is therefore a little closer to her than | am. That child craves fatherly love and regards him as her father. That sounds reasonable, Emily said, nodding. Emily remembered that Jasper was a gentle gentleman alittle older than Wayne. He acted much more calmly than Wayne during the time When Anna was kidnapped by drug dealers. He was a very attractive man who was very bold in any decision he faced. Consequently, Emily assumed Anna would be with him after she left Ennd Annaughed teasingly and said, Well, lets talk about you! How are you and Ryan doing? Are you two married? Emily scratched her brow, the oil paint on her face concealing her already flushed face. She then answered somewhat awkwardly, Not yet. 387 Annas Going Back Home Weve both been swamped recently, and we have little time for vacation: Then is the Wright family all right? Anna asked. Emily said, Theyre fine. Jennie is doing well and teaches painting at a local high school. Matthew is now being treated for all of his psychological issues. Im not sure what Wayne was thinking, but he never allowed Matthew to attend school. He hired tutors to teach him lessons at home and frequently took him on business trips. Matthew is now participating in board decisions. As for Grandpa, he has not been in the best of healthtely and has been resting at home. At dawn, helicopters were hovering overhead. Emily packed her belongings and took the three wounded to the helicopter. Bon voyage, Anna said as she waved at Emily from the helicopter. Aweekter, Emily went back to Birmingham. Can you tell | got a little tan from the mission? | believe we should postpone the wedding for a while. | have an uneven tan and | am afraid | will scare everyone. Thats okay, I can tell them that you got a horrible tanning job. What? Emily asked, ring at Ryan. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Why are you so worried about that? Ryan chuckled, Nobody will notice that your face and neck arent the same color. Also, you can cover it with makeup Emily punched him in the shoulder and said, Fine, whatever. Ill be back in the army as soon as the wedding is over anyway. Since Ryan returned to the Wrights, Peter had always been kind to 387 Annas Going Back Home him. Peter was nice to him as long as they didnt bring up the marriage as if he was trying topensate him for the past. However, Peter was treating Wayne poorly. Ah, I forgot to mention something just now, Emily said, setting aside the bag of chips in her hand. What is it? I met Anna at the aid station. Hearing that, Ryan was stunned for a few seconds before asking, What? I met her at the border aid station. Anna is a volunteer physician now. She attended medical school after leaving Birmingham that year. We talked all night and she asked how everyone was. Ryan froze for a moment before standing up. Where are you going? Im going to see Wayne. I have to tell him about this! Aweekter, five trucks carrying supplies arrived at the border station. Themander stepped out of the truck wearing his military uniform After giving a military salute to his fellows, he said, This is Mr. Wright, who donated the supplies this time. He is a well-known entrepreneur in Birmingham. He wishes to speak on behalf of the Birmingham city government to express condolences to the officers and soldiers of our border station, as well as the medical personnel. We saved a man from Birmingham a few days ago, and the government was so grateful to us that they let Mr. Wrighte here. The officer examined Wayne and found the man in the suit to be 387 Annas Going Back Home oppressive. He didnt think Wayne looked like an ordinary businessman. And he let Wayne in because the government had issued him a pass order. Except for those on guard duty, everyone came to dinner in the evening. When Wayne couldnt find the person he wanted to see, he asked, Are all the medical staff here? Chapter 389 Missing You Chapter 389 Missing You Sir, m a doctor from Birmingham Hospital, and my name is Vincent, a young male doctor said to Matthew tteringly. Nodding, Wayne sat down and drained his ss of wine. It was evening, and the sound of birds chirping outside added to the eerie atmosphere. Gabe walked around the station, stood next to Wayne and whispered, I asked around, and all the doctors are new here. They only arrived here three days ago, but only that doctor named Vincent is always here. He was drunk, and | got some information from him. Waynes eyes lit up, and he asked, What did he say? Miss Gabriel did stay here for a while, but we were toote. She left three days ago with the previous group of volunteers. And it looks like theres a conflict between Vincent and her. That doctor hinted to me to let us transfer him back to Birmingham. What do you think? Wayne said coldly, Of course not. Gabe coughed awkwardly and replied, I see. Wayne was depressed. He came here to see Anna, but she was not there. Is a big world, but Emily was able to meet Anna while she was on a mission at this small aid station. He found an excuse to travel from afar but did not see her. As a result, he thought that maybe, they were not meant to be together. A monthter, it was summer, and the weather was scorching. Anna stood at the airport exit in her white dress, staring at her watch. Isabes ne had arrived long ago, but she still didnte over. At the moment, 388 Missing You Anna had no idea what was going on. She waited for a long time until calling Isabe. It took Isabe a long time to answer the phone and say, Anna! Has your ne arrived yet? Where have you gone? Take it easy, Anna. Im in the airport security office. Theres been a little ident here, and Ill be out as soon as | resolve it. What? Did you get into trouble? No! Stay right there! Iming over now! Anna went straight to the security office after hanging up the phone. Isabe called Anna about a week ago. She said she was on summer vacation and wanted to spend some time in Ennd. So, Anna took a half-day leave from the hospital after booking Isabes flight. Isabe grew up on the ind and she was always bold and daring. She was even more daring after living with Jasper, knowing there would always be someone to look after her. However, they werent in America, so Anna didnt think shed be able to fix everything if Isabe got into trouble here. Then Anna entered the airport police lobby and saw a girl with dreadlocks on her head as soon as she opened the door. She was wearing a colorful tie-dye t-shirt and ripped jeans. Isabe Thomas! Anna said unhappily. Isabe looked back, smiled and asked, Wow! How did you get here so fast? Cut the crap! Tell me, what have you gotten yourself into again? Isabe denied eagerly, I didnt! | swear to God Im not in trouble! |was helping someone. 388 Missing You You say that every time! Isabe scratched her head and said, Its different this time. If you dont believe me, you can ask the police. Anna looked at the few police officers and said awkwardly, Excuse me, what did she get herself into this time? A female police officer smiled gently and said, You misunderstood this youngdy. She didnt get herself into trouble. Actually, she helped someone. The policeman then told Anna about the incident. Isabe had noticed a man attempting to put his hand inside the little girls skirt as she got off the ne half an hour earlier. She rushed up and tried to stop him. The man became embarrassed and then began hitting her. Hearing that, Anna got anxious. She spun Isabe around and asked anxiously, Are you all right? Are you hurt, Isabe? Isabe shrugged indifferently and said, Dont worry! Nothing happened to me at all. He didnt beat me hard, and I held him down. Anna was relieved to see that Isabe was actually okay. She said, I was really scared! What else are you going to do here? Its okay, you just have to sign here. After they had left, Anna took Isabes suitcase and said, Youre seventeen, and youll be an adult soon. I told you that if something like this happens, you can call the police. You dont have to face it yourself. Oh, Im fine! Can you please stop nagging like a mom? Anna said, Technically, I m your mom. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Isabe smiled as she wrapped her arm around Annas shoulders and said, I wouldnt have a mother as young and beautiful as you. Youre always my sister in my heart. 388 Missing You Huh? Really? But yo used to call me mom, Annaughed as she was ttered. She didnt care what Isabe called her but just lectured her for a few minutes. Then Anna asked, You said you saved the girl, what about her? Did she thank you? I was afraid shed be embarrassed, so | let her go, Isabe exined as she buckled her seat belt. Wow! You look exactly like one of thosedy knights. Yeah! Anna couldnt help butugh. After they left the airport highway, Anna asked, Honestly, why did you call me out of the blue? You rarely said you wanted toe back before. Isabe didnt say anything. Anna nced at her and said, Im asking you. If you dont tell me, Ill send you back to America right now. Isabe grabbed the armrest and said, No! Im not going back to America! Did you have another fight with Lily? Anna asked. Isabe was a wild child who had grown up on the ind and had a distinct personality and temperament. As a result, she thought differently than others. On the other hand, Lily was a serious person concerned about her reputation. They used to argue about Isabes behavior after she and Jasper married, Isabe was still a child and Jaspers legally adopted daughter. So Jasper wouldnt me her if she made a mistake. But, over time, she became the source of conflict in their marriage. Anna knew it before. When she heard about it, she offered to take 388 Missing You Isabe to live with her on a French farm. But Jasper turned her down, and Isabe didnt want to do that. So, Anna said nothing more. Isabe finished the sses she had missed the year before and was. sent to boarding school by Jasper. As a result, she stopped causing problems for them. But she got into trouble again right after her summer vacation. Lily is actually a good person, so you dont have to fight with her all the time. Ive talked about this with you. Dont y dumb, okay? I know What youre thinking. Isabe asked nervously, You know that? Youre afraid Jasper and Lily will neglect you after they have a baby, Anna said, looking straight ahead. Chapter 390 Anna Met Wayne鈥檚 Grandpa In the Hospital Chapter 390 Anna Met Waynes Grandpa In the Hospital Isabe froze for a moment after hearing Annas words, then exhaled a sigh of relief Knowing she had hit the nail on the head, Anna added, Jasper is not that type of person, and Lily is not, either. You think that Lily is not treating you well, right? But you still have me! Dont worry. After all, youll be an adult soon. You wont be able to rely on Jasper for the rest of your life. Isabe blinked in surprise and appeared distressed. She had always been a talker and hadnt said anything else until she got home. Anna thought that was odd. She nced at Isabe in the passenger seat and found her asleep. Then she sighed and turned up the cool air conditioning, driving slightly slower. Isabe! eximed a sweet voice as soon as Anna opened the door of her apartment about half an hourter. Isabe also screamed and dashed into the house to wrap her arms around Tammy. She pinched Tammys cheeks and said, Youve put on some weight, havent you? | suppose Annas cooking is better than what you eat at your school cafeteria. Tammy pouted and said, No! | didnt! Isabe threw her backpack off her shoulder and said, Youre mad at me? Look what Ive brought you! The new limited edition Switch that came out this month! Yeah! They then both ran happily to the living room. Anna felt neglected by 389 Anna Met Waynes Grandpa. the two kids. After she put away the messy things thrown on the floor, she went to cook for them. She had received word from her mentor about a month ago that she had been epted for an internship at a hospital in Birmingham. So, she packed a few things and returned to Ennd with Tammy. Tammys asthma was almost treated. However, she had to see a doctor once a week to have him check her. Anna was transferred to Birminghams best surgical hospital. She was required to work shifts as a trainee doctor, so she was usually very busy. She had almost no time off when she was on emergency duty. She switched shifts with a coworker to pick up Isabe. While Anna was cooking, she heard them ying video games in the living room. Both girls were game lovers and were addicted to them. Anna told Isabe, who was still sleeping, to take Tammy to the doctor before she left the house the next morning. She was worried that Isabe would forget about it, so she left a note on the fridge. She was alreadyte when she left the house, so she dashed out the door. After a while, Anna walked into the familiar subway and waited for the familiar train. Even though Anna had been back for a month, she still sometimes felt in a trance. Thest time she returned here, she noticed that the city had changed dramatically. But the city had not changed at all this time. About twenty minutester, Anna reached the hospital. As she walked into the hallway, she met Nancy Moore, the head surgeon. Nancy was in her thirties and dressed very nicely. She wore her hair in a ponytail and had no makeup on her face. Good morning, Dr. Gabriel. I love your dress! Nancy said. Anna really liked her as Nancy was easy-going and frequently taught 389 Anna Met Waynes Grandpa. Anna new things. Good morning, Dr. Moore. Nancy smiled as she put her hands in the pockets of her white robe and asked, Youre on duty here today, huh? Yeah. Then youre going to have a busy day. Whats wrong? Nancy looked around cautiously, approached Anna and lowered her voice, Theres a weird old man here today. He has a particrly bad temper and offended several nurses during the physical examination. Anna didnt ask why but said, Patients have a lot of tempers, and we must deal with them appropriately. Does he not want a female nurse to examine him? Dr. Gabriel, arent you curious about why he lost his temper? Nancy asked, disappointed. Anna said, somewhat awkwardly, This is not the ce for gossip, in my opinion. A few days ago, the head nurse yelled at someone because of that. She cant control me because Im the head doctor. She wouldnt dare to me me! But shes your mother, Anna said, coughing. Nancy quickly shut up. She did so not because she was out of embarrassment but because the head nurse was staring at her from afar. The head nurse said loudly, Why dont you check on the patients, Dr. Moore? Stop talking! Im speaking with Dr. Gabriel about a new weird patient! 389 Anna Met Waynes Grandpa. When Anna noticed Nancy winking at her, she immediately nodded and said, Yes, Dr. Moore was telling me about a cardiac surgery patient Who refused to let the nurses examine him. We were discussing what we should do.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The head nurse rolled her eyes and asked, You think you can fix it? | asked him, and he said he didnt want a female nurse to do his physical. Ive asked the male nurse to take care of that. Wow! Youre amazing! Nancy deliberatelyplimented her mother, and everyone was used to that. The head nurse grunted and said, Stop it! Youre going to make that intern as unprofessional as you are. After the head nurse left, Nancy and Anna went to the dressing room to get changed. Nancy said as she walked, Given that Ive dragged you into this just now, Ill buy you dinner tonight. No, thanks, Im on duty tonight. rll help you change shift. Anna dressed in her white robe, tucking her hands into her pockets. She asked, looking at Nancys lovely face, What? Youre buying me dinner? Nancy had never done anything like this before. Anna discovered Nancy was a stingy woman as soon as she started working at the hospital. So Anna reasoned that Nancy had to have done this for a reason. Nancy said with an innocent smile, I dont usually invite people to dinner, but I think we get along well. Annas intuition told her that she should decline it. And she said apologetically, I dont have much time, Dr. Moore, Im afraid. You can call me Nancy from now on. Ill definitely take you to dinner 389 Anna Met Waynes Grandpa. tonight, so dont turn me down, Ill see youter tonight. Nancy had already left before Anna could respond. Anna stood alone, confused by the situation. She had no idea what Nancy wanted to do. But she didnt have time to think about it because she was so preupied with her work. She then went to check on the patient with her stethoscope. Afterward, a cardiac surgeon led Anna and other interns to the wards. As they walked down the corridor, one of the interns said to Anna, Anna, the patient in the VIP ward is very bad-tempered. Be careful, dont offend him. If he says he has any disease, dont argue with him. How do you know that? In the morning, Smith and I were in a ward giving medical examinations to a patient. Then the head nurse called him out. I was curious about that and went there as well to take a look. Then | found out that it was this entric old man who had cursed these nurses. Smith was the hospitals only male nurse. So if a male patient requested that a male nurse examine him, he was the one to do it. As a result, he was nearly the busiest person in the hospital. Anna had seen a number of irritable patients during her previous internship in a French hospital. As a result, she didnt think it was all that bad. She nodded and thanked her colleague for the kind reminder. After that, Anna walked into the ward with the interns Mr. Wright, how do you feel now? An older manined, Not good. This hospital smells so bad! Even if m not sick, Id get sick in here. When she heard the voice, Annas eyes widened. She approached Peter in the hospital bed on tiptoe and noticed that he appeared haggardpared to five years ago. Then she hid in the crowd, listened for a while, then dashed out the door. 389 Anna Met Waynes Grandpa. The patients cases were saved in the hospitals electronic archives. After leaving the ward, Anna went to the electronic archive and looked up Peters cases. Her heart rate increased as she read through his hospital records. Anna spent a long time in the archives, photographing all of Peters cases with her phone. She was about to turn off herputer after finishing thest page when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She heard Nancy say, Gotcha! What are you doing here? | thought youd be in the ward. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 I came to read some information and learn about that patient, Anna exined as she quickly hid her phone in her pocket. Looking at theputer screen, Nancy said, Dont try to trick me! You work as a pediatric psychiatrist. You are only here to observe him, but not to treat him. And this patient is not even a child! Why are you worried about him? Is he rted to you? Anna said calmly, No, I just wanted to learn more about his illness. | dont want to do anything, If you dont believe me, feel free to ask as many questions as you like. Really? Really. Anna decided not to say anything. Nancy couldnt get anything out of her because she wouldnt reveal her patients privacy. Then Nancy blurted out, Are you this old mans illegitimate daughter? Hearing her words, Anna stumbled and nearly fell to the floor as a result of her surprise. She clutched the bookcase next to her. After steadying herself, she eximed, How is that even possible? Why would you ask that? All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. You said that can ask you any questions, didnt you? Nancy said with a wink. Anna was resigned and surprised by her bold spection. Its not a big deal because hes the richest man in town. I wont make fun of you about it, and | promise not to tell anyone about your little secret, Nancy kept teasing Anna. 390 Are You His Illegitimate Da. Since when did | confirm that Im his illegitimate daughter?! Nancy, keep your wild guesses to yourself, will you? When trying to persuade Nancy to stay out of it, Anna felt that the entire hospital, including the cafeteriady, would know this so-called secret by the end of the day. Nancy, however, looked like she had already decided that was the case. She said, I can help you keep it a secret, but you have to promise me one thing. Are you kidding me?! IM NOT HIS ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER! Really? Well, Im going to talk with the old man to see if its true. And youreing with me, Nancy said, her gaze fixed on her. Anna lowered her head in embarrassment and said, Fine! What do you want me to do for you? Nancy immediatelyughed and said, I knew you would say yes! Ha! Ha! Anna felt speechless. Its not really a big deal. Its just that theres a blind date this. weekend, and I want you to go there on my behalf. Dr. Moore, are you kidding me? | have a kid in middle school. I need to take care of her on weekend! Nancy made a gesture and said, Keep it down! I really need you to go there for me! In disbelief, Anna asked, You want me to go on a blind date with you? How is this even possible? Nancy asked in surprise, Why not? Hes never met me, and youre about the same age as me. Besides, we both work in a hospital. Just say youre Nancy, and he wont suspect anything. Tell him | have a child and he 390 Are You His Illegitimate Da. will refuse to date me! Can I say no? Anna asked, feeling a headache. Nancy said with a smile, Say it if you dare. Then Ill ask the old man whether he has an illegitimate daughter named Anna. I told youm not his daughter! Nancyughed harder and added, But if | ask him about it, the entire hospital will find out. You know how gossipy people can be in the hospital. Everyone would talk about this juicy gossip, and no one would care what the truth is if the words spread out. Upon hearing her words, Anna took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She felt that Nancy had nned this all out before she set foot in the hospital today. Not wanting Nancy to expose herself to Peter, Anna had no choice but to agree to help her with the blind date. Nancy gave her an early shift to the emergency room so she wouldnt have to visit the patients rooms every morning in return. Then Nancy elbowed Anna with a smug look, How does that sound? | did it for you at the risk of being discovered by the dean and being fired. Shouldnt you be thanking me? I do need to thank you. Anna felt speechless and had nothing to say. I texted you the time, address, and name. He works as a corporatewyer and only knows that Im a doctor. All you need to is make him give up on me. In fact, I dont see anything wrong with a blind date. Why are you refusing to go? What if you like him? Nancy looked at her and said, Consider this: what kind of person would go on a blind date nowadays? Why doesnt he find the right one among the people around him if he is physically and mentally normal? | 390 Are You His Illegitimate Da. believe that the majority of people who go on blind dates have some issues. And Im not going to waste my time on this. Have you ever considered what if hes an exception? I dont believe Im that lucky. If the sess rate of surgery is too low, patients are known to prefer conservative treatment. So theres no need for me to take a chance on that. Anna sighed as she looked at the time on her phone. She was off on Saturday and nned to take the two girls out for a night in town. And she estimated that the blind date would take half a day of her vacation. At lunchtime, Anna called Isabe and asked, Did you take Tammy to the doctor yet? Isabe eximed, Yes, and we just got out of there. Im shopping with Tammy at the mall right now. When are youing back for dinner tonight? Will you cook for us? No, Im workingte. Tammy can cook, so just let her do it. Or, you two can go out to grab some food. Well go out to eat. She is a good cook, but she always makes me do the dishes. Haha, fair enough. As if she hadnt heard Anna, Isabe said, Im hanging up, bye. She hung up the phone quickly. Anna looked at her phone screen for a moment before dialing Jaspers number. Jasper answered after a long time and asked, Hello, Anna. Whats wrong? Jasper sounded as if he had just awoken. Anna checked her watch and realized it was morning in America. Im sorry, did | wake you up? 390 Are You His Illegitimate Da. Jasper walked out of bed and asked, No. Whats wrong? I just wanted to let you know that Isabe is staying at my house now. I didnt tell you yesterday because she arrivedte. Jasper paused before asking, Is she at your house? What exactly do you mean? Anna froze and eximed, Dont you know Isabe ising to stay with me this summer? She said she told you about it. She told me she needed to join a summer camp at school, and she wasnting home this summer. And Jasper didnt finish his sentence, as if something had urred to him unexpectedly. He shuddered and said, Anna, Ill look into this. Bye, Ill call youter. Anna froze. She hadnt expected Isabe toe to her without telling Jasper. Yesterday, Anna had been puzzled because Jasper hadnt called her after Isabe got off the ne. And she suddenly felt that there was something strange about it. Chapter 392 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! Chapter 392 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! Tammy and Isabe were shopping in a downtown mall. Isabe had dreadlocks on her head, and she wore baggy pants and a tight red top. Tammy was dressed in a puffy pink dress, ballerina shoes, and colorful hairpins. She was only eleven years old, and she was alittle shorter than Isabe. Yet, she was already a pretty little girl The two walked through the mall, drawing a lot of attention. Isabe led Tammy into a store and handed her a studded leather skirt, saying, This stores design is fantastic! Why dont you give it a shot? Tammy rolled her eyes and pointed to the shiny studs on it, saying, This dress does not suit me; it is not my style! Why are there so many studs? Its not 2003, for Gods sake! Come on, you cant stay the same forever! You should try new things. Tammy, do you enjoy dressing up as a colorful birthday cake all your life? Tammy blinked, Try more new things? Then, why dont you change your style? What do you want to do? Ill choose an outfit for you, and youll choose one for me. Isabe examined Anna from head to toe and appeared hesitant. All these clothes are for little girls, Im not wearing them, she exined. Tammy borated, Because you dislike my taste, you should understand that | dislike yours as well. So, why dont we switch out styles today? sabe thought for a moment and said, Not a bad idea. Lets try 391 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! something new! I didnt mean to force you to do that, Tammy said, frowning. Isabe, on the other hand, had already made up her mind. She then went around the store, looking for clothes for Tammy. Isabe loved to dress like rock stars and preferred to dress in dark colors. As for Tammy, she preferred sweet and cute clothing and only wore pink. They both looked strange after switching styles. Ten minutester, Isabe stood in front of the mirror and surveyed herself. She was wearing a beige dress and pink satin ballerina shoes. A few guides around her discussed, Is it me, or is shes little weird in that dress? She does. Meanwhile, Tammy stared wide-eyed and pretended she didnt know Isabe. Isabe was wearing a lot of makeup and had a lot of dreadlocks on her head. She didnt look right in the beige dress. Still, the shopperplimented her, saying, Youngdy, you look stunning! This dress looks unique on you, and you make it even more beautiful! Isabe scratched her head, feeling ttered. She said, Well, if you say so, then Ill buy it. As Tammy looked at the price and widened her eyes in surprise, she realized that the guide had complimented Isabe in this way to sell this expensive dress. Then Isabe tugged Tammys arm and said, Im done shopping! Now, its my turn to buy you a new dress. Dont try to run away. I will make you feel what its like to be the cool girl today. Tammy was about toin when she heard a girl in front of her 391 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! say, Hey! Its you! Isabe and Tammy both looked up, but neither recognized this girl. It was a young girl around Isabes age. She wore a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and a ck backpack. She wore her hair in a ponytail, which made her look very energetic. Surprised, she looked at Isabe and said, Its me! Dont you remember me? You saved me at the airport yesterday! Isabe said, Oh, its you! | remember you. I went to the airport security office yesterday to look for you after | found my driver. However, they said that you had left. I wanted to thank you and look for you, but | didnt expect to see you here today. By the way, my name is Natalie Wright, the girl said, smiling and extending her right hand. Isabe Thomas. Natalie smiled and looked at the little girl next to Isabe, Is this your sister? Wait Are you Are you Tammy?! Tammy was stunned when she saw Natalie and even more surprised when she heard them introduce themselves. Natalie, on the other hand, was the first to recognize her. Bewildered, Isabe asked, Huh? You two know each other? We dont just know each other, shes also my Grandaunt, Tammy said awkwardly. What?! Isabe widened her eyes in surprise, thinking that she had heard it wrong. For dinner, the three girls went to a nearby Japanese restaurant. Isabe listened to the two of them talk, confused about what was happening. 391 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! Has Anna been back for a while? Natalie asked. We didnt stay long, and we still have to return to America once Im better. So, please dont tell your family you saw me today. Isabe was confused and asked, So, Natalie is your Grandaunt? Tammy exined, Natalie is my great grandfathers adopted daughter, and my daddys aunt. So, shes my Grandaunt. Natalie nodded, Isabe, Im your Grandaunt as well. Were a family. | didnt expect to see you at the airport. Isabeughed awkwardly and said, Ive never even met Tammys father. To be honest, Anna never brought him up. And dont have that many rtives. Isabes demeanor was a little hostile. Natalie kept her cool and didnt say anything. She said, I havent seen you and Anna in years. Tammy, where do you live now? Tammy was about to say something when Isabe put a piece of sushi in her mouth and said, We dont live far from here. Well invite you over our ceter. Natalie smiled and nodded, Oka Isabe remembered Natalie running the airport shortly after the incident. So, Isabe thought Natalie was very clever and cunning, and she just used the catch-up to get information from Tammy. Tammy was a little girl who missed her dad, so she was willing to say anything to her. Later on, Isabe realized what Natalie was trying to do. So, she nned to tell Anna about it when she got home. At the same time, Anna had spent the entire night working in the emergency department. She received a message that a patient was arriving when it was time for her to change shifts. A short timeter, a 391 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! knock came on the door outside. Come in, Anna yawned, trying to wake herself up. And when she looked up, she frozepletely. It was Wayne. He was dressed in a navy suit and was as oppressive as ever. However, Wayne wasnt surprised to see Anna as if hede here specifically for her. Having shut the door, he sat across from her at her desk. Its been a while. His voice was huskier than it had been five years before and sounded a little sexier. Annas heart was racing, and she tried hard to calm down. She browsed the information on her computer screen and asked, Noel Lesley? Are you Noel Lesley? Wayne exined, Noel is Gabes cousin, and hes the one who finished the register. I apologize, sir. The hospital is attempting to boycott scalpers, so patients must use their real names when registerin I can re-register right now, and it wont take long. At this point, the emergency department has more doctors than patients. Are you sure you want me to waste my time here? Im not trying to waste your time; Im just going through the process. Or are you just trying to run away while | go register. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Wayne guessed it right. Anna frowned at him for a moment before opening her chart book and asking, Okay. Go ahead. Whats the matter with you? Wayne stood up, his tall figure blocking the light. Anna blushed as she noticed him begin to undress himself. She asked in a fluster, What are you doing?! 391 Wayne, What Are You Doing?! Ignoring her, Wayne sat on the chair and threw his suit on the floor. He then gradually unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his toned chest. Annas face flushed even more. She stood up and said anxiously, Stop it! Im going to call security! Im telling you, the security office is not far from the emergency room, and they can hear me when | yell. What do you want to call security for? Wayne asked, stretching his injured arm out in front of Anna. He removed one sleeve of his ck shirt, revealing his left shoulder and a bandaged arm. Chapter 393 Can鈥檛 Wait To See Her Chapter 393 Cant Wait To See Her Annas eyes widened in surprise, and she couldnt help but blush. No. Nothing, she replied. Dr. Gabriel, help me see how the injury on my armis, will you? Wayne calmly held up his bandaged arm and looked at Anna. He appeared to be only here to see a doctor. Anna was at a loss for what to do. The attending doctor in the ER had gone home to celebrate the anniversary with his wife, leaving her alone to see patients. She thought no one woulde and she didnt expect to see Wayne. As she removed the bandage, she noticed Wayne staring at her, and he didnt seem to think it was a coincidence. Whoes to the hospital at two a.m. fora wound that was already bandaged the day before? Anna thought. As Anna unwrapped the bandage, she saw the severe wound inside. She then stopped thinking about anything else and focused on treating the wound. Her hand trembled as she asked, Who bandaged you? That person didnt even clean your wound or apply medicine. Thats so irresponsible! Wayne remained silent. He was staring at her and seemed to have a lot to say to her. Anna ducked away as if she had been electrocuted, Wait here while | go get the medicine. Dont touch the wound. Five minutester, Anna returned with a tray of antiseptic drops. She sterilized and cleaned his wound, applied ointment, and bandaged him 392 Cant Wait To See Her with clean bandages. She didnt look up at Wayne the entire time, and she didnt make eye contact with him, either. She then cleaned everything up, wrote the prescription, and said to him, You have a mild abrasion. Because your wound is infected, youll have toe here every day after I redress it. Dont use your wounded hand too often; otherwise, the wound will split. You can stoping here once the wound haspletely scabbed over. Anna tore the prescription off and handed it to him, saying, Go pay the bill and get the medicine. Wayne sat down instead of taking the piece of paper. You wouldnt be talking to me if I hadnt really been hurt, would you? he asked as he sat down and put his shirt back on. Why did you say that? We dont have a grudge, so why wouldnt | talk to you? We sort of know each other, so I would have at least said hello to you. We sort of know each other? Wayne asked, then fell silent. Dont hold up the patients behind you because your consultation is over. Besides, Im almost done with my shift. Anna said this without looking up. As if she didnt want to talk to him anymore, she kept her head down and read her psychology textbook. Meanwhile, Wayne sat in his chair, not intending to leave. He said, Great! Lets meet for breakfast after you get off work. Id like to thank you for bandaging my wound. Its three oclock, I dont think any restaurants are open right now, Anna grumbled. There will be if I want to. Hearing that, Anna put down her pen and looked at Wayne unhappily, You dont have to do that. Im a doctor, and youre a patient. You came 392 Cant Wait To See Her here to see a doctor, and it is my responsibility to treat you. You dont have to buy me food to thank me. You dont treat other patients this way, do you? Wayne asked joyfully. He had met Natalie on his way home yesterday evening, and she had told him that Anna had returned. He read the list of doctors at Birminghams hospitals and found that she worked at the hospital where Peter was staying, As a result, he was delighted about it. Of course, he wanted to see her right away. His question caught Anna off guard. She remained silent for a long time before saying, as calmly as possible, You can whine all you want about me, but Ive already taken care of you. Youre the one whos stuck here. IIL leave after | ask the questions. What exactly do you want to know? When did you get back? Anna was no longer hostile. She squeezed her fingers, attempting to distract herself from recalling things from the past. Then she put on a cold face and said, A month ago. Wayne smiled immediately. But not because of you, she added. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Wayne remained calm and asked, Why didnt you tell me? Anna asked aloud, Why should | bother telling you? Is it necessary for me to do that? Why? She felt that since the two of them had said their final goodbyes five years ago, there was no need to do so again. Arent we friends? Friends? I dont believe we could be friends. Anna became enraged. 392 Cant Wait To See Her She had no idea what Wayne was thinking, but she could never be friends with him again after their breakup. Does that exin why you avoid me? When was thest time | avoided you? Anna raised her head and fixed her gaze on him. I asked around, and you were scheduled for the inpatient cardiac surgery rotation today. Yesterday morning, Grandpa was admitted to this hospital, and you were abruptly transferred to the emergency department. Arent you avoiding Grandpa on purpose? Did you have someone look into me again? I was also concerned about a misunderstanding, so I came to ask you directly what was going on. Youve already figured everything out, havent you? You wouldnt believe me even if | deny it. Anna became enraged. She thought, Wayne, you havent changed a bit; you still love to look into things about me, dont you? I believe you. Wayne said firmly. Anna was irritated when she realized how firm Wayne was. She tly denied it, Im not avoiding him. Ive just been reassigned to stay in the emergency room for the time being. Things will be back to normal in the morning, and Ill be there. I treat every patient the same way. Why should | hide from anyone if | havent done anything wrong? Wayne nodded, Thank you for taking care of Grandpa for me. I may be unable to visit him in the hospital, so I was hoping you could look after him for me. Work is important, but you should have time to see your family, Anna said scornfully. 392 Cant Wait To See Her I didnt visit Grandpa not because I dont have time, but because Grandpa doesnt want to see me. Anna was taken aback and wanted to ask him what was going on. She didnt say anything in the end, figuring it was better not to ask. Then she uttered, Youve asked everything you need to ask. So, you will leave now, right? Wayne stood up right away. Before leaving, he turned around and said, Dr. Gabriel, even though we cant be friends, we can say hello next time we see each other. Im not a robber, and this is aw- abiding society. What are you scared of? Chapter 394 Wayne Is in A Good Mood Chapter 394 Wayne Is in A Good Mood Anna thought, /m not afraid of you! Why would I? She was so angry that she even wanted to p him. Wayne left after saying that, much to her delight. And Anna sat nervously in her office until three oclock when she was relieved of her duties. She walked away without even saying hello when the doctor on the next shift arrived there. She had to return to work at nine a.m., so she slept in the doctors lounge. Being on duty all night was exhausting. However, Anna couldnt sleep after lying down. She knew she would meet Wayne when she returned to Birmingham but she didnt expect that she would meet him so soon. Shed only been back a month when she ran into Peter and him at the hospital. For five years, Annad been thinking about it and still wasnt sure how shed face Wayne again. Anna knew that if they never saw each other again, time would make them let go of everything. Some people may forget someone after only a few days of not seeing them, while others may take years or even a lifetime. Thinking of that, Anna had beenying down for several hours until dawn. She awoke with bloodshot eyes after getting out of bed to shower. It was only seven oclock in the morning. Before going to work, she went to Nancys office and asked her to restore her shift schedule. Nancy asked curiously, Why did you change your mind? Do you want to meet your father now? Anna frowned and said, Hes not my father! Would you please drop it? Isit fun to tease me like that? 393 Wayne Is in A Good Mood Seeing that Annas face darkened and she was annoyed, Nancy decided to let go of the topic this time. She wanted to keep teasing her though: After a brief pause, Nancy sighed and said, No worries, Ill change your shift for you as long as you go on a blind date for me on Saturday. Dr. Moore, if you ever say Im Mr. Wrights illegitimate daughter again, Ill tell the head nurse you asked me to go on a blind date for you, Anna said, taking a deep breath. Dr. Gabriel, you cant do this to me! Nancy eximed. You threatened me, so | have to defend myself. Ill only go on one blind date for you, and Ill stay out of it from now on. After that, Anna returned to the lounge after leaving Nancys office. She smelled coffee as soon as she opened the door. One of her co-workers was eating a bagel. When she saw Anna return, she waved to her and said, Here, have some breakfast. I was just looking for you, and they said you went to Nancys office. The coffee and bagels are from that ce around the corner, and theyre delicious. Thats the most popr breakfast shop in the neighborhood. Anna was curious because she didnt know what was good to eat around the hospital. She took a sip of her cappino and was amazed by its taste. Thanks. Her colleague smiled and said, You dont have to thank me. In all the years Ive been working here, no one has ever brought me breakfast except my husband. You were on duty here all night long yesterday, right? A young man brought you breakfast this morning. Anna froze and asked, This is for me? Her co-worker handed her a blueberry bagel and said, A young man asked me where you were when I got here this morning. I told him that no 393 Wayne Is in A Good Mood one else was allowed in our lounge, so he asked me to bring you breakfast. | happened to be there early, so had some. Anna stared in amazement at the cappino in her hand. Of course, she knew who this young man was. The morning meeting had just ended at the Carousel Group headquarters. Several department heads walked out of the conference room cheerfully, which was unusual. The two directors of the finance department came out of the elevator side by side, talking with each other. Mr. Wright is in a good mood today! I found a little mistake with the financial n this morning, but I didnt have time to reprint it. | thought he would lose his temper with me again. But I didnt expect him to say nothing about this. He probably didnt notice it. Keep your voice down! If he finds outter, hell let you go to his office and question you about it. He never makes mistakes. His eyes are even better than a scanner! He can see the problem at a nce. So, hes definitely in a good mood today. Besides, he kept checking his phone just now. The finance department director looked around and lowered his voice, Someone told me he was on a blind datest week. Is it possible that hes in a rtionship? Is he? He hasnt been in a rtionship since he called off his engagement five years ago. I think he was probably talking business with a client at the time. The director sighed and said, Yeah, I almost forgot about that. Im not sure what happened that year. But why did he cancel the wedding so. abruptly? | even received his wedding invitation. 393 Wayne Is in A Good Mood Id heard that it had something to do with his son. You mean Matthew? Yep. Ive heard all sorts of rumors. Many people said that Waynes fiance did not treat Matthew well at the time. Wayne found out about it on the wedding day, which is why the engagement was called off Is that so? | think thats a bit odd. Well, its all in the past, so lets stop talking about this. Im worried that someone might hear it. Around the elevators corner, a twelve-year-old boy in a well-tailored suit stood behind a tall potted nt. His assistant was standing by his side, saying cautiously to him, Dont take it personally, Matthew. Many people talk about this tedious gossip. Matthew looked very calm andposed. He didnt seem to mind this and just said, I really dont like this kind of gossip. My mom will be upset if shees back and hears it. Then Ill tell them to stop gossiping about This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Matthew said, No, dont go. Make an announcement for me. If anyone talks about my fathers personal life again, theyll lose their bonus for the year. The assistant froze for a moment and said, Really? Im worried that people might think theres something really wrong with Mr. Wright if we do so. Why are you worried about that? Thats something his secretary has to take care of for him. Sorry, Ill get right on it. Chapter 395 She鈥檚 Pregnant Chapter 395 Shes Pregnant Anna didnt even have time to have lunch after going to the wards to check in the morning before watching two pediatric surgeries. Her specialty had nothing to do with these surgeries. However, if she wanted to work in pediatrics as a child psychiatrist in the future, she would need theseprehensive skills. As soon as she walked in the door after returning home from work in the evening, she smelled cookies. She entered the kitchen and noticed two girls working in front of the oven. Anna asked, Youre making cookies? Isabe turned back and said, Youre finally home! | thought youd stay in the hospital and ignore us. Anna gave her a long look before saying, Isnt it you who is ignoring everyone? You even managed to fool Jasper. Isabe froze for a moment before realizing what Anna was saying. She bowed her head. Anna asked, Are you going to exin it to me or will you let me exin it to you? Isabe remained silent. Tammy looked them both in the eyes, changed the subject, and said, I made a lot of cranberry cookies, Mom. Can you bring them to the hospital tomorrow and give them to your coworkers? Il do that tomorrow. But | need to get Isabe to the airport right now. Isabe poked her head out of the kitchen in a panic and said, The 394 Shes Pregnant airport? No! Im not going back to America! Then why didnt you tell Jasper that you wereing to my house? If youre not happy here, youll leave as well. In that case, how would ? exin it to Jasper? Isabe frowned and said, Hes not going to ask me anything! Ive been on summer vacation for half a month, and he hasnt even called me once. If anything bad happens to me, Ill be six feet underground now. Anna rolled her eyes at her and said, Stop talking nonsense. If Jasper hears this, hell be mad at you. Hasnt he always given you the best of everything? Isabe realized Anna was very upset. She walked out of the kitchen, trembling, and said, Dont be mad, Anna. | didnt mean to keep it from him. I ran away because Lily was pregnant. Hearing that, Anna was stunned. She knew that Jasper and Lily had been married for five years with no children, and it was because he didnt want one himself. This couple fought a lot about children in recent years. Come here, tell me whats going on, Anna said as she sat on the couch. Isabe took a deep breath and appeared irritated. She remained silent for a long time before finally saying, My summer vacation ended about a month ago. Jasper went to Madrid on a business trip after | came back from school. Therefore, back then, there were just me, Lily, and the maid. You are well aware that Lily and | have never gotten along. Besides, | listened to you and never had a fight with her. I just stayed in my room all day long. And one day, she cooked for me and told me that she was pregnant. What? Did she ask you to move out of their house? 394 Shes Pregnant Yes. She told me shed found me an apartment near my school and asked me to move in. Noticing Anna was frowning, Isabe continued, Dont worry, I didnt get into a fight with her. I dont want to get in their way because its their first child. As a result, I left that night. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Annas heart ached as she heard Isabes exnation. Isabe had a brave personality, but she had few people to care for her as a child. Anna had always asked Jasper to look after Isabe while she was in France. As a result, Jasper was important to Isabe. Isabe and Lily didnt get along, but they never fought for Jaspers sake. Have you discussed this with Jasper? No, because understand what Lily means. She believes that my presence at home prevents her from being intimate with her husband. People who are pregnant are said to be moody. If ? tell Jasper about it, hell be upset, and the two of them will fight over me. So, moved out. You were afraid Jasper would ask you about why you didnte home for the summer, so you came to my ce, right? Anna asked Yes, Isabe said, nodding. Anna suddenly felt angry. She patted Isabe on the shoulder and asked, Why didnt you call me earlier? You didnt want to exin it to Jasper, right? So, why didnt you ask me to help you? I know youre busy, so I was worried youde straight to America to find me, Isabe said, covering her shoulder. Anna was both angry and sad. She said, Stop right there. Let me figure this out. You arent an adult yet, and you cant live on your own. Dont make your mind up about it again. You wont be able to hide it from Jasper anyway. Then what will you do about it? Isabe asked, surprised. 394 Shes Pregnant Anna gripped her hand tightly and said, You can live with me if you dont get along with Lily. Jasper and | adopted you together, and legally, Im your mother. Lily and Jasper had many conflicts, which involved having children, Isabe, Tammy, and even Anna. They frequently fought over these issues. Lily knew how much Jasper had cared for Anna and Tammy, and she expected him to do the same for her. She forgot, however, that the way they got along with each other was difficult to change. Lily had been Jaspers secretary for eight years and had always followed his instructions. So changing his ways right after they married would be extremely difficult for Jasper. Eventually, Lily realized she was not receiving the care she deserved and began resenting everyone and everything around her. Anna had met Lily several times and heard her say some outrageous things. Lily believed that Jasper didnt want any children because he already had two: Isabe and Tammy. Tammy was living with Anna, and Isabe was the only one left there. Anna knew what Lily was up to, but she didnt expect that she would kick an underage child out of the house. Chapter 396 We Are Getting a Divorce Chapter 396 We Are Getting a Divorce Anna didnt think it was a big deal because she was the one who proposed to adopt Isabe in the first ce. As a result, she felt she couldnt let Isabe stay at Jaspers house any longer. After both children had fallen asleep, Anna went to the balcony to call Jasper. She sai Thank you for looking after Isabe all these years because | should have been doing it. Youve done well enough, so its best if she stays with me in the future. After a brief pause, Jasper said, I asked Lily about it. Ill go to Birmingham to pick up Isabe before her summer vacation ends. Everything will be back to normal then. No, you dont have to do that. Ive already thought about it. Jasper cut her off and said, You havent given it much thought. You have to stay in Birmingham for a whole year, and youre busy with your work, so you wont have time to take care of her. When | previously promised to look after Isabe, | didnt only do it for the sake of you, but also for the sake of Isabe. As her foster father, I will look after her even after she turns 18. Anna thought his words sounded a bit odd, but she couldn tell precisely what was odd about it. Then she asked, What about Lily? You didnt get into a fight with her, did you? Lily and have decided to divorce. What? You two are getting a divorce?! Anna asked, wide-eyed with surprise. She thought, / knew Jasper would be enraged because Lily kicked Isabe out without telling him. But I had no idea it would go this far! 395 We Are Getting a Divorce Besides, isnt Lily pregnant? What about the baby? Jasper didnt appear to be in a good mood and didnt seem to want to. talk anymore. As a result, he quickly hung up the phone. Standing on the balcony, Anna had mixed feelings as she looked up at the moon that was partly covered by the clouds. She thought to herself, Well, ve pretty much messed up my rtionship with Wayne. So, who am / to tell what Jasper should and shouldnt do? Jasper is a wise and steady man. He knows what is best for Isabe. After all, its him who has looked after Isabe all these years. As for Isabe Shes about to turn 18. And shouldnt make the decision for her without her permission. The next day, Wayne sat in his office, wearing a ck shirt. The dcor of his office was ssical, making the entire atmosphere serious and upscale. Noel, his assistant, said, Mr. Wright, a mediapany is celebrating its anniversary at the end of this month, and they sent out invitations to you earlier. You havent decided whether or not you want to go there. What do you think? Wayne did not hesitate to say, No, Im not going. Celebrities typically attended mediapany anniversary celebrations, which served as excellent networking opportunities. It was also an incredible opportunity for him to promote thepany. By the way, the legal department said that the result of ourwsuit with Light hase out, Noel said after reading the notice. Wayne raised his head. When he looked at Noel, his eyes were as calm and intelligent. How did it go? he asked. We won. Joshua Davis will be back tomorrow. 395 We Are Getting a Divorce Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. So, any reaction from the board? Wayne asked, nodding. Youre right, Mr. Davis is already nning a board meeting, Noel said. Previously, the board met once a year. And theyve only had three meetings since Joshua Davis joined the group six months ago. His father genuinely cares about him. Mr. Davis really wants his son to be the head of the legal department, right? Noel asked after a brief pause. Yes. Many people were unwilling to take on thewsuit because it was soplicated. Only Joshua agreed to do that. Hes very efficient and it worked out. The entire legal department had been working on this issue for a year with no resolution, and it only took him two months to finish dealing with it. So Im sure his father will seize this opportunity to impose some conditions on us. But he had only been in thepany for six months and did not meet the promotion criteria. ording to the rules, employees in ourpany should be promoted based on their strengths and they can only be promoted after working here in a year. So? The board might make an exception for him. It depends on whether his father genuinely loves him. Youre right, Mr. Wright. The group also has a rule that said that ifan employee owns a certain percentage of the groups shares, they could be exempt from following this rule. People with exceptional abilities may be promoted sooner. Mr. Davis, a board member, is Joshuas stepfather. If Mr. Davis truly wants his stepson to be the head of the legal department, he would give him a portion of his stock. As Noel was thinking, Wayne suddenly asked, Do you have ns for this Saturday? 395 We Are Getting a Divorce Theres an opening ceremony for a real estate project, Noel said, flipping through his agenda book. Go there with Matthew. Noel nodded. Wayne was used to sending Matthew to events he didnt want to attend. By the way, please cancel all of my future weekend ns. What are you going to do? Noel asked, frozen. Wayne didnt respond; he smiled and thought of something wonderful. Im going to meet someone, he said Noel assumed Wayne was meeting someone unusual. Wayne loved his work as much as he loved his own life. So, Noel guessed that maybe Wayne was meeting with a potentially big client, which would be very profitable for thepany. Meanwhile, Annas shift schedule was back to normal. She was nervous because she was going to meet Peter. But sheter discovered that because there were so many interns, Peter didnt even notice her when she stood in the crowd. As a result, Anna was finally able to rx. She was looking forward to the weekend on Friday afternoon. And then Nancy entered her office and asked, Dr. Gabriel, are you avable now? Hearing that, Anna became tense. Chapter 397 Don鈥檛 Forget What You鈥檝e Promised Me Chapter 397 Dont Forget What Youve Promised Me Anna knew that Nancy must be up to something. Suddenly, she remembered that Nancy had previously asked her to go on a blind date for her. But Anna had been too preupied recently and had forgotten about it Nancy asked, hy are you leaving so early? Im off work as well, so lets go out for a drin Anna smiled hesitantly and said, Ill be leaving soon, Dr. Moore. My two daughters are still at home, and I need to go back home to cook dinner for them. Thats fantastic! Ive heard that youre good at cooking, so lets meet for a drink at your house instead. Anna was unprepared to host guests in her home. As a result, she waved her hand and said, Actually, thats a bad idea. My house is too messy to entertain guests. Once | clean it up, Ill invite everyone to my house. Thats okay! Im not busy right now. How about |e to your house and clean it up for you? The hospital ces a high value on harmonious rtionships among coworkers. Anna couldnt stop herself after theyd been talking nonsense for ten minutes. Dr. Moore, | cant really help you with your blind date, she said. Nancy said with a smile, You dont have to call me that anymore, I told you. Im only a few years older than you; you can call me Nancy from now on. 396 Dont Forget What Youve P. Anna got goosebumps when she saw her smile. Nancy said, That VIP ward patient requires a professional doctor to be with him 24 hours a day. You know that old gentleman, so you must be familiar with his habits. So, can you look after him? Anna blinked awkwardly. Dont worry, ll definitely go on that blind date for you tomorrow, she said after a while. Anna wasnt ready to meet Peter yet, so she couldnt take care of Peter every day. As a result, she had no choice but to say yes to Nancys requirement. After Anna agreed to this, Nancy let her go. Anna got a headache when she thought she had to go on a blind date for Nancy tomorrow. When she got home, she heard the two kids in the bedroom ying games. Mom, Grandaunt Selina called and asked us toe to her house for dinner tomorrow night, Tammy said. Anna sighed and replied, I cant go there with you, honey. have something to do. Why dont you go there with Isabe? Tammy nodded and then walked back into the room. Annas phone then rang. It was a memo event ert: a prison visit. After hesitating for a short while, Anna said to Isabe, n changed. Dont go to Selinas ce, Isabe. Tomorrow, Ill take you somewhere. Hearing that, Isabe froze. Tammy, who had put down her switch, asked curiously, Where are you taking her, Mom? Im going too! Isabe coughed awkwardly and said, Youd better go to your grandaunts house. Ill go there with Anna. Upon seeing Isabes awkward expression, Anna was torn between emotions. That was the day they could pay a visit to Isabes father, Mike, 396 Dont Forget What Youve P. who was imprisoned. Anna was grateful to him because he was the one who had gotten them off the ind five years ago when she was kidnapped. Later at night, Tammy fell asleep quickly. Isabey on her bed with her pillow in her arms while Anna sat in bed, reading. Isabe said nothing and just stared at Anna. Cant you fall asleep? Anna asked as she closed the book. | miss my mother, Isabe said. Anna looked at Isabes face and noticed how much she had changed from before. Your mother would be very happy if she knew you have grown into a beautiful girl now, Anna stroked her head while trying tofort her. What? Was that ugly? Isabe asked, her gaze fixed on Anna. Yes, its true that you didnt look good before. Hey! You hurt my feelings. So, you miss your mother, dont you? Do you want to call me mom because Im kind of your mother? Isabe rolled her eyes, hugged Annas arm tightly and said, No! Youre only a little older than me and youre nothing like my mother. Yes, youre right. I would not have had a daughter at your age. But did adopt a daughter your age. You already have two kids! Isabe was an expert at arguing with others. She said nothing else after that. Anna was aware of what she was thinking. She theny down and hugged Isabe tightly, saying softly, Yes, I have two kids. And I take you as my child as well. Mike, on the other hand, does not have any children. Remember the time when | asked if you wanted to see Mike and say 396 Dont Forget What Youve P. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. goodbye before | left Birmingham? At that time, you were furious and said he wasnt your father. You were right. Hes not your father. Youre about to be an adult now. And I think you have the right to know the truth. Im so sorry that I didnt tell you this earlier. I was pretty torn back then and | always flinch the moment right before | was going to reveal the truth to you. Isabe, please dont me me for not telling you the truth all these years, okay? Isabe said, Okay, | forgive you. Well, even if you had told me at the time, I would not have believed you. Id wanted to leave that shithole since Iwas a kid, and no one could stop me. It was your uncle who didnt let me tell you. He was the one who let me go, so | have no choice but to agree to his request. Go to sleep, we have to get up early tomorrow. The next morning, it rained lightly, cooling down the city. Anna waited for Isabe outside the suburban jail after dropping her off. The prisons visiting room had a lot of thick ss, and the phone was the only thing connecting the inside to the outside. Isabe sat in a chair, her face tense. Her figure was reflected on the dirty ss, She asked Anna to take her to remove the single braids from her head before she arrived. And she looked refreshing in a simple white T-shirt and denim skirt. Isabe waited a while before seeing the guards bring Mike out. He had lost so much weight that she almost didnt recognize him. She paused at the doorway for a moment before bing less shocked. Then she sat down slowly, looking at the man in his prime and trying not to cry. After that, she picked up the microphone and gestured for Mike to speak to her. Mike immediately asked, What are you doing here? Is Anna treating 396 Dont Forget What Youve P. you badly? They hadnt seen each other in years, but Mikes first question was not how she was doing but whether Anna truly cared for her. Anna is good to me; shes like a sister to me. Mike had no expression on his face and simply said, You should call her mom from now on because she adopted you. Im relieved if she truly treats you well. This is my own business. Do you have anything to say to me after five years? Isabe asked, her gaze fixed on him. What are you talking about? Mike asked. Isabe shuddered and tried not to cry. She asked, When are you going to tell me that you are not my father but my uncle? How long will you keep this from me? Hearing that, Mike looked up at Isabe and noticed how much she resembled her mother. He was in a trance and believed he had seen his sisterin a sh. Anna told me that you are not my biological father. You took us to the ind to protect my mother from bad people in our vige. You didnt expect us to stay long, so you introduced her = to others as your wife. But Dragon was drunk that night, and you werent on the ind. So the ident urred. Isabes voice was muffled by electrical noise, but every word was audible. Mike was heartbroken as he listened to his niece say what had happened in the past. At the same time, Anna had been waiting outside for Isabe. She thought it was time for her toe out, so she started the car. Just as she was about to buckle up, she noticed she got a new text message. It was from Nancy, and she said, Dont forget what youve promised me. Chapter 398 Switching Identities Chapter 398 Switching Identities A shiver ran down Annas spine. She knew that if she didnt go on that. blind date this afternoon, Nancy would hunt her down with a scalpel. After replying to Nancys text message, Anna sighed and looked at the exit in front of her. Her phone then rang again. Anna frowned and picked up the phone, saying, I replied to your text message, and Ill be on that blind date for you. You dont have to keep telling me that. Then Anna heard a man ask, What? A blind date? Anna was taken aback and looked down at her phone. It wasnt Nancys number. Anna recognized the caller and asked, Wayne, is that you? Its the weekend, so why dont we go to dinner? Wayne said after a brief pause. Anna froze and said, Im not avable right now. Besides, you dont have to invite me to dinner. Wayne asked unhappily, Oh? So youre going on a blind date? With who? Anna was at a loss for what to say. When she looked up, Isabe was. already walking toward the car. So, she said right away, Awyer named Joshua. And its none of your business. After that, she got off the phone. Wayne had been sitting in his car for quite some time under Annas apartment building. He frowned as he looked at his phone. He thought, Joshua?wyer?! s it possible that Annas going to have a blind date with Joshua Davis? Im gotta find it out 397 Switching Identities no matter what! Wayne then returned to the office. Noel had just left the finance office when he saw Wayne. Mr. Wright, I thought you werenting back today, he said. Wayne gave him a cold stare, making him shiver and daring him to ask more questions. He asked, What was the original n for today? Noel followed him, saying, Today, the legal department and the secretary will hold a meeting. Mr. Davis was unanimously appointed as the legal departments lead attorney by the board. We need you to make the announcement in person and then coordinate with the various departments. Cancel the meeting now and tell Davis to meet me in my office. I have something urgent to talk to him about. Wayne said impatiently and coldly. But, Mr. Wright. All the board members have already been waiting for you in the meeting room. Are you sure you want to Before Noel finished his sentence, Wayne cut him off, ring at him, Just do as | said! Damn it! Instantly, Noel felt a shiver running down his spine. After a few seconds, he said in a trembling voice under Waynes re, I m onit. Im so sorry! A few minutester, Joshua arrived at the door to Waynes office. As soon as Waynes secretary saw him, she opened the door for him respectfully and informed Wayne of hising. Greetings, Mr. Wright. To what do I owe the pleasure? Joshua said in a light tone while stepping into Waynes office and looking around. Congrattions. Mr. Davis, you will now be the legal departments lead attorney. I hope you will take the responsibility and do your best here, 397 Switching Identities Wayne said, looking at him seriously with his sharp eyes Oh, thanks. With due respect, shouldnt you congratte me at the meeting that has been canceled just now? Otherwise, Im afraid that other board members wont know that you arranged for me to take the position, Unbuttoning his suit, Joshua uttered when sitting down in front of Wayne gracefully. Then he continued, Right. | assumed that youve already known that Im not interested in taking the job and that | n to turn it down. Is that why you asked to talk to me in private, Mr. Wright? Huh! Youre quite bold, arent you? As a neer here, youve already used to talking to me in a seemingly polite but somewhat insulting tone. Never had | been treated by my employees like this before. Damn it! But I cant lose it right now as | have something urgent to talk with you, Joshua. | need to confirm whether youre thewyer that Anna is going to have a blind date with. As for your job, Illdeal with itter! Thinking of that, Wayne answered in a polite yet indifferent tone, Indeed, It turns out that youre just as smart and insightful as others told me. As you know, the position had been vacant for a long time. So, your sudden quit will make it hard for the HR department to hire a new lead attorney for the time being. I wonder, if it will be eptable that | invite you to lunch and discuss the matter? What do you think, Mr. Davis? Joshua didnt look up and kept packing his bag. He said, Well, m sorry that I have to turn you down again on this matter. I have ns this noon, and | took the afternoon off. Wayne asked, Really? Your father says you rarely go out on weekends and only go to the library and the courthouse I have a blind date, Joshua said, gathering his belongings and picking up his bag. 397 Switching Identities Hearing that, Wayne froze for the second time today. He shouted in his heart, What the f**k?! Anna is really having a blind date with you?! It cant be! I, Ineed further evidence to prove it! Then, with a cough, Wayne asked, May | know who youre having a blind date with? Well Okay. I cant recall her name, but | remember that shes a doctor in a hospital of our city. My family arranged the blind date for me. I apologize for not being able to join you for lunch. Ill certainly invite you the next time. A doctor! s**t! It must be Anna! It cant be a coincidence that they two are having a blind date on the same day! Wayne reasoned to himself. After that, he asked, Mr. Davis, may | ask you another question? Yes, go ahead, Joshua answered. He appeared a bit impatient at the moment, though Do you know that blind date of yours? Are you friends or are you two just total strangers to each other? Yes and no. Ive known her since I was a kid. And we were good friends back then. After all these years, I still cant get over her. But I dont know whether she still feels the same for me. Huh? Thats strange. Anna had told me that she hated ying with boys when she was little as she was always bullied by them. In that case, its impossible that Anna is the same person that Joshua refers to, Could it be that Alright. Time is flying. I have to leave now, Mr. Wright, Joshuas voice brought Waynes wandering mind back to the present. Wait! Wayne shouted. Upon hearing that, Joshua turned around and asked, slightly 397 Switching Identities frowning, Anything else, Mr. Wright? The person you were referring to is Nancy Moore. Am | right? How How did you know? Material ? N?velDrama.Org. It doesnt matter how | got to know about it. Also, I know that youre desperate to win her heart through this blind date. And | happened to have a n for you to get her back to you. What do you think? Is that a joke? Do you have to get back at me like this simply because turned you down, Mr, Wright? Joshua asked in disbelief. Shaking his head, Wayne answered, Do | sound like Im joking with you? Chapter 399 A Strange Date Chapter 399 A Strange Date No, Joshua said with doubts in his mind. Still, he chose to sit down and listen to Wayne. Heres the thing. You know that Nancy doesnt want to get married at all and I also know about it. And theres no way she will go on the blind date herself. She mustve had already arranged for someone else to go on the blind date for her. Then whats the point of you going to the blind date if the date isnt her? Wayne analyzed calmly. Wow! | didnt expect that you knew so much about Nancy, Wayne. No wonder you can be a business legend in the business circle for years! Yeah, you re right. Its true that Nancy wants to be single forever. And she was forced to go to the blind date this time, Joshua thought to himself. As the two of us have simr heights and figures, Im thinking that we can switch out identities and then Ill go to the blind date for you. And once the date is over, Ill make Nancy be with you as soon as possible. Hows that sound? Okay. Although Joshua had thousands of questions about as to why Wayne suddenly made such an odd proposal in his mind, he didnt speak his mind out loud, knowing that Wayne wouldnt answer any of his questions even if he persisted in asking him. Joshua said to himself, Wayne is not a man who likes to joke around. Since he says so with confidence, its highly likely that he will make Nancy and me a couple. Deal? Wayne reached out his hand to Joshua, asking. Deal! Joshua said delightfully, shaking hands with Wayne. 398 A Strange Date Anna arrived at the restaurant where Nancy and Joshua had made a reservation. It was a French restaurant, decorated elegantly but in a simple way. The guests were speaking in whispers, and a jazz band was ying soothing music. Joshua arrived ten minutester. He was wearing sunsses and a mask. Are you Dr. Moore? he asked. Anna looked up as she heard that pleasant voice. You must be Mr. Davis. Am I right? she asked, standing up. Joshua nodded and said, Please have a seat. Sorry, thepany had an impromptu meeting earlier. Thats why Im a bitte. Have you been waiting for me for a long time? Ill pay for everything weve done today as an apology to you. Meanwhile, Joshua, aka, Wayne, thought to himself, Hah! /t turns out that my guess was right! Anna, you did n to go to a blind date with Joshua. Well. On second thought, you didnt n it as it was supposed to be Nancy who went on the blind date with Joshua. Anyways, Im so d that youre here simply because Nancy asked you to be here! Mr. Davis. No offense but, may | ask why youre wearing sunsses and a mask? Emmm If you mind it, you dont need to answer my question. Im just curious, Anna asked in confusion. No, no, not at all! About that Well, I have a cold and I dont want to infect you with it. As for the sunsses | have had an eye surgery recently and the doctor asks me to wear sunsses to avoid the sunlight. Oh, I see, Saying that, Anna thought to herself, Well, Nancy was right. Those who have blind dates nowadays tend to have something fishy about themselves. Joshua, are you lying or not? If youre lying, are you covering your face like that because youre disfigured that you dont dare 398 A Strange Date to show your face in public? If thats the case Well, Id rather believe that youre not lying to me. Also, your voice sounds so familiar. You sound like Wayne! But how is it possible? Wayne doesnt have time for blind dates. I should perish the thought and ruin the blind date for the sake of Nancy. Did you order your meal? Wayne asked, seeing that Anna was absent-minded Anna nodded and said, Yes, but | asked them to make my meal with yours. You can take your time looking at the menu. Wayne then ordered and handed the menu to the waiter. After that, he got straight to the point and said, My father stayed in your hospital earlier, and your mother introduced us to a very nice nurse. My mother and your mother had a nice time talking, so they let us go on a blind date. It wasnt until then that Anna realized she had made a mistake bying and regretted it even more. Having regained herposure, Anna said, Thats fine. A blind date is a quick way to fall in love. We have the opportunity to express ourselves directly. We can continue dating if we believe that were meant for each other, and well never see each other again if we dont click. This is my favorite way. Wayne was silent for a moment, not expecting Anna to be so blunt. He said, Yes, thats right. I hate lying to people, so Ill answer whatever you ask me honestly, Anna said. I dont have anything to ask, Wayneughed, I prefer that we take our time and get to know each other. So, you dont mind if | ask you a question, do you? Anna continued. Certainly not. Go ahead and ask me whatever you want to ask me 398 A Strange Date = about. Whats your sry? Do you have a house? How many houses do you have? And how many girlfriends have you had? Why did you break up with them? After that, Anna smiled smugly, thinking, No men would like to be interrogated by their dates on their first dates. I guess that you have already lost interest in me the moment you finish hearing the strings of questions! However, Joshua was a little moreposed than Anna expected, saying, I earn more than $100,000 per year, and | have some money saved up. I have two houses in Birmingham. | live in a duplex, and the other one is empty. I paid cash for both. Ive dated two girls. | dated one for a year and broke up because she needed to study abroad. | dated the other one for half a year and we broke up because she was leaving for America. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Alright. It seems that you dont wanna back down so soon. Id bettere up with a better strategy. At the thought of that, Anna said, Youre a nice guy, but I dont know if my daughters will like you. Otherwise, we cant keep dating. Do you have daughters? How old are they? My oldest daughter is 17 years old, and the youngest is 11 years old. Chapter 400 What the Hell? Chapter 400 What the Hell? Anna was sure that saying that would irritate Joshua. But Joshua was only surprised for a while before quickly calming down. He said, Its okay. I dont mind. I apologize. Youre a perfect man, and youre probably speechless about having to go on a blind date, right? And you met a weirdo like me. Thats fine. Wayne said calmly, which caught Anna off guard. She had never seen such a considerate man before, so she suspected he acted like a gentleman. While the waiter was serving the meal, Anna measured Joshua and tried to look for the slightest w in him. Dr. Moore, heard you are very busy with work. So, you must be struggling to take care of the children on your own. Anna chuckled and said, Its fine, Im not that busy anyway. To be honest, I dont want to have any more children in the future because | already have two. Joshua nodded and said, Okay, great! | also think that way. I dont want more kids either. Hearing that, Anna was taken aback. Im not sure I can raise a child to be the person | want him or her to be. So I thought it would be a good idea not to have kids. And in all these years, I havent met anyone who shares my viewpoint. In fact, had no expectations for this match before | arrived here. But after hearing what you said, I think we should totally get married. 399 What the Hell?! Youre kidding, right? Anna eximed, surprised. I dont like joking with people. Although Im not much of a kid person, Il try my best to get along well with your daughter. Ill treat them the same way as | do with my son Matt Ahem! | mean, my friends kids. Huh? But didnt you say that you dont have a child? So, whats with you son, Matt? At the same time, Anna thought, No, no, no. You cant be Wayne, right? Ifso, then Mr. Davis, I hate to be blunt but, are you really Mr. Davis? Could you please take off your sunsses and mask so that I can see your face clearly? Well, right after | see your face, you can put them back on, Anna said while praying in her heart, Please dont be Wayne. Please dont be him Knowing that his false identity would soon be exposed, Wayne had no choice but to take off his sunsses and mask. Upon seeing his face, Anna stood up, took a step back and shouted, What the hell?! Wayne, what are you doing here?! Hearing Annas exim, everyone else in the restaurant looked in her direction in confusion. Feeling awkward, Anna smiled in embarrassment and sat down. Then Wayne said after he put away the sunsses and mask, As for you, Anna, can you exin to me what you are doing here? | assume that you didnt change your name to Nancy Moore, right? You Anna blushed in embarrassment and pouted. Just as she was about to lose it, she held back her anger as she didnt want to make a scene in the restaurant that was packed with people. Taking a few deep breaths, she managed to calm herself down and said, Fine! Nancy asked me to come here in ce for her. As for why | 399 What the Hell?! agreed to such an absurd idea, I wont ask you why you pretended to be Joshua Davis as long as you dont ask me why. Okay, Wayne answered without hesitation. Wait Thats it? Arent you curious about why I got here? am, But since you said so, I wont pry into it, Touching the rim of the cup in his hand, Wayne looked her in the eye sincerely and said, Anna, its been a while. Ever since youre gone, Ive been missing you every single day. Do you have any idea how tormenting it is for me to wait for you toe back to me for five years? Do you know how much Matthew wants you toe back to see him even for once? Do you have any idea how much we miss Tammy? m sorry, Frowning, Anna looked down at the table and mumbled, I know its my fault that I didnt even visit Matthew once during thest five years, and | know its inappropriate for me to prevent Tammy from seeing you just because | tried to avoid seeing you. But Wayne, Im not the only one to be med for what had happened. Really? Then why did you suddenly Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Wayne frowned and asked, and he was interrupted by Anna Please, Wayne. Please stop ying the ming game. Im not in the mood for it. Now that wed met on such an asion, I think its better for us to clear things out between us. After all, youre still Tammys dad no matter what, and Im still Matthews mom no matter what. And | dont want the grudges we have toward each other to affect their rtionship Im listening. God | know this day woulde sooner orter, and Ive yed the scene in my head for like, millions of times. Still, ve never imagined that we would meet each other and talk things out like this, Taking a sip of the 399 What the Hell?! drink, Anna sighed, Do you know what my dream is ever since | was a chile? No. Youve never mentioned it to me before. Well, thats because from the moment that I was forced to sign the contract to be your surrogate, Id already thought that I would never ever make my dreame true. Back then, I was studying at a medical school. Almost everything went well until | met you on that very special night Silent, Wayne nodded, signaling for Anna to continue the topic. Wayne, I was only twenty at that time, and I wasnt prepared to be a mother at all. Can you imagine how desperate | was when | found out that was pregnant at such a young age? Can you imagine how devastating it was for me when I was forced to stop the abortion and sign the contract because you asked your men to threaten me to sign it with my fathers business? Wait Anna, I didnt Shh Let me finish. Of course you wouldnt understand how | felt, because you were still the indifferent and cold version of Wayne that would do whatever you could to get what you want back then. At some point, Id greatly appreciate it that fate brought us together and | would smile every time | recalled the good old days we once had. However, sometimes, | couldnt help wondering what would happen if I didnt meet you that night; what would happen if Allie didnt set me up that night. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that Wayne frowned with a serious expression, Anna let out a sigh and continued, Even after | managed to graduate from the medical school as I was supposed to a long time ago, I still couldnt let it go. It still bothers me as to what couldve happened to me if we hadnt met each other that night. And If we hadnt met each other that night Chapter 401 I Still Love You Chapter 401 I Still Love You At that moment, Wayne interrupted her, Anna, please believe me. I wasnt the one who forced you to sign the contract back then. It was because my butler messed it up that you ended up being my surrogate. te Well, I cant me it all on you as Allie was one of the major reasons why the incident had happened. And now, shes already six feet underground and our children have already reached their puberty. Its pointless to discuss who was right or wrong at this point, Anna said, put ona wry smile and took another sip of the drink. Right Wayne tightened his grip, his knuckles turning white. Okay, where was I? Right. However, even though Im still haunted by the past, I clearly know that theres nothing | could do about. Its not like I can just turn the clock backward as | want. What is settled in the past is already unchangeable. And gradually, after all the struggle | have suffered, | finally learned to move on. What do you mean? Do you mean that youve finally gotten over me? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Maybe. Maybe not. But we have had such a great time together, havent we? Dont tell me you were faking it all the time We couldve built a wonderful and happy family. We did have our good old days, and I was indeed happy when I was with you. But, Wayne, dont you think that our love was built on a very unstable foundation? Yes, I did love you and I did want to grow old with 400 | Still Love You you. Still, from the moment | realized you were Matthew and Tammys birth father, everything changed. From the moment I realized that I fell in love with someone who had once nearly destroyed my life, I couldnt think straight anymore. At that point, Anna had already had tears welled up in her eyes, and the rims of her eyes turned a bit red. Clenching the cup in her hands, she tried her best to refrain herself from shedding tears. Awhileter, she added, Wayne, you have to understand me. We both know that Im always insecure, especially when ites to marriage. Ijust, ljust dont want our marriage to end up like that of my parents. Up till now, it still hurts like hell every time I think of the fact that my father married his mistress, who caused my mothers death. I cant and I wont forget the fact that it was the same woman who had killed my father! Damn it! Anna couldnt hold back anymore. With tears streaming down her face, she covered her face and sobbed sadly. Wayne quickly handed over a piece of tissue to her, and she thanked him for it. Just as he was about to reach out his hand to hold her hands andfort her, Wayne flinched. Then withdrawing his hand in embarrassment, he said, Anna, Im so sorry. I didnt know what Ive done in the past have had turned your life upside down. And I didnt know that your parents failed marriage would have such a great impact on your life. Im so sorry that Ive hurt you in the past. Its okay. Its not entirely your fault, after all. m also to be med for how everything turned out the way it is. Anyways, the k********g that happened five years ago was thest straw that made me give up on you Wayne, being with you did make me happy, but it also made me worry about my life because ever since our fate was intertwined, my life had been 400 | Still Love You full of uncertainty. And I hate uncertainty. Originally, I thought I would be able to ovee my insecurity. But it turns out that | cant. I just cant. Wayne, sometimes, being with you is exhausting. Not only did | have to worry that you would learn the truth about my identity and then take Tammy away from me, but also, have to always be on guard when facing the women who fawned upon you because they would either try hard to steal you from me or do harm to Matthew or Tammy. What?! Gosh! Why didnt think of it earlier? Had | known about it, I wouldnt have said those harsh words to you back then. And you wouldnt have left me without hesitation. Damn it! How could | be so stupid and ruin the love we had?! Much as he wanted to speak his thoughts out loud, Wayne chose to shut it because Anna looked like she still had a lot to say to him. Then with a nodding, he said, Anna, keep it on. and when I found out that I was pregnant five years ago, I panicked. What?! You were pregnant five years ago?! This time, Wayne couldnt hold back any longer. He eximed with a pale face Yes, I was three months pregnant back then. Why didnt you tell me, Anna? We couldve sorted things out together. If only it would be the case, Wayne. You think | didnt want to sort that out with you? Of course, I did! By the way, thank you so much for saving me that day. After | was rescued and taken to the hospital after being kidnapped, | kept wondering whether to tell you about it for a long time. On the one hand, I couldnt help thinking of the scene in which the five of us living in a big and warm family happily. On the other hand, at the 400 | Still Love You thought that Matthew was almost murdered multiple times before by Ada and that she might still be an ouw who woulde back any moment to hurt us, | lost the courage to be with you anymore. Also, those hurtful words you said to me suppressed my willingness to be with you even more. Feeling regretful and sorry, Wayne lowered his head and put his hand on his forehead to support it. He had so many words to say to Anna such as I still love you, Anna, Im so sorry, Please get back with me, and so on. However, he was so choked by the mixed emotions that he eventually failed to utter a single word. Itwas a boy. At the moment, Annas voice was like a floating melody that came into Waynes wandering mind. Startled, Wayne asked after he was back to earth, What? I mean our son. He was a beautiful boy. Its such a shame that we lost him forever. Matthew and Tammy would be more than happy if they knew that they would have a baby brother back then. anna, Im so sorry. Its okay. I know youre heartbroken as well. When I was in France, every time I went to the hospital for the ultrasound exam, I would be excited to see that he grew bigger and bigger day by day. Unlikest time When I was pregnant with Tammy and Matthew, the time when | was pregnant with Archie; yes, I was going to name him Archie; | was expecting his arrival. I wanted him to appreciate the beauty of the world and I wanted him to feel that he was loved and cared for. However, when I was five-month- pregnant, the doctor told me that she couldnt hear his heartbeat anymore. I told her to double check whether she got it wrong. And after checking it for the fourth time and there was still not a sound of his heartbeat, | know he was really gone 400 | Still Love You Anna couldnt help sobbing. This time, she shed more tears and her face turned red because she tried so hard to suppress her sobbing. Seeing that, Wayne reached out his hands and held her soft hands. As Anna felt the warmth passing from Waynes warm palm to her cold hands, she didnt refuse him. Instead, she held his hands more tightly. Chapter 402 I Miss You Chapter 402 I Miss You Wiping her tears, Anna continued in a choking voice, I can still feel the coldness, despair and pain | had when the doctor and nurses thrust those cold medical tools inside me and dragged my Archie out of me. By the time he was out, he was already purple and breathless. The doctors and nurses tried to resurrect him but failed. Atst, I had no choice but to bury him in the cold grave. And now, he was thousands of miles away from us, all on his own. Then we should bring him back. Ennd is his homnd and we can constantly visit him if we bring him back. Yes, we should bring him back, Anna said and nodded. Anna, again, Im so sorry for what happened in the past. Since we have cleared things out, can we still be together again? | still love you. And Matthew, Tammy, and Archie would be happy if they know that we get back together, Having plucked up his courage, Wayne finally said the words he had wanted to say to Anna a long time ago. m sorry, Wayne. I wish I could, but I just cant. Please forgive me. I guess this is it. After that, Anna let go of his hands and left the restaurant. Though the restaurant was full of people, Wayne felt like he was abandoned by the Whole world after Anna left. His ears were buzzing so loud that he couldnt even hear the ringing of his phone. It wasnt until after a long while that he finally came back to his senses, After taking a look at the screen, Wayne dialed the numbers back. 4011 Miss You About time, Wayne! Why didnt you answer my calls? Im worried about you. And are you free tomorrow morning? Peace and | are preparing the party for our daughter and we want to invite you to Sorry, Karl. Im really not in the mood for it. Maybe next time, Wayne answered somewhat absentmindedly. Huh? Next time? Are you serious? Whats wrong, Wayne? You dont sound like youre okay. m not okay. I just met Anna and we had a serious talk. What?! Annas back to Ennd?! Say it again?! Yes, you heard me. Shes back. And the fact that we met today is a coincidence in a way. She was avoiding me all the time before, and just now, we had a serious conversation to clear things out, just like how I wanted it to be. But the result is not the one | want at all! Oh, Im so sorry, bro. I also hope that you two can get back together. The thing is, you need to give her more time to figure it out. I always have the gut feeling that shelle around and be with you again. So does Peace. But isnt five years already enough for her? She just went missing for five years in a foreignnd without telling me! And the things she just told me totally overwhelmed me! s**t! need a drink. No, make it two! Well, Sorry, Wayne. | know | should be there for you and have a drink with you tonight at the bar. But, as you know, Im busy preparing the party and really dont have the time for it tonight. What about tomorrow night? Forget it. Just prepare the party with Peace. Im fine on my own. For real? Are you sure you dont want 401 | Miss You For real, Wayne answered Karl and hung up the call before he could finish his words. After that, he walked out of the restaurant slowly. On the way to the garage, he saw a family of five talking with each other and smiling happily. For a moment, he saw the scene where Anna, Tammy, Matthew, Archie and him were talking happily andughing out loud. But as soon as he rubbed his eyes, the scene disappeared and what came into his view were five strange faces. Sighing in disappointment, he turned around and ran to the garage, almost as if he was escaping from a horrifying monster. After he got in his car, he started the car and took off, heading toward one of his apartments. When Anna returned to the building from the night shift, she stood at the doorway, looking for her keys. The lights that were activated by the voice went out. She coughed, but the light did not illuminate, and it appeared to be broken. A dark figure approached Anna slowly in the darkness. At the moment, Anna finally found the key in her pocket. She smelled alcohol and heard footsteps as she opened the door with the bright light of her phone. Stunned, she shuddered and reached for the emergency rm button on the wall. Whos that? she asked. Its me, Wayne said. His voice was low and husky. Anna froze and turned around. She saw that it was Wayne by the faint light. Her heart began to race. She thought, Wayne, what are you doing here? | thought | cleared things out with you and you would stop looking for me after that. s! Even though I havent fallen in love with anyone 401! Miss You else since we parted five years ago, I still cant get over you. But | know | have to move on. Its the best for everyone in this way. What are you doing in Anna asked. Her back mmed into the door behind her before she could finish. She was in pain and wanted to scream. Wayne, however, held her tightly. He didnt care that she was struggling but kissed her hard. He trembled lightly with rage. He was irritated and resentful but appeared to miss Anna a lot. And his tongue tasted like the strongest whiskey. Wayne was still a very attractive man, Anna realized. He was attractive, elegant, andmanding. He was moreposed after all these years, but he was still very paranoid Anna was attracted to him, but she maintained her sanity. He shouldnt do this to her because she knew they werent dating anymore. Anna pushed his body, but he stood there like a wall, not moving. He was drunk, so his body had gotten hotter. He pressed against her, making her sweat all over. Anna struggled nervously before mming the key into his face. Wayne let go of Anna right away. She used this as an opportunity to p him hard and say, Get your hands off me, Wayne! Didnt | make myself clear when I talked with you in the afternoon? Wayne was bleeding from a cut on his face. Seeing that, Anna was, heartbroken, but she frowned in anger as she didnt want Wayne to see that she was heartbroken because of him. Waynes eyes were bloodshot with red, making him look horrible. Anna knew he was very drunk at the moment and he didnt know what he was doing. Wayne asked, You went on a blind date? 4011 Miss You Anna froze and said, Yes, and | already told you this on the phone this morning, Also, you were the one whom | went on a blind date with. Dont you remember? N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Wayne leaned against the wall, exhausted. He appeared to forget what had happened between Anna and him in the afternoon and said, No. I had lunch with a client. It has, it has absolutely nothing to do with you. Then what are you doing here? Anna asked, thinking, Gee, Wayne! How many bottles have you had? Youre so drunk that you didnt even remember that we met and talked hours ago. Looking her in the eyes, Wayne said aloud, Anna, | miss you! After all these years, I cant stop thinking about you. Chapter 403 I鈥檓 Not Drunk Chapter 403 Im Not Drunk Anna felt her heart miss a beat and her breathing became rapid. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down After that, Anna took a deep breath and pressed her back against the door. She locked her gaze on Wayne for a long moment before gradually rxing and asking, How much did you drink? I didnt drink much. I wasnt even drunk! Wayne answered as his eyes were in and out of focus from time to time. Anna frowned. She knew that drunks often defended themselves by iming they hadnt too much to drink. She thought, Youre lying, Wayne. I can see right through you. Yeah, youre the type of person who wontgive up on something or someone you want until there is really no way back, I shouldve thought of it earlier. Whatever. As long as I contact your assistant and ask him to take you away. You will be out of my side soon and! wont have to worry about youing to my ce uninvited again, I guess? After collecting her thoughts, Anna asked, How did you get here? Wayne answered without even thinking, I drove myself here. Anna asked, wide-eyed, Are you crazy? Its dangerous! Youre lucky that you didnt end up in the hospital! Wayne knelt down to pick up the house keys without saying anything. He then handed her the keys and asked her, Are you worried that Ill have an ident? Im afraid youre going to hit someone and go to jail because of it. That way, there would be no one to look after Matthewter on. Are you 402 Im Not Drunk i going to abandon Matthew while he is still a child? What on earth are you thinking? This is not the way you raise kids. Anna grabbed her keys and turned to face him. The light in Waynes eyes disappeared. He was silent for a moment before saying, Gotcha! | arrived here by taxi. Anna realized he hadnt gonepletely insane. She nced at him and said, Youre not drunk? Then, you should call your assistant and ask him to pick you up and take you home. Anna opened the door, entered the house, and mmed it shut. She seemed to shake the entire building, After entering the house, Anna cleaned the bathroom. She then realized it had only been ten minutes. The rain was pouring even harder outside. The terrifying sound of thunder was followed by lightning that illuminated the dimly lit house as if it were daylight. The rain pelted the windows and made a horrible sound. Anna thought to herself, Did Wayne leave? /s he really gone? Its raining heavily outside. hope that he wont be so drunk that he would just walk in the rain, waiting for his assistant to pick him up. After a while, Anna washed her face and went to her room to sleep. However, she kept thinking about Wayne. Shey in bed for a long time without being able to fall asleep. Atst, she couldnt take it any longer. She jumped out of bed and walked to the door, looking out through the peephole on the door. And she was surprised to see that Wayne was smoking while leaning against the wall. Anna thought to herself, Wayne, why haventyou left yet? Are you really gonna spend the whole night in the cold and dim corridor?! Thinking of that, Anna opened the door and looked at Wayne with doubt, but she didnt say anything. Wayne paused for a moment. He held his cigarette in his long slender fingers, and the ashes were blowing in the 402 Im Not Drunk wind. Then Wayne exined, Its raining too heavily, and I couldnt get a cab. Besides, my cell phones dead. So, I decided to stay a little longer. Anna wasnt sure if he was telling the truth or not. She noticed Wayne had gotten wet when he arrived, so she paused, saying, Come on in. Wayne was taken aback, then he quickly extinguished his cigarette and followed her into the house as if he feared Anna would shut the door immediately if he got into the house a secondter. When Anna went into the kitchen to make some tea, the scent of jasmine filled the house. She had always enjoyed drinking tea, and this habit of hers had not changed a bit. She set the cup of tea in front of Wayne, then went to the bathroom, grabbed a dry towel, and said, Wipe your hair. You arrived here bu taking a taxi, and you got soaked. Wipe your hair dry now, or you might catch a cold. Wayne felt his body was not so cold after drinking the tea, and he was slowly sobering up. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Sitting on the sofa, Anna asked, Is your assistant still Gabe? Do you remember his cell phone number? No. He was transferred to a foreign branch three years ago, and my assistant now is his cousin Noel. Give him a call, Anna said as she took out her cell phone and handed it to him. Wayne had an excellent memory and was especially good at remembering numbers. As a result, he dialed Noels phone number without difficulty. Noel responded quickly and anxiously, Hello? 402 Im Not Drunk Its me, Wayne said. His voice sounded very clear in the quiet living room. Mr. Wright, where have you been? Its raining heavily outside. Originally, the board members nned the reschedule the meeting in the evening, but since we couldnt find you anywhere, they had no choice but to reschedule the meeting again. I, um Pll deal with itter. Dont worry. After that, Wayne told Noel Annas address and told him to come pick him up. After he hung up, he handed the phone back to Anna and said, He should be here soon. Ican wait for him outside if you mind me being here. Anna said, You dont have to do that. Were friends, so I can let you sit in my house for a whil Wayne froze and appeared to be lost in thought think when he heard the word friend. Anna was cleaning up around the house and didnt say anything to him. Do you want something to eat? she asked after a while. No, thank you. Anna shook her head and said, I didnt have any dinner, so Ill make some for myself. Since youre already here, Ill make some for you as well. Wayne looked at her back with mixed feelings. Anna returned twenty minutester with two tes of pasta, telling Wayne to eat. She remained calm throughout as if she didnt mind Waynes presence. Wayne was devastated because Anna seemed to regard him only as a friend. After taking a bite of the pasta, Wayne found that it tasted the same as before. His stomach felt slightly better than before, but he only ate half of it. Isnt it good? Anna asked suspiciously. 402 Im Not Drunk_ Wayne gave her a tired look and said, s good; it still tastes the same as before. ve years have passed, so do you still remember what my cooking tastes like? Annaughed, Besides, you havent finished your meal yet. Is it because Im a terrible cook? My stomach is not good, Wayne exined, and the doctor said | cant eat too much. Anna clenched her fist around the fork. She almost asked him why, but she restrained herself. She had no idea why he was having stomach problems, She thought to herself, Wayne, youre an adult now. I know your work is important to you. But at least you should take good care of yourself. Otherwise, it will be pointless if you get sick after working your ass off Also, I remember clearly that you have an assistant and a maid, And a wealthy man like you is more than capable of hiring an excellent cook to cook nutritious meals for you every day. Why do you torture yourself like that? Then Anna simply asked, What time is it? Shouldnt your assistant be here by now? Chapter 404 Why Didn鈥檛 You Treat Your Wound?! Chapter 404 Why Didnt You Treat Your Wound?! Noel still hadnt arrived a whileter. It was a stormy weekend night, so he drove cautiously and carefully. He slowed down because there were asional traffic idents at night. Meanwhile, Anna cleaned up the dishes, and the house still smelled like spaghetti. She then poured a ss of hot milk for Wayne. After that, Anna put her head down and washed the dishes. She appeared calm, but she was struggling on the inside as if her heart was also raining. Time did not allow her to forget Wayne. She still had a love-hate rtionship with him and knew that no matter how much time passed, she would feel the same way about him. The living room was unusually quiet. Anna returned from doing the dishes to find Wayne lying on the couch. She tried to wake him up, but he looked tired and haggard. He was asleep, but he was still frowning like he was sorrowful. Wayne had already finished the milk, leaving only an empty ss on the table. Anna stood next to him for a moment before picking up the nket. She was about to wrap the nket around Wayne when she heard a knock on the door from outside. Wayne opened his eyes as Anna froze. They locked their gazes, and the atmosphere seemed strange. Anna rose to her feet, but Wayne grabbed her arm and threw her on top of him Anna asked angrily, What are you trying to do? Wayne looked at her and gently said, I should be asking you what you 403 Why Didnt You Treat Your. want to do. Youve been acting as if you dont care about me since the first time you saw me. But, if you didnt care about me, why did you give me milk when you knew | had a stomach problem? Why did you offer me a nket while I was sleeping? Anna gritted her teeth and growled, I never should have let you int Wayne chuckled and said, But you still let me in. Youre still concerned about me! You still love me, dont you? Anna began to struggle. Then, Wayne showed a pained expression. What are you trying to do again? Anna asked, staring at him. But she quickly realized Wayne was not acting Anna was taken aback when she noticed blood on his shoulder. His white shirt was stained with so much blood that it looked horrible. Wayneughed and said, Im fine. This is the same wound as before. Dont be rmed, I only got a scratch. Its scabbed over, so perhaps | just touched it and caused it to fall off. Anna didnt believe his words because his wound wasnt serious, and it had been a week. There was no way he hadnt healed yet. At the same time, Noel was still knocking on the door. Anna said, It should be your assistant. Ask him toe in. And take off your shirt so that I can treat your wound. Then Anna dashed into the bedroom. After seeing Annas panicked expression, Wayne was no longer in pain but smiled tenderly. He saw Noel when she opened the door. Noel said, Mr. Wright, please ept my apologies. It was pouring heavily, so I drove slowly. Despite his respect for Wayne, Noel still surveyed the house. He was taken aback when he noticed the decor was very feminine. Shall we go? 403 Why Didnt You Treat Your. he asked tentatively. Wayne gave him a thoughtful look but said nothing. Noel noticed the blood on his sleeve as he turned around. Wayne said, Wait a second. Pleasee in. Youre hurt! eximed Noel. Dont yell! | know! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Noel didnt dare say anything else. Anna walked out of the bedroom after a brief moment, carrying a medicine box. She was dressed in a beige silk nightgown with a light purple shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her long hair was tied back, making her look tender and gentle. Noels eyes widened. It waste at night. The rain was pouring, and his injured boss was in the home of an attractive woman. Anna greeted Noel and ced the medicine box on the coffee table. I just asked you to take off your clothes. Why didnt you do that? she said to Wayne. Do I need to give you a little privacy? Noel asked, his mouth wide open in surprise. You dont have to do that. Im a doctor, and | dress patients wounds all the time. Im just changing his bandages right now. She didnt need to exin anything. This city had many hospitals, and the Wrights had private doctors. As a result, Wayne didnt need toe to her to have her treat his wounds. Noel had been Waynes secretary for three years and knew this was. unusual. While he was still lost in thought, Wayne removed his shirt to show off his toned muscles. When Anna saw the bandages on Waynes arms, her eyes widened, 403 Why Didnt You Treat Your. * and she asked aloud, What the hell is wrong with you, Wayne? | told you you needed to go to the hospital every day, but you havent! You did that on purpose, didnt you? Anna was furious and made the whole room a strange atmosphere. Noel was extremely frightened and looked at Anna with wide eyes. Other than Peter, Noel had never seen anyone who would talk to Wayne like that. Moreover, he was surprised that Wayne did not retort and was not even angry aboutit. He knew hed arrived at the right spot because he could see the spectacle. Anna gave him a stern look before unwrapping the bandage. She discovered that the wounds were seriously infected and that some had already festered. However, he didnt appear to be bothered by his injuries. Anna reasoned that he should have left it unbandaged in the first ce so it could heal on its own. Her heart was racing, and she quickly got the medicine from the box. She mmed the lid shut as if to express her rage. She said, Bring me the trash can. Noel froze, pointed at himself and asked, Me? Anna frowned and said, You, of course! Youre not a qualified assistant, are you? When Wayne was still here, Gabe used to keep an eye on him whenever he could. Chapter 405 Matthew Wants to See you Chapter 405 Matthew Wants to See you Do you know my cousin? Noel asked, surprised. Anna became even more enraged when she saw his nk expression. She said, Do you think it matters? Do you want me to call him and ask him about this? Stop it and go get the trash can, Wayne told Noel. Only after seeing the cut on Waynes arm did Noel return to his senses and bring the trash can. Anna sprayed his wound with hydrogen peroxide. The wound emitted white foam, and the drops ran down his arm to the ground. Wayne didnt even blink as he looked in pain. He kept staring at Anna as if trying to get some information from her. Anna was focused entirely on treating his wound while frowning the entire time. She appeared upset and angry. Noel had not expected to see such a scene when he arrived here. Anna concentrated on treating Waynes wound before telling Noel, Remember to have him change his bandages every day. Gabe was like a nanny to him when he was his assistant. I cant ask you to do that, but hope you can look after him and keep him alive for a while longer. I also hope you can supervise him eating three meals a day. Noel realized what was going on and nodded. He went into the kitchen with Anna. While Anna was washing her hands, he asked in hushed tones, What if he doesnt listen to me? You should talk to Gabe about it. Noel asked excitedly, Really? Do you really know him? Whats the 404 Matthew Wants to See you deal between you and Mr. Wright? He never brought up your name. Anna looked up at him and asked, What? He never mentioned me to you? No. Hes never had a woman in his life. ording to the newspaper, hes gay. Wayne was getting dressed then. Hearing that, he frowned and said, If you dont want to work for me anymore, you can go quit. I hurt my arm, not my ear. Noel immediately exined, I mean youre a good man. In all these years, Ive never seen you with a woman. So, Im alittle excited. What are you excited about? If youre gay, as the rumors suggest, you might fall in love. But dont get me wrong. Im straight. Wayne looked at him breathlessly and said, Gays will not fall in love with every man in the world. Youre crazy, arent you? Anna looked at Wayne in surprise and disbelief. Noel realized he had said the wrong thing. His face had turned pale, and he was trembling with fear. He said, Ill give you two a little privacy. Ill go down and start the car for you. Anna realized that Waynes new assistant wasnt very reliable, and he was a stark contrast to Gabe. The people around Wayne kepting and going, and there really didnt seem to be anyone who could be there for Wayne all the time. What he just said wasnt true, Wayne said to Anna. Anna sized him up and asked, Really? What media outlet would dare to make up such nonsense to offend you? She was just trying to joke with him. She found it amusing that a man like Wayne could be mistaken for a 404 Matthew Wants to See you gay man. But Wayne had no idea she was joking. You know best if Im straight, he said. Anna froze and couldnt speak. I allowed the press to write that to reduce the hassle, Wayne exined. We did the film and television business after our group merged with Gabriel Group, and it was too messy. Ill save myself a lot of trouble this way. Anna was blushing as she reflected on what he had just said. You dont have to exin that to me, she said. Wayne looked at her fondly and said, I think its necessary. Anna, Ive never gotten you over the years, and I have no intention of saying goodbye to you. Can we start over? He sounded so determined that Anna was taken aback. Of course, she still liked Wayne, but she also knew it wouldnt work out for them. They had once been so deep in love with each other, but their rtionship didnt go anywhere. So Anna decided that she didnt want to waste more time on a rtionship that would just get nowhere. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. I didnte back here for you, Anna replied. And what about Matthew? Youve been back for so long, but youve never visited him. Wayne had previously despised using Matthew as a threat to Anna, and he didnt like that she prioritized the children over him. After five years, he realized he had no reason to keep Anna besides Matthew. And Anna, she definitely felt bad. She never returned to see Matthew because she did not want to see Wayne. Anna would talk to Matthew for a few minutes every time Tammy called him, knowing she owed him far too much. 404 Matthew Wants to See you Anna was concerned about the news about Matthew because she knew Wayne had raised and cared for him so well. I know hes doing well, Anna said. Wayne calmed down and asked, You havent met him, so how do you know? If you have some free time these days, you are wee to visit him at my house. | know he misses you terribly, even though he never said it Anna couldnt say no to his request. The rain gradually stopped after Wayne left. Anna thought he was like a tornado, turning her peaceful life back into chaos. It was sunny the next morning. Anna arrived at the hospital and changed into her white robe before starting her shift. She started working in the testing department this week, so she wouldnt have to go to the ward. Anna sat at her desk, sipping her coffee. Nancy burst in and shouted from the doorway, Anna! Anna Gabriel! Several interns raised their heads to see Nancy standing angrily in the doorway. Everyone was staring at Anna. After seeing Nancys angry expression, Annas heart skipped a beat. Okay, what about it this time? she thought to herself. Nancy yanked on Annas sleeve and led her to her office, where she mmed the door shut. Dr. Moore, I have a shift to work. What are you doing? You know exactly what Im doing! You know what Im doing! Are you mad at me? Whats the matter? she asked. Last night, thatwyer told his mother he wanted to marry me Chapter 406 Why Did You Do It? Chapter 406 Why Did You Do It? Nancy continued to shake with rage and told Anna what Joshua had said to her. Anna didnt understand what she was saying, but she got the gist of it. Joshua told his mother he was pleased with Nancy and even wanted to marry her.She thought, What the heck?! / mean, it was Wayne that | went on a blind date with. So, how the hell could Joshua tell that Nancy is the one for him?! They werent even there for the blind date! This is Wait! Hold on. Could it be that Wayne bought over Joshua so that he could see me and talk to me in this way? Damn it! This is so full of his style. Of course Wayne would do something like that! Urgh! And now, how am I supposed to answer Nancy? | cant just tell her that, Sorry, actually, it wasnt Joshua who went on a blind date with me; it was Wayne. It will sure stir up the mess even more! Nancy wanted Anna to scare the hell out of Joshua. That way, Joshua wouldnt want to marry her, and she could shut her mother up. And Nancy growled, I didnt expect you to make him want to marry you after you met him! Anna had no choice but to lie through her teeth, I swear Ive described myself as a very strange person. But, he still thinks Im a good woman. To be honest, I believe this man is the most gentlemanly and well-mannered individual Ive ever met. There wasnt much else | could do about it. Nancy was surprised and said, That is not possible! A man would never ept a woman like that! However, he di 405 Why Did You Do It? Nancy examined Anna from head to toe, then asked, What were you wearing on that day? Did you look good? Anna said firmly, I wasnt wearing any makeup at all, and I didnt even wash my hair. Nancy was sceptical of Annas words, but shecked evidence. She could only be disappointed and regretful that she wasnt there. After a brief pause, Nancy said, I dont care! Youre the one who went on the blind date, and he likes you. So you must resolve this for me. How am going to make it right for you? Do you want me to marry him for you? Nancy gave her a stern look and said, No! | will never ever agree to marry him, even if he saya he will. Youre the one who got me into this. mess in the first ce, so you should go for me if he still wants to date me after that. Youll never hear the end of it if you dont! Then, Im going to tell your mother about you asking me to go on that date for you! Nancys eyes widened in shock. Anna took advantage of the opportunity to open the door and flee, saying, I must go to work now! Youd better tell your mother about this! Actually, going on that date wasnt a big deal for Nancy. However, her mother kept telling her to go on a blind date, which irritated her. That was Why she had such a childish idea. On her way, Anna thoughtin relief, Thank god// have gotten hold of one of Nancys secrets, which will save me from being framed. Well, d better avoid seeing Nancy recently. Otherwise, she might get me into another trouble. And! dont want it at all During a brief meeting that day, the head doctor told everyone in theboratory department, Tomorrow, the hospital will conduct physical 405 Why Did You Do It? examinations at several businesses and schools. Is anyone interested in going? Anna quickly raised her hand and eximed, Me! She was desperate to get out of the hospital so she wouldnt have to deal with Nancy. The doctor named another five people and said, The arrangement will be assigned before the end of the day. All you have to do is gather in front of the hospital and go with your team. Will the chiefs of the various departments be there? Anna asked cautiously. No, because theyre all too preupied with their surgeries. Except for those from our department, the people who will go there are mostly nurses and interns. Anna sighed with relief, knowing that Nancy wouldnt be there. Meanwhile, Rachel Turner rushed into the Carousel Group meeting room. The secretary at the door who was standing there stopped her and said, I apologize. Mr. Wright is in a meeting, and you are not permitted to goin? Why cant I? Youre new here, arent you? Do you know that Im on the board of directors? Why cant I go to a board meeting? Ive been working for thepany for four years since the two groups merged. I hope you wont make things difficult for me. Rachel lifted her head and said condescendingly. Whats wrong with you? Youre just a secretary, you have no right to stop me. Do you know who I am? Yes. Youve just told me that youre a member of the board. Since the two groups merged, the Carousel Group received most of 405 Why Did You Do It? the Gabriel Groups shares. Shirley and her rtives, on the other hand, refused to sell their shares. As a result, the Carousel Group could onlybine by dividing its shares. The secretary was polite, but she maintained her firm stand. Rachel sized her up and suddenly asked, Whats your name? Youre not Waynes secretary, are you? The secretary said with a smile, This group belongs to Mr. Wright, so it makes no difference who his secretary is. But you are right, and | am Matthews secretary Maria Miller. Rachel frowned as she realized shed made a mistake. She whispered, No wonder youre stopping me. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Another secretary walked toward them and said, Excuse me, Miss Turner. Mr Wright is in a meeting, so you can go wait for him in the lounge. Ill let you know when the meeting is over. After Rachel left, the secretary exhaled a sigh of relief and said, Maria, its perfectly fine if you let her in. You dont have to go against her because shes on the board. The Turners shouldnt have shares in this group. Only you have the courage to say that because you are Matthews aunt. Wed never dare to stop her. Rachel is getting married to Wayne, so | heard. Perhaps this is why she is always here. Shes not going to get what she wants, Maria said coldly as she stared at Rachel who was sitting in the lounge. Chapter 407 Wayne鈥檚 Getting Married? Chapter 407 Waynes Getting Married? Anna arrived at the hospital on time for the medical examination and waited with the other interns at the entrance. When Anna arrived at her destination, she was taken aback by therge letters on the building: Carousel Group. She waspletely shocked. There were so many businesses in this city, as well as so many hospitals and expatriates working there. But shed been thrown here by chance. Although Anna was embarrassed and surprised, she knew she couldnt leave as she wanted. Taking a deep breath, she collected herself and joined the others. Anna assumed she wouldnt meet Wayne because they needed to do medical checks on the newest recruits. As a result, she was relieved. The physical examination was scheduled to take ce in the gym on the fifth floor, which was divided into several areas. The doctors instructed everyone to form a line for an orderly physical examination. Anna had been assigned by the testing department to do the blood test. Two Carousel Group employees were chatting as they stood at the door. While preparing her utensils, Anna listened to their conversation. Nowadays, college students are so different. We used to have no clue When we were looking for a job after graduation, and we had no idea what thosepanies were like. Of course. I read the new employees resumes yesterday, and I noticed that many of them came through internal rmendations. Do you know how I saw that? 406 Waynes Getting Married? Why. Because of their degrees! Ive never even heard of those schools they went to. I asked the people at the secretariat and they said that Mr. Turner had asked them toe here. I thought he never took part in board resolutions! Thats because hes never been involved in the affairs of thepany. Mr. Wright was too embarrassed to refuse it because he had only made this one request recently. Hearing that, Anna was speechless. Then those two people abruptly lowered their voices. Anna was still arranging the tools, and she could hear their entire conversation because she was so close to the door. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. One of them said, So the rumors are true? Rachel Turner is really going to marry Mr. Wright? Anna froze. The two employees continued, not realizing Anna was staring at them, Rachel has been coming to the officetely and often spends all day in Waynes office. So, I think it must be true. I heard Maria from the secretariat say that it isnt true. She doesnt seem to like Rachel, and Matthew doesnt seem to like her either. Thats for sure! No child would agree to have his father find him a stepmother! Matthew is a wealthy kid. So if his stepmother has a new baby, he will inherit less money. No way! Matthew is only twelve years old! Have you seen how he lectures people at work? | made a small mistake the day before yesterday. When he found out, he almost fired me. He grew up without a mother to care for him, which is why he is cruel and cold-blooded. He will undoubtedly be more ruthless as he grows up. 406 Waynes Getting Married? Anna couldnt take it any longer. She put down what she was holding and said, Hes just a child. Why are you talking about him like this? The two people froze. Despite being intimidated by Annas attitude, one of them asked, What are you talking about? This is not your hospital, but the Carousel Group. Mind your own business! Anna said indifferently, You did something wrong, so of course you will be punished. Why do you talk about Matthew that way? A gossipy employee like you should have been fired a long time ago. Even though there were many people in the room, Anna did not maintain her manners. Everyone was taken aback and had no idea what was going on Who are you to say that about me? said the employee. Another employee tugged on her sleeve and said, Stop it! Dont you know that everyone is looking at us? Im not wrong! You see, she ndered me! We werent talking about anything, and we were just talking about work. She cant say that about me! Even if Wright and Matthew knew this, they wouldnt think | did anything wrong. Besides, you dont have any evidence that Ive said those words! The woman said in an aggressive tone. Anna frowned. She believed they should have fired her sooner, or there would be severe consequencester. Dr. Gabriel, a man called out to Anna at that moment. Both of those employees responded faster than Anna, with one saying, Hello, Mr. Davis! Anna looked at Joshua, puzzled, and then realized what was happening. Joshua appeared to hold a high position in thepany. They both apologized to Anna after he said a few words to the two employees. 406 Waynes Getting Married? Because youre both from the secretariat, I wont say anything else. If you do that again, I will fire you. Joshua said indifferently to them. Anna stopped organizing the tools but continued to listen to him. She was torn between emotions. Are you all right? Joshua asked after the two employees had left. Thank you for your help, Mr. Davis. With due respect, but I dont think we have met each other before. Why did you bother to help me like that, Mr. Davis? Anna asked, showing a look of confusion. So, youre the real Joshua Davis! You look handsome, elegant and gentle, And undoubtedly, youre rich. Ijust dont see why Nancy didnt want to give it a chance to go ona blind date with you. Maybe it would work out ifit were her that went on the blind date. Anna said to herself. Thats because you have helped me earlier, Anna, Joshua answered Oh! You mean the blind date? When thinking of the scene in which how Nancy questioned her hysterically, Anna had got the gist of what was actually going on. She wanted to ask if Wayne had made a deal with Joshua that he was willing to let Wayne go on the blind date for him. However, on second thought, Anna perished the thought as the question might embarrass Joshua. Actually, Ive known Nancy fora long time, Joshua said. Then how long have you known her? We were neighbors when we were kids. Shes two years older than me, and shes probably forgotten about me. Anna was stunned, thinking, Huh?/ thought the fact that Wayne switched his identity so that he could go on a blind date with me, who also switched my identity with Nancy was already crazy enough. And now, Joshua, youre telling me youve known Nancy since you were a kid and 406 Waynes Getting Married? that you want to be with her. Oh, my! This is crazy! After collecting her thoughts, Anna nodded to Joshua and put on an awkward smile. Then she left after saying goodbye to him. At 12:00, the medical examinations were paused, and the nurses went to eatin the cafeteria. After Anna finished packing up her things, she saw Joshua waiting for her at the door. She shook her head awkwardly and thought, Ive avoided Nancy, but I cant avoid Joshua. It seems that he wants to get some information about Nancy from me. Damn it! dont think Joshua will let me go until Nancy finally agrees to be with him. Urgh What should I do? Doctor, are you busy now? Lets go to lunch together. I heard that you were friends with Nancy. It would be great if you can tell me more about Nancy. I want to get to know her better, Joshua approached Anna and requested. Im sorry, but Ill eat in the cafeteria. After | finish eating, I still have to get ready for work this afternoon. Great. Then, lets have lunch in the cafeteria. They then headed to the cafeteria together. On the way, Anna noticed that many people were staring at her, which was a familiar sensation. When Anna and Wayne were dating, many people in thepany were envious and jealous of her. At the same time, Noel took his te and sat down. Then he heard several people next to him discussing the morning gossip. Since this thing had something to do with Joshua, he listened to their conversation attentively. So, Joshua knows that doctor? Of course! He yelled at those employees for the sake of that doctor. 406 Waynes Getting Married? Honestly, ve never seen him so angry before! Rumor number one was getting out of hand. Joshua had only warned them, but the employees turned it into a tantrum. Noel was intrigued by this and listened more carefully. Just then, their voices trailed off. Someone whispered, Theyre here. Noel looked up, where everyone was looking and saw two familiar people walk in. Staring at them, Noel was puzzled until he suddenly remembered something. I got it! he eximed. When he saw Anna in her apartment that day, he thought she looked familiar. Only just now did he realize that Anna was Joshuas date. While Noel was picturing their rtionship, he thought of Waynes tender attitude toward Anna. Oh, crap! he eximed. Instantly, Noel dropped his te and dashed out the door. And the people around him were taken aback, unaware of what was happening. In the presidents office, There were several lunch boxes on the coffee table, and Matthew was eating alone. Wayne sat at his desk, looking through the files. Noel entered the office after he knocked on the door. He looked at Matthew, unsure whether he should say it or not. Wayne looked up and asked, Why are you back? Whats wrong? I saw the doctor in the cafeteria, Noel said cautiously, looking at Matthew. Wayne raised his head, nodded, and said, Oh. He looked very calm. Noel thought for a moment, realizing that Wayne had nned the 406 Waynes Getting Married? whole thing. Every year, another hospital gave new hires physicals, but it was switched to the one Anna worked at this year. Joshua Davis is having lunch with her, Noel said, knowing it was all in Waynes hands. Surprised, Wayne asked, What? Chapter 408 I Want You to Patch Me Up Chapter 408 I Want You to Patch Me Up After Noel left the office, Matthew calmly surveyed Wayne and asked, Who was the doctor he just mentioned? Stop asking, Wayne said, irritated. Matthew set his fork down and inquired, Is this doctor female? Youve been getting a lot of scandals lately, so be carefull. Huh? What scandals have you heard? Matthew sat straight on the couch. Although he was not tall and obviously a child, he looked very composed. He said, Rachels beening here a lottely. If you like her, you should take her home and introduce her to Great-grandpa. But if thats not the case, dont let them spread this nonsense gossip. Its humiliating, in my opinion. Wayne was still preupied with Noels information, so he was taken aback when he heard Matthew say that. He said, frowning, What are you talking about? Matthew got to his feet and said, Youre no longer young, and youre not the same person you once were. This type of gossip is ridiculous. Im not the kid | used to be, so I dont care if you marry or not. Matthew then walked out of the office. Wayne stared at his back in surprise, unable to speak. He had raised Matthew for over ten years. Even though Matthew chose Wayne over Anna, he still missed his mother terribly. Matthew would be enraged when it came to Waynes rtionship. And he even threw a fit a few years ago when someone tried to set up a blind date for Wayne. 407 | Want You to Patch Me Up Previously, Wayne believed this was a big deal because it would save him a lot of trouble. But Matthew was wrong this time because that doctor was his mother. The medical examination resumed after the lunch break. During lunch, Joshua kept asking Anna different kinds of questions about Nancy, giving Anna a headache. In the afternoon, she almost made a mistake at work. The crowd thinned out after a while. Dr. Gabriel, Mr. Wright would like you toe to his office, Noel approached Anna and said to her. Anna was irritated. However, due to many people present, she was forced to say calmly, Im sorry, I cant go. If he needs anything, he can simply ask the hospital administration. What makes him want to see me? Noel seemed to know she would say that, and he replied, He said you were the one who dressed his wound before. He thought since you were here, it would be a good time for you to change his bandages. Mr. Wight is so busy that he doesnt have time to go to the hospital to address his wound. Hearing Noels words, several nurses nearby widened their eyes and became excited. Since he asked you to go, you should go now, one of Annas coworkers suggested. Annas closest colleague gently pinched her arm and said, Anna, this is a great opportunity! Everyone was staring at her, so Anna had no choice but to go to the office with Noel. It waste afternoon, and the office was bright. The decor there was identical to before. Of all the nurses and doctors in this city, why do you have to ask me 407 | Want You to Patch Me Up to bandage you? Anna grumbled as she entered the office. Wayne was getting a bottle of juice out of the fridge at that moment. He turned back and said, Allm asking is that you change my bandage. Will you do that for me? I could, but I dont want to. Fine. Then my wound will be infected and rotten, and Ill return to your hospital to have you dress me. Anna asked angrily, Whats wrong with you? Our hospital is not a nightclub, and you cant just see whoever you want to see! Wayne ignored her and just asked, Juice? Anna became frustrated and then closed her mouth. Waynes wound had be infected and was in bad condition. Luckily, Anna had already changed his bandage the day before. He seemed to know shede there, so he kept a medical kit in his office in advance. Anna bandaged his arm and warned him, You have to go to the hospital tomorrow to treat your wound until the doctor tells you to stop. Your arm will rot otherwise. Wayne put on his shirt and used one hand to fasten the buttons on his chest. His muscles bulged out of the shirt. After that, he turned to Anna and said, I dont have time to see the doctor. Why dont you starting here every day tomorrow? Ill pay you. What are you thinking? You dont have time, and neither do I. Even if | have the time, why should | come? Am | your nanny or your doctor? Wayne responded, You are my sons mother. Your son will be an orphan if I die from an infected wound. Anna shook her head and said, Stop talking nonsense! You dont 407 | Want You to Patch Me Up need to threaten me in that way! Looking at her with his burning eyes, Wayne refused to back down and said, In any case, Im not going to the hospital. Itis entirely up to me Whether Igo to the hospital or not, and you cant make the decisions for me. Hearing this, Anna gritted her teeth in anger and asked, How did you be like this? | remember that you hated being threatened with kids five years ago! Wayne was dazed. He looked at Anne and said, Five years is a long time, and people change. His words were loaded with meaning, and he looked at Anna tenderly. It doesnt matter, Im noting, Anna said, lowering her head. She had never seen anyone threaten someones health and thought it was childish. Anna then walked away, not even saying goodbye. But Wayne noticed that Anna was flustered when she left.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 409 Wayne Kissed Her Again Chapter 409 Wayne Kissed Her Again Maria was making coffee in the pantry. She then went inside the warehouse to look for more coffee beans and get some other drinks because none were left. Just then, she heard someone outside on the phone. She realized it was a secretary she knew. Noel brought that doctor here, and shes been in Mr. Wrights office for about an hour. Yes, it has been a long time. Mr. Wright also refused to let his secretary in. I saw someonee in and bring them juice and snacks, | think Mr. Wright asked them to deliver food. No, I dont think shes just a doctor. Mr. Wright seems to know her, and Noel is very respectful of her. After a brief pause, the secretary hung up because the person she talked to became impatient. Maria hid in the pantry storeroom and listened in on her conversation. She came out with coffee only after the secretary had left. And Maria pretended as if nothing had urred. She arranged everything and brought the coffee she had made to Matthews office. At the same time, Rachel was getting her nails done in a downtown beauty salon. The friend sitting beside her said, You really dont care about it? | heard that. Mr. Wright is a wealthy and attractive man. You cant take it lightly even if you have a good chance right now. Rachel rolled her eyes and commented, Ive asked someone to keep an eye out for me because Im afraid some sluts will approach him. However, I discovered that there arent many women who can do that. Just because you havent seen one doesnt mean they dont exist. 408 Wayne Kissed Her Again 408 Wayne Kissed Her Again Maria was making coffee in the pantry. She then went inside the warehouse to look for more coffee beans and get some other drinks because none were left. Just then, she heard someone outside on the phone. She realized it was a secretary she knew. Noel brought that doctor here, and shes been in Mr. Wrights office for about an hour. Yes, it has been a long time. Mr. Wright also refused to let his secretary in. I saw someonee in and bring them juice and snacks, | think Mr. Wright asked them to deliver food. No, I dont think shes just a doctor. Mr. Wright seems to know her, and Noel is very respectful of her. After a brief pause, the secretary hung up because the person she talked to became impatient. Maria hid in the pantry storeroom and listened in on her conversation. She came out with coffee only after the secretary had left. And Maria pretended as if nothing had urred. She arranged everything and brought the coffee she had made to Matthews office. At the same time, Rachel was getting her nails done in a downtown beauty salon. The friend sitting beside her said, You really dont care about it? | heard that. Mr. Wright is a wealthy and attractive man. You cant take it lightly even if you have a good chance right now. Rachel rolled her eyes and commented, Ive asked someone to keep an eye out for me because Im afraid some sluts will approach him. However, discovered that there arent many women who can do that. Just because you havent seen one doesnt mean they dont exist. 408 Wayne Kissed Her Again How else could he have had a child? Rachel said, shaking her head, Ugh, youre right. But that woman is the one and only exception. Who is that woman? The mother of his child? Well, stop asking, That woman is definitely noting back, and they hate each other. Rachel didnt want to bring up Anna or reveal who she was. Im taking that kid shopping in a few days. His birthday is approaching, and I want to buy him a present. Hes a child, so hell listen to his father on everything, I asked Wayne if I could take him shopping, and he agreed. Heres your lunch, Anna said as she walked into Nancys office carrying a thermos box. Nancy raised her head and asked, Is he bringing me lunch yet again? He doesnt want to give up. Why dont you go out with him, Anna? Im going to eat in the cafeteria. Anna said as she ced the lunch box on the table, No, hes your date, and he ordered this meal specifically for you. If had the time, | might eat it, but I have other ns for lunch these days. I called the restaurant where he ordered the meal, and they will deliver it to your office in the future. Oh, no! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Whats the problem with that? Hes not going to show up here in person. Hes ordering your meal from a restaurant, which is the same as him ordering takeout for you. He doesnt appear to be sincere, in my opinion. Dont waste food! Heres steak, shrimp and pasta inside. 408 Wayne Kissed Her Again Nancy swallowed. Im leaving, bye, Anna said as she nced at her watch and ced her lunchbox on the table. This was the meal Joshua had chosen for Nancy. Even if Anna had been avable at noon, she would not have eaten it. But she lied because Nancy had done those terrible things to her. Anna then went straight to Waynes office. She was well aware of Waynes personality. He definitely wasnt going to the hospital if he said he wasnt going. Anna guessed that he had stomach problems because he was too busy at work. And she went to his office because she was concerned about his health. By the time Anna reached the top floor, Noel had already been standing outside the door of Waynes, waiting for her. He took Anna into Waynes office as soon as he saw her, Please wait a moment, hes still in a meeting, Hell be out in a second. The secretary standing next to them was stunned. Another secretary asked Noel, Who is this? How can she get into Mr. Wrights office? Noel gave the secretary a sidelong nce and said, She is a doctor, and she hase to change Mr. Wrights bandages. Stop asking. Itis not your ce to ask. That secretary nodded and then looked meaningfully at that office. That office had hardly changed in five years. There were a few more small items there than before and more books in the bookcase. Anna wasnt sure how long shed have to wait, so she grabbed a book from the shelf. Itwas an adventure fairy tale. Anna flipped through it and discovered notes in the book. It was clearly a childs writing but very well written. Anna 408 Wayne Kissed Her Again lingered over the book, stroking the lines without turning the page. It was written by her dear son. As she touched the book, she couldnt help but feel sad. She was utterly absent from Matthews life, making her feel like a bad mother. After all, she owed him so much. She wasnt sure if shed be able to pay it backter. After a while, there was a knock on the door. When Anna looked up, she noticed Wayne Noel didnt tell me youd arrived. Youve been waiting for me for a long time, havent you? Come on, lets eat something first. No, Ill leave after | change your bandages, Anna said, cing the book on the shelf. Anna kept staring at the childrens books on the bookshelf while changing Waynes bandage. Are these all Matthews books? she asked. Yes, he sometimes reads books here. Do you read him stories? No, he reads them all on his own. Hes a smart kid. Ive been so preupied with work over thest few years, so I didnt send him to school. So if Im away on business or in a meeting, hell be reading. Anna nodded, realizing why Matthew wrote a bid price on the book. She didnt me Wayne for introducing Matthew to business at such a young age because she didnt have time for him. Anna couldnt think of anything else to say. Matthew has a birthdaying up, and Im throwing him a party, Wayne said. Tammy and Matthew were born on the same day. Anna thought about 408 Wayne Kissed Her Again what she should give Matthew for a long time because he already had everything. Anna simply nodded. So, you dont want toe? Wayne asked a little nervously. Would you like me toe? Of course. Anna looked up and met Waynes gaze, and her heart began to race. Wayne lowered his head and put his hands on her head before she could say anything Then he kissed her gently on the forehead. Anna was familiar with this sensation, as Wayne had previously kissed her gently in this way. Anna got goosebumps from the cool breeze from the air conditioner. She abruptly shoved Wayne away and took a few steps back. Wayne froze as if he hadnt realized what he was doing. Excuse me, I need to use the restroom, he said as he stood up. He closed the bathroom door and washed his face. By the time he came out, he realized Anna had already left. Wayne sighed as he looked around the empty office. He tried his best to be calm and polite in front of Anna, but as soon as he saw her, he forgot what he should do and what he shouldnt. Chapter 410 The $100,000 Bag Chapter 410 The $100,000 Bag Isabe and Tammy returned from Selinas house in the evening. After entering the house, Isabe walked around and said firmly, Anna brought someone here. And, that person was a man. Tammy was puzzled, What? A man? Isabe exined, See, there are two unwashed coffee cups on the table. There are two clean tes on the kitchen shelf, so maybe they had dinner here. That only proves there was a visitor. And the visitor wasnt necessarily a man. Isabe proudly pulled a pair of disposable slippers from the trash can in the living room and said, Look! These are clearly not slippers for Women! These are far toorge. Tammy froze and then walked out of the bedroom. She didnt believe it, so she asked, Would my mother bring a man home? That cannot be true! Isabe took a can of Coke from the fridge and said, Why not? Shes not even 30, its perfectly normal for her to be in a rtionship. She cant stop falling in love for the rest of her life just to look after us. We should encourage her to do so. Tammys brows furrowed, and she pouted, Im not going to back her up! | have a dad! Hes a perfect man, and my mom still loves him. Youre still a kid; you shouldnt be thinking about these things, Isabe coughed awkwardly and said. 409 The $100,000 Bag Tammy was sound asleep when Anna returned from her night shift in the evening, Isabe was still in American time, so she still had the energy to y video games. She had just won a game and came out during the intermission to get a drink of water. As she left her room, she saw Annaing in. She greeted her, Anna, wee home! Anna was putting on her slippers. Surprised, she asked, Why are you still awake? Itste, isnt it? Isabe noticed the slippers on the floor and remembered the male slippers she had discovered earlier in the evening. She poured two sses of water and handed one to Anna, then asked, Did you invite anyone to the house these days? Anna asked, What? Ive been extremely busytely and | worked on every night shift. Im going to sleep in until noon tomorrow, so wont be able to cook you breakfast. Isabe nodded, her thoughts still on the slippers. She could tell Anna had avoided the question, which meant something had happened. She had the impression that Anna was really in love. Where is Tammy? Anna asked as she looked around. Shes asleep. Im taking her to the mall tomorrow. Will youe with us? Anna waved her hand and said, No, Im sorry. I have to work tomorrow afternoon, and I wont get up before noon. Good night, Im going to bed. OK, Ill go to bed after I drink my water, Isabe said, nodding. Anna went into her bedroom, and the house fell silent again. Isabe emptied the water from her ss into the sink before heading 409 The $100,000 Bag to the refrigerator for a beer. She paused for a moment before squatting next to the fridge and opening the can. A cold mist rose from the cans mouth, and some beer spilled. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Isabe sipped the cold beer, feeling it flow down her gullet and into her stomach. She read the chat on herputer when she got home. She paused for a long time before responding, OK. The person she was chatting with then sent many texts and emojis and appeared very excited. Isabe couldnt see what she had just said. She scrolled back up the chat and read their entire conversation. That guy said, Isabe, | like you, Ive had a crush on you since you first walked into the ssroom. If you say yes, Ill fly to Ennd to meet you. What happens if I dont say yes? Then Ill think of something else. Ive already bought my ticket and I cant return it. OK This conversation was very cute, as if the youth was going to spill out from between the lines. Isabe felt like she was finally living like a teenager when she saw the boys avatar. She knew that was the way her life would be. The next morning, while Anna was still sleeping, two girls entered her room and said, Bye, Anna. Bye, baby, Anna said, dazedly nodding. After kissing Anna on the cheek, the two girls left the house to go shopping. They walked around the clothing and cosmetics counters at the mall. Ill pay for it, and you pick it out, just like before, Isabe said 409 The $100,000 Bag Tammy said with a nod, No problem! | know what Mom likes best, and she likes every gift | give her. They then went to a luxury store and began looking at handbags. Thisrge bag has a lot of space. Its very practical, and its really pretty. What do you think? Tammy asked. Hi, can you get this bag for me? Tammy said to the salesperson, pointing to a shelf that was taller than her. Yes, it does look quite nice, Isabe said after trying on the bag. Tammy went to the bathroom when it was time to check out because she had a stomach ache. Isabe took her credit card and paid the bill. The salespeople didnt expect Isabe to be so wealthy, so she was surprised. Then she heard someone say, What a lovely bag! Please take one for me. Isabe and the sale both turned around and saw a woman dressed in a green Chanel suit. She wore light makeup, which made her look elegant. Im sorry, Miss Turner. This is thest one. Its a new limited edition model that we just got in, said the salesperson, who clearly knew Rachel. Rachel frowned and asked unhappily, Why didnt you tell me about the new arrivals? | havent seen a pretty bag like this sincest year! Sorry. I havent had a chance to tell you about this yet because it arrived today. sabe was not interested in listening to their chat. Rachel called out to her when she was about to leave with the bag. She caught up with Isabe and said, Little girl, I really like this bag. Could you please sell it tome? 409 The $100,000 Bag Isabe was irritated. She said unhappily, Sorry, but its a birthday present | bought for my family. Im not interested in selling it. Rachel chuckled and said, So, how much are you asking for it? | can give you whatever you want. Isabe pondered it and asked, Is $100,000 OK? Chapter 411 A Gift for Mom Chapter 411 A Gift for Mom Rachel said in surprise, What?! I can buy several of these bags with that money! Then you can just go buy them! Isabe said calmly to her. Rachel was at a loss for words. She couldnt get another one because it was a limited edition bag. Just then, Matthew, who was standing nearby, said, Im taking the bag. Matthew slowly walked over to Isabe. He was dressed casually ina white suit and appeared very calm. Isabe froze when she realized the boy looked familiar. Do you want it? she asked. Yes. Have you regretted it? One hundred thousand dors. Would you like to give me cash or a check? Matthew thought the girl in front of him looked very familiar, and he gently exined, Dont be mad, I just really like this bag. Im buying it from you because | want to give it to someone. Isabe didnt like what they were doing and thought there was no way the woman could have spent that much money on the bag, However, she didnt expect this kid to do that. Also, Isabe felt she couldnt go back on her word because she had already said it. So, she said, Just transfer the money to my bank card. Before Matthew could say anything, Rachel came over and said to Isabe meanly, Do you think you can bully Matthew because hes a kid? 410 A Gift for Mom Im telling you, I dont want this bag anymore! Isabe said, rolling her eyes at Rachel, If you dont have the money, you can just tell me. You cant say you dont want it after youve asked the price. Its pretty humiliating. What are you talking about? You are so rude! Isabe said angrily, You are the one whos rude! You think youre the only rich person in the city? If you really want this bag, you should have been nicer to me! Do you think you own this mall? Rachel triumphantly raised her chin and eximed, Yes! Give me your bank card number and Ill give you the money now, Matthew said to Isabe after stopping Rachel from saying anything else. Isabe said to Matthew, ring at Rachel. Dude, your nanny is so rude. Youd better get another one. Are you calling me a nanny? What are you talking about? You bent Matthew gave Rachel a look and said, Stop it! Youd better watch yournguage. You dont want me to tell my father what you said, do you? Isabe realized that this condescending woman might be the boys stepmother, but he didnt seem to want to talk to her. A few secondster, Isabe received a text message saying she had received $100,000 in her ount. She handed the bag to Matthew and said, Here you go. Bye. Matthew nodded. He looked at Isabes back, then asked, Have we met somewhere before? She didnt stop, just turned back and smiled and said, Thats such a clichd way to pick up girls. 410 A Gift for Mom Matthew remained motionless and frowned tightly. He had the impression that they had met before. Standing next to him, Rachel said, Matthew, thank you for buying me something so expensive. Ill pay you the moneyter. If your father finds out about it, hell think Im rude. Let me take it for you. Much to her surprise, Matthew gave her a cold look and said, Its not for you, its a gift | bought for my mother. Rachel stood there frozen, unsure of what to do. Im done shopping, so Im leaving, Matthew said as he walked forward with his shopping bag. Anna returned home from the hospital and found the two girls in the living room ying a game. Isabe had a great time with her gamepad, but Tammy appeared upset. She sat on the couch and frowned. Who upset you, my baby? Anna asked as she pinched Tammys face. Ask Isabe. Shes the one who upset me. What? Anna asked, surprised. Isabe turned around, leaned back on the couch, and eximed, No! To be honest, it was a good deal! Anna got the gist of the situation by listening to them argue. We paid less than $10,000 for that bag, but a man paid $100,000 for it. Isnt that the best offer on the net? ts all your fault! | really wanted to give that bag to my mother! You can use the money to buy a lot of presents for her! Mom! Tammy became enraged Annaughed and said, OK, stop fighting, You bought this bag for 410 A Gift for Mom less than $10,000 and made ten times that amount! Girls, you now have $100,000! You can spend that money on amusement park tickets and have as much fun as you want there. You should be happy right now. Tammy had always enjoyed going to the amusement park. So, after hearing Annas words, she wasnt as angry as she was before. Isabe said, Yes! Lets go to the amusement park tomorrow! | heard that a big new one just opened, and we havent been there yet! Mom, are youing with us? Tammy asked. Anna shook her head and said, Im sorry, honey. Ive been very busy with worktely. Ill take you there sometimeter. After Anna left, Isabe asked thoughtfully, Is she really that busy? Maybe she needs to go on dates. Tammy asked in surprise, What if thats true? We can follow her and see whether its true! Thats the easiest way. That way, well know where she goes and who she sees every day. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. If Anna found out about this, they both considered ming each other. They had lived together for many years and knew each other very well. Anna had recently been to Waynes office to change his bandages several times. She only stayed for a short time each time and then left. Wayne had invited her to dinner several times, but she had never said yes. She was aware that many people were watching her and gossiping about her. At noon, she went to Waynes office when she overheard the nurse gossiping in the bathroom. Do you know that new pediatric intern? Shes so attractive! Of course | know her, her name is Anna Gabriel. When she arrived 410 A Gift for Mom here, many people asked me about her. It turns out shes married with two children. She just doesnt appear to be a decent woman She went to apany as a representative the other day to give their employees a medical checkup, and you know what she did? What? She had an affair with the Carousel Groups CEO. Someone in the administrative office told me about it. She said she went to thatpany yesterday to check in and overheard many people discussing it. They even asked her about Anna. No way! Shes married, isnt she? A doctor in my department tried to date her, and that is what she said to refuse him. She probably thinks hes too poor. The Carousel Groups president is the citys wealthiest bachelor. Shes probably getting ready to divorce her husband right now. Shes really shameless! Chapter 412 Shut Your Filthy Mouth Chapter 412 Shut Your Filthy Mouth Anna didnt leave the bathroom until the two nurses left. She was irritated but not enraged as she had heard so much nder and rumors that she felt that they no longer mattered to her. After washing her hands, Anna still went to the Carousel Group. On her way, she decided that she would nevere back after changing the swab for Wayne. As soon as she reached the top floor, the secretary standing in front of Waynes office recognized Anna and said to her, Mr. Wright is out in a meeting, and he hasnte back yet. Please wait for a moment. Anna nodded and said, Okay, then. Ill go into his office. The secretary hesitated for a while but still said, Im sorry, Dr. Gabriel. Mr. Wright and Noel are not here, so we cant take it upon ourselves to let you go to his office. Let me call Noel and ask for his opinion That wont be necessary. Il just wait for him in the lounge. The secretary thought of something beforeughing contemptuously. She said, Pleasee with me. Then the secretary showed her the way to the lounge and left without giving her a cup of water. And Anna had been sitting there for more than ten minutes. She wanted to go get some water. But when she looked at her watch, she realized it was almost time for Wayne to return. As a result, she continued to sit and wait. Then, she heard a woman say, I just called Mr. Wright, and he said he will meet me this afternoon. Is that true? 411 Shut Your Filthy Mouth Yes, Mrs. Turner, Thats right. Mr. Wright isnt here, but hell be back in a few minutes. You are wee to wait in the lounge for a while. Youd better not lie to me! My daughter is dating your boss, and theyre going to get marriedter. So, if anything happens at the office or if any b***h approaches Wayne in the future, you must tell me. The woman said ina harsh and arrogant tone. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The secretary said with a smile as she led Mrs. Turner to the lounge, Of course. This is Mr. Wrights doctor, and she is also here to see him. Youre the female doctor whos beening here a lot these days, huh? the woman asked Anna, She spoke in an unusual tone, and emphasizing the word female. She was obviously aware that Anna was a regr at the office and had heard some rumors about her. Anna frowned and said, Mr. Wright injured his arm and must change the bandages every day. I was the one who treated him in the emergency room, so Ill be responsible for him from now on. Today will be myst day here. Anna said this to make it seem like she had nothing to do with Wayne. Still, Mrs. Turner grunted contemptuously and said, You should know what youre doing. Despite what you say, I know what youve been up to behind my back. Mr. Wright has seen a lot of women, so youre out of luck. You should only focus on your work. Dont you ever dream of being with Mr. Wright! Anna was offended, so she frowned and asked, What do you mean? Mrs. Turner eximed arrogantly, You know what I mean! Hes dating my daughter now. And even if he wasnt, its still not your turn to date him. I know youe in here a lot more than just to change his bandages. Thats ame excuse. I heard that you are just an intern doctor who came 411 Shut Your Filthy Mouth for the checkup. So, you should stop dreaming. Afterward, a group of secretaries gathered around them and Whispered about it. However, none of them tried to stop Mrs. Turner. Mrs. Turner, Dr. Gabriel is actually here to treat Mr. Wright, someone finally said. Mrs. Turner immediately asked, Really? Then why didnt he call his personal doctor? He doesnt have to bring this woman in every day! She is so shameless. Anna had wanted to settle the matter quietly. But when she heard Mrs. Turner say something like that, she was enraged. She yelled, What the hell are you talking about? Why are you calling me shameless? | am a doctor, and my job is to save patients. Its true that Mr. Wright is single, but Im still going to do what Im supposed to do. Who do you think you are? You dont have the right to judge me like that! Mrs. Turner shouted, Wow, youre such a b***h! Let me tell you, I have every right to yell at you! Wayne is going to be my son-inw! Who the hell are you? | was right when I said you were shameless. You cant fool Wayne with your little tricks! He must think youre a crazy clown. Hes just having fun with you, and he might forget about youter. You should get out of here if youre smart. My daughter doesnt bother you about these things because she has a good temper. But | am not going to let you go. Hearing her unreasonable words, Anna clenched her fists in frustration. Just then, two people walked over to the crowd and stood there. Then, angrily, Matthew asked, Who are you to meddle in my fathers personal matters? Who do you think you are? Everyone was stunned, and no one dared to speak further, Anna froze 411 Shut Your Filthy Mouth as well when she heard the voice. She returned her gaze to Matthew. Although she had seen Matthew frequently on the phone and through video calls, she had not looked at him in person for a long time. At that moment, she had the urge to cry. She was hesitant to approach him because there were so many people around. Plus, she was unsure whether Matthew wanted to speak with her. As a result, she just stood there and did nothing. Everyone made way for Matthew, who then quickly walked to the center. He looked a lot like Wayne, as did the way he moved. Then he walked to the lounge door and looked indifferently at Mrs. Turner. Mrs. Turner didnt seem to take him seriously. She said, There you are, Matthew. You should stay out of this. m teaching this b***h a lesson for your father, and youre too young to hear this. Miss Miller, take Matthew away. Theres no need for a child to stay in the office every day. Maria said coldly, Matthew has shares on the board, Mrs. Turner. He is still a teenager but Mr. Wright is the one who has allowed him to learn how to work here. What do you want me to do with him? Your daughter hasnt even married Mr. Wright yet, and youre nning to fire Matthew? If they marry, will you kick Matthew out of the house? Mrs. Turners face immediately flushed. She shouted, What are you talking about? | didnt say that! Youre just a secretary. Who are you to talk tome like that?! Shes Matthews aunt, one of the female secretaries said to Mrs. Turner as it became clear that they were going to have a fight. Mrs. Turner said mockingly, Whats the big deal? His mother doesnt even care about him. I believe that children should be in school rather than working here. Thats inappropriate. When Anna realized Mrs. Turner was taunting Matthew, she became 411 Shut Your Filthy Mouth enraged and yelled, Shut your filthy mouth! Chapter 413 I Am His Mother Chapter 413 I Am His Mother Mrs. Turner red at Anna and asked, You told me to shut up? You havent even started dating Wayne yet! Do you want to be his sons stepmother so badly? Its your daughter who wants to be his stepmother. I dont have to do that, because | AM HIS BIOLOGICAL MOTHER! Mrs. Turner thought Anna was joking. She said contemptuously, Whats wrong with you? Stop talking nonsense! Security! Get this crazy woman out of my sight! You dont need to call security because Ive just brought them here, Matthew said, Security, get this woman out of here! Two security guards entered and dragged Mrs. Turner away. Mrs. Turner screamed in horror and asked, What do you want? Are you out of your mind?! Do you know who I am?! Everyone stood there dumbfounded as the security guards led Ms. Turner away. The secretary who had received Mrs. Turner, wide-eyed with surprise, asked Maria, What exactly are you doing? Shes Rachels mother! Rachel is going to marry Mr. Wright soon, so she is his future mother-inw! Why did you let the security guard take her away? Maria smiled calmly at the secretary and said, Not only should she leave, but you should as well. You need to resign before this afternoon. With wide eyes, the secretary asked, What? Why? Maria did not exin, but just said, Go back to your desks and get to work, everyone. You all know the fundamentals of being a secretary, so 4121 Am His Mother dont say anything about what you just saw. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Standing there, Matthew lowered his head. His eyes were already red, and he appeared upset. He was usually as mature as an adult, but he would only act like a child in front of his mother. Seeing hid pitiful look, Anna was devastated. She wanted to say many words to him but had no idea how to put them. Anna, why dont you go to Matthews office with him? Maria suggested. You know her? the secretary asked, looking at Maria wide-eyed Shes my cousin, Maria replied tly. The secretary realized that since Anna was Marias cousin, that would make her Matthews mother. Anna and Matthew left the lounge, followed by Maria. Before Maria left, she told the secretary, You should know what to say and what not to. say. The secretary sat in her chair with a pale face. Matthews office was on the ninth floor, and Wayne had purposefully separated their offices. His office, however, was decorated simrly to Waynes. In any case, Matthew was still a child and still sounded and looked like one. Ill give you two some space, Anna, Bye. Allright, thank you. Anna and Matthew were left alone in the office after Maria shut the door. Anna whispered, Matthew, my baby! Matthew sounded as if he was about to cry. He tilted his head in sadness and panic, saying, Mommy, when did you return? Why havent 4121 Am His Mother you paid me a visit since you left? | just returned to the office, and Maria told me you were here. If didnte, would you not see me at all? Anna remained silent because she was unable to respond to the question. Of course, she wanted to see Matthew, but she had no idea how. When she suddenly looked up, Anna was surprised to see Matthews face covered in tears. He asked sadly, Do you think youre so happy with Tammy that you dont need me at all? You dont want to see me, do you? Anna was even more flustered. No, I was afraid I wouldnt want to leave after seeing you, she said, handing Matthew the paper on the table. Matthew immediately pushed her hand away, hugged her tightly, and sobbed. He sobbed uncontrobly as if he could finally express the emotions he had been harboring for so long. A few minutester, he finally looked up and said, I know you dont want to leave me, but Ive really missed you every day since you left. Baby, I miss you too. But | really cante back to see you. Can you understand what Im saying? I know youre the one who asked Aunt Maria to be my secretary and look after me. Youre worried about me being bullied, right? Aunt Maria is very nice to me, and I appreciate it. Matthew continued to cry. At that moment, Anna seemed to have seen the child who had always hugged her leg five years before. And the boy had matured significantly since then. Good boy, Im sorry. I havent been there for you, and Ive been a terrible mother. Anna was afraid that something would happen to Matthew when she left Birmingham five years ago. But she couldnt do anything about it 4121 Am His Mother il because Matthew had decided to live with Wayne. As for Matthew, he remembered that Anna as a gentle mother who struggled with her own issues. So, after drying his eyes, he changed the subject, saying, I know you are in a dilemma, and | understand you. Is Tammy back with you, too? Anna had mixed feelings. She wiped her tears away and said, Yes, she is back, too. Ill let you two meet in a few days. We always talk to each other online. Mommy, how long are you going to stay here? Two years. Ill be taking Tammy for treatment, and Ill be doing an internship here. Anna had to take care of her studies in addition to treating Tammy. Her two-year internship at this hospital. So, she had toplete a thesis on child psychology and collect data during this time. Matthew smiled, relieved, and said, Thats fantastic; Ill get to see you more often now. Wait a minute, I have something for you. Its your birthday ina few days, and this is your present, he said as he walked behind his desk and took out arge shopping bag. Why would you prepare a present for me? Anna asked, surprised. Matthew smiled, I do that every year because | know youlle back one day. Ijust bought it a few days ago, so | put it here. I left the rest of the gifts home and will give them to you in a few days. Anna felt guilty even more, thinking, Matthew, my love, you prepare gifts for me every year on my birthday, yet | simply called you on your birthdays to congratte you. Im such a terrible mother. But I promise you II try my best to be a better mom from now on. Have faith in me. Okay? Just as Anna was about to speak her thoughts out loud, Maria knocked on the door and said, Mr. Wright has returned, Anna. He had lunch delivered to his office. Do you want to have lunch with them there? Chapter 414 Having Dinner Together Chapter 414 Having Dinner Together Matthew had already stood up before Anna could react. I havent, eaten yet, lets go to lunch together, he said to Anna. There was a dining table in the office in the corner by the window. When Anna and Matthew went in, they saw many foods on the table, all of Which were Annas favorite. She had treated patients in the morning and had rushed there at noon, so she was starving. Wayne said, Sorry for beingte, I just had a meeting. I heard the secretary say there was an ident just now. Matthew immediately said, You cane back a littleter. You can marry that Miss Turner after my mother left here angry because she was bullied. I know her personality well enough to know she wont be bullied by others so easily. Furthermore, your mom has always despised the Turners, Wayne said. Matthew felt that Wayne should not say that. If you dont want to eat with us, I can take my mommy out to eat, he grumbled. He appeared imposing and not at all vulnerable as he had earlier. Anna immediately said, Okay, stop it. Nobody is bullying me. And thank you, Matthew, for arriving on time to get me out of the awkward situation. Lets eat now. Because Anna was present, Matthew smiled and handed her a dish, saying, Mom, this is absolutely delicious! Come on, give it a shot! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Wayne sat alone across from them, staring at them. I havent changed my bandages yet, he grumbled. 413 Having Dinner Together Let me change your bandages first, Anna suggested. Matthew said, shaking his head, Dad, if you need to change your bandages right away, you should go to the hospital. The fact that youre sote shows that youre not in a hurry at all. My mother came here to eat with me, not to serve you. Ouch! That hurts. Are you really my son? Wayne asked. Matthew ignored him and continued to introduce the dishes to Anna He also asked about Tammys illness. Then Anna exined to him that Tammys asthma had been effectively treated in the United States. But, they returned to Ennd because they wanted her to fully recover. Hearing that, Matthew exhaled a sigh of relief and eximed, Thats great! Anna suddenly thought of Peters condition and asked, So, how about Peter? The chief of the cardiology department said they were going to do a heart bypass for him. But because of his age, we can also just give him medication. What do you think? After a few seconds, Anna said, Peter suffers from a heart condition. Although he has been in the hospital and hes doing fine, his physical exam revealed that he was not in good health. He will go into shock if he bes emotional. And sometimes, he wont even wake up if it gets serious. Neither Wayne nor Matthew responded right away. After a brief silence, Wayne handed Anna the juice and said, We both thought it would be better to operate on him, but he didnt want to. Well, | quite understand him. Peters getting older, so hes a little nervous and hesitant to make a quick decision. In fact, having this surgery can be quite dangerous Anna nodded and echoed. Matthew said, Great-grandpas concerned about us. He said the 413 Having Dinner Together surgery was dangerous and that if he died, he wouldnt be able to see my fathers life after that. He said he wanted to say something to you when you got back, mom: Peter had spent half a month in the hospital where Anna worked. She avoided him because she was afraid to see him. Because they had almost been family before, Anna assumed they would get emotional and not know what to say when they saw each other again. But Waynes previous actions had broken her heart. Anyway, she didnt expect Peters refusal to have the surgery to have any bearing on her. After Anna finished dinner, Maria drove her back to the hospital. On the way, she said, Im sorry. The things happened so quickly today, and Im afraid Mrs. Turner made too much of a fuss. Actually, there have been a lot of rumors about you in the group recently. Thats why I told Matthew. Are you upset with me? Its okay, I know youre doing it for me. Maria said with a smile, In fact, | have other reasons for doing so. I was afraid Selina would hold it against me if she found out you were being bullied at the group. She will not. Youve been looking after Matthew for years, and | appreciate it. I would have been a vige teacher in my hometown after high school if Selina hadnt sponsored me through college. I owe her and her husband a lot for the good life | have today. Everyone has to make decisions, and that was an opportunity for me. Opportunity? Anna couldnt help but ask Maria. Perhaps you will think | am strange. But now that | have my own home, I can pay for my grandmothers medical bills in my hometown, and | 413 Having Dinner Together can give Selina and Joe gifts on their birthdays. I have a good job, and my coworkers respect me. I believe this is the life | want. Anna knew she did that to prove her strength but still felt sorry for her. She said, Have you ever considered that they may have everything prepared for you? They dont want you to suffer, and they truly consider you to be their daughter. Anna knew that when Selina and Joe adopted Maria, they treated her as if she were their child. As a result, they expected her to regard them as her parents. But Maria didnt listen to them. Maria said, Im not like you, Anna. As a child, | learned that if | wanted something, I had to work for it. When | get something on my own, I feel like | truly own it. Im afraid if someone else gives them to me, Ill lose them quickly. So, you have never treated them as your family? That is not what | meant. I was in high school when I was adopted, so I couldnt deceive myself that they were my family. I needed to look after my grandmother, and I couldnt abandon her. But | can assure you that I will never forget how kind they were to me. Anna looked at her for a moment. She was going to say something, but she didnt. Finally, she said, If you know what youre doing, Ill be happy for you. Selina and Joe used to think the same way. Maria was living in an orphanage when they first adopted her. It wasnt until they changed herst name that they discovered she had a grandmother. Marias grandmother was too ill to care for her, so she lived in an orphanage. Maria was very stubborn, and she ran back to her home after a few days at Millers house. The Millers spent a long time looking for her, only to find her cooking for her grandmother in her home. They gave up the idea 413 Having Dinner Together of adopting a younger child, leaving Maria with her grandmother. They gave Maria money every month, paid her visits to their house, and continued paying her bills until she finished college. Maria knew what she wanted to do from the start and how to deal with adversity. She would only tell Selina about anything that went wrong after she had resolved it. Anna was tempted to ask Maria if she had quit her job at a government to work as a secretary for Matthew because she and Wayne had dated In the end, Anna didnt ask anything, knowing that everyone did everything for their own good. Maria was a kind youngdy who sacrificed herself for her grandmother, and that made Anna feel relieved. Awhileter, Maria drove Anna to the hospital, saying, Here you are, Anna. Bye. Thank you. Bye. Anna said as she got out of the car. Chapter 415 He鈥檚 Just My Ex Chapter 415 Hes Just My Ex Noel summarized what Mrs. Turner said in the lounge for Wayne. Did you take care of this? Wayne asked coldly. Yes, I informed the receptionist that neither Mrs. Turner nor her daughter will be permitted to enter the company from today on. Good. Ill discuss the groups shares at the board meeting at the end of the month, and Ill also formally propose that Rachel Turner be removed from the board. Tell the other directors about it; I need their approval. Noel sighed and said, But | doubt well be able to persuade Mr. Turner because shes his niece. Miss Turner might make a big fuss if we remove her from her position. Wayne rolled his eyes andmented, She rarely attends board meetings. However, she has been spreading rumors in the group with several board members since we acquired Gabriel Group. Not only that, but Im going to purchase Shirley Gabriels shares. We discussed it before, and you said you wanted to take your time. Wayne nodded, Yes, but | can begin implementing the n right away. She believes she can do whatever she wants because she owns 20% of thepany. But Im going to show her that the company is not her yground. Noel nodded in shock. He hadnt expected Wayne to go ahead with his n just for Anna. He thought to himself, Who on earth is Anna? Ineed to ask Gabe about this. 414 Hes Just My Ex After returning to the hospital, Anna took blood samples in theb office. Nancy asked, Tell me, are you serious? What exactly did you say to Joshua? He told his mother said he thought | was his soul mate as the only option for marriage. Nancy, have you had a lot of free time recently? Stoping here to discuss personal matters with me. If my director sees me chatting with you, Id be in big trouble. Anna expressed her resignation to Nancy, who sat next to her. It doesnt matter. I must make this clear to you today. If you like Joshua, you should tell him the truth and go on a date with him My goodness, dont have a thing for him. I did everything you told me to do. I dont believe you! If thats the case, why did he insist on having their housekeeper bring me food? Anna cut her off, What? His housekeeper? | thought that was Before Anna could finish, a nurse pushed open the door, rmed, and asked, Where is Dr. Brown? Oh, hi, Dr. Moore. She just left for a parent-teacher conference for her child, Anna exined. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The nurse said, Someone was yelling outside, and | assumed it was a patient. She kept mentioning that she was looking for one of theb doctors. I asked who that was, and she said she had no idea. So I came here to tell you. Nancy got to her feet and yelled angrily, Theyre insane! I saw on the news the other day that a patient was causing amotion in a hospital. Come on, Anna, lets go take a look! When the nurse saw Nancy, she eximed, Gee, thank you. 414 Hes Just My Ex Nancy was a well-known badass at the hospital and was good at dealing with unreasonable patients. Furthermore, she had never met apetitor before. Because Anna was concerned that Nancy would make a big deal out of it, she stood up as well. She noticed two nurses stopping a struggling woman. The woman shouted, Why are you stopping me? Get your hands off me! | swear to you, Im just looking for a doctor! That slut flirted with my boyfriend! Im sorry, maam, but you cant go in there. Please tell me her name, and Ill go get her I have no idea what her name is! She recently visited the Carousel Group for a medical checkup. Shespletely shameless! The womans voice was harsh and mean, and she sounded enraged. Nancy turned back and asked Anna, The Carousel Group? Anna looked at that insane woman in the corridor. The woman was always dressed in a Chanel suit to demonstrate her wealth and carrying a limited edition handbag. When she realized it was her stepmothers niece, her cousin Rachel, Anna was taken aback. Rachel was shocked when she caught sight of Anna. She asked, Anna, what are you doing here? I didnte here to see you. Im looking for a doctor She was about to finish her sentence when she noticed Annas white robe. Her face became pale, and she asked, wide-eyed, Is that you? Are you the doctor who visits the Carousel Group every day to see Wayne? Everyone began talking and said, What? Every day, Dr. Gabriel visits the president of the Carousel Group? Thats the first time that Ive heard of it. Ive been hearing about it for quite some time! She had gone there 414 Hes Just My Ex earlier to perform medical exams on new employees. Those few doctors and nurses all started gossiping and talking while looking back and forth at Rachel and Anna. Their job was boring, so they wouldnt let go of this juicy gossip. Furthermore, it was connected to Anna, the hospitals famous beauty. Anna felt embarrassed and wanted to leave right away. She immediately exined to Rachel, Dont get me wrong. Im a doctor, so | should be responsible for my patients. Me and Wayne are just old friends, and theres nothing between us. Dont make a big deal out of it. Rachel appeared to be offended. She growled, Thats enough! Everyone knows you were supposed to be Waynes wife, and hes been thinking of you all along! Why didnt you tell me you came back here? No wonder your son bought you a gift the other day! Hearing that, everyone was discussing it more enthusiastically. Seeing that, Anna snorted, Since you know all about it, why are you still bothering me here? Also, Ive never heard Wayne mention to me once that youre his girlfriend. Dont you find it ridiculous that you used me of seducing your boyfriend when hes not even your boyfriend? Rachel yelled angrily, Its none of my business whether Wayne agrees to be my boyfriend or not, Anna! Im not going to be involved with you any longer! The doctors and nurses all looked at Anna. Nancy gave her a thumbs up and said, Awesome! Its no surprise you never told me who your husband is. So hes the richest man in town. Anna, please treat us to dinner! Anna felt as if all of her money had vanished. She and Wayne had broken up, but she hadnt expected him to have such an impact on her. Anna said, So, Ill buy you guys dinner. Are you avable? 414 Hes Just My Ex We can have take-out delivered to the hospital cafeteria. We can take turns eating. How rich do you think | am? Your husband is a rich man. We want to experience how being rich feels Hes not my husband, hes my ex. Yes, we want rich exes too. By the way, why dont you treat us to some more dessert? Chapter 416 Can We Start Over? Chapter 416 Can We Start Over? When Anna returned home from work in the evening, she noticed a man standing near the apartment building. He looked dashing and handsome, standing by the car in front of the door. Anna noticed that it was after 12:00 a.m. She asked, What are you doing here? Why are you standing near my housete at night? This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Why couldnte? Wayne asked, standing up straight. Anna said, Because you were healed, and that day was thest time | changed your bandages. Your wound has scabbed over and will fall off on its own. Besides, Im very busy at work. Do you mean you wont see me after my wounds heal? We might run into each other again. Its alreadyte, and have to be back home. Tammy is still at home waiting for me. Bye. She was about to move forward when Wayne asked, Are you just going to leave like that? My wounds have healed, but my heart has not. What should I do now? Anna stopped. Wayne walked up to her and said, You got rid of Rachel, the only woman Ive had around for five years. Im going to spend the rest of my life alone. Shouldnt youpensate me for it? Anna stared in surprise and thought, Do you really care about Rachel? Wow! What a surprise. Then Anna said, You do seem to care about her, dont you? | didnt even have to kick her out because she was the one who yelled at me at the hospital. You could have kept her if she had wanted to leave. I dont like her and dont want to keep her. Anna, the person Ive When Anna returned home from work in the evening, she noticed a man standing near the apartment building. He looked dashing and handsome, standing by the car in front of the door. Anna noticed that it was after 12:00 a.m. She asked, What are you doing here? Why are you standing near my housete at night? Why couldnte? Wayne asked, standing up straight. Anna said, Because you were healed, and that day was thest time | changed your bandages. Your wound has scabbed over and will fall off on its own. Besides, Im very busy at work. Do you mean you wont see me after my wounds heal? We might run into each other again. Its alreadyte, and I have to be back home. Tammy is still at home waiting for me. Bye. She was about to move forward when Wayne asked, Are you just going to leave like that? My wounds have healed, but my heart has not. What should I do now? Anna stopped. Wayne walked up to her and said, You got rid of Rachel, the only woman Ive had around for five years. Im going to spend the rest of my life alone. Shouldnt youpensate me for it? Anna stared in surprise and thought, Do you really care about Rachel? Wow! What a surprise. Then Anna said, You do seem to care about her, dont you? | didnt even have to kick her out because she was the one who yelled at me at the hospital. You could have kept her if she had wanted to leave. I dont like her and dont want to keep her, Anna, the person Ive 415 Can We Start Over? always wanted to care about is you. But you never gave me a chance to do so. Wayne sounded sad and regretful, and there were almost tears in his eyes. Anna could tell that he still loved her, and that feeling overwhelmed her. She had returned to Ennd not for him but for Tammy and her internship. Yet, Anna couldnt help but fall in love with him again It waste at night, and there was no one around. The dim light from the streetmp above their heads reflected on his face, making him look very gentle. He was maturing, bing more attractive, and was no longer cold and arrogant. Annas heart was racing, so she lowered her head and turned away from him. She said, Shes the one who went to the hospital to find me, so | should me you for it. It already happened, so what do you want me to do? Lets not bring her up again. Ive been waiting for you for three hours, so why dont you invite me over for a cup of tea? The kids are sleeping. Im not going to bother them. Wayne didnt seem to want to leave quickly, so Anna had to make apromise. When she entered her house, she took a pair of disposable slippers from the cupboard and said, Ill make you some tea; what would you like? Surprise me. Jasmine tea, then. After that, Anna went to the kitchen, took the jar of jasmine tea from the cupboard and boiled two cups of hot water to make two cups of tea. She then handed Wayne one. 415 Can We Start Over? ts really good! Wayne eximed after taking a sip of the tea. Anna looked at him and said meaningfully, Youre so rich so you can have anything you want. What makes you want to drink the tea | made? Because no tea is better than the one you make. Its all tea, and no matter who makes it, it tastes the same. No, yours is different. Your tea is especially delicious. Anna lowered her gaze, wanting to change the subject. When did you start studying tea2 she asked. You know what Im talking about, Wayne said Idont. Wayne put down his teacup and said, Then let me make it clear. You Wouldnt care about my wounds if you didnt care about me, and you wouldnte to my office every day at noon if you didnt care about me. Weve been through so much together that we cant separate ourselvespletely. Matthew is living with me and Tammy with you, and they are our children. What exactly are you trying to say? Im trying to say that since we cant split up, would you mind starting over with me? | havent been seeing anyone else these past few years, and neither have you. Im still in love with you, and you still fell the same way about me. We also have two children together. So were destined to be together. Anna attempted to reject him, but Wayne cut her off and said, Dont reject me yet. You want to reject me because | have previously treated you poorly. I realize Im too controlling and havent given you enough freedom. But | can assure you that have changed. | know you were upset with me 415 Can We Start Over? for not believing you. I admit that disliked Jasper and always suspected that there was more between you two. Since hes married, Im sure youre just friends. I will believe you and will never doubt you again. Could you please give me another chance? Wayne had never appeared more sincere to Anna. He wouldnt even apologize to her a few years ago. Nheless, he could now discuss the matter calmly. Seeing that Anna was speechless, Wayne continued, I went after you at the airport the day you left, but I didnt know you were going to France. So, I got on the wrong ne and missed you. Weve been in and out of love for far too long. So, for the sake of our children and ourselves, could you please give me another chance? | have no idea what my life will be like in five years, and I dont need you to tell me right away. But | really hope youll consider what Im saying. After taking a shower, Annay in bed and she couldnt fall asleep She kept recalling what Wayne had said to her. She had wanted to call Wayne for years but had never done so. She hadnt found the right opportunity, and no one would support her except for Tammy. When she asked Peace for her advice, Peace always told her, as did Selina, that Men are hard to change. You have to stop putting much faith inhim As a result, Anna began to think less and less about Wayne as time passed. However, she realized she couldnt date anyone else after she stopped thinking about him. Chapter 417 Can鈥檛 Get You Out of My Head Chapter 417 Cant Get You Out of My Head Mr. Wright, I called Gabest night and he said he wasing back from Australia. He asked me to tell you the good news. Noel said. Wayne nodded, then said, He wont be busy after the project is over, I guess? Yes, now that hes got it all sorted out over there. Get him back, I want him to do something for me. With wide eyes, Noel asked, What makes you want him back? Is there anything Im unable to do? They were both Waynes assistants in charge of fixing things. But, he couldnt figure out why Wayne thought only Gabe could do that. Dont take this the wrong way, but there are some things youre not very familiar with. So | believe it is best to let him do it. Noel asked sadly, What exactly is the problem? Could you please tell me? You can let hime back if | cant solve it for you. Besides, hell need to take care of business over there before he returns, and it will take some time. If youre in a hurry, you can have me doit. Wayne nodded, thinking he had made his point. What do you want to do? Have you ever been in a rtionship? Wayne asked. Yes, Noel said, wide-eyed. And have you ever gotten back together with your ex? Noel looked at Wayne nervously, afraid he might say the wrong answer. He said, Yes. How did you do that? 416 Cant Get You Out of My He. Noel was stunned and asked, Youre getting back together with your ex? Is she Dr. Gabriel? Can you figure this out? Wayne asked, nodding. Noel said firmly, Yes, of course | can! Ille up with a n for you within a day. Noel left Waynes office and sent a message to thepanys chat group, Important announcement! Our boss wishes to get back with his ex. Ihope all of you can devise ns and tell me before the end of the day. You will be rewarded if your solution is adopted. Before the end of the day, Noel came into Waynes office with a pile of files and said firmly, These are the options that everyone has discussed and written down based on their own experiences. These three ones are great. Wayne browsed through the documents, nodded and said, This one looks good. Help me prepare what I need. Noel said, Im on it, Mr. Wright. In the evening, Anna came home from work. When she arrived at the building, she looked around and didnt see Waynes car. Strangely, she was relieved and disappointed at the same time. Standing there, she thought, Whats wrong with me? Why do/ want to see Wayne but also want him to stay as far away as possible from me at the same time? Gosh! Wayne may be right. still have feelings for him! Damn What should I do? With strings of questions wandering in her mind, Anna felt exhausted. Still, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before entering her house, trying to bring out the best of her in front of the kids. 416 Cant Get You Out of My He. When she got home, she saw the two kids were still watching TV and ying video games. Having taken off her shoes, Anna said while pulling a pair of slippers out, Im going to the supermarket tonight. Are you guys going with me? Also, is there anything you want to eat? Tammy, who was watching TV, replied, Well, Il pass. Youre the boss. Mom, just the usual; Im fine with it. Isabe was in her bedroom, ying a game. She didnt mind what she ate as long as she survived. Actually, to her, the video games mattered more than food. She couldnt live without her video games. Anna opened the fridge and looked inside, realizing she waspletely out of food at home. As a result, she nned to go to the supermarket by herselfter that evening. Looking at the girls who were both busy with their own businesses, Anna couldnt help shaking her head helplessly. And then, she was lost in thought. s! How time flies! Back then, Tammy was just an innocent little girl who couldnt take her hands off her favorite chocte. Istill remember how it felt when holding her in my arms for the first time in my life. She was so little, and now, she has already turned into a teenager. As for Isabe, | still remember how skinny she was the first time 1 met her. Well, in a way, shes my life savior because if it werent for her back then, I might have already been six feet underground after! was kidnapped to that deserted ind, and Tammy and Matthew might have been devastated. Well, Wayne must also be devastated if it were the case. Wait Why do I suddenly think of Wayne again? | knew it! I still cant get over him. Maybe I should just reconcile with him so that Tammy and 416 Cant Get You Out of My He. Matthew can grow up in aplete and happy family again. But what about Isabe? What if she feels that | betray her by reconciling with Wayne? She has already had a rough time when she was with Jasper and Lily. If! tell her about my decision, she might be deeply disappointed. | know she always tries to y cool. But deep down, shes still a sensitive kid. Gosh What should I do? Mom, are you alright? Sensing something was off with Anna, Tammy stood up and asked her with concern. m alright, sweetie. Im just a bit tired. You know, working overtime four days a week is nearly killing me. But dont worry. Im fine. Im off to the supermarket now. Hearing that, Tammy sat back down and turned her gaze to the television in front of her. Then, absentmindedly, she said to Anna, OK, bye mommy. Anna sighed. She had finally gotten off work early this day, only to be disappointed to discover that both girls were preupied with their own things and didnt appear to want to be with her. About 15 minutester, Anna arrived at the supermarket. Just as she was looking for Tammys favorite chocte, she suddenly spotted a stage nearby. At the sight of the stage, Annas mind was flooded with memories from the past. Wow! didnt expect that the stage was still here! And it looks exactly the same as it was five years ago when Wayne and visited the supermarket together Gee! Since when did | be so nostalgic? | guess deep in my heart, Istill want to be with Wayne. It just that Gosh How 1 wish Ihave enough courage to be with him again! Im so torn After collecting her thoughts, Anna quickly finished buying the 416 Cant Get You Out of My He. groceries. After checking out, she looked at her tworge and heavy shopping bags and let out a sigh. She made every effort to get the two bags out of the supermarket. Meanwhile, there was music ying in front of the supermarket, and there appeared to be an event nearby, and many people were dancing in doll costumes. The music then changed to one of Annas favorite dance songs, and the people dressed in doo costumes began dancing exaggeratedly to the music. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Those dolls look very cute, attracting the attention of a group of people. However, at the moment, Anna was not in the mood for it. She was so concentrating on how to carry those tworge and heavy bags back to her ce that she didnt even bother to stop and see what was going on in front of the market. Chapter 418 It鈥檚 Not Love Chapter 418 Its Not Love After returning home, Anna ced the shopping bags in the kitchen. She was so exhausted that as soon as she dropped the bags on the floor, she copsed on the chair next to her. Panting, she looked over to Isabe and said to her, Isabe, would you stop eating ice cream and help me with the cooking? Upon hearing Annas words, Isabe turned around, only to see that Anna was covered with beads of sweat on her forehead. Then she nudged Tammy, who was sitting next to her, with her elbow. To her disappointment, Tammy snapped the box of ice cream from her and refused to help Isabe this time. Therefore, Isabe had no choice but to help Anna with the chores. The moment Isabe stepped into the kitchen, Anna said to her, Isabe, weve talked about this. You shouldnt wear revealing clothes like that every day. Do you know how dangerous it could be if you walk out at night dressing like this? | heard that several girls were harassed in our neighborhood recently. Now that youre under my roof, you need to listen tome. Gee, Anna! Youre so old-fashioned. Its my body and | make the call! can wear whatever | want. You know what, perverts will always be perverts. They just cant keep their hands to themselves even if | wrap myself from head to toe with clothes! Letting outa sigh, Anna adjusted her position and said, I get you, Isabe. | really do. Its just The world isplicated. Sometimes, when you think what youre doing is right, others may not necessarily agree with you. | know girls at your age like to dress up and make yourselves look 417 Its Not Love pretty. When | was at your age, | liked to wear mini skirts to reveal my legs. It wasnt until one day when a man groped my butt and even touched my thighs without my consent that | gave up on the idea to wear mini skirts. | m sorry to hear that, Anna. But it wasnt your fault. Damn it! Why do the majority always ask women to protect themselves from being harassed by men while they seldom educate men that its wrong to harass women and that they need to respect women? This is so unfair! Pouting, Isabe said in disappointment and anger. Calm down, Isabe. To be honest, you make a point. However, | have to tell you that we women still have to blend in to survive in the world. Still, I hope that after numerous generations, the society will be a more gender-equal one. And | believe that you will do your part to make it happen. As for now, just listen to me, okay? Better safe than sorry, Anna and Isabe said at the same time. Yeah, yeah, | know. Ill wear less revealing clothes from now on. But as soon as | leave Ennd, | wont follow your dress code anymore. Anyways, when | was in America dressing like this, Jasper never said anything about that to me, she shrugged. Thats because hes a man and its not really his ce to talk to you about it. But why didnt Lily talk to you about this? She knew that | wouldnt listen to her; thats why. And | always feel that she isnt as friendly as she seems to be when she is alone with me. Its not like Il steal her husband from her Saying that, Isabe lowered her voice. What?! Anna asked in puzzlement. Nothing, Isabe answered, turning her head and avoiding making eye contact with Anna. AIT Its Not Love Anna couldnt help but seize Isabe up, thinking, /sabe, you have a good figure, delicate skin, and a pair of lovely legs. Objectively speaking, youre absolutely stunning. | knew you thought that | didnt hear the words you just blurted out. But Ive heard it. Please dont tell me that you have feelings for Jasper Even though you two arent rted by blood, hes still your foster father! Taking a deep breath, Anna asked, Let me ask you a question. Isabe was washing tomatoes, so she didnt realize the change in Annas expression. What? How do you like Wayne, my ex? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Well, | knew things didnt turn out well between you two but | have to. say that hes a sessful and handsome man, for sure, Isabe answered. Then between Wayne and Jasper, who do you think is a better man? In a panic, she ducked her head and squeezed the tomato. Why did you suddenly bring him up? she asked. Dont worry, Im just talking about it, Anna said tentatively. What do you think of him? Theres no way they canpare because Jasper is one of the few good men in the world. Hes polite and friendly. He has a sessful career and does charity work. Although Wayne is quite sessful as well, he can be quite cold and cruel sometimes, Isabe said hesitantly, You see, Lily is crazy about him. Shed rather offend him and kick me out of the house. Shes doing it just because she wants me to stay away from him! She abruptly came to a halt, and the kitchen fell silent. Tammy was shouting while watching the football game on TV. Anna looked at Isabe, surprised and shocked. 417 Its Not Love Isabe exined, Oh, no! Thats not what | meant. Anna didnt say anything, but she could tell what was going on. She was taken aback and looked at Isabe in disbelief. Tell me whats going on, Anna sighed. How about we go somewhere else to talk about it? Im afraid that Tammy will overhear our conversation. Okay. Lets go to the study then. After a while, Anna and Isabe sat on the couch of the study, closing the door behind them. You never take anything Lily says seriously, but why did you listen to her and move out this time? Anna asked. Because she threatened me, showed me a video, and then kicked me out, Lily said, clutching the arm of the couch nervously. What video? On Jaspers birthday, Lily threw a birthday party for him at home. And | hugged and kissed Jasper in the backyard. Anna was so shocked that she could not even speak. Jasper was nearly twenty years older than Isabe, his foster daughter. As a result, Anna could not ept the fact that they had kissed. To be specific, | kissed him, Isabe exined What else did you do? Anna forced herself to calm down. It was just a hug and a kiss. Well, actually, | just kissed him on the cheek, Isabe said. After a brief pause, Isabe continued, Lily only showed me the video she shot secretly when Jasper and | were alone in the backyard. And she said | shouldnt stay at her house any longer. If dont leave, shes going to take that video to court and sue Jasper for molesting his adopted 417 Its Not Love daughter, Isabe said nervously, but she still appeared stubborn. Anna was stunned by what she was hearing. It was just a misunderstanding, she said, Why would she want to take the video to court? Is she crazy? What if Lilys intuition is right? Anna said firmly, Thats absolutely impossible! Jasper is not that kind of person, and he always treats you as his daughter. But Im not his daughter and | dont want him to treat me as his daughter only! | like him, and Ive liked him since | was a child. | never thought of him as my father, and | couldnt fall in love with any man but him, Isabe exined. Anna couldnt believe it and asked, What on earth are you talking about?! didnt know how to confront him, and I couldnt let him divorce Lily because of me. If hes no longer my adoptive father, | wont give him all this moral trouble anymore. That way, | wouldnt have any worries. Isabe was firm as if she wasnt afraid of anything in the world. Anna was so taken aback by this incident that she couldnt calm down. She even assumed Isabe was acting rashly because she was a teenager. Let me think about it, Anna said as she sat on the couch. Then shaking her head, she said to Isabe with a serious face, Isabe, are you sure youre in love with Jasper? Yes! What about it? jhate to be blunt, but your feelings for him seem more like your obsession with him to me. | know youre going to retort by saying You dont get it, Who are you to tell me what | should do with my rtionship, and all that. But please, listen to me. From what youve told me, | could tell 417 Its Not Love that Jasper still treated you as his daughter. Also, Lilys pregnant, and their child will be born soon. Can you bear to see a supposedly happy family break apart because of your obsession with Jasper? Moreover, what if you find out that Jasper actually doesnt have feelings for you after you confess your love to her? What are you going to do then? s! Teenagers! Teenagers like you always tend to act on impulse. Sometimes, doing so will get you nowhere, while sometimes, it will cause disastrous consequences. Youre about to be an adult, Isabe. | hope that you should think twice before you do anything. Chapter 419 Who鈥檚 that Man? Chapter 419 Whos that Man? The city appeared cozy as the evening lights shone throughout it. Joshua hurriedly took the elevator to Waynes office and dashed there. Wayne had just called Joshua and told him he needed him to return to the office immediately. He was doubtful why Wayne had asked him to his office in the middle of the night. He walked into the office and saw Wayne looking downeast. Whats wrong? he asked. Wayne asked coldly, Hows the Albert Pharmaceuticalwsuit going? Joshua found his question strange. He paused for a moment before replying, Thispany was bought out by anotherpany three months ago. So, the debt was transferred to anotherpany. When thewsuit was handed over, you met with their president and convinced them to settle out of court on the terms of a suburban warehouse. So that rtionship was crossed off the list. Wayne frowned and asked, What? Why do you make it seem so simple? Is it true that I signed a contract with them? Joshua said calmly, Thats what the business department should take care of, so Im not sure about that. Im telling you, | didnt sign that damn contract! | dont need that warehouse at all, and | was just being polite when | said that. We still have to sue them. Wayne red angrily at Joshua. OK, then Il start preparing tomorrow, Joshua frowned. 418 Whos that Man? No, you better start doing that today, Wayne interrupted him. The atmosphere became strange. Wayne had always been unpredictable, but Joshua saw nothing wrong with that. He wasnt a businessman, so he had no idea what one should be like. He was just a lawyer, and he only cared about doing his job right. Then he just said, OK, Ill go get ready now. By the way, thank you for helping me Nancy to be with me. Though she still refuses to see me, | think that were making some progress. Just leave, would you? Im not in the mood to talk about it with you? Wayne said, waving his hand to Joshua impatiently. The moment Joshua was about to turn around and leave, he saw that Wayne was wearing bright yellow clothes under the table, and then he stopped. He held back hisughter after confirming that he was not mistaken. Dont worry, Ill make sure this gets fixed, he said. Wayne pped the desk hard after Joshua left. Noel had been hiding out in the cubicle the whole time. He ran over as soon as he heard the noise, clutching a headgear. He was still wearing his Pikachu custom pants because they were difficult to remove, making him look hrious. Wayne became even angrier and asked, Why are you still dressed like this? This is a terrible idea! Anna wasnt even paying attention to me tonight! Noel exined, It was a total ident! | didnt expect that she would just turn around and walk away like that after she got out of the supermarket! | thought she would at least spare a nce at us Shut up! Noel immediately covered his mouth. He noticed that Wayne looked upset, and he asked, Mr. Wright, do you feel hot? Do you want me to get 418 Whos that Man? you another pant? Wayne roared, No! Urgh! | knew this is a terrible idea from the very start. How is it possible that Anna would like this kind of childish stuff? Its not like shes still twelve years old! Gosh! | shouldnt have listened to your stupid idea and danced in the square in this stupid costume! But this is the best n that the employees of ourpany havee up with. Normally, women will be deeply touched when seeing their beloved ones sending them roses when fireworks bloom in the night sky at the same time. Its just so happened that Ms. Gabriel Noel quickly exined. Shut up! It didnt work out and thats it! Stop making excuses! Wayne interrupted him ruthlessly. Hearing that, Noel said, Sorry, sir. After that, Wayne stood up, looking at the yellow Pikachu costume pants on him and frowning After a while, Noel assured Wayne by saying, No worries, we still have a backup n! Next time, we should do it at the hospital where Anna works. And we just use the traditional way other than the unusual way. What do you think, Mr. Wright? Thats more like it, Wayne nodded:** The next day at noon, Wayne and Noel arrived at the hospitals parking lot Noel said to Wayne firmly, Dont worry. Its not a problem. Ms. Gabriel will be moved if you give her the things you used to have when you were dating. That way, you can get back together with her. What have you prepared? Could you please let me see it first? If you take the wrong thing, our n will fail again. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Wayne then handed him the box he had been preparing for a long, time. It was a ck velvet box that looked like it contained a ne. 418 Whos that Man? After opening it, Noel was stunned and eximed, Oh my God! What are these? There was a row of ten rings of various styles in there. In the light of the underground garage, the rings glowed brightly. Wayne exined, I proposed to her with these rings back then. | had no idea what style she preferred, so | made her ten different rings in different styles. Speaking of the past, Wayne felt like he was torn between emotions. He thought, /fit werent for those messy things we had in the past, Anna and | would have been married. And Tammy would have grown up alongside me so that I could see her grow up. Noel took a deep breath and carefully handed over the jewelry box to Wayne. He figured that it was necessary that hed asked Gable who Anna was. As far as he knew, Wayne was not the type of person who would go all his way out for love. After getting out of the car, Wayne went straight to the hospitals front door. Because he was very attractive, he drew a lot of attention. It was noon, and there was almost no one in the testing department. Wayne spotted Anna as he walked out of the elevator. He smiled and then walked quickly toward her. However, he stopped as he saw Anna taking a lunch box from a man. He was too far away from them to hear what they were saying. Also, the man was standing with his back to Wayne, so Wayne couldnt see his face. Still, he could see Anna smiling brightly. It was the first time he had seen Anna smile so happily in five years. Wayne clutched the jewelry box in his hand, wanting to approach her and ask what was happening. But then he realized he wasnt in the position to question her about anything, He paused for a moment longer before 418 Whos that Man? walking away. Joshua, why did youe by yourself? Anna asked, staring at the thermos box in her hand. My mother was supposed toe here, but shes a little busy today. Besides, | think | should talk to Nancy in person now. Then, why dont you bring it over to her yourself? Im afraid she wouldnt eat anything | gave her. Anyway, Ill talk to her after shes finished eating, Is it possible that | wont need to cover for you from now on? Annaughed. Maybe, maybe not, Joshua said,ughing. Chapter 420 You鈥檙e the One He Cares about Chapter 420 Youre the One He Cares about Anna walked into Nancys office with the lunch box that Joshua gave her. By the time Anna entered Nancys office, Nancy was still staring at her phone. What are you doing, Nancy? Anna suddenly asked. Oh my God! You scared the hell out of me! Nancy eximed as she shuddered and looked up at Anna. Anna then ced her lunchbox on the table and said, Joshua asked me to bring the lunchbox he prepared for you. Now that my job is done, Im leaving. Bye. Nancy froze and said, Wait for a second, Anna. You are either busy or ill every time they send meals. Howe | eat all of these food for you? Anna said, I cant eat these because they were intended for you. Remember, youre the one Joshua likes. Nancy was at a loss for what to say. But youre the one who keeps seeing him, she said after a moment. Anna looked thoughtfully at Nancys phone. Am I? she exined, but it was you who had been chatting with him. Nancys face flushed, and she asked nervously, What? | didnt talk to him! | never said anything to him! Yes, you did! Hah! | finally dont have to pretend to be you anymore, Anna whispered. What are you talking about? Nothing. Im going to leave now, bye. Anna realized that Nancy had 419 Youre the One He Cares ab. already changed her mind about Joshua. She didnt know how he managed to talk to Nancy online, but she didnt ask him about it. She knew Joshua would tell Nancy the truth after lunch, and everything would be clear by then. She no longer had to act anything in front of Nancy. As a result, she exhaled a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, in the garage, Noel sat in the car, listening to a rock song Then he noticed Wayne walking toward him. Terrified, he immediately turned off the radio. Wayne stormed into the car and mmed the door hard. Noel noticed Wayne holding the box and asked, Mr. Wright, why are you returning so soon? Is she not in the hospital? | checked, and shes definitely at the hospital today. Wayne stared out the window as if he hadnt heard him. He thought, Anna, whos the man you were smiling at just now? Whats so special about him? Why did you smile at him like that? Gosh! How | wish | could get over you, but Ijust cant. | CANT! Lets go back to the office, he said after pulling his mind back to the present. When Mary waved at her, Anna had just bought herself a meal and was ready to find a seat to sit down and eatit. Mary said, Anna, why dont you join us for lunch? | just learned a gossip about Nancy, Mary said after Anna had sat down. Anna cut her off with a gesture and said, Thest time you gossiped about her in the cafeteria, she found out about it, Mary. She also warned you in a meeting. Have you already forgotten that? Its only been half a month. Also, Nancys father is the vice president of our hospital, and her mother is the head nurse. Arent you afraid youll get yourself fired by 419 Youre the One He Cares ab. gossiping about Nancy like that? Mary smiled, No, Im not. | know that Nancy isnt a petty person. | wasnt sure thest time, so | just said it out of curiosity. This time, | saw her with a man with my own eyes. So? She was with a guy! A guy! Anna said, her face expressionless, Whats the big deal about it? Mary expressed her frustration by saying, Anna, youre the most boring person in the hospital! Dont you think working here is so boring that you could use some juicy gossip? Unlike them, Anna didnt work in a hospital as soon as she graduated. Asa result, she saw things differently than they did. However, she had a pleasant personality, was easy to get along with, and was not a drama queen. So, Mary was willing to gossip with her. Mary said, This is a pretty big deal, anyway. Ive never seen her talk to any guy other than the patients. | just noticed a cute guy walk into her office! Was he dressed in a ck suit, tall, and had brown hair? Anna asked. Did you see him? Were you surprised as well? N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Thats her boyfriend, Anna said calmly. Marys eyes widened in surprise as she couldnt believe she had been informed of such a piece of breaking news. She stood up in astonishment and eximed, What? She has a boyfriend? How did I not know about this? | guess everyone knows that now, Anna said awkwardly, looking around 419 Youre the One He Cares ab. Mary kept asking Anna about Joshua after dinner. She was interested in everything, including his age, upation, and name. Anna realized she couldnt answer these questions, so she simply said, Im not sure about that either. You can ask someone else about this. At that point, Nancy called Anna. Anna then took a step back and answered the phone, Nancy. She then heard Nancy yell, How dare you lie to me about Joshua! Nancy then began to yell at Anna. Anna thought it was amazing that her words were harsh but not offensive. Listen to me, | was forced to do this, Anna exinedter. Really? Who made you do such a dull thing? Anna couldnt help but retort, Remember, you forced me to go on that blind date for you. | think you two are just perfect for each other! Nancy yelled angrily, so Anna immediately removed the phone from her ear. Nancy said, You dont have to go to the testing department anymore! Youll begin your inpatient shift this afternoon, and youll be in charge of Mr. Wright from now on! She hung up the phone after she finished speaking. Anna was speechless as she stared at the screen. She figured that Nancy was doing this to get back at her. When she looked up, she noticed Mary staring at her. Mary asked, What? Nancy asked you to set up a blind date for her?! Anna said glumly, Look, she just yelled at me. If you have any questions, go ahead and ask her. 419 Youre the One He Cares ab. After some consideration, Mary concluded that her work was more important than gossip. Forget it, Im not going to ask anymore, she said. She then walked away. Anna looked at her phone, perplexed. When she saw Joshua at noon, she had no idea this matter was still relevant to her. However, she couldnt hide it from Nancy any longer Chapter 421 Are You Jealous? Chapter 421 Are You Jealous? Wayne sat in his office, furious, and threw the papers on his desk to the floor. He hadnt worked in days because he had been thinking about Anna. When he returned, he reviewed the work his employees had done and found it unsatisfactory. A few managers stood in line outside Waynes office, waiting for him to scold them for theirme work. When one of the managers walked out of the office, everyone stopped him and asked him what had happened. He shook his head, knowing there was nothing he could say to them. The crowd looked at each other and sighed. Then they started talking to each other in a low voice, for fear that Wayne would hear their conversation. Mr. Wright is quite moody these days! Im so stressed out that I cant sleep at night. Right! I noticed he was in a good mood the other day, so I handed him the proposal I had just written. But he quickly became grumpy again. In his office, Wayne criticized all the managers and drove them away. After that, Noel poured him a cup of coffee. Wayne looked at his watch and asked, Did you find out who that man is; the one who sent a lunchbox to Anna in the hospital the other day? Well, I checked it out and contacted him. Its rush hour now, and hes probably stuck in traffic, Noel said hesitantly. After seeing Waynes gloomy expression, Noel didnt dare to say anything else. An hourter, the man arrived at the door to Waynes office. As Noel 420 Are You Jealous? saw him, his eyes were filled with sympathy and pity. Noel gently reminded the man, If Mr. Wright loses his cool later, please dont take it personally. Hes in a bad mood today because of some rtionship issues. Thank you, The man said, nodding to Noel politely. He acted like he didnt even understand what Noel was saying. And he walked calmly into Waynes office as if he didnt care about anything. Hello, Mr. Wright, The man greeted Wayne. As soon as he heard his greeting, Wayne, who was previously upied with his work, looked up. The moment he saw the man, he was so shocked that he eximed with his mouth wide open, What the hell, Joshua?! What are you doing here? You asked to see me in person, Mr. Wright. Have you forgotten that? Joshua asked in confusion. Well, mmm Noel, a word, Wayne stared daggers at Noel, who was standing not far away, motioning him toe near him. What is Joshua doing here? Didnt I ask you to find the guy who brought lunch to Anna the other day? Is this some kind of a sick joke? If you mess it up next time, Il fire you! Wayne whispered to Noel. Leaning toward Wayne, Noel answered in embarrassment, But Mr. Wright, I didnt mess it up. It was indeed Mr. Davis who brought lunch to Ms. Gabriel in the hospital that day. I triple-checked the surveince cameras. It cant be wrong. What the Fine! Just leave us alone now. Ineed to talk to Joshua alone. Okay. Il leave you two alone then. After Noel closed the door, Wayne regained hisposure and coughed in a somewhat awkward way. Then he said in a serious tone, You havent had a lot of worktely, have you? Its three oclock in the 420 Are You Jealous? afternoon, and youre runningte. Were you out looking for files? With a smile, Joshua answered, Mr. Wright, you asked me to prepare thatwsuitst night, and I worked all night on it. To be honest, I dont believe the case is particrly difficult. I simply went out to get some materials. Were you just finding materials? I wouldnt have done anything else because it was work time. But I heard that you were in the hospital at noon. What were you doing there? Wayne said as he sat up straighter. Joshua paused and frowned. And he answered, With due respect, I dont think what I did during my lunch break has anything to do with you, Mr. Wright. And I think I have the right to refuse to answer your question. Hearing that, Wayne was more irritated. Frowning, he uttered, Mr. Davis, dont you forget that weve made a deal. Of course, I still remember it. And again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to get along with Nancy. So, you like Nancy a lot, right? Yes, shes the love of my life. Then what if I tell her that youre actually a two-timer? Will she continue seeing you when she knows the news? Wayne said in a threatening tone, ring at Joshua with his sharp eyes. Wow, wow, wow Easy, Mr. Wright. Please dont nder me like that. I swear to God Im not a two- timer! Nancy is and will be my one and only for the rest of my life! Then how would you exin this to me? Wayne said as he turned on his phone and showed Joshua the surveince video in which Joshua was 420 Are You Jealous? handing a lunchbox to Anna. Wait a minute Thats me How did you Joshua said in disbelief. answer my question! If you love Nancy so much, why would you bring a lunchbox to another woman so intimately? Wayne got up and pped his phone on the table, gnashing his teeth. With a wry smile, Joshua answered, Mr. Wright, you totally misunderstood me. Ms. Gabriel and I are just friends. Actually, Ms. Gabriel is just helping me pursue Nancy. I tried to bring Nancy a lunchbox every day in person so that I could show her my affection toward her. But every time I got to her office, she was either absent or that the door was just locked. Later on, I asked around and knew that Ms. Gabriel was quite close to Nancy, which is why I asked her to help me take the lunchbox to Nancy. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Is that so? Wayne asked. Mr. Wright, why would I lie to you? It wont do me any good at all, Joshua said helplessly. As he sensed that there must be something going on between Anna and Wayne, Joshua asked, Mr. Wright, may I know who Ms. Anna Gabriel is to you? You seem to be quite concerned about her. Wayne frowned and answered reluctantly, Shes my ex. Joshua fixed his gaze on Wayne and said, Then everything makes sense. You appear to be still madly in love with her. If thats the case, why did you let her go? Its a long story. Anyways, how is everything going between you and Nancy? Wayne changed the subject stiffly. So far, so good. Were chatting online as friends now, With his eyes glistening, Joshua answered Wayne. Then can you tell me how you manage to do it? Since Ive helped you 420 Are You Jealous? with your rtionship with Nancy, you need to help me deal with my rtionship with Anna, Wayne said with expectation Chapter 422 Peter鈥檚 Wish Chapter 422 Peters Wish Nancys punishment for Anna was to embarrass her. However, it didnt matter to Anna because she wasnt the one who imagined herself to be Peters illegitimate daughter. Anna stood at the door and took a deep breath before entering Peters ward. She had long wished to meet Peter and speak with him about his condition but hadcked the courage to do so. Actually, Nancy provided her with an excellent opportunity. In the ward, Peter was coughing but trying not to make too much noise. ?Have some water, Peter, Anna said as she handed him a ss of water. Peter looked up when he heard her voice. His vision was blurry, but he could see Anna wearing a white robe. Surprised, he asked, Anna? What exactly are you doing here? Anna put the cup on the table and helped Peter sit up. She replied, Its a long story. Anyway, Im your health care provider now. Have some water, please. Peter was still choked, but he drank the water anyway. He paused as if he had much to say. But, in the end, he just asked, Where have you been all these years, Anna? | havent heard from you for quite some time. Anna sat in a chair next to his bed and exined, Im a doctor now. | was studying medicine in college, as you know, but I dropped out because | was pregnant. Im currently studying in a medical school. Anna spent a long time talking to Peter. She told him about her 421 Peters Wish five-year study experience and volunteer work in the war zone. She avoided mentioning the dangerous experiences and instead focused on the interesting ones. Byte afternoon, a nurse had brought Peter dinner. Anna looked at her watch and apologized, saying, Is it already dinnertime? | apologize for talking too much. The nurse ced the meal on the table and asked, Do you two know each other? Peter nodded before Anna could say anything, and he exined, Weve known each other for a long time. She almost became my granddaughter-inw a few years ago. The nurse asked in surprise, Granddaughter-inw? Really? Peter said, Of course! Why would | lie to you? The nurse was so excited that she put her meal aside and dashed off. Anna was sure she would tell everyone about the gossip. Anna was resigned, but she knew she couldnt exin it because it was true. Then she handed a spoon to Peter and said, Time for dinner! | think the food here is awful, and it will only get worse as it became cold. So, you should eat it while its still hot. Peter said, Im an old man now, so | dont care about what | eat. | just dont want to stay in the hospital anymore. Youre sick, so youll have to see a doctor. Nobody would have sent you to the hospital if you were healthy. Im not too sick, and Ill feel better after | have some medicine. Anna handed Peter the soup bowl and said, Dont lie to me. Have some tomato soup. | remember how much you enjoy it. Peter nodded and asked, Have you eaten anything yet? I can eat on 421 Peters Wish my own. Im now your doctor, and the hospital requires that I be present when you eat. Really? Yeah! Hearing that, Peter ate a lot of food, most likely because he was in a good mood after seeing Anna. When the nurse arrived to collect his te, she was taken aback. Ive finished my meal. So its time for you to leave the office, right? Anna said with a smile, No way, not yet. Today, Im working the night shift. By the way, | have a question for you. What is it? Are you sure you dont want to have the surgery? N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. You know about this? Peter asked, surprised. Matthew told me about your condition and said that you have been worried about a variety of issues. Youve been avoiding the subject because youre afraid of the high risk. Peter didnt seem concerned about his illness, but he did ask, Have you met Matthew? So, have you met Wayne as well? Anna froze for a moment before nodding, Yes, Ive met them both. Peter frowned and asked, Really? What did he say to you? We just happened to run into each other the other day and had a casual conversation. He didnt say anything special to me. Anna felt that she and Wayne had made a big deal out of many things in the past, causing her family to be worried about them. So, she refused to 421 Peters Wish tell them what had happened between them. Otherwise, she was concerned that Peter would think about it further. After hearing her words, Peter seemed a little disappointed, and the light in his eyes dimmed. To be honest, having the surgery is better for you. Not only will you be healthy, but your family will no longer be concerned about you. Ryan is not married and has no children, but he and Emily would undoubtedly want you to meet their children. Youd make a wonderful family. Im too old now to think about the future. Peter said wearily. After the conversation was over, Anna went to the duty desk in the hallway during the night shift. A nurse handed her something while she Was off duty and said, Mr. Wright in VIP1 asked me to give this to you. Thanks. Anna took the box. She had a new patient to see, so she didnt open it immediately. When she got home, she thought of the box and took it out of her bag. It waste at night, and Tammy had gone to bed. Isabe was still ying the game. Anna worked hard all day, so she didnt even want to turn on the light. Aftering back home, she sat on the couch and only turned on the floormp next to her. The purple suede box glistened softly in the dim light The box Peter had given her wasrge and heavy. Anna was confused before opening it but stunned when she did. The ne she had asked Peace to return to Wayne five years ago was inside the box, the only token she had taken from Wayne when she left the city eleven years ago. This ne had been returned to her after more than a decade. The emerald set in the center of a diamond circle glowed with a brilliant green light. Anna stroked the jewel, feeling its warmth. She looked at the ne for a moment before putting it away. She intended to 421 Peters Wish return it to Peter at the hospital the following day. Wayne was simr to Peter in that he rarely expressed his emotions. The fact that he had given her the ne had multiple meanings. It was his mothers legacy, and it had only been passed down to the wives of the familys men, Peter was telling Anna that he wanted her to reconcile with Wayne by doing so. Annay in bed, slowly drifting off to sleep. However, the ringing of her cell phone woke her up. She thought it was the hospital calling. However, when she answered the phone, she heard the voice of a young man. Hi, sis! Ill be back in Birmingham the day after tomorrow! Are you avable at that time? Please meet me at the airport. Chapter 423 Be Patient Chapter 423 Be Patient Anna checked her phones caller ID and confirmed it was Scott. She leaned back, yawned, and asked, Are you insane? Your agent, your assistant, Randal and his assistant can all pick you up. Why did you ask me to pick you up? Ive been recording a reality showtely, and | thought you could be a guest. Anna immediately sobered up and asked, Huh? Youre kidding, right? Im not! The other chose the theme of family. | considered it and decided to do that theme as well. Actually, | can only do it at your house because | have no other family except you. Anna was persuaded because he sounded pitiful. How long will it take to record? she asked. Scott immediately perked up and said cheerfully, Dont worry, the official recording wont take more than half a day. They will arrive a day early to set up the cameras, so it will take you a total of two days. The crew should artive at your house by tomorrow noon. What? They will be at my house tomorrow?! Youre really something, Scott! Anna said in surprise, thinking, Scott, since you and Randal fell in love, you have be increasingly adept at getting sympathy, and you even do it better than Tammy. Its a done deal! Ill text you the flight details right away. Please remember to pick me up at the airport the day after tomorrow, Anna. Scottpletely ignored her words and instead said what he wanted to 422 Be Patient _ say. He then apologized for disturbing her sleep and hung up the phone. Anna felt resigned, but all she could do was put her phone on the nightstand and go to sleep. A few minutester, her phone rang again. She assumed that it was a call from Scott. As she was not interested in which ne he was flying on, so she dozed off. The next morning, a noise woke her up. At first, Anna thought it was her neighbor using a power drill, but then she realized it was right outside her bedroom door. When Anna heard the sound of several men talking, she immediately sat up. She then took the baseball bat from the floor and carefully walked to the bedroom door, pulling it open. the moment she opened the door, she saw a group of men at her house. Some were directing while others were climbingdders and appeared to be a construction crew. Meanwhile, Isabe and Tammy were standing around watching them. Isabe looked drowsy, and she couldnt sit still. She snored against the wall but stood firm. Anna, they say Scott ising to record his show and is going to put cameras in the house, Isabe said to Anna. Oh! | see! Anna walked out, quietly tossing the baseball bat behind her back and smoothing her hair. Tammy, who was Scotts number one fan, was overjoyed that he wasing to film his show. She bounced around the house like a wind-up toy rat. Then she asked excitedly, Will Scott share a room with me? Will they install cameras in my room? Anna nced at Tammy and answered for his assistant, No. Youre eleven now, and youre a big girl. You cant sleep in the same room with 422 Be Patient ail him anymore. Tammy immediately became upset and said, But theres no guest room in the house! Where will Scott spend the night? Anna exined, Scott will not be staying with us. Hes only here to record the show and will only have dinner with us. Hell leave after dinner. Instead of beingforted, Tammy appeared even more depressed. Anna sighed, feeling defeated. She had taken the afternoon off from work because Scott wasing to the house to tape the show. She rarely took time off, so her supervisor immediately granted her two days off, which was unusual. Wayne had just finished his meeting when Noel knocked at the door and entered his office. He lowered his head and made room for the person who was standing behind him. It was Gabe. Mr. Wright, Im back. Gabe greeted Wayne respectfully. Wayne immediately looked up when he heard Gabes voice. Noel had previously messed things up. So, Wayne decided to have Gabe return from Australia immediately to avoid repeating what happened thest time. Wayne wasnt overly enthusiastic about Gabes arrival and was even more indifferent toward him than usual. And that made Noel very happy. Wayne stood up after signing thest contract on the table and said, Send the papers on the table back to the departments, Noel. | need to talk to Gabe about something, so dont let anyone in. Noel froze, but all he could do was nod and walk away. He thought, 422 Be Patient C Why is he refusing to let me in? | am his chief secretary now! Why cant | take part in their conversation? Awhileter, Gabe made two cups of floral tea on the coffee table that were bubbling with fresh vapor. Anna works at a hospital now, and shed met my grandfather, Sitting on the sofa leisurely, Wayne said to him. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Gabe handed his iPad to Wayne and said, We dont need to get into that right now. Please check out todays Twitter trends, Mr. Wright. Then Wayne saw several tweets with Scotts name on Twitter. Scott fans are hoping hell be with his unrted sister. Fans beg Scott to spend more time with his sister! Nobody treats Scott better than she does. This is fantastic! Theyve been friends since they were kids. Are these people insane? Why cant they see hes gay? Do they not realize Scott is dating Randal? Wayne was so enraged that he nearly mmed his iPad to the ground. That was the trendst night, and it was toote by the time PR noticed it. So, they had to let it be. Wayne yelled angrily, Make those nonsense disappear! Hurry up! Got it, Gabe said right away. He knew Wayne well enough to know that he couldnt say no at this critical moment. Noel is still young, and there are things he doesnt know much about, he said, changing the subject. Wayne remained silent. Actually, | have a tip on how to get back with ex-girlfriends. Wayne looked up at Gabe immediately after hearing his words and asked, Whats the trick? 422 Be Patient C Gabe smiled meaningfully, and that made him seem funny. Its all about patience, he said Chapter 424 The Shooting Chapter 424 The Shooting Anna arrived at the airport on time and parked her car in front of the terminal. Soon after she stopped the car, she noticed arge crowd of fans carrying illuminated banners pouring out of the terminals exit. Apanied by a few bodyguards, Scott walked in the crowd. He was dressed simply in sunsses, a white t-shirt, and khaki pants, but he looked distinguished. His fans didnt stop following him until he entered Annas car. Anna then started the car and drove down the driveway without talking to him. In the rearview mirror, Anna saw a crowd of fans following the car. The cameraman for the show sat on the passenger side. Anna felt at ease because he was pointing the camera at Scott, who was sitting in the back seat. After she entered the airport highway, Anna could no longer see those crazy fans. Then she looked at Scott in the mirror and said, Thank goodness, our ne was on time this time, so | didnt have to wait too long. Have you had your meal yet? Ive got sandwiches here. Where is it? In the refrigerator under the seat. Scott bent down to open the fridge and took out a box. Anna had been worried that he hadnt eaten breakfast on the ne before she left that morning, so she had prepared a sandwich for him. Tammy was thrilled when she learned that you wereing to my house to tape the show. So she and Isabe went shopping for new clothes yesterday. 423 The Shooting Scottughed as he ate his sandwich and said, Ill cover the cost of their clothing. You dont have to look for a topic on purpose, Anna. After all, the crew will edit the video. You only need to focus on drivin Scotts career has been thriving in recent years. He was a violinist and a budding talent singer a few years ago, and heter became a well-known celebrity. All of this would not have been possible without his own efforts and Randals support. When Anna first learned that Scott and Randal were dating, she thought they were just fooling around. However, their rtionship had been very stable recently, and Randal had always been very protective of Scott. As a result, she was relieved. After Anna stopped speaking, the atmosphere became alittle awkward. The cameraman kept winking at Anna as if he wanted her to change the subject. And Anna deliberately asked the cameraman, Are you all right? Is there something in your eyes? The cameraman was rendered speechless. As for Scott, he dozed off after finishing his sandwich. Anna drove for an hour before they artived at their destination. She was surprised to find several cameras in her apartment buildings hallway. They heard a bang as soon as they entered the door. Then, confetti rained down on Scott and Anna, scaring them both. Scott immediately gave Anna a hand to prevent her from falling. Scott! Wee! Saying that, Tammy ran over toward them cheerfully. Anna looked wide-eyed at the few people greeting Scott at the door. Isabe and Tammy were both holding confetti cannons and smiling happily. What surprised Anna the most was the fact that Natalie was 423 The Shooting standing beside them. Anna asked, surprised, Natalie? What brings you here? Before Tammy could respond, Isabe nced at the camera in the corner and said, Oh, | invited Natalie to join us. | met her at the airport a few weeks ago. Anna was puzzled. She didnt say anything else because there were so many cameras there. Come on in, she said The girls gathered around Scott as he entered the house. When Natalie and Tammy saw Scott, their eyes glowed with excitement. Then Tammy showed Scott her game console and looked extremely excited. Anna then grabbed Isabes arm and led her to the bedroom. Apart from the bathroom, her bedroom was the only room in her house without acamera. What exactly is Natalie doing here? Anna asked Isabe directly after closing the door. I could have sworn to God | didnt ask her toe, Isabe said innocently. She had just exined it that way because she was afraid Tammy would say something inappropriate. Tammy had hoped that Anna would rekindle her rtionship with Wayne. So, Isabe was worried that she would mention the strange kinship between Natalie and Anna in front of the cameras. She thought it would be better to keep Tammy quiet to avoid trouble. She arrived early this morning, just right after you left the house. Natalie said that she knew Scotts schedule and wanted to check on him. | refused to let her in, but Tammy was nice to her and treated her like a guest. | couldnt do anything about it! Anna sighed and grumbled, Well Thats tricky. She felt that if 423 The Shooting Natalie was only here for Scott, everything would be fine. She was concerned, however, that she had another purpose. Have you said anything about Natalie to the crew? Anna kept on asking I only said she was a friend of mine. Thats all. Hearing that, Anna sighed with relief. Ifyou dont feelfortable about it, | can get rid of her, Isabe suggested. Anna paused for a moment before responding, Thats fine. She can stay here as she wants. Im going to cook for everybody, so keep an eye on these two girls and dont let them act like fools in front of the camera. Natalie has always been shy, so she didnte to my house just to meet Scott. | think it must be Wayne who asked her toe here. Huh? What if he does appearter? Well, we can kick him out. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. What? There are a lot of cameras here! Dont worry, hes a smart and dignified man. He will not allow such an embarrassing scene to be witnessed by the entire country. Scott came in to assist Anna in the kitchen while she was preparing dinner. But because he wasnt very good at cooking, Anna asked him to go out to avoid him ruining everything. The camera captured this scene to use it as a highlight in the trailer. For lunch, Anna prepared several dishes. Anna knew she couldnt kick Natalie out because she arrived alone. At the same time, Scott sat across from the girls and kept chatting andughing with them. They talked about rtionships as they were filming. Because Isabe and Natalie were about to turn 18, the 423 The Shooting choreographer also asked them to share their thoughts. | believe that falling in love and getting married are two entirely different things. Scott calmly ate the beef on his te and said, Falling in love entails sharing feelings, such as happiness, joy, and sorrow. However, marriage entails sharing responsibilities, which appears to have little to do with rtionships. So Im not interested in getting marrie Anna said, You have the option of remaining in a rtionship for the rest of your life. In this way, the sharing of emotions in a rtionship will gradually turn into the sharing of responsibilities. They can, in fact, exist at the same time. Chapter 425 I Don鈥檛 Want to Get Married Chapter 425 I Dont Want to Get Married Scott said his thoughts inly. He appeared much more rxed than Anna because he was frequently on camera. He was able topletely ignore the cameras that were all around him. However, Anna was unsure whether this was his genuine thought or if he was acting. In fact, there had been a lot of gossip about Scott. He was a celebrity and a public figure who had been famous for the past five years. Many actresses had expressed interest in being his fake girlfriend to gain attention, and he had never turned anyone down. Many of his fans questioned his attitude because it was so different from when he first started out. Only Anna knew that he was doing it just to hide his panic. Anna could tell he was worried about the public finding out he was dating Randal. You can stay unmarried, its not a big deal, she reassured. Marriage is just a formality. If you truly love someone, it makes no difference whether you marry or not. Isabe said. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Anna and Scott both froze and looked at Isabe in amazement. Scott had no idea what had happened to Isabe recently, but Anna knew all about it. Shed recently been suffering from a headache, and it bothered her again when she heard the words. Anna had been thinking about Isabes words and had no desire to make any more small talk. So, their conversation came to an abrupt halt. Isabe appeared to be aware that Anna was upset. So. as soon as she finished eating, she went inside her room to y video games and paid no 424 | Dont Want to Get Married attention to the show in the living room. The shooting went on and on. The staff hid inside the tent in theer without making any noise to create a rtively rxed environment. Anna took that opportunity to clean the house and do the dishes, and she asionally said a few words to Scott for the show. She eventually forgot about the cameras and acted at ease. To everyones surprise, Randal showed up uninvited when it was time for dinner. When the doorbell rang, Anna was in the kitchen preparing for dinner. No one answered the door, and that made her feel annoyed Annas hands were covered in blood after killing a fish. Get the door! she yelled to them at the living room. Scott and Tammy were busy with games and didnt appear to hear her. Only the person who opens the door will get to eat the shrimp | made tonight. Then, Scott and Tammy both dropped their gamepads on the carpet at the same time and dashed towards the door. Scott sprinted ahead of Tammy and opened the door. However, his expression changed when he saw the person at the door. His cheerful smile had faded into embarrassment. Randal stood in the doorway wearing a ck couture suit. He was almost as tall as the door frame, making him look oppressive. What brings you here? Scott asked, his voice trembling | just heard from your agent that this episode is being filmed here, so | came to help you, Randal said thoughtfully. Scott swallowed and said, You dont have to worry about me. Everythings fine here. You can go home now, and Ill catch up with you after | finish the show. With that, he pushed Randal toward the door. 424 | Dont Want to Get Married The two hadnt seen each other since their big fight half a month ago. Scott deliberately didnt tell Randal when the show would begin filming, nor did he allow his agent to tell him. Whos there? When Anna came out, she noticed Scott and Randal shoving each other. Randal took a step back in surprise as he saw that blood dripped from her hands onto the floor as Anna walked. He quickly returned to normal. Anna, its been a long time, he said. Anna said, Its, indeed. Randal, pleasee in. Why dont you have dinner with us? Scott didnt want Anna to worry about things between himself and Randal. Even if he didnt want Randal to stay, he had no idea how to say no. So, he had no choice but to let him in. Il get you some tea. Anna then went to wash her hands in the kitchen. Tammy and Randal didnt know much about each other. She didnt know what to say, so she asked the game. Scott was not in the mood, so he said, Well have a gameter, dear. You can watch some cartoons now. I dont want to watch cartoons! Theyre for kids! Tammy said. Randal sat behind them on the couch and asked, What kind of game are you ying? Il y it with you. Hearing that, Scott looked at him in surprise. Do you know how to y games? Tammy asked, puzzled, as she examined Randal. Randal took up a gamepad and said, Sure! Why dont we give it a shot? Ill buy you choctes if | lose. 424 | Dont Want to Get Married Really? Tammys eyes brightened, and she reached for her gamepad. Scott knew Randal the best, and he was well aware that he was a person who would never ept defeat. Even if he yed a game with a child, he would never intentionally let someone win. He was a businessman, and this had always been his guiding principle. Thinking of this, Scott immediately said, Wait a second! Randal, youve only mentioned what youll do if you lose, but you havent mentioned what Tammy will do if she loses. Randal raised his head and smiled at him. He paused for a moment before saying to Tammy, If you lose, could you lend me Scott for ten minutes? A box of choctes in exchange for ten minutes alone with him isnt such a bad deal, is it? Scottughed and was very sure of himself. He knew Tammy was one of his biggest fans, so he assumed she would never agree to such a condition. Even if Randal gave Tammy a trunk of choctes, he knew she wouldnt give him up. So he confidently scoffed, Ha! Shed never do something like that Much to his surprise, Tammy interrupted him and said loudly, No problem! Chapter 426 I鈥檓 Already Downstairs Chapter 426 Im Already Downstairs Scott had no idea his biggest fan, Tammy would choose thetter over him and chocte. Tammy easily won the first set, but Scott could tell Randal was deliberately allowing her to win. Randal spent most of his free time at home, appreciating antiques and ying video games. As a result, he was always a pro at video games. Naturally, he could easily defeat Tammy. Tammy lost thest two rounds, exactly as Scott predicted. Howe youre so good at it? she sighed, dropping the gamepad. I can teach you how to y the gameter, Randal exined patiently, But now, you must keep your promise and give us some privacy for ten minutes. Okay. Tammy nodded and went to Isabes room. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Scott overheard her chatting with Natalie in the room. Tammy had beenplimenting Randal on how well he was ying the game, but Natalie didnt believe her and wanted topete with him. Then, Tammy stopped her. ording to the rules, | have to let them be alone after I lose. So, youd better not disturb them now. Natalieughed wickedly and asked, Really? Ha! That sounds fantastic! What are you talking about? Tammy asked. Youre not getting it, Tammy. Youre still a child! Natalie waved her hand as if she didnt want to exin herself. She then locked her gaze on Isabe. They both burst outughing because they could tell that Scott and Randal were a couple. They were speaking so loudly that everyone in the living room could hear them. Scott flushed immediately when he heard themughing. What the hell are you doing? He asked Randal, annoyed. Honestly, | didnt do anything to you since | got here, Randal said, frowning. So, what exactly are you doing here? Im shooting for a show! You have no right to prevent me from seeing you. But, shouldnt you first exin why youve been avoiding me for the past half month? Scott frowned and turned to the cameraman inside the tent, saying, Stop filming! Please remove this section. The cameraman was taken aback and cautiously poked his head out of the tent to look at Randal. Randal was the shows biggest investor, so he made the final call. The cameraman did so because he was afraid of offending Randal. His actions, however, irritated Scott, who immediately stood up and said, Why dont you listen to me? Forget about this damn show! Im leaving! He then removed the microphone pinned to his shirt and started to leave. The director came out of the utility room and tried to stop him, but Randal shook his head, signaling for him to stop. So, none of the staff dared to do anything. Then Randal walked out. Everyone paused, and the atmosphere appeared awkward. When Anna walked out of the kitchen with the tea, she found they had already left. She sighed as she ced the teacup on the coffee table and looked at the door. She chose toe out after both Scott and Randal left the living room on purpose because she feared the situation would be even more awkward if she showed up abruptly. Meanwhile, in the balcony, Randal eximed, You cant ignore me no Scott had no idea his biggest fan, Tammy would choose thetter over him and chocte. Tammy easily won the first set, but Scott could tell Randal was deliberately allowing her to win. Randal spent most of his free time at home, appreciating antiques and ying video games. As a result, he was always a pro at video games. Naturally, he could easily defeat Tammy. Tammy lost thest two rounds, exactly as Scott predicted. Howe youre so good at it? she sighed, dropping the gamepad. I can teach you how to y the gameter, Randal exined patiently, But now, you must keep your promise and give us some privacy for ten minutes. Okay. Tammy nodded and went to Isabes room. Scott overheard her chatting with Natalie in the room. Tammy had beenplimenting Randal on how well he was ying the game, but Natalie didnt believe her and wanted topete with him. Then, Tammy stopped her. ording to the rules, | have to let them be alone after I lose. So, youd better not disturb them now. Natalieughed wickedly and asked, Really? Ha! That sounds fantastic! What are you talking about? Tammy asked. Youre not getting it, Tammy. Youre still a child! Natalie waved her hand as if she didnt want to exin herself. She then locked her gaze on Isabe. They both burst outughing because they could tell that Scott and Randal were a couple. They were speaking so loudly that everyone in the living room could hear them. Scott flushed immediately when he heard themughing. What the hell are you doing? He asked Randal, annoyed. Honestly, | didnt do anything to you since | got here, Randal said, frowning. So, what exactly are you doing here? Im shooting for a show! You have no right to prevent me from seeing you. But, shouldnt you first exin why youve been avoiding me for the past half month? Scott frowned and turned to the cameraman inside the tent, saying, Stop filming! Please remove this section. The cameraman was taken aback and cautiously poked his head out of the tent to look at Randal. Randal was the shows biggest investor, so he made the final call. The cameraman did so because he was afraid of offending Randal. His actions, however, irritated Scott, who immediately stood up and said, Why dont you listen to me? Forget about this damn show! Im leaving! He then removed the microphone pinned to his shirt and started to leave. The director came out of the utility room and tried to stop him, but Randal shook his head, signaling for him to stop. So, none of the staff dared to do anything. Then Randal walked out. Everyone paused, and the atmosphere appeared awkward. When Anna walked out of the kitchen with the tea, she found they had already left. She sighed as she ced the teacup on the coffee table and looked at the door. She chose toe out after both Scott and Randal left the living room on purpose because she feared the situation would be even more awkward if she showed up abruptly. Meanwhile, in the balcony, Randal eximed, You cant ignore me no matter what! Scott continued to ignore him. | know you probably dont want to admit youre gay. But we genuinely care for each other, and that cannot be changed. Youre going to have to face that fact sooner orter, arent you? Let me ask you this: do you truly hate me? | know you avoid me because you love me, or youll treat me just like a friend With a sigh, Randal continued, Honey, if you want us to have a Wedding like heterosexual couples, we can do so in secret. Some people mayugh at us once everyone knows were dating, but Im fine with that. All| am interested in are your feelings and opinions. I know youre a celebrity, and if we make our rtionship public, it might harm your career. Im aware of this, which is why Ive been restrained. Otherwise, | wouldnt have be so low-key about our rtionship! Although it wasnt a good idea for her to listen in on them, she couldnt help but keep listening to their conversation. However, after a while, the two men stopped arguing, They each smoked a cigarette, and the smoke and their silhouettes were reflected in the curtains. Anna sighed and walked into the kitchen to cook dinner. She assumed Randal would leave after their argument, but they both emerged from the balcony as she was preparing dinner. They sat across from each other but refused to say anything to each other. Anna knew they were arguing about their rtionship, and she did not ask them why. She kept thinking about how she would act in front of cameraster and looked forward to the end of the shoot. After dinner, Scott left after having a brief conversation with Anna. Randall left as well. They appeared to be going to have a big fight when they got home. 425 Im Already Downstairs At midnight, the cameraman turned off all the cameras in the house. Anna wanted to take Natalie home because she thought it would be dangerous for her to go home alone. However, Natalie said she did not want to leave and preferred spending the night in Isabes room Actually, | had an argument with my i***t nephew a few days ago. | dont have many friends in Birmingham, so may | stay here for two days? | know youll agree because youre a lovely and kind lady! When Anna heard the phrase j***t nephew, she couldnt help butugh. She then took new pajamas for Natalie and made her bed in Isabes room. After Anna fi was sound asleep. ished taking shower, it waste at night, and everyone Anna didnt realize there were two missed calls until she returned to her bedroom. The number had recently be familiar to her, so she immediately recognized who was calling. After a brief hesitation, Anna sent a text message to Wayne: Whats up? Why are you calling me? Anna thought it was alreadyte at night, so Wayne wouldnt reply to her. To her surprise, her phone buzzed shortly after she sent the message. Natalie and | had a fight, and she told me this morning that she was going to stay at your house. | wasnt sure about it, so | want to ask if she was really there. Yes, she is with me. Dont worry, Ill send her back home in the morning. Thank you. Im going to pick her up and take her home right now. You dont have to do that. Its midnight now. Its all right, Im already downstairs. When she saw those words, Annas heart skipped a beat. She went straight to the window and pulled back the curtains. Dim streetlights shone on the road beneath the apartment building. A ck car was parked on the road, and a man stood with his head down, looking at his phone. Anna was still in her pajamas, so she wore a jacket and walked downstairs. When Wayne saw her, he bent down and took a bag out of the car, exining, I bought it on my way here. You used to like that the best. Anna nced at the bag and saw that it was a chocte cake. And she wondered. The cake is from the dessert shop that Peace and ike. That store is trendy, and there are always people waiting in line for the cakes. Furthermore, the cake is usually all sold out by five oclock in the afternoon. Its twelve oclock at night, so Wayne couldnt have bought it on his way there Chapter 427 You Need to Work Harder to Win Mom Back Chapter 427 You Need to Work Harder to Win Mom Back I just called you, but you didnt answer. So, I came straight here. Wayne said, looking slightly exhausted, Anna clenched her grip on the bag and said, Scott came over to shoot the show at my house today, so | didnt check my phone. Thank you very much for the cake. Natalie is already sound asleep and its cold tonight. Ill drop her home tomorrow. Hearing that, Wayne frowned and said, Then Id better pick her up the next morning. Anna could tell what he was thinking. She thought, Wayne, you didnt have toe here to pick up Natalie because there are plenty of maids and drivers that you can order to do so. Besides, youre not close to Natalie, and you two donteven like each other. So, you must be using picking Natalie up as an excuse to see me, right? Then Anna nodded and said, Well, itste. If you dont have anything else to say to me, you should go home now. Wayne, good night. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Wayne looked disappointed by the fact that she was leaving. He nodded, then opened the car door. The cold wind was blowing, and he suddenly coughed violently. He appeared to be so ufortable that he blushed. Immediately after hearing Waynes coughing, Anna stopped and looked at him worriedly. Wayne, are you all right? It has been raining heavily for several days, and its freezing. Many people in the city have caught the flu and are in the hospital. You look like you also got a flu, Anna asked, concerned to. Wayne put his hand over his mouth as if he didnt want her to hear him cough. But he was clearly in pain. Then he answered, trying his best to. refrain himself from coughing, Really, Im fine, Anna. Dont worry about me. Anna frowned and said, Wait! But you dont look fine to me. Why dont youe home with me? You appear to have a fever. Allow me to take your temperature and give you some medication. Its fine if you only have a cold. But if you have a fever, youd better go to the hospital for a checkup. Okay, thank you. Wayne nodded and said. At the same time, his eyes were dazzling with rays of hope. He thought, Anna, you still care about me! Otherwise, you wouldnt have asked me to stay at your house and offered to take care of me. Does it mean that | still have a chance to be with you? Ifso, I must seize the opportunity to get you back! Wayne had been to her apartment before. He had mixed feelings when he saw Tammys shoes on the shoe rack by the door. He thought, Anna, everything wouldve been different if! hadnt said those hurtful words to you and put you in danger so many times before. Ifit were the case, | wouldve been able to witness how Tammy grew into a teenager and I would always be there for her when she needed me. And you wouldve got to apany Matthew. Sadly, there is no what if During the five years when you were gone, Id always focused on taking care of Matthew and Id never dated anyone else. And as faras Im concerned, it has been the same case with you. Im so d that you managed to take good care of Tammy while chasing after your dream. Stay still, Anna said as she attempted to take his temperature with a thermometer. It wasnt until then that Waynes wandering mind was back to reality. 426 You Need to Work Harder to. She kept Waynes head down and the thermometer close to his ear, as she did with all of her other patients. Being so close to her, Wayne inhaled her rose-scented body wash, which caused his heart to race and left him short of breath. She had always loved rose-scented body wash, which reminded him of the good old days when they were together. Looking at the thermometer, Anna frowned and said, You have a fever, but its not very serious. Well, you still have to take some medicine. Have a seat and II go get you some pills. Anna clearly remembered having fever-reducing pills at home, but finding them took her a while because Isabe and Tammy always left things lying around. By the time she found the medicine and returned to the living room, Wayne had already fallen asleep and cuddled up on the cushions. The couch wasnt very big and appeared to be a little smallpared to Waynes tall figure. It was not a good ce for him to sleep. He did, however, sleep deeply and made a slight snoring sound. The fever made this tough man appear vulnerable, which was unusual. Anna stared at him in a daze for a few moments, her heart breaking. She thought, Wayne, get well soon. Tammy will be sad if she sees you like this. Much as she wanted to apany him for a while longer, in the end, she didnt do so. She then returned to her bedroom, took a nket, and carefully wrapped it around him. She returned to bed after quietly turning off the lights in the living room In the early hours of the morning, a thunderstorm struck. Everyone fell asleep peacefully and was not awakened by it. ?Some of them wouldnt wake up even if it was raining outside, some stayed up until midnight ying games and feeling sleepy, and some finally found a cure after a long period of insomnia. 426 You Need to Work Harder to. Wayne opened his eyes and found Tammy sitting on the coffee table across from him. Her blonde hair hung over her shoulders, and she was dressed in a pink nightgown. She was staring at him with one hand under her chin. She appeared to want to wake him up but was hesitant to do so. Although he got a cold, Wayne was in a good mood. The sound of frying eggs came from the kitchen. This was his ideal life, he realized. At the moment, he was with his lovely daughter and his beloved woman. Wayne sat up immediately and gently said to Tammy, Morning, Tammy. Tammy happily jumped a few times when she noticed he was awake. Then she approached the couch, kissed Wayne on the cheek, and asked, What are you doing here, Daddy? You were going to surprise me, right? Yes. | arrived toote yesterday, and you were already asleep. Then | fell asleep on the couch by ident. Resigned, Tammy looked at Wayne and said, This is such an old-fashioned move, Daddy. If you keep doing this, you will never be able to win moms heart. Im so worried about you! Thinking that Tammy looked like a cute angel, Wayne pinched her cheek, rubbed her hair again, and tenderly asked, Please ept my apologies, honey. So, what do you think | can do to win her heart? I believe you must first make her happy! Youve got a point. But, the question is, what can | do to make her feel happy? Tammy thought for a while but didnt know what to say. She assumed Anna had be a workaholic, so she had no idea what would make her happy. Then she said, Geez! You need to think about it by 426 You Need to Work Harder to. yourself Thank you, my dear. Ill think about it. Wayne reached out again and touched her soft hair. | desperately want to travel back in time, because we used to live as a family back then. | want us to be together forever. Can you do it, Daddy? Tammy asked. Dont worry, baby. | promise you Ill make your dreamse true. Wayne smiled and said. Nobody approved of the idea of him getting back with Anna, but he knew he had his daughter and son to back him up. He immediately felt renewed hope for the future. When Anna emerged from the kitchen after preparing breakfast, she found that Wayne had already left. She suspected he was returning to work or would have spent another day at her house. Outside, it was raining heavily again, and the sky was dark gray. Wayne drove himself to work. On the radio, he heard the morning news anchor predict a heavy rainstorm. The rain was pouring harder and itshed down heavily on the windshield, blurring everything ahead. Wayne was alittle distracted because he was thinking about how he could catch up with Anna. Just as he was about toe up with a good idea to win back Anna, he heard a loud braking sound. Then, his car collided with the car in front of him with a loud bang! At that precise moment, Wayne felt as if the entire world was trembling, He lost consciousness after the airbag exploded in front of him Chapter 428 Hang in there, Wayne Chapter 428 Hang in there, Wayne Because of the heavy rainstorm, a series of car idents urred on an overpass at 8:05 a.m. downtown. A drunk truck driver was responsible for this serious ident. Twelve people got injured or killed, and ambnces from the nearest hospital had just arrived on the scene. Many car idents have urred in numerous locations as a result of heavy rainfall. Please drive carefully! When she heard the news on the living room television, Anna had just finished washing the dishes. Her eyes widened, and she quickly took off her apron. Her phone rang at that precise moment, and it was her supervisor who was calling. Hello? Yeah, I saw the news and Im heading to the hospital. | got it, Ill be at the ER soon. Anna went to the hospital after hanging up the phone and telling Isabe to take care of Tammy. Actually, she was on leave that day. But the hospital would get her back to work every time an ident happened. Whether they were on vacation or not, the doctors and nurses had to return to work as long as the hospital was understaffed. The ambnces had already been back to the hospital entrance When Anna arrived. She didnt even have time to change her clothes before rushing the patient into the emergency room with the rest of the patients. As soon as she walked into the emergency room, she heard a nurse saying, We should get him a chest X-ray to see if he has nerve damage on the left side of his chest. Get the chief of thoracic surgery toe over. Dr. Gabriel, pleasee take a look! This patient has no visible injuries on his body, but he is in shock. 1m sorry, but Im not familiar with that. The head of the brain department should arrive shortly. Take the patient to do a brain CT scan now, Anna answered. Anna was a pediatrician, but she had studied clinical medicine in college and had previously volunteered in a war zone. She had more experience than the other interns, so they frequently asked her about issues they couldnt decide. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. As he pushed the patients bed, the intern brushed past her. The man on the bed had his eyes tightly shut and mud on his white shirt. Nheless, he appeared distinguished. He suddenly moved his hand and grabbed the hem of Annas white robe as he passed by. He did, however, immediately let go of his hand. The mans movement was so subtle that Anna didnt pay much attention to it as she was busy dealing with other patients. The aftermath of the ident was still spreading, and the hospital was overcrowded due to the flu. However, ambnces and private cars continued transporting more patients to the hospital. Nancys white robe was stained with blood, but she didnt seem to notice it. She frowned and said, There are too many people here. If they all stay in the hospital, theres a risk of cross-contamination. Anna looked around at the packed crowd and also felt very worried She asked, So, what can we do? We cant even close the doors! Closing the hospital will have far- reaching consequences. Worst-case scenario, the government would send someone to look into it. Nancy said firmly, Rx. Perhaps we can shut the door for a while. Hang in there, Wayne Ill go see the dean right now. Half an hourter, the doors to the hospital were closed. The patients were brought in by an ambnce that had just arrived, but their families were prohibited from entering the hospital. Anna looked around at the crowd of people and reporters at the hospitals entrance, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. She quickly turned around and walked up the stairs. Her phone rang as she walked toward the elevator. Hello. Hello, Miss Gabriel. Its me. Gabe? Anna asked, surprised. Gabe had been transferred to the Carousel Groups Australian branch three years ago, as far as she knew. Anna needed to get to work immediately, so she asked, Whats going on? Im actually very busy right now. Did you happen to see Mr. Wright? Gabe abruptly cut her off before she could finish: He left my house this morning, Whats the problem? He hasnt returned my calls. Anna tensed up as she felt an ominous feeling. He called me in the morning and requested a morning meeting. But everyone is here now, except for him. I just heard that there was an ident on the overpass, and it appears that he went that way. I rushed to the scene and saw Mr. Wrights car, which had a smashed bumper. When | asked the nearby traffic police, they said they had taken him to the hospital. Mrs. Wright was worried about him because the hospital gates were locked and no one could get in. I think there is a good chance that he, Wayne is now in the hospital where you work. Could you please look for him? Gabe said those words in an anxious tone, and Anna could hear Jennie talking anxiously next to him. Trembling all over, Anna was unable to think clearly. As her mind was cluttered, she tried to calm herself down but failed. No, no, no This is not happening. No, it cant be! Wayne, youd better be okay because if you die, Tammy and Matthew will be devastated! And I have no idea how Im supposed to live the rest of my life without you! No God! Wayne, please be okay Anna hadnt been so terrified and scared in the past twenty years. She dashed down the stairs after hanging up the phone. As soon as she walked into the emergency room, she smelled blood. She pulled the partition curtains away from the hospital beds one by one quickly. However, she didnt see Wayne. Did you notice a tall man dressed in a white shirt and suit pants? Hes likely in his thirties. She asked one of the nurses nervously and anxiously. Was the man you asked about wearing a Vacheron Constantin watch on his left hand, Dr. Gabriel? Anna, wide-eyed, eximed, Yes! Have you seen him? He was in aa when he arrived at the hospital an hour ago. When | asked what you should do for him, you told me to put him in the brain department. Anna was stunned, and she, too, remembered what had just urred. As she walked past the emergency room, she vaguely remembered a patient grabbing her shirt. She suddenly panicked as she remembered that familiar feeling. Without even thanking the nurse, she turned and ran toward the operating room. She thought to herself, Damn it! How could / be so careless?! walked past you, but/ didnt recognize you! Illnever be able to forgive myself if something happens to you, Wayne. Wayne, hang in there! You have to! You hope that || could give you one more chance, and I havent thought this through and havent gotten back to you. You cant just leave me this way! With tears and cold sweat mixing on her face, Anna dashed toward the operating room. The red light in the brain surgery room was on, and the nurse at the door asked Anna, Do you want to go in and observe the surgery? Anna froze and asked in rm, Whos in there? How long has the surgery been going on? The nurse indicated the timer on the wall. I dont know who he is, but its been 30 minutes since the surgery started. The vice president is operating on him, and it seems that the patient is seriously injured. Chapter 429 A Silver Lining Chapter 429 A Silver Lining Annas heart began to race. Ill go in and take a look, she said, then prepared to enter the operating room. Hey! What are you doing, Dr. Gabriel? Youre not dressed in a surgical gown! This ispletely unprofessional. The nurse looked at her in surprise. It wasnt until then that Anna realized she had been so frantic that she had forgottenmon sense. Then she went to the dressing room right away to sterilize herself and put on the surgical gown. When she entered the operating room, she was still distracted. Many doctors were gathered in front of the operating table. Anna could not get near the table, and she did not dare to rush in. As a result, she was forced to stand outside the crowd. The surgical gown was heavy and made her sweat all over. She was so far away from the operating table that she couldnt tell if the man on it was Wayne or not. But she had a gut feeling that it was him. What brings you here? A nurse next to Anna asked I came to see this surgery; Anna said absentmindedly. This patient is in poor health. To be honest, I believe we will have to apologize to his familyter. Hes not doing well? Annas face instantly turned pale. She felt as if all her strength had vanished instantly, and she couldnt even stand stil. When he arrived at the emergency room, we had no idea what was wrong with him. We measured his intracranial pressure and discovered that he was in a bad condition. The head of the brain department met to discuss what to do for him, but the truth was that he had little chance of survival. The sess rate of craniotomy was low, but it was the only option. So, after informing his rtives, they operated on him. Is it possible for him to survive? Actually, theres just little hope for us. I heard that the doctors were preparing the death certificate, and they will have to sign it if the operation fails. Anna was stunned and devastated. She barely avoided falling down by holding on to the surgical bed beside her. She thought, No! What2/Am/dreaming? No, no, no If If! wake up, will Wayne be there for me? Right, | must be dreaming! The instruments suddenly made a jumbled sound. Then, she looked up and attempted to see through the crowd to the scene inside. Her ears were ringing, and she felt dizzy. Oxygen. His heart rate is low. Pacemaker. The fluctuating EKG eventually faded to a t, straight line. The line continued, but his heart stopped. Everyone fell silent, and no one made another sound. Death time Sign the form and deliver it to his family. Before copsing on the floor, Anna felt that her world was falling apart. As if fallen into a deep sleep, she seemed to have had dreamed of a man leaving her. 428 A Silver Lining Two hourster, Anna was finally awake. Is everything OK? Nancy asked her. Hearing that, Anna opened her eyes and found herself in the interns lounge of the hospital, with Nancy sitting beside her. Nancy? she asked, puzzled, touching her brow. What am I doing here? As she handed Anna a ss of water, Nancy said, Dont you remember? You passed out inside the surgery room and scared the hell out of everyone. Did you eat breakfast today? Anna froze, and her face began to turn pale. Her eyes welled up with tears. She sat motionlessly and seemed to have forgotten how to utter properly. Is he really dead? No! | dont believe it! She said hysterically as tears streamed down her cheeks Nancy, seeing her crying, said anxiously, Im not sure about that. Do you know that patient? Wm going to find him, With that, Anna jumped out of bed Huh? Stay here, Anna! You need to rest for a little longer. Im perfectly fine! Then Anna stumbled and ran to the hospital morgue. Anna, are you OK? Nancy asked as she followed her. She frowned and ran faster as she looked in Annas direction. What are you doing here? she yanked on Annas arm at the morgue door. Anna was still in tears. Im going in to find him, she said hoarsely, trying not to whimper. Nancy was taken aback by her behavior and asked, Who are you looking for? Ill look for him for you. AIL All of the patients who died during surgery are here, right? Anna asked as she was about to burst into tears. Nancy frowned and said, Yeah. Whats the problem? Theres no failed surgery today. Who are you looking for, anyway? Yes, there is! Before | passed out, I witnessed a failed craniotomy on a patient. He passed away, and I didnt have the chance to talk to him. I havent even said anything to him! Anna said this while crying. Are you talking about the surgery you watched before you fainted? Nancy asked. Anna nodded. Seeing that, Nancy released a sigh, patted her on the shoulder, and said, Come with me. After that, Nancy and Anna put on their surgical gowns and made their way to the ICU, where the automatic door opened for them. Pointing at the man in the hospital bed with tubes all over his body, Nancy asked, Youre talking about him, right? He came back to life just as the doctors were about to sign his death certificate. This guy is so fortunate! Anna, who was in a trance, looked up as soon as she heard Nancys voice. Waynes face was obscured by an oxygen mask, all of his hair was shaved off and his face was swollen, but Anna recognized him instantly. Then Anna approached him slowly with heavy steps as if she had forgotten how to walk Who exactly is he? Nancy, who was standing behind her, asked. Anna replied as she was sobbing, Hes the love of my life. Annas feelings, which she had suppressed for five years, burst forth at this moment. She sobbed bitterly, finally admitting that she couldnt get over Wayne. She was heartbroken and unable to control herself when faced with death. She thought, How could / be so stupid and stubborn?! Why on earth didnt Iget back together with you? What was | thinking?! Why didnt realize that you were so important to me until death nearly did us apart?! God Wayne, Ive been in love with you for years and I still love you like crazy now! Even after leaving Ennd, | couldnt stop thinking of you every single day. The truth is that Ive never gotten over you and Ill never will. But | was too stubborn and stupid to admit that! Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Wayne, you have already won my heart, leaving no room for anyone else. And this time, Im not going to deny my feelings for you anymore, and Im not letting you go. Please wake up soon. I need you! Tammy and Matthew need you! Istill want to build a wonderful and happy family with you! | really do! Please be okay, Wayne Please Chapter 430 I Still Remember You Chapter 430 I Still Remember You Im not sure when hell wake up, but hell wake up soon as the surgery was sessful. Still, he needs someone to take care of him these days.- Thank you. Anna thanked Waynes attending doctor before exhaling asigh of relief. She thought. Thank goodness, youre fine, Wayne! Otherwise, Jdont know what I should do. | still have so many words to say to you and I want to have another chance to be with you again! Thank God that you didnt just leave me like that. If you died, | would spend the rest of my life alone. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Wayne was still in the intensive care unit and showed no signs of waking up. Anna stood in the doorway for a while, staring at him. Much as she wanted to stay with him a while longer, she couldnt because there were still many patients waiting for her in the emergency room. Before leaving, Anna called Gabe, wanting him to take care of Wayne for her while she was gone, Gabe, the surgery went well and Waynes fine. Hes still in the ICU, but when he wakes up, hell be able to transfer to the regr ward. Thats fantastic! Thank you very much. Gabe said excitedly. How is Matthew doing? Does he know about Waynes condition? Anna asked We didnt tell him about it. Peters still in the hospital, so please dont tell him about this. | dont think he will be able to handle it. OK. By the way, Ms. Wright would like to speak with you. 429 | Still Remember You Okay, Anna said after a brief pause. Then Anna heard Jennie say softly, Anna, its me. Hello, Jennie. Jennie sounded tired because she had been worrying about her son all day. Anna, | didnt expect to hear from you again in this way. Id like to ask you to take care of Wayne for me at the hospital. No problem. Dont you worry, the operation was a sess. Anna said. She was not only saying this to Jennie but to herself as well. Wm relieved that youre here. Pleasee and visit us if you have some free time these days. We all miss you terribly. Anna paused for a moment and said yes. It wasnt until the next morning that the hospital finished dealing with the aftermath of the ident and reopened its doors to the public. Anna spent the night in the ICU apanying Wayne and eventually fell asleep next to the bed as she was exhausted. When she woke up and opened her eyes, she saw Jennie standing outside the room. She was wearing a long beige dress and carrying a ck handbag and was waving at her. Anna immediately invited her into the office. You havent had breakfast yet, have you? | brought you your favorite seafood soup. Jennie smiled as she handed Anna the spoon should thank you as well. If you hadnt taken care of Wayne and Peter at the hospital, | would have been very worried. Thank you. Grandpa has been doing welltely, and he should be ready for surgery soon, Taking a sip of the soup, Anna answered. 429 | Still Remember You Thank you for persuading him into taking the surgery. Jennie appeared nervous, possibly because she hadnt seen Anna in along time. She didnt ask many questions about Wayne but was more concerned about Annas life. After a short while, Jennie burst into tears and eximed, How have you been over the years, Anna? It must have been difficult for you to raise Tammy on your own. I know how hard it is because Ive been there before. Anna set her spoon down and handed her a tissue,forting her. Actually, Im doing fine these years. Tammy is always a good girl, and shes also doing well. However, | have to admit that both of us miss you guys terribly over the years. And Im so sorry that | didnt even visit you guys once with Tammy over the years. Jennie wiped her tears away and said, Its okay. Its all in the past now. Just let bygones be bygones. Actually, we are the ones who are supposed to be sorry, no matter what. Id like to ask you for a favor, Anna, if it sounds okay to you. What favor? Anna asked while frowning with a serious expression I know things didnt turn out well between you and Wayne and | wont force you to be with Wayne for the sake of the children only. And if you dont mind. Id like to see you and Tammy more often in the future. After all, you two are still my family no matter what. | will definitely treat you as if you were my own child. This is the only way | can make it up to you, Anna. Hearing that, Anna went entirely still. It took her quite a while before collecting her thoughts and answering Jennie, Jennie, Ill be d to do you the favor. Rest assured, Il visit you more often with Tammy from now 429 | Still Remember You on. As for Wayne, I.. Before Anna could finish her words, Jennie interrupted her anxiously, Do you still resent Wayne? Can you say yes for the sake of Matthew? Or, do you no longer want to be associated with our family? Anna immediately exined, No, its not what | meant. Lets talk about this when Wayne wakes up. Ima little confused right now, and Im not sure what to say. But Im not ming anyone in particr. Oh, thats great, Jennie sighed and was slightly relieved. Do you want to see him right now? Anna asked. Sure! Jennie left after seeing Wayne in the ICU for a while because she was sure that Anna would take good care of Wayne. In the afternoon, Jennie returned to the hospital, bringing Matthew with her. Since Peace and Karl were alsoing to see Wayne, they brought Tammy with them as well. They all stood outside Waynes ward and watched him through the ss. Matthew looked worried clutched Annas hand tightly. Anna reassured him by touching his hand, saying, Its all right, honey. When your dad wakes up, he will be transferred to the general ward and will soon leave the hospital. Dont worry. Tammy stood in the crowd and reached out to touch the icy ss outside the intensive care unit. She sobbed as she looked inside at Wayne, who was with tubes all over his body. Is he really going to wake up? Tammy asked worriedly. lm sure Daddy will wake up, Matthew said as he wiped his tears. Matthew Tammy sobbed as she hugged Matthew. 429 | Still Remember You Matthew stroked Tammys hair andforted her. He was growing fast and was already a little taller than her. While stroking Tammys hair, Matthew looked at Wayne and said, matter what happens, Ill be there for you, dad. No Seeing the reaction of the children, Anna had mixed feelings in her heart. Then she hugged them both tightly and shed tears as well. The next day, Anna received good news: Wayne was awake. Overwhelmed, Anna stood in the doorway to Waynes ward and watched as a group of doctors walked around. Nancy told Anna they had taken him to the general ward, and she felt much better. But there is something | must tell you. Im not sure if you can handle it, Nancy said with a serious face. What exactly is it? Frowning, Anna asked anxiously. Meanwhile, she thought, Even if Wayne bes disabled because of the surgery, | wont leave him no matter what. He has brain damage and memory loss. Anna asked, surprised, Huh? You mean amnesia? After the doctor had finished administering all of the medical tests, Wayne was lying alone in his hospital bed. He just stared at the ceiling. Anna approached him cautiously as Nancy stood in the doorway staring at her. Wayne. Anna said tenderly. Wayne moved alittle and looked back at her, but his gaze was nk. He didnt seem to recognize Anna at all. Anna froze, and tears almost streamed down her cheeks. You dont remember me? she asked. Wayne blinked and murmured, Anna. 429 | Still Remember You The doctors in the ward were all taken aback and looked at Anna in awe. Anna quickly approached him and leaned in closer to hear herself more clearly. She asked, Do you remember me? Wayne, do you really remember me? Wayne, to her surprise, asked, Who is Wayne? Anna was taken aback. She went to the brain doctors office to find out what was wrong. The doctor pointed to a brain CT scan, saying, Im sure what Wayne is suffering from is selective amnesia, and Ive seen simr cases before. The lump in his brain had notpletely dissipated and is causing nervepression. Because his brain is not working properly, he loses some part of his memory. Upon hearing the doctors words, Anna had mixed feelings and asked, Then, what should we do now? Should we simply wait for the blood clot to dissolve on its own? Cant we do something about it? The doctor said, shaking his head, Unfortunately, theres not much we can do. We can give him medicine, butits not very effective. It all depends on himself whether hell regain his lost memory or not. Chapter 431 Let鈥檚 Get Married Chapter 431 Lets Get Married Three dayster, Ryan and Emily visited Wayne in the hospital. The bandages on Waynes head were still on, but he appeared to be in good spirits. He was drinking water while leaning against the bedside. As soon as Ryan walked in, he said, Wayne, its me. Who are you? Wayne asked in puzzlement, frowning Ryan stopped, looked at Anna in surprise and asked, Huh? He really doesnt remember me? Wayne, this is your brother, Anna said as she shook her head and walked over to Wayne. Wayne frowned and thought for a moment, and he still couldnt recall Ryan. Then he shook his head and said tly, No, | dont remember you. Ryan said in disappointment, Ah! Are you serious? | used to act like | had amnesia, and | was super good at it. Does that run in the family? You can fool others, but you cant fool me! Wayne nced at him coldly and ignored him. Then he said to Anna, This guy is too loud! Get him out of here, Anna! Im going to take a break. Hearing that, Ryan was at a loss for words, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground. After helping Wayne lay down on bed, Anna walked Ryan and Emily to the door, shaking her head. She gave them a brief exnation of Waynes physical condition, Aside from the memory loss, hes in good health right now. Theyll take the gauze off his head in a week. But he still has a blood clot in his brain, 430 Lets Get Married and we have no idea when he will recover. Hell remember everything eventually. Is there really such a thing as selective memory loss? Maybe hes lying to us, because it doesnt seem real to me. Ryan asked. Emily elbowed him and said, Shut up! Nobody would ever lie about that! Thats not necessarily true. How could he have forgotten about all of us and only remembered Anna? This is not true! Id like to speak with him again. Anna stopped him, All right, stop it. Even if hes lying, Ill still take care of him. Stunned, Ryan asked, What? Have you forgiven him? Yes, Ive thought things through. Ill be with Wayne no matter what happens, Anna nodded. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. | guarantee that if you tell him that, hell get his memory back right away, Ryan said cheerfully. Ryan, would you ever shut up? Hes your brother, for Gods sake! Emily said, rolling her eyes. We can give it a try! Come on! It wont hurt anyone! Ryan said excitedly. After Emily pulled Ryan away, Anna returned to Waynes ward. Wayne turned back at the sound of her opening the door and asked, Are they gone? Anna looked to the two shadows in the doorway and said, Yes. Great. Dont let theme here again. | dont know them and | dont want to see them again! Wayne said in annoyance. Anna approached him hesitantly and asked, Do you really not 430 Lets Get Married remember either of them? Ryan is your brother and Emily will be your sister-inw. Wayne said, closing his eyes, No, | dont remember either of them. | get a headache whenever | try to remember something. Im getting tired of this. All| want is to sleep. Taking a deep breath, Anna said, Wait! After you get out of the hospital, lets go to the court, shall we? why? To get married. Anna said firmly as she examined Waynes expression Wayne leaned back on his pillow, his gaze fixed on her. After a brief pause, he asked, Are we not married yet? Anna froze, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. It wasnt until then that she realized Wayne forgot about what had happened after they separated. On the day he was discharged from the hospital, Wayne refused to go home but wanted to stay with Anna. Not wanting him to be unhappy, Anna had no choice but to move to his ce with him. About half an hourter, they reached their destination. Standing in his bedroom and looking around, Wayne asked in suspicion, Are you really my fiance? If so, howe | didnt see any stuff of yours? Did we have a huge fight before | had the ident? Is that why you moved out of the house, Anna? Huh? Why? Anna asked back as she unpacked her suitcase. If we didnt have a fight, why would you move out? Wayne asked, looking at the closet in the room 430 Lets Get Married Anna was at a loss for words. She took her clothes out of her suitcase and ced them in the closet. And when she opened the closet door, she was stunned at the sight of her clothes that were neatly hanging inside. She froze for a moment and then got lost in thought. Wow! Wayne, | didnt expect that you still kept all my stuff at your ce. | thought you would just throw them all away out of anger, but surprisingly, you didnt. Also, the clothes look clean. Do you ask your maids to wash them to keep them clean from time to time? If so, then you still had feelings for me back then. But why? Why didnt you trust me five years ago? Or was it because it was already toote when you realized your true feelings for me that you chose to let me go? Whats the matter? Seeing that Anna was absentminded, Wayne asked with concern. Anna shook her head, collected her thoughts and then hung her clothes in the closet. Then she replied, Nothing. After giving it some thought, Anna decided to tell Wayne the white lies, Wayne, we didnt fight. Im very busy at work and frequently have to spend the night there. So, | rented an apartment near the hospital to avoid disturbing you when youre asleep when its working days. And when the weekendes, IIIe back home and spend the weekend with you. Wayne held her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. He asked with uncertainty, Is that so? Are you sure youre not lying to me? Why would | lie to you? We made the deal before and youre quite satisfied with it, Anna answered firmly while reaching her hand, trying to stroke his hair. And when she touched his head, she heard Wayne hissing in pain. 430 Lets Get Married Startled and panicked, she jumped out of his arms, saying in an apologetic tone, Oh, my gosh! Im so sorry, Wayne! I didnt mean to touch your Wound. Does it hurt? Let me take a look Looking at her watery eyes with affection, Wayne, who was frowning, suddenly burst intoughter. Seeing that, Anna was taken aback. Having made sure that his wound was still intact, Anna asked him in surprise, Why are youughing like that, Wayne? Its not funny. | got you, Anna! Rx. You didnt touch my wound. Its just You look like a kid who did something wrong and was afraid that her parents would find out about it just now. | just couldnt helpughing as itis the first time that | have seen you acting like this, With his hand on his belly, Wayne said in a choking voice. Ha, ha. Very funny, Nearly rolling her eyes at him, Anna said to him. However, somehow, hearing Wayneugh so happily just now, Anna felt like the unpleasant moments they had had in the past just faded away magically. It turns out that your selective memory loss isnt necessarily such a bad thing, I guess? Atleast you became the happy and carefree version of Wayne before we fell out with each other. Wayne, | wont let you go this time. Even if you regain your memory and resent me for leaving you five years ago and me me for it, |wont leave you. I lost you once before, and Icantafford to lose a wonderful guy like you again. Thinking of that, Anna approached Wayne and hugged him tightly. In return, Wayne hugged her more tightly. Surrounded by his scent, Anna felt so happy and rxed that it seemed that all her sorrows and worries were gone at that moment. Chapter 432 I鈥檒l Keep Loving You Until the End of Time Chapter 432 Ill Keep Loving You Until the End of Time Holding Anna tightly in his arms, Wayne rested his chin on the top of her head, saying in a low voice, Move back home and stay with me all the time, Anna, You should live with me because were getting married. From now on, Ill drive you to and from work every day. And you dont have to worry about disturbing me while Im sleeping because Ill wear a soundproof headset when sleeping. Anna widened her eyes in shock. Then turning around, she looked Wayne in the eye seriously but said in a somewhat yful tone, What? Are you serious? Mr. Wright, dont you tell me that you forgot the fact that you still need to run a bigpany. You have to go to work! Youre the president of a big company, and youre very busy. You dont have time to drive you to and from work every day. Wayne said gently with a smile, Well, we have a son, so we can let him run the group. In this way, not only can | manage to keep the group functioning but also apany you every day. Annaughed and said, But Matthews only eleven! How is it possible that you just let him run the group like that? Stop joking around, Wayne. Also, it seems that you still remember the kids. Does it mean that youre gaining back your lost memories? Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Maybe. The scenes in which Tammy and Matthew holding hands with us happily kept shing back in my mind from time to time recently. Still, what | remember most is how | feel about you. | swear Im not lying to you, Anna. | knew you were the one | loved the moment | opened my eyes and saw you. My feelings for you make me feel at ease. Really? I, | love you, too,* With her eyshes fluttering, Anna grinned 431 Ill Keep Loving You Until th. and said. As Wayne got closer and closer to her, Anna couldnt help leaning closer to him as well. She missed him. Every part of her body missed him like crazy. She couldnt take her eyes off his handsome face; she could never get enough of his faint orange scent; she longed to feel the softness and wetness of his lips; and she was more than eager to be one with him again and again and again Just as they kissed so passionately that they were going to take off their clothes, Waynes tummy suddenly rumbled, killing the romantic atmosphere. With a chuckle, Anna let go of him and said a bit unwillingly, It seems that the food in the hospital was indeed so horrible that you seldom took a bite of it. Am | right? Yeah, you got me. The food there surely tastes horrible. Its so horrible that | wonder whether the cooks have taste or not at all. Alright, II cook you something, What do you want? You make the call, ll eat whatever you cook for me, Wayne said dotingly. After a peck on his lips, Anna walked to the kitchen and began her cooking, Looking at her receding back, Wayne let out a sigh and decided to follow her to the kitchen Do you need a hand? Wayne asked her as he hugged her from behind andnded a kiss on her forehand when Anna raised her head. No, thanks. All you need to do is sit down and wait for me to serve you the meal,* Anna replied while washing the tomatoes in the sink. About half an hourter, Anna handed the te of spaghetti bolognese she made for Wayne. 431 Ill Keep Loving You Until th. Seeing that there was only one dish for him, Wayne asked, Arent you gonna eat with me? Arent you hungry? Nah, III pass. Waving her hand, Anna sat down and watched Wayne eating the spaghetti. Under her gaze, Wayne felt a bit embarrassed. Then he asked, Anna, Why are you staring at me like that? Why do you act like youve just reunited with me after a long time? Hearing that, Anna trembled a bit, and her heart skipped a beat. With a shake of her head, she answered, I stare at you like that because | love you! Besides, what makes you think that weve been separated for a long time? Im always there with you, honey. Yeah, right, With his mouth full of food, Wayne nodded and decided to drop the topic. Seeing that, Anna let out a sigh of relief secretly. She thought, That was tense! didnt know that you could still be so sensitive after suffering from selective memory loss. Thank goodness, you just dropped the topic. 1 [know its not good that I lied to you like that, Wayne. But | hope that you could understand me. Illexin everything to you when itis the right time. Done! Wayne said triumphantly as he wiped his mouth with the tissue, bringing Annas mind back to reality. So soon?! Anna asked in surprise. Yep! And now, Im gonna finish what | havent finished before! Wayne said with a wicked smile while holding Anna in his arms all of a sudden. Before Anna could react, Wayne had already taken her to the bedroom and gentlyy her down in bed. Then he started to kiss her neck and caress her breast. 431 Ill Keep Loving You Until th. Wayne, you just got out of the hospital. Its best for you to have some rest before Before what? Wayne asked teasingly, his hands already slipped inside Annas bras. Before we Ah Waynes caress caught Anna off guard, making her let out a moan subconsciously. Without even knowing it, Anna had already begun to take off Waynes clothes. After she unbuttoned his shirt, she was stunned by what she saw. Wow! | didnt expect that you, as a patient who has lied in bed for half a month, still have 8-pack abs now. Thinking of that, Anna couldnt help swallowing hard Do you like what you see? Then touch it and feel it, With that, Wayne pulled her hand, ced it on his abs and led her to roam over his body. At the touch of his firm and muscr belly and chest, Anna couldnt help blushing in shyness as it was the first time that she had made out with Wayne ever since they broke up. Why are you blushing, Anna? What are you acting shy for? Wayne whispered to her ears, which aroused Anna even more. With a gasp, Anna stammered, I | want you, Wayne. I want you right now Chapter 433 Too Good to Be True Chapter 433 Too Good to Be True Under the dim light, all Anna could see was Wayne now. Though Wayne was bald, he was still the most handsome man in her eyes. His eyes were still dazzling and clear as before. There were some fine lines around his eyes, but Anna found them quite attractive, especially When he smiled at her. Under his eyes was his nose, which was as tall and straight as usual. As Anna gently touched his lips with her fingertips, she found that his lips felt exactly the same as they did five years ago. Anna, you smell so good, Nestling in her neck, Wayne praised her with his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes and met Annas eyes, he was happy that all Anna could see was him now. And he was more than pleased when he saw the burning desire that was about to escape from her eyes at any second. Then, inch by inch, he kissed her neck, her breasts, her n*****s, and his belly. Just as Wayne moved his lips all the way down, Anna arched her back knowingly. The moment Waynes lips touched her secret garden, Anna couldnt think straight anymore. At the moment, all she wanted was make love to Wayne day in and day out. As if licking it wasnt enough for Wayne, he then ran circles on herbia and even gently sucked them. Meanwhile, waves of thrill and excitement came at Anna at the same time. She was so immersed in the pleasure brought by Wayne that she couldnt help trembling Ah ming, Anna moaned out loud, feeling like she was in paradise. Sensing that she was getting wetter and wetter, Wayne was more than thrilled. His member was as hard as a rock. While Anna was still 432 Too Good to Be True savoring the aftertaste of the intense o****m she had just now, Wayne thrust his cock deep inside her, to her surprise. And she moaned out loud because of it. Her moans of pleasure were like the sweetest melodies to Wayne. The louder she moaned, the faster and harder he moved. Seeing that Annas face reddened more and more and sensing that she clenched him more and more tightly, Wayne knew that she was about toe again. So, he sped up without hesitation: Shaking back and forth together with Wayne, Anna moaned so out loud that her voice became more and more hoarse. Again, her mind went nk as Wayne joined her in paradise. This time, Anna squirted and her fluid wet the sheet and even Waynes thighs. When kissing Wayne, who copsed on her after reaching c****x, Anna could feel the warmth of his skin and she even tasted his sweat. Then with a chuckle, she switched her gaze to him and said while gasping for breaths, I love you, Wayne I love you, too, Anna, Wayne said before kissing her gently. After helping Anna wipe herself clean, Wayney beside her, letting out along breath. Whats wrong, baby? Anna asked as she rested her chin on her hand Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Nothing. Its just Everything seems too good to be true. The sex we had is too good to be true. The fact that youre madly in love with me is too good to be true. And the fact that weve already had two kids is also too good to be true. Before | met you, | always thought that no one actually cared about me and that | would end up being alone for the rest of my life. But now, you made me realize that anything is possible. Thank you for being there for me, Saying that, Wayne pinched her cheek lovingly. 432 Too Good to Be True Well, Im here now. Matthew and Tammy are waiting for you to get better soon so that they can spend more time with you. Well, practically, everyone is waiting for you to get better. We all care about you, sweetie. And now, even though you want to end up being alone, | wont allow you to do so. Anna mumbled, sticking her tongue out. The moment she stuck her tongue out, Wayne captured it with his teeth, and then, he started gently biting it and licking it. And he began french-kissing her. Gradually, Anna felt like she was about to be out of breath. After a while, she pushed Wayne away and identally touched his hard dick with herknees. What?! So soon? She eximed. What? You dont like it? Wayne said to her with one of his hands on her breast and the other one on her slim waist. No. Ijust didnt expect that you could recover so soon. You know, given that you were just discharged from the hospital today. Well, thats because Im always a tough guy. And you love me forit, dont you? How about we take a bath together? Fine by me. But Im too exhausted to stand up right now, Wayne. Can we just rest for a while? Toote! Wayne carried Anna in his arms and walked toward the bathroom, saying to her, The love of your life has already decided that he will take a bath with you right now. Wayne, youre so bad Anna lowered her head and mumbled in his embrace. As she expected, Wayne had another round of crazy s*x with her in the bathtub. 432 Too Good to Be True It wasnt until they did it in the bathtub that Anna knew that Wayne could still move so fast when he was in the water. And the fact that he just got discharged from the hospital still shocked her. However, she was already carried away by the feelings that Wayne brought her that her astonishment was soon reced by thrill and excitement. After tossing and turning in bed, Anna couldnt sleep even though it was getting dark. Knowing that she was restless, Wayne asked, Were so in love, and we have two kids. But why didnt we get married? Its entirely your fault! Did | ever treat you poorly before? What makes you feel that way? I had the impression that your aunt and your friends hate me. Thats correct. Then, why do you still want to be with me? Im giving you a chance to make it up to me. You dont want it? Wayne wrapped his arms around her even more tightly. Of course | want it! Lets get married, Anna. Sure, Anna said with a nod. At the moment, Anna felt as if she were starting her life all over again, as she had often imagined over the years. They had moved on from their old feud and had finally be a normal couple as she had always wanted. Chapter 434 Just Married Chapter 434 Just Married The following afternoon, Anna and Wayne went to get their marriage license. They had to have their pictures taken that day. Waynes hair hadnt yet grown out, so Anna had to take him to the mall to get him a wig. Although it would make him look odd, it was better than having a bald head with a cut on it. Smile,e on. Please, Maam, lean in closer to your husband. Both of themughed happily as the camera captured the moment. Anna had never imagined herself marrying Wayne in such a hurried manner. But then she realized that sometimes, people do things out of a moment of impulse. The rain had just stopped, and the sun was shining on the ground as they left. Anna couldnt take her eyes off their marriage license. Wayne took her hand in his and led her to the trunk, where he covered her eyes. What exactly are you doing? Is this a surprise? Yes. Ive got a surprise for you, Wayne said Wayne released his hand after a few seconds and said, OK, you can open your eyes now. Anna slowly opened her eyes and saw a trunk full of roses, a symbol of love. The roses were brilliantly red, like a burning me. Many small cards, painted with the story of a turtle and a rabbit, were disyed above the roses. 433 Just Married The first image showed the turtle and the rabbit facing each other behind a desk, which Anna recognized as the scene where she had her job interview at the Carousel Hotel. Why should I listen to someone who even lied about her education? said the turtle, The rabbit was irritated, so she held up her resume and yelled, I have the ability and experience to perform as well as someone with a degree. Why do you treat me this way? The second image depicted a rabbit shielding a baby turtle from a crystalmp that had fallen from the roof. Those were all things Anna and Wayne had experienced. And Anna had not expected him to record everything. Did you prepare all of these? She asked in surprise. I dont recall much from my past. So, | asked those around me, and they told me all these things. I then drew these scenes. Are there any mistakes here? Anna shook her head and said, No, thats all true. Wayne said with a gentle smile, There are many things | havent remembered. But Im sure Ill recollect everything about uster. | love you, Anna. From now on, youll be Mrs. Wright. Aw How sweet of you, Mr. Wright. The next second, Anna received ten rings. Seeing the rings, she was touched and amused at the same time and she couldnt help shedding tears of joy. Later, Ryan threw a big barbecue party at the Wright house to celebrate Waynes release from the hospital and Annas birthday. He invited Karl and Peace and their son and daughter, Andrew and Mona. Ryan 433 Just Married invited Selina as well, but he wasnt sure if shede. Apple, Peaces youngest daughter, was only three months old and couldnt speak. She happily waved her little hands inside the crib, wanting to y with the other kids. She was, however, too small to get out of her crib on her own. Karl and Andrew continued to prepare for the party by setting up the grill by the pool. They wouldnt let Wayne work with them because he had just been released from the hospital. At that time, Wayne was inside the kitchen helping Anna prepare dessert. Peace approached Karl and motioned for him to look inside the house. Do you think Anna and Wayne will get back together soon? she whispered. Karl cast a thoughtful nce toward the kitchen and nodded. Yes. But because Wayne has lost his memory, he may not recall it. Why dont we bring it up over dinnerter? Iwas thinking the same thing! They looked at each other and smiled. What are you guys talking about? Ryan asked, bringing over a bag ofmb Ryan! Id like to speak with you about something They told him their idea about setting up Anna and Wayne. Ryan paused before saying, Can we really pull it off? Wayne is still suffering from memory loss, so its not fair to Anna. Peace said tly, Huh? Thats nonsense! Theyve dated for so long because theyre always ying dumb. I think wed better set them up. Otherwise, | will feel tortured. | couldnt sleep at night because | had helped her hide her secrets from Wayne all these years. I was concerned that Karl would overhear me talking in my sleep. 433 Just Married Karl raised an eyebrow and said, In that case, why are you keeping them from me as well? Were a couple, and we should be honest with each other. Cut the nonsense! There are people waiting in line to marry me and be stepfathers to my children. Hey! Dont go too far! While they were discussing, Andrew apanied Mona on a walk in the yard, Mona was seven months pregnant, and her belly was the size of a football. But she was always on the go for the company, looking for anew fabric merchant. Wm fine, dear. You dont have to worry about me. You should go to the barbecue with them. The kids are starving. Mona said to Andrew, trying to make him less nervous about her. Andrew, on the other hand, was extremely cautious. He appeared solemn as if he was nervous with each step Mona took. Careful! The ground is uneven. Its a road made of cobblestones! How can it be t? Why dont you go back inside and take a seat? The smoke is strong here. The house is far too stuffy! The cold air from the air conditioner is not good for your health. Yeah, youre right. Andrew, Mona is going to have a nervous breakdown after she has the baby, Emily teased. If youre pregnant, Ryan will be even more exaggerated than | am, Andrew said, looking up. Emily shook her head and said firmly, No, the Wright men are all 433 Just Married careless. Take Wayne for example: he wasnt around for Anna when she had the babies. No, | believe he had his reasons. Wayne would have taken special care of Anna if she had be pregnant with her third child in the future. Emily didnt appear to believe him Kids! Stop! Selina had just entered the yard. When she saw the kids running around, she immediately stopped one of them and grabbed his sleeve. Be careful! Theres a pregnant woman over there. Martin, Karls oldest son, stuck his tongue out at Selina before taking off his t-shirt and running away half-naked. Martin, wait! Where are your clothes? Stop right there! Peace started to run behind him. Seeing that, the crowdughed, and the atmosphere was very cheerful. The cook had the barbecue ready for the evening. Warm yellow lights illuminated the inner room inside the floor-to- ceiling windows, creating a cozy atmosphere. Karl teased Wayne, saying, Do you remember who | am, buddy? Wayne cast a nce at him. His expression was dismissive as if he was staring at a fool. Anna introduced me to everyone, He replied. After a while, Karl received a wink from Peace. He immediately understood her hint and rose to his feet, holding a ss of wine, attention, everyone! Were here today to celebrate Annas birthday and the fact that Wayne made it out of the hospital alive. So let us raise a ss to them. 433 Just Married The crowd did so. After a ss of wine, Karl continued, Actually, life is only a few decades long. As a result, itis critical to consider who we want to spend our lives with. We now have lovers, friends, families, and children. To be honest, Im very happy about everything now. That is why, in my opinion, one should seize the moment and cherish the people in front of them. Wayne nodded as if he was thinking of something and said, Youre quite right about that. Surprised, Karl said, Right? Didnt you hear what | said? Wayne turned to face Ryan and said, Its time for you and Emily to. start nning your wedding. | heard Anna say that everyone is looking forward to your marriage. Ryan gave a startled cry and said, Huh? Me? Karl said that to rush you and Anna to get married! Everyone was deafeningly quiet. Emily looked at Ryan as if he were a moron. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Anna and Wayne exchanged nces and burst outughing. Anna said, But weve already got married! Chapter 435 Cheers to Wayne and Anna Chapter 435 Cheers to Wayne and Anna When everyone heard this, they froze. Anna smiled as she took the marriage license from her bag, saying, The day after Wayne was discharged from the hospital, we went to get married. Were legally a couple now, so you dont have to be worried about us. Everyone then passed around their marriage license. Peace sighed with relief as thest person handed it back to Anna. She eximed, After all these years, youve been through a lot. What makes me happy is that you are finally married! We finally dont have to worry about you guys anymore. Karl said with a nod, Right! My wife will no longer have to keep anything from me for Anna. So were not the next couple to marry. And you two might need to speed up, Anna looked at Ryan and Emily thoughtfully. What can I say? | didnt see iting at all Ryan exchanged nces with Emily and said. Although Anna thought having a marriage license was sufficient and there was no need for Wayne and her to hold a wedding, Peter insisted on throwing them a grand wedding. Furthermore, he said that he would handle everything for Anna and Wayne so that they would have nothing to worry about. All they had to do was attend their wedding. Wayne, Anna, you dont have to worry about anything because Henry will take care of everything, Peter said. He was very d about that and appeared to be in good spirits. 434 Cheers to Wayne and Anna Taking advantage of the situation, Anna said, Grandpa, how about this? If Wayne and | agree to your proposal, will you consider having the surgery? What? Peter froze, and his smile disappeared. Seeing that Peter froze and was even frowning, Anna sighed before saying, Actually, | spoke with your doctor the other day. Your health has been deteriorating, and you need to have the surgery. Otherwise, the consequence will be Well, you know what | mean. The point is, Wayne and | would love to have you witness our wedding. Also, Tammy and Matthew would like to see you get well. Could you please say yes to having the surgery for the sake of us? Peter gradually became serious. I can do the surgery, he said after a brief pause, but it will have to wait until after you hold the wedding. ?Anna was about to persuade him once more when Peter interrupted her, m aware that all surgeries have risks. Dont tell me its not a big risk because Im not a fool. | dont want to die before seeing you and Waynes wedding. Anna, you and Wayne have been through so much together over the years, and my heart goes with you. If can be at your wedding, | would be relieved. And after attending your wedding, even if the operation fails, | will be able to rest in peace. If the surgery goes well, that will be the best. Hearing his words, everyone was sad, and some of them even cried. Okay, Wayne and | will hold the wedding as you want, Grandpa. You have my word, Anna wiped her tears away, her voice choking with sobs. Wayne hugged Anna tightly and gently patted her back, trying tofort her. Although he could remember very little of the past, seeing her cry was heartbreaking. And he knew that what Anna needed most at the moment 434 Cheers to Wayne and Anna was a hug. And everyone fell into silence. Why dont we talk about something else? Like, what gifts do you hope to receive at your wedding, Anna, Wayne? Peace said cheerfully, breaking the ice. ?Well, actually, I havent thought about this before since Wayne and I didnt n to hold a wedding until Peter persuaded us, Anna took a sip of the drink before answering Peace. Then she switched her gaze from Peace to Wayne, seemingly looking for an answer from Wayne Noticing her gaze, Wayne thought for a while before saying, Anything is fine, to be honest. Even if you guys attend my wedding empty-handed, its alright. Its the heart that matters most, after all. Surprised, Peace continued the topic, Kudos to Wayne! Now, Im finally relieved. Youre finally qualified to marry Anna. What do you mean? Do you mean that | once treated Anna badly in the past? Wayne asked with his brows furrowing in confusion. You can put it that way. Now that you two havee this far. III be frank with you. Anna did put up with a lot when being with you, Wayne. Sometimes, you can be very unreasonable and difficult, Wayne. Anna has already suffered a lot before because of you, and I really hope that you can treasure her and be good to her wholeheartedly. Raising his eyebrows, Wayne turned his head and looked at Anna in astonishment. Then he asked her in a low voice, Anna, is what Peace said true? Did you suffer a lot because of me? Howe you seldom mentioned that to me before? Its a long andplicated story, Wayne. And truth to be told, | also put you through a lot in the past, so were kind of even now. Lets not dwell on the past too much, okay? We need to move on and look forward to the 434 Cheers to Wayne and Anna presence and the future. Sensing that the atmosphere became somewhat awkward, Karl said to lighten everyones mood, Alright, guys. | would like to make a toast to Wayne and Anna. Wayne, Anna, congrattions! We all know how difficult it is for you two to get to this point, and Im more than d that you two are finally married, Lowering his voice, Karl said while coughing slightly, Also, | know you guys want to have more kids in the future. Just a kind reminder, Wayne, youd better be there with Anna all the time when she gets pregnant again. You know how the saying goes, Happy wife, happy life? Hearing Karls words, Anna thought to herself, Kari, you did change a lot. It seems that being a parent does help you grow up in a short period of time. s! How time flies! In the blink of an eye, Tammy and Matthew have already be teenagers now. | still remember clearly how it felt like the first time | held Tammy in my arms, and | still remember what it was like the first time | met Matthew as if it just happened yesterday Now, cheers to Wayne and Anna! Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Cheers! Chapter 436 Chapter 436 After the party was over, Wayne and Anna returned to their bedroom, feeling happy and exhausted at the same time. When Anna was removing her makeup in front of the mirror, Wayne, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, looked her in the eye and said, Anna, Im still thinking about what Peace said to me during the party. As you know, I still have difficulty in remembering things. So, | hope that you can tell me what has actually happened between us in the past? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Are you sure you want to hear it now? Anna asked while wiping her eyebrows. Yes, Im sure. | want to hear it from you instead of others. Here it goes. Long story short. Years ago, before we nearly got married, | got kidnapped and broke up with you after | was rescued because back then, you made me feel insecure. Okay, Wayne frowned, motioning for Anna to continue. Andter on, | left Ennd with Tammy. And then I went to France for medical school, and | didnt come back for you and Matthew until five yearster. What?! Five years?! Wayne stood up all of a sudden, eximing, Why did you Shh Wayne, we have talked this matter through before and | really dont wanna go through it again right now. You just told me that you started to remember things bit by bit, and you will recall the conversation sooner orter. And if you really cant recall it and want to talk to me about it, II exin everything to you in the future. But not now, Wayne. Please, 435 The Thoughtful Husband you have to understand me. Im doing this for your own good, Anna interrupted him, her hands trembling slightly at the moment. Okay, | believe you, After a short pause, Wayne replied. Then he walked to Anna, leaning near her and resting his chin on her head. Thats it? | thought you would have tons of questions for me, Looking at him in the mirror, Anna asked in surprise. I do have tons of questions for you, but Im not pouring them out all at once today. Anna, | believe you. I really do. Also, we have tons of time for you to answer my tons of questions in the future. Am | right? Wayne hugged her from behind tightly, nuzzling her cheeks with his nose. Yeah, youre right. Thank you for having faith in me, honey. Youre wee. They both knew it was the most important thing for them for the time being, so Anna and Wayne started nning their wedding the next day. Anna had to work every day and was always on the go, so she didnt get much time off. As a result, Wayne helped Peter in nning the wedding. Because Anna didnt have time to try on wedding gowns, Wayne brought the designer directly to the hospital office. During her lunch break, they measured her size and let her choose the style, making everyone in the office jealous of Anna. Every day, Wayne drove her to and from work, and even heavy rain couldnt stop him. One day, Anna temporarily switched shifts with someone else. She Was supposed to get off work in the evening, but it was changed to the next days early morning. When she left work, she noticed that Waynes car 435 The Thoughtful Husband was still parked in front of the building. She opened the door and was surprised to find him sleeping inside. Howe youre still here? She asked Youre off work? Wayne asked as he opened his eyes. I told you I worked on another shift and couldnt leave until my colleague came to the office in the morning. Youve been here all night, havent you? Wayne yawned and adjusted his seat. Dont worry, Im fine. I was worried you wouldnt have the energy to drive home from work in the early hours of the morning, I remember you had a meeting in the morning, Anna said softly. Yes. Ill take you home now and then go to workter. As Anna sat in the passenger seat, she felt warm and touched. On the way home, Wayne noticed that Anna was always staring at, him. He smiled and asked, Why are you always staring at me, Anna? Is there something wrong with my face? | was wondering if you would still treat me the same as you do now if you got your memory back. What? | didnt treat you this way before? Anna leaned back in her chair and said teasingly, Of course not! You werent always as thoughtful as you are now. You used to be extremely cold tome. Wayne frowned as if he disagreed with her. Annaughed and said, So, you should just concentrate on driving. Actually, youre too exhausted to drive. Just have your driver take you to the office when you get home. Youve already had one car ident, and | cant afford a second big blow. 435 The Thoughtful Husband The sun was rising, and they drove passed a restaurant. Wayne went there and bought Anna breakfast. He handed her a cup of hot milk and said, Have some breakfast, honey. You can go directly to sleep when we get back home. Thanks. | might not be able to join you for lunch. The designer will be at the house at one oclock in the afternoon with the wedding dress. You can try on those dresses and then tell them what you want. Okay. Wayne and Anna talked all the way. Anna was already fast asleep when they arrived home. The maid opened the door for them and tried to wake her up. However, Wayne stopped her. Then Wayne carefully unbuckled Annas seat belt before picking her up and carrying her to her bedroom. He removed her shoes and coat and drew the curtains. Anna awoke as Wayne closed the door to the room on his way out. She rolled over, looked at the door, and smiled brightly. She thought, Thank you, Wayne. Thank you for everything. Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Anna and Waynes wedding was held in a suburban mansion. Eventually, Anna decided to wear a fishtail wedding dress. That elegant dress made her body seem more perfect, and the diamonds on the dress sparkled in the sunlight. As for the makeup, she wore cherry lipstick, which made her face as lovely as a rose. As she looked in the mirror, she went into a trance after the stylist put the veil on her. After five years, Wayne and | finally managed to have our wedding. Weve been through so much in so many years. For a long time, Ive thought that this day would nevere. But now, my dream has come true. Gosh Everything seems too good to be true. Are you ready, Mommy? Tammy, dressed in a white tutu, asked as she went in, interrupting Annas trace of thoughts. She couldnt help but exim when she saw Anna, Mommy, you look stunning today! You are the most gorgeous woman on the! At the same time, Matthew wasnt as excited as Tammy, and he nodded and said, Mommy, you look great. When Anna saw the two childrens faces, she couldnt help butugh and say, You two look great today, my little prince and princess. Hearing that, Tammy smiled cheerfully while Matthew pursed his lips and smiled. Come on, kids, Anna eximed. In the mirror, Matthew nodded and carefully straightened his bow tie Lets go. Mommy, he said, taking Annas hand. 436 The Wedding The two children were supposed to be flower girls at the wedding, so they were also dressed up. Anna thought, /nso d and lucky to have you two be my flower boy and flower girl, Matthew, Tammy. And theres probably no one who has had such a twisted and bizarre love story as mine. The sun was shining brightly. And the ceremony was held on a lovely beautifulwn. On the red carpet paved with roses, Anna held Joes hand and walked forward, and Tammy and Matthew followed behind them, scattering flower petals. In the distance, Anna saw Wayne, who was in a white suit standing tall on the stage. His hand gently clenched into a fist when he saw Anna, and he appeared nervous. As the music began to y, Anna and Joe approached the stage. Almost all the big shots and celebrities of the town attended the wedding. Many people sat on both sides of the aisle, smiling and staring at Anna. Anna couldnt see them clearly through the veil, and Wayne was the only one in her sight at this time. As she approached Wayne, she could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat. They had been living together as husband and wife for quite some time, but Anna was still excited at the time. This stretch of the red carpet was only a few dozen meters long. The distance appeared to be short, but to Anna, it was quite long. They walked for five years before finally making it to this stage. And this time, no more idents prevented them from marrying. Then, as Anna and Joe stood in front of Wayne, Joe firmly ced Annas hand in Waynes. Wayne took her hand and passed the warmth from his palm to her heart. Im giving Anna to you, Wayne, Joe said. 436 The Wedding Thank you, I will cherish her. You have my word, Wayne said with a smile and a nod. Joe said nothing further. He walked away, leaving the two of them and the priest on stage. Wayne was clearly tense, as Anna could tell. He had always been calm and collected, so she was surprised that he would be nervous at his wedding, Ill cherish you, too, Wayne, She teased,ughing. Wayneughed and squeezed her palm in response to her words. When the priest interrupted their conversation, Waynes face became serious. He silently took Annas hands in his and gazed at her. The priest said, Please repeat after me, Mr. Wright. |, Wayne Wright, take you, Anna Gabriel, as my wife, to have and hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish; until death do us part. Wayne took Annas hands in his and looked at her tenderly. Then, solemnly and slowly, he repeated, |, Wayne Wright, take you, Anna Gabriel, as my wife, to have and hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish; until death do us part. I, Anna Gabriel, take you Wayne Wright as my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish; until death do us part, Then the priest turned to Anna and signaled for her to repeat after him. Itwas a simple vow with simple words, which she had repeated countless times during the wedding rehearsal. Still, Anna was feeling differently right now. Anna was ovee with emotion as she stared at Wayne, she found it very difficult to say every word because she wanted to shed her happy tears. 436 The Wedding She resisted the urge to cry as she repeated, |, Anna Gabriel, take you Wayne Wright as my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish; until death do us part, Anna said to Wayne with affection, her eyes sparkling. Nothing will ever separate us again from nowon, Meanwhile, she thought to herself. Their story began with an absurd prologue and then progressed like a drama. Their sweet past and those days apart due to misunderstanding yed like a movie in Annas mind. Pethaps only the two of them would understand how difficult it was for them to get married. Wayne also seemed to recall something, and those hazy and blurred images became clear for a brief moment. He remembered some memories, and then tears welled up in his eyes. Anna smiled, put the ring on Wayne with the priests guidance, and said, I will always love you. Wayne took Annas hand slowly and solemnly, sounding as if he was about to cry, Thank you for being in my life, Anna. Meeting you has been the happiest thing in my life. | will devote the rest of my life to cherishing you. He put a ring on Annas finger and promised her. If not for that coincidence, they might never have met each other. Wayne would have remained the cold and powerful man he was. He would most likely have spent the rest of his life working and never finding his true love. On the other hand, Anna would most likely have ended up working in a medical laboratory and living a dull and boring life. The road to their love was rocky, but they never regretted meeting each other. You may kiss the bride now. When the priest spoke, they could no longer contain their emotions. 436 The Wedding Wayne took off Annas veil. He leaned in and kissed her soft lips before the veil fell. Words could not describe their feelings at the time. Their mouths were pressed together. He kissed her softly, his dark eyes twinkling with starlight. The sunlight on her eyshes made her look even more charming. She indulged in this tender kiss, her longshes fluttering slightly. Then, they suddenly heard a gasp. People appeared even more ecstatic than when they saw this couple kissing. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Then Wayne wrapped his arms around Annas waist and stopped kissing her. Anna asked him as she was surprised, Hmm? Whats wrong? Wayne lifted his chin, Look, this is a blessing from nature. When Anna looked up, she saw a long rainbow stretching across the blue sky. It was a gift from nature, and it was gloriously colorful. Chapter 438 Catching the Bouquet 438 Catching the Bouquet Chapter 438 Catching the Bouquet 438 Catching the Bouquet The beautiful rainbow made people more cheerful. Everyone hoped that Anna and Wayne would keep kissing so the rainbow wouldst longer. Anna smiled and leaned into Waynes arms as he kissed her on the cheek. At the same time, Tammy stood offstage, cheering and pping. She seemed to be the happiest person at this wedding. Later, Anna realized that the excited crowd would keep shouting if they didnt continue kissing. Anna smiled slyly as she wrapped her arms around Waynes neck and kissed him on the lips. Before she did so, she said in his ear, Lets see if the rainbow stays because we kiss. Wayne had no idea Anna was going to kiss him at that moment. He said meaningfully, Ugh! Its just a shame we cant see the rainbow at night. Anna wentpletely still. She winked at him mischievously and said, Maybe we can try and see if the rainbowsts. How about flirting with me throughout the wedding? Wayne asked slowly Ina husky voice. Hearing that, Anna couldnt stopughing. She then began to throw the bouquet, and all the single young women rushed to catch it. When Tammy saw everyone else ying the game, she eximed, I want one too! Dont go there, honey, Wayne said, thinking, Tammy, youre still a child. Honestly, even ifyou were an adult, | wouldnt want to see you get married so quickly. 437 Catching the Bouquet But when he saw Tammys disappointed expression, he had no choice but to let her do so and tell her to be careful. Im throwing it away! Lets see who is the next to walk down the aisle! Saying that, Anna spun around. She didnt want to give the bouquet to anyone in particr. So, she didnt want to throw it at Tammy even When she saw her in the crowd. She simply threw it backward at random. Everyone went crazy for it. Matthew grabbed Tammys little arm and pulled her out of the crowd, concerned that she would be hurt in the crowd. Ill give you prettier flowerster, he whispered. Okay! Tammy immediately left the crowd. The scene was extremely chaotic. Someone stepped on someone elses dress and identally squeezed the person next to them. Following that, the women rushing to grab the bouquet copsed in a heap on thewn. It was absolutely hrious. Some of themughed, while others apuded. Who got the bouquet? Anna asked, turning around. The women exchanged nces, and none of them saw the bouquet. Then, in a confused tone, a girl asked, Why is it here? Wearing a pink silk gown, Isabe clutched a ca lily bouquet, and stared in awe at those women who had copsed in front of her. Isabe was dressed up and put on heavy makeup. As a result, no one suspected she was under the age of 18. They all knew she was Annas adopted daughter, but they had no idea how old she was. Under everyones gaze, Isabe chewed her gum and handed the bouquet to the woman next to her. Im not even 18, so | dont need this. Everyone thought she had a valid point. The woman beside her took ae ee the bouquet and said, Ive got it! Ive got it! The crowdughed once more and began grabbing the bouquet. Let the bride throw it again, someone said loudly. Then everyone began pushing each other around again. Isabe stumbled after being knocked down. Thankfully, someone behind her reached out to help her. She looked up to thank the person after she kept her bnce. When she realized who the person was, she froze. Jasper? she asked in surprise. Jasper was wearing a brown suit with a navy bow tie. He was looking at her through his gold-rimmed sses with a steady gaze. Then he said a bit angrily, Who chose the shoes for you? They dont fit you at all. Isabe, who was always bold, stood up straight and stopped chewing her gum any longer. Aunt Peace chose them for me, she stammered. Lets go change your shoes, Isabe. Theyll wear out your heels. Im fine. Plus, the weddings still going on. Come on, you have nothing to do with thetter part. Or are you going to grab the bouquet again? Youre still a teenager, so theres no point for you to catch it. Isabe raised her head thoughtfully and said, Jasper, Ill be an adult tomorrow. Today is my eighteenth birthday! Her birthday fell on the same day as the wedding. As a result, she didnt expect anyone to remember this fact. Despite wearing high heels, Isabe was much shorter than Jasper. She felt depressed when she looked up at him. Shed never given these things much thought before, but she couldnt exin why she became sad when she saw him. 437 Catching the Bouquet Jasper reached out his clean and dry broad palm to her. He seemed gentle and mature. He said, I remembered your birthday and bought you gifts. Come on. Ill give them to you right away. Really? Did you actually buy me a gift? Ive never lied to you. Then Isabe burst outughing. She realized Jasper had never lied to her in all her years of knowing him. He would never fail to keep his promises to her. Awhileter, they entered the lounge a short distance away. Jasper knelt down and put on a pair of gleaming gray high heels from arge box for her. Do you like them? He asked tenderly. Isabe said with a smile, Of course | do! But why did you choose high heels for me? You know | rarely wear them. Isabe couldnt walk quickly in high heels, so she always wore sneakers. saw these shoes in the store and thought they would be perfect for you. Isabe chuckled and said, Oh! | assumed it would have a romantic meaning. For example, | could meet the perfect guy for me in the perfect ce in these shoes. Jasper nced at her, Why not think about how you will write your personal statement for college application if you have nothing better to dotely? You cant spend all day watching romantic movies. Why? You appear to have seen a lot of romantic movies, too. Youve only been here for a month, so since when did you be as talkative as Anna? Jasper froze and asked. 437 Catching the Bouquet Isabe smiled smugly, looked at Jasper, and said, Im proud of myself for that. By the way, | thought you wouldnte to the wedding today. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! why? | heard that you used to have a crush on Anna the other day. Is that true? You didnt know about that before? Tammy had called him Dad since he was a child, so Jasper assumed everyone knew he was once in love with Anna. It doesnt make a difference. Actually, Im very interested in it. Do you find it upsetting that Anna is now married to someone else? Jasper had pondered this question many times before. But, because Anna had never married before, he had no idea how he should feel about it. Hed just seen her standing next to Wayne, and she looked ecstatic. Then he knew his answer. He shook his head and said, Its fine, actually. Im not sad at all. Anna and | have known each other for many years. Sometimes, friendshipsts longer than love. Anna is now more of a confidante to me. Im not as young as | used to be, and Im not looking for the perfect romance. Im perfectly content with a steady rtionship. Isabe froze and asked, What about you and Lilly? You dont love her anymore, and you know shes hysterical. Are you still willing to spend the rest of your life with her just to keep your rtionship stable? That is between adults. Its really none of your concern, Isabe. Hearing that, Isabe became furious. She got to her feet and said, No way! Jasper, | know youve always treated me like a child. But Im about to turn 18 tonight! Many boys at school have a crush on me, so lean date guys every day if | want to. Only you keep treating me like a kid! 437 Catching the Bouquet Jasper froze for a second as if he had traveled back six years ago when they first met each other. Back then, he had just rescued Isabe from the river, and she had the same reaction to him when she awoke. She grabbed his arm and bit him viciously. Lily and | are divorced, Jasper told her calmly. Chapter 439 The Wedding Night Chapter 439 The Wedding Night Holding a wedding was not as easy as they thought it would be. Their friends, family, and many big names in town all came to their wedding, and Anna and Wayne had to greet everyone. Having talked with so many people, Anna was already exhausted. Compared with her, the young people on the scene kept the mood upbeat. They appeared to want to keep having fun all night long. Anna and Wayne looked at each other and then slipped out together quietly. They went to the nearby lake. In the moonlight, they walked along theke hand in hand. Theyve already talked about locking us in our bedroom until tomorrow night, Anna said with a resigned shrug. Wayne raised his eyebrows and said, Good! You said that we could see if rainbows can appear at night. Are you serious?1 We could at least give it a try. If we do so, we wont be able to go on our honeymoon the next day, Anna cautioned, but she still smiled sweetly. She turned her head to look at him and noticed that he was also smiling, Ever since Wayne lost his memory, Anna found that heughed much more frequently than before. Moreover, he was much gentler and better at showing his emotions. Whats the matter? Wayne asked as he noticed that Anna wasin a daze. | noticed that youre smiling a lot recently, especially today, Anna 438 The Wedding Night said, shaking her head Smiling, Wayne pinched her cheeks and then pecked on her cheeks. Later, they made their way to thekeswn. At the time, Anna had already changed taken off her wedding gown and dressed in a beige gown. In the cool breeze, Wayne took off his jacket and put it on thewn, helped Anna sit down, and pulled her into his arms tightly. And Anna felt warm and secure in his arms. Some images shed through my mind as we exchanged rings earlier today, Wayne brought up the topic. He looked at theke that was not far away from him, his eyes glistening. Did you remember anything? Anna asked, surprised. It was just some hazy images. | recalled the scene where we were picking up the wedding dress and trying on the rings, but I cant recall the rest. Wayne shook his head and answered, seemingly a bit annoyed by the fact that he couldnt recall the rest of the details. Anna sank into his arms and took his hand in hers. Their rings were pressed together, and their fingers were intertwined. She smiled andforted him, Its okay if you cant recall anything. Well make new memories together, anyway. And well be there for each other for the rest of our lives, Wayne.1 AIL right, Mrs. Wright, Wayne said tenderly as he looked at her. Annas heart raced as she heard his words and his gentle voice. Okay, Mr. Wright, she said with a smile. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. They locked their gazes and couldnt stop themselves from kissing each other. Anna leaned back and lay on his jacket. Still, the rustling of weeds tickling her back ented the romantic atmosphere. 438 The Wedding Night Just as they were about to reach the next step, Annas cell phone suddenly rang, interrupting their kiss. Ina fluster, Anna got up and answered the call. The moment she swiped to answer the phone, she heard Peace shouting at her over the phone, Where have you been, Anna? How could you possibly sneak away at this critical moment? You two are the hosts today! Well, we just went for a walk to rx, Anna exined, gasping for air. Hearing her gasping, Peace immediately realized what she was doing and asked with expectation, Wow! Have your wedding night started already? Sounds exciting! If youre looking forward to it, you can consider getting married again, Anna said teasingly. Great! Ill look for a new husband right now. Karl is really a pain in the ass recently. Hearing that, Anna said with a chuckle, Hey, Karl! Im talking with Peace over the phone now. We just talked about you. Did you hear what she said, Karl? Thinking that Karl might be eavesdropping on her. Peace eximed immediately, Dont get me wrong, | mean it is a new kind of couple game, Karl. Even if | marry again, my husband will still be you. This game will show how intimate we are Wait a minute. Karl is not with you, Anna! Hes drinking right there! Gotcha! Anna said,ughing out loud. Damn! You fooled me! Peace became irritated and seemed to want to rush over and beat Anna up Anna said, Okay, no more jokes. Well go back now. Dont lock the door to our room or keep us from enjoying our honeymoon. 438 The Wedding Night Dont even think about the honeymoon! If we dont have a good time today, none of you will be able to leave! Well, unless you take me with you on your honeymoon. Allright, all right! Annaughed and hung up the phone. She stood up, got rid of the weeds, and said, Seems like we should get back now. Theyre all waiting for us. Wayne reached up and removed the weed from Annas head, straightening her hair around her ears. We dont have to go back, he said with a meaningful smile. What? Lets go. Where? It took Anna half an hour to figure out what Wayne meant. By that time, they had already arrived at the airport and were on their way to Mauritius. Escaping from the wedding to take a honeymoon was quite an exciting experience for Anna. Does that mean we dont have to tell Peace where we are? Anna asked Wayne. Wayne exined, They bought tickets for themselves on our flight to Saipan. And they decided to take Tammy, Matthew and Isabel with them. What?! What the hell are they thinking?! Its not a honeymoon when you have to spend it with a bunch of people! Thinking of that, Anna was first anxious but then relieved as she knew Wayne managed to avoid having the kids ruin their honeymoon. How did you find out about it? Having collected her thoughts, Anna 438 The Wedding Night asked Wayne in surprise. Karl got drunk the night before the wedding and told me Peace wanted to join us on our honeymoon, So, | changed our flight and decided not to go to Saipan. It seems that | made a wise choice. It is not only wise, but it is also the wisest of the wise! How could | possibly let my children and friends ruin my once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon? Thank you so much, Wayne! assure you that we will have a memorable and romantic honeymoon, Wayne rubbed her hair and said to her gently. More than ten hourster, they arrived in Mauritius. The moon was hanging over the beach, looking bright and pleasing to the eye. Wayne stood on the beach in the hotel suites courtyard, gazing at the moon in the distance. Behind him, there was a pool. As the sound of water pping faded, Anna, who was ina sexy red bikini, got out of the pool and dried her hair. Then she noticed a group of beautiful women on the beach whistling at Wayne. Apparently, Wayne was indifferent toward them. As he was looking for Anna, he suddenly heard someone whistling around him and asked, Hey, cute guy. Are you waiting for someone? Wayne immediately recognized that it was Annas voice. Heughed and turned around to flirt with her, and he froze when hey his eyes on her. He eximed in his heart, Wow! Anna, you look stunning today! | didnt expect that you would look so amazing in the red bikini. Im so lucky that there are few men nearby at this time. Otherwise, | would have to guard against them in case they try to steal you away from me. Anna met his hot gaze and asked, Whats wrong? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face? 438 The Wedding Night No. Honey, youre so beautiful tonight, He said in a low, husky voice as he shook his head and looked at her. And Anna could sense the lust in his tone. Then she blushed immediately, asking, Really? Im the mother of two children now. | dont think Im as attractive as the lovelydies who just whistled at you. Are you jealous? Wayne asked, looking at her with tenderness and affection in his deep eyes. Chapter 440 The Bonfire Party Chapter 440 The Bonfire Party Wayne gazed at Anna intently, and she then became shy. Ill go change my clothes. The bonfire party is about to start, She said, her face flushed. Seeing that she excused herself and went to her room to change, Wayne looked aroused as he smiled. But instead of following her, he remained where he was. A few minutester, Anna walked out of the room. She was dressed casually in a baggy shirt and denim shorts. Shed tied the hem of her shirt ina knot around her waist, outlining her slim waist. Wayne was intrigued but said nothing. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. As they reached their destination, the bonfire party had already started. In the dark, the fire glowed as ifit lit up the silent night and peoples excitement. People gathered around the fire, holding hands and dancing in an exotic and foreign way. Their enthusiasm made Anna want to sway her body and join them in their dancing. Someone noted Annas desire to dance and asked her excitedly, Do you want to join us? Lets go dancing! It will make you feel rxed and happy, believe me. Itwas a tall, well-built man. When he saw Anna, he noticed Wayne standing beside her. But Wayne seemed aloof and uninterested in dancing So, the man asked Anna to dance with him. Meanwhile, Wayne pursed his lips and seemed dissatisfied. Wayne 439 The Bonfire Party wasnt the type of gut that would join them in a lively dance, and Anna couldnt imagine what he would look like when he was dancing. However, Anna didnt want to say yes to the man as she knew he wanted to flirt with her. Still, she had begun to dance subconsciously with the crowd. Right before she was about to turn down the man, she saw a handnding on the mans shoulder, all right, well join in the dancing, Wayne said. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Anna widened her eyes in surprise. Before she could utter a word, Wayne had already taken her hand in his and separated her away from the man. Stunned, the man stopped dancing and just stood there. He still wanted to hit on Anna. But when he noticed that Wayne was ring at him, he didnt dare to approach Anna. He could only awkwardly hold Waynes hand and watch the sexy, gorgeous woman dance while a man with a grim expression stood between them. Whats the matter? Wayne asked, returning his gaze to Anna. Ive never pictured what its like when you dance, so Im looking forward to this. Maybe | should capture this moment on camera. Itll be fun to recall thister when were talking about our honeymoon, With a smile, Anna said. Then the music changed into a song that was more upbeat. Along with the music, Anna and Wayne got serious about dancing. Others enthusiasm infected Anna and Wayne. At the moment, Wayne, who was always serious and reserved, swayed with them. And they had both forgotten about the incident earfier. In the light of the fire, Annas rosy cheeks looked stunning. While dancing casually, she gave Wayne a big smile that made his heart skip a 439 The Bonfire Party beat. Seeing her so happy, Wayne couldnt help putting on a smile as well. Anna became tired after dancing for just one dance. She said to Wayne, Honey, | really need to take a break. What a surprise! You turn out to be quite good at dancing. The man, who wanted to flirt with Anna earlier, was taken aback by Annas words and asked, So. you two are a couple, right? Anna smiled, Yes, we just got married yesterday. Were here on our honeymoon now. The man shook his head and said, I apologize for disturbing you two earlier. You two are perfect together. Have a great time! Thanks, Wayne said and seemed to be less upset and more friendly. We will. Thank you, anyways Anna echoed with a smile. After they walked away from the crowd, Anna elbowed Wayne and asked him teasingly with her brows raising, So, were you jealous just now? Wayne wrapped his arms around Annas waist and cradled her in his arms. Then he muttered, Anna, do you have any idea how stunning and beautiful you looked when you were dancing? Do you have any idea that your stunning curves drew a lot of attention earlier in the dance, especially those of the men? Of course, Im jealous! How is it possible that | wont be jealous when other men eye you up and down like that? So, my wife, what are you going to do to make me feel better? Hearing that, Anna froze. Then she burst outughing. What do you expect of me, my dear husband? Waynes voice became husky as he inhaled her lovely scent. He whispered in a maic voice, Let me think. We dont seem to have had a 439 The Bonfire Party good time on our wedding night. And | heard that the waterbed is marvelous in the hotel. We havent yet slept in the bed. | heard that Wayne pressed his lips to Annas earlobe and whispered sensuously into her ear. And Anna felt goosebumps all over her body. How do you know we can use the waterbed in so many different ways? She asked, surprised. | saw the instruction manual on the table, Wayne wrapped his arm around her waist and told her, Come on, lets have fun in the honeymoon suite. We have all night to see whether the waterbed is as magical as the manual describes. By the way, we can see if there will be rainbows here at night. Anna suddenly recalled her wedding joke and couldnt help but pinch his waist and ask, I thought you had long forgotten about it, Wayne. Why did you suddenly bring that up? Well, as long as its concerned about you, | will Ill try my best to remember it, Wayne spoke softly. Anna knew Wayne really meant it and he wasnt just saying it to flirt with her. Youre so sweet, she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Soon, they arrived at the door to their honeymoon suite. As Anna inserted the key card and was about to turn the handle, Wayne suddenly carried her in his arms. Feeling weightless, Anna turned her head, looked at Wayne and asked in surprise, Honey, what are you doing? Without answering her, Wayne opened the door and walked through the living room before entering the bedroom and gently lying her down on bed. Then he started kissing her like crazy. When Wayne was about to take off her clothes, Anna snapped back to her senses and shouted, Honey, wait! We havent drawn the curtains yet! 439 The Bonfire Party Others will see us! Then let them see it. Youre the most beautiful woman in the world. Chapter 441 A Chaotic Trip Chapter 441 A Chaotic Trip Hearing his sweet words, Anna became more turned on. She reached out one hand and tugged at the curtain, and she had to work hard to do so. Wayne soon began kissing Anna and stripping her naked. Then he carried her to the bed and made love to her. Meanwhile, the moonlight shone through the gap in the curtains that loomed on the wall, casting shadows on the wall. As the waterbed shook more and more violently, Anna moaned louder and louder After reaching climax together, Wayne got off Anna, kissing her forehead gently. Anna nestled in his arms as the two of them gazed out of the window at the sea view. Honey, which dream do you want to achieve the most? She asked Wayne. Wayne paused briefly before responding, My dream has juste true. Pm serious. Stop joking around. Anna pinched him. Wayneughed but said nothing. In his arms, Anna said softly, | hope that the kids would be safe and sound, | wont ask them to aplish much, and all | want is for them to be happy. They will be, Wayne said briefly as he didnt want to talk about the kids right now. Anna didnt notice it and continued, Jasper and Lily got divorced. He told me he wants to take Isabe back to the US. 440 A Chaotic Trip Then let him take her away. But Isabe doesnt seem to want to go back to the US. Then let her stay with us. But Wayne rolled over and pinned her down, seriously saying, Honey, this is our honeymoon now. Stop bringing up anyone else. Anna froze, then her gaze became as tender as moonlight. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Peace made it only to the third day of the trip. She stood tiredly at the stairs of the duplexs second floor at noon that day, with heavy dark circles under her eyes. Her gaze darted across the room, from the stairs to the kitchen, as if she had made a significant decision. Finally, she decided to abandon her foolish n to go downstairs for some water. In the living room on the first floor, Isabe and Matthew each sit on a sofa. They were both immersed in ying with theirptops. Martin and Tammy got into a fight and continued to beat each other up. Natalie sat between them and appeared exhausted. She had just dressed up for a romantic date with the cute blond guy from the nearby beach, and she couldnt stand it any longer. Matthew was reading stock market news but was still affected by their fight. He noticed a pillow at his feet after feeling a buzzing in his head. Countless feathers were falling like snowkes throughout the living room at the same time. Behind his sses, Matthew looked at them with cold eyes as if they annoyed him. He obviously did not want to get involved in their argument. Then he brushed the feathers off his shoulders impatiently and continued 440 A Chaotic Trip to stare at theputer screen. After being provoked three times in a row, Matthew could not control himself anymore. He then quickly caught the fourth pillow Natalie threw at him and tossed it back. Natalie was taken aback when she was hit and screamed in terror. Yes! How dare you attack me! It took Isabe a moment to realize there was a big mess around her. Looking up, she thought shed walked into a chicken coop. Isabe closed herptop a second before being hit by the pillow Tammy threw at her. The screen went ck quickly. When she realized she couldnt get a drink of water, Peace became enraged. She returned to the bedroom and pushed Karl, who was still sleeping, out of bed. Karl looked at her in horror. Lets go home! she yelled. Peace needed three coats of foundation to conceal the dark circles under her eyes. And she was enraged when she realized she had been fooled by Wayne and Anna. Those kids are really getting on my nerves! When you guys get back home, Ill get back at you! she muttered as she packed her bags. At the airport, Peace walked faster than everyone else in her high heels. As they exited the airport. Peace turned around and urged Karl impatiently, Can you hurry up? At the moment, Karl had difficulty walking. He was walking with his daughter in his arms and a child in each hand, followed by several other children. As he didnt want to irritate Peace, he had no choice but to nod and try his best to follow Peace. Several minutester, everyone followed Peace to her car. 440 A Chaotic Trip Peace started the car as soon as everyone got in the car. She drove the car so fast out of the airports underground garage that no one dared to. speak. Honey, how about | drive instead? Karl mustered the courage and said. How about you get out of my car? Peace said with rage. Rx, honey. Ill shut up now, With a wry smile, Karl had no choice but to keep silent. The car elerated onto the road and was stopped by a minor traffic jam not far away. It wasnt until then that everyone else besides Peace became relieved. Three dayster, Anna and Wayne cut their trip short and returned to. Ennd to be with Peter before he had the surgery, knowing that Peter wasnt doing well. They stepped off thee at night. Anna walked out of the airport before Wayne, leaving him to wait for the luggage. Standing near the gate, Anna felt the wind that blew toward her and raised the hem of her long navy blue gown. When she turned around, she saw Noel peering out of the car window and desperately waving at her. After picking up their luggage, Wayne left the airport as well. At the sight of Wayne, Noel stepped out of the car to help him with their luggage. He said, Allow me to hold it for you, Mr. Wright. Having handed over the luggage to Noel, Wayne gently sped Annas hand and said softly, Honey, lets go home. Anna had grown ustomed to the change in Wayne and simply 440 A Chaotic Trip nodded and smiled. But this was the first time Noel had heard Waynes gentle voice. He shuddered in response to the shock and dropped the suitcase in his hand. Whats wrong with you? Wayne asked Noel with displeasure. Noel grabbed the trunk and shuddered slightly, his sweat soaking his light blue shirt After they got in the car, Wayne rested his head on Annas shoulder. He frowned slightly, looking exhausted. While driving, Noel tried to drive as smoothly as he could. And he sighed with relief after seeing in the rearview mirror that both appeared to be sleeping. To his surprise, the sudden ringing of a cell phone broke the silence the next second. Wayne took his phone from his jacket pocket while Anna fumbled for her phone from her bag, her eyes still closed. When they saw the caller ID, they exchanged nces and leaned toward the window. Whats up, Karl? Wayne answered the call. With Peters permission, Anna threw a party at the Wrights house early the next morning. Karl and Wayne decided to y a game named Empire Struggle and brought their children to form camps on each side. Their situation quickly became tense. Meanwhile, Peace twisted the drink bottle in her hand, furious at Karl for being a traitor. Try it. Peace. Our chef made it, Anna said as she handed Peace a dessert. Peace rolled her eyes at her and said, You two are indeed business 440 A Chaotic Trip geniuses. You said you were going to take me out to dinner, but you took me here. You knew we would be polite and courteous here for Peters sake. You thought it was a good idea to make Karl a traitor, but you cant fool me. Ill deal with youter. Peace didnt appear as fierce because she was eating her dessert. She stopped eating when she realized Anna was staring at her. Anna said in a pleading tone, Im sorry, Peace. | didnt mean it. Wayne told me he fooled you guys after we arrived at Mauritius. How about I buy you a new limited Chanel bag? Will you forgive me if | do so? No! Then what about two limited Chanel bags? Deal! Chapter 442 Was It Love? Chapter 442 Was It Love? Peace then dashed to the kitchen happily. At the thought that she would have to spend arge sum of money, Anna sighed helplessly. Then she made an OK gesture to Karl, who was busy upying his territory. Then Karl said to Anna gratefully, -Thank you for coaxing Peace for me, Anna. When Peace returned to the living room with the dessert, she heard Karl screaming in agony on the couch. Sitting next to him, Tammy applied a sticker to Martins cheek triumphantly. Martin pouted andined, Youre so bad at the game, Daddy! You kept losing it and Tammy kept putting stickers on my face. Look at my face! Its full of stickers! Please, Wayne, let me win at least for once! Karl begged. He was even more devastated. He had come here to seek justice with Wayne, but he failed once more. Wayne fiddled with Tammys two pigtails. Smiling gently, he said to Karl dismissively, How about we y another game? Peace, who was standing nearby and realizing what had happened, shoved the te into Annas hands and then took a step forward. She then pushed Karl away from the couch and was ready for a tough fight. The moment she sat on the couch, she said to Wayne in a challenging tone, Stop bullying my husband and my son! Let me y with you. Herees our savior, Karl and Martin said at the same time, their eyes twinkling with joy. -441 Was It Love? The battle of the game was intense. Anna left the living room in time to avoid being involved in the fight. She walked across the long, winding corridor to the opposite side of the parlor, where she found Peter and Matthew ying chess. They were both sitting in antique wooden chairs. While Peter was cheerful, Matthew looked solemn. Tammy had grown tired of that game, so she also followed Anna and watched them y chess. Matthew, go this way! Listen to me, Tammy said. She was standing behind Matthew with wide eyes, and she didnt have the patience to wait for him to take his time and make a move. She made the decision for Matthew right away. Staring at the wrong pieces that had fallen on the board, Matthew appeared resigned. Then he turned his head to face Tammy and uttered, Ive already told you Tammy said immediately, interrupting him, I know. You told me to be quiet. But now, | need you to hurry up and finish this game because | have something to say to you. Then it does not count, Great-grandpa, Matthew said to Peter as he wanted to relocate the piece. Now that youve made your move, you dont have the chance to regret your decision, Peter said, holding the folding fan and stopping Matthew. Peter smiled smugly as if he were a child. He was in poor health and appeared sluggish as he leaned back in his chair. His mind, however, was still active. And he finally realized he had a chance to defeat Matthew. Awhileter, Peter won the game. Tammy blinked andmented, Matthew, you were too careless. You couldve defeated great-grandpa. 441 Was It Love? Says the person who made a move without my permission, Matthew said to Tammy in dissatisfaction. Peter said with a smug smile. It appears that | am still the best chess yer in this room. Then he said to Isabe, who was sitting aside, Little girl, its your turn now. Isabe looked up, closed her notebook and showed a smile. She didnt seem as sullen as she was just now. She shooed Tammy from her seat, and then she took a seat across from Peter. With a smug, Isabe said, If | win, Ill be the best chess yer in the room. Jasper taught me how to y chess, after all. Anna froze, then asked Tammy, Isabe seems to be in a bad mood. What happened on your trip to Saipan? Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Tammy chuckled, leaned in close to Annas ear, and told her what happened. She looked through her phone for a moment before handing it to Anna, It was a news app with local news from Birmingham. Anna examined the entire interface and gradually became serious about it. She was meticulous in her search for key information among those news reports. Searching for Miss Thomas in the whole city. Wheres the mysterious and enchanting Miss Thomas? Do you miss your blonde boy as Valentines Day approaches? Alex, an American boy, has been waiting at the airport for three days. He is looking for the girl he loves as Valentines Day approaches. However, the mysterious girl has yet to show up. Do you know Isabe Thomas, who is 18 years old? Please retweet this post to help set the tone for this romantic holiday. On Valentines Day, we will hold a random drawing for a mystery prize. 441 Was It Love? Anna realized that this was a promotional advertisement made by a jewelry store. Frowning, she raised her head, and asked Tammy, Do you believe that Isabe is the girl who is ying chess with your great grandfather? Do you know how many Isabe girls there are in the entire city? It appears to be a marketing ploy devised by businessmen. Seeing that Anna didnt seem to believe her words, Tammy snatched the phone from her grasp, furious at her questioning, She said, | noticed Isabe searching for news the other day, and she appeared upset. You can doubt me, but you should trust Uncle Ryan. He had the same doubts as | do. After hearing her words, Anna froze, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt. She remembered the pale face of a teenager right away. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and the stubble that covered nearly his entire chin gave him a more mature appearance. However, his clear eyes still showed that he was an adolescent. Anna had met him at the airport the other day. Those reporters had a knack for taking pictures, and the photos they chose were very striking. In that photo, the teenage boy looked handsome but lonely. The text next to the image was very romantic, and it was enough to make the girls fall for him. Everyone ate lunch on time, and the atmosphere was dull and solemn. Anna asked cautiously about the battle and discovered that Peace and Wayne were neck and neck. However, because Martins face was obscured by notes, Karl, who was watching the battle, had to fill in. Then, Peace began to crumble. Anna was more concerned with what was going on on the other side. Peter lost three times to Isabe and thus lost the title of chess king. He 44] Was It Love? appeared dissatisfied Maybe you can invite Jasper over someday, and Ill y chess with him, Peter said to Isabe stubbornly after a long time of eating quietly. Okay, Isabe replied I lost to you because I did it on purpose. Il still be the chess king if beat him. Isabe said with a nod, Okay. But, twenty years ago, he was already the national chess champion. After dinner, Anna took Isabe to the living room, saying she needed to talk to her privately. Isabe expected her to say something about chess, but she didnt expect her to pull out her phone and turn on the news page. Isabe sniffled as she avoided Annas probing gaze. There are so many Isabes in the entire city! Do you think its me? She said. If youre honest with me now, | can make things right. If you dont, Il call Jasperter and ask him to investigate it. No! Im telling you right now! Isabes eyes widened in horror as she heard Jaspers name and begged her not to do it. She then took a seat on the couch. After a while of silence, she told Anna what had happened between her and Alex. So, you and Alex are not a couple, but hes got a huge crush on you? Anna looked at Isabe and asked suspiciously. Isabe simply nodded. Then, Anna remembered what had happened and got a headache. She said, Isabe, youre an adult now. If you have feelings for Alex, Jasper and | will not stand in your way. Perhaps you could go meet him. As Isabe looked up again, Anna realized that she was crying. She was trembling while holding Annas hand tightly. Anna felt heartbroken. She knew that Isabe had just turned 18 and was not yet mature enough to understand what she should do. But she appeared obstinate as if she would never change her mind once she had made the decision. Isabe attempted to change and believed she had seeded in letting go of Jasper. Then she ran into Jasper again and found he was divorced. And all of her efforts seemed futile and absurd to her. Anna understood how she felt. Dont worry, dear, III help you solve this, she hugged Isabe tightly and patted her shoulder,forting her ina soft voice. Isabes warm tears fell on Annas shoulders. Still, she tried desperately to stop crying. Then she heard Anna say, Later, Peter will invite you to y chess with him again. Let him win, will you? Youll always be my chess queen, anyways. Having made sure Isabe calmed down, Anna left the house alone. Chapter 443 Stay Away From My Daugh. Chapter 443 Stay Away From My Daugh. Aiter arriving at the airport, Anna parked her car in the parking lot and walked into the airport. However, she didnt find the blond boy she wanted to see. Then Anna asked a waitress at an airport fast food restaurant if she had seen him. The waitress blushed and eximed excitedly, Sorry,dy, you came here an hourte. Hes already gone. | heard he found the girl he was looking for, and he left with this mysterious girl. Several ck cars stopped at the door just now, and a very handsome man invited him ins A gentleman? Yes. He was about forty years old and looked very attractive. The waitress blinked as if lost in a never-ending fantasy. Anna was taken aback. As she realized what had happened, a shiver ran down her spine. She took out her phone and dialed Jaspers number. Jasper answered her call quickly, Anna, whats up? Does Alex happen to be with you right now? Ill take care of this. You dont have to worry about it. Jasper sounded tired. He didnt say much and quickly hung up the phone. Alex couldnt help but look around and realized that he was in an empty parlor. The decor was traditional and solemn, and he couldnt help but feel a shiver running down his spine and be nervous. Sunk in the soft leather sofa, Alex somewhat felt at ease. He was sick 442 Stay Away From My Daugh. of standing around in airports every day. But he remained on high alert. He fixed his attention on the man in the gray suit in front of him: Jasper was tall and in good shape. He frowned as he carefully examined the document and didnt appear to want to be bothered by anyone. Alex had been waiting patiently. After looking up and counting the golden pendants on the crystal chandelier above, he lost all patience. Why did you bring me here? he asked. Jasper had just turned the final page of his paper when Alex asked him the question. With a friendly fake smile on his face, Jasper stood up, leaned back and said to Alex seriously, Alex Jones, | know who you are. Tossing one of the documents in his hand on the coffee table, he continued, Your motheres from France and she works as a doctor. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Your father is American and hes a professor at Columbia University. You have two sisters, one of whom is married to a Russian businessman and the other one is also a doctor. Meanwhile, Jasper threw all the remaining papers in front of Alex. Alex could no longer maintain his calm demeanor. In horror and rage, he stood up and interrupted him, What are you up to? Alex clenched his fists and trembled all over. He had been trying to appear friendly, but his anger was revealed. I know youve practiced boxing, young man. But youd better not be so impulsive. Jasper turned his head to the line of guards at the parlors entrance, his contempt in his eyes challenging Alexs bottom line repeatedly. Alex calmed down, despite his anger. He sat down again and maintained his cool. Jaspers smile faded. He leaned forward, his arms propped up on his. knees, and he appeared as ferocious as a wolf. Im Isabes father. He said calmly. S02 I would not stop my daughter from dating a guy. But what youre doing bothers her, and she doesnt seem to want to see you. If you keep pestering her like this, II do whatever I can to get you out of her hair. Dont pull that dirty trick on Isabe, kid. Youd better get back to your country by tomorrow. Jasper said as he was annoyed by this silly guy. Alex was displeased and wore a defeated expression. He bowed his head, and his fists were tightly clenched. But its Valentines Day tomorrow! Can | stay here another day? In a soft, pleading tone, he asked. No, Jasper said firmly. He rose to his feet, casting a shadow in front of Alex. And the shadow seemed to strangle Alexs neck like a hand, suffocating him. Send him back to the airport. Jasper had left the parlor, but his voice could still be heard in this room. An hourter, a ck sedan arrived in front of a hotel. Jasper sat in the back seat, his cold and angry expression adding to his oppressive appearance. Shall | get someone to escort him to the ne? his assistant asked after a brief moment of thought. Jaspers expression became even colder as he looked out of the window and waved his hand, Thats not necessary. Lets go back. At the same time, Jaspers bodyguards had just escorted Alex back to the airport. But because the airport was crowded and chaotic, he took 442 Stay Away From My Daugh. advantage of the situation and ran away. Alex hurriedly checked into a nearby hotel and thought he was the smartest guy in the world. And he had no idea that Jasper knew where he had been. Isabe had never responded to Alexs messages andter cklisted him. Alex had previously told her he would meet her at the airport, so he didnt dare to go anywhere for fear of missing her. He realized that he couldnt stay at the airport any longer, so he turned to the inte for help. He could only keep sending Isabe friend requests. He knew if Isabes father could find out information about his family members, he would know about his past. Alex had been arrested in police stations several times since he was fourteen. And he was convinced that a man like Jasper would not allow his daughter to date a guy like him, so he was even more upset. As hey in bed and stared at the ceiling, all he could think of was Isabe. She always wore a wide denim jacket with studs and many colorful hairpins on her head. She was a charming girl; he could always spot her in a crowd. Later, Alex dozed off while thinking about it. The next day, Alex woke up with achy muscles all over. When he tried to sit up, he was surprised to find that hisputer screen suddenly lit up. Seeing the message on the screen, he rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasnt dreaming. Having checked a few times, he was sure that Isabe had messaged him, inviting him to meet her. It was Valentines Day, and the streets had been decorated to create a romantic atmosphere throughout the city. Except for Isabe, most pedestrians on the street walked hand in hand. Alex stayed a safe distance away from her. He wanted to be closer to her butcked the courage to do so. Did you irritate your girlfriend, sir? Maybe you could get her a flower *442 Stay Away From My Daugh. bouquet, A girl suddenly tugged on Alexs shirt. She winked and smiled as she lifted the flowers in her hand to the tip of his nose. Sorry! Im allergic to pollen. Alex covered his mouth and sneezed several times before moving the flower away from his nose. Then Isabe took advantage of the situation and fled. Alex ran after her as soon as he realized what had happened. Alex trailed Isabe for a long time as if he would never give up. He made every effort to remain as close to her as possible. As he finally managed to catch up with Isabe, he gave a gentle smile and said aloud, -Are you hungry? Ill treat you to dinner if youre hungry. Tired, Isabe slowed down. She needed to rest. Also, Alex still didnt believe that she was hiding from him at all, and he seemed to enjoy the game. Having no other options, Isabe fixed her hair and said, 111 buy you dinner, and well have a proper conversation. Then Isabe took him to a small restaurant. She ordered what she wanted to eat and gave Alex a bottle of whiskey. Later, the waiter brought them an appetizer and then opened the Whiskey bottle. She poured a ss for Alex first, then asked Isabe if she wanted something to drink. Isabe shook her head and refused. Alex felt strange after smelling a strong burst of alcohol in the bottle. He sniffed the whiskey and took a sip, promptly spit it out. | prefer guys who know how to drink, Isabe said icily. Alex was about to set his ss down at the time. After hearing her words, he frowned and gulped down the whiskey. Then Isabe smiled contentedly and poured him another ss. Ill be gone tomorrow. Alex said. Hed just finished his second ss, his voice tinged with fatigue and sadness. Because he rarely drank, his face gradually flushed. He said calmly, Im aware that your father dislikes me. | wont deny that I have done some stupid things in the past. Isabe blinked and asked warily, Huh? My father? Have you met him? Chapter 444 I Don鈥檛 Want You to Be My Dad Chapter 444 I Dont Want You to Be My Dad Alex nodded and leaned back in his chair. He felt sick when he saw the bowl of kidney pie in front of him. So, he drank another ss. Your father knows everything about my family, so he definitely knows | was arrested because of fighting. His voice became shaky. Then, he buried his head in his palm for a few moments to calm down before raising it again. He poured the fifth ss of wine for himself. Isabe snatched the bottle from his grasp, poured herself a ss, and drank it in one gulp. Did he say anything else? She asked. Isabe felt her blood rush into her brain like boiling water. Her voice became cold, but Alex was so dizzy that he didnt notice it. He said he doesnt mind you dating boys, but he doesnt like me. Alex swayed a few times and appeared to be about to fall. Seeing that, Isabe snatched Alexs ss from his grasp as he closed his eyes and fumbled with it on the table. She drank the ss for him, followed by two more. Her pale face had also turned red. Please call a cab for me, please, Isabe said to the waitress as she drank thest of her wine and wiped her mouth. She got up, but her body was shaking. It took her a moment to stand still. As she looked at Alex lying on his back in a chair, half of his body almost under the table, Isabe was worried. Hey, get up, She hit him gently on the shoulder and said. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Alex grunted, waved away her hand, then fell to the floor with a Alex nodded and leaned back in his chair. He felt sick when he saw the bowl of kidney pie in front of him. So, he drank another ss. Your father knows everything about my family, so he definitely knows | was arrested because of fighting. His voice became shaky. Then, he buried his head in his palm for a few moments to calm down before raising it again. He poured the fifth ss of wine for himself. Isabe snatched the bottle from his grasp, poured herself a ss, and drank it in one gulp. Did he say anything else2 She asked. Isabe felt her blood rush into her brain like boiling water. Her voice became cold, but Alex was so dizzy that he didnt notice it. He said he doesnt mind you dating boys, but he doesnt like me. Alex swayed a few times and appeared to be about to fall. Seeing that, Isabe snatched Alexs ss from his grasp as he closed his eyes and fumbled with it on the table. She drank the ss for him, followed by two more. Her pale face had also turned red. Please call a cab for me, please, Isabe said to the waitress as she drank thest of her wine and wiped her mouth. She got up, but her body was shaking. It took her a moment to stand still. As she looked at Alex lying on his back in a chair, half of his body almost under the table, Isabe was worried. Hey, get up, She hit him gently on the shoulder and said. Alex grunted, waved away her hand, then fell to the floor with a 443 | Dont Want You to Be My thud Isabe attempted to help Alex to get up, but he was so tall and heavy that she couldnt even get him to move. She was almost unable to stand after several attempts. rll pay you if you help me get him up. Isabe patted the waitress on the shoulder. The waitress was wide-eyed as if she had seen a ghost. She was taken aback and pointed behind Isabe. Bring him to the car. Isabes hand remained on the waitresss shoulder, squeezing it in shock. After breaking free of her grip, the waitress let out a startled cry and dashed behind the counter. Whats wrong? Why dont you look at me? From behind her, she heard a gentle voice. Isabe didnt look back, but she could imagine how Jasper appeared at the time. Hed be dressed sharply, with his tie undone and the first button of his shirt undone. Hed be looking at her with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. Isabe was struggling to keep her cool. She turned around and smiled, realizing that her assumptions had been correct. Jasper, she greeted him. allright, lets go back home. Jasper attempted to take Isabes hand, and she dodged. He didnt feel awkward and simply raised his hand to his assistant, who was following him, and said, Take him to the hospital. Ill drive back home myself. Ill go with you, Isabe said as she followed the assistant out the door. After she got into the assistants car, Jasper yanked her down and 443 | Dont Want You to Be My said, No. Youreing home with me. Isabe sat in the passenger seat, struggling a few times before getting a headache. She gradually felt dizzy and then lost consciousness. In his Bugatti, Jasper focused on driving while Isabe scratched him like and scratched a few red marks on his muscr chest. She then began to babble incoherently. Why did you eat all my cookies? You son of a biscuit! Ah! Give me back my head! Wheres my head? Where the hell is my head? Jasper felt resigned as Isabe finally let go of him and began to cry loudly. She appeared to be going through a difficult time. Her big beautiful brown eyes were filled with tears as she looked up, and her cheeks had turned rose colored as she drank too much whisky. After a brief hesitation, she sniffled and wiped her nose on Jaspers suit. Isabe! Stop it! Jasper couldnt hold back his rage anymore. But before he blew off steam, she leaned back in her seat and fell asleep. An hourter, he drove back to his mansion. A maid opened the door for him as soon as he stopped his car. Jasper mmed the door open. His hair was slightly unkempt, and his shirt was on the verge of falling off. As he stepped out of the car, he quickly removed his suit jacket and tossed it to the ground. Nobody had any idea what was going on. Sarah, the maid, bent down to pick up the jacket. Jasper turned back, waved his hand and said, Never mind. Just throw it away. After throwing away the jacket, the maid returned and saw Jasper 443 | Dont Want You to Be My carrying Isabe out of the car. Jaspers hurried steps came to a halt as he stepped onto the second floor and felt a warm breath slowly creep down his spine. Isabe swayed on his shoulder and said, Im so drunk! Why is the world spinning around? She said as she wrapped her arms around him. Her breath sprayed into his ear, making his heart begin the race, and his body began to heat up. After sending Isabe back to her room to rx, Jasper took a cold shower in the bathroom. The little girl he rescued from the ind had grown into a mature woman all these years. He sensed that it was time to keep his distance from her. But just as he was thinking this, here came another trouble. He had just exited the bathroom when Lisa, a maid, approached him and said, I finished bathing Isabe, but she refused to take the antidote. Im at a loss for what to do because she keeps crying and fussing. Why dont you go see her, Mr. Thomas? Okay, | will check on her. Jasper then went to Isabes room. The moment he opened the door, he saw Isabe, who was dressed in her nightgown and lying on the bed. After shutting the door, Jasper walked toward Isabe and helped her tidy her hair. At the time, Isabe felt that the alcohol burned through her like a me. She felt like she was dreaming and thought she had soft ice on her brow. She instinctively grabbed it and tried to ce it in the warmest part of her body. Its scorching. She murmured sadly. Jasper was stunned as Isabe grabbed his hand and reached for her breast. Her breasts heaved up and down with her jumbled breathing, and 443 | Dont Want You to Be My she wore a thin champagne-colored silk nightgown. He then withdrew his hand with difficulty. Suddenly, he thought of what she said to her at Annas wedding as he broke her grip~Im a grown-up. Isabe, who had lost her ice, whimpered like a child robbed of a beloved toy. She said, You are not my father! | dont have a father! Why did you choose to adopt me? | dont want to be your adopted daughter, and | dont want you to be my father Chapter 445 Forbidden Love Chapter 445 Forbidden Love Isabes tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke, and her tears left stains on the beige sheets. As he watched this, Jasper became flustered. He regretted that he hade to check on Isabe. So, he stood up and attempted to get out of the room as soon as possible. However, hed just taken a step when she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the edge of the bed. Her soft brown hair brushed against his shoulder the next second. Her warm, pink lips came up to his, along with the faint odor of alcohol. It felt familiar to him. What surprised him the most was that he did not feel ufortable as Isabe touched him. He felt an unusual emotion that he had never felt before surging in his heart at that time. Stop, Isabe! Jasper had to force himself to calm down and stop her. He ducked away, and her lips brushed against his ear. Unwilling to let him go, Isabe hugged him tightly and rested her head on his shoulder. She took off half of his robe, and she felt their hearts beat separately through the thin clothes. For a brief moment, Jaspers seemingly imprable defenses were shaken. But, it was only for a brief moment. Suddenly, there was the sound of a ss breaking outside the door. Jasper and Isabe both looked up and saw Lisa standing in the rooms doorway with an empty tray looking at them in astonishment. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The sound of the broken ss saved Jasper from his impending mental breakdown. Isabe also appeared to havee back to her senses a bit unexpectedly. She squinted unhappily toward the doorway ;444 Forbidden Love and saw Lisas shocked expression. She muttered softly as her eyelids became heavy, Im thirsty. Give me some water. Jasper then ced Isabe on the bed. He returned his gaze to Lisa, and he appeared to be upset. Please have Sarah bring another ss of water. Lisa shuddered nervously and then dashed away. Jasper eventually left the room as well. His phone rang a few times before he hung up. Later, his assistant had to text him to remind him: Sir, the Manhattan office wants to have a video conference with you about project financing. Theyve been waiting for you for quite some time. Exhausted, Jasper sat in his office chair in the study. He started the video conference after a few sips of coffee. However, he abruptly suspended and postponed the meeting halfway through. After that, he lit a cigarette in the dark. The strong odor of smoke permeated the air, and the smoke obscured his vision. Isabe was hungover the next day and slept until noon. Sarah brought her lunch at noon. And Isabe ate a few bites absent mindedly before falling asleep again. She had a hazy recollection of what happened the night before, and those disconnected memories continued to irritate her nerves. So, before Jasper returned to her room, she resolved to quietly sneak back to Annas house. Jasperter offered to take Isabe back to Manhattan several times, but she declined each time. And Anna dealt with him for her the whole time. During the same period of time, Andrew took care of Mona discreetly every day. Knowing how worried he was, Anna let her take early maternity 444 Forbidden Love leave. As a result, Anna had to take over Monas job when she left thepany. And Anna was taking her lunch break to negotiate an order when Andrew called to tell her that Mona had been in an ident. After rushing to the hospital, Anna approached Andrew, who was crouching on the floor along the long corridor and facing the hospitals operating room doors with heavy steps. His hands were folded across his, brow, and his eyes were tightly shut. He clenched his teeth, and his curved spine made him look fatigued. Andrew? Are you alright? Anna asked with concern. Andrew raised his bloodshot eyes to her, appearing tired and worried. Ina hoarse voice, he murmured, Mona told me she wanted a cake from a bakery near the hospital, and | promised to get it for her after the checkup was done. | was only gone only for a few minutes and now, she was in the operating room. At this point, Andrew buried his head in his palm again. He couldnt say anymore and began to whimper. Anna had never seen Andrew be like this before, so she felt worried. Then a doctor opened the door to the operating room and came out, asking, Is Monas family here? Andrew froze, stood up quickly, and said, | am her husband. We need you to sign the paper. Its an urgent situation. Okay. Andrew paused for a moment before picking up the pen. Anna noticed that his hand was trembling as he signed. As the doctor went back into the operating room, Andrew nearly copsed on the floor. He had never felt that time could pass so slowly. 444 Forbidden Love About two hourster, when the door to the operating room was reopened, he didnt even dare to stand up. He only dared to raise his. bloodshot eye to see the crowd of doctors and nurses exiting the operating room. As he approached them, the doctor said to Andrew with a serious expression, Your wife gave birth to a daughter. But she is too weak and must be admitted to the hospital. Because the baby is also in poor health, we will admit her to the intensive care unit for three days of observation. Andrew appeared to have lost all strength after hearing the doctors words. Then he sobbed loudly. Three dayster, Andrews daughter was moved from the intensive care unit to the general ward. Andrew, a first-time father, no longer had to see his daughter through a ss enclosure. Uncle Andrew, rx. Even though she has two children, my mother does not get as agitated as you do, Tammy said, trying tofort Andrew. Anna was sitting beside Monas bed, serving chicken soup, when she said, Tammy, when you were born, you were roughly her size. How do you know | wasnt agitated? Did you? Not really, Anna replied, raising her brows in thought. Mona couldnt stop coughing after a sip of soup. When she coughed, she felt all of her muscles hurt, as did the surgical incision. She couldnt drink the soup anymore because she was sweating from the pain. Seeing that, Andrew was extremely nervous. He hadnt slept in days, lost a lot of weight, and the dark circles under his eyes were noticeable. He couldnt bear the pain for Mona, no matter how worried he was. In his 444 Forbidden Love panic, he was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Mona smiled and said to him, The doctor has given mea new prescription. Why dont you go get it for me, darling? Andrew was relieved to learn that there was something for him to do, so he immediately exited the ward. As she watched his figure vanish through the wards door, Mona stopped smiling and then said to Anna seriously, Someone pushed me downstairs. She gripped the sheet so tightly that her nails irritated her palms. And she couldnt stop trembling with fear. Mona remembered seeing a woman in a hat and a ck coat in the narrow stairwell. As she was pushed down, the woman whispered, Go to hell! In thest few days, Mona had frequently awoken from that recurring image in her dreams. As she awoke and looked out of the window, she felt a chill running down her spine. Anna, she did it on purpose! She pushed me on purpose. Mona forced herself to remember the scene, which was incredibly painful. After a brief while, she continued, I was on my way upstairs to the dector fora medical exam when I ran into her at the stairwell. She and | moved way for each other several times, but she still got in my way. Then, she gave me a hard stare and pushed me down. Monas words sent shivers down Annas spine, and she frowned tightly. She then pulled out her phone and asked, Why didnt you call the police? Mona snatched her phone away as Anna had just dialed two numbers. She said, No! Andrew is nervous right now, and | cant tell him about this. Im afraid hell make an impulsive decision after knowing it. Anna thought about Monas words and realized she had a point. After 444 Forbidden Love that, she left the room, found the hospitals security guard, and copied the surveince video that day. Late at night, while Anna was reviewing surveince video on herputer, Wayne hugged her tightly from behind her. Anna was briefly distracted by the smell of his fresh body wash, but she quickly recovered. She removed his hand from her dress. Lets go to bed, honey, Saying that, Wayne continued to rub his head against Annas thigh. Anna felt tingling all over, but as she struggled, she identally kicked his crouch. In pain, Wayne fell off the other end of the couch. After a while of struggling, he got up from the floor, clearly upset. Anna held back augh and asked, Does it hurt? Does it still function properly? I dont know. Youll know itter. He then pounced on the bed and pressed up against Anna. Ouch! My hair! Take it slow! Chapter 446 Group fight Chapter 446 Group fight Andrew was always nervous after that ident happened to Mona. As a result, Anna also granted him a long vacation, allowing him to focus on being at home with his wife and child. So, Anna had to put more effort into managing Lemon. Every day, she ran back and forth between the hospital and the office and lost some weight. One day, she organized information in the office as it was almost time to leave work. Then Julia, her new assistant, rushed to the door and eximed, Oh, no! The workers are fighting on the shop floor! Hearing that, Anna went there right away. As soon as she arrived there, she found that therge workshop was crowded, with many people yelling and cursing. A group of people huddled together in the middle of the open space. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. More than ten people were wrestling in the center of the crowd, trampling the garment parts scattered everywhere on the ground Who is the director here? Who?! Anna screamed. The crowd came to a halt and stared at her. People who had just wrestled together reluctantly separated as well. Then a middle-aged man in the crowd approached her slowly and said, | am the director of the workshop. What Anna found incredible was that this man had just fought the most viciously in the group fight. He appeared to be strong, but he had been injured during the battle. And he approached Anna with a limp. Anna asked angrily, Are you the director here? Andrew told me before that you are hardworking and responsible, which is why he appointed you to this position. Hes on vacation, so you dont want to work either, right? Davids face flushed as he heard Annas words. He sighed as if he needed to say something. This is not Davids fault! They started it all! A man in the crowd said, and he sounded pretty young, Anna returned her gaze in that direction and noticed a young man walking out of the crowd. He was slim and had several bruises on his face as if he had just been hit hard. Shut up, James! David eximed loudly. James then stopped and retreated back into the crowd. Anna realized that things werent as simple as they appeared. She said, taking a deep breath and waving to James, I believe Andrew. So, Im giving you the opportunity to tell me the truth. Didnt you say David was correct? So whos to be med for the chaos? James hesitated whether or not to say anything. Hed been at Lemon for five years but had never met Anna. He said this because he was certain David did nothing wrong. Them! He turned around and pointed at the group of people that had just fought. Bullshit! Ill beat you up againter! After being used by James, these people appeared enraged. Some people clenched their fists as if they were about to start fighting again. James ducked back, knelt to pick up a few broken pieces from the floor, and walked to Anna. Im the quality inspector, and this is the cor of the school uniform they made today. We agreed to sew two hems and hide all raw edges. However, these cors have not only one edge sewed, but also a lot of empty stitches. The stitches were crooked and hideous. 445 Group fight When | asked them to redo it, they began hitting me. he exined. Anna noticed that James had visible bruises on both arms when he handed over the evidence. She examined the cors before tossing the ones stomped on with shoe marks into the trash. Which ones? she asked, looking around indifferently. James stood beside her, pointing at those people in the crowd. As she wiped the dust from her hands, Anna said firmly, Julia, fire them. Tell the finance department to settle their sriester, and dont allow them toe here again! Why do you fire us? Why do you only believe what he says? You cant treat us this way! An angry woman said. She was skinny, as if she hadnt eaten in a long time. However, she spoke very loudly and appeared hostile and aggressive. She didnt seem to be the type to be easily bullied. Anna was ready to leave at that point. She then returned, raised her eyebrows, and said thoughtfully, I almost forgot about that. Julia, ask finance to calcte the cost of todays facility closure and deduct it from their pay. Everyone began to murmur. Anna said as she looked around the room, The quality control workers are responsible for pointing out mistakes, and they tend to offend workers. If you dont like them, you should leave. If this happens again, | will Before Anna could finish her sentence, she heard a woman yell, b***h! Shut the f**k up! A plump woman rushed out from behind the crowd toward Anna. Anna almost lost her ability to think when she noticed that shiny scissors getting closer to her. At that moment, however, she still wondered which of her words had offended this woman. 445 Group fight At that critical moment, a man rushed toward Anna and pushed her out of the way a second before the scissors struck her. Then Annanded on her ankle and sprained it. The situation was starting to spiral out of control. James caught her from behind when the woman attacked Anna again while David grabbed her scissors. James let out a painful groan amid the chaos. & Cal ling all readers! Every click on this link counts towards funding more chapters. Help us publish additional content by clicking the ads link.^j Anna! Anna turned around when she heard the voice and saw Isabe darting towards her. She was followed by a dozen strong security guards. The crowd became agitated, and more people attempted to attack Anna. The security guards immediately stopped all of them and saved Anna in the midst of the chaos. At the same time, Isabe helped Anna up and exhaled deeply. Shed just walked in when she noticed a woman grabbing scissors and attempting to stab Anna. The consequences would have been severe if the woman had not tripped and fallen on someone else. James face was pale, and his light blue work uniform was bloodstained. David brought cloth scraps to stop the bleeding and tightened the band around his shoulder. James pale face turned purple. Thank you very much, James, Anna said. Its okay. Im fine, James said, unable to hide his pain. His face was tense as if he was about to pass out. Julia is on her way to the car. Ill take James to the hospital, David. He was hurt because of me, and | will be responsible for him. When Anna got home after leaving the hospital, the first thing she did was take a shower, She heard the bathroom door open unexpectedly. 445 Group fight When she saw Wayne walk in, she covered herself and turned toward the door. Wayne was dressed in a white shirt, He was holding his suit jacket in one hand and the doorknob in the other. He appeared to be flustered. He asked, Did you get hurt? Chapter 447 Don鈥檛 Be Afraid Chapter 447 Dont Be Afraid Wayne sighed as he looked at Anna lying in the bathtub. Anna was lyingfortably in the bathtub at the time. She was wearing a facial mask and had a ss of red wine next to her. Except for one of her gauze-wrapped feet, which was ced on the edge of the tub, every cell in her body was enjoying the bath. She didnt look like an injured person in any way. Ah! Why did youe in suddenly? Anna mmed the towel in her hand against him. Wayne frequently used his memory loss as an excuse to. do many strange things, and Anna had put up with it. The towelnded on Wayne and fluttered to the floor. He bent down and picked it up before approaching Anna slowly. Let me help you. He said. Wayne had just finished having a meeting when Noel told him about the ident Anna had at work. He rushed to the hospital and discovered that she had just left. He then quickly returned home. On the way home, he felt anxious, as if a fire was burning in his heart. Nothing could prevent him from seeing his wife. Wayne couldnt exin why he was constantly losing his mind because of Anna. However, a subconscious within him continued to tell him what to do. Anna refused to mention what he had forgotten, but he somewhat had a blurred idea about what had happened. In an attempt to avoid him, Anna leaned back. On the other hand, Wayne took her arm in his hand and carefully wiped her body. Wayne. Anna muttered. Wayne sighed as he looked at Anna lying in the bathtub. Anna was lyingfortably in the bathtub at the time. She was wearing a facial mask and had a ss of red wine next to her. Except for one of her gauze-wrapped feet, which was ced on the edge of the tub, every cell in her body was enjoying the bath. She didnt look like an injured person in any way. Ah! Why did youe in suddenly? Anna mmed the towel in her hand against him. Wayne frequently used his memory loss as an excuse to. do many strange things, and Anna had put up with it. The towelnded on Wayne and fluttered to the floor. He bent down and picked it up before approaching Anna slowly. Let me help you. He said. Wayne had just finished having a meeting when Noel told him about the ident Anna had at work. He rushed to the hospital and discovered that she had just left. He then quickly returned home. On the way home, he felt anxious, as if a fire was burning in his heart. Nothing could prevent him from seeing his wife. Wayne couldnt exin why he was constantly losing his mind because of Anna. However, a subconscious within him continued to tell him what to do. Anna refused to mention what he had forgotten, but he somewhat had a blurred idea about what had happened. In an attempt to avoid him, Anna leaned back. On the other hand, Wayne took her arm in his hand and carefully wiped her body. Wayne. Anna muttered. 446 Dont Be Afraid He was surprisingly quiet, and after rubbing her back, he quietly began to rub her sprained leg. Whats the matter? She couldnt help but wonder because she was itching all over her body. | panicked and became scared when Noel said something happened to you. He had been separated from her for five years because of his foolish mistakes. The disappointment of waiting would creep into his dreams every night. Although he no longer remembered these details, he remembered the sensation, It was a bone-chilling pain, he recalled. Wayne lowered his gaze to the ground. He always hated to show his vulnerability. His voice was bing increasingly low, and it was clear that he was having difficulty saying what he had just said. However, Anna was moved by him. Ill be there for you at all times. She spoke softly. Someone then began knocking on the bedroom door. The sound was like cold water, extinguishing their burning desire. Wayne and Anna both opened their eyes and looked at each other. And the atmosphere began to shift from romantic to subtly awkward. The person at the door kept knocking as if they insisted on seeing them immediately. Who is it? Anna yelled at the door. She then kept her gaze fixed on the bathroom door, not looking Wayne in the eyes. Its me, Tammy! At this point, Wayne was embarrassed and upset. All he wanted to do at the time was made love to Anna in the tub, but their daughter had to see them at this moment. 446 Dont Be Afraid Whats up, Tammy? Lets talk about that tomorrow. Mommy had a very long day. Anna said with a deliberate yawn. No! | have to say it now! | persuaded Great-Grandpa to let him go to the hospital tomorrow to prepare for the operation over dinner. But now hes changed his mind and refuses to go no matter what. Matthew cant even do anything about it. Anna patted Waynes shoulder as she heard this, I really need to get over there. Put me down now, honey. Wayne still clung to her, irritated. Youreing with me as well. After finishing her words, Anna wriggled to free herself from his grasp. Wayne had topromise and carefully ce her uninjured foot down because she was injured. Anna stood up and stepped on her slippers to reach the bath towel on a nearby shelf. But then she slipped and leaned back. Ahi Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Ina panic, Anna reached out to grab something but identally yanked on Waynes belt. As a result, Anna and Wayne jumped into the tub together, making a big ssh. Tammy heard a noise from inside the door, frowned, and rapped on it, asking, Are you guys okay? Im fine! Anna replied hesitantly. Early the next morning, Anna drove Peter to the hospital, although he didnt really want to do so. They finally decided on a surgery date. He was supposed to spend some time in the hospital before the surgery. The doctor examined him thoroughly and found all his vital signs normal. However, Peter always told the doctor that he was too dizzy to get 446 Dont Be Afraid all out of bed. Everyone knew he was faking it but was too embarrassed to say anything about it. At the moment, Peter was lying in bed, not feeling well but looking good. Tammy sat in a chair beside his bed, ying a game on her iPad. Why dont you talk to me, Tammy? Peter asked her. What do you want to talk to me about, Great-grandpa? Tammy asked, not raising her head. What are you doing? Im ying a doctor-themed game. When | grow up, | want to be a doctor like Mommy and discover cures for your fears, Tammy spoke in a firm tone when she was still ying the game. Fears about what? Tammy nodded and said, My mommy told me that you refused to have the surgery because you were afraid. But Im still hoping youll be brave. Mommy said theres a good chance the surgery will be sessful, and it will allow you to live longer. That way, youll be able to attend my medical school graduation ceremony. Im not scared at all! Peter coughed softly. The afternoon after Tammy left, Peter unexpectedly agreed to cooperate with the doctor with all of the pre-surgery preparations. He also asked the doctor if he could have the surgery earlier because he wanted to spend more time with his great-grandchildren. On the day of the surgery, the doctor dressed Peter in a hospital gown. Peter abruptly grabbed Annas hand as she stood there silently watching. His pale fingers rubbed her palm, warming it. Anna, Im an old man now. | was never afraid of anything when I was younger, so Im surprised Im afraid of death now. Peters voice was low 446 Dont Be Afraid and slightly trembled Anna immediately burst into tears and clutched his hand, Rest assured, Grandpa. The operation will be a sess. You will be there for Matthew and Tammy when they grow up. Annas words moved Peter deeply. As his family grewrger over time, he became increasingly afraid of death. He could spend time with his great-grandchildren, which made him very happy. He was, however, very depressed as he was always under the impression that this would notst and that he would have to say goodbye to it all one day. Thank you very much, Anna, Peter nodded slightly and said. Chapter 448 Strange Accidents Chapter 448 Strange idents Anna stayed with Peter until he reached the operating room door. Peters hand gradually separated from hers as the door closed. When their hands were entirely apart, she heard him thank her again in husky tones. At that moment, Anna felt like she couldnt breathe. She thought of some simr images as she looked at the light turned on in front of the operating room door. As she almost passed out, a pair of warm hands sped her cold ones. Anna rxed as she realized that it was Wayne. She clutched his hand tightly, drawing greedily on the security he gave her. Grandpa thinks that our family would not be this happy without you, Anna. Wayne sounded tired, but he still exined to Anna why Peter had thanked her before entering the operating room. They stood outside the operating room, both feeling like time had stopped. Anna leaned against Waynes shoulder, recounting things that happened in the past. The first time | officially met you, my hair became entangled in your button in the elevator. And you assumed I had done it on purpose. ..You were jealous that Tammy and Scott were close and convinced him to sign a contract with your entertainmentpany. She told Wayne some amusing or heartwarming stories, and heughed as he listened. The operating room door mmed open muchter. Henry was pacing nervously in the doorway. He was the first to 447 Strange idents approach the doctor and grab his arm, asking, How did the surgery go? The doctor removed his mask, smiled, and said, Dont worry, the operation went well. The patient is still unconscious and will need to be hospitalized for a few days. You must take good care of him, and the other doctors will speak with you about the dos and dontster. Anna grabbed the hem of Waynes suit as soon as the door to the operating room opened. She breathed a sigh of relief only after hearing the doctors words. Its allright, Wayne, Anna said to Wayne. Peter was already an elderly man, so his recovery from the operation was rtively slow. When the doctor arrived, he said that Peter was not fully awake. He had indirect breathing problems and needed to stay in bed for a while longer. Tammy and Matthew went to see Peter in the hospital after school and sat by his bedside. Tammy then fell asleep on Matthews shoulder, so Anna let Wayne drive them home. Anna stayed there until the early morning hours. After that, Henry kept urging her to return home and rest, so she did When Anna returned home, she found that Wayne had fallen asleep. He was sleeping soundly and appeared to be having a sweet dream. Anna sat on the edge of the bed and couldnt stop herself from kissing his cheek. In thest few days, Wayne hadnt gotten much sleep. And Anna could tell he was worried about his grandfather even though he didnt say anything about it. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Youre back, honey. Wayne said to Anna in a gentle, low voice that seemed to melt in the air. Then he stroked Annas waist. He reached out ;447 Strange idents and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Gradually, Anna fell asleep soundly in Waynes arms. After a long time, she was awakened by her phone ring. She picked up the phone. And she felt her blood boil in an instant after hearing Henrys words. Somethings happened to Peter! Immediately after hanging up, Anna woke Wayne up and told him what happened. In no time, they got into a white car whichter whistled down the street. Anna sat in the passenger seat, her thoughts racing. Meanwhile, Wayne was driving and appeared to be calm and collected, but the traces of sweat on the steering wheel indicated that he was also nervous He has been in aa for far too long due to ack of oxygen in his brain. The good news is that we discovered it just in time., The doctor said to Anna and Wayne after they reached the hospital. Anna was standing in the hospital gallery for the second time that day. She was in a trance, her hands gripping the hem of Waynes shirt tightly. She listened to the doctor, but her brain seemed to be unable toprehend what he was saying. How is he doing now? She asked. He has some brain tissue necrosis. Weve done everything we can to save him, so his life is not in danger right now. However, we have no idea when he will awaken. That means Hes turned into a vegetable. The doctors words exploded like a bomb in Waynes head, destroying ;447 Strange idents hisst sanity. He was in pain and couldnt control himself. At the same time, Henry was barely able to stand by holding on to the wall. He sat down on his knees after hearing the doctors words and yelled ina broken voice, Peter! Im sorry! | shouldnt have fallen asleep. They wouldnt have been able to harm you otherwise! He continued to sob, his voice hoarse. Hearing that, Wayne became aware of something and asked Henry, What exactly do you mean? Who harmed Grandpa? Peter exined, I didnt see what he looked like because he was wearing a mask and hat. At 3:20 a.m., he crept into the ward and unplugged Peters oxygen tube. Ive made a copy of the surveince video for you to give to the police. Then Peter ced the sh drive in Annas palm and gave her hand a firm shake. Before calling the police, Anna showed Ryan the surveince video, which included footage of Mona being pushed down the stairs. She had a nagging sense of unease. What had happened recently had been too strange and frequent for her to believe it was all a coincidence. Mona had been pushed down the stairs by an unknown woman, and Peters oxygen tube had been removed by a strange man. And then, Anna recalled what had happened that day when she was in the office. She hadnt told anyone else about it, and she could tell those women wanted tokill her. Anna got a headache just thinking about it. Something else was going to happen, she had a feeling. Isabe made a sandwich and set it on Annas desk. She said, You cant just sleep at work every day because of work. Theres a lot going on at the hospital as well, and you have to work the night shift. Working so much is bad for your health. Anna took the tuna sandwich and ate it. She continued to look up the file while she ate. Realizing that Anna wanted to continue working, Isabe asked worriedly, Why dont you resign from the hospital? No way. Anna refused immediately because she had put in too much effort for this job. She couldnt give up now that shede this far. Besides, she didnt think things were all that bad right now. I have another thought, she said. What? Isabe sat across from Anna, one hand on her chin. Come to Lemon and help me work, Anna said as she finished thest bite of her sandwich. What?! Isabe asked and widened her eyes in surprise. Chapter 449 Blood for Blood Chapter 449 Blood for Blood Isabe went to Wrights house a few dayster with the information she had discovered. After walking into the living room, Isabe said to Anna, I asked Julia to look up the information for those fired employees. And here are the files. Anna raised her head and carefully read each piece of information. Her expression gradually became serious. Most of them are not local, and all of them have only been here for a month. Anna quickly realized what was going on. Isabe nodded and said, Most of the workers in the workshop are women from the countryside. During their weekly shifts, they return home to care for their families. | also looked into our previous hiring records. Over the years, we havent recruited as many people from outside the town as we have this month. Anna nodded and asked, Who recruited them? Michael. He has been with us for many years, and Mona said you agreed to let him work here. He had beenid off before he worked here, and his mother was seriously ill and in desperate need of money. You hired him because you thought he was reliable and hardworking Anna pondered it for a while, but she couldnt remember this man. However, she had a bad feeling after learning that fact. Then she asked, And wheres him now? Isabe pursed her lips and said, He left the next day after the ident happened and only told Paul, the head of HR, that he was leaving. 448 Blood for Blood Paul didnt stop him because he has had conflicts with him. Anna was not surprised about this. She frowned tightly, her jumbled thoughtsplicating her confused mind. Having collected her thoughts, she said, Please tell Paul to my office tomorrow at 12:35 p.m. Gotit. Isabe closed the file, but she appeared worried. The more she looked into it, the more she realized something was wrong. Anna patted Isabe on the shoulder as she realized that and said, Youre just 18, but youre efficient and dependable. With you around, | can save myself lot of trouble. Isabe shrugged with a resigned expression on her face, Dont think thatplimenting me will make me happy. | wouldnt have agreed if you were not so busy recently. In any case, you owe me a big favor. The next day at 12:35 p.m, Paul, the personnel director, went to Annas office. Paul was around thirty years old. He was tall, wore ck rimmed sses, and appeared alittle dull. Anna put Micheals file in front of Paul and asked, Why didnt you tell me about Micheals leaving? Although you are in charge of thepanys personnel, you should be aware of these issues. Paul pushed up his sses and looked clueless about it. When he thought about the whole thing, he also found it strange. Then he uttered, When Micheal called me and told me he was resigning, | was puzzled. | asked him to follow thepanys handover procedures, but he said he had requested to leave a month before. |ter checked my email and discovered that he had submitted his resignation request a long time ago. Paul frowned and continued, And heres the strange thing: | never 448 Blood for Blood: saw this application. | wanted to ask him some questions, but he simply hung up the phone. I called himter, only to find that he blocked my number. Hearing Pauls exnation, Anna was even more convinced that Micheal was aware of everything happening. She rxed and asked calmly, Ive heard you and Michael dont get along. Could you exin why? Paul studied Annas expression before finally saying, Micheal has been with thepany for a long time, and he ims you hired him as the director of recruitment for the shop floor staff. Ive only worked here for two years, but my position is higher than his. He was enraged and continued to make things difficult for me. Because of this, | didnt get along with him. How did he make things difficult for you? Lam only in charge of thepanys internal personnel; the recruitment of shop floor workers is under my charge. Michael has recruited many of his own rtives over the years. Most of them have no idea what theyre doing, but they get special treatment here. Many workers came toin, and | was in charge of responding to them. It wasnt until then that Anna finally recalled who Michael was. A few years ago, she was having dinner at a restaurant alone, and a couple sitting at the next table got into a fight. She didnt pay attention to them, but she knew they both had beenid off from their conversation. She forgot her wallet when she left, and the man at the next table brought it to her. That person was Michael. At that point, Anna handed him a business card and told him he could work for herpany. Anna reflected on it and became frustrated. Micheal appeared tired from trying to make a living at the time, but he still returned the wallet containing arge sum of money to Anna. The honest man she 448 Blood for Blood remembered was nothing like the image Paul described While she was recalling, the office door unexpectedly opened, and Julia dashed in. She said many things, but she didnt describe what happened. However, Anna realized that there was a new trouble. Where? She stood up and walked out the door to the office. Down the hall, Julia said as she followed her. Julia told Anna what had happened on the way downstairs. A previously fired employee and arge crowd were protesting downstairs. They were holding signs that said thepany was earning profiteering without regard for human life. At this time, a crowd had gathered downstairs. Some were carrying wooden signs that said Blood for blood. Some carried banners, while others wore red bandanas around their necks. When Anna arrived downstairs, she noticed Isabe attempting to calm everyone down. Amid the commotion, her frail figure appeared weak and fragile. She tried to raise her voice, but the chanting around her drowned out her words. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Isabe! Anna yelled, stopping Isabe as she was about to take more steps forward. She knew what was going on in the next second. Lemon treats our life like s**t! Give me my health back! Scumbags! Pay blood for blood! A group of people held banners and wooden signs with various slogans, led by a middle-aged man with a megaphone who yelled Lemon Clothing, Blood for Blood. Whenever he yelled something, dozens of people would follow him. The scene was horrifying. 448 Blood for Blood Anna paused for a moment, realizing that the group did not appear to be stopping. She went straight to the middle-aged man in front of the crowd and grabbed the megaphone from his grasp. She took a few steps back before the man realized what was happening. If youre here to settle things, send a representative to deal with me! Anna yelled, holding up the speaker. She mmed the megaphone out of her hand after saying that. And the horn made an ear- splitting noise and fell to pieces on the ground. The crowd finally fell silent, and they then started whispering. A middle-aged man in short blue sleeves stood in the center of the crowd. He was short but had strong limbs. After a brief discussion with the group, he stepped out of the crowd and said to Anna, Ill talk to you. Chapter 450 Everything at Once Chapter 450 Everything at Once In angry strides, the man approached Anna. Youre not from around here, are you? Anna asked. Anna realized something was wrong even though the man only said one word and was doing his best to hide his ent. He didnt sound like a Birmingham native. The man had no idea Anna would ask such a question. He froze, unsure how to respond. But Anna had already deduced the answer from his brief pause. She ignored the question with a smile. She said, Youre probably here because you wereid off a while ago. So, are you a previous employee or a family member of a previous employee? The man had prepared a brief speech to take the initiative in this negotiation. But he didnt expect Anna to realize the whole situation after asking two questions. He was frozen, unsure what to say. After hesitating for a while, he finally replied, Im Rosas husband. Rosa? Anna asked, then nodded. She had previously read all the information on the fired employees in this incident and remembered this woman. Of course, | remember her because she was the first to pull out the scissors and threaten to kill me. Anna said hostilely. When she noticed the man was scared, she said thoughtfully, Rosa and the other workers were fired for breaking thepanys rules and causing trouble. All of these decisions were made in full compliance with thepany system, so you should have no concerns about this. As far as | know, the troublemakers have just been released from detention, correct? Making a scene? We are good people who quit our jobs after learning that Lemon would treat us well. But we didnt anticipate you being so ruthless as to use toxic fabrics. You want to pass the buck and get rid of people now that the employees are sick. Let me tell you, thats not gonna happen! The man then threw a pile of paper heavily at AnnaContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anna looked through the paper and found that they were cases. She checked the date of the diagnosis and discovered that it was precisely two days before she fired the group of workers. She had a feeling that things were spiraling out of control. Isabe noticed Anna was panicking and stood on her tiptoes to read the diagnoses. She became enraged when she saw the word leukemia. Then Isabe snatched the case and smacked the man across the face. It couldnt possibly be a coincidence! Turns out you have this trick up your sleeve! Jerk! She snarled. Isabe rushed over and attempted to hit him as she said this. The man seemed to anticipate Isabes reaction. Heughed and said, Ha! We knew you would deny it. But they were all diagnosed with leukemia less than a month after starting work here. I now have the diagnoses of a dozen other employees. Ms. Wright, youre going to jai After that, the man gave a sinister smile. He didnt care what Anna would do to him. This would be even more convincing if the incident of Lemons boss beating the victim made headlines. Oh, no! Anna was very calm, but Julia couldnt stop Isabe anymore. She had no choice but stood there and watch as the young girl smashed the bagin her hand at him. The packed crowd became more agitated after Isabe did so. They had been waiting for the right moment. And they took advantage of the oa a ee situation. Someone in the crowd threw a wooden sign in his hand at Anna. The wooden sign brushed against her shoulder with a loud ng and collided with the ground behind her. Before the second one hit Anna in the head, she felt someone behind her pull her backward. She turned around, and the girl in the white dress appeared behind her. Isabe! It was toote by the time Anna tried to push Isabe away. Annas brain went nk in that instant. A wooden sign hit Isabes body heavily and made a dull sound, causing many chips were floating in the air. Anna closed her eyes, not daring to look at the scene in front of her. Despite hearing the sound, Isabe did not experience the anticipated pain. She began to regret what she had just done and sweat all over. Suddenly, someone pressed against her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she saw a young man in a white T-shirt trying to support her body with his arms. Shed only met him once but trusted him after a brief hesitation. James! Isabe shouted and touched James head in a panic, only to discover that he was bleeding. After taking James to the hospital, Anna found all the major media outlets scrambling to cover the story. Then Anna stood in the hospital hallway, her back to the wall, reading the news on her phone. She appeared exhausted. People are demonstrating in front of Lemon Clothing, and someone has revealed a shocking secret! Lemon profits from toxic fabrics and more than ten workers have been diagnosed with leukaemia. After a while, Nancy approached her and handed her a cup of iced a aoa tot aa coffee. They both appeared tired as they stood together against the wall. Ifyou need any legal advise, you can ask Joshua for help, Nancy said. Anna nodded and took several sips of her coffee. Isabe stayed in Jamess room to take care of him while Anna visited Peter in the intensive care unit. People kept calling Anna all the time. She returned to the office immediatelyter and felt distraught. All of the earlier orders Anna had worked so hard toplete were canceled that afternoon. After hanging up the phone, Anna sat down in her chair, and then the phone rang again. She answered the phone, Hello. Ryan? You want to talk to me about something? Yes, Ill be there right away. Twenty minutester, in a small Japanese restaurant, Anna and Ryan sat across from each other. Anna had almost fallen asleep against the couch by the time Ryan had finished ordering. She tried to open her eyes and said, Theres a Japanese restaurant right next to my office. Why are you meeting me here? She looked around at her surroundings. It was narrow and cramped, dimly lit, and filled with smoke from the open kitchen. Anna had no idea why Ryan had chosen this ce. The tempura here is fantastic. Ryan exined it briefly.! watched the surveince video you sent me and printed off some suspicious images, he said, pulling a stack of papers from his briefcase What exactly is going on? Anna flipped through the stack of photos but found nothing suspicious. Later, Anna realized that some of the images were not from the surveince footage she had found. She became more serious as she a ee realized things were not so simple. Ryan showed her some of these photos and told her, This is a video screenshot of the woman pushing Mona down the stairs. I found something in this picture. Take a look here, Anna. Anna looked at the third image Ryan pointed to. She couldnt tell Which part of the image it was because it was zoomed in. This is the back of this womans hand. We refined the image after zooming in on it. Look at that tattoo. Ryan pointed to another picture that had a nt with two leaves and a curved moon in the middle. The woman had that tattoo. Its only a tattoo. What does that imply? Anna didnt quite get it. Ryan borated, A year ago, the Irish police cracked a big drug trafficking case. The gang used religion to recruit people for drug trafficking, p**********n, and gambling. They called their so-called religion Crescentism, and this pattern is their symbol. Anna asked in surprise, So, you mean this woman is a member of their gang? And shes Irish? Chapter 451 I鈥檓 Here, Anna Chapter 451 Im Here, Anna Ryan didnt deny it. Then he showed her a few screenshots of the surveince footage. Seeing the screenshots, Anna was taken aback and felt a shiver running down her spine. Whats wrong with them? she asked. He was too far away from the surveince, and it waste at night, so the shots were blurry. Later that night, | watched every surveince video of the hospital. | finally found him on surveince video in front of the first-floor bathroom. Thest picture was not from the footage she had found. However, this made her feel extremely ufortable and shocked her. A few secondster, she said in surprise, They both have the same tattoo! Ryan nodded. In the screenshot, Anna saw a man in a mask and a cap. Hed just gotten out of the bathroom and was kneeling on the floor, tying his shoes. And Anna could see the tattoo on the back of his neck in that image. Anna was correct in her suspicions. But when she was confronted with all of this evidence, she became overwhelmed. Ryan noticed that Anna was bing increasingly frustrated. He lowered his gaze and pursed his lips as if thinking about something. Actually, theres one more thing, he said after a long pause. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Anna felt the world shake in front of her and began to sweat. Go on, she said, despite feeling pain in her abdomen. Ryans final disy to Anna was a photograph of the people protesting in front of Lemon that afternoon. The image had appeared in 450 Im Here, Anna every relevant news report. What puzzled Anna was that it had been stolen from Lemons office buildings bay window. However, Ryan was preupied with something other than who had taken a photograph. Although the image was blurry, Anna recognized the tattoo on the back of the neck of the man who happened to have his head down. It was the exact same tattoo. Though be less shocked and moreposed, Anna was experiencing growing difort. She had to hold on to the table to keep from falling over. Ryan, Im exhausted. Please send me home. Anna stood up, saying tiredly. Ryan realized there was something wrong with her and immediately ran after her. She came to a halt just as she was about to leave the restaurant, paused for a moment, and then returned. She trembled as she stared at a picture of the best employee of the year on the wall next to the counter. Then she raised her head and looked Ryan in the eyes as if asking him with her eyes whether the man in the picture was also a gang member. Ryan nodded tacitly and said, He works the night shift every day, so hes not here right now. Anna felt a sudden roar in her ears as Ryan finished speaking. The world then spun like a washing machine drum. Unconscious, Anna had a vision. She was lying on a patch of green grass in her dream. The sky was blue, the water was clear, and a light floral scent was in the air. Anna. Someone was calling her name. As she stood up, she noticed Mona waving at her. She wanted to run towards her right away. 450 Im Here, Anna However, the next second, Monas face twisted and contorted, and her entire body vanished from the image. Then the people around her began to vanish in the same way: Peter, Selina, Peace She desperately grabbed the hand of the person beside her and began to run frantically. While running, she noticed that the face of the person beside her was distorting and disappearing. The blue sky turned blood-red as if it were made of blood. She smelled the strong scent of blood and heard a voice from the sky, Go to hell! Wayne! Anna jerked awake and rose from her bed. When Wayne saw how terrified she appeared, he took her hand in his and wrapped her in his arms, saying, Im here, sweetheart. His firm voice calmed her down had a nightmare. Anna pressed her face against Waynes muscr chest, closing her eyes. She inhaled the smell on his body hard as she realized he was the only one who could put her mind at ease. Earlier, when Wayne got Ryans call, he was at the office dealing with PR issues for Anna. He rushed home as soon as he learned she fainted and sat by her bedside all night without even taking off his shirt. You need to get some rest now, honey. Ill help you get it all sorted out, Wayne said. He then leaned back on the bed and then wiped her sweaty body with a wet towel. Anna just stood there silently, watching him carefully wipe her fingers. | was ufortable because | was on my period at the time. Ill be fine in a few days, Anna said. Wayne approached her slowly and reached into her nightgown to wipe her back. I wont allow anything to happen to you, not even when youre on your period. Wayne said in a firm voice. He continued to rub her body with the warm towel. After that, he pressed his lips to Annas ear, 450 Im Here, Anna which made her heart beat faster. Anna lowered her head and asked, Did Ryan tell you all about it Yes. They had hurt Mona and Grandpa before, and they had done it again to Lemon. Im not sure what theyre trying to do or why theyre doing it. Im not sure what theyll doter. I know, Wayne said softly. After a brief pause, he said slowly, Please, believe me, honey. Ill take care of everything. After that, Wayne gently hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She burst outughing at the unexpected kiss. Okay. She nodded, realizing she wasnt as invincible as she once was. And shed be vulnerable with Wayne around. Later on, Wayne took care of things for Anna. He handled Lemons and the Carousel Groups affairs and delegated the problem to his public rtions manager. Two dayster, the Carousel Groups PR department devised a n and invited Anna to attend a press conference. Chapter 452 Handling the Crisis Chapter 452 Handling the Crisis We are always avable for inspection. We keep track of all the materials we order, and we would never use harmful fabrics. We have a long history of working with various significant corporations and schools, and we have never used low-quality products. Following Waynes script, Anna dered her opinion and denied the rumors online at a news conference. One of the reporters asked Anna, More than ten of your employees were diagnosed with leukemia, and you fired them all after learning about it. How can you exin this? Anna straightened up and became more serious. She pped a pile of materials on the table, saying, After the incident happened, we did medical examinations for all staff. Here is the medical certificate issued by the hospital. All of the employees are healthy, and no one has leukemia. As Anna held up the folder in her hand, she heard the shutter sound and saw the shlights illuminating the entire venue. She then said, holding out a CD, This is surveince footage of our factory floor, which clearly exins the reason why I fired them. We always follow standard production procedures, and we will fire those employees who do not obey the rules. Itis reasonable to assume that our peers did this. Here is the personal information of all the employees involved in this incident, and they are all neers who joined thepany less than a month ago. Employees who have been here for a long time are in good health, but the neers are all suffering from leukemia. This is quite suspicious. 451 Handling the Crisis: After saying that, Anna mmed the folder down on the table, causing the audience on stage to shiver. Reporters began to whisper and discuss their ideas, and Anna red at them coldly. She appeared determined, but her hands beneath the table grew as frigid as ice. Really? Who do you think did this? When the reporter asked another question, he had already shifted the subject. Anna said quietly, breathing a sigh of relief, We dare not specte on this. Were still looking into the event, and we dont have much evidence. However, | assure you, we always do our best to be the best we can be and to maintain our reputation. We wont nder others for no reason. Then will you make the truth public if you continue your investigation? Of course. Ill share the proof | brought today on Lemons social tform ountter, and we wee everyone to find out the truth with us. Anna was firm and did not try to conceal anything. What she said turned almost the entire situation around, Sitting not far away in the audience, Wayne smiled as he looked at this eloquent woman. He was genuinely proud of her. To everyones surprise, someone barged in all of a sudden, interrupting Annas speech. Everyone in the audience turned to look at him after hearing his hasty footsteps What a bunch of rubbish! Shes lying! An angry man said. It was a tall, skinny man in his forties. Wearing a light gray suit and holding a worn briefcase in his hand, he rapidly stepped into the crowd. Anna was taken aback because she knew this man. He was Owen, the president of Flower Orphanage in Birmingham. Three months ago, we ordered clothing for the children from Lemon. 451 Handling the Crisis We thought the smell of the clothes was peculiar when we first got them. However, we decided to believe Lemon. We didnt realize what was going on until we saw the news yesterday. Youre using low- quality fabric! Owen said as he took a light blue T-shirt from his briefcase. On the hangtag of the wrinkled T-shirt, there was Lemons logo. Then the press began photographing the shirt right away. Owen tossed a report to the ground amid the sound of the shutter and said, Here are the clothing test results! Take a look at this frightening data! Two children in my orphanage have already had health problems, but youre still ying! The truth will be made public one day. You will receive the punishment you deserve! He then left the scene with tears in his eyes. After the conference was over, Anna got to the Wright house with Wayne. Exhausted, Anna sat on the Wrights sofa. She cupped her hands about her face for a brief minute, her gaze locked on the empty ss of red wine on the coffee table. The breeze blew through the hall, carrying the aroma of flowers from the yard. Anna felt desperate as she wrapped her cardigan around her body. She thought, Damn it! / couldve turned the tide if it werent for Owen! Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on? Why did these bad things happen all at once? There must be someone behind the incidents. And Im gonna find out who they are! While Anna was immersed in her own thoughts, Wayne walked out of the kitchen with a ss of water, which he reced in front of Annas ss of red wine. The ss clinking against the marble countertop brought her back to reality. She raised her head and smiled at her. Howe theres no light in the yard? This ce is a maze! Wont 451 Handling the Crisis the maids get lost as well? Suddenly, Anna heard Selinas voicee from the courtyard. A girl in a pink dress ran in before Anna could stand up to greet them. Mommy. Grandaunt Selina doesnt know the way here! We got lost and went around the yard for a long time. | advised that she ask for directions from someone, but she refused. She assured me that she would find you Granduncle Joe was right about it! Tammy whimpered as she pressed her cute little face on Annas hand. What did he say? Stroking her hair, Anna asked in a soft voice. Tammy chuckled and whispered in Annas ear. Ha! He really said that? Leaning backward, Anna eximed Just then, Selina reached out and pointed to Tammy and made a resigned face. Daddy, Grandma Selina wants to talk to you, Tammy said, blinking. Wayne looked up in surprise as he noticed Selina staring at him. Lets go to the study and chat, he said, pointing to the stairs. Anna watched as Wayne and Selina walked upstairs one after the other. She was confused and began to wonder what the two would say. But then alittle pair of hands grabbed her face, utterly stopping her thoughts. Mommy, | told Grandaunt Selina to talk to daddy because | have something important to tell you. Anna blinked, surprised to notice Tammys serious expression. She had a horrible feeling and took out her phone to switch it off before asking, Did you beat up Martin again? No, Mommy! It has absolutely nothing to do with him! 451 Handling the Crisis Anna breathed a sigh of relief, Great. If thats the case, Peace will never let me go. So, what exactly did you want to tell me? Im hoping youlle shopping with me tomorrow. Its Grandaunt Selinas birthday in a few days, and Id like to get her a gift, Tammy said, pulling a wallet from her schoolbag and showing Anna the three cards and some change inside. | want to buy something that Grandma Selina likes and that | can afford, She said as she showed the cards to Anna. Tammy blinked her big blue eyes and looked as cute as an angel, so Anna couldnt help but kiss heron the cheek. Meanwhile, she thought, Tammy, you sweet little angel. You always know how to make me feel better. Mommy, youre getting spit on my face. Tammy took Annas cardigan and wiped her face with it. Selina and Wayne talked for a long time. When the two returned from upstairs, Tammy was asleep in Annas bed. Anna was intently watching her from the bedroom doorway. Selina looked around the room and noticed Tammy rolling from one side of the two-meter-wide bed to the other. She smiled amiably and left the house. Then Wayne took a few steps forward and leaned against the other side of the bedroom door. Still dreaming, Tammy had rolled back by this point. No! she eximed, I dont want to go to school! Abit surprised, Wayne asked Anna, What are we going to do about ite rll stay with her, and you sleep in the guest room, Anna answeredContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Chapter 453 Who Are You, Little Boy? Chapter 453 Who Are You, Little Boy? Arustling sound woke Anna up early the next morning. Tammy was tying her pigtails in front of the mirror when Anna opened her eyes. Get up. Mommy! After she had tied her hair, she shook Anna, who was pretending to sleep. Its only 6:30! Its the weekend, for Gods sake! | can at least sleep until noon, right? Anna looked at her phone to see what time it was, then felt sad. She buried her head beneath the covers, making her voice muffled. Tammy dragged Anna to the beds edge before casually tossing her some clothes from the closet. It was the day they had agreed to go to the mall. Tammy had asked Anna to be with her as she went shopping for a birthday present. But after they went to a few stores, Anna began to suspect that Tammy didnt need her to be there at all. I think this is a nice bag! Grandaunt Selina will love it, Anna tried the bag on, disying it like a model. Tammy rolled her eyes and said, Mommy, youre picking out a present for yourself, arent you? Grandma Selina is almost sixty, and she doesnt like goldce. Anna silently put back that bag and followed Tammy, who had already turned around and entered another store. What do you think of this silk scarf? This will look great on Selina See, its also her favorite color. 452 Who Arey Check-in Reward TAMM You have a sign-in reward waiting to be imed! @ aiding the strap of he The salesperson squatted down enthusiastically, handed Tammy the silk scarf, and said, This silk scarf is a popr item in our shop, and many customers want to buy it. This is the final one in stock. Dont miss it if you like it Tammy said as she shook her head, Well, forget it. She said she doesnt like hot-sellers. She like unique things. Tammy then took a determined step toward the next store. About an hourter, Anna felt pain in her ankle after they finished touring thest store on the malls second floor. She sat on the sofa in the lounge area on the second floor and begged, Mommy is feeling a little tired, baby. Should we Look, Mommy! Tammy cut Anna off. Baffled, Anna asked in the direction Tammy was pointing, What? Look at that bakery! My friend Jessica told me that her father owns this store and that we can all eat there for free. Tammys eyes shone brightly, and she appeared extremely excited. Then, she dragged Anna into the store. There were several people in line at the stores entrance. Tammy pushed Anna forward and told her to look at the counter. Anna had no choice but to read the menu to her on tiptoe. Five bucks, The cashier reached out to the child in front of Anna. The little boy started to eat the cake but didnt take his wallet. Seeing that, the cashier said anxiously, Kid! You want to eat for free, dont you? Where are your parents? Let them pay for you! The boy was about to turn around and run away, but the cashier 452 Who Arey Check-in Reward You have a sign-in reward waiting to be imed! @ Ee stopped h before he C The cashier was so enraged that he grabbed the boys cor and yelled, What a rude kid! Youre not leaving here without paying! Tammy stepped out from behind Anna as she was about to say something. He might be Jessicas friend, she said, tugging on the cashiers apron What? Im a friend of Jessicas, too. She said we could have dessert for free at your store. The cashier asked angrily, You want free food too, dont you? Tammy nodded. But she wondered why Jessica didnt mean what she said. Jessica said it was okay, she said firmly. Anna stopped the drama just in time before the cashier grabbed Tammy by the cor as well. She took out her wallet and pointed to the struggling little boy, Let him go, please. Ill pay for him. After receiving the money, the cashier let go of his hand. The little boy then immediately escaped. Tammy appeared preupied while eating her tiramisu. Anna assumed she was upset because Jessica had tricked her. Just as Anna was thinking of how tofort her, she heard her say, Ive seen that little boy before. What? He was the one who scratched Isabe thest time I went to the orphanage with Grandaunt Selina. Im not sure what his name was, maybe Gary or Larry. Tammy still felt scared when she thought about that experience. She 452 Who Are You, Little Boy? stopped him just in time. The terrified child kicked him several times before he could say anything. The cashier was so enraged that he grabbed the boys cor and yelled, What a rude kid! Youre not leaving here without paying! Tammy stepped out from behind Anna as she was about to say something. He might be Jessicas friend, she said, tugging on the cashiers apron What? Im a friend of Jessicas, too. She said we could have dessert for free at your store. The cashier asked angrily, You want free food too, dont you? Tammy nodded. But she wondered why Jessica didnt mean what she said. Jessica said it was okay, she said firmly. Anna stopped the drama just in time before the cashier grabbed Tammy by the cor as well. She took out her wallet and pointed to the struggling little boy, Let him go, please. Ill pay for him. After receiving the money, the cashier let go of his hand. The little boy then immediately escaped. Tammy appeared preupied while eating her tiramisu. Anna assumed she was upset because Jessica had tricked her. Just as Anna was thinking of how tofort her, she heard her say, Ive seen that little boy before. What? He was the one who scratched Isabe thest time | went to the orphanage with Grandaunt Selina. Im not sure what his name was, maybe Gary or Larry. Tammy still felt scared when she thought about that experience. She 452 Who Are You, Little Boy? didnt like this grumpy little boy. In that case, he should stay in the orphanage. You might be mistaken, Anna said. Tammy remembered the little boy because of his distinctive orange curly hair. She said, Perhaps he was adopted by a good person! Mommy, youre such a fool. Anna immediately said, Tammy! Thats the second time youve said something like that about me today! Lets go upstairs. Mommy. | already know what Im going to get Grandma Selina. Tammy took Annas hand and led her to the third floor While she was still yelling. In the shop, Tammy leaned over the ss counter, hesitated for a moment, and chose an emerald bracelet for Selina. She pointed to a beautiful bracelet and said to a clerk, That one, please! Anna was taken aback by the price tag and asked, Tammy, where did you get all that money? Matthew paid me and Isabe a hundred thousand dors for a bagst month. Anna nodded her head. They went to the underground garage after buying the bracelet. Aiter getting inside her car, Anna started the engine. She was about to drive out of the underground garage when she noticed a small boy lying across the passage. Someone is lying there, Mommy! Tammy got out of the car ahead of Anna and ran to the little boy, who was already unconscious. Mommy, its Gary! She eximed after checking his face. Anna checked the little boys condition. He struggled to breathe, and 452 Who Are You, Little Boy? his face was horribly pale. Realizing his life was in danger, Anna carried him to the car and drove him to the hospital. As soon as they reached the hospital, the doctors and nurses took the frail boy. After the operation was over, a doctor told Anna, who was waiting outside, about the boys condition, He is not poisoned; hes just allergic to chocte. Weve just cleared any chocte residue from his stomach. But theres something else that shocked us. What exactly is it? He hesitated for a while, looking a bit worried, In his stomach, there was a pile of stic, cloth scraps, and other strange objects in addition to chocte. Fortunately, you brought him here. If these things had umted in his stomach for a long time, the consequences would have been severe. And how is he now? Anna frowned, looking at the child beside her with pale lips. Hes not in danger, but hes still not feeling well. In a moment, the nurse will administer an infusion. He must still stay here for at least three days. Anna nodded and took a seat next to Garys bed. So, Gary may not be adopted. He snuck out. Tammy thought for a moment and said. Anna asked sadly, Are you saying he snuck out because he was abused? Mommy, what are you thinking? Tammy patted Anna on the side of the head, saying, Grandaunt Selina said that orphanages now are all great nowadays, and no one will abuse children. Besides, Flower Orphanage is currentlypeting for the title of best orphanage in the country. They rely on their reputation forpassion and patience. 452 Who Are You, Little Boy? Anna gradually became less angry. Tammy, how do you know this? she asked incredulously of her daughter. Grandaunt Selina told me that. Mommy, you should read the news more often, too. Do you mean Gary snuck out of the orphanage? He didnt have any food, so he had to eat all of these stic and fabric scraps? | believe so. Tammy nodded. Well have to send him back. Anna then began looking for the Flower orphanages phone number on her phone. Despite her suspicions about Owens intentions, she would never take advantage of this child. Then she dialed the number she found on the website right away Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! At that moment, the nurse asked, Who is Gary? Im going to give him an infusion now. Chapter 454 A New Clue Chapter 454 A New Clue Tammy quickly raised her hand and shouted, Come on over here! Gary is here! Anna leaned back as she waited for someone to answer the phone. She watched as the nurse filled the bottle with drops, connected the line, removed the needle cap, and held Garys hand. After a brief pause, the nurse decided to look for a more visible vein on his foot. The nurse lifted Garys trousers the moment someone answered Annas phone. Hello, this is the Flower Welfare Home in Birmingham. How can | help you, please? Annas eyes were fixed on Garys ankle, and she felt a chill run through her body. Her ears suddenly started ringing, and that made her dizzy. Her hand shook, and the phone fell to the floor loudly. Hello? Hello? After waiting half a minute without hearing anything, the receptionist hung up the phone angrily. Tammy turned her head as she heard the phone fall to the floor. Anna seemed shocked and pale. There was sweat on her forehead, and her entire body shook slightly. Mommy, whats the matter? Tammy asked, concerned. Is it okay that we look after Gary ourselves these days? Anna asked. She sat down, holding onto a nearby chair, and kept her voice calm. Okay. Tammy agreed, although she had no idea what was going on. And Tammy noticed a strange pattern on Garys ankle when she looked in 453 A New Clue the direction Anna was looking. Two leaves were holding against a green seedling. A crescent moon Was supposed to be above, but he didnt have that on his ankle. Anna forced herself to rx. Tammy had mentioned something to her on the way to the hospital, and something suddenly urred to her. You said Gary was Irish, right? Anna asked. Well, thats what the orphanage president said. Would you mind picking up my phone off the floor for me, honey? Sure. Tammy took up the phone and handed it to Anna. She felt something strange when she touched Annas hand. Mommys reaction is so strange. What happened, mommy? she thought to herself. Anna then took a picture of Garys ankle, sent Ryan the photo and asked, Is this the same pattern? Ryan responded, Yes, When Ryan saw the photo, he couldnt help but frown. He deduced from the photo that it had to be a child and from the childs hospital gown that he was in the hospital. He went downstairs immediately and texted, Ill be right there, a second before starting the engine. Half an hourter, Ryan arrived at the hospital. He and Anna sat across from each other in the hospital cafeteria, both looking gloomy. Then Ryanbined the photo Anna had sent him with the tattoo image he had previously printed. The top half of this pattern is missing, but the rest is identical in detail and proportions to that. I can assure you this is the one. Who is this person, anyway?Asked Ryan. Anna pointed to the building behind her, Hes a little boy, and hes getting an infusion upstairs. Tammy said that she had seen this boy at the Flower orphanage and that he was Irish. He was adopted in Irnd and then abandoned after being brought to Birmingham. As Anna was speaking, an idea struck her. Is it possible that he was brought here by the man? she asked. Ryan was ata loss for words. He frowned, his mind racing over every detail of the situation. Still, he didnt dare to make such a quick judgment. HL look into thatter. You must keep this boy with you, Anna. You should bring him home as soon as possible and avoid letting him out. Anna nodded, ced the two photos in her bag, and said, Im taking this with me. Ryan was about to leave when he thought of something. He said, You have to continue to look for clues about Micheal, and you have to do so quickly. | dont think he knows much, but theres definitely something we can get from him. Anna nodded seriously. She said goodbye to Ryan before heading back to the hospital. During the morning rush hour, many people were rushing to work in the downtown business district. Isabe was walking here for the first time. Isabe walked with long strides to Lemons office. She was dressed ina beige blouse, a light brown suit, and camel heels. Her shirt sleeves were rolled up, exposing her slender arms. She moved quickly, surrounded by young men who peered at her and appeared interested in her. Isabe, like Anna, had amanding 453 A New Clue presence. She possessed the confidence and self-assurance of a strong woman. Meanwhile, a white car slowly slid against the roads edge in the constant traffic. The car stopped beside Isabe, and the driver opened the window. Come on in, Ill give you a ride. Jasper said to Isabe. Isabe kept her head up and elerated her pace. Soon, she walked past his car. Jasper had no choice but to start the engine and follow her. After a few attempts, Jasper gradually lost patience. He eventually had to get out of the car and block Isabes path. Lets have a talk. As Isabe was about to go around him again, Jasper reached out and grabbed her arm. His palm made her arm feel warm, but her heart was still cold. Isabe looked down at his bony hand and broke away from his grips. What exactly do you want to say? Say it, She said this as she locked her gaze on him. Jasper noticed Isabe had cut her long hair at that point. Her hair was down to her shoulders, which made her seem mature and capable. Lets find a quiet ce to talk. Im sorry, but | have work to do. Jasper frowned. Im going back to Manhattan in a couple of days, so you cane back with me, he said after a moments thought. Isabe wanted to go with Jasper when he said he was going back. But then she thought of something and declined. Im not returning with you. By the way, Anna really needs me right now. Jasper asked in surprise, Youre going to help her? Ive found out something about it, so you dont have to worry. What you should do now is return to Manhattan with me and attend college. Ive already helped you Im going to college, but Im not going back to Manhattan. Isabe exhaled deeply and interrupted Jaspers next words. She raised her head to meet his gaze, the hot sunlight making it difficult for her to open her eyes. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. | already have an offer from the University of Birmingham, so dont worry about it. Jasper frowned as he felt upset. He had a feeling that something wasnt right, but he wasnt sure what it was. You He nodded. He wanted to tell Isabe that she was an adult, so she could decide whether or not to return to Manhattan and which college to attend. Instead of saying these words, he said, Come home with me, | want to hear your ns for the future. Isabes eyes were filled with tears, and she struggled to remain calm. She said, No, Ive been extremely busy recently. Plus, youre not interested in that. Isabe! Jasper looked sullen and clenched his fists. He said, Im still your father now, Isabe. Hearing that, Isabe became enraged as well. Chapter 455 We Have Nothing to Talk about Chapter 455 We Have Nothing to Talk about Thats why I cant go back to Manhattan with you and cant go home with you. | know Lisa quit because you threatened her. She was there when we made out. If you were so afraid that someone would find out about our rtionship, why did you take me away? This is yourst chance to get rid of me! Aiter finishing her words, Isabe bravely met his gaze, hoping to find some clue in his eyes. But he didnt even show any signs of rage. And Neither of them said anything, Isabe was aware that there was much she couldnt say. She would otherwise ruin everything. Then Isabe frowned and added, You dont have to worry about me. I know whats important, but its just that need some more time. | think Alex is a nice guy. Hes funny and kind, and we get on very well. I see, Jasper said with a nod. He could see that she was no longer the little girl who had begged him to tell her a story every day. She had grown up. Hello, Isabe. Isabe was about to say goodbye to Jasper when she heard her name called. She turned away from Jasper and looked at the young man waving at her from a short distance away. The young man was dressed in a white T-shirt, and he looked very athletic. James smiled and rushed over to Isabe. Who is this? As he looked hesitantly at Jasper, James asked Isabe. Tm. Hes here to get directions. Isabe cut Jasper off. She didnt want 454 We Have Nothing to Talk ab. Jasper to introduce himself as her father to anyone else. After that, she talked to Jasper in a t tone as if she was talking to a stranger, Sir, you can go straight until you reach the third junction and turn left. Then, youll see the Carousel Hotel. Bye, we have to go to work. She and James then walked toward Lemon without even looking back. As the two of them walked on the stairs, James, who had been silent, couldnt help but say, Isabe, | think you should remain alert. Everyone knows how to use their phones to navigate now. Actually, | believe that man was trying to hit on you on purpose. It took Isabe a moment to realize that James wasnt as stupid as she had assumed. She nodded absently but said nothing. She was about to leave the lift as they reached the eighth floor. And James stopped her, Dont leave! Ill buy you breakfast and tell you about the matter youve asked me to look into. Isabe might have walked away without turning her head if she had only heard the first half of the sentence. But when she realized he would talk about what he had found, she paused and walked back. Then they arrived at the top floor where there was a cafeteria for staff. James and Isabe sat by the window, both holding coffee and sandwiches. Isabe only took a sip of her coffee and looked serious while James talked about it. Whether this information of yours is reliable or not, | have to go there, she finally said. James was eating his bread. He sipped some water to help him swallow and said, | can assure you it is one-hundred percent true. But, you cant go there by yourself. Ill be there with you. Isabe and James then boarded a bus after several train rides. The 454 We Have Nothing to Talk ab. bus took a bumpy ride down the road to a small fishing vige. They hadnt arrived in the town yet at dusk. Isabe leaned against the dusty window, looking tired. Sun Town used to be a small, run-down seaside town many years ago and had only grown richer in recent years as more tourists visited there. That town was well-off, but their destination was a smaller vige inside the town. James said that Micheal had been hiding in this small vige and working as a fisherman since he quit his job. The bus soon stopped at their station in Sun Town. As soon as she stepped off the bus, Isabe was surrounded by a crowd of people shouting with price tags. Fortunately, James took her away from the crowd. And he said, | asked around, and no buses to the viges are running at the moment, We might not be able to find him even if we take a taxi there right now. So | think we should spend the night here and go over there in the morning, Isabe nodded, thinking he had a point. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Sun Town was small, so they quickly found a hotel. James and Isabe went downstairs to the restaurant for dinner after dropping off their bags. James appeared to be hungry and continued to eat. Isabe was preupied and didnt feel like eating. Then, she noticed a young girl sitting at the next table. The girl was dressed in a ck dress and wore many dreadlocks on her head. She was sitting in a chair, crossing one of her legs over the other, and drinking arge ss of beer. A middle-aged man sat across from the young girl. The man looked good in a white shirt and had a briefcase by his side. 454 We Have Nothing to Talk ab. Sabrina, | wasnt just kidding you, he said as he snatched the ss from her grasp. The girl happily nodded and said, I also wasnt kidding! Anyway, Ill be there wherever you go. Youd better note with me. Youre only eighteen years old, and you have to go to college. Why dont you just get a divorce? Ive been waiting for the day youd leave her for a long time! The girl laughed, then started shaking her body. The light from the restaurant illuminated her eyes. The man wasnt sure if she was joking or serious, but he appeared glum. Lets discuss thister After a brief pause, he said. Isabe sat there silently watching them and noticed a sinister glint in the mans eyes at that moment. But the drunken girl had no idea about it She jumped to her feet and walked over to the man, wrapping her arms around his neck and started crying. I thought you were breaking up with me because you hadnt called me in three months. Why didnt you answer my call?! Please dont do this to me. The guests around her looked at her as they heard the girl sob. Even James, who was focused on eating, looked at her. The man was humiliated and left with the girl. Why do so many young girls fall in love with middle-aged married men? They have no self-respect at all. As he ate, James said. He thought about something after swallowing the bite and added, Besides, shes not the type to wear dreadlocks. She doesnt look as good with her hair as you do. sabe furrowed her brow and smacked the table violently. In shock, 454 We Have Nothing to Talk ab. James froze and stopped chewing. Shut up, James, Isabe said as she stood up and left the restaurant. She then made her way back to the hotel. Isabe saw them again while waiting for the lift downstairs at the hotel. The girl wrapped her arms around the mans neck and kissed him on the cheeks as hard as she could. She said as she kissed him, Please take me away, dear. We can leave together tomorrow! The man turned his head away from the girls kiss. At that moment, he caught sight of Isabe, who was slowly approaching them. He appeared embarrassed as if he was disgusted by the girl. Isabe stopped a short distance away from them. When the elevator arrived, the man grabbed the girls arm and led her inside. Isabe didnt get in and waited for the next elevator. James ran up to her before the next elevator arrived. When Isabe saw James, she suddenly remembered what he had just said and the scene she had just noticed. She had never been more aware of how ridiculous her love toward Jasper was to others. After they got into the elevator, James kept watching Isabes expression. He said, When Im full, I tend to talk nonsense. Isabe, please ept my apologies, Please dont be angry at me. Isabe stepped out of the lift as soon as the doors opened. Sorry. | used to be just like her, so | overreacted a little, she said as she approached the door to her room. Huh? | mean the dreadlocks, Isabe said, pointing to her hair. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Isabe and James took a bus to Michaels vige early the next morning. Because the vige was smaller than they had anticipated, they needed little effort to get the information they needed. An elderly woman was mending hers beneath arge tree near the viges entrance. She nodded to the vige, Go ahead, his house at the far east end of the vige. You arrived just in time! They havent been here ina long time and came back recently. Isabe became depressed as they approached Michaels house. She remained silent and worried. Michaels left. Why do you need to see him? Asked the woman drying her fis at the door, her straw hat covering half of her face. She looked at them both warily. Before Isabe could say anything, James said, Were here to pay back the money. Michael helped us when we were in Birmingham. Weve saved some money now that were both working, and wed like to repay him. James then took a wad of cash from his bag. The woman was no longer wary at that point and immediately invited them inside. And James added, We borrowed money from him previously, but he keeps the notes. So, we still need to see hi in person. The woman nodded but then frowned and sai He never told me that. He left before dawn today, and | have no idea why he went out. So Im not sure when hell be back. Its fine, we can wait. Isabe gave James a wink. When James 455 Your Dad Is Dead realized what she wanted to do, he rolled up his sleeves and asked, Youre going to dry the fish in the sun, arent you? Let me help you. The woman thanked James with a smile. Soon, Isabe crept into a room while they were busy. Theyout of the house was very traditional. It had two bedrooms on opposite sides, a living room in the middle, and a kitchen at the back. Isabe walked through the two bedrooms and seemed upset. Whats the matter? When James realized she had spotted something, he asked her as he took a break Isabe leaned against the edge of the kitchen door, her arms crossed across her chest, saying, I just noticed a family photograph in the room to the left. We happened to meet the girl in the picturest night. While tracing the shape of Sabrinas haircut on his head with his hand, James asked, Do you mean Well, | remember the man called her Sabrina, Isabe replied, understanding what he meant. Madam, please allow me to help you, James said after a brief pause. The womanid the fish on the floor after James carried them out of the small storage shed next to him. While they were busy working, James asked in purpose, I heard Michael say that you have a daughter named Sabrina. Shes not here, is she? Sabrina sometimes stays at her friends house. She hasnt returned since yesterday, so she would maybee back home this afternoon. Ill ask her to cook for youter. She is an excellent cook. The woman missed the hidden meaning in his question. When the woman mentioned her daughter, she looked happy and proud, breaking Isabes heart. 455 Your Dad Is Dead They eventually got all of the fish out of the warehouse. When James was about to take a break, he heard someone shout from the doorway, Something terrible has happened to Michael! When they arrived at the hospital in Sun Town, Michael had been dered dead. When Michaels wife saw the white cloth covering her, she was devastated. She passed out before she could even touch him with her trembling hands. The man who brought Micheal to the hospital said to them, You better not look at him. Isabe didnt even dare to look at him. While James lifted the white cloth to make sure the man wasnt Micheal before vomiting for ten minutes by the sink. Its him, James confirmed. What a coincidence! Isabe said, handing him a tissue. Thats spooky. Micheals body was discovered by a man on the road from the vige to Sun Town. He was involved in a car ident. And Micheal had stopped breathing when the man discovered him. Unfortunately, there was no surveince along that stretch of road. Michael left the house early in the morning, so no one knew what had happened to him. Awhileter, a doctor entered with a sealed stic bag containing Micheals keys, wallet, and mobile phone. His wife was simply too frail to grasp it. So, Isabe took the bag for her, and then something struck her. Do you know Michaels mobile phone password, Maam? She asked Michaels wife. After getting his password, Isabe unlocked Michaels phone. Then already shattered screen glowed faintly. Isabe clutched that phone 455 Your Dad Is Dead tightly after seeing his text message. She was conflicted, and she wasnt sure what she was thinking. She dropped the phone and stormed out of the hospital, furious. Sabrina sent Micheal hisst message at 3 a.m. She told him she was in love with a married man and was eloping with him. Micheal responded at 3:05 a.m., saying, Wait for me, III be right over there. Isabes eyes were filled with tears. She could imagine his terror as he walked down that dark night road and his desperation when he was hit byacar. Isabes entire body shook as she took a taxi to the hotel. As sad as she was, James gripped her hand tightly. Sabrina had already left by then. When Isabe asked about it with the hotel receptionist, the cleaning lady who had just finished cleaning their room sniffed aside and said, I thought I heard the girl say she was taking the 3 p.m. train when | went to clean the room. At forty past two, Isabe and James arrived at the train station. The waiting room at the railway station there was quite small, and they quickly spotted Sabrina. However, the situation was not what they had anticipated. Sabrina was sobbing. She dragged the mans luggage around with both hands, refusing to let go. She shouted, You promised to take me with youst night! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. I came here to see you yesterday to clear things up with you. You said some stupid things after getting drunk. | only asked you toe here to say goodbye, but | didnt promise to take you with me. The man became enraged when he realized Sabrina was still tugging on his luggage, and she appeared very persistent. She didnt seem to want 455 Your Dad Is Dead to do anything other than follow him. Then the man pped her across the face with all his might. He yanked at the luggage to leave as she sat on the floor. Stop, you bastard! Isabe yelled angrily as she walked quickly towards them. She quickly approached them, picking up the warning sign on the ground. She pped the warning sign hard on the mans head before he could react. The man staggered and almost copsed. Who the hell are you? he asked. Sabrina was stunned, and she quickly became enraged. She had Isabes hair in her grasp and was about to hit her. Youre a bastard, too! Isabe pped her, waving her hand and blocking her attack. They were both perplexed. Isabe pped Sabrina again just as she was about to fight back. Your father is dead, Isabe yelled through the chaos. Chapter 457 You Two Know Each Other?! Chapter 457 You Two Know Each Other?! Sabrina blinked as if she didnt understand what was going on. Isabe looked at her coldly and observed her expression before saying again, Your father is dead now. He died because of you, and your mother cried so hard that she fainted in the hospital. She called you, but you didnt answer her call. You think youre cool because of your hair, and you have fun flirting with married men, dont you? You are the most pathetic person on the. Sabrina looked as if she didnt believe Isabes words. Nonsense! Thats impossible! She shouted hysterically. He wouldnt have gone looking for you if you hadnt texted him at 3 a.m. saying you were eloping with someone. He was hit by a car and died tragically! Isabe yelled. Sabrina struggled to ept this fact. She sat on the floor, sobbing bitterly and mumbling, No, I didnt. | didnt text my dad, and | didnt tell him that. Isabe was stunned by her words and asked, You didnt send him the message, did you? Ifit hadnt been you Isabe turned to face the man who had left the crowd and was preparing to flee. She took a step forward and kicked his suitcase away. She reached out again, grabbing him by the hair and dragging him back. James, who was in the crowd, gulped when he saw this. Did you use her phone to send Micheal a message in the middle of the night? Isabe dragged the man over to Sabrina, asking. 456 You Two Know Each Other?! This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Isabe punched him hard, and he was clearly in pain. Still, he said nothing and just smiled wickedly. Then Isabe snatched him by the cor and asked, Why? Sabrina pulled herself together and asked in a trembling voice, You never nned to take me away, so why did you tell my dad that? What the hell do you want from me? The man struggled to get up from the ground and spat bloodied spit into his mouth. He asked, What makes you so sure | did it? Hes already died now. What can you do to me even if! did it? Hearing his provoking words, Isabe became enraged and stomped on the man. She was about to hit him again when James stopped her from behind. Isabe, please rx. You dont have to hit him again. It wont help. Isabe gradually calmed down. Come with me to the hospital, she yanked Sabrina up from the floor. The man smiled coldly as the three were about to leave the waiting room. He quickly followed them, drew a fruit knife behind Isabe, and stabbed her in the back. Isabe suddenly felt a chill running down her spine, followed by pain and dizziness caused by pain. She could hear a violent collision behind her. She tried hard to turn her head back, but she couldnt. She then copsed to the ground. The mans knife shed Isabes shirt and touched her body. Then, Jasper came over and stopped before he could continue stabbing her. The man looked at Jasper, who had suddenly appeared and was holding the knife, surprised by the intimidating look in his eyes. In the blink of an eye, James kicked the man who stabbed Isabe to. the ground, then looked at Jasper in surprise. 456 You Two Know Each Other?! Immediately after that, the mans head collided with the seat, causing him to bleed. He shook his head and took his phone from his pocket, saying, Im going to call the police right now! Im going to send you all to jai Jasper sighed and picked up Isabe, who had passed out. He simply warned the man, Im sure youre not afraid of going to jail. But your creditors will go to London and go after you wife and children if they know they are hiding there. Jasper then left the waiting room quickly. In shock and fear, the man soon hung up the phone. Hourster, Isabe opened her eyes and found herself in a hospital bed at Sun Town Hospital. Someone then opened the door to the hospital room. She turned to look and saw James sadly walking in. When James noticed Isabe was awake, he eximed, Youre finally awake! James had been restless and guilty when Isabe was in aa. Furthermore, what Jasper said terrified him. Then James helped Isabe in sitting up and gave her a ss of water. He couldnt help but ask, Do you know the man who asked you for directions the other day? No, | dont know him, Isabe said after a brief pause. Huh? We should call the cops then. | suspect hes a pervert. What are you talking about? Even though he saved your life, I dont think it was a coincidence. | believe he has been following you! He may not be a hero, but he is a bad guy. The more James spoke, the more terrified he became. Then he took 456 You Two Know Each Other?! his cell phone from his pocket and was about to dial 911. After hearing James words, Isabe got a headache. She didnt have the chance to notice what was going on because she was stabbed. After Isabe realized it was Jasper who saved her, she stopped him. Someone opened the hospital room door again just in time. They both turned back to look at the door at the same time. James looked at Jasper with suspicion and hid his phone behind his back. He stood there watching as this imposing man walked in slowly. Did you stalk me? Isabe asked Jasper. She clutched the sheets tightly, trying not to sound scared. Jasper set the food he had bought on the table and said, No, not really. Isabe, | got you some food. If youre feeling better, you can have some. The doctor said you can leave the hospital when you wake up. So, will youe back with me? Isabes gaze was drawn to the gauze that wrapped around Jaspers hand. The doctor at this small hospital didnt seem to know how to bandage and instead wrapped Jaspers hand in a thick bandage. His cold expression and his hand formed aical contrast. Isabe recalled a memory from her past. When she was thirteen, Jasper found her a taekwondo instructor. She injured herself every time she trained, and Jasper bandaged her wounds. As a result, Isabe studied taekwondo for five years and hurt herself sometimes. Back when she was stabbed by the man and fell to the ground, Isabe thought about Jaspers face. At the same time, James seemed angry when he thought about what Jasper had just said. He thought to himself, Youp*****t! Are you trying to kidnap Isabe? | will never let that happen! Never! Okay. Isabe agreed with a nod. 456 You Two Know Each Other?! James was preparing a small speech to teach Jasper a lesson at the time. He was stunned and reminded her through his clenched teeth, I just told you hes suspicious, Isabe! Why did you agree to it? Isabe took a big bite of her burger and handed another one to him, I cant take the bus back because Im injured. Youll join uster. Us? James thought to himself. Shaking his head, he reasoned, No, Im not going with him, and you cant either. Ill go find you a car and bring you backter. Jasper was taken aback when he heard his words. He asked, looking at the young man with interest, You dont think Isabe would be safe with me? So, is it safe for her to go with you? And you, Isabe. Why didnt you tell Anna beforeing here? If you didnt want toe back to New York with me, you should have shown me that you could be safe and sound. Jasper lectured them one by one. Isabe, do you two know each other or not? James asked, sensing something was wrong. Isabe eventually said, He is my father, ording to him. My foster father What? James asked, surprised. Chapter 458 | Want to Take Him in Chapter 458 | Want to Take Him in They got back to Birminghamte at night. Jasper called Anna, and then drove Isabe to the hospital. In the hospital, Isabey in the bed, her face hidden behind the covers. She paid close attention to Annas expression to see if she was mad at her or not. Annas movements were gentle because she was redressing Jaspers wound. Meanwhile, she said to Isabe firmly, You dont have to look at me that way. If had known you would do this on your own, | would not have asked you to work for me. Jasper had only just told Anna what had happened, which terrified her. She couldnt imagine how remorseful and heartbroken shed be if that man had hurt Isabe deeply. Im sorry, Anna, Isabe said sincerely. Annas bandaging abilities were clearly better, so Jasper could move his fingers flexibly. He then gave her a satisfied nod. As Anna reached for the scissors, Jasper noticed the cartoon stickers on her wrist and asked, Since when are you interested in these childish tricks? Surprised, Anna looked at him and then at her sticker. She changed the subject stiffly instead of exining as she packed her toolbox. Is Michael dead? she asked. Isabe nodded. Did it happen by chance? Im not sure. Isabe answered and shook her head. ;457 | Want to Take Him in | dont think its a coincidence, Jasper said firmly. He pulled his phone from his suit pocket and showed Anna a few photos, adding, Sabrina first met this man when they were both in Birmingham. Micheal found out about their rtionship three months ago and beat the man up. The man then stopped seeing Sabrina. Micheal then resigned and returned to Sun Town with his family. Anna looked at the pictures and realized what the point was. This man, Antonio Doyle, received $200,000 in his bank ount, she frowned. Jasper nodded and said, Youre right. His name is Antonio Doyle. He had $200,000 in his bank ount three days ago when he went to Sun Town to look for Sabrina. That is clearly not a coincidence. Isabe eximed, Micheal decided to go out after receiving a text message from Sabrina. She, on the other hand, imed she had not texted him ata 11. Where is Antonio? Anna asked, perplexed. Jasper stood up and replied sternly, Antonio isnt going to say anything. He has a wife and a child, and that kid is only a month old. He must keep them safe, so he is extremely cautious. Jaspers words made everyone nervous, and Isabe and Anna had trouble breathing. At that moment, a nurse walked in and said, Anna, that child is causing trouble again Hearing that, Anna stood up, walked to the door, and then told Isabe to rest and have a good rest. Theres someone | want you to meet, she said to Jasper. Jasper followed Anna downstairs to a childrens ward. When he opened the door, he saw a boy with orange hair walking around the ward in 457 | Want to Take Him in his bare feet. His quilt and pillow were scattered on the floor, and the room was empty except for a bed. Hello, Gary, Anna greeted him in a friendly tone. When he saw Anna, the little boy fell silent. His expression shifted from confusion to excitement, and he dashed forward, wrapping his arms around her thighs. Jasper was taken aback and asked, Who is this little guy, Anna? Howe Ive never seen him before? After hearing Jaspers voice, the little boy looked up and acted terrified. Anna stroked him and said, Gary, dont be afraid. Hes a close friend of mine. Her words did not appear to calm Gary down. He ran to the back of the bed and let out a roar as Jasper took a few steps forward to get closer tohim Anna looked resigned and awkward. She pulled a sticker from her coat pocket and grabbed one of Jaspers hands. And then, she ced the sticker on the back of his hand, held it up to Gary and said, See? Hes my friend. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The little boy instantly calmed down when he saw the back of Jaspers hand. He wasnt as hostile anymore, and he was much more rxed. He moved closer to Jasper, getting close enough to see the pattern on his hand Following that, he shed a smile and grabbed Jaspers hand. And Jasper was stunned. Under Annas guidance, Gary took out a drawing board and began writing on it. After that, he showed Anna the drawing board. A woman dressed as a nurse was on the drawing board, holding a needle towards a boy behind a hospital bed. 457 | Want to Take Him in Anna hummed a song tofort him after looking at it. Oh, I see. Is that how Matthew used tomunicate with you guys when he couldnt talk? Jaspers words reminded Anna of what had happened five years before. She smiled as she remembered the good times she had with Matthew, saying, Gary always reminded me of Matthew, so | enjoyed being with him. Gary was exhausted. Because Anna was by his side, it didnt take him long to fall asleep. Anna then gently lifted his trouser leg. When Jasper noticed the tattoo on his ankle, he asked, What is that? Anna told him what she knew. When Jasper had fullyprehended it, she said, Gary can leave the hospital tomorrow, and | wanted to take him back to the Wrights house. But there are a lot of people there, and | doubt hell be safe. So, Il be back in New York in a few days, and he can stay at my house. | dont have many maids at home, and | live there alone right now. Dont worry, its extremely safe there. He cut her off before she could finish her sentence, Ill look into things about Michael, so you dont have to worry that either. Chapter 459 Tammy Is Missing Chapter 459 Tammy Is Missing Selina invited Anna and Wayne to her birthday party. She made many dishes and only invited her family members. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! While having dinner, Tammy fiddled with the crab legs on her te intently. She gathered some crab meat and ced it on Selinas te, saying, Happy birthday, Grandaunt Selina. Hearing that, Selinaughed happily. Tammy pulled out the jade bracelet with her greasy hands while eating crab meat, which surprised Selina and moved her to tears. Then, Selina cried on her husbands shoulder. Wayne, who was sipping the soup, looked perplexed and locked eyes with Tammy, who was also feeling overwhelmed. Tammy had crab paste on her nose, but she didnt even realize it. She said as she was worried, If you dont like this one, Grandaunt Selina, | can get you another. Dont cry, please! After hearing her words, Selina looked up, smiled, and kissed her cheek, I cry because | feel so happy. | love your gift, of course! Then Annas phone vibrated. She got a message from Peace, saying, | really miss Tammy! Ill pick her up from school tomorrow afternoon and let her spend the night at my house. Anna continued to drink her soup and replied, sure. The next day, when she received a phone call from Tammys teacher, Anna was having lunch in the hospital cafeteria. After talking to her teacher over the phone, Anna knew that Tammy hadnt arrived at school all morning. 458 Tammy Is Missing Taken aback, Anna tried her best to stay calm. She then dialled Peaces number. Peace sounded tired, but after hearing what Anna said, she immediately woke up. She asked, surprised, You said | texted you yesterday that | picked up Tammy? No, | didnt! Come see me in person then. After saying this, Anna hung up the phone, exhausted. She was shocked and upset. Minutester, she arrived home to find Wayne and Peace waiting for her in the living room. They were both stone-faced and silent. Anna! What in the hell is going on? Peace ran to Anna as soon as she saw her enter. She was terrified on her way there. She had been waiting for Anna for a long time, so she told Wayne toe home as well. Anna sat on the couch and then burst into tears. She took her phone from her bag and opened her chat log with Peace. | really miss Tammy! Ill pick her up from school tomorrow afternoon and let her spend the night at my house. Sure. Seeing the text messages, Peace jumped up from the couch. She widened her eyes and eximed, Impossible! | workedte at the office yesterday and didnt even get home that night. | didnt even send you this message! Then Peace suddenly recalled something terrible. Frowning, she said, I went downstairs to the supermarket to get coffee around eight oclock yesterday, and then | lost my phone. When I left, a little girl returned it to me. She then took her phone from her bag, searched for their text message and found that their most recent message was sentst week. Hearing that, Anna was desperate. She was sweating all over and felt like the world was spinning around her. 458 Tammy Is Missing Anna, are you all right? Wayne asked. He was concerned that Anna would crumble under the pressure of one blow after another. Anna looked up at Wayne with sadness. Her voice shook as she said, Go find Tammy, Wayne. Please find her! Peace had no idea what had happened, so she had no way of connecting this ident to the series of changes that had urred sometime before. As a result, she reassured Anna, Tammy had lost before when she was younger. She is now old enough to protect herself. Lets go find her. Perhaps things arent all thatplicated. Anna ignored Peaces words and tried to force herself to calm down. After a while, she had a thought. Have you ever seen this pattern? she asked, rolling up her sleeve and pointing to the pattern of the sticker on her wrist. After thinking for a while. Peace pped her hands and eximed, Yes, | did! A man bumped into me in the supermarket yesterday. He has this tattoo on his neck. Anna became even more desperate after hearing her words. She grabbed the phone from the coffee table and dashed out the door. Wayne stopped her as she walked for a few steps. He stood up and gave Anna a tender and compassionate look. He was just as worried as she was, yet, he had to remind her, If you go look for him now, youll only make matters worse. He might have quit his job in that restaurant. Im going to the school right now to get some information. Peace, call the police and then stay with Anna for me. After a quick phone call to Noel, Wayne had everything ready and headed out the door. As he walked past Anna, she grabbed his arm and said, Iming with you. As she tugged on Waynes shirt, Annas hands trembled slightly. Wayne gripped her tightly, his strong arms providing her a sense of security. Please wait for me. He said firmly before turning and walking out the door. After Wayne arrived at Tammys school, Tammys teacher told Wayne, who was sitting sternly on the couch, These are the two students who left school with Tammy yesterday after school, and they were thest people to see her. She then pointed to a girl nearby, saying, Sally, please tell this gentleman of the situation. Our practice exam results were released yesterday. Tammy did well on the test, so we nned to celebrate it after school. But not long after we entered the dessert shop, she abruptly said that she needed to leave. What? Wayne asked, perplexed The other girl nodded and echoed, Yeah. | had a feeling that something was wrong with her after we entered the dessert shop. She is usually very energetic and often tells us jokes. But she was unusually quiet yesterday, as if she was thinking about something. She also left in a hurry, as if she needed to do something right away. Wayne asked, Which dessert shop did you go to? Twenty minutester, Wayne arrived at the dessert shop . He sat in the back seat, slightly leaning toward the car door. He was expressionless as he stared out of the car window at the pedestrians coming and going. Got it! I told the owners wife that my sister had gone missing and gave her another $500. Then, she gave me the surveince footage. Noel entered about a momentter through the drivers side door. He handed Wayne the ck sh drive he was holding. Wayne inserted the sh drive into theputer quickly and didnt 458 Tammy Is Missing seem to want to say anything. He carefully watched the video, and his expression gradually became sullen. Tammy and the two girls arrived at the dessert shopst night at 6:53 p.m. and took a seat to the left of the door. The waitress served them three cakes. Tammy ate only a few bites of the cake before stopping. She left the store alone with her backpack at 7:08. Wayne frowned. He noticed that Tammy paused as she walked through the stores door and then kept staring at a specific spot to her right. The surveince, however, did not capture what Tammy was looking at. And he became distressed and leaned against the back of the chair. He had an idea as soon as he closed his eyes and immediately reyed the video. Two people walked by before Tammy left. They walked from the screens right side to the stores entrance. They quickly left the store, and Tammy soon left. Wayne realized something wasnt quite right. He couldnt tell who the person was because the image was so blurry. After some thought, he sent a screenshot of the image to Ryan and said, Please help me look into this. Iwant to know who they are. Ryan was on a mission to investigate some data. He stopped what he was doing on hisputer to refine the blurry image and then sentit to Wayne, saying, I need time to figure out who they are, but you can see their faces now. Wayne frowned as he looked at the picture Ryan had sent. He tightened his grip on his phone as he remembered somethingplicated from a long time ago. As he regained hisposure, the dampness in his palm reminded him of what he had just thought. 458 Tammy Is Missing Ryan, I think | know who they are, Wayne sighed. Chapter 460 How Dare You! Chapter 460 How Dare You! Ill give you an hour to send me surveince videos from the time she left this store until she disappeared, Wayne ordered Noel. Sure, Mr. Wright. Noel was nervously sweating. After he sent Wayne to the office, Noel worked nonstop to get the video. He sent the surveince video to Wayne and ran back to his office an hourter. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Ive emailed the video to you, Mr. Wright. What should | do next? Wayne was still infuriated after checking all of the surveince videos. He quickly shut down hisptop. About ten minutester, Noel parked his car in the East End near the new vi area. Then a dozen strong men dressed in ck suits walked to them; they were the bodyguards Wayne hired. Who is it? A maid opened the door after hearing the doorbell. She was wary after seeing the people in front of her, so she only opened the doorac***k. Hello, wevee to see Waynes face was expressionless, as if he was a gang member, too. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the door through the c***k, pulling it outward. Because the maid was caught off guard, the door opened wide. Wm here to see Shirley Gabriel. Wayne said coldly and angrily. He had entered the house before he could finish. 459 How Dare You! Maam! As she stumbled and ran upstairs, the maid shouted. Awoman ina gray dress came down the stairs a short timeter. She was about fifty years old and appeared to be in good shape. She was slim, with delicate makeup and curly brown hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Who is it? You know youre trespassing, right? Ill call the police! Shirley shouted. Shirley was standing at the stairs on the second floor, enraged after seeing those people downstairs. She had just dialed 911 when she noticed the man standing in front of the crowd. Wayne Wright? Shirleys eyes widened in surprise, and she set her phone down. Shirley quickly rxed. Ive always remembered the deal | made with you back then, she said slowly as she walked down the stairs, but howe you seem to have forgotten it yourself? Wayne continued to stare at her indifferently. He forced himself not to be enraged and asked hoarsely, Where is Tammy? Shirley came to a halt and thenughed. Herughter echoed throughout the living room, sounding harsh like a ghost. Do you mean Tammy is missing? Why do youe here after losing your child? Do you think Id sacrifice her life for Allies? She doesnt even deserve it! Shirley shivered slightly as she leaned against the armrest. She had felt the loneliness of losing her family for the past five years. She could still remember clearly the moment Allie fell off the building. She couldnt forget it all, no matter how hard she tried. Later, she thought about making Anna lose something in exchange. But she had to give up every time she remembered what Wayne had said 459 How Dare You! = to her at the top of the building on the day they signed the contract. Wayne was enraged after hearing Shirleys bold words. He snatched the stack of printed video screenshots from Noels hands and tossed them at Shirleys face. The paper was scattered like snowkes. Shirleys face turned pale as she looked at the paper on the floor. How would you exin that? Wayne asked as coldly as a demon from hell. Shirley became terrified as she remembered what Wayne had said to. her five years before. Waynes bodyguard had pushed her halfway over the top floor railing at the time, but he didnt seem to mind she would die. You must also know whether Frank died because of his illness or not. Ifyou dont want to die as tragically as Allie, | will also let you spend the rest of your life in jail. Ive already agreed to hand over the group to you! What else do you want?! Iwant you to stay away from Anna. You will die if you go anywhere near her again! Shirley couldnt stand still when she remembered that horrible past. She could barely maintain her bnce and felt threatened when she saw the bodyguards in the living room. Then she wiped the sweat from her brow with her hand. She averted her gaze from Waynes and looked at the living room floor. She said, Tammy had followed me the day before, and it took me a while to notice it. Later on, | simply told her to go home. I didnt hurt her in any way. You deliberately led Tammy into an alley with no surveince, and it didnt take long for your car to leave there. Wasnt she in your car? Wayne approached Shirley and snarled Shirley shook her head desperately, shouting, I didnt do anything! | 459 How Dare You! simply knocked her out and drove away. Waynes eyes were cold, and he looked down at Shirley. Search the house! he ordered the bodyguards Hearing that, the group of men dashed to all four corners of the house. Shirley looked up in disbelief, seeing that her luxurious home quickly became a shambles. A porcin vase shattered on the ground, and shards flew all over. Wayne, youre breaking thew! she cried in pain. Then call the police, Wayne said indifferently. He left after confirming that Tammy was not there. Wayne came to a halt as he was about to leave the house. He was silhouetted by the sun, making him look like a ghost. His dull voice, however, was still powerful. He said, Tammy had better be safe. Or, youll be doomed. Shirleys heart was slowly broken by the sound of people leaving. After they had all left,she quickly took out her cell phone. Did you find her? Ive told you, we cant mess with this girl! Are you sure she wasnt there when you went back? You didnt smuggle her away? Shirley breathed a sigh of relief as she hung up the phone. She clenched her teeth as she remembered what had happened the night before. On their way back to the Wayne office, Noel examined Waynes expression in the rearview mirror. He got goosebumps all over when he remembered what had just happened. Frowning, Wayne cast a solemn look out the window. Gabe, remember | asked you to look into Franks death five years ago? he said, pulling his phone from his pocket. Chapter 461 Chapter 461 The Stalking longer working here. Are you his sister? Youre as pretty as he described. Does my brother talk about me a lot? Anna asked shyly. Yes! Bill rarely smiles, so our boss advised him to be friendly to the guests. But he always smiles when he mentions you. Where has he gone? In hushed tones, the girl became embarrassed and asked Anna, He didnt even tell you that? Actually, its all my fault. | identally spilled wine on a customer that day, and he was fired because he took the me for me. He probably didnt want you to be worried about him. He said he is selling fish at the market now and had made a lot of money. Hes working ina market? The girl looked her in the eyes and nodded. Which market? Wm not sure, but it should be close. Anna then got ready to leave right away. She stopped after a few steps and walked back to the girl. Anna shoved two bills into the waitresss hand and whispered to her, Dont tell Bill | was here, please. After walking out of the restaurant, Anna nned to go through all the nearby markets, beginning with the closest one. She finally found the man at a market about an hourter. A middle-aged man was taking a fat carp out of the tank at a nearby fish stall. He began scraping off the scales after weighing the fish. And he ced the fish in a ck stic bag and handed it to a woman as she handed him a bill. The man didnt even have time to wipe the sweat from his brow before greeting the next customer. Anna stood back and watched in silence. It was difficult for her to 460 The Stalking believe that the hardworking man was the demon who hurt Peter. But, the tattoo on the mans neck was conspicuous. Then she took out her phone and took a photo of him. Soon after, the man answered the phone and became serious. He took off his apron and walked towards the markets exit after speaking with the person next to him, Anna followed him quietly, and her phone rang soon. She was startled and abruptly hung up and turned her phone off. Not far from the market, there was a small park. The man walked forward at a quick pace, asionally looking back warily. And Anna avoided his gaze the entire time. After crossing a road, the man entered the small park through a side entrance. He finally came to a halt in a dense forest. At that moment, Anna realized why the man hade here. She took her phone from her bag. And she was about to take a picture When she remembered she had turned it off earlier. When she looked up after turning on her phone, she noticed that the two men talking in the woods had vanished. At that moment, Anna had an ominous feeling. She was about to leave when she noticed someone moving behind her. She felt something hit the back of her head immediately after. She couldnt stand up any longer and copsed to the ground because she was dizzy. The world in front of her became hazy. Before she passed out, she could vaguely feel the man approaching her and snatching the object from her grasp. At the same time, Noel left the Japanese restaurant and got into the drivers seat. Then, he said to Wayne, who was sitting in the back, Anna was here an hour ago, ording to a waitress, but she didnt find the 460 The Stalking person she was looking for. She imed she went to one of the nearby food markets. Wayne rubbed his brow, gradually losing his mind due to anxiety. He had an impulse to search every corner of the city for his wife and daughter. Lets go, Noel He was about to finish when he noticed a text message. It was a Google Maps location information, indicating that it was in a nearby park. Wayne zoomed in on the map and felt his entire body tense up. When Wayne discovered Anna in the park, she had been dragged to the heart of the woods. Noel was the first one to notice her. There she is! he yelled, pointing to Anna, who was unconscious against a large rock in the distance. Wayne came to a halt, then stepped over the bushes into the woods somberly. Noels excitement quickly turned to shock. When he turned around, he noticed tears in Waynes eyes. Wayne appeared flustered at the time, as frustrated and heartbroken as a lost child. Mr. Wright. Noel was taken aback as he watched Wayne move closer to Anna. Wayne took each step as seriously as if he were making a major decision. He eventually leaned over and picked her up off the ground. Immediately after that, his white shirt was stained by the blood running down the back of her head. Please go to the hospital. Waynes voice was so husky that he couldnt even speak. 460 The Stalking bd Later, in the hospital, Nancy stood sternly, her hands in the pockets of her white robe. She asked Wayne, What happened to Anna this time? How did she get into so many idents after getting married to you? Wayne froze and began to recall what had happened previously. He didnt believe she was just getting into more idents after she got married. Actually, he hadnt seen Annas life go well since the first time he met her. Thank you. Ill keep herpany on my own, Wayne said. He looked at Annas pale face in the hospital bed. instead of being flustered and upset, he had regained hisposure. Nancy simply nodded. I dont think Anna will probably wake up tonight, she said as she walked out the ward door, And you look like you need rest now! Wayne remained silent, and Nancy heard her voice echoing throughout the room. She looked at Wayne and then left. Meanwhile, Joshua was standing at the door, holding two lunch boxes and waiting for Nancy. On her way out, Nancy was surprised to see Waynes bodyguard. She covered her chest and turned to face each of the bodyguards, saying to Joshua, Why dont you go inside and speak with Mr. Wright? He appears to be exhausted. What is he afraid of now that he has so many bodyguards here? Nancy then took the lunch box from Joshuas grasp. After opening the box and seeing her favorite dish, she smiled happily. Then Joshua wrapped his arm around Nancys shoulders and walked alongside her to the office. Joshua said as they walked in the hospital corridor, Ive heard the story of them. If youve heard it, you wouldnt think that way. 460 The Stalking Could you tell me more about it? Ina fluster, Peace opened the door to Annas ward when Joshua and Nancy had just disappeared into the corridor. She sobbed and clutched Annas cold hand, looking sad. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The doctor said she wasnt badly hurt. The attacker did not appear to want her to be seriously injured,Wayne exined. Huh? Why? Chapter 462 With You All the Time Chapter 462 With You All the Time Wayne remained silent because he had not yet discovered any useful clues. His hands clenched tightly. Then he uttered, Maybe Anna got hurt because she found some clues, but But what? Peace asked impatiently. It should have been the same person who sent me the message on her phone. Wayne had not been able to figure out why. He had the impression that everything that happened recently was targeted at the Wrights or Anna. The suspect appeared very vicious when she pushed Mona down the stairs. But he couldnt understand why that person would pass up such a good opportunity and send Anna back. As she listened. Peace frowned. She walked around the ward impatiently, cursing several times. Wayne was irritated by her voice. He was about to tell Peace to leave when he noticed Anna moving uneasily. He quickly stood up and took her hand in his. Wayne, Anna said, her voice hoarse. After a few struggles, she opened her eyes , and the bright light overhead put her in a trance. Anna! Wayne and Peace both eximed at the same time, bringing her back to reality. Owen! Shouting the name, Annas palms began to sweat the moment she opened her eyes. She kept recalling the images she had seen before passing out. 461 With You All the Time Anna! You finally woke up! Peaces eyes widened and brightened. But she quickly became irritable. She asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest, Why did you leave all of a sudden? | said you could have Wayne with you.. Thank God you came back alive this time. Do you have any idea how dangerous it could be? Anna had just awoken, unprepared for Peace to scold her. She blinked her eyes and said softly, Im sorry, Peace. Its entirely my fault. Wayne coughed softly and looked impatiently at Peace, saying, Youre a little noisy. Me? Are you talking about me? Peace asked, pointing to herself in surprise. She wouldnt have run away if you hadnt nodded off. Wayne nodded and went on. Wayne, you two now share the same brain, right? Wayne didnt reply. And Anna changed the subject before Peace was pissed off, realizing they were about to get into a fight, Anyway, | got something useful out of it. | saw Owen in the woods, and it appears that he was involved in it. Anna reflected on it and realized that the things that had happenedtely appeared to be linked. It seemed that Owen showed up at the press conference and used her and Gary of being taken in by the Flower orphanage on purpose. Wayne, | think he might have been the one who abducted Tammy, She said anxiously as she shook Waynes hand. Wayne nodded and set a pillow against Annas back to make her morefortable. Then he moved gently and said, Ill look into it further. Honey, leave everything to me. You should take a good rest now. The fact that Wayne didnt me her or even mention what she had 461 With You All the Time done wrong made Anna feel even more guilty. She thought, _/m so sorry, Wayne. I shouldnt have been led by impulse and gone find Tammy without telling you. After all, Ive just promised you that | would always be there for you. Its just After realizing Tammy is lost, | becamepletely disoriented. Thank goodness. | wasnt in great danger this time. Otherwise, you wouldve been devastated. And thats thest thing | want to happen. Just thinking of you bing devastated because of me breaks my heart. Having pulled her mind back to reality, Anna took a deep breath before saying, Im sorry, Wayne. | shouldnt have made you so worried about me. Then she took both of his hands in hers and spread his palm out. And she reached out and rubbed her fingers over his fine lines. In this way, Anna wanted to remind herself that she had been through a lot before finding happiness and that she never wanted to lose him again. Seeing them being so intimate with each other, Peace couldnt help but interrupt, Hello! Im still here! OK, Ill have Noel take you back, Wayne said with a frown. Peace gave a resigned look to Anna, who had stuck her tongue out slightly at her. She walked to the door and called Karl, saying, Come pick me up, honey! | need you. See, youre not the only ones in love, she said to these two in the hospital room. After that, she mmed the door shut and walked away. Wayne and Anna both smiled as they looked at the door. Standing up, Wayne gently kissed her and whispered, Ill stay with you, my dear. Have a good sleep. Anna nodded, knowing that Wayne would not leave no matter what. 461 With You All the Time She was about to lie down when she thought of the photos she had taken and asked, Wheres my phone? I have it right here. Wayne took her phone out of his pocket. Anna took phone and opened the album, only to discover that all of the photos she had taken previously had been deleted. However, she didnt seem disappointed or surprised when handing him the phone. Whats the matter? Wayne asked. When | fainted, | felt that someone had taken my phone. It seems that it was not my imagination. All of the pictures | took earlier have disappeared. He was the one who used your phone to send me your location, Wayne said as he read a message. Anna looked at Wayne, surprised and conflicted. Then, she had another thought. She said, I went to that Japanese restaurant and said | was that mans sister. And I didnt expect that he actually had a sister, and they were very close. Thats also a clue, | suppose. WIL look into it then, Wayne said with a frown. The neon light from the window illuminated everything inside a small square room in a suburban ghetto. Bill sat in the dark, like a wolf in the woods. He snatched the cigarette he was about to finish, brought it to his mouth, and took a long, hard puff. He then threw the butt into the nearly full ashtray. After that, Bill turned back and then lit up another cigarette. He looked worried Awhileter, his phones screen lit up. With the cigarette in his mouth, he squinted and unlocked his phone . He then nced at the chat 461 With You All the Time log on his screen. Why didnt you do it today when you had such a good chance? What the hell is going on? I couldnt do it because there were people around. Bill texted back. Wayne Wright will find you soon. You dont have much time left. know. Did she happen to see Owen? Yes. Go for n B, and Ill tell you what to doter. Owen has done something wrong, and hell pay for it. When its ended, Ill give you what you want. Bill paused for a moment, staring at the text message on his phone. The smoke created a trail of smoke in front of his eyes, further blurring his expression He paused for a long time, typed a few words, and then deleted them all. OK, he said after a while. Letting outa long sigh, he smoked hisst cigarette, stood up, and went to the balcony to call his sister. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Joanna, are you asleep? He asked. Not yet. Why dont youe home today? I got homete from work and thought you were already asleep. Joanna remained silent after hearing his exnation. She seemed preupied as she stroked her bedclothes. They then both remained silent. Billter said, breaking the ice, I may have to leave town for a while recently, so Ill see you tomorrow. What would you like to eat? 461 With You All the Time Pufts. Billughed and gently asked, Puffs again? OK, Ill go get them tomorrow for you. Bill eventually stoppedughing. In a daze, he stood on the shabby balcony, looking down at the bustling city, and said, Ill get some money soon. Please wait for me. The night windpletely chilled him. He hung up the phone and then came back to his senses gradually. Shaking his head helplessly, he entered his bedroom and sat on his bed. Because he was used to the darkness and solitude, he had always left the light on. He pretended to be an ordinary citizen but was already a sinner. All he could do was hide in the city and seek refuge. He would never be able to leave this slum or go into the city ever again. Chapter 463 Finding Tammy Chapter 463 Finding Tammy Gabe prepared to return to Ennd after Wayne called him that day. However, something went wrong with one of the cases he handled, and he had to stay to deal with it. So, he e-mailed all of the information he got to Noel. On the weekend, Noel printed all the files and drove to Waynes manor in the West End. He took a sightseeing car to the entrance, and it took him ten minutes to get into the square. At the same time, Isabe and Natalie were ying tennis in the courtyard. The two young girls sat panting on the ground, looking energetic. Noel couldnt help but stop and watch for a moment. He then coughed softly and waved to Wayne, who was sitting nearby. Wayne wore a casual sports suit, which was unusual for him. It made him look much gentler and younger. He pointed to the sightseeing car on the side after spotting Noel and then walked there. And Gary was climbing on top of Anna, clutching one of her thighs. He seemed to treat her like a kiddie slide at a theme park. Wayne returned his gaze and warned him, You, stop it. Hearing Waynes warning, Gary slid off Annas leg and crouched behind her as he felt alerted. And Wayne finally left satisfied. Then Wayne and Noel boarded a sightseeing car and travelled deep within the property to a garden. The fall breeze swept towards them as they moved forward, and the air was fragrant with natures distinct scent. Noels expression shifted from astonishment to shock along the way. 462 Finding Tammy When did you buy this mountain, Mr. Wright? He asked In the center of the garden was a tiny gazebo. Wayne and Gabe sat there, both with sombre expressions on their faces. Gabe sent this information to me. He discovered a crucial clue five years ago: Frank Gabriel died of severe liver failure. His death was so strange that doctors couldnt identify if he died from man-made or natural causes. If it was done on purpose, it meant that the murderer let Frank be exposed to trace levels of poisons over a long period of time, Noel reported what he had found out about. Wayne was expressionless. He sat back in his chair, his hands sped to his chest. Then he fixed his icy gaze on the table, nodded and gestured for Noel to continue. Noel cleared his throat and said, Gabe then found a drug. If people take this medication for three to five years, they will die mysteriously like Frank. However, this drug is illegal in the UK and they could only obtain it abroad secretly. And Shirley had been buying this medicine on a regr basis for the three years before Franks death. Noel exined as he ced one of the photocopied materials in front of Wayne. Shirleys personal transaction record is here. She purchased this medicine once every six months and five times in three years. Wayne leaned closer, taking the paper in his hand. The paper was thin, but it felt as heavy as a huge rock to him. He realized that five transactions were insufficient to use Shirley of murder. What else have you got? he asked, leaning back again, Because you asked him to stop the search at the time, Gabe didnt look at the other clues, Noel paused slightly, examining Waynes expression Wayne raised his head, clearly dissatisfied with his words. He soon 462 Finding Tammy recovered hisposure because he realized he was the one who refused to let Gabe continue his investigation five years ago. He wondered why he had done it in the first ce and regretted it. Noel quickly added, Ive been following Shirley for a few days, and have some discoveries. Turns out that shes very close to awyer named Howard Baker: Awyer? Wayne began to ponder. Yes. | saw thewyers profile. They grew up in the same city, and they dated each other in their twenties. They stayed in touch in the years following Franks death, and theyve seen each other a lot recently. Waynes expression became gloomy. After a brief pause, Noel said, They met with Franks insurance trustee earlier in the day at a cafe. We didnt get any useful information from him, but | believe it has something to do with Franks insurance money. | put a bug in Howards bag while he was in the bathroom yesterday. So Ill be able to find out what hes been up to soon. Noel said as he ced a couple of images in front of Wayne. Wayne gazed at the photos several times but said nothing. As he stood up, he tore the photos into pieces and tossed them on the table. Find out whats going on as soon as possible, He ordered Noel in a serious tone. Im onit. Noel quickly found out some news once Wayne returned home. He said to him over the phone, Mr. Wright, | found out something about Owen. This morning, he went to a cafe to meet a man. He drove all the way south after he left there. Tammy might be there, I believe. 462 Finding Tammy Tell the police and then follow them. Ill be there right away. Hanging up, Wayne began to rx a bit. As he returned to the living room, he saw Anna smiling at him. And Anna quickly realized what Wayne meant when she saw the pleasure and satisfaction in his deep eyes. She began to cry after that. Ive got a clue. Wayne said. Anna was relieved by his brief sentence. What? Is there a clue about where Tammy is? She asked. Wayne nodded. Everyone present was surprised and then started cheering. Anna cried more loudly. Seeing her like this, Wayne embraced her tightly. She had been frightened for several days but never expressed her feelings. She sobbed on his chest. After Tammy disappeared, she went about her business as usual, and even Peace was taken aback by it. Only Wayne knew how worried she was. PI find our daughter, my dear. Ill bring her back safe and sound, He kissed her on the cheek and said firmly. The next day, Owen had been waiting for Bill in the cafe at nine in the morning. Hed had a rough few days and was constantly in a trance. And he had already finished two cups of coffee when Bill arrived. What the hell do you guys mean? You guys are done using me? Owen pped the table and asked aggressively as Bill sat down. The spoon in his hand rattled as it touched the porcin cup. Bill remained silent and began to drink the coffee from his cup calmly. Do you think | invited you here for tasting the coffee? Owen became 462 Finding Tammy even more enraged. Bill grinned cruelly as heid his cup down. In a mocking tone, he said, Calm down. You were the one who volunteered to help us in using Lemon in the first ce for the donation. But you didnt get the money because Gary was lost. After that, you agreed to kidnap Tammy Wright for us as a way to make it up to us. Bill purposefully spoke slowly and loudly. Owen was stunned by that and tried to stand up to cover his mouth. He rxed a little after looking around to ensure no one was behind them. Bill scoffed and said, So, do you still think were using you? Owen realized he couldnt defend himself and replied, Anyway, | dont want to do it anymore. Im out! Are you sure about that? Yes! | was thinking that if we receive this grant, our orphanage will be named a national excellent orphanage. That way, Id get promoted. But now youre going to get me murdered! Youre a mobster! Owen felt increasingly agitated as he spoke. Bill frowned, recalling things from the past that he didnt want to think of. He was a gang member before he was thirty and was even more ruthless and bloodthirsty back then. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! After collecting his own thoughts, Bill said, It doesnt matter. If youre sure you want to quit, we wont stop you. All you have to do is to let the girl go. After that, you will have nothing to do with us. But the donation will also be canceled. Really? Owen asked. He couldnt believe how quickly things could be resolved. Bill answered with a fake smile, Sure! But you know what will happen if you tell anyone about this. He then raised his hand, holding the 462 Finding Tammy coffee cup high. The moment he let go, a clear cracking sound echoed throughout the cafe. Owen shivered in terror as he heard the horrible shattering sound of the broken cup. He shivered and nearly copsed to the ground. He then said, Im not going to tell anyone! I certainly will not. Then why are you still here? Leave now. Billughed and raised his chin at him. Immediately after Bill finished his words, Own left in a fluster. Bill sipped his coffee while gazing out the ss window and noticed a white car following Owen. He frowned, realizing that things were about to get more tricky. He paid for his coffee and cup, and then went away. After leaving the cafe, Owen headed towards the citys south side. He was driving so fast that he even ran a red light. So, he didnt notice there was a car following him. Chapter 464 We Found Tammy! Chapter 464 We Found Tammy! Owen kept Tammy in his house in his hometown, a vige south of the city. Every day, he asked his rtives to bring food to her. He told his neighbors and rtives that Tammy was his friends daughter, who was mentally ill and suffered from severe persecution delusions. His rtives were simple-minded and didnt suspect anything. When he got home, his neighbor had just delivered lunch to Tammy through the window. She greeted him and said, Youre here to see the girl, right, Owen? | think she is very ill. Every time I see her, she tells me shes been kidnapped. You should get her to a hospital in town. Owen smiled as he wiped the sweat from his brow, Thank you. Im bringing her back to town right now. Her father had just found her a hospital. Thats great! Owen took out his keys and opened the door after the woman was gone. Inside the house, Tammy heard their conversation. She took a rolling pin from the kitchen and hid behind the closed door. As soon as she saw himing inside the house, she hit Owen hard with the rolling pin. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Owen was taken aback and immediately pleaded, Stop! Im here to help you get out! Tammy wasnt persuaded. She took advantage of the opportunity to open the door and escape after beating him several times. And she didnt expect the neighbors to stop her when they heard the noises. They 463 We Found Tammy! believed she was severely mentally ill and refused to let her go. Tammy was crying because she was so desperate. She grabbed a womans arm and begged, This evil man has brought me here! | was kidnapped! Please call the police. My father wille here and save me! The woman looked at Tammy sympathetically, and she clearly thought she was insane. She then took Tammys hand and led her into the room. She said to Tammy gently, Owen will get you to the hospital. My dear, you should stay here. No one will hurt you here. At that moment, Tammy realized what it meant to be desperate. She wanted to say so many things, but she couldnt. She just stood still when more people tried to drag her to Owens house. Owen, who had just risen from the ground, appeared enraged. But all he could do was touch the wound in his head and say to Tammy softly, Ill take you back to Birmingham in a minute and send you home. Still, Tammy found his tone harsh and evil. She waspletely unconvinced because she didnt believe the people who had kidnapped her here would release her. In the blink of an eye, she kicked him in the crotch before he could react. Instantly, Owen nearly copsed again in pain. He couldnt hold back his rage and raised his hand, trying to hit Tammy. But before he could, he was startled by a frightening voice: the siren of a police car. What is going on? Why are there so many police cars here? Someone asked. Owens face turned pale as he looked around at the agitated crowd. He looked around before running out of the building and up the stairwell. And Owen had jumped off the balcony with his eyes closed before anyone realized what was happening. He let out a horrifying scream as he fell on 463 We Found Tammy! the ground. As everyone was attracted by Owens scream, Tammy broke free from the crowd and dashed to the stairwell, only to find Owen driving away. Tammy! She heard Waynes voice while she was at a loss for words. Then she turned around and saw a tall man standing in the middle of the first-floor stairs. Because it wasnt well-lit there, she couldnt see him clearly. Tammys tears, on the other hand, made it difficult for her to see the man. Tammy was taken aback. She had been mentally tense for about ten days and had only dared to rx slightly at that point. Daddy! She dashed over to Wayne. And she had never felt as safe and happy as she did at that moment. Wayne then took her back home. On the way home, Tammy fell sound asleep. She mumbled something, and Wayne realized she hadnt slept or eaten in several days. Wayne listened to her murmurings, and his expression slowly became gloomy. I want you to find Owen faster than the police, he said to Noel over the phone in a low voice. When they arrived at Wrights house, Tammy was still sleeping. After Wayne gentlyid Tammy on her bed, Anna got a bottle of glucose and injected fluids into her. And it took a long time before Tammys pale face turned pink. At around eight oclock that night, Wayne received a call from Noel, saying he had found Owen. Noel appeared hesitant and unsure, I did find him, but hes dead. Hearing that, Wayne was not surprised. He hung up the phone, grabbed a coat from the coat rack and went out. 463 We Found Tammy! At the time, Anna was standing on the second-floor balcony. After seeing Wayne drive his car out of the yard, she frowned, looking rather exhausted. Owen died in his apartment. The police had already secured the scene by the time Wayne arrived there. The doors and windows of the apartment were wide open. Meanwhile, the smell of gas permeated the small space. A police officer was getting Noel to take a statement since he was the first person that found the scene and contacted the police. Ina calm voice, Noel stated, I needed to talk to Owen about some personal matters, so | dropped by his apartment around 7 p.m. I knocked for a long time, but no one responded. | was about to leave when | smelled gas and realized something was wrong. Then | kicked open the door and found him unconscious. Following that, | called the police. Noel scratched his head, ruining his hairstyle. He was stil terrified when he remembered seeing Owen rolling his eyes on the ground. While Noel was taking his statement, Wayne stood outside the door and took in the scene. Pills, apparently sleeping pills, were scattered around the couch in the living room apartment. Then Wayne realized Owen wanted to die because he took sleeping pills after turning on the gas. discovered an important clue! Suddenly, a young police officer shouted and ran out of a room. He was holding aputer, and his eyes were bright with excitement and thrill. How many times have | told you not to be so noisy? A middle-aged cop pped the young officers head with the newspaper. Sorry! But Ive made a significant discovery! 463 We Found Tammy! What discovery? Theres a suicide note on hisputer! | just looked at it and found that he died because of a clothing company called Lemonl The young cop eximed loudly. Upon hearing his words, Wayne had a gut feeling that things were about to get worse. He had only taken a few steps forward when someone stopped him A cop approached Wayne and said in suspicion, You are not permitted to enter this area. What exactly are you doing here? Wayne immediately put on an agitated expression. Noel, who had just finished making a statement, looked surprised and tightly hugged Wayne, saying, Wayne! Youve finally arrived! Are youing here to pick me up? Wayne froze and locked his gaze on Noel. It was the first time that Noel had hugged him like that. You know him? the cop asked Noel. Yes! Hes my brother! Noel eximed. Wayne nodded and said awkwardly, Yes, he is right. Is it all over, Noel? Can we go now? They then walked down the stairs together. Wayne removed his trench coat and tossed it aside once they were back in the car. He asked, Do | look like | am your brother? This is ridiculous! Noel scratched his hair in frustration and smiled as he said, I had no choice! Dont be mad at me, Mr. Wright. I was just afraid youd get into a fight with the cops. Otherwise, theyd suspect you. Damn it! | asked you to seize him when he was alive! Now that hes dead, weve lost our source of clues! Wayne shouted angrily. 463 We Found Tammy! If Owen was going to kill himself, why did he have to jump off the building to escape? Noel asked. Why are you so sure that he killed himself? Wayne asked. Chapter 465 Smart Little Girl 464 Smart Little Girl Chapter 465 Smart Little Girl 464 Smart Little Girl What? He didnt kill himself? Noel was taken aback and continued to grab his hair. Wayne realized that Noel seemed to be too exhausted. So, he got out of the car and yanked him out of the drivers seat, saying, Tl drive myself back. You can now go home on your own. And you can take the day off tomorrow. He then got into his car and drove away. As Wayne predicted, many news outlets covered the story the next day. They said, Lemon clothing vited thew by using toxic fabrics, causing the children of Flower orphanage to suffer. The president of the orphanage kidnapped Lemons presidents daughter in order to fight for his rights, and then was forced tomit suicide. The news almost destroyed Lemon. Anna had evidence that thepany had previously been wrongfully used, and she had the opportunity to prove her innocence. However, because Owen was no longer alive, the public began to me her. The damage to Lemons reputation was insignificant to Wayne, but theizens personal attacks on Anna and Tammy were too much for him to bear. He was furious as he sat in his office, reading the hatefulments. And he didnt think twice about calling Noel, Tell those media to delete the news within an hour. Block them, and dont work with any of themter on Sure Within an hour, the news had been removed from all media outlets. 464 Smart Little Girl Instead of stopping posting hatements about Anna and Tammy, theizens became more outrageous. Some people even began to use it to prove how chaotic society became. The government had previously said it would conduct a thorough investigation into Lemon and had set a date for next week. However, because public opinion had recently begun to me the regtors, they needed to move it up to provide an answer to the public as soon as possible. Later, Anna arranged another meeting with the government and called Julia to gather all necessary information, samples, and inventory. As she returned from the balcony, she noticed Tammy leaning against the door in her pyjamas, watching her. Did | sleep for a long time. Mom? Tammy had tightly hugged Anna before she could respond. She rubbed her cheek against Annas tenderly. As she stroked Tammys hair, Anna murmured, Yes, my dear. Youve been sleeping for quite some time. Tammy couldnt hold back her tears any longer and quietly wiped her tears on Annas shirt. She had just stood there, dazed, watching Annas back. Im hungry. Mom. Tammy smiled as she rubbed her stomach PIL call your dad and ask him toe back with Matthew, and well have dinner tonight. What would you like to eat? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Tammy licked her lips and mentioned several dishes In the evening, the dining table was piled high with various dishes. Tammy was surprised when she saw her favorite dishes, lobster and rib eye, on the table. 464 Smart Little Girl Undoubtedly, Tammy was always upbeat and cheerful. She ate her food andughed happily as if she forgot the k******g that had happened to her earlier. Sitting next to her, Anna gave her a friendly smile and said nothing. She knew Tammy best and Tammy wouldnt want to talk about unpleasant topics when she was enjoying her favorite food Why do you keep staring at me, Matthew? Tammy asked. She was eating intently at the time, a grilled pizza in one hand and amb chop in the other. As she looked up and saw Matthew looking at her thoughtfully, she couldnt help but wipe her mouth with a paper towel. Hearing that, Matthew lowered his head as his face flushed. Matthew and Tammy were both teenagers, so they were not as intimate as they used to be when they were younger. However, Matthew felt remorseful about the whole thing. After all, one of the most important things to him, who was twelve years old, was to protect his family. Why dont you drop out of school and work with me? Matthew said as he ate his food, pretend not to be serious. Tammy couldnt stop herself from devouring the delicious pizza and saying, Sorry, but Im not interested in corporate management. | still want to go to school. Then Ill pick you up after school every day from now on, Matthew said, nodding. But Tammy tried to refuse him once more. Please dont say no to me on this, Matthew said firmly. Tammyter decided that having someone pick her up from school was not such a bad thing, so she stopped talking. After dinner, Tammyy on the couch, watched TV, and said to Anna, Owen threw my phone into the river, Mom. Could you please get me a 464 Smart Little Girl new one tomorrow? Sure. At the time, Anna was preupied with her paperwork. She paused before nodding. And Tammy didnt notice there was anything wrong with Anna. At the same time, Matthew was sitting on the other end of the couch and looked up at Tammy in surprise. What are you doing, Matthew? Tammy said as she crawled down the couch toward Matthew. Matthew shut hisptop before she could see the words on the screen. Im reading stock market news, He looked as condescending as his father. Tammy was watching Matthews back as he carried hisptop up the stairs and couldnt help but ask Anna, Mom, is he in love? Huh? I have a feeling hes hiding some secrets in hisptop, Tammy said as she stood up and stretched. Then she made her way to the backyard study. As there was only one deskmp on in the study, Wayne was mostly in the dark. He became increasingly enraged as he stared at the constantly updatedments on his phone. Tammy walked in at that precise moment after knocking on the door. Wayne immediately put his phone down and turned to face her. Daddy, Id like to talk to you about something, Tammy grabbed a chair and sat in front of Waynes desk. She paused for a moment, unsure how to express herself. Wayne took off his sses and turned to face his daughter. Her face was made paler by the light from themp. Are you trying to tell me about 464 Smart Little Girl what happened when you met Shirley? he asked calmly. Are you reading my mind, Dad? Tammy couldnt believe it and couldnt help but nod. To her, Wayne was as powerful as a superhero. When he heard Tammys heartfeltpliments, Wayne couldnt help but smile. And he appeared less serious. Wager to learn what made her decide to follow Shirley, Wayne said, | know you met Shirley at the dessert store before you were kidnapped. You two havent seen each other in five years. Even if you met her by chance, you wouldnt have followed her unless you heard something about her. | heard her and the man next to her talking about Grandpas insurance money. They said Grandpa had bought idental death insurance in the first ce. But, because he died as a result of an illness, no one received the insurance money. | think they want to get that money. After taking a deep breath, Tammy continued, They were discussing what they could do to get the money, but they abruptly left halfway through the conversation. I followed them because I wanted to hear what else they had to say. They knocked me out after | went into an alley. When | awoke, | was in Owens house. Wayne said thoughtfully, Shirley was the one who knocked you out, but Owen was the one who kidnapped you. You and Shirley met by chance while Owen nned the kidnapping, As he realized Owen was no longer alive and wouldnt threaten Tammy anymore, Wayne became less nervous. He reassured Tammy, saying, Im looking into it and will get back to you as soon as possible. So, you must keep it a secret between the two of us. Otherwise, your mother will be more worried about you. Dont worry, dad. Your secret is safe with me, Tammy winked and 464 Smart Little Girl said teasingly. She then walked out of the study. After returning to her room, Tammyy in bed for along time and couldnt fall asleep because she had slept too long in the afternoon. And she would remember those terrifying scenes as soon as she closed her eyes, which made her disoriented. Finally, she couldnt take it any longer and sat in bed, picking up the quilt and pillow and walking out of the room. Matthew was startled when he heard a knock on the door and had to close hisptop again. Who is it? He asked. Its me, Tammy. Chapter 466 No One Can Bully Tammy! Chapter 466 No One Can Bully Tammy! Matthew got out of bed and opened the door. He was surprised to see Tammy standing outside the door, holding her quilt and pillow. Can I stay in your room tonight? Ill sleep on the floor, Tammy said with a pout, looking a little upset. Matthew couldnt say no to her. He took the spare bedding from the wardrobe and ced it on the floor, followed by his own quilt and pillow. II sleep on the floor, he said as he sat down. Then Tammy burst outughing. The next morning, Tammy got up early and prepared to go to school. Anna wanted her to rest for a few more days before going to school. However, she didnt stop Tammy because she was afraid she would overthink when she was alone at home. Wayne sat down on the sofa after they finished breakfast and waited for Tammy to go to her room to get her school bag. When Anna realized that Wayne was going to send Tammy to school, she felt relieved. Before leaving the house, Wayne took Tammys bag from her grasp. Then he said to Anna firmly, Ill take Tammy to school every morning, and Matthew will pick her up from school. So dont worry, Anna. We got this. The two then walked alongside Tammy and followed her to the At around five oclock, Matthew and his driver had arrived at the school gates an hour early. About an hourter, as soon as the bell rang, a group of students in school uniforms walked out of the gates. 465 No One Can Bully Tammy! Matthew was ying Sudoku on his iPad as he waited for Tammy, but she still didnte after a long while.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The driver got out and stood in front of the school gate, trying to spot Tammy from the crowd. He said to Matthew worriedly after waiting for a while, Matthew, why hasnt Tammy shown up yet? Hearing his words, Matthew raised an eyebrow. He had already pushed open the car door with his other hand as he put away his iPad Then he stepped out of the car with a serious expression. Ill go check it out. Wait for me here, He said After that, Matthew walked down the road towards the teaching building. On the way, several girls were checking him out. Matthew could hear the noises inside Tammys ssroom as he walked outside the corridor. When he realized someone was saying nasty things to Tammy, he started to quicken his pace. He had just entered the ssroom when he noticed Tammy huddling in the corner. She was drenched, and there was a puddle of water beside her. A chubby boy stood in front of her, holding a red bucket and yelling angrily, Why didnt the kidnappers kill you?! At the same time, a tall, thin girl was standing in front of Tammy with her arms wide open. Her face flushed with nervousness, and her body trembled. Nheless, she said, Jonas! Stop it! You have no right to bully a girl just because your family is rich! Everyone knows you did it to Tammy because she refused to go out on a date with you! Jonas gave her a cold grunt and said, Stay out of my way. Ruby! Im speaking with Tammy. What makes you think | will fall for a girl like her? She has a shameless mother! He threw back his head andughed as he spoke. Several of the boys around himughed with him. 465 No One Can Bully Tammy! When she heard this. Ruby burst into tears. Much as she wanted to. beat the hell out of them, she resisted the urge as she knew she couldnt beat so many people on her own. Ruby then turned back to look at Tammy, who was huddled in the corner, shivering. Tammy clenched her teeth and appeared to be about to snap. Tammy, calm down. Just ignore him. Ruby was nervous and immediately wrapped her arms around Tammy. She was worried that Tammy would fight with them on impulse and get hurt. When Tammy was about to punch Jonas, she heard a loud noise behind her, followed by Jonas screams. When she came back to her senses, she saw that Jonas was drenched and had a red bucket over his head. The next second, Matthew kicked Jonas hard and knocked him to the ground before he could remove the bucket. Surprised, Ruby looked at them. The moment she saw Matthew, an angry, good-looking teenager beating Jonas to the ground, Ruby felt that her heart raced ^Clicking this link means more chapters for you to enjoy! Be a part of our chapter expansion by supporting us through ad clicks. Jonas was moaning on the floor, begging Matthew to stop. Still, Matthew clenched his fist. He gave the boys next to him a warning look without saying anything. Then the boys all ran away in a fluster. Immediately after that, Matthew turned back and looked at Tammy as he was worried about her. He thought, Tammy, / know you have always been assertive and strong and will not let anyone bully you. But the situation is different today. The cold water or Jonas hard fist did not knock you down. It was the ugliness of human nature that youve never experienced or imagined hurt you. Im so sorry, Tammy. | shouldve been there for you before those boysy their hands on you and said those harsh words to you. Tammy, Matthew said as he fixed his gaze on her. 465 No One Can Bully Tammy! Tammy raised her head. Her hair obscured her vision, but her gaze Was as fierce as a wolfs. Her gaze softened as soon as she locked eyes with Matthew. Youre safe now. Lets go home, Matthew said as he took off his light blue suit jacket. He held Tammy in one hand and the suit in the other. With Rubys help, Tammy rose to her feet. Her heart felt warmed after her cold fingers touched Matthews warm hand. Matthew then draped his coat over Tammys body. However, just as Matthew thought everything went smoothly, a man entered the ssroom and blocked their way. What are you doing? He asked with a serious expression. The man was in his fifties, and his stomach bulged from under his shirt. He was stern, with his hands behind his back. Ruby immediately hid behind Matthew in fear, muttering in hushed tones, Were doomed! Thats our headteacher, Mr. Frye. Matthew red indifferently at the man. He was unfamiliar with how the schools operated and had no idea that the students were typically terrified of the headteachers. Before anyone knew it, Jonas was crying and hugging Mr. Fryes waist, eximing, Someone hit me! Ruby murmured once more, Damn! I forgot that Mr. Frye is Jonas uncle. Who hit Jonas? Stroking Jonas hair, Mr. Frye asked. | did, Matthew spoke up right away. Mr. Frye red angrily at Matthew right away. Matthew said nothing and looked at him with disdain and indifference. Mr. Frye was enraged by his arrogance and said, Call your parents and tell them to meet me 465 No One Can Bully Tammy! here! Matthew clutched Tammys hand and said impatiently, My sister should go home and get changed right now. So, you can just talk to me directly if you have anything to say. | can speak for her. Mr. Frye was so enraged that he nearly passed out. He said, Were not talking about your sister here. Were talking about you! Is that how you usually talk to your teachers? Oh? Then how do you think | am supposed to talk to you? Rubys heart began to race once more. It wasnt because she had a crush on Matthew but because she was terrified. She tugged at Matthews shirt and whispered, Hes always that mean, so youd better not piss him off. He likes it best when people tter him. Matthew then asked Mr. Frye, I heard that you like people ttering you, right? Sorry, but thats not something Id do. Rubys hands trembled with nervousness. Then, as she predicted, Mr. Frye yelled something that could send shivers down every students spine: Call your parents NOW! Chapter 467 Offending the Wrong Person Chapter 467 Offending the Wrong Person Feel free to bring my parents here. But | think you should let his parentse here as well, Matthew said indifferently, ring at Jonas. Since Mr. Frye was there, Jonas became bolder as someone was backing him up. Youll be expelled! He said, raising his chin to Matthew. Matthew sneered and dialed Waynes number. After exining what was happening to him, he urged Wayne to hurry and added, Dont forget to bring Tammys clothes. Got it, Wayne said, and he sounded even more enraged than Matthew. As he hung up the phone, Matthew couldnt help butugh. Are you all savages? Take a look at the bruising on my sons face! Jonas mother shouted. It had been an hour and a half since the end of the school day. Jonas mother, a middle-aged woman in heavy makeup, pped the desk inside Mr. Fryes office. As she spoke, her mouth opened wide, and her shrill voice echoed throughout the room. Standing beside her, Jonas lowered his head and acted as if he were the victim. After hearing this, Matthew couldnt help but look him over. Because Matthew hadnt hit Jonas hard enough earlier, he only had a few bruises on his face. Matthew would have kicked Jonas a few more times if he had known what would happenter. After realizing Matthew had a dismissive attitude, Jonas mom roared 466 Offending the Wrong Person more angrily, Youre going to be kicked out! Youve ruined the reputation of the school! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Jonas started it! Tammy said. She hade to her senses by then. A puddle of water was forming at her feet, and her hair was dripping wet. She looked a mess, but she stood firm in defense of her brother. Jonas mom didnt take Tammy seriously. She raised her head with contempt and crossed her arms over her chest slowly. She asked, You must be Tammy, right? Now, almost everyone in town is ming you and your shameless mother. Im surprised that you still have the nerve toe to school! Tammy took a step back before the woman could say anything more venomous. Her hands clenched into fists, and her entire body trembled. She couldnt take any more of the scathing remarks. Seeing that, Matthew approached Tammy and hugged her tightly tofort her. The woman smiled triumphantly at the sight of her pitiful appearance. She was about to say something else when she heard a loud bang at the door. Someone mmed the office door open. Immediately after that, a dozen men in suits and ties entered the office, the man in the front, carrying a bucket of water. He poured water on Jonas before anyone could react. Secondster, the womans high heels were also soaked in the water. Her eyes widened in surprise as she asked, Who the hell are you?! What do you want? The crowd spread out on either side, leaving a path in the middle. Wayne strolled from the back of the crowd, and he looked condescending You were looking for me? Wayne ignored the screaming woman and approached Mr. Frye, who was sitting at his desk drinking tea 466 Offending the Wrong Person Mr. Fryes eyes widened in surprise, and he spat back into his teacup the mouthful of tea he had just taken. He was taken aback by the scene and needed a few moments to recover hisposure. Are you Tammys father? He asked, setting his teacup down and wiping his mouth with his cuff. Yes, Im her father. Whats wrong? Wayne answered indifferently. Mr. Frye wiped the sweat from his brow and exined, Tammys brother punched a student, and he refused to apologize to him. Its a very serious matter, so | thought I should let you know about it. Wayne nodded. He handed Tammy the clothes he had just bought at the mall and sat on the couch. I want to hear what you think about this incident, He said sternly after Tammy left the office. Mr. Frye pushed the frame of his sses and said as calmly as he could, Tammy and Jonas got into an argument today at the end of school. To be honest, Jonas had a slight advantage. Then Tammys brother came over and beat up Jonas for no apparent reason. See, Jonass still got visible bruises on him. Wayne nced at Jonas, who couldnt raise his head after being doused with another bucket of water. What do you think we should do about this? Wayne asked, nodding. Mr. Frye pushed his sses frames once more. Realizing that Wayne seemed kind, Mr. Frye straightened up a little more than before and said, Tammys brother should apologize to Jonas and bring him to the hospital for a check-up. Nobody will ever bring it up again in the future in this, way. Wayne nodded once more. Mr. Frye then instantly smiled. But Wayne followed up with, And what if | dont agree to your request? Im sorry, but Tammy will have to leave the school. As you are aware, 466 Offending the Wrong Person its the best high school in the entire city. Im afraid that no school would ept Tammy if she is expelled from here. Hearing that, Wayne stood up, straightened his shirt, and said, Okay. Tammy will go to a different school. Mr. Frye looked at him nkly because he didnt understand what he was saying. By the way, youre Jonas uncle, right? Wayne asked as he came toa halt in the doorway. What do you mean? Mr. Frye asked warily. Nothing, Im just curious. | just wanted to remind you that you will be fired from school for malpractice. He then pointed to Jonas and said, And you! If my daughter wants to go to school, | can even build one for her. Im Wayne Wright, and everyone in town knows my name. Im confident that no school here will dare to admit you from now on. Mr. Frye was taken aback and muttered, Wayne Wright? Yes, thats the man youre thinking of, Matthew said as he walked away. Dont leave! Lets talk about it, shall we? We had absolutely no idea Tammy was Mr. Wrights daughter. Im sorry, | can apologize to you. To prevent Matthew from leaving, Jonas mother grabbed his arm. Matthew paused for a moment before responding, Ill have to check with Tammy to see if shell agree. Shes the most precious person in my family, you know. Mr. Frye copsed to the ground in shock after realizing he had offended the wrong person. Tammy had just stepped through the school gates the next day when 466 Offending the Wrong Person she noticed a crowd gathered in the square. She fought her way through the crowd, surprised to see Jonas in the middle. Tammy, Im sorry! Jonas eximed as he stood beneath the gpole. He appeared hesitant and was obviously forced to say so. The more people who were watching him, the redder his face became. Ignoring him, Tammy went straight to the ssroom because she was bummed. She had just sat down in ss when Ruby approached her and said, Jonas has admitted defeatpletely. And | heard that he is going to another ss. He refused to go downstairs this morning, but his mother force him to do so. | heard that he is about to read his apology letter to you in public at the morning meeting next Monday. How do you know? Tammy asked, surprised. The principal and the headteacher both told us about it this morning. Mr. Frye yelled at Jonas and made him cry. Jonas was scared about leaving our ss, but he had no choice. Ruby was thrilled about the whole thing. She was worried when she got home yesterday and assumed Tammy would be expelled. She hadnt expected to see the principale in with Mr. Frye and Jonass mother this morning Hearing Rubys words, Tammy suddenly thought of something. Last night, she still slept in Matthews room. When she awoke in the middle of the night, she noticed that Matthewsptop screen was lit up. And she told him she needed a break from school at that point. You can take a break from school, but you cant do it simply because you want to avoid someone. You cant just think about avoiding it after you meet a problem, Matthew said calmly as he closed his laptop. Tammy was silent. After a long time, Matthew asked softly, Do you remember when we were in kindergarten, some kids bullied me because | 466 Offending the Wrong Person couldnt speak? At that time, you protected me. | grew up hoping that one day | would be able to protect you. Chapter 468 He Has Cancer Chapter 468 He Has Cancer One day, Isabe stayed at school in the afternoon because she needed to attend a meeting. Here, someone is calling you, her friend said as she tapped her on the shoulder. Isabe froze when she saw the caller ID appear on the screen. Then, she quickly picked up the phone. Got it, Il be right there, she said seriously after a while. She instantly dialed another number after hanging up the phone. She then gathered her belongings on her seat with her other hand and walked out of the conference room. Isabe was about to walk out the door when she ran into Jasmine, the vice president of Debate Team. Jasmine was dressed in a navy blue suit, and her heels ttered on the floor. She reached out to grab Isabes hand, Isabe frowned as she smelled Jasmines strong perfume. Isabe, the meeting is about to begin. Where are you going? Jasmines attitude was hostile, and she even looked at Isabe hostilely. Isabe ignored her and brushed her hand away. And Jasmine stopped her again and moved to the side as if she didnt want her to leave. I have something to do, and I need to get going. Illsend Sean a messageter to let him know about it, Isabe said it politely. But Jasmine was still furious after hearing her words. She believed Isabe was deliberately provoking her. Are you going to text him? Do you 467 He Has Cancer know him well? Hes two grades your senior, shouldnt you keep your distance from him? You can ask him about that, Isabe said calmly, And by the way, tell him that | left. She then walked away and deliberately bumped Jasmine, who was in her way. Jasmine then stumbled and mmed into the wooden door. Isabe! Jasmine yelled, frustrated. Isabe had already left in a hurry at that moment. Before pulling her phone from her pocket. Jasmine paused for a moment and texted Sean, I broke my ankle, can you take me to the clinic? By the way. Id like to discuss the debatepetition with you. Jasmine was no longer enraged after sending the message. She smiled as she entered the conference room and told everyone, Since someone is absent today, our meeting will be canceled. You guys can leave now. Everyone appeared furious after that. Why didnt you say so earlier? Ive been waiting here for an hour! | even canceled a date, someone pped the table angrily and said. Jasmine had stepped out of the conference room by then. Youre a freshman, right? she asked condescendingly. The girl froze and nodded. Feel free to leave for your own personal business, and have a bunch of people waste their time because of you. Provided, of course, that you have the ability to bewitch people like she does. After finishing her words, Jasmine walked away, her high heels making an annoying sound on the wooden floor. The girl was humiliated and unsure what she should do next. Hey, 467 He Has Cancer What does she mean by that? she asked, tugging on her friends sleeve. Dont you understand? She wasnt just ming you; she was also scolding Isabe, her roommate said sympathetically. No, | still dont get it, the girl continued. | heard Sean invited Isabe here, and she was the only freshman he brought in. | get the impression the two of them like each other. Otherwise, Jasmine wouldnt hate her so much. Isnt Isabe a freshman? She only arrived a few months ago! I only know that Sean was in charge of weing new students on the first day of school, and thest new student he received was Isabe, and the student union even took a picture of the two of them at the time, and that photo is still on our schools official IG, with thousands ofmentsplimenting them. They are a good match. Come on, lets go get some fast food, they said as they walked away. Isabe arrived at the hospitalter. She pretended to be calm, but she was still thinking about what had just happened. Are you Mikes family? A police officer at the door asked her. Yes, Im his niece. Mikes condition isnt good right now. He has terminal stomach cancer and has been in the hospital for quite some time. He didnt let us tell his family about it before. Were telling you right now because The man paused and shifted the topic, Well, go in and see him. He seems to have something to say to you. Ina daze, Isabe walked to the corridor where the windows were 467 He Has Cancer open, and a cold breeze blew in. Anna tapped Isabe on the shoulder to bring her back to her senses. Go see him, dear. Ill wait for you here, Anna said. Isabe nodded and tried not to cry. That hospital was shabby, and the ward smelled slightly musty. Isabe stood in the doorway, her gaze fixed on the man in the bed. He was breathing heavily with his mouth open, his unfocused gaze fixed on the lights on the ceiling. The people on the ind used to call him Fat Mike because he was indeed overweight. However, at the moment, he was much thinner than before, with thin cheeks, dry and cracked lips, and dull eyes. Isabe couldnt hold back her tears after seeing Mike and sobbed in the doorway, her hands covering her face. When Mike heard the sound, he moved his body, turned his head toward Isabe at the wards door, and asked, Youre here, huh? Even though he was weak, he still smiled at her. And Isabe noticed that his voice was no longer as loud as it once was. Im here, she said, biting her lip and then rxing slightly. Mike was her uncle no matter what, and she used to think they could go their entire lives without seeing each other. But she was very heartbreaking at the time because he was thest family member she had in the world. Come here, Tracy, he waved and gestured to the chair beside his bed, looking tired after doing so. Isabe sat beside him and noticed that his eyes had lost their radiance once more. | had a dream about your mother, Tracy. For the past few days, Ive been seeing her in my dreams. In my dreams, she med me for bringing her to that hellhole. She said that she had already made one mistake in her 467 He Has Cancer life and did not intend to make another. If| saw her in heaven, she wouldnt even talk to me, Mike thenughed to himself, Isabe didnt quite understand what he meant because her mother died when she was very young. Mike rarely told her anything about her, so Isabe had little memory of her mother. Then she uttered, trying tofort Mike, It wasnt entirely your fault. No, | did many wrong things. | locked her in her room and told her she couldnt see that man. | even took her to the hospital. Mike coughed violently and felt pain in his organs throughout his body, forcing him to close his eyes tightly. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Okay, you need to stop talking. You need some rest, Isabe said. She was at a loss for words and poured him half a ss of water from a kettle. Mikes stomach hurt, so he didnt take the ss, and the water spilled onto the floor. | also took her to the hospital and told her she needed to have an abortion. She begged me so hard and even cried her eyes out in the operating room. | was devastated, so | agreed to let her keep the baby. You Were over six months old at the time, Mike continued. Isabe was wiping water with tissue at the time, then froze, thinking for a moment before asking calmly, Why? Because she was still in college. She was the only college student in our family back then, and | didnt want her to ruin her future because of a child. However, |ter learned that | was wrong. Youre a wonderful child, and everyone adores you. Isabe sat straight up in her chair, disappointed. It was the first time she had heard anyone talk about her parents, but there was clearly one person missing from her life. And it was her biological father. Chapter 469 That Man Chapter 469 That Man Isabe hesitated for a minute, uncertain of what to say. | never get the chance to see your biological father and dont know who he is. But | think you have the right to know about this. Ive been thinking whether or not to tell you about it for several days. Then, | kept dreaming about your mother. She wanted you to know about this because she loved him, | suppose, Mike said in a hoarse and low voice. Isabe could no longer think clearly. She appeared helpless as she rubbed her head. Mike seemed to have exhausted himself. Open the second drawer/ he said while pointing to the cab next to him, although he seemed weak. Isabe saw that there was a blue velvet box when she opened it. The velvets pattern had faded slightly, making it appear worn. Thats your mothers most cherished treasure, yet she never wore it after you were born. Take it with you, Tracy. Isabe attentively listened to Mikes words before reaching out and taking it. Inside the box, she discovered a golden ne upon opening it. The ne was delicate and lovely and had a sun- shaped pendant with an engraved cheerful face. It was ssy and beautiful. After leaving the hospital, Isabe remained silent the entire way. The atmosphere seemed serious. Her phone screen suddenly lit up, showing that she had a text message. She was not in the mood to talk to anyone, so she turned her head to stare out of the window. Mikes your uncle no matter what, so dont me him. | think you 468 That Man should probably call Jasper and tell him the news yourself, Sitting next to her, Anna persuaded Isabe. Okay, Isabe said softly as if she didnt want to continue their conversation. She carefully touched the ne around her neck and had an urge to cry. Once she realized this, Anna stopped talking, Anna observed Isabes expression the entire way and thought that she appeared mncholy. Do you have something on your mind? Anna couldnt help but ask. Isabe smiled and said, Nothing, Im just exhausted. There has been a lot going on in school recently. Upon returning to her dormitory, Isabe immediately fell asleep on her bed. Several hourster, she opened her eyes to discover that she was surrounded by darkness. She turned on her phone and started browsing through IG. After getting bored with that, she dialed a number. Isabe had a lot of things to talk to Jasper. In fact, the things that bothered her and made her feel sweet were all rted to him. She wanted to speak with him because she had much to say about him. The phone rang for a long time. Lily watched Jaspers phone screen with indifference before answering, Hello? Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Hearing Lilys voice, Isabe hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. Even though she only heard one word, she still recognized Lilys voice. Isabe immediately felt regret and broke out in a sweat. She thought, What the hell?! Why did you answer Jaspers phone, Lily? Hello, are you Isabe? Lilys tone wasposed as if she were qualified to receive all of Jaspers calls and speak on his behalf. Yes. | need to speak to Jasper, Isabe replied in a cold tone. 468 That Man Hes in the shower now. You can talk to me, and Ill pass it on to him for you. That wont be necessary, Isabe said before abruptly hanging up. Her heart was pounding like a drum. Secondster, her screen went dark and blended into the darkness. Isabe sat up in bed, feeling unexpectedly calm. She saw that it was 9:15 in the morning and thenughed, mocking herself. Then she did the math and realized it was noon in the United States. Jasper hardly ever showered in the middle of the day, so Isabe guessed he probably had s*x with Lily. The screen, which had just gone dark, suddenly lit again. Isabe read Seans message before finally responding, Where are you? At the time, Lilly was in a fancy restaurant in downtown New York. She was sitting by the window, watching a little boy feeding pigeons in the square. She smiled like she had won this battle. Before Jasper returned from the restroom, she had deleted the call log from his phone and put it where it had just been. She acted as though nothing had happened. As he sat down, Jasper looked at his watch and said, Its two oclock, and I need to attend a meeting at three. What exactly did you want to say tome? When Lily realized that he was impatient, she felt upset. Once again, his phone on the desk rang just as she was about to speak. Lily was startled, and her heart immediately began to race. Jasper frowned and didnt realize that Lilys mood got better slightly when she saw the caller ID. Hello? Anna, whats the matter? Jasper asked over the phone. 468 That Man Did Isabe call you? No. Anna was leaning on the second floors balcony at the time, with the wind making her voice sound somewhat unnatural. She felt even more anxious after hearing Jaspers response. Isabes uncle is seriously ill and may not have time to live. | took her to the hospital in the afternoon, and she appeared devastated. | thought shell call you and tell you about it. Jasper immediately frowned and said, | got it; Ill call her He immediately hung up the phone and stood up. Just give me a call if you have something important to say. Jasper said to Lily in a hurry. Before Lily could respond, he had already stood up and left while calling Isabe. As he walked away, Lily could only see his back. She continued to eat her lunch in silence whileughing to herself wryly. Jasper called Isabe many times, but she still didnt answer. By then, it was midnight in Ennd. Later, Jasper asked his assistant to book him a flight, then called Isabe again. Hello? Someone finally answered the phone, but it was not Isabe. Sean looked at the phone screen and stared at the name Uncle Jasper. He then patted Isabe on the back. However, she just moved a bit and didnt pay attention to him or wake up. After hesitating for a while, Sean answered the phone. Wheres Isabe? Hearing Seans voice along with the music and chaotic noise, Jasper immediately knew she was in a bar and then asked somewhat angrily. Sean assumed Jasper was Isabes uncle and politely said, Hello, Im Isabes friend. Were having a party today, and shes drunk. Dont 468 That Man worry, ll send her back to her dormter. Jasper frowned, recalling something that had happened before. He had seen Isabe drunk twice before, once at his birthday party and once When she was at a restaurant with Alex. Isabe was acting annoying in both cases. Jasper became agitated as he thought about this, and he was afraid Isabe would do something stupid again. Where is she? Tell me the address and Ill let my friend pick her up. Jasper asked seriously. Sean paused for a moment before saying the address. Keep her safe, Jasper advised, then hung up the phone. Meanwhile, Isabe shifted her body uneasily again as Sean stared at the phone in disbelief. Her hair was messy, and her flushed cheeks were as red as roses. She was dozing off on the arm of the sofa. Sean couldnt help but smile when he saw her beautiful face. Jasmine stood in the corner of the room, silently watching them. She appeared irritated and offended. A girl in a pink dress looked in the same direction as Jasmine did and then said something to her. Jasmine was immediately taken aback and hesitant. When she saw Sean put the jacket he had taken off over Isabe, she seemed to make up her mind. Isabe had slept for a long time and had a headache when she awoke. She struggled to stand and made her way to the door. Isabe, watch out! Sean eximed as he stood up and followed her. Isabe held on to the wall and mumbled,! want to go home. She closed her eyes and touched the wall but then hit her head on a stone pir. She became dizzy and then stumbled backwards. Sean was so terrified that he ran to her. He nearly missed catching her and had to drag her by the shoulders. His entire face was flushed from 468 That Man =exhaustion. Isabe stood up and opened her eyes. Only then did she appear to notice the handsome young man beside her. She couldnt stop reaching out and rubbing his face, and she kept staring at him. Oh, you guys dont look that much alike, she said. Sean was in pain, but he asked, Like what? My godfather. Oh, no, my adoptive father. Huh? Chapter 470 Elegant and Sophisticated Chapter 470 Elegant and Sophisticated Isabe thought she saw Jasper the first time she met Sean. Of course, he was not as good as Jasper at almost every point. Sean was not asposed, driven, or charming as Jasper. Nheless, when Isabe first saw his beautiful eyes, she thought he was unique among the others. Im feeling a little dizzy. She said. She looked like she was about to vomit when Sean tried to ask her what was happening. He immediately helped her to get up and nned to take her to the restroom. Hed only taken two steps when he heard Jasmine say, Sean, what are you doing here? Lauren then wrapped her arms around Isabe and asked, Is she Isabe from your debate team? | think she might be about to throw up. Here, let me hold her. She told Jasmine, Why dont you join me and help her to the restroom? If she pukes hereter, the bar owner will get her in trouble. Sean, you are not permitted to enter thedies room. Let me and Jasmine go there with her, okay? You can go back now. Everyones waiting for you! Sean thought Lauren had a point. He knew he couldnt take Isabe to the restroom, so he stood back and watched them help her in. He then returned to the private room. Sean waited in the room for a while, but the girls still didnte back. He was about to go check what was going on when he saw Jasmines text message, Isabe is not feeling well, Lauren and | have sent her back to her dorm. 469 Elegant and Sophisticated Anna went straight to that bar after receiving Jaspers call. She tried to call Isabe several times along the way, but no one answered. She had made a mistake about being drunk in a bar in college, so she felt worried and drove at the maximum speed limit.. When Anna arrived at the room, she didnt see Isabe. Several couples were hugging and ying Truth or Dare, while Sean was looking at his phone absentmindedly in the corner. Sean stood up when he saw Anna and said, Isabe has gone back to the dorm. Anna looked at Sean with suspicion. How did she get back when she was already too drunk to answer her phone? she asked, surprised. Sean didnt expect Anna to ask that. He froze for a moment before exining, Two of my friends took her back, and they just texted me theyre already here. When he was finished, he showed Anna Jasmines text message. Thank you very much. Still restless, Anna decided to go to Isabes dormitory and ensure she was safe. She paused for a moment before closing the door. And she asked, Do you know them well? Could you please give me their phone numbers? Sure! Sean immediately gave Anna Jasmines cell phone number. He paused as he watched Anna leave the room and follow her. Maam, you appear worried about her. He said. Anna nodded, continuing to walk quickly forward. Could you please let me go back to school with you? Ill only feel relieved if | confirm shes in the dorm. In any case, | was the one who 469 Elegant and Sophisticated brought her here today. Sean said this while catching up with Anna. Anna thought Sean didnt appear to be a bad person, so she didnt mind bringing him together. As a result, she nodded. They both left the bar and made their way to her car. Anna noticed some young men squatting on the side of the road as she walked around the corner. She didnt care about them at first, but When she heard their words, she became nervous.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. We can get lucky today! Yes! | heard they brought us a hot American girl Really? Can we join you? Sure! | made a deal with them and | will call him at 1:30. There are only ten minutes left. Whats the matter? Sean didnt care about what they said. He only asked that because he saw Anna suddenly stop. Then he looked to theer and stared at the young men as well. Whats the problem? He asked Anna in confusion. I have a n. Just follow me, and please dont say anything stupid, Anna said as she walked quickly toward the young men with a worried expression You dont have to call me. | just dropped her off in room 3208 of the Carousel Hotel, She said to the young man while pulling a room card from her bag. The young man in the middle of the group surveyed Anna, but he didnt take the card. With a sneer, he said, Who the hell are you? What are you talking about? | dont understand what youre saying. Anna folded her arms and said mockingly, You are quite defensive, arent you? How dare you make a pact with us when youre such a wuss?! 469 Elegant and Sophisticated You just said you want to call me! She then said a phone number. The man looked down and checked his phone, then let off his guard. Anna was clearly irritated by this point. She asked, Whats the problem? Why do you flinch? You dont appear to be a coward to me. If you can doit, just go. If you cant, dont waste my time. Im going to find another buyer now. She stuffed her room key back into her bag andined to Sean behind her, This is entirely your fault! Dont force me to work with such untrustworthy people again! You have 30 minutes to find me another buyer. Sean had no idea what was happening, but he nodded to Anna anyways. He took out his phone and was about to call someone. Seeing that, the young man responded immediately, No, weve already made a deal! | didnt back out. Huh? Then you should get moving! Well be doomed if she wakes up! Anna frowned and shoved the room card into the mans arms. She then turned around and dashed away. Sean followed behind her and still looked baffled after he got into Annas car. He frowned, feeling that something had gone wrong. Who are they? Do you know them? He asked. Anna red at him and then called Wayne. I just gave the room card to a young man. He has blond hair, wears a id shirt, and will be in room 3208 in a few minutes. Call the cops right away and arrest him and his gang. When | get home, Ill exin everything to you. Wayne agreed without asking a single question. He had everything nned out the moment he hung up the phone. Wayne smiled, knowing Anna was about to surprise him once more. 469 Elegant and Sophisticated After that, Anna hung up the phone and dialed the number she had just memorized. She nced at Sean and realized that he appeared nervous. She turned on the speaker. Jasmine answered the phone in a panic after a while. The moment she got through to her, Anna shouted, Its 1:30 now! Have you gotten her there yet? Which hotel is she staying in? Weve been waiting for quite some time. Huh? Who is this? Jasmine froze for a long time because she hadnt expected a woman to call her. You dont need to know anything about me. You gave me the money, and | promised Ill make things right. Do you have any questions? Anna spoke in an overbearing tone. | havent thought about it yet, Jasmine said after a brief pause. why? If | do this, | will hurt her badly. | dont think | need to do that, so lets just forget it. Anna frowned and asked, What did you just say? Youre making fun of us, arent you? If you havent thought it through, just call me when youve made up your mind. My buddies are already waiting with their pants down. You dont want them to do anything to her? How about youe here for her? Anna said this in a mean and nasty tone as if she was also a gangster. Hearing that, Seans face turned pale with fear right away. Anna was dressed stylishly and elegantly, so he didnt think she could say something like that. Meanwhile, Anna wanted to let Jasmine know that the world was far more dangerous than she had imagined. Thats why she intimidated her like that. 469 Elegant and Sophisticated After hearing Annas words. Jasmine became nervous as well. She stammered for a moment before pleading, No, I didnt mean it like that. Ill pay you the money and call it quits. Okay, fine. You better make up your mind, youngdy, before you do something like this. Not everyone is as nice as | am. If youre not willing to go to jail, dont get involved in those things. Anna reminded her of this. When she heard she might go to jail. Jasmine hung up the phone ina panic. Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Anna looked up at Sean furiously after hanging up the phone. Is this what you meant when you said Isabe had safely returned to her dorm?! She asked aggressively. Sean was speechless. His life had gone smoothly all the way since he was born. He was elected president of the debating society after attending college based on his exceptional abilities and networking skills. He believed that by working hard, anyone could create their own life. Furthermore, he had never before encountered such things. Anna wasnt surprised when seeing the defeated look on Seans face. She shook the phone in her hand, saying, Ive recorded the call just now. Those jerks will say everything once they get to the police station. That friend of yours will be expelled from school and may even go to jail. She paused before saying, To be more specific, if Isabe is willing to hold her ountable, Jasmine will go to jail. I will make her regret for the rest of her life because of her mistake. Then Anna gripped the steering wheel tightly and maintained a firm attitude. At the same time, Sean was anxious and remorseful. The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated as he was thinking about what to say to Anna next. When he saw the caller ID, he began to frown. Jasmine, whats up? he asked. Jasmine said as she cried, Isabe is in danger! Shes in room 702 at the River Hotel. I called Lauren, but nobody answered. Help Isabe! Sean was taken aback and repeated the address. Anna turned around 470 An Eye For An Eye and sped there after hearing his words. About 15 minutester, Sean kicked open the door to room 702, and Anna walked into the room quickly. When she saw Isabe on the bed, she pushed Sean, who was standing right behind her, out and said, Wait at the door. The sudden sound startled Lauren, who was straddling the bed with her camera. She only got one foot off the bed when she noticed Anna approaching her angrily. In the blink of an eye, Anna pped her across the face, knocking her to the ground. Laurens camera fell to the floor, and the screen shattered. She was furious, and Anna hit her once more as she stood up to fight back. Clenching her fist, Anna red at her as if she wanted to kill her with her gaze. Oh, no! Are you f*****g insane? Lauren yelled. She already had visible bruises around her mouth and eyes. Why did you do that?! Anna asked coldly. Lauren frowned and turned to face Isabe, who was naked on the bed. She sneered and eximed, She deserved it! Shes a b***h who seduced my friends man! While Lauren was speaking, Anna had already wrapped the covers around Isabe. She then stood up and picked up the camera that was on the floor. After removing the memory card, she went into the bathroom and flushed it down the toilet. Lauren didnt seem to mind Annas quick and decisive actions. Dont think everything will be okay after you destroy the memory card, she said as she rose from the floor and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. With a wicked smile, she raised the phone in her hand. Seeing that, Anna couldnt control her rage and went insane at that, 470 An Eye For An Eye moment. She took a step forward and grabbed the phone. Lauren smiled coldly once more and said something that made Anna crumblepletely, I dont care if you get my phone or not. All of the photos | took are saved in the cloud, so | can edit them whenever want. Anna calmed down as she realized that she couldnt solve the problem that way. So, she called Wayne again. Wayne, isit settled? | still need you to help me with one more thing. Bring some people over to Room 702 of the River Hotel. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When Anna hung up, she was more exhausted than ever, and she said impatiently, I could have settled this peacefully. But since you obviously prefer violence, Illdo what you want. Lauren didnt want to talk to Anna anymore, so she got up and headed out of the room. However, Sean, who was standing in the doorway, stood in her way. Sean looked enraged. He didnt enter the room, but he heard everything they said. Lauren did it because of him, and he knew that clearly. He said, Im sorry, | cant let you go. Lauren shouted, What? Youre going to stop me for that b***h?! She pointed to the bed behind her, adding, You and Jasmine would not have been presidents of the debate club if it werent for me. | knew you two liked each other and assumed youd be together. Youve only known this girl for a few months, and youre already crazy about her. Is it because she is good at seducing men, or are you simply not as good as I thought you were? Laurens eyes turned red as she spoke. She appeared to be ming Sean, but she was also expressing emotions that she had suppressed for a long time. This emotion she was experiencing seemed to have nothing to do with Sean. Da oA et Neither. Actually, you misunderstood what happened between Jasmine and me, Sean said. Stop talking! You know Jasmine has feelings for you, dont you? You are not only cold to her, but you are also condescending. Ive left the student council, but that doesnt mean Ive lost power. You should resign from your position if you know what youre doing. Otherwise, Im not going to let you off the hook! After warning Sean, Lauren grabbed her bag and tried to leave. She didnt expect Sean to stand in her way yet again. We can discuss the student councilter, but I cant let you go right now. Lauren was furious. She knew she couldnt argue with him any longer, so she tried to push him away. Secondster, as she heard a lot of peopleing from the other side of the corridor, she was stunned. She smelled a faint scent of cologne and realized she had no way to escape. Waynes single nce at Lauren was enough to make her terrified. Hismanding aura made her realize that things were about to spiral out of her control. Im here, Wayne said as he raised his head and looked at Anna, who had just walked out. At this point, Anna had already dressed Isabe. After seeing Wayne, she pointed to the bed and said, Tell them to send Isabe home. She then pointed to Lauren, who was nearby, and said, This person took nude photos of Isabe and stored them in the cloud. Wayne frowned and moved to the side. Several men then dragged Lauren back into the room. What are you guys doing? Are you crazy?! Ill call the police! Lauren lost control, yelling and screaming the entire time she struggled. She couldnt handle so many people and was tied to a chair a few minutes 470 An Eye For An Eyeter. Anna observed what was going on in the room with cold eyes. She realized the irony when she saw how terrified Lauren was. Do you feel scared? Youll never understand how desperate Isabe was unless you go through what you did to her, Anna then sneered at the bodyguards and said loudly, Strip her naked! Lauren screamed in pain, her face flushed from the struggle. Her legs stomped around on the floor, causing the entire chair to copse on top of her. Sean had no idea this would be the harsh solution Anna had mentioned. He watched as things deteriorated and couldnt help but intervene. Then he tried to talk Anna out of i You said that she should go to jail for something like that. Yet, youre doing the same thing to her, and its not going to solve the problem. | dont think thats the best solution. Wayne gave Sean a cold stare, snorted, and asked, Jail? Do you really think we will end up in jail that easily? With contempt, he looked over at Lauren, who was crying uncontrobly. Then Wayne continued, She isnt going to call the cops. Even if you do that, shed try everything she could to stop you. Sean was taken aback, and a chill ran down his spine. He took a big step forward, shielding Lauren behind him. I dont mind solving the problem that way, but you seem to have a better idea to offer, Anna said, smiling, rll let her delete all of the photos, including those saved in the cloud. Hearing Seans words, Lauren immediately nodded. 470 An Eye For An Eye Then Wayne walked to Anna. He waved his hand, knowing Anna thought it was a good idea. The bodyguards then all left. Delete them, Anna said condescendingly. Lauren shivered and pulled her phone from her bag. Sean stood up and turned his head away from the photos, not wanting to look at them. Lauren then handed Anna her phone and cautiously said, Ive already deleted them. Anna didnt look at the screen. Lauren was already intimidated, so Anna knew she wouldnt dare to keep the pictures anymore. Before leaving, Anna turned back and said to Lauren, who was shaking, I was going to let you experience the pain. But since Sean has pleaded for you, | wont do anything further to you. But I want to remind you that youd better stay away from Isabe in the future. If she gets hurt in any way, | will suspect you first! Chapter 472 The Love Between Brother and Sister Chapter 472 The Love Between Brother and Sister Wayne smiled as he watched Anna leave, and he no longer appeared exhausted After leaving the hotel, Wayne and Anna got into their car. Anna was upset the entire way, as if she recalled an unpleasant memory. She was about to cry when she felt someone take her hand in his. When she looked up, she noticed Wayne staring at her. And the colorful neon from the street reflected on his face. It wasnt until then that she came back to her senses. Finally, they were together happily. Still, Anna constantly remembered she was terrified when she walked out of the hotel more than a decade ago. She had suffered from insomnia since then and would frequently wake up in the middle of the night from nightmares. Wayne knew what she was thinking and realized she was drowning in grief. He couldnt talk about it because he was the one who had hurt her back then. Moreover, he realized that no matter what he said, it would not relieve her pain. I found out about the mans sister, Wayne said after a brief pause breaking the ice. Annas eyes brightened. Where is she? she asked, tightening her grip on his hand. In a hospital in the suburbs. Hmm? Why? Anna asked, puzzled. Because she has leukemia, Wayne said calmly. Anna nodded, not looking surprised. The vast majority of those 471 The Love Between Brother. protesting were family members of the patients, including the man. Anna knew he did it for a reason. If not because he hated her, it was because he wanted something from her. Looking at Anna tenderly, Wayne started telling their story, The man is named Bill, and his sister is Joanna. But the truth is, they are not biological siblings, nor are they rted in any way. They met a few years ago in Irnd and returned to Ennd togetherst year. Six months ago, Joanna was diagnosed with leukemia and is receiving treatment in a hospital. She never worked for Lemon, though. Hearing Waynes words, Anna gradually realized that everything wasing together. Following the incident. Lemon presented evidence denying that the workers illness was rted to them. Yet, Anna provided financial assistance to those twelve workers after privately confirming their condition. Those people then stopped causing problems. Joanna, however, was not on that list. Joanna is likely unaware of what is going on. She had found a perfect match for the bone marrow, but that would cost her a lot of money. | think Bill is doing this for the money. So perhaps we should meet with her and get some information from her, Wayne suggested. Ill go to the hospital and see her tomorrow, Anna said, nodding. Titling his head against the window, Wayne looked at her and nodded. As he felt tired, he closed his eyes after that. They didnt say anything after that. Anna leaned against the other side ofte at night, and the streets looked empty. Everything in the world suddenly seemed meaningless to her. Then, she felt a weight on her shoulder. And she was shocked to find Wayne leaning his head against hers as if it was the only way he could sleep 471 The Love Between Brother, soundly. At three oclock in the morning, they returned home. When Anna awoke To her disappointment, Wayne was not there. When she opened her eyes and checked the time, it was eleven oclock in the morning. Anna then stood up and entered the dining room, where she found Isabe eating at the table. Because there was toast and milk on the table, Anna assumed she was eating breakfast. Seeing Anna sit across from her, Isabe nced at her several times. Under her gaze, Anna took a toast from the te, smeared it with strawberry jam, and began eating it. She didnt seem to want to talk about what had happened the night before with Isabe. Meanwhile, Annas attitude caused Isabe to fidget even more. Thest thing she could remember aboutst night was Jasmine and Lauren taking her into the hotel. So, she was confused about why she woke up in Wrights house. Anna, aboutst night Isabe paused for a moment before dropping the half-eaten toast in her hand. Do you want to know what happenedst night? You cant remember it yourself, can you? Anna yawned and asked calmly. Isabe became very rxed when she realized how calm Anna appeared. | dont remember, she admitted honestly. Isabe, you should never get so drunk again. Jasper told me you were at that bar. He was worried that something would happen to you, so he asked me to pick you up. The moment she heard Jaspers name, Isabe immediately lost her appetite. She forced a smile before getting up, heading out and saying, I gotit. Im going back to Jaspers house. 471 The Love Between Brother. Dont you have to go to school today? Anna asked. Its finally the weekend! Besides, | promised Gary that Id stay with him for the weekend, Isabe said as she cheerfully walked out. Anna gently shook her head and lowered her head to finish thest bite of toast in her hand. At this point, the maid arrived with a ss of milk. Anna reached for it, then looked at the bag the maid was carrying and asked, What is this? Mr. Wright told Noel to bring it over this morning. He asked you to take this with you because you were going to see someone elseter. | see, Anna said as she sipped her milk and looked at the stores name on the top of the box. Joanna, a friend hase to see you, A nurse informed Joanna. Dressed in her hospital gown, Joanna was sitting at the table by the window, peeling an apple. Hearing the nurse, she looked up before she could pause and head for the door. Anna entered the room wearing a beige trench coat. She gave Joanna a soft smile as if she hade to see an old friend she hadnt seen ina long time. BiIIhad warned Joanna to be wary of strangers, so she nervously approached Anna and asked, Hello? Because she had been in a hospital bed for along time, Joanna appeared tired. She appeared frail, but her eyes shone brightly. And Anna could tell that Joanna was a beautiful woman before she became ill. Bill said you like puffs from this store, so | just bought some for you, Anna said as she held up the box. Hearing that, Joanna let her guard down and stopped frowning. You 471 The Love Between Brother, know Bill? she asked, smiling. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Anna sat next to her and nodded as she set the box down. How would I know you were here if | dont know him? Bill always talks about you. To be honest, he only looks less aggressive when he talks about you. Joanna couldnt help but smile when she remembered Bills grim expression. She was one of the few people who had ever seen Billugh, so the contrast was hrious to her. Nodding and smiling, she said, Yeah, he usually appears quite frightening. Tell me about it! When the restaurant was empty, our boss would me him for scaring the customers away. As she opened the box, Anna said. The next second, the room was instantly filled with the fresh scent of vani cream. Then she took a puff and handed it to Joanna. When did you two meet each other? Joanna reached out, took the puff, and ate it. She was no longer defensive about Anna, And she even valued the opportunity to spend time with Anna. We used to work together in a restaurant. | made a mistake the other day, and Bill took the me for me. So, our boss fired him. Ive always felt bad about it. Thats why | came to see you. | know the person he cares the most about is you. And | am here to show my gratitude. Joanna also smiled when they mentioned Bill. Surprised, she asked, Was he fired? He told me that his boss had given him a raise and agreed to lend him money. Looking down at the puff in her hand, Joanna fell silent for a moment. She realized Bill had lied to her, and then she ced the puff on the table. After hearing what Anna said to her, Joanna frowned tightly because she sensed that Bill was keeping something from her. At the same time, Anna observed Joannas expression. Seeing Joanna 471 The Love Between Brother, stop frowning, she said, Oh, that was a long time ago. Bill found a new job now! His boss thinks hes honest and smart, so he is now paid well. Really? Joanna asked, her big eyes wide. Anna paused, unsure whether she should say it. But she continued, Bill used to do some shady stuff in Irnd, but hes like apletely different person now. Hes only concerned with earning money to pay your medical bills. He even told you about what he did in Irnd?! Joanna eximed in surprise. Chapter 473 The Tender Side of Him Chapter 473 The Tender Side of Him Did he tell you anything about what he did in Irnd? Joanna paused for a moment before lowering her head again. She looked upset. Im the one who got him in trouble, Joanna said after a while. Joanna, dont me yourself. All of that was in the past! You should stop dwelling on the bad memories now that hes doing great. Hes such a good guy! | would have married him if | wasnt married, Anna said. She gotpletely into character and began talking gibberish. Somehow, she even found it amusing. Hearing that, Joanna flushed. Ive heard you two met in Irnd. Can you tell me more about it? Anna changed the topic. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! I went to Irnd at the time to visit my rtives. A friend of mine took me to a pub one day. We had too much to drink, and some hooligans hit on us. Bill was working at that bar that day, and he saved me. Weter became friends, Joanna said, smilingly. Then she continued, Bill used to work as a bouncer at the bar, and | often went there with him. Nearly every day, he had to fight to maintain the order and was frequently in danger as a result. | couldnt stop crying every time while bandaging his wounds. And whenever he smiled at me, | felt as if nothing else mattered. Do you like him? Anna asked, observing her expression. Joannas eyes widened immediately. She was about to deny it when she was ovee with sadness. She felt nothing was important to her right now since she would die soon. 472 The Tender Side of Him With a mocking expression, she nodded her head and answered, One time, as his boss requested, Bill had to fight for his boss girlfriend. In the fight. Bill was stabbed through the stomach several times. When the fight Was over, he thought he was going to die, so he told me he loved me right away. He said that if he had met me sooner, he would have married me. And what happened then? Anna asked. She was surprised to hear such a story and had mixed feelings when she looked at Joannas slim figure Though her eyes were welling up with tears, Joanna tried hard to suppress her sadness. Secondster, she smiled and said, He survived. But after that, he refused to see me and refused to admit that he told me he loved me that day. | was pissed by his attitude and asked him what was going on. And he told me he would treat me as his sister. Thats why he told everyone Im his sister from then on. Hearing that, Anna furrowed her brow. She didnte to hear their love story, but she still felt sad about what happened between them. Having thought for a while, Anna exined, I guess he did so because he didnt want to be a burden to you. Although Annas words werent pleasant, Joanna had no choice but to nod as she also had the same thought. Of course, she was aware of Bills concerns, except that she believed love was the most powerful thing in the world back then. I knew he had wanted to leave the gang for years. He had promised to take me back to Ennd after that and that he wanted to live a peaceful life with me in a vige. Then the police arrested the whole gang. But before that happened, there was already an internal conflict in the gang. | heard that the bosss girlfriend exposed them to the cops. 472 The Tender Side of Him Boss girlfriend? Is it possible that its Ada? Anna couldnt stop thinking about the possibility, but she didnt believe it was possible. Joanna continued, Bill knew that all of this would happen, so he brought me to Ennd ahead of time. We then lived in a small vige. But | got sick just as | thought everything was going to be fine. Anna took Joannas hand in hers, tightening her grip as she touched those thin fingers. As she touched the thin fingers, she subconsciously tightened her grip. Didnt your doctors find you a bone marrow match? She asked. Joanna didnt appear to be at ease and said worriedly, Well, the operation costs a lot. We dont have that much money. Bill told meter that he was about to gain enough money for the surgery. Somehow, | have a feeling that hes doing something illegal to raise the money. As Joanna realized she had said too much, she immediately shut her mouth. By the way, | saw a womane to our store looking for him the other day, Anna said after a brief pause. Joanna widened her eyes and tightened her grip on Annas arm. She appeared terrified and nervous. Then she asked sharply, reaching out her right hand and pointing to the back of her left hand, What? What does she look like? Does she have a tattoo here on the back of her hand? No, Anna replied. When she saw Joannas reaction, Anna instantly knew her guesses were correct. She paused for a moment before deciding not to continue the topic. With a faint smile, Anna shook her head and said, No. The woman Was around twenty years old, and dressed in style. She was skinny and tall, with long curly hair. Joanna felt less anxious and realized she had overreacted. Thats not 472 The Tender Side of Him her, she said as she sat down again, holding the chair behind her with an awkward smile. Anna nodded, pretending not to notice Joannas reaction. She then got to her feet, grabbed her bag, and said, Thank you very much, Joanna. | have a shiftter, so Im leaving now. Ille back and visit youter. You are avery kind woman, and Bill is a lucky guy to have you. When Anna said that, she meant it. She tightened her grip on her bag and turned to stride away. She felt theyd run into each other again, but everything would be different by then. When Isabe returned to the vi, Gary had been waiting for her at the door all morning. His eyes widened as he noticed Isabe approaching. Excitedly, he snatched the maids hand and jumped on Isabe. Isabe burst outughing. When she looked down, she noticed the little guy rubbing his head against her thigh. He was so adorable that Isabe, an eighteen-year-old girl, wanted to be his mother. Gary! What are you doing here? Isabe asked him as she took Garys hand and led him to the sightseeing car. She didnt expect Gary to be waiting for her at the gate, a ten-minute walk from the house. Wendy, the maid, exined, Gary has been here since seven oclock in the morning. He wouldnt leave until he saw you. Hes been sitting on this stone bench since the morning. Hearing Wendys words, Isabe was both surprised and regretful. She leaned in, trying to say something. Suddenly, she noticed Gary looking at her with delight. Im sorry, Ill be here on time from now on, Isabe said as she smiled and reached out to touch the little guys nose. She raised her right hand as if she was swearing. 472 The Tender Side of Him Gary smiled, nodded, and said, Okay. Taken aback, Isabe pinched Garys pale little face. When she let go, two white fingerprints appeared on his face, but they quickly vanished. That hurts, Gary said as he patted his face. Gary, you can talk now? Chapter 474 You Are a Good Person Chapter 474 You Are a Good Person Surprised, Isabe looked at Wendy. Wendy nodded and smiled, The doctor exined that he didnt speak before because he was used to an Irish ent and couldnt understand ours. In addition, he was nervous about leaving his familiar surroundings. But now, he seems to have adapted to the life here. Gary raised his head as Wendy spoke and nodded solemnly toward Isabe. You can understand what were saying, too? Isabe asked Gary joyfully. Yeah. Gary nodded once more. Isabe stroked his head with delight. Would you like to go to the amusement park with me? she asked, smiling. In the restaurant he worked, Bill was washing his hands at the sink. He had aplicated expression on his face as he looked in the mirror on the wall. After wiping his hands clean, He took out his cell phone. Just when he Was about to send a text message, a man abruptly stopped him, You cant use your phone at work! If the boss sees it, he will deduct your sry. Bill smiled, reached out, patted the man on the arm, and said, Thank you. Dont mention it. The man joined him on the sink counter and took a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket. Do you want one? he asked Bill after 473 You Are a Good Person lighting the cigarette and taking a long puff.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Dont you know smoking during work is forbidden? Bill asked The man remained silent. He took a few puffs before extinguishing the cigarette and tossing it into the trash can. I smoke too much, and theres nothing I can do about it, He said this while waving his hand in the air to dispel the odor of smoke. Hourster, after leaving work. Bill felt he had lost his courage when he thought of the person he had just seen in the restaurant. After a brief hesitation, he put his phone back. A few dayster, Bill was not surprised when he received a message from her. The message read, People are no longer cooperating with us, and they are unwilling to use Lemon. The regtors have now released their findings as well. Lemon will soon be able to prove its innocence. Is this how you get things done? Bill was chilled by the night wind. Ive done my part, and Ive done everything as you requested, he replied quickly. Exhausted, he took a slow, deep breath as he looked up. After a while, Bill received another text message. As he walked away, a motorcycle roared past him, its tires rolling up the dust on the ground. Get the hell out of my f*****g way! The rider on the motorcycle yelled at him. Hearing that, Bill turned around. He suddenly recalled that when he was younger, he often rode a motorcycle and cursed people he saw on the streets. And as he came back to his senses and realized how miserable he turned out to be, he was filled with conflicted emotions. Heughed to himself, and hisughter became increasingly louder. Later on, his stomach hurt, and he had to squat on the sidewalk. A couple passing next to him slowed their pace and quickly left after 473 You Are a Good Person passing him hesitantly. Hes drunk, isnt he? He scared me! Patting her chest, the girl said. She had no idea what Bill was thinking or that he had been in many dangerous situations in his life. Years ago, he was stabbed in the stomach with a long knife, But he didnt even groan at the time. However, on a normal night like this, he sat in the brightly lit street, crying andughing like a lunatic. Leaning against a tree, Bill sat on the ground, lit a cigarette and checked the text messages he received just now. | want Anna to be miserable. Joanna will be unable to have surgery until youplete this task. You can do the math on how much time you have left. Is there anything else you want me to do? Bill tapped the keyboard and texted back. You have two options. Im going to warn you one more time. If you dont keep your word, well die together. Bill took onest drag of his cigarette while staring at the two simple, clear lines on his phone screen. He stomped out the cigarette and became fierce again in an instant. Much as he wanted to eliminate the person that just sent him a death threat, he calmed himself down, dusted off the ashes from his body, and continued walking through the busy street eventually. After all, that person could pay him a large sum of money that he could use to save Joannas life. He was waiting for a traffic light when he noticed a mother and daughter standing before him. The girl was dressed in a puffy pink dress, a pink jacket, and pink leather shoes. She wore a pink bear hairpin in a pigtail and held a pink balloon in her hand. The moment he watched the little girls back, Bill became tender. 473 You Are a Good Person How far do we have to walk to see Daddy, Mommy? The little girl looked up at a woman and asked her with excitement. When we walk across this road, we can see him. Daddy is stayingte at work! Okay, lets bring him dinner. The girls mother answered her while holding two bags. Okay, the little girl smiled back at her mother. Ah! My balloon! Suddenly, she let out a scream as the balloon in her hand flew up into the sky The girl then dashed forward and ran onto the road. At the same time, a bus was speeding towards the intersection at the time. The driver was startled when the girl ran out, braking and honking the horn in a panic. Baby! The woman instantly dropped the bags in her hand and reached out, trying desperately to pull the girl back to safety. She only touched the girls skirt, however, which scared the hell out of her. In the blink of an eye, before the woman could react, bill, who was behind her, rushed out and helped her save her daughter. When the Woman finally calmed down a bit, she found that her daughter was safe and sound in his arms. With an expressionless face, Bill said to the woman calmly, The light has turned green. Be more careful next time. The stunned woman took the girl from Bill after crossing the street. Her eyes welled with tears as she knelt to take the little girl into her arms. Bill frowned and prepared to leave after hearing her crying. One of his greatest fears was seeing a woman act vulnerable. When he felt a small, delicate hand wrapping around his fingertips. Bill had just walked away. The warmth of her hand permeated his, fingertips and into his bloodstream. And when he turned around, he saw 473 You Are a Good Person the little girl gazing at him with her sparkling eyes. He attempted to free himself from her grasp, but she tightened her grip on his index finger. What? He said it harshly. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. The girl narrowed her eyes and smiled as she handed him the balloon in her other hand. The girls mother then slowed down and smiled guiltily. She wiped her tears away and then opened her bag. Bill looked at her and noticed that she had taken out all the cash from her bag. She then attempted to shove the cash into his hand. With a sullen face, Bill did not ept the money. Dont get me wrong, sir. You are a good person, and | am truly thankful for you because you saved my daughter. Please ept the money, the woman exined incoherently, not wanting to make Bill unhappy. Itwasnt the womans giving his money that shocked Bill but her words: Youre a kind person. Stunned, Bill thought to himself, What makes you think Im a good person? Nobody has ever described me as a good person. Do you know how many crimes Ivemitted? Do you have any idea (actually killed numerous people? Before taking the balloon from the girls grasp. Bill panicked and tried to hide his emotions. Having hidden his panic, he said to the woman, I dont want your money. If you want to thank me, you can give me this balloon. | have something to say to you. Sir! With a smile, the little girl said. What is it? The little girl hooked her finger at him. He squatted down and then felt her warm breath on his cheek as the little girl kissed him on the cheek. Mommy says that | shouldnt kiss strangers. But | dont think Mommy would mind if | kiss you, Smiling, the girl looked at Bill with admiration. However, her mother appeared embarrassed. Please dont mind about that. Shes only a child, she said to Bill as she drew the girl back into her arms. The little girls words and action were like a fire that melted his stone-cold heart. Finally, Bill managed to squeeze a smile. He stood up, stroking the little girls head and saying to her gently, Thank you. Chapter 475 I鈥檒l Cure You Chapter 475 Ill Cure You Looking at the receding backs of the woman and the little girl, Bill turned around and strolled down that street. He noticed that the wind was alittle warmer, and the streetlights were a little brighter. And above him, a few stars were shining in the sky. N?velDrama.Org ? content. At that moment, he suddenly had an idea. He then pulled out his phone and texted the only person he cared about in the whole world. I met a little girl on the road today! Shes really cute. While typing, he had already imagined Joannas surprised look at receiving this message and how she wouldugh as she regained herposure. Are you still working? | havent eaten anything yet. Johanna responded. Bill smiled lightly and slipped his phone into his pocket as he reached for a cab. When he arrived at the hospital, he saw a thin woman sitting on the bed through the window. With her bony hands, she was knitting a sweater quickly and skillfully. With a delighted smile, she stopped and ced the sleeve on her body. Her hospital gown was too noticeable in the light. Otherwise, everything would have looked fantastic. Looking at her, Bill felt the urge to cry and then let out a cough. The instant Joanna realized Bill hade to see her, she rushed to put the sweater away and shouted, Bill! Hello. Joanna was already sitting on the bed when Bill opened the door and walked in. The sweater she was just knitting was tucked beneath her 4741 Cure You pillow, and two long, thin wooden needles stretched out. I brought you chicken soup. Bill pretended not to notice anything and then handed Joanna a bowl of soup. She smiled and took the box right away. As soon as she took it, Joanna noticed the scrape on his wrist. Frowning, she yanked on his arm and lifted his sleeve. After that, she saw more shocking bruises. Because Bill did nothing to the wound, the blood flowing from it stuck on his sleeve. Biting her lip, Joanna immediately stood up and left the room. A momentter, she returned to the ward, clutching the gauze she had gotten from the nurse. Then she started to treat Bills wounds. She appeared to be very skilled at cleaning his wounds. Throughout, she remained silent, her head buried low. I was just waiting for a traffic light on the road when a car my arm. He pretended to be distracted while exining, straightening her messy hair with his other hand. Joanna immediately stopped and asked, Dont you care about your own safety? As she kept her head down, she didnt realize Bill was looking at her with a gentle gaze. Joanna threatened him after she finished treating his wounds, If you get hurt again, | wont bandage your wounds! Next time you get injured, ask the nurses to do that! Understand. Bill nodded as if he didnt take her threat seriously. Joanna was immediately disappointed because she did not receive the response she wanted. She mmed the rest of the medicine and gauze into his hand, Please return these to the nurses! By the way, a nurse just asked why she hadnt seen you these days. 474 VI Cure You It took Bill a moment to sense that Joanna was irritated. He was surprised and couldnt figure out why she was angry even if he thought about it really hard. Okay, Ill give them back to the nurses right away. Why dont you drink the soup right now? He replied. As she watched him get up and leave, Joanna was enraged, not knowing why Bill still acted like he didnt sense her feelings for her. In a fit of anger, she took the pillow in her hand and pped it against his back. To her surprise, the half-knit sweater she had hidden under the pillow fell to the floor the next second. And a blue ball of wool rolled to Bills feet. Bill had pretended not to notice Johanna knitting him a sweater every day for the past month or so. He knew, however, that he couldnt keep pretending. Is this for me? he asked shyly, picking up the sweater. Joanna quickly grabbed the sweater and tucked it under the covers. Bill became embarrassed when he realized Joanna did not want to discuss it. The second thing he feared was dealing with an angry woman. In Joannas mind, as long as Bill said something sweet to her, she would admit it. However, to her disappointment, Bill remained silent for a long time and then walked out Seeing his reaction, Joanna was both angry and amused. She stopped being mad at him because she knew hed never learn to understand the implication of peoples words. Awhileter, Bill opened the door and walked into the ward. Drink the soup now. Its starting to cool! Saying that, Joanna picked the chicken out of her bowl and put it into Bills. Then, much to her surprise, she noticed something pink. When she looked up. Bill was holding a balloon toward her, smiling at her in a goofy way. 4741 Cure You What is this? She asked. Bill tied the balloon to her bed and told her how he saved the little girl on the road. Her mother said I was a good person, and thats the second time Ive heard someone say that to me, he murmured, staring at the pink balloon. Joanna stopped eating. She told Bill he was a good man because she was naive when she first met him. And she wouldnt think of him that way after everything shed been through with him. You are a good person. You just did some bad things because you were young and ignorant back then, She said, trying tofort him. So, do you mean Itill have a chance to redeem myself? Joanna didnt answer him and remained silent while stirring the soup with her spoon. It was clear to her that Bill had no chance of going to heaven. He hadmitted crimes that neither morality nor thew could tolerate. Otherwise, it would be cruel to the people he had harmed. Bill embraced her tightly. He desperately neededfort, but he didnt want Johanna to be sad for him. Snuggling in Bills firm chest, Joanna slowly told him her story, My father used to be a big gambler. Later, at the casino, the debt collectors chopped off one of his hands severed and murdered my mother. Back then, | hated those bad people, butter, | only hated my father. Bills T-shirt was soaked through with her tears. He assumed Joanna meant to me the bad people, but she did not. Instead, sheughed softly and said, When | was in Irnd, | couldnt sleep well every night because | was so worried about you. | just wanted to follow you back then, and Istill do. But | cant sneak up behind you any longer. Well, you know Looking down, she started straightening the hem of her hospital gown. Ill cure you, Bill said seriously. ATA Cure You I used to believe that if someonemits a crime, they would be doomed. But you seem to be fortunate, and it seems that God wants to give you another chance. So, | hope you can keep on being a good person. | dont care if | can be healed any longer. She raised her arm, and her thin fingertips traced the balloons outline. Her eyes were gentle when she looked at the balloon Bill remained silent, his arm rxed on the edge of the bed. Johannas words had both shaken and touched him. Later on, Johanna leaned on his shoulder and fell asleep, and he felt the warmth of her breath on his neck. After putting Johanna to bed, he left the ward and turned off the light He texted as he walked wearily to the dimly lit long corridor, Ill go.with the second option. See you tomorrow at 10 a.m. Chapter 476 The Crazy Woman Chapter 476 The Crazy Woman Throughout that week, it rained nonstop in Birmingham. The city had be even colder due to the late autumn rain. Bill sat in a run-down little restaurant, dressed in a ck leather jacket. He had a bowl of noodles on the greasy table, and the heat and aroma filled the small room. The woman sitting opposite him was wearing a ck baseball cap, which made her out of ce. Her attitude was condescending, as if she didnt want to be there. She sat up straight, trying not to touch anything in the room. The sound of rain on the tin roof of the house distracted her. I didnte here to watch you eat noodles, the woman said as she removed her ck mask. Bill took two sips of soup before pulling a sh drive from his pocket and cing it in front of her. As he watched the woman be nervous, he said, You are still wanted in Irnd. So hiding in Birmingham is not safe, either. What do you mean? Bill wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, Nothing. Turning you in is no good to me because | need your money. | promise to keep everything a secret as long as you keep your word The woman wrapped her arms around her chest, and her face was contemptuous. Are you threatening me? she snorted. No, Ive never liked threatening others. So, Ill do whatever | promise you. And you must promise to pay for the entire operation after it is done. 475 The Crazy Woman Bills face was expressionless as he said this, And, | want an extra $50,000 for her. The womanughed, leaning in and approaching him slowly. He was close enough to notice that the foundation on her face couldnt conceal the scars on her face. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She stopped smiling and had a terrifying expression like a spooky ghost. With murderous attempt in her eyes, she asked, What if| change my mind? De you think you can intimidate me with that? Seemingly, Bill had predicted her response. He pushed the bowl in front of him aside and locked his gaze on her. Then he put on an expression as fierce as hers. You escaped a bullet in Irnd, so why are you screwing things up again now that youve arrived in Birmingham? Why do you despise Anna Wright so much? You know youre doing something risky, but you still want to revenge. Even if you dont want to live any longer, you should care more about Gary. Dont you care about your son at all, Ada Xavier? he said after a brief pause. You! As she stood up, Adas big eyes widened. With a sharp tter, the chair scraped against the white floor tiles, causing Bill to frown. Billughed as Ada became increasingly rmed and angry. How dare you look into me! You son of a b***h! Ada shouted. She then smashed the soup bowl on the table to the floor angrily. With a loud thud, shards flew everywhere. Withposure, Billughed softly and attempted to break her down once more. He took a picture from his pocket and showed it to Ada, saying, I heard you were once a big star, but now youre a wanted criminal with a disfigured face. You must awful, dont you? Look how beautiful you 475 The Crazy Woman were back then! And take a look at yourself now! Adas body continued to tremble, and her clenched fists turned pale with grief. Shed had numerous surgeries but still couldnt get her face to look the same as before. She felt like she was back in the fire as soon as she touched the uneven scars on her face. In the past five years, she frequently woke up in the middle of the night. She was living in the dark as if she were a cockroach. Shed lost her zest for life, and hatred was the only thing keeping her alive, It was all her fault! Damn you, Anna Gabriel! Ada med Anna for everything because her life seemed to be deteriorating ever since Wayne met Anna. In her mind, if it werent for Anna, she wouldve had the opportunity to marry Wayne and live a prosperous life. However, in reality, she became a wanted criminal. Therefore, Ada would go insane whenever someone mentioned Anna to her. Adaughed as she pounded her fist on the table, I dont want her to die, | just want her to suffer! I want her life to be worse than mine! Her frantic movements did not frighten Bill. He raised his head coldly, meeting Adas sinister gaze. Snorting, he said, If everything goes well, she could spend the rest of her life in prison. Is that something you want to do? He hadnt finished speaking when he felt Adas grip on his cor tightened. Ada gritted her teeth and said, Money is no longer important to me. Ill give you the money you want as soon as shes arrested. She then calmed down. After that, Ada let go of Bills cor and straightened up while reapplying the mask. But if you dare tell anyone Who | am, Joanna will die, she said as she lowered the brim of her hat. Bills face became gloomy after she left. He poured himself a wheat 475 The Crazy Woman tea, sipped it, and then left. Several minutester, Bill got in a cab, and closely followed the car in front of him. The car rounded a few corners in the pouring rain before turning onto the main road and slowly approaching the city center. There was a lot of car parking in the downtown gymnasiums underground parking lot. Ada took the elevator from the parking lot to the second floor, and she found that it was crowded. The pleasant sound of violins spread from the surrounding sound to the center. When the music stopped, almost everyone cheered and apuded. Birmingham teamed up with and another city to put on this big show. Almost all the high schools in town participated in it and put on a total of ten shows. They had been rehearsing for two months for this day. Tammy, dressed in a navy blue gown, had just stepped back from the center of the stage. A woman in ck leaped out of the side door on the west side of the auditorium and bent over to sit quietly in the farer. This is a violin concerto performed by Birmingham High Schools junior ss. Adas eyes shone with a sinister light as the announcers voice rang out. She gave a wicked grin. Meanwhile, Bill, who was at the door, turned back impatiently as he noticed that Ada had left. Ada took the stairs down to the underground garage. Her steps down the stairs were lighter because she was so happy to see Tammy was there. The sound of her softly humming song echoed throughout the underground garage. Her fingers traced the cars until she stopped in front of a yellow school bus. She smiled wickedly as she stared at the words 4T5 The Crazy Woman Birmingham High School on the bus. With her heart filled with joy and excitement, she pulled a hobby knife from her bag, the sharp de glinting oddly in the light. A few momentster, Ada went underneath the car and then crawled out. She almostughed out loud as she raised the knife in her hand. All of a sudden, she heard footsteps following her. Having turned around, Ada was surprised to see Bill. Do you really want everyone in this one car to die just to get back at Anna? Bill asked. With his hands in his leather jacket pockets, he appeared unconcerned and didnt appear to be taking this seriously. Why are you following me? Ada asked, putting down the knife in her hand. When Bill grabbed her arm, she was about to walk around him. He asked, | promised to help you. So, why are you still doing this? Sheughed strangely and said before leaving, I want her to feel the pain as well! Youd better mind your own business and stay out of it! Listening to the sound of the loud engine and brakes in the quiet underground garage, Bill hesitated in front of the yellow bus. After a moment, he thought of Joannas beautiful face and what she said to him when she snuggled up to his shoulder, Id prefer you to be a good person. Chapter 477 The White Lie Chapter 477 The White Lie Bill leaned up against the school bus and dialed Annas number. He remembered it because he had stolen Peaces phone before. It took Anna a long while to answer the phone. She left the auditorium quietly through the side door. After pressing the answer button, she lowered her voice and asked, Hello? The bus has a brake issue. Tell them to change buses. The moment she heard it, Anna tensed up and became terrified. Before she could ask who that was, Bill hung up the phone. Her mind kept reying the straightforward but shocking message. It wasnt until a minuteter that she called back immediately, only to find that she couldnt get through. Just as Anna was about to return to the auditorium, she noticed the doors had been opened. And people rushed out of the jammed doorway. Immediately after that, Anna became rmed and dashed toward the underground parking lot. She instantly stopped in front of the bus owned by Birmingham High School. Thest students were just getting on the bus at that point. Anna mmed the door shut and asked the driver to get out because she thought she had no time to exin to him what happened. Whats the matter with this woman? The driver asked, frowning as he slowly began the engine. Tammy, who heard the noise, looked out the window and eximed, Stop the car! The driver had no choice but to stop, Tammy jumped out of the car as 476 The White Lie soon as the door opened. Brake! Anna yanked the driver out of the drivers seat, panting. The driver was startled after checking the brakes suspiciously. Dear God! he eximed. Aftering back to his senses, he asked Anna, How did you know there was a problem with the brakes? Anna didnt have time to exin, so she ignored him. She called the police first and hung up before saying, Ill exin this to the police. For three days, Birmingham had been raining nonstop, and the air was extremely humid. When Anna woke up in the bedroom, she heard the sound of raindrops outside the window. Frowning slightly, she opened the curtains and looked out. The sky was so dark that Anna thought it was night. Somehow, as she looked up at the dark sky, Anna felt anxious and sorrowful for no reason. After a shower, she entered the dining room and saw Wayne and Matthew reading the Financial Times. Tammy then walked downstairs in her school uniform. When she noticed the extra cutlery in the dining room, she asked, Is Grandma back? Its Ryan, Wayne looked up at her and answered. Sitting next to Wayne, Anna sipped her milk. She raised her eyes I heard he was helping police catch criminals abroad. Is this mission over? Anna asked. Yes, hes now taking a break. Wayne flipped over the paper, seemingly unconcerned about the situation. What surprised Anna was that Ryan had not told her of this but had instead told Wayne. 476 The White Lie Read it after you finish your breakfast, she said and snatched the newspaper from both of their hands. Wayne and Matthew exchanged nces and skimmed their lips immediately brought breakfast to the two of them. At that time, Tammy had already wiped her mouth and walked upstairs. She returned to the dining room a short timeter with her schoolbag, saying, Let the driver take me to school earlier today. You dont have toe with me. With that, she dashed to the entrance to change her shoes. The maid handed her an umbre before she went out. Wayne looked up at Tammy as she was about to take the umbre Tammy, you dont have to go to school for a while, he said slowly and softly. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Why? Tammy loosened her grasp, and the umbre thudded to the floor. Upset, she stood at the front door and looked over at Wayne, retorting, I told you | didnt want to work for yourpany. Yesterday, Wayne offered Tammy a break from school to work for hispany after returning from the police station with Anna. Tammy refused and even got mad at him. She assumed Wayne wouldnt bring it up, but she wasnt expecting him to say that again. Tammy went out again because she was so angry. However, as she turned around, she She stumbled a little as she smelled the rain, and Ryan caught her before she fell. Are you going to school? Why didnt you wait for me? You know Im going toe back home, Ryan said to Tammy with a slight frown. Oh, Uncle Ryan! Tammy said with a smile after a brief pause. Ryan then ced his hand on her shoulder. The heavy fabric of his uniform made her feel safe. They then walked to the dining table 476 The White Lie together. The ne doesnt take off until ten oclock. Please wait a little longer, Tammy: Dressed in a soaked uniform, Ryan walked into the dining room, leaving muddy footprints from the doorway to the dining room Then he began eating the toast that was on the table. Unele Ryan, what are you talking about? Tammy was baffled as to why even more confused when she heard his words. Ah, you dont know about that? Didnt your dad tell you about it? Ryan appeared to be hungry and quickly finished that slice of toast. He then nced at Wayne unhappily. Sorry, I havent had a chance to tell her yet, Wayne said calmly, setting his bowl down. Are you going to tell me about taking a break from school to work at the carousel? Tammy asked angrily. Huh? No! | want you to go on a study tour to the US. New York University has recently begun recruiting students in Ennd for a study tour. These students will spend a month and a half studying at ten most prestigious universities in America. This is an incredible opportunity for you! Tammys eyes widened as she eximed, Huh? Attend college? But Im not yet in high school. You may also be eligible for guaranteed admission to a well-known local high school. If you have this experience, you might be able to get into the college you liketer on! Ryan said, I have two spots avable here. Matthew has expressed an interest in going there, so there is only one spot left. Do you want to go, Tammy? If you dont want. III give it to a friends child. 476 The White Lie II go! Tammy eximed joyfully andughed. She had always wanted to study in America. Wayne nodded as he took up the newspaper next to him, saying, Matthew, you cant always work with me. You can travel to America to see if there is a college you want to attend and then prepare for it. You and Tammy can attend high school together in America next semester. Matthew nodded and seemed not interested in Waynes suggestion. He looked at Tammy thoughtfully. Tammy didnt notice their expressions, so she asked excitedly, Uncle Ryan, where did you get the spot? Ryan said, without looking up, We worked on an international information fraud case in coboration with American authorities. A Canadian police officer was in charge of the meeting with us. His father is a UNESCO employee who was recently in charge of the study tour. He brought it to me, so | asked for two spots for you guys. Right after Ryan finished his words, Anna realized that he was lying through his teeth. However, as innocent as Tammy was, she flushed with excitement and didnt even doubt a single word that Ryan had just uttered. She asked, So, when do we leave? Ryan looked at his watch as he lifted his wrist. At ten oclock. You have two and forty-three minutes to get ready. Then Tammy took Matthews hand and led him to the second floor. Didnt you tell me that you had to go to school? Wayne asked Tammy, raising his eyebrows. Tammy took the final step and shook her head, saying, This matters more than school. Maybe Ill be able to attend my dream college! Dont worry, honey. You will make it, Wayne looked at thest page of the paper and said gently. AT6 The White Lie Ryan raised his brows and smiled triumphantly as he watched them leave. Wayne caught a glimpse of his expression and then put the paper higher, pretending not to notice anything. At the same time, Anna wrapped her arms around her chest, cast a serious look at the two men in front of her, and asked, You two nned all of this, right? The head of UNESCO? A study tour? Tammy will realize youre lying to her once she gets there. Knowing that Anna was about to me him, Ryan lowered his head to eat his breakfast and used his elbow to poke Waynes arm. To Ryans surprise, Wayne put down the newspaper he was using to shield his face and said seriously, It was Ryans idea. Chapter 478 She鈥檚 Still Alive?! Chapter 478 Shes Still Alive?! Ryans face turned red as he coughed violently. He couldnt even sit still, so he leaned on Waynes shoulder. Wayne seemed annoyed and moved his head away. Youre spitting coffee all over me! He said to Ryan in disgust. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Then Anna asked with a nk expression on her face, Tell me, what are you two hiding from me? Ryan looked at Wayne again as if he wasnt sure what to say. Wayne took off his jacket that was stained with coffee and loosened his tie. He pondered over it briefly and decided there was no point in keeping it from Anna. I sent Tammy and Matthew abroad to keep them both safe. In fact, Ryan just found out something. Wayne said. Ryan, tell me about it, Anna said calmly. Ryan wore a solemn expression and said, Remember that tattoo | told you about? | traveled to Irnd to get more information, and | also learned something from the local police. This organization vanished at the time due to internal conflicts. Their boss was apprehended on the spot, but an important member remains atrge. and? This person is a crucial piece of information. She was that bosss girlfriend, and they had been dating for five years. With the help of this woman, he rose to the position of local drug lord. These drugs were most likely once owned by Dragon. What exactly do you mean? Anna had begun to frown by this point. ATT Shes Still Alive?! She felt a chill running down her spine and she clenched her fists subconsciously. When she heard Dragons name, she was caught off guard. Anna immediately conjured up some perplexing and frightening images. Ryan closed his mouth when he noticed Annas face turning pale. He wanted to continue but wasnt sure if he should. So, Ryan cast a hesitant nce at Wayne. Leaning forward, Wayne firmly ced his warm palm on Annas hand as he knew Anna was nervous. Taking a deep breath, he added, A fire broke out on the ind five years ago, and killed a number of people, including Dragon. A female corpse was also discovered on the ind. Forensicspared the deceaseds DNA to the database and identified that she was Lily Johnson. As she listened to his words, Anna became increasingly nervous. You mean Adais still alive?! Anna shouted in disbelief. Ryan nodded and said, Unfortunately, yes. The Irishman Ada dated and turned out to be Dragons nemesis. But, given the coincidence, we have reason to believe that the person who moved to Irnd five years ago is Ada. But she has returned to Ennd now, and it is very likely that she is in Birmingham. Under everyones gaze, Ryan took a photograph of the woman who had pushed Mona down the stairs off his pocket and then a poster of amercial Ada had taken long ago. He ced them side by side on the table. The woman in the photo on the left was dressed in a baseball cap and a mask and didnt look like Ada at all. Wm not sure if theyre the same person, so | sent the two photos to my coworkers to check that out. They concluded that they were the same person. | highly suspect Ada had stic surgery. ATT Shes Still Alive?! Surprised, Anna eximed, So, if this person is Ada, all she did was retaliate against me. Thats why she harmed those who are close to me, including Mona, Grandpa, and Tammy. She had nned to get back at me along time ago. Ryan nodded, However, Ada is no longer the person she was five years ago. Ive heard that the local gangs are terrified of her. Shepletely destroyed the organization on her own. He then took another folder from his bag and said, This morning, | received a report from the police department. The school bus has a neat cut on the break, which was obviously man-made. The fact that all of the surveince in the stadiums underground garage was damaged that day confirms that this was done on purpose. Ada cant do everything by herself, so someone must be helping her. Hearing Ryan bring up the subject, Anna was enlightened. In shock, she asked, What about the phone number | gave you? Did you find out who the owner was? Since yesterday, the cell phone that had called Anna had been turned off. This person reminded Anna of the situation and, in a way, saved the lives of everyone in the car. As a result, Anna believed that this person was also an important clue. The owner of this cell phone number is a woman named Joanna, Ryan said with a tight frown. Thats Bill! Anna eximed quickly. Ryan agreed with a nod and started to wonder why Bill did it. Maybe, he killed Owen, and he almost certainly killed Michael. We can nowe to the conclusion that Bill was Adas helper. But why would he call to tell you that the car had been destroyed? Everyone remained silent for a long time. A whileter, Wayne finally ATT Shes Still Alive?! said, Perhaps he and Ada had a fight. Joanna has leukemia, so we can conclude that Bill did this for money. Hes on the run, as is Ada, and theres no way hed do something so risky for no reason. Anna understood his meaning and replied, Bill told Joanna that he would have money soon, and he lied to her that his boss lent him the money. Johanna doesnt seem to know anything about it, but Im sure Bill did it all for money. Lightly tapping his fingers on the marble countertop, Ryan leaned back in his chair. He nodded and said, You should keep calling him, Anna. Ive asked my colleagues to keep an eye on this number, and well be able to get some information as long as it connects to the signal. Well, | guess he will stop using this number and use a different cell phone number soon. Anna nodded absentmindedly and appeared to be depressed. Wayne took her hand and said, So, we should send Tammy and Matthew to America now. Ada is a wanted criminal, and she is unable to leave the country. You dont need to be worried because theyll both be safe. Though smiling, Anna still looked worried. When she stood up, her chair had scratched the floor. She gained some confidence and said, Im not afraid of Ada because shes not worth being scared of. But | will make her pay for what she did to Mona and Grandpa. | have to take part inapetitionter and | dont have that much energy to worry about her. She took her handbag from the couch and prepared to leave. Ill drive you there, Wayne said as he changed into a clean suit and followed her. Anna knew Wayne was worried about her safety. She was about to nod when Waynes phone began to ring. Wayne frowned and paused for a ATT Shes Still Alive?! moment, looking at the caller ID. It was Noel calling. Wayne was worried as he remembered the things he had asked him to look into in the past few days. Eventually, Wayne picked up the phone. As he listened to Noel, he frowned. Anna could figure out what Noel had said after he hung up. You can go to work now, honey. You dont have to stay with me all the time, she said, straightening his shirt cor and tie. Chapter 479 We鈥檙e Expecting A Child al Chapter 479 Were Expecting A Child al Anna never took Waynes helping her for granted. Plus, she knew he had to go to work. As a result, she chose to let him go about his business. Beside her, Wayne paused briefly, his brow furrowing deeply. At that moment, Ryan knew it was time for him to speak up to lighten the atmosphere. He stood up, put an arm around Annas shoulders, and said, Dont worry, just leave your wife to me; III keep her company for you while Im home. Wayne frowned, his gaze fixed on Ryans hand on Annas shoulder. Shes your sister-inw Wayne grumbled. I know, and shes a good friend of mine as well, Ryan said with a smug smile. Maybe | should tell Emily about this, Wayne muttered as he walked to the door to put on his leather shoes. Let me remind you, Snitches get stitches! Ryans eyes widened, and he quickly withdrew his hand. I dont care, Wayne said triumphantly and turned back. In front of Ryan, he kissed Annas brow, his warm hand rubbing over her face. Ill see you when Im finished, he said. As he quickly walked away, his leather shoes touched the marble floor. Make sure Anna is safe, he said to Ryan Thepetition Anna participated in was a joint event held by a dozen hospitals in the city, and it was only held once every two years. As a result, not every intern could get the chance to participate in this. 478 Were Expecting A Child all People could volunteer to participate in this contest, but Nancy was the one who signed Anna up. Nancy defended herself by iming that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Furthermore, Nancy was confident that Anna could use her intelligence to distinguish herself from otherpetitors in the competition. That way, Anna could thenplete the internship and possibly be promoted Finally, Nancy convinced Anna, saying, Youve been switching shifts and taking time off a lottely. You would have been fired if | hadnt kept it from your superiors! On her way to the sight, Anna looked ahead cautiously as the windshield wipers scraped the water mist off the windshield, and then a new one formed soon after. Anna gripped the steering wheel tightly and drove slowly because everything in front of her was a blur. Ryan, who was sitting in the passenger seat, remained silent while ying with a small toy in front of him. It was a toy in the shape of a puppy, and the spring inside the toy shook whenever the car moved. Do you like these little toys? Ryan asked. Tammy bought this for me, Anna replied. Arent you going to see Tammy and Matthew off as they leave the country? After hearing Ryans question, Anna frowned slightly. Tammy grew up around me, and shes been taking care of herself since she was five. Shes twelve now, and she grew into an independent girl. Probably, it was because | wasnt a good mother that she turned out so strong and independent. Also, | did have some things to do, so | couldnt make it to the airport, she exined, and since things have turned out this way, its safer for them if dont go there to see them off. Youre right, Ryan said, nodding. He then reached out and touched 478 Were Expecting A Child a stuffed animals head on the seat. Whats going on with you and Emily? You looked so upset when Wayne mentioned her just now/ Anna asked bluntly, changing the topic. Ryan then ced the doll in his hands andy on his back in the seat, staring up at the cars roof in a daze. He didnt know where to start with this. After thinking about it for a while, he finally summed it up in one sentence: Emily is pregnant. Huh? Ryan hit the front windshield after Anna mmed on the brakes. He grimaced and covered his brow. Whats the problem with that? Anna asked sternly. Theres nothing wrong with it. Its just that we were both drunk that night and got a little carried away, so we didnt have time to Ryan murmured as his face flushed. You dont have to tell me that! | mean, you and Emily are already preparing for the wedding, arent you? Shes pregnant, and of course you know what you should do next, so why are you so depressed? Anna pped him hard on the head as she thought he looked like a fool. Do you have something else in mind? Anna asked, her face contemptuous. Ryan shook his head sadly and then took a ring from his jacket pocket. The diamond wasrge and beautiful, and it looked expensive. But as Ryan held the ring, he felt it was a hot potato. Its not that Im thinking of something else. Anna realized right away what he meant. She slowly started the engine without saying anything and continued on her way to her destination. Ryan exined what happened to Anna on the way. 478 Were Expecting A Child al Two and a half months ago, when Ryan was on a mission, he stopped by Emilys base and spent a night there. It happened to be their groups celebration party that day, and they both drank too much. Emily was then pregnant. And about a month ago, Emily calmly informed Ryan about her pregnancy. Ryan assumed she would marry him next. Out of his expectations, she was appointed to rece her direct superior after he was seriously injured in a covert operation. Her future would be bright as long as she seeded this time. At this point, any mishaps, including marriage and pregnancy, could ruin her future. She thinks having a child isnt as important as her career, Ryan said. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. And then? Anna asked. | saw her about a week ago. While we were eating at the restaurant, | hid the ring in the cake, intending to propose to her. But she told me she was nning an abortion. | thenpletely panicked, grabbed the cake, and left the restaurant, Ryan said, pausing with a self- deprecating smile. Anna began to feel a trance and thought about things that happened five years ago when they were all a little younger. At that time, Ryan had yelled in a cafe at his school, Emily is so rude, I cant stand her, Now, five yearster, he was looking at a ring and feeling sad. Do you want to know what | think, Ryan? Sure, Ryan said quickly because he could only tell Anna what was on his mind. Wayne and | broke up and got back together several times before we got married, and we went through a lot together. Sometimes we didnt understand each other enough, didnt trust each other, and werent honest 478 Were Expecting A Child with each other. So, we were separated for five years. In fact, if we could have made everything clear back then, we wouldnt have had to suffer this torture. You and Emily both did nothing wrong, You see, this is the difficulty that you need to go through in your life together. If you can go through it, this will be your memory together. If not, its an ordeal. Thats all | have to say. You understand what | mean, right? Anna said with a smile. As she turned her head and looked at him, Anna found that Ryan remained silent and appeared to be deep in thought. Chapter 480 You鈥檙e on Your Own Now wal Chapter 480 Youre on Your Own Now wal Anna didnt have time to prepare for thepetition and wasnt even sure what the rules were when she arrived there. She and Ryan entered the venue one after the other, both taken aback by therge crowd on stage. Is this what youre wearing? Nancy asked as she pushed her way through the crowd to Anna. Whats the problem with that? Puzzled, Anna asked. Anna was dressed in a yellow trench coat, a camel cashmere sweater, and light gray wide-leg pants. She thought her outfit was fashionable and stylish. Ryan, who was standing behind her,mented, Its pretty. Hearing their words, Nancy was so angry that she wanted to take off her high heels and strike each of them. She pointed unhappily to the audience seats on stage and said to Ryan, You, sit up there. Ill handle the rest for you, Anna. Nancy then vanished into the crowd. When she arrived at thepetition site, Anna finally realized why Nancy was so angry. She expected it to be a simple written test or interview, and she was surprised by how formal it was. Surrounded by high-definition cameras, Anna even thought she had identally entered a live room at the time. And most of the cameras focused on thepetitors on the stage. Like Anna, they had passed the initial round of off-site screening. Unlike Anna, they were all dressed in White coats and stood on the stage politely. Why arent you wearing a uniform? You cannot participate in the 4T9 Youre on Your Own Now Stiffened, Anna smiled at him in embarrassment. Luckily, Nancy rushed in and shoved Annas hands just as she was about to speak up for herself. Its not even game time yet! And shes wearing the uniform now, Nancy crossed her arms and smiled, panting from exhaustion. After the judge walked away, she turned around and took off Annas trench coat, saying, Put on your white coat and act like a doctor! While getting dressed, Anna muttered, You didnt tell me anything about thispetition! Is this a contest or a reality show? N?velDrama.Org ? content. The organizers will film thepetition and create a promotional video that will be disyed on the official websites of major hospitals. The entire game video will be uploaded to social media, and you can even find previouspetition videos online. Do you really care about thepetition? Nancy became enraged. Is it toote to care about it now? Anna asked, shrugging her shoulders. Youd better start praying now; Nancy said, rolling her eyes. She then turned around and walked away. Thepetition used a live elimination system; the three people with the highest scores would be able to go to the next round. After a few rounds, Anna became familiar with the situation. At that time, some of the contestants were already eliminated. The third round of thepetition was a two-person quiz. The moderator would divide the contestants into pairs and make them There were only twelve people left on stage at the time. Anna was good at taking quizzes and thought those questions were very easy. She didnt want to be the winner, but she wasnt going to be eliminated so soon. After four rounds, only six people were left on the stage. Anna had no idea how she made it that far, others and ready to take on a new challenge by the time she realized it. The top threepetitors will be determined after the next final round, Among these six young people on stage, three of them will be the winners of the eighth Birmingham Medical Intern Knowledge Competition. The audience apuded and cheered in response to the moderators passionate speech. Then, he slowly announced, Dr. Cooper from Birmingham hospital will then present the questions to the interns. Please wee Dr. Cooper! Dr. Cooper was apetent, medium-sized man in his fifties. His hair was gray, but he was full of energy. Anna had heard of him because he was a legendary doctor. She had heard that he once set a record by performing twelve surgeries in twenty-one hours. Many people were taken aback by this, while others questioned it. Nancy had a lot of respect for Dr. Cooper, and she even wanted to meet him after learning that he was nning to return to the United States. However, he declined her invitation because he was busy. So, Nancy shook Ryan beside her as she sat on the audience stage, out of control with excitement. Dr. Cooper now spends the majority of his time conducting medical research and rarely performs surgery now. Im sure everyone here has 479 Youre on Your Own Now: heard of his miraculous work, though. Dr. Cooper, would you like to share your experience with us today? Everyone was quiet after the host finished. Cooper sat in the middle of the judges table, remembering what had happened previously. He hadnt told anyone about this experience in the past few years, mainly because he didnt want to bring it up. He had performed a brutal surgery on a patient a few years ago. Although he had been a doctor for decades, he was deeply scared by it and stopped performing operations after that. Shuddering softly, he said, It happened two years ago. | was on an academic exchange program in Irnd and working at a local hospital at the time. A heinous incident urred in Irnd a month before the end of my studies. Dr. Cooper took a breather before speaking. The next words sent shivers down Annas spine, although she was only a listener. A drug trafficking organization was apprehended by the local police. Because the organization was called Crescent Moon; the police called their action Operation Sun. During the arrest, an ident urred. Someone deliberately set off a series of explosions, resulting in numerous casualties. That day, the hospital received hundreds of injured patients. When he mentioned this, he began to recall those horrifying images. He took a deep breath and looked around the room before returning to his senses. Chapter 481 The Most Shocking Thing all Chapter 481 The Most Shocking Thing all That day, I finished twelve surgeries in twenty-one hours. | was not proud of it since | was acutely aware of the frailty of life, and I felt shocked deep in my heart, Dr. Cooper continued. Anna could understand his thoughts. Shed heard that many young military men and women who returned from battlefields would have psychological problems. They needed psychological therapy, and some evenmitted suicide because they couldnt cope with reality. What shocked you the most at the time, Dr. Cooper? The host asked. Dr. Cooper seemed to have responded to this question during the rehearsal. However, after hearing the hosts question, he still shuddered slightly. I had just finished my first operation at that time, andter | found the corridor was packed with patients. Before | could take off my surgical gown, my assistant dragged me to another operating room. As soon as | opened the door, | heard a dreadful howl from the person on the bed. Dr. Cooper replied in a calm tone. At this point, everyone was quiet. Sitting in a chair the staff brought her, Anna heard her own heartbeat and held her breath. A mother and her daughter were on the operating table. The woman was shopping for clothes with her child at a nearby mall when the incident urred. When the explosion happened, she held her daughter in her arms tightly to protect her. The woman, who was just in her early twenties, suffered from severe burns. She had countless ss particles in her body and organ damage. 480 The Most Shocking Thing When they entered the surgery room, their bodies had already been glued together by their wounds. | was assigned toplete the surgery because the doctor who performed the separation surgery on them fainted. in all, the situation was terrible. The woman was still alive, but she was critically injured. The little girls condition was stable, although she had a low tolerance of pain and bleeding in her chest cavity. Her situation could have deteriorated if | hadnt operated on her. Cooper recalled the scenario and told the story slowly in his t yet firm voice. What happened after that? the host asked, his grip on the microphone tightening Dr. Cooper snapped back to his senses. He said hastily, looking around the room, Other doctors in the hospital were performing surgery at the time. Among the remaining doctors, | was the only one qualified to operate. However, | was asked to treat two patients who needed emergency surgery at the same time. And Id like to ask these training doctors on stage a question. What would you do if you were in this situation? He smiled at the six intern doctors, including Anna. Everyone was surprised and embarrassed because they had not anticipated him asking this question. Only Anna appeared calm. She said nothing and didnt even look around. Id like to share my thoughts. All of a sudden, a male doctor raised his hand. He appeared assured and determined as if he knew the correct answer, saying, If I were you, | would pick the most capable assistants among the avable candidates and set up two surgical beds in the operating room. Id operate on both of them at the same time. Everyone was stunned and began talking after hearing his words. Like 480 The Most Shocking Thing them, Nancys mouth opened wide in surprise. Several interns around him looked up, puzzled as to why he had said that. Dr. Coopers hand tightened a little more on the counter, crossed and ttened, but his face was expressionless. Go on, he said, seemingly interested in what the man had to say. The premise is that if | am the person in this situation. If | already had your credentials, | would try to save two people at the same time. However, | would have to prepare everything before the operation and assess the possibility of any idents urring, He smiled and said, Of course, | just graduated from college, and Im not as professional as you. Dr. Cooper. But | value life and love my job. | intend to follow in your footsteps and strive to be a good and respected doctor like you. His words were polite and ttering. People around him frowned, and one even muttered in hushed tones, ass-kisser. Meanwhile, Dr. Cooper smiled and said, Its good to have ambition, and | admire young people like you. Cooper pped his hands several times before the audience began to apud. When the apuse stopped, Dr. Cooper turned to Anna and asked her, Although you apud, I can tell you dont agree with his ideas. Could you tell me what you think? Me? Anna was surprised that he would ask her to speak. She froze for along time before slowly rising from her seat. Yes, Id like to hear about it and consider your options. Cooper went on. Anna paused for a moment before nodding and saying, Okay. Ifit were up to me, Id save the child. Of course, | admire number 3s bravery and ambition. But, if it were me, | would save the child. First, allow me to speak from an emotional standpoint. |, too, am a mother, and | understand 480 The Most Shocking Thing ool how this woman felt. She would rather risk her life to protect her child. So, if she had the ability to choose, she would undoubtedly choose to save her child. Second, there were no injuries outside the childs body that required immediate medical attention. Because there were signs of bleeding in her chest cavity, the procedure should be quick. However, if her injury had not been treated in time, it would have increased the pressure in her abdominal cavity and | would miss the best opportunity to save her. Because there was a high probability that the woman had organ damage, the situation could not be determined until | dissected her. If she had extensive organ damage, not only would she be in danger, but the time frame would be impossible to predict. So if | save the woman first, they may both die. Dr. Coopers expression darkened after hearing her words. He fixed his gaze on Anna, waiting for her to say something else. Anna gradually concluded, So, in terms of risk prediction, | would definitely save the child first. | dont believe we can perform the surgery simultaneously. Nobody knows what might happen until we see the specifics of the injured patients abdomen. If | cant handle the situation, things could get even worse. At that point, Dr. Cooper motioned with his hand for her to stop. Raising her brows in disbelief, Anna shut her mouth and locked her gaze on him 481 The Simted Surgery Youre doing great. Rx, The nurse, who was busy stopping the models bleeding,forted her in a soothing voice. Okay, thanks. Anna nodded calmly and removed the fragments immediately. She then neatly ced the bloodstained ss fragment and the surgical forceps on the operating table and exhaled a sigh of relief. Before moving on to the next organ repair, Anna let her assistant continue to stop the blood. Little by little, time passed, and the surgery proceeded to the final stage. As she removed the stitches after suturing, Anna pressed the timer on the side. Competitor No. 7 is currently the first contestant on the field toplete the surgery. Her powerful speech has previously impressed everyone. She did not activate the rm device during the surgery, but whether her surgery was sessful or not must be determined by expert physicians. Competitor No. 7, you may sit on the audience and have some rest. We will announce the final resultster. The staff had already moved the model next to Anna to the nearby long white table. Immediately after, four doctors in white coats approached the model. They would evaluate whether the surgery was sessful or not. After that, they would start grading thepetitors. As the audience kept discussing, the atmosphere in the room became increasingly heated. Anna wasnt particrly concerned with the oue. After getting off stage, she turned to face the audience and noticed Ryan waving at her from a distance. Then she tried to walk toward Ryan, and suddenly, a man stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Anna recognized he was the doctor she had just argued with on stage and found that he appeared unfriendly. 481 The Simted Surgery aod Hi, my name is Adam, he said, smiling and extending his right hand to Anna. Anna Wright, Anna said and quickly shook his hand. You seem to be confident that you will win. To be honest, youre the only threatening opponent to me, Adam said. His words sounded respectful to Anna, but he seemed contemptuous and arrogant. Anna found his condescending demeanor amusing and couldnt help butugh. Hearing herughter, Adams expression became embarrassed. He asked, You dont believe me? Lets make a bet, shall we? Lets see whoes out on top.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Anna waved her hand and said, Thank you, but Im not interested in it. Im not particrlypetitive, and | hatepeting with others. Its only a small race, so dont take it too seriously. However, Adam didnt appear to agree with her. He was about to say something else when the cell phone in Annas pocket began to vibrate. He stood there watching as she took out her phone and became irritated as he stared at her screen. That number was very familiar to Anna. She had called him several times, but he had turned off his phone. Anna was surprised when he called her again. Before answering the phone, Anna forced herself to rx. Bill, what do you want? She answered the call with a tight frown. Chapter 482 The Simulated Surgery Chapter 482 The Simted Surgery With his eyes locked on Anna, Dr. Cooper noticed that in contrast to the male doctors excitement, she looked rather calm. She was so sensible that it was difficult for him to believe she was only in her early thirties. To be honest, I didnt think you would make such a decision, Dr. Cooper said as he removed his silver-framed sses. His sses smacked against the desk, and the sound echoed down the hall through the microphone. The male doctor stood up again and said aggressively while Cooper rubbed his brow to calm himself, It is possible to save two people if perform two surgeries simultaneously. Although there may be unforeseeable oues, it is better than giving up on the other patient. The mans demeanor was hostile. He noticed that Dr. Cooper appeared upset, so he decided to take advantage of the situation. Everyone present could tell that he was desperate to win. Anna seemed to anticipate his question and didnt want to pay attention to him. But she couldnt help but frown because he seemed so confident and arrogant. In a mocking way, Anna put her hands into the pockets of her white coat and said topetitor No. 3, Do you genuinely want to save lives, or are you taking advantage of this opportunity to build your reputation? Are you now trying to refute my viewpoint on an academic level, or are you trying to use me to improve your personal image? If the second possibility is the case, sorry, but | believe you have chosen the wrong profession. You are not qualified to be a doctor because you are an opportunist. 481 The Simted Surgery: ol Anna sat down quietly after she said that. The man took a long time to understand what she was saying, and then he red at her angrily. Cooper calmed down and put an end to their argument. He put on his sses and looked at Anna, saying, Id like to tell you about the decision | made at the time. In fact, | chose to perform two surgeries at the same time. His words sparked another round of discussion in the audience. The male doctor raised his chin and seemed keen on seeing Anna humiliated. Then, Dr. Cooper said something unexpected, I knew the little girl had liver damage and blood in her lungs. However, the womans i were far worse than | had anticipated. Many ss fragments were shot into her body during the explosion. One of the thin shards of ss entered her body and stopped less than a millimeter from her heart artery. | had to concentrate on getting rid of this fragment. When he said this, he had a look of pain and remorse, The childs condition suddenly deteriorated while | was removing the fragment. Her liver was bleeding and she had a lot of pressure in her chest. All of the attending doctors were terrified as a result. Finally, | decided to save the child, And unfortunately, her mother died. Dr. Cooper found it depressing to recall these details. And Annas words triggered him to reflect on himself. Dr. Cooper had to admit that he had thoughts he shouldnt have had before the end of his exchange studies, He desperately needed to be recognized. Back then, he thought that if the operation had been sessful, he would be a legend in the medical world. However, he failed. although her chances of survival were slim, she did not deserve to die in that way. Cooper sighed and continued to reflect on himself. He 481 The Simted Surgery: od restrained himself from crying. The male doctor had not anticipated the truth to be so shocking. He lowered his head, embarrassed, without saying anything. After a brief silence, Dr. Cooper stood up and said, That was only a discussion, and it wont determine your final grade. The realpetition will be live real-time surgery. He took a deep breath and added, I have to leave now because | still have work to do. The host will announce the specific rules. After Dr. Cooper left the scene, the host said, Dr. Cooper shared with us an experience he had in Irnd, which sparked our thoughts. Next, Were going to have a live surgerypetition. With that, he reached out and gestured toward the stage. By then, tables and chairs had been reced by a number of operating tables. We recreated the young womans specific injuries from the ident by using the models on the stage, and all six doctors have to save them both. Each contestant will be assisted by two nurses. Finally, we will choose the top three doctors whoplete the surgery in the shortest time and with the highest quality. Then twelve assistant nurses carried six-foot-tall figures onto the stage. The hosts words instantly heated up the atmosphere on stage. Anna froze as she stared at the models on the operating table. Every ce that requires operation is equipped with a sensor device, and the rm will be triggered if you make the wrong move. If that happens, youll be eliminated. Later on,petitors dressed up in surgical gowns and sterilized themselves. Several judges also walked around the stage, watching their performances. The cameras focused on the models, casting images onto the big screen. 481 The Simted Surgery oil N?velDrama.Org ? content. Standing beside the operating bed, Anna took a deep breath and cut open the patients abdomen. The patient suffered liver and kidney damage and blood in her chest cavity. A shard of ss near her hearts aorta was threatening her life. While she was operating on the models, an assistant nurse connected the instruments and read out the patients relevant data. Even though it was only a simted surgery, the environment of the drill site was very realistically shaped. Because so many people were watching them, the participants felt even more stressed than when they were performing actual surgery. Prepare to remove the fragment. Anna put on the medical magnifying ss and asked her assistant for the scalpels. She tried to clip the ss fragment while holding her breath. The blood vessels surrounding the models heart artery were extremely dense. The ss pierced the models skin and cut many tiny blood vessels, resulting in a bloodshot wound. The fragment was not as easy to find as Anna had hoped. With caution, Anna prated surgical forceps through the blood-red skin. Her fingertips touched its texture, causing her to sweat all over her body. Found it! A momentter, she eximed softly. She then opened her surgical forceps carefully and caught the fragment. She paused for a moment before gently withdrawing her hand. Just as she thought she was about to make it, Anna heard an rm. Taken aback, she nearly dropped the forceps. Number neen is out. The host announced regretfully. Hearing that, Anna froze for a while and soon came back to her senses. Her wrists gradually became numb, making it even more difficult for her to do what she needed to do next. Chapter 483 Meeting the Murderer Chapter 483 Meeting the Murderer It seems youve looked into me, Bill spoke calmly. He didnt deny it, nor did he appear surprised. Not too much. Otherwise, you wouldnt have had the opportunity to call me, Anna snorted The lighter made a crisp sound as Bill lit the cigarette. He took a long drag on his cigarette before saying, I have what youre looking for. In thirty minutes. Ill be downstairs at your office. Anna was taken by surprise. Because she was wary of him, she did not say yes immediately. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bill smiled as he noticed her hesitation and asked, Are you worried about what | might do to you? You were not a coward when you followed me back then Hearing that, Anna remembered him telling her the other day that someone had vandalized the school bus. Okay, III see youter, Anna said, increasingly curious about what Bill intended to do. After hanging up the phone, Anna didnt return to the stage. Instead, she snuck out of the side door. While driving to Lemons office, she received a phone call from Nancy. Anna, youve got to be kidding me! The final results will be announced soon! Where the hell are you? Thepetition is over, and the oue is set in stone. Is it important whether Im present or not? Nancy yelled angrily, Ive been helping you since you got there! 482 Meeting the Murderer ol Anna, you didnt even thank me for it! If you win the prize, who will ept it on stage for you? Anna said with a smile, Of course, it would be you. Since you helped me in the beginning, you should help me to the end. Youll have to do that for me because | set you up with Joshua. You wish! Nancy abruptly hung up the phone in rage. At the same time, noticing that Anna left without telling him, Ryan immediately stood up and walked to the door. Momentster, as he watched the surveince in Lemons office lobby, Ryan saw Anna meeting up with a middle-aged man. The man was of medium build and dressed casually. Ryan couldnt see his face clearly in the surveince footage and was taken aback when he saw them walking into the lift on the screen. It wasnt until then that he came to the realization that the man was Bill. Knowing he didnt have time to waste, Ryan quickly called Wayne and told him about it. Right after hanging up the call, Wayne left his office and drove to Lemons office building. At that moment, Anna was already in her office, preparing to negotiate with the man sitting opposite her. Bill tossed the leather jacket he had taken off on the sofa, revealing a dark blue knitted sweater. Anna observed the sweater closely and noticed that it was poorly made. The stitches were uneven in a few ces, and the length of the sleeves was not the same. Her phone rang at that precise moment. Bill nced at her pocket and said, Il tell you everything | know, but | want to keep it between us. You businesspeople like to record conversations, but | dont. Anna hung up the phone, turned it off, and put it on the desk. Is that okay now? she asked, wrapping her arms around her chest. With a rxed expression. Bill nodded and said, Fine. Actually, Im 482 Meeting the Murderer aad sure you would look into me. Didnt you pretend to be one of my colleagues when you visited Joanna in the hospitalst week? Anna didnt expect him to know that. She didnt say anything, just stared at him calmly and silently. Since Anna had no idea why Bill hade to see her, she felt she needed to be on high alert until she figured out what was happening. With vignce, she tried not to say anything, hoping Bill would say something more. Youve done many things recently, and every single one of them was about me or Lemon. So, it appears that you hate me deeply. Why have youe to see me today? Anna asked. Anna held a cup of coffee in front of her, which was still slowly steaming. Her fingers made a crisp sound as they gently touched the cup. She went on, You cant do anything to me here. There are more than twenty people in themon office here. You wouldnt be able to leave if something happens to me. Im not going to kill you, and thats not what shes after, Bill snorted. Anna froze when she heard the word she. She subconsciously held the cup in one hand, the warmth of her palm warming her heart. Youre referring to Ada, she said firmly. Bill was taken aback, yet he still said quickly, You appear to know much more than I thought. | didnt think youd realize it had anything to do with Ada. Anna frowned and said, So, she told you to do all of those things. You had the opportunity to murder me in the park but you didnt. Also, if you hadnt told me there was a problem with the school bus, all of those people, including Tammy, might have died. Youre currently working against Ada, arent you? Why? 482 Meeting the Murderer: dl Bill grumbled dismissively and said, After | left Irnd, | refused to let anyone tell me what to do. Ada and I are working together, and were just taking what we want from each other. Just like you businesspeople, | understand that neither friends nor rivals are evesting, but only profits. Isntit true that all you need is money? Ada helped Johanna with finding a bone marrow match, and she found the right one. But you dont have the money to pay for the surgery. Anna remarked, then remembered Joannas thin face. Joanna got very sick. But, unlike Bill, she was a gentle soul. Does Joanna know you did those dirty deeds because of her? Anna asked calmly. She studied Bills tired expression, hoping to gain some information, Bill, on the other hand, was expressionless. He raised his brows slightly, unaffected by what Anna had said. Mind if Ihave a cigarette? he asked, taking his cigarette and lighter from his side pocket. And he had taken out a cigarette, held it in his mouth, and pulled out the lighter before Anna could respond. Blue mes erupted from the lighter with a click. Bills eyes were obscured by smoke, giving him a mysterious appearance. He leaned back on the sofa and asked, Are you making assumptions about my rtionship with Joanna? Are you trying to use her as a threat against me? I do dangerous work, and people like me dont even have control over in God. Do you know why? He continued, exhaling rings of smoke. Why? Anna asked. He mockinglyughed and said, Because we are looking for spiritual 482 Meeting the Murderer support. That way, we can die without feeling guilty. Do you understand what | mean? Youre saying Joanna is just a spiritual support for you? Anna asked. You could put it that way, Bill said, spreading one hand on the sofa chair. Joanna would be disappointed to hear that, wouldnt she? You know, right now youre the only thing she has to fall back on. Anna appeared upset, knowing Joanna considered herself more than Bills spiritual support. So, I never told her that. You also wouldnt tell her, would you? You should call it quits now and be a tainted witness. I can pay for Joannas surgery and her living expenses after she leaves the hospital. Bills expression remained unchanged, yet, he thought it was a good idea for a brief moment. Shaking his head, he snorted and said coldly, A tainted witness? | tricked Micheal onto the highway and ran him over. | killed Owen and took Peter Wrights oxygen tube. How am | going to be a tainted witness? Do you still believe Ada is the same stupid little starlet she was five years ago? Shemitted major crimes in Irnd and got away with every one of them! Do you believe you can catch her so easily? Anna was thinking about a lot of things as he spoke. She became enraged when she remembered Peter lying in bed with his eyes closed. With gritted teeth, she mmed the table, stood up, and yelled angrily at Bill, Did youe here today just to brag about your achievements to me? | dont mind if you want to be Adas helper, but dont brag about those dirty deeds to me. Illsure youll get what you deserve! Bill had anticipated Annas reaction. He stood up and walked over to 482 Meeting the Murderer Anna, his cigarette half-burned in his mouth. They locked their gazes across a desk. Because the smell of cigarette smoke made Anna frown, Bill crushed it in his hand. He looked around but couldnt find an ashtray. He then threw the cigarette butt into the coffee cup on his desk. The orange-red me instantly disappeared from the brown coffee. Then Bill leaned forward, his hands resting on the desk. He mockingly observed Annas aggressive expression and asked, Do you want to find evidence and sue me for murder? Im afraid Ill be gone somewhere you cant find me by the time you do that. If you really want to make me pay, let me tell you a more effective way. Chapter 484 Kill Me Now! aod Chapter 484 Kill Me Now! aod Anna was taken aback when Bill suddenly approached her. She leaned back, looking at him with a wary and puzzled expression, and asked, What do you mean? Bill smiled contemptuously and rummaged through his pants pocket with one hand. He then quickly mmed a dagger on the table. Kill me, he said calmly. Annas face turned pale as she shuddered. Are you crazy? she asked as she reclined in her chair. Bill knew Anna would react that way. So, he turned back and sat on the desk. He drew the dagger from its sheath and examined the cold light on the sharp de. Think about your grandfather! | heard he was a big help to you before he got sick. He would have recovered and been released from the hospital by now if it werent for me. He would have been at home, living a happy life. You now have a fantastic opportunity to revenge on him. As Bill provoked her like that, Anna felt like she was going insane. His crazy words were getting on her nerves and making her almost cry. And think about everyone else in your family and your friends. Ill do whatever | want to them at any time. You now have the opportunity to put an end toit all; He said this while turning the dagger in his palm. Waiting to see how she reacted, he gripped the de between his fingers and pointed the hilt at Anna. As she took the dagger, Annas hand trembled. She wanted to do so for a brief moment but calmed down soon. Having struggled to pull her 483 Kill Me Now! we mind back to sanity, she slid the dagger back into its sheath and smacked iton the desk. Then she screamed angrily, | used to believe youd turn out to be a kind person. Well, it seems that Joanna has fallen for the wrong person. You should leave now! Bill raised his brows and gave a thoughtful nod. He took the dagger from the desk and his leather jacket from the couch. Much to Annas surprise, he came to a halt before reaching the door. By the way, theres something else | forgot to tell you, he turned to her and said. You know this kid, dont you? he asked, taking a photo from his jacket pocket and handing it to Anna Anna frowned as she looked at the photo of the little redheaded boy. His name is Gary. Ada gave birth to him a year after moving to trnd What?! Anna yelled. She was too shocked to believe this fact and had never imagined Gary to be Adas son. Bill moved closer to Anna and said, Hes the only person Ada cares about in this world. But he escaped from the orphanage some time ago, and she still hasnt found him. What will she do if she discovers that her son is now being raised by Isabe, a college student? And if she knows Isabe was your adopted daughter, what do you think she will do to her? Damn you! Anna could no longer control her anger. She quickly stood up and wanted to leave the office. Because she was so anxious, she couldnt even walk normally. At that moment, she felt blood rush to her brain from all over her body and she almost lost her ability to think. Frustrated and enraged, Anna reached out to open the door but was 7 surprised to find that she couldnt open the door, no matter how hard she tried. She yanked on the handle with both hands and shook it frantically. Stop trying; Ive locked the door, Bill said coldly. He then took a key from his pocket and tossed it out of the window behind him. Anna looked around, her eyes bloodshot. Her hair was tangled and disheveled, making it difficult for her to see what was in front of her. Open the door! After calming down, Anna turned around and pped the office door hard, attempting to attract the attention of people outside. However, Bill stopped her right away. He dashed to her side, grabbed her neck with one hand, and yanked her body back. Anna stumbled and shed with the desk behind her, and she could not stand up for a long time. Secondster, she knelt on the floor and reached for the desk. With a shudder, Anna took the phone and turned it on. But Bill snatched the phone away from her before she could make a call. The phone thennded on the floor with a thud, and pieces flew in all directions. Sobbing uncontrobly, Anna cupped her hands around her head, fingers in her hair. Her eyes had turned bright red. She shouted hysterically, Dont hurt Isabe! Ill give Gary back to you. Dont hurt Isabe! She knew that her words were meaningless, but she clung to thest glimmer of hope. On the other hand, Bill told her the truth without mercy: How do you think Ada will torture Isabe? Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Annas eyes widened as if he were looking at a demon from hell. She rose slowly and moved the computer away from the table. Theputer crashed to the floor and made a loud sound. Seemingly wanting to continue venting her anger, she took her coffee cup, raised it high, and mmed it hard. Finally, someone outside the office noticed something wrong was going on in Annas office. An employee knocked on the door, then asked hesitantly, Are you okay, Ms. Wright? Bill covered Annas mouth just as she was about to yell and held the dagger to her throat with his other hand. Do you want to die now? He threatened her in a low voice. Anna appeared desperate and began to consider other options. She closed her eyes for a moment, then gathered all her strength to lift her right foot and stomp hard behind her. Then, her shoes thin, sharp heel smacked Bills foot hard. Bill bowed down in pain, and the dagger slipped from his grasp. At that critical moment, Anna grabbed his other hand and yelled, Help! as she picked up the dagger from the ground. As soon as she clutched the dagger by the hilt with both hands, Anna waved it against the office door like a lunatic. In a fluster, she yelled at the door, Help! Please open the door! The employees outside the office immediately gathered there, and began banging on the door after realizing they couldnt turn the door handle. Hearing the loud bang, Anna stepped back. At that moment, Bill had already risen from the floor and was staring at her with venom. At the thought that the vicious man might kill her, Anna was prepared to die with hi. So she held the dagger tightly in her hand in self-defense. To her surprise, Bill smiled as if he was satisfied with her reaction and rushed towards her. In fact, he was rushing towards the dagger in her hand When Bill got nearer and nearer to her, Anna cried out in surprise, and her face turned pale. She subconsciously let go of the dagger in her hand. 483 Kill Me Now! Before she could react. Bill picked up the dagger that was about to fall to the ground. He grabbed her arm and pushed the dagger back into her grip with his other hand. He then grabbed her hand and thrust the dagger forward before running toward her. Everything happened so quickly. Bill had already copsed on the ground before Anna could react to what had happened. While she was still in shock, Anna smelled blood, She felt a puddle of liquid in her hands, and found her yellow trench coat quickly became bloodstained. Why? Why?!!! Anna trembled and began to cry in fear. You have your revenge, and now | am finally free, Bill said with a weak smile. He was out of breath, and his voice was soft and light. However, each of his words hit Annas heart like a hammer. Chapter 485 I Didn鈥檛 Kill Him! Chapter 485 I Didnt Kill Him! At that precise moment, the door beside her opened. The next second, the crowd rushed in, bringing in the fresh air. Anna sat numbly on the floor, unable to process what had just urred. People standing outside the door were also taken aback and shocked. They had just witnessed the crime scene in their bosss office. The room appeared in disarray, with debris scattered all over the floor. Holding a blood-soaked dagger in her right hand, Anna sat by the door, and a many beside her. Blood was dripping from his body and seeping into the beige floor cracks. Someone call the police and ambnce! Suddenly, someone shouted. It wasnt until then that some people of the crowd who regained theirposure acted quickly. However, most of them were still in shock and stood very still. Wayne had just stepped out of the elevator when he noticed a young man frantically exining the situation over his cell phone, Someone has been injured here. Im not sure if the man is still alive, but theres a lot of blood here. Yes, we do need an ambnce. Hearing the word blood, Wayne became terrified and could feel his heart pounding. He immediately ran toward Annas office and pushed aside the people in his way. By the time he reached the office door, he exhaled a sigh of relief at the sight that Anna was safe and sound. Then he walked up to her on the bloodstained floor and said softly, Anna. His voice was gentle as if it held the most powerful force in the world and was pulling Anna back from the abyss. A whileter, Anna looked less pale, and she gradually shifted her gaze to Waynes face. When she looked Ff up and saw Wayne in front of her, she dropped the dagger in her hand and shuddered, Wayne, he hes dead. She sobbed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. And the blood on her hands sttered on his suit, shirt, and tie. Its okay. Im here to take you home, Wayne said firmly as he stroked her back with one hand. His voice was as gentle as moonlight. As he spoke, he helped her up and walked to the door. And then, Wayne led Anna out of Lemons office, ignoring the mess on the floor. On the way home, Anna stared nkly out of the window and felt sick as she smelled the blood in the car. As a group of students crossed the crosswalk, their car stopped at an intersection. Seeing their youthful faces, Anna realized something, sat straight, and eximed, Isabe! Bill said Isabe is in danger! With a serious expression, Wayne nodded, dialed Noels number, and briefly exined the situation to him. After hanging up, Wayne looked at Anna and reassured her, Noel has gone to find Isabe, shell be fine. When the light turned green, he started the engine and continued driving. Anna nodded and said nothing. As she calmed down, she realized that Bill had probably said that just to make her crazy. She analyzed, Bill probably knew how this would end before he arrived at my office. From the moment he walked into my office, he had nned the ending. Dama it! | shouldnt have fallen into his trap so easily! About 40 minutester, the car stopped in front of the Wrights front door. The maid who opened the door was stunned to see them and trembled as she asked what had happened. Wayne carried Anna out of the car, who had been silent, and said to the maid calmly, Annas frightened. 484 | Didnt Kill Him! Bring her some food, please. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! After that, he dashed into the house and took Anna to the bathroom. The bathroom was filled with warm steam, and all Anna could hear was the sound of running water. The smell of blood disappeared only after Wayne changed the water in the tub several times. Even though the smell faded, Anna was still terrified. She sat in the bathtub, and her whole body was shaking. Wayne used the shower to wash her body while she clung to herself tightly. Wayne, he killed himself. He killed himself Anna muttered, trying to recall what had just happened. Everything seemed surreal, and she wondered if she had remembered it wrong. She couldnt remember if Bill had grabbed her hand and stabbed himself or if she had done it. She even believed her brain had changed her memory. Let Tammy and Matthew stay in Europe. Find them a good high school, Wayne. They cane back here after finishing college. Its the best way to keep them safe, Anna said to Wayne after regaining herposure. Okay. Wayne didnt ask what was going on but agreed without hesitation At the time, Anna didnt know what Wayne was thinking. Neither did she realize that he was already nning to risk everything to protect her. Around half an hourter, Wayne helped Anna get dressed in clean clothes. When they came out of the bathroom, Anna felt sick and was about to throw up the instant she saw the pile of bloodstained clothes on the floor. Seeing that, Wayne picked up the clothes and left the bedroom considerably. Just as he was about to leave the bedroom door, a maid 484 | Didnt Kill Him! oF rushed over. She looked at Wayne in horror and was even more terrified when she saw the bloody clothes in his hand. Sir, there is a bunch of police outside saying they want to take Mrs. Wright away, she said. Wayne said calmly as he shoved the clothes into the maids hand, Tell them that she is not at home. Take those clothes outside and throw them away. After the servant walked away, Wayne let out a sigh, changed his clothes and walked toward the front yard. The yard gate was open, and several police officers were there. When one of the officers saw Wayne, he took out his police badge and said to him, We are officers of the Birmingham Police Department, and we need Anna Wright to help us investigate a case. Sorry, Anna isnt here, Wayne said, putting his hands in his suit pants pockets and looking at the police officers badge indifferently. A young police officer standing outside the door grumbled, We watched the surveince and followed your car here. Besides, your maid just said your wife was home. You Stop talking, Tony! An older officer said loudly, interrupting him. Immediately, Tony stopped talking, bowed his head and seemed embarrassed. Wayne frowned. He just stared at Tony, saying nothing. Mr. Wright, your wife is under investigation for a crime, and she is not a criminal. If she chooses to escape at this time, the situation will be much more serious, The officer seemed to be threatening Wayne and even addressed him as Mr. Wright. He reminded Wayne that he was the CEO of the Carousel Group and that breaking thew would tarnish thepanys image. Wayne would not have hesitated to get thepany out of trouble if this were the old days. But he preferred to handle it as Annas husband. 484 | Didnt Kill Him! After giving it some thoughts, Wayne smiled and looked at the officer calmly. I told you she wasnt here. If you dont believe me,e back after you get a search warrant. The police officers knew Wayne had done it on purpose, but there was nothing they could do about it. They were all aware that they could not offend the Wrights. Otherwise, theyd all be in big trouble. The young officer appeared to be unhappy, but all he could do was nod and say, OK. Then well. Wayne! He was about to finish when he heard a womans voice. And everyone turned to look at the person behind Wayne who just shouted his name. Chapter 486 Not Guilty Chapter 486 Not Guilty With her as pale as paper, Anna did her best to walk towards the courtyard, although she seemed unable to stand still. Wayne immediately frowned upon hearing Annas voice and didnt even dare to turn around. Then Anna approached them and stood beside Wayne. She reached out to take his arm, then slowly said, Im Anna Wright. I can go with you. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tony, who was standing outside the door, took his handcuffs from his bag and approached her. However, he stopped right there when sensing Waynes re at him. Give it to me. Another officer said to Tony, took the handcuffs, and put them in his pocket. He continued, Mrs. Wright, were not going to handcuff you. All you have to do is to go to the police station with us. Anna nodded and followed him to the police car. When Tony was about to get into the car, he felt someone grabbing him by the cor and pulling him backward. And Tony became enraged right away. Before standing still, he saw a man moving behind him and getting into the car. By the time Tony came back to his senses, Wayne was already sitting in the car. He seemed imposing and intimidating, a total badass. Dumbfounded, Anna asked Wayne in surprise, What are you doing here?! I want to be there with you. He held her right hand tightly in his left hand as he stared straight ahead. 485 Not Guilty oF As she nced at his face, Anna wanted to say many things to him but eventually swallowed them back. Meanwhile, Tony scratched his head and had no idea about what to do. Hed never been in this situation before and could only ask his colleagues for advice. Only after seeing several police officers nodding at him did Tony got into the car. On entering the police station, Anna was led into a small interview room. She hade here to give a statement before, but she was the one being questioned this time. Two officers, one male and one female sat in front of her. While the female officer was going through a pile of information, the male officer asked her basic information. You killed a notorious criminal, the female officer sneered as she finished flipping through the information. Anna understood what she meant. Though feeling a bit stressed and nervous, she still tried her best to remainposed and say, I didnt kill him. He killed himself. He was deliberately attempting to frame me. The two police officers obviously didnt believe her. Before the female officer spoke, the male officer, who was taking notes, said, | dont believe he would kill himself just because he wanted to frame someone. Do you two have a grudge against each other? Anna couldnt say anything because she couldnt exin everything all at once. As a result, she remained silent. The policewoman thought she had found an important clue. Seeing that Anna remained silent, she pped the table hard and asked angrily, Why dont you say something? Is it against thew to keep silent? Anna asked coldly. We can find out what youve done even if you dont want tell us. You 485 Not Guilty af called the police three months ago and said Mr. Wright was in the hospital after an ident. Weve been keeping an eye on this person for quite some time because he is highly suspected. So, are you two holding a grudge against each other? Anna recognized this as a standard interrogation tactic. She knew the policewoman would look for anything suspicious and keep questioning her. They had been much gentler to her because Anna was Waynes wife. They did not, however, expect her to be a tough character as well. Shaking her head, Anna replied, He was suspected ofmitting the crime, but he had not been identified as the criminal. Even if | wanted to revenge, why would | kill someone | have no idea if hes a criminal or not? You say Im taking revenge, as if youve already decided hes the one who unplugged my grandfather-inws oxygen tube. Why didnt you arrest him if thats the case then?* The two cops were taken aback. They exchanged nces, and then the female officer said, I just heard that the testimonies from your employees are all the same. They all said they saw you had a knife in your hand, and the deceased was lying next to you. You can im self-defense because someone heard you yell help before you killed him. Hearing her words, Anna began to remember what had just happened. She paused for a moment before responding, I did not murder anyone. | took the knife in self-defense, but | let it go when he ran toward me. It was him who shoved the knife into my hand and ran into it. Are you able to provide video evidence to prove your innocence? Frowning, the male officer asked a bit impatiently. No; Anna said, shaking her head. So, you cant prove what you just said. You cant provide evidence now, and you may not be able to provide itter. If you say the same thing 485 Not Guilty nail in court, you wont even be treated as self-defense. The officer was clearly annoyed, and her fingers tapped heavily on the desk, making a distracting tter. Again, Anna remained silent, knowing full well that what the officer had just said was correct. The truth sounded so ridiculous that it seemed like a strange lie. Plus, these events had already happened, and she could find no evidence to back up her statements. And Anna believed she had a better chance of winning her case if she stopped telling the truth and instead admitted to killing someone. In that case, she could im she acted in self-defense. Finally, Anna smiled coldly and said, Yes, you may have a point. Admitting self-defense is my best option. However, | cannot use that to hedge my bets. I did not murder anyone, and that is a fact. Even if! had acted in self-defense, | would still be charged with manughter. Im nota murderer. And Idont want my children to live in the shadow of having a murderer mother. Icant bear to do the same to hurt Wayne, either. Anna thought. Meanwhile, Ryan got off the phone with Wayne and followed some policies to the police car. He frowned tightly and seemed sorrowful. Wayne had been sitting on the police station bench for more than two hours. He kept looking out of the window at the peopleing in and out of the police station, his face calm, After seeing the detention notice Ryan gave him, Wayne couldnt hold back any longer. He raised his head and asked in disbelief, Detention? Really? Ryan nodded and sat down next to Wayne. He paused for a moment before saying, tiredly, She is a primary suspect in the crime. Many people saw the crime scene, ording to statements taken from witnesses. That 485 Not Guilty oF is enough for the police to arrest her. | just met Anna and told her about it. She seemed fine, and she even asked me to tell you not to worry. Wayne shook his head and tightened his fists. He took a few moments to calm down, and then took out his phone to call Karl. Seeing his movement, Ryan immediately stopped him and said, | also think it would be better to keep Anna here these days. What? Wayne wasnt sure what Ryan was saying. He asked suspiciously, his brow furrowed tightly. Bill killed himself, so it meant that he didnt care about anything anymore. So, | believe Ada forced him to do it. Her goal was to put Anna in jail. Ryan paused, recalling something that had just urred, frowned, and said, So, Ada will undoubtedly have her helpers keep an eye on the progress of that in theing days, and shell worry idents will happen. If thats the case, theyll be relieved after the case is closed. | need time to investigate the situation, so its best to keep Anna at the police station for the time being. Wayne nodded and put his phone into his pocket. I can only keep her here for three days, he thought for a moment before saying slowly. And before Ryan could respond, Wayne had stood up. He walked away, straightening the hem of his slightly wrinkled shirt. After leaving the police station, Wayne called Henry and asked him to send Annas belongings over. When he saw Julia running toward him, Ryan had just walked out of the police station. Panting heavily, Julia stood in front of him with her arms crossed and tried to stop him from leaving. When Julia noticed Ryans sad expression, she asked in a low voice, Didnt Anna kill the man? Chapter 487 A Strange Woman Chapter 487 A Strange Woman Ryan frowned, put his hands in his pockets, and nced at her as if she was ani***t. Julia quickly realized she had said something stupid, so she exined, I mean, even though we believe Anna, we cant convince the court. To prove her innocence, well have to provide evidence. Ryan nodded, then grinned cunningly and said, I have the evidence here. What? Julia couldnt believe his words and moved closer to him. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Ryan didnt exin anything. He put his hands in his pockets, shrugged and said, I only need your help with one thing. Do you want to have dinner now? Huh? Julia asked, not understanding what he meant. Before she could respond, Ryan had stopped a cab and told her to get in. He mentioned the name of a French restaurant, and the car abruptly changed direction Sitting in the passenger seat, Ryan looked out of the window with a sorrowful expression. Meanwhile, Julia didnt know what was going on or what to do. She leaned closer to him and said, Cant we just sit here and talk? Im not particrly hungry. Still staring out of the window, Ryan didnt seem interested in talking to her. After a while, the car stopped in front of a posh French restaurant. Julia followed Ryan and walked into the restaurant, feeling confused. After entering the restaurant, Ryan sat at the table in the center of the restaurant and ordered a few of his favorite dishes without looking at the menu. Julia was not in the mood for food: she asked, What do you want me to do for you? Ryan sipped his lemonade and took a look around. As he set his ss aside, he said slowly, Im starving. Lets talk about it after we finish our meals, shall we? Julia frowned, wondering what he would do. Her stomach growled as she looked at the delicious dishes after they were served, which embarrassed her. She sniffed and said, What a familiar smell, with a frown You mean the steak? Ryan asked, raising his brows. No. I smelled the familiar perfume, Julia immediately replied, /ve smelled this strange perfume somewhere before. But where? Thinking of that, Julia looked at Ryan, perplexed. Humph, Ryan raised an eyebrow. He pushed a sh drive in front of her after finishing thest bite of pasta on his te. Then he uttered ina serious tone, This is the only proof | found that can prove Anna is not a murderer. | didnt dare to make more than one backup because | was afraid someone would steal it. So, Id like you to keep a backup. You just suspected me of being a bad guys aplice! Why do you want to give me such vital evidence now? Julia asked, then opened her mouth wide in surprise. Ryan looked at her strange actions with indifference, aware that the people at the next table were watching them. He then said frankly, I was just testing you! Now Im certain youre not an aplice to the criminal. Youre too stupid to be a criminal, anyways. He thought to himselt. Ah, why? Julia happilyughed and asked after hearing this. Ryan thought for a while and said, I suppose its because of your temperament. | dont think youre a bad person at all, Itiste, so Ill give 486 A Strange Woman you the backup tomorrow. Id like to ask you to take good care of it. No worries, Julia replied. She agreed to do this for Ryan because he had justplimented her. Ryan cracked a smile. He put the sh drive in his pocket, stood up, and said, Excuse me, | need to use the restroom. Take your time. He then turned and walked toward the restroom. Julia smiled and nodded. She had just cut a piece of beef and was about to eat it when she caught a whiff of the familiar perfume again. After turning around, she saw a tall woman quickly walking toward the restroom. After he left the cubical, Ryan washed his hands at the sink. At that moment, a person dressed extravagantly approached him. After smelling the perfume, Ryan saw a woman in the mirror. The woman had long hair and was in heavy makeup. She was dressed in a long, low-cut gown that made her body look even sexier. Then Ryan noticed that the woman was also staring at him, and they locked their gazes in the mirror. The woman then winked at him, giving him goosebumps. Not wanting to stay there any longer, Ryan quickly began to wash his hands and tried to leave. When he turned around, the woman beside him was also about to leave. To his surprise, the next second, she stepped on something, stumbled, and copsed on top of Ryan. Before Ryan could react, the woman had already ced her hands around his neck, and Ryan could feel her hot breath as they were close to each other. Oops! Thedy eximed. At the same time, Julia finished eating her dish, including the broli and cherry tomatoes on the side of her te. She waited a little longer before she realized something had gone wrong. 486 A Strange Woman A moment of hesitationter, she moved ahead to the restroom. And she was surprised to find the mens restroom door locked and to hear a woman panting. Speechless, she frowned and clenched her fist tightly. After a brief thought, she raised her hand and mmed the door anyway, shouting, Hey, its Julia! Are you in there? Is that you? If you have a date, just tell me in advance! Why are you in such a rush? Ill count down to three now. | will let security open the door if you do note out! Three, two The door handle turned before she could say one, and aman emerged immediately after. He was tall and thin, wearing a sports suit and a baseball cap that covered his face. Julia froze when she realized that man wasnt Ryan. She said as she widened her eyes in surprise, Sorry! | thought you were someone else. The man did not appear offended and just smiled wickedly at Julia. Julia could tell he was attractive, although his face was obscured. Its fine, Im done with what | needed to do anyway. He then strode out, holding the massive gym bag in his hand. Julia smelled that perfume again as he was leaving. Something urred to her that sent shivers down her spine at that moment. Shaking her head, Julia frowned and dashed into the restroom. The instant she entered the restroom, she noticed blood on the door of the cubicle farthest away from her, which was conspicuous within therge, clean restroom. Julia didnt have time to think before rushing over and pushing open the door. Then a man that was covered in blood on the floor of the cubicle came into her view. He was lying on the toilet lid unconsciously, 486 A Strange Woman kneeling. Julia quickly recognized Ryan based on the clothes he was wearing. In fear, Julia bowed and poked his back with her finger. She assumed hed passed out. To her surprise, he slowly straightened up while holding the toilet lid with one hand. As Ryan bled from his head and blood sttered on his shirt, Julia was taken aback. Meanwhile, Ryan didnt seem to mind that. He wiped the blood from his face and walked out of the cubicle, holding the door open What the hell is going on? Let me take you to the hospital. Julia followed Ryan and said anxiously. After the two of them left the restroom, the restaurant manager approached and said with anxiety, It will take 20 minutes for the ambnce to get here. Ill get someone to take you to the hospital. In no time, they walked out of the restaurant and into the underground garage. By the time Ryan finished treating his wounds in the hospital, Julia was already curious and desperate to discover what had happened. So, as soon as others left, she asked him, What happened to you at the restaurant? Did that attractive man hit you? Wasnt that a woman? Ryan asked, looking at her. What? A woman? The person who walked out was clearly a man! Why did he hit you? Seemingly lost in thought, Ryan shed a cold smile and said in disappointment, He snatched the sh drive away.* What?! But you still havent given me the backup!Julia couldnt 486 A Strange Woman believe what she was hearing and eximed Right, Ryan replied and motioned for her to stop speaking. Julia covered her mouth and asked in hushed tones, Whats the matter? Before grabbing the bag she was holding, Ryan gave her a nce. And after that, he took a small button battery-like object from the bags bottom. Ryan threw that thing to the ground, stomped on it, and then kicked it to the side. He breathed a sigh of relief after the fragment hit the corner and split into pieces. What exactly is this?* Julia asked as she was totally consumed. A bug, Ryan said slowly. A bug? How did this end up in my bag? Why dont | know anything about this?* Julia had seen spies use bugs in TV shows before, but this was the first, time she had seen it in real life. She shook nervously and immediately exined, I didnt bring this with me! Ive never seen this before in my life! Ryan nodded dismissively and said, I know. You have no idea when this was slipped into the bag. Youre far too stupid tomit a crime. Hearing his words, Julia wentpletely still. Then Ryan sat down next to her on the bench and said, That man had been following you. | believe he was trying to spy on you to know what Anna was doing at the police station and how the case was progressing, Julia eximed as she was enlightened, He was wearing that strange perfume!* Ryan smiled and nodded. You knew that in the first ce? Julia asked in a loud voice. 486 A Strange Woman = Yeah, and thats why | used a little trick. That is to say, you dont have any evidence? Did you say it on purpose to entice him? If you were smarter, you wouldve realized that | wouldnt give you the backup in the first ce. Wouldnt it be safer to just hand it over to the cops? Saying that, Ryan stood up and walked toward the hospitals entrance. But instead of not catching him, you almost got killed, Julia said, looking at the thick gauze on his head. Ryan shook his head as he removed the mini-camera from his jacketspel. Chapter 488 What Remains of Him Chapter 488 What Remains of Him The next morning, Joanna ran into Irene, the nurse, on her way back to the ward from the cafeteria. She had just turned around when Irene excitedly grabbed her arm and eximed, Joanna, we received your surgery fee! Joanna wentpletely still. She assumed she wouldnt be able to have the surgery and didnt hold out much hope. So, she was at a loss for words when she received the unexpected news. Noticing that Joanna froze, Irene extended her hand and waved it in front of Joannas face, asking, What happened? The dean just arrived and said the doctors will give you a checkup in the next few days. Then, you can have the surgery. Oh, okay. Joanna regained herposure and smiled. Still, Joanna felt that something had gone wrong. She had called Bill several timesst night, but he didnt answer. Coincidentally, she found out this morning that he had given her the money for the surgery. Somehow, she had the impression that there was some sort of link between those things. As she turned to return to her ward, Johanna took her phone from her pocket. Irene stopped her again before she could make a call, saying, By the way, Joanna, Bill asked me to give you this.* Then Irene reached behind the front desk and pulled out a cardboard box. Joanna had no idea what was inside the box because it was sealed. She frowned, pointed to herself, and asked, Is this from him? Why didnt he just hand it to me? Irene shook her head and pushed the cardboard box into her hand, saying, Bill gave this to me the night before he left and asked me to give it 487 What Remains of Him to you this morning. | asked him why he didnt give it to you personally, but he didnt reply. Okay. Joanna weighed the cardboard box before bringing it into her ward. She dumped the stuff inside the box onto the bed and discovered that they were all papers and files. She flipped through them casually before sitting down and unpacking them. After unpacking all the files, she discovered an envelope glued to the bottom of the box. To Joanna, a line on the cover said. It didnt take her long to recognize that it was Bills handwriting. Johanna frowned and had an ominous feeling. When she opened the envelope and saw the first sentence, her body trembled violently. I will be dead by the time you read this letter. By the time she finished reading the letter, Johannas tears had soaked her clothes. She couldnt believe what she read. Shivering, she took out her phone and dialed Bills number. However, his phone was still turned off. Johanna dialed three times in a row, hearing the same voice prompt each time. Gradually, she epted the cruel fact and let go of her hand, and her phone then dropped to the ground. At this moment, she had an impulse to die with him. She even believed that by receiving the money, she had committed a sin that could not be forgiven as well. Sitting there, Johanna remained silent for a few moments before throwing all of the paper on the bed to the floor as if she were insane. She then sat on the floor in the chaos and began crying loudly, thinking to herself, Why, Bill? Why?! Why did you have to do this? You couldve been alive ifit werent for me About half an hourter, Joanna returned to the front desk. Irene was 487 What Remains of Him about to hand over her shift when she noticed Johanna approaching her slowly. Whats wrong with? she asked, stunned. I want to see the local news from this morning, Joanna said as she clutched Irenes sleeves with both hands as if she were clutching thest hope in her life. Okay. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Irene and Joanna then were both trembling as they stared at Bills portrait on the TV screen. The news only mentioned the incidents time and location and some other basic details. Because the police could not contact Bills rtives, they hoped someone would take his belongings. Irene struggled for a long time to ept that the man on the screen was Bill. She thought he was a nice guy who would never offend anyone. And she reached out and pointed to Lemons office building on the screen, asking, What is going on? Was Lemons boss responsible for Bills death? Johanna remained silent. She stared at the TV, appearing to have regained some sanity by this point. I have to go to the police station and retrieve Bills belongings, Johanna said, letting go of her hand. Joanna was critically ill and weak, so the hospital would not let her leave. But, because of what had happened, Irene paused for a moment before saying, Wait for me. Ill go with you after my shift. Irene apanied Joanna to the police station. Joanna said several times before making it clear why she was there. Following that, a male officer approached them. He had just smoked a cigarette, so he smelled strongly of smoke. He pulled a sealed stic bag from the cab behind him and asked, You say youre rted to him? Do you have any items that can be used to prove your identity? Joanna had just gotten a taxi from the hospital and felt a little under the weather. She clung to the table to keep herself from falling over. Theres a picture of us together in here, she pursed her lips, ncing at the worn-out wallet in the stic bag. She shuddered as she pointed to that wallet. Gang members, like Bill, were generally reluctant to take photographs for fear of getting themselves into trouble. As a result, the only photo Joanna and Bill had together was taken on Johannas birthday. Joanna still that she begged him for a long time before persuading him to print the photo. After hearing this, the police officer opened the stic bag and discovered a photo of them after opening the wallet, He nced at Johanna, pushed the pile of objects forward, and said, Theres nothing special here. His phone, wallet, keys, and leather jacket are all here. Without saying anything, Joanna held the pile in her hands. Then she muttered, Thanks. Just when she was about to turn to leave, a young cop identally bumped into her. Having lost her bnce, she stumbled and fell to the ground. Joanna held the bag tightly, but Bills wallet still slipped to the ground. In his wallet, she saw a well-preserved photo. The girl in the photo was wearing a birthday hat and closing her eyes to make a wish while the man next to her was staring at her intently. He appeared tender and affectionate. Joanna couldnt keep her emotions under control after seeing it, so she just sat in the middle of the lobby and started crying loudly. The police officers who had worked in the police station for a long time were used to this, so no one said anything. However, the young officer who ran into her had just started working there, and he panicked. He 487 What Remains of Him scratched his head awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Another male officer suddenly thought of something and opened the locker behind him to retrieve another stic bag. A doctor just brought this in this morning, and he said it was taken off of him during resuscitation yesterday, he said as he walked over to Joanna. Hearing that, Joanna finally stopped crying. She noticed that the sealed bag contained a dark blue sweater through her tears. And she became silent as she stared at the blood-soaked sweater, which had turned purple. Thank you, Johanna replied, Irene, theres one more person Id like to see, she said after a brief pause. Chapter 489 What If | Drop the Case? Chapter 489 What If | Drop the Case? In the prison, Anna emerged from behind the remand prisons door dressed as a prisoner. Joshua had been waiting for her for a long time. He was heartbroken, however, when he saw Annas exhausted expression and realized she was pretending to be calm. Anna sat in front of him and smiled as she teased him, As awyer, you should have seen a lot of situations like this. Why are you still so surprised? Are you still in the mood tough? It seems Wayne doesnt even have to worry about you that much. As he said this, Joshua snapped back to reality and regained hisposure. Youve been here several times, so | know hes worried about me, Anna exined. Because you are detained, only yourwyer may visit you, Joshua immediately said, and he misinterpreted Annas meaning. Anna waved her hand and said, I didnt mean that. Have you be as overly stressed as Nancy is? Besides, even if they coulde to see me, | wouldnt wee them. I dont want Wayne to see me like this right now. Go ahead. What do you want to tell me now? she said, straightening up. Joshua paused for a moment before replying, Wayne wanted to tell you that he has got many people to protect Isabe and Gary. So far, no one has taken any action against them. He wanted you to put your mind at ease because he was sure Bill said that just to provoke you. Upon hearing his words, Anna felt alittle better, She sadly nodded, 488 What If! Drop the Case? But Bill knew that Gary was staying at Isabes. That means he didnt have the chance to tell Ada about it. I think so, too, Joshua said, nodding. He thought for a while and said, Theres one more thing. Your friends are all worried about you right now, and theyre all trying to get you out. Last night, Karls wifeThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. scolded Wayne for quite some time, questioning why he didnt get you out. Karl also sought connections and suggested that you can apply for parole if you want to. Anna blinked because she found the scene amusing when she imagined Peace shouting at Wayne. She knew Peace would not let Karl off the hook either. Seeing no reaction from Anna, Joshua said, Karl kept asking me to persuade you toe out early before | arrived. He appeared to be more tired than you are right now. Anna could tell he was in a pickle at the time. Then, she asked, Whats new with Ryan? Yesterday, Ryan discovered that Ada had hired someone to spy on you. For the time being, he is still following this person. He hoped youll stay a few more days so he could catch them. Then tell Karl to hold off alittle longer, Anna said, nodding. As he remembered Kars tortured and pained face, Joshua became worried. All right, thats all we can do, he said after a brief pause. In thete afternoon, Joshua left the remand prison. And the setting sun cast a golden light on the road. Joshua walked with his back to the sunset, his shadow following him. He walked faster because the evening breeze made him feel chilly. Itwas almost winter, and the trees were bare, with only a few leaves remaining. As he walked by, the colored lights on the trees lit up, making 488 What If | Drop the Case? the road beautiful. Joshua had just arrived at the parking lot when he noticed two people emerging from behind a wall. They startled him and caused him to take a step back. Excuse me, are you Mrs. Wrightswyer? The woman in front of him was dressed in a long skirt and trench coat, and she seemed to have been waiting for a long time. She had been shivering and appeared to feel very cold. Joshua looked at her and the woman in the down jacket behind her and became suspicious. The woman further away was dressed in a medical mask and a thick sweater. After noticing he appeared defensive, she approached Joshua, removed the mask, and said, Im Joanna, and Ivee to see Mrs. Wright. The police told me that she could only meet with herwyer while detained and that you happened to be in this afternoon. So, | just waited here for you. Joshua paused for a moment. He remembered Joanna because he had read the information about the people involved in this case. Lets meet in the cafe. He nodded and extended his hand to point to his car. Ten minutester, they entered a nearby cafe. While Joanna and Joshua sat by the window, Irene sat at the bar with her coffee, chatting with a hot guy she had just met. It was getting dark, and each had a steaming cup of coffee in front of them. Joannas stomach hurt because she was tired. She didnt want to drink coffee, so she cupped her hands around the cup to keep her hands warm. |heard you were in critical condition. Its difficult for you to leave the hospital, right? Joshua said. He noticed Joanna didnt look well and could tell she wanted to say something the whole time. 488 What If | Drop the Case? Yes, Joanna didnt deny it either but instead tried to smile. Do you have anything to say to me? Joshua asked. Joanna tightened her grip on her cup and frowned. She had waited in the freezing wind for two hours just to meet the person involved in the ident. But she wasnt sure what she was going to say. If the court rules that Mrs. Wright murdered someone, the final resultShe abruptly came to a halt at this point. She then realized her question was a little abrupt, so she quickly exined, Dont get me wrong, what | mean is Bill brought the dagger, which is my only strong evidence so far. As a result, | can say that Anna committed manughter or acted in self defense. However, once the murder charge is established, she will also face trouble in the future. Joshua interrupted her with a sip of his coffee. I dont know if this is good news for you, but I heard you and Bill are very close, he said, giving her a look. With an embarrassed expression, Joanna ced her hands on her knees and tightened her grip on her pants. So what if I dont hold her ountable? she asked. Joshua hadnt expected Joanna to say anything like that, so he had no idea what she was thinking. This is a public criminal case that is handled by the judiciary. You cannot resolve this issue privately. He said it solemnly. Joanna frowned. She abruptly stood up and said, I see. Thank you. She then left the cafe with Irene. Chapter 490 Why Did You Work For Her? Chapter 490 Why Did You Work For Her? Inside a luxurious club in Birmingham, a tall and beautiful woman blew a flying kiss towards the man at the other end of the sofa. After seeing this signal, the man leered at the beautiful woman with awicked smile. Then he asked, Are you flirting with me? Of course! Ive never met a handsome man like you, The woman said with a lovely smile. She did, however, appear disgusted with the man for a brief moment The man then pointed at the woman with his finger. Covering her mouth andughing softly, the woman walked over to the couch. The moment she sat on the couch, the man wrapped his arms around her waist. And he was surprised that her waist was not as soft as he had anticipated. As if she knew he was confused, the woman leaned her head on the mans shoulder and asked, What? You dont like women like me? Not at all! Id only dated petite women before, so I wanted to try something new. Do you work out a lot? The man grabbed the womans waist and eximed. The woman put on a sweet smile and said, Ves. Why dont we leave now? Its so boring here! After that, she took a sip of the wine on the coffee table before looking around. Lets get out of here! The man understood what she meant and said, his arm tightly wrapped around her shoulders. Along the way, the man kept flirting with the woman after they left the private room with their arms wrapped around each other. The man wanted to take her to the hotel, yet, to his surprise, she pointed to a nearby bathroom, saying, Im too tired to walk anymore. Letust do it there, okay? In the restroom, really? The man paused as he looked in the direction she had pointed to. He didnt think it was appropriate, given how crowded the ce was. But before he could say anything, the woman walked into the cubical, turned around, and hooked her finger. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Instantly, the man was more turned on and followed her into the bathroom. Oh, my baby. The man hugged and kissed the woman as soon as the door was shut. Chuckling in a coquettish voice, the woman reached out to grab the mans tie, saying, Oops! Please dont be in such a rush. The good times have only just begun. Hearing that, the man felt something was off, but he wasnt in the mood to ponder her words. Then he stroked the womans back with his hand. The next second, someone kicked open the cubicle door. The man became frozen and yelled angrily, Son of a b***h! Cant you see Im busy? After that, he turned around and faced the door. He was then shocked. Several people entered the cubicle. And an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman led the way, followed by two strong men. One of them was photographing with a camera, while the other was recording with a cell phone. How dare you! You son of a b***h! Youre doing it In the bathroom?! Are you really that impatient?! The woman clenched her fists around her chest and red angrily at him. 489 Why Did You Work For Her? Dont get me wrong, honey! This is aplete misunderstanding This woman deliberately hit on me! It was she who dragged me in here! The man quickly let go of the woman in his arms and exined. He then red at the woman beside him as if deeply resentful of her. Stop that nonsense! Ive recorded everything. | am divorcing you and evicting you from my home. Youre not going to get a penny from my family! With a sneer, his wife said mockingly. In the blink of an eye, the mans eyes widen in horror. He got down on his knees, hugged his wifes leg, and begged her, Please, honey, listen to me! Its not what you think! His wife, on the other hand, paid no attention to him. The man then raised his hand and red angrily at the woman behind him, growling, You b***h! Why did you seduce me?! Before he could hit the woman, the two bodyguards pinned him on the ground. You have no right to lecture her! Take him away, his wife said to the bodyguards, raising her chin. The mistress didnt get up until all three men were gone. In a male voice, she said in dissatisfaction, We agreed that as soon as you heard my signal, you would kick in the door. If youe in anyter, hell go to second base with me. Seemingly disgusted by what had just urred, the woman took the antiseptic wipes from his pocket and wiped his hands repeatedly. The mans wife exined,ughing, Sorry! | was worried that if | came in early, | would miss important evidence. This guy is insane! You deserve better, madame. He then took his lipstick and mirror from his bag and started putting on more makeup. He Was so gorgeous and delicate in appearance that he made the woman 489 Why Did You Work For Her? envious. The woman nodded and said gratefully, This i***t gave my money to so many of his mistresses, but | had no proof before. Im going to divorce him soon. Thank you! | will let my secretary transfer the final payment to your ountter. In the mirror, the man applied rose-red lipstick to himself, then smiled and said, Thank you. The woman gazed at the gorgeous man in the mirror and felt envious of his beauty. She immediately responded, You are most wee. | must go now, bye. After putting on makeup, the man went toward the restroom door with his bag. At that precise moment, Ryan went in and stood in front of him. With one hand on his waist and the other on the door frame, Ryan looked at him teasingly. You were eavesdropping on us? grunted the man ina feminine tone. Of course! Everyone noticed you because it was such a loud voice. Which man are you causing trouble for again? Ryanughed, looking in the direction the men had just left. Not realizing Ryan was mocking him, the woman stroked his blond wig sensuously, and asked, What exactly do you mean? He enticed me first. I didnt intend to cause him any trouble. | had no idea youd enjoy doing this in the bathroom so much, Ryan said. He still had a thick gauze wrapped around his head, and thinking about what happened in the bathroomst night gave him a headache. The man snorted and gazed at Ryan. In a sweet voice, he said shyly, apologize for what happened yesterday. | was drunk, so | identally hit on you. 489 Why Did You Work For Her? Ryan looked at him quietly and said nothing. Dont look at me that way! Ive apologized to you. How much does the medical bill cost? Il pay for it for you. With that, he opened his handbag and looked inside. He then took out two twenty-dor bills and ced them in Ryans hand. Ryan was speechless as he held the two bills in his hands. He leaned against the door frame, rubbing his chin as he examined this woman. Youre skilled at this trick, and I even thought you were a woman. Youve bewitched a lot of men, havent you? But, Ethan Murray, would they tear you apart if they knew who you really were? Ryan said, directly calling out his name. Ethan stopped acting when he realized Ryan had recognized him. He stood up straight and said, I underestimated you, in his real voice. Then Ryan shook his head, grabbed Ethans cor and dragged him downstairs before he could react. Ethan was tall and wore high heels, so he had to bend down. He walked with a strange posture and eximed, Ouch! along the way. A few minutester, Ryan led him straight to the underground garage, and someone opened a car door as they approached. Ryan then shoved Ethan into the car. After he got into the car, Ethan realized he was surrounded by three police officers. Plus, they were all staring at him as if he were a wanted criminal. What do you want? | didnt do anything! Ethan shrank back, his hand clutching the bag. Ryan got into the car as well and mmed the door shut. He sat straight and asked, Why do you work for Ada? Chapter 491 tet For Tat Chapter 491 tet For Tat Im sorry. What did you say? Ethan asked, frowning. Ryan became enraged and grabbed him by the cor, yelling, Dont y dumb! You put the bug in Julias bag yesterday, didnt you? You followed her and stole my sh drive. | knew it was you! You gave Ada that empty sh drive, didnt you? | bet that you didnt get anything from her as the sh drive has nothing in it! as he thought of what had happenedst night, Ethan was furious. He clenched his fist and asked, You fooled me?! Ryan gave him a cold look and said, Dont think youre a professional spy just because you studied detection in college for a few years. | dont care if you work part-time, but how dare you do something so indecent and horrific?! You ruined our Military Academys reputation! Ethan was not surprised that Ryan recognized him, but he appeared irritated at being used. He screamed, I didnt mean to hurt anyone! Ive never heard of that Ada you mentioned. Ive taken these missions from others and onlymunicated with the middleman. All | have to do this time is to eavesdrop and get some information. Is that going to hurt anyone? Middleman? Ryan asked skeptically, but he almost believed Ethans words. He appeared to be interested in this middleman. Im beingpletely honest with you. Thats enough! | admit defeat to you! Im not going to take any more nonsense assignments from him. Stop bothering me! Goodbye!* Ethan opened the car door and was about to leave after saying that. Then Ryan pped him on the back and stopped him. 490 tet For Tat What the hell do you want to do?! screamed Ethan angrily. Youre cute, so were not letting you go, Ryan joked, lifting one finger and hooking Ethans chin. Ethan had been molested by men before, but this was the first time he had been treated like this as a man. He was so taken aback that he covered his chest with his hand and asked, Damn! What do you want from me? At the same time, the four men in the car approached Ethan. He was Wearing a sexy party dress and had delicate makeup on his face, which made him appear very attractive. As they looked at Ethan, the four men smiled as if they wanted to do something to him. Ethan was so terrified and desperate that he patted the car door heavily. Ryan did this just to frighten him. Then, he became more serious and pulled out a folder, saying, We are currently working on a critical case rted to the mission you were on yesterday. We want you to work with us and help us catch the suspect. Sure! But you must pay me. Ethans eyes glowed, and he extended four fingers and replied. Were not going to pay you, Ryan said as he punched Ethan on the shoulder. Instantly, Ethans eyes widened with surprise, and he eximed, I dont work for free, dude. Youd better find someone else to do this favor for you. Ryan didnt seem to care and just raised an eyebrow slightly. He pointed to the file he had just held out and said, Ethan Murray, a junior in the Detective Department at Birmingham Military Academy. | also graduated from that school and am familiar with its policies. Students who 490 tet For Tat engage in illegal part-time work may be expelled. | heard youre trying to.get into a masters program, so if the school is aware of thi Im in! Ethan covered his mouth before Ryan could finish his sentence. Ill tell you exactly what you should doter, Ryan said, smiling and patting his shoulder. After that, Ryan leaned over and took the phone from Ethans bag. He yanked Ethans hand and unlocked the lock screen with his index finger. Ryan then dialed his own phone number. Frowning in annoyance, Ethan snatched his phone away from him and stormed out of the car. He was about to shut the car door when he heard Ryan say again, If we can work it out, Ill give you the opportunity to get a masters degree at our school. Hearing that, Ethan immediately burst outughing. He blew Ryan a kiss and said softly in a coquettish voice, Dont worry, handsome. Leave this to me Can we rely on this guy? Someone asked Ryan when Ethan shut the door. Maybe; maybe not, Ryan answered. When Joanna returned to the hospitalst night, she started to have a fever. Her attending doctor med both her and Irene the next morning. Iwas the one who wanted to go out. It had nothing to do with Irene, Joanna said to the doctor with a smile. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The doctor said nothing except that they couldnt have the surgery until she felt better. 490 tet For Tat Then Joanna shook her head, smiled, and said to the doctor, It means Ill be able to stay here for alittle longer. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, is it?* Youre in a hospital, not a hotel, the doctor said with a frown. After chatting with her for a while, the doctor left. Irene arrived a littleter with an instrument to take Joannas temperature. Shed just handed Johanna the thermometer when she couldnt help but re at her and say, Why didnt you listen when | told you not to go out? Well have to wait a While to operate on you. Actually, | havent thought about whether | will have the surgery or not, she admitted after some thought. Irenes eyes widened as she asked, Are you serious?! Given your condition, how long do you think you can hold out? Stop changing your mind! Please! Irene was worried and upset for Johanna, as she knew she was saying this because Bills death had hit her so hard. Bill would have wanted you to live well, too, Irene added gently. Thank you, | got it, Joanna said with a smile and a nod. Really? Take your medicine, then. Irene handed Joanna the medicine and poured her another cup of warm water. After Joanna had finished her medication, Irene added, You have nearly $100,000 , which is more than enough money to pay for the surgery! You can hire a caregiver after the surgery to help you recover faster. Once you leave the hospital, you can do whatever you want. Yeah. Joanna sipped her water and nodded. Irene realized Johanna wasnt paying attention to her, so she said seriously, Johanna, dont even think about giving up! You must survive. You can work at my parents supermarket if you cant find a job. Dont 490 tet For Tat worry about it. Thank you very much. Joanna forced another smile, but she appeared frail. As she retrieved the thermometer, Irene frowned, saying, You still have a fever. Ill bring you every meal to your ward for the next few days. Saying that, she gathered the items in the tray and turned to leave when she noticed a strange man at the door. Hello? Irene asked cautiously. The man did not appear friendly and he directly ignored Irene. When he walked into the ward, he looked at Johanna lying on the bed. Im looking for her, he said. Joanna frowned as she looked up at the man. She paused, realizing she had never seen this man before. Do you want to see Joanna? Shes been here for six months, so howe Ive never seen you before? Irene asked, shaking her head. The man turned to face Irene and said, Its none of your business. | have something to say to her. Irene was enraged by his attitude. She mmed the iron tray onto the shelf, crossed her arms, and said, She has a fever and needs a good rest now. What do you want to tell her? The man, however, did not appear to take her words seriously. He pushed Irene out of the way, walked past her, and went to Johanna. Then he said to Joanna, Im not looking for you, but Im just here to tell you about it. Someone else is interested in seeing you. Wide-eyed, Joanna felt foreboding and asked, Who wants to see me? 490 tet For Tat She just told me to tell you that shes paying for all your surgeries. Joanna clenched her fists tightly beneath the sheets. She remained silent for a few moments before asking firmly, Where is she? You just have to go with me. Ill ead the way, The man responded. Curious about who she was going to meet, Joanna jumped out of bed as soon as possible and put on the sweater she had worn the day before. She didnt say anything, but her actions spoke volumes. In a hurry, Irene snatched Johannas coat from her grasp and tossed it onto the bed. She said, Dont leave! You still have a fever! The doctor just told you that you cant go out anymore. Please dont stop me, Irene. | must see this person. Joanna was firm as if she couldnt be easily persuaded. She bent down, picked up the trench coat on the bed, and put it on as she spoke. Lets go, she said as she picked up her bag and looked up at the man beside her. Before realizing she couldnt stop Johanna, Irene reached into the closet for a scarfs. She wrapped the scarf around Joannas neck,pletely covering her. With a relieved sigh, Irene patted Johanna on the shoulder and said, Ill wait for you. Johanna blinked, then nodded. She then left the hospital, following the mans lead. After they got into the car, the man started the car and moved quickly toward the meeting ce. In the passenger seat, Johanna gazed out the car window at the scenery that receded backwards. And she recalled something that happened in the past. Chapter 492 Stay Out Of It al Chapter 492 Stay Out Of It al In his office, Wayne sat drowsily on the leather couch, one hand on his brow. Meanwhile, Ryan sat on another couch, his arms supporting his thighs and his body leaning forward. As he stared at the coffee table in front of him, his fingers were crossed, and his eyes were blurry. Putting on a serious expression, Ryan said, I believe that Ada entered the country using another persons identity. Plus, she was acting discreetly. She did nothing herself but have someone else do everything for her. What makes it more difficult for us to track her down is that these people only worked with her briefly, and no one knows who she is. After pausing for a while, Ryan kept going, At this point, this is the quickest way I can think of to find Ada. | dont need to police to do this for me. Actually, | can ask my friends to help me with it. Before nodding, Wayne frowned and remained silent for a long time. Im just afraid that even if we find Ada, we wont be able to get Anna to win her case, he worried, Ryan understood why Wayne was worried. Ada had taken a big risk by returning to Birmingham, and she had gone to great lengths to n everything. Even if they found her, she might refuse to admit that Bill worked for her. If we cannot do so, we will have to turn to onest option. Anna told us that Gary is Adas son. We can threaten her with Gary. Wayne nodded as he said, Okay, thats our only choice. Ill leave this matter to you. Also, is the guy you found trustworthy? 491 Stay Out Of It I can assure you that we can trust him. But, there is one more problem. What is it? I think we should put a tracker on Ada, but itis risky and dangerous. If she finds out about it, well be in big trouble. However, we havent found a better tracking system yet. Wayne was perplexed and asked, You must have used a lot of tracking devices in the army. So, you can choose the one that works best for you. Ethan hasnt had much experience with these types of cases, and he learned limited things in school as an undergraduate. Im worried that hell fail Ryan shook his head and said. So, what do you rmend? Ryan paused for a long time before responding. At that point, Noel burst through the office door, eximing, Someone hase to see you, Mr. Wright. I cant stop him. Wayne frowned as he noticed a tall man emerge from behind Noel. The man walked past Noel and went straight into the office with a calm expression That is very typical of you! You never tell me before breaking into my ce, ring at the man, Wayne said with a pout. Jasper didnt seem bothered by his sarcasm. He sat down on the couch, raising an eyebrow toward Waynes phone and said, Before | came here, | called you three times. | believe you were too busy to answer the phone, and perhaps you were too scared to face me after what happened. Embarrassed, Wayne also leaned back in his chair. He then looked at his phone on the coffee table and said, Did you forget that Im Annas 491 Stay Out Of It husband now? I was Annas husband, too, Jasperughed, But Im a lot more reliable than you. Hearing his sarcastic words, Wayne frowned immediately. The satellite positioning system that ourpany has recently developed mighte in handy, Ignoring Wayne, Jasper said to Ryan. At the time, Ryan was extremely embarrassed and didnt know what to do. But when he heard this, his eyes lit up, and he said, Tell me more about it. Aside from using a small tracker, we have another option. We can use viruses to help us. We can hack into her phones system and locate her as. soon as she taps on a link or QR code to our program. Thats the dumbest thing Ive ever heard of in my life, Wayne said calmly. Yet, Ryan didnt notice Wayne was upset and continued, We might be able to pull it off if we think of a method rted to this now. Its certainly less risky than simply imnting a tracker in Ada. can give you mypanys director of technologys cell phone number, and you can contact him. Jasper nodded and started talking to Ryan. Theypletely ignored Wayne. Ryan immediately nodded and ignored which side he was supposed to be on. Wayne stood motionless, cursing his brother in his mind. | have something to discuss with Ethan, so Im leaving now. It wasnt until then that Ryan noticed the strange atmosphere. So he left the office after saying that. After he left, the office was very quiet, with two men sitti couch facing each other. 491 Stay Out Of it II What else are you going to do if this doesnt work? Jasper asked. Wayne gave him a nce, then leaned back on the cushion and ignored him. If your wife is a murderer, it will be a huge blow to your personal image. Furthermore, the impact on the entire Carousel Group would be far greater than anticipated. Of course, you dont need me to remind you because you must have a backup n. After a brief pause, Jasper added, In everything | do, | like to n for the worst-case scenario first, and Im guessing youll do the same. So, what are your ns if Anna is convicted? Do you want a divorce before the verdict, or do you want to keep your marriage to her hidden from the public? It sounds like you have a better idea, Wayne said, irritated. Jasper said, But my actions will be determined by your n. Ive epted the fact that Anna only likes you, so | wont do anything if you can solve this. But if you try to abandon Anna, | will go to any length to save her They locked their gazes on each other like a war was about to break out. and when that happens, she will have nothing to do with you, Jasper appeared to threaten Wayne and made him feel he was in a huge crisis. You said | was her husband, so youd better stay out of this, With a straight face, Wayne said. Id like to hear and see what you intend to do. Wayne chuckled, Do you want to hear my briefing? Ha! Not until you merge mypany. 491 Stay Out Of It il If you want to sacrifice Anna to save yourpany, | will acquire itter, Jasper said as he stood up. He walked toward the door and then came to a halt.With one hand on the doorknob, he turned back and said, Ive shifted my focus to Ennd and delegated management of the New York branch to someone else. We can have a good chat if Anna can leave the jail safely. You know, just the two of us. Okay, Wayne said with a nod. After Jasper left the building, Wayne told Noel, who was standing outside the door, to go into his office. Hows the thing | asked you to do? Wayne asked Noel as soon as he stepped into his office. Upon seeing Waynes darkened face, Noel was terrified. He paused for a long time before saying, Ive found the right person to help us. But, Mr. Wright, will this be too dangerous? It is not legal. Once the public learns of this, our reputation will be ruined! Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Wayne frowned and said, You appear to be more concerned with thepany than | am. Do you want to be the president? With a shudder, Noel waved his hands and said, Huh? No! Thats not what | meant. Ive got everything nned, and Ill do whatever you want. Then get out and leave me alone, Wayne said, nodding and waving his hand. Then Noel exhaled a sigh of relief and exited the office. He, too, stood in the doorway and took a deep breath, as Ryan had done a few moments before. At the same time, in the office, Wayne darkened his expression. He had the aggressive gaze of a wolf, Resting his chin on his fist, he thought to 491 Stay Out Of It himself, Well, /m not a Wright by blood. Giving thepany to Ryan, its true owner, is the right thing to do, as long as it helps me save Anna from all the trouble. Chapter 493 Tricking the Wolf Out of Its Den Chapter 493 Tricking the Wolf Out of Its Den Ata posh Birmingham apartment downtown, Ryan opened the door to Ethans apartment. He was then taken aback by what he saw. Many clothes were scattered across the floor, from the doorway to the hallway. If Ryan hadnt known Ethan beforehand, he wouldve thought that some people were having s*x in the room. Then, Ethan pushed open the bathroom door dressing in adys pink bathrobe. Without makeup on, he looked just like one of those typical good-looking college boys. However, his every move was somewhat feminine. Hi, Ryan. Why dont you take a seat? Ethan tightened his robe around him and pointed to the couch. Ryan frowned as he noticed the couch was also piled with clothes. He walked over and pushed the clothes to the side, making room for himself. After that, Ethan sat in front of the dressing table. He began his skincare routine before putting on his makeup and cing all the needed products on the table. Watching him, Ryan stood there silently. After forty minutes, Ethan set down his makeup brush and returned his gaze to Ryan. Instantly, Ryans eyes widened in surprise. Then Ryan gave him a thumbs-up and eximed, Thats incredible! Youre really good at pretending to be a woman, | must say.* Yet, Ryanspliments didnt seem to please Ethan. He knelt and rummaged through the clothes on the floor, pulling out a pair of ck stockings and slowly putting them on. 492 Tricking the Wolf Out of Its. ill Seeing that, Ryan was embarrassed and even ducked his head to avoid looking Ethan in the eyes. Aiter putting on his stockings, Ethan got up and rummaged through his closet, taking out a blonde wig eventually. He then looked in the mirror, put it on, and began brushing his hair. Do you think Im beautiful? Ethan asked in a sweet, feminine tone as he turned around. He winked sensually at Ryan, stretching his slender thighs forward and slowly lifting the hem of his robe. Ina fluster, Ryan threw one of the high heels he found on the floor, and Ethan screamed in pain after being hit in the call. Dont talk to me like that! Ryan shouted, | wouldnt have agreed to this stupid request of yours if it werent for my masters degree, Ethan said angrily, covering his calf. Hand me that, Ethan said, motioning to the pile of clothes on the floor. Ryan followed his gaze and frowned when he noticed a chest pad. Amused by his expression, Ethan couldnt help but make fun of him, saying, What are you afraid of? Youre not a virgin anymore, are you? If you dare to say one more word, Ill make you drop out of school, Ryan said as he grabbed the two chest pads on the floor and threw them at him hard. As if he didnt care if Ryan was there, Ethan removed his robe and put on the pads. The pads looked extremely realistic, so Ryan was embarrassed even though he knew Ethan was a man. HI give you thirty seconds to put on your clothes! This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. allright, sweetie. Ryan cringed as Ethan said it again in a dainty female voice. After changing, Ethan raised his phone and said, She texted me. 492 Tricking the Wolf Out of Its. C Are you prepared for this? Ryan asked as he looked at the screen and saw a location on Google Maps. Without a doubt! I just need to act as a beautiful spy. Its not difficult for me because | act like that every day. Did you remember everything | told you yesterday, too? Ryan asked as he saw Ethans confident attitude, Dont worry! said Ethan, nodding. They then went downstairs and got into a car together. Ryan took the Wheel, and Ethan sat in the passenger seat. The engine roared as the car elerated toward its destination. After they arrived at the location, they discovered that it was a very modest and run-down little restaurant that was located in a narrow alley on the outskirts of town. The dirt had stained the wooden sign on the restaurants door, making the letters appear blurry. The restaurant was small, and the first thing Ethan saw was a man preparing food on an open stove beneath the roof shed. Ethan greeted him, but he justughed and stared at him. The next moment, Ethan frowned as he suspected the man was intellectually challenged. There was only one other customer in the restaurant, a woman dressed in a ck jacket and a thick mask. When she heard the sound of high heels, the woman looked up at Ethan. Ethan frowned as he looked around and then used a stack of paper towels to wipe the tin bench. He finally sat in the chair after a long time. Then he began wiping the greasy table. After a long time, Ada couldnt help but ask impatiently, Are you here to do the cleaning? Im sorry, but Im kind of a neat freak. There is grease all over this damn table. Ethan abruptly took his phone from his pocket, found a link, 492 Tricking the Wolf Out of Its. ill and said, This ce is too far from downtown, and the money | brought is not enough for me to take a taxi. Could you please give me some money? Just as Ethan was at a loss for words, Ada stared at him and asked indifferently, How much is it? Its only twenty dors. | asked the driver waiting to take me backter, so the total cost is forty dors. Then Ada took a $100 bill from her pocket and said, Keep the change. Ethan fumbled with his phone. After a brief pause, he said again, Youre cool and generous, and I really like you. Do you want to coborate with meter again? | agreed to meet with you because you said you had critical information. Just tell me right now. | dont have much patience, and Ill be leaving soon. Then Ethanined, This middleman you got is untrustworthy. He not only took arge sum of money from us but also tried to trick us further.* At that point, Ada had had enough of him and interrupted him, saying, Lets get to the point! Im not interested in hearing that nonsense. After a while, Ethan showed her a QR code. What is this? Ada asked, her brow furrowed. Here is the proof! | recorded the evidence and uploaded it to the cloud. You can watch the video by scanning this QR code, Ethan exined. Chapter 494 Mission Impossible Chapter 494 Mission Impossible Ada hesitated. Seeing that, Ethans heart began to race, but he remained calm. He said, frowning, Anna Wright will definitely lose her case! She is now being held in jail for several days, and the trial will begin soon. At the thought that she could have her revenge, Ada grinned with delight. There was a sinister gleam in her eyes. But, | heard that her husband is Wayne Wright, the president of the Carousel Group. He is a powerful and wealthy man. To have someone go to jail for her, he has made contacts and ns, Ethan added. Before Ethan could finish his sentence, Ada pped the table and said loudly, Wayne wouldnt do that! Hes not going to risk the Carousels reputation for her! Curling the corner of his lips upward, Ethan tapped the QR code on his. phone screen with one finger and said, This is the video I took. At the cafe, he and his assistant were discussing this thing, saying they would get someone to go to jail for her. Wayne is going to quit his job when its over, and he and Anna are going to live in America. Damn! eximed Ada angrily, pping the table hard. Ethan said with a nod, Calm down. They dont know that | have the evidence. You can ruin his n and reputation if you show the video to the cops. After that, neither of them will be able to escape. Ada was less worried after hearing Ethans very rational words. She didnt hesitate any longer. She took her phone from her pocket and scanned the QR code. Then she saw the image of Wayne and Noel having 493 Mission Impossible al conversations in the cafe. Are you sure you want to go this far for her, Mr. Wright? If the police find out about it, thepany will be destroyed, and you will also be arrested. Wayne said calmly, Stop with the nonsense! Just do as | say. Ada was thrilled after watching the entire video. She threw back her head andughed so hard she couldnt stop herself. | did bring important information, didnt I? So, when do you n to pay me? Ethan took a deep breath and said. ?Ada gave Ethan a look which showed that she was satisfied. She said, II give you the money once its finished. Well, | didnt expect you to be this good. Ethan smugly reached out and squeezed hisrge breasts. I am more than a pretty face. Then he took up the teacup on the tables corner and poured himself a cup of wheat tea. Suddenly, and the teacup slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor. Ada frowned slightly and looked at him with wide eyes. Oops! Sorry. Ethan let out a scream and said. He then bent down to pick up the broken pieces on the ground. With a snort, Ada gave him a wary look. At that moment, the restaurant owner rushed in with a rolling pin from the kitchen. He continued to babble and wave his hands. Ethan froze, unsure of what he was doing, ?Ada quickly recognized what was going on. She jumped up from her chair, grabbed a salt shaker, and smashed it on Ethans head. How dare you try to fool me! Ada became enraged. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Ethan felt pain, followed by a sharp stinging sensation at the top of his 493 Mission Impossible al head. When he touched his hair, he discovered that his hands were covered in blood, He had made deals with many people before, but this was the first time hed been hurt. Struggling, he copsed to the ground and passed out eventually. When Ethan regain his consciousness, he was in a hospital bed with gauze wrapped around his head. He sat up from the bed as soon as he opened his eyes. Then he saw Ryan sitting beside him, quietly staring at him. And he was surprised by it. Is this the perfect n you were talking about? That b**h hit me on the head with a salt shaker as soon as | smashed the cup. Would be ina morgue now if she had stabbed me?! Ethan shouted angrily. Ryan poked the gauze on his head with his finger. I thought you were as smart as most of our students, but | cant believe you couldnt even avoid a salt shaker. Im telling you, if you dont give me somepensation, youll never hear the end of it! Ethan shouted in anger. When Ryans cell phone rang, he left the ward without hesitation. He returned to the ward three minutester, picking up the jacket by the bed and was about to leave. Hey, Im not finished yet! Ethan yelled. What else do you have to say? Wheres Ada? Did you catch her? Ryan shook his head and replied, She escaped, but we have tracked her down. We need to search the suburbs because she ran into a hill. after you guys catch her, can | hit her on the head with a salt shaker? Ethan sighed and asked slowly. Ryan walked away before ring at him. Chapter 495 Be My Girlfriend Chapter 495 Be My Girlfriend In the cafeteria of Birmingham University, Sean handed the girl, who was sitting by the window, a cup of hot coffee. There is a spot for the national debatepetition, and I rmended you, he said. Isabe didnt seem particrly excited about it, so she just sipped her coffee. Im sorry, but I dont want to go. Jasmine would certainly be interested in it, and it would help her when she applies to graduate school. Actually, Jasmine has left the debate team, Sean said as he leaned back. Huh? Why? | thought she enjoyed the debate, Isabe asked, surprised. Shes been very busytely and has exams to prepare for. Also, shes starting an internship. Sean made an excuse, This evening, Ill be hosting the campus singerpetition. Would you like to come? Isabe raised her eyes to Sean, who wore a white shirt under his camel-colored cashmere coat and a dark blue tie. Sorry, but | may not be able to attend. Ive had a lot on my tetely, and | have several papers to write. If Im avable this evening, Ill be there. OK, Ill reserve two front-row seats for you. You are wee to bring a friend. Thanks. As the two finished their meal and left the cafeteria together, aman approached Isabe, Jasper, what are you doing here? Isabe asked, surprised, 494 Be My Girlfriend til Jasper was dressed to the nines in a ck couture suit, one hand in his suit pants pocket. He didnt say anything, but his calm demeanor made him seem mature and reliable. Why havent you returned my callstely? He asked gently, looking into her eyes. Isabe averted her gaze. Lily had answered the phone thest time she called him. As a result, she refused to answer Jaspers calls after that. She felt betrayed by him and was afraid he would tell her he was remarrying Lily. At the thought of that, Isabe frowned, took Seans hand in hers, and said, Im going to a meeting now, sorry. Ill see youter. Jasper, of course, was aware of what she was thinking. Instead of walking away, he said patiently, Lets have dinner together tonight. Im so sorry, | dont have time for the evening either. | promised my friend that I would be at a competition, Isabe cut him off and said. When she said that, her grip on Seans hand tightened, making him feel hurt. Sean blushed and extended his hand to Jasper, saying, Hello, Im Isabes friend, Sean. Jasper was skilled at masking his emotions. Even though he shook Seans hand, his cold smile revealed how upset he was. After that, Jasper returned his gaze to Isabe and asked softly, What kind ofpetition is this? May | go there? You certainly can, sir! | can reserve front-row seats for you and Isabe, Sean responded right away. Not wanting to talk to him any longer, Isabe took Seans hand and walked away. In the afternoon, Sean went to rehearsal, leaving Isabe to wander 494 Be My Girlfriend all the campus alone. Meanwhile, Jasper wore a light gray coat and was waiting for her downstairs with a hot coffee. Isabe walked out of the building and stopped as soon as she saw him. For a brief moment, they gazed at each other in the distance. The wind was chilly then, and the setting sun shone on the waters surface, causing it to glow golden. The scenery was as lovely as Isabes mood. At this point, she was suddenly relieved. She took many pictures of thiske to show Jasper how beautiful it was. And she wished Jasper could hold her hand and walk with her across theke bridge every time she saw couples doing that. Hope that you still love hazelnut cappino. Jasper handed her the cup, his gentle smile as warm as the winter sun. Without hesitation, Isabe approached Jasper and hugged him. And she smelled his perfume as she pressed her cheek against his chest. Jasper froze when he opened his arms. He went into a daze, recalling some of the emotions he had felt for her before. Gradually, he tightened his arms, passing more warmth to her. The next second, Isabe took his hand in hers and led him forward. She was holding a warm cup of coffee in one hand and his warm hand in the other. Afterward, Isabe smiled cheerfully and started telling him about what was going on at school. Later, ll take you to the library! All the newputers there are made by yourpany. Isabe said in excitement. Okay. Gazing at her gently, Jasper slowed his pace. The grass and trees on this campus were still the same as they had been many years before, 494 Be My Girlfriend al intoxicating him The annual campus singerpetition at the university was about to begin. Isabe took the seat Sean had reserved for her directly behind the judges table. A couple sat next to Isabe, who had been holding hands since they walked in. The girl was excitedly holding a small lighted sign in her other hand. The boy next to the girl asked enviously, Is he really that hot? | kind of regret helping you get front-row tickets. Hearing that the girl turned her face to him with a grin and leaned her head towards his shoulder. Isabe looked at them, then at the man beside her. At the moment, Jasper was sitting in his chair, seemingly at ease. The stages scattered lights reflected on his face, making him very handsome and attractive. At that moment, Isabe felt as if the entire world had vanished. She could the images around her had blurred. It seemed he was the only one she could see in the world. She paused for a moment before stretching out and resting her head on his shoulder. Chuckling, she extended her hand and took his broad palm in hers. As he turned his face, the hair on the top of Isabes forehead brushed against Jaspers chin. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Whats the matter? He asked, doing his best to conceal his panic. Nothing, Im just a little tired. Ive been so busytely that | havent gotten enough sleep. She replied calmly, still clutching his hand and pouting, as she had done since she was a child. In return, Jasper stroked her hair once more and smiled gently. The restless audience apuded and cheered as Sean, and the three other hosts emerged from behind the curtain, breaking the silence. The contest then had officially started 494 Be My Girlfriend al Isabe had been quietly watching Jaspers expression. But, whether the performers on stage were singing heartfelt love songs or passionate rap, he maintained a calm demeanor. Along timeter, a freshman took the stage. He was dressed casually and performed a Hip-Hop song. He sang very well. But, perhaps because he was eager to demonstrate his talent, he did another street dance. As his dance was extremely difficult, the audience apuded him excitedly. And to everyones surprise, the boy did a failed backflip and fell to the ground, just as Isabe was captivated by the performance. Later, everyone seemed surprised and sighed with regret. The boy appeared embarrassed but quickly rose from the ground and resumed his performance. Then Isabe sighed and murmured, He sang quite well, but he handled his failure poorly. He was probably overly concerned with the audiences reaction. Because not everyone can handle peoples questions well, Jasper exined. He was very calm and seemed to be devoid of emotions. Although Jasper was making a remark about the boy, but Isabe felt he meant another thing: their rtionship. As her heart began to race, she asked cautiously, still looking intently at the stage, So, how about you? Can you pull it off? No, because Im also mundane, Jasper replied quickly. It was typical of what he said. Despite this, Isabe was heartbroken after hearing these words. Because were mundane, we must follow mundane rules, right? She asked. Still, Jasper remained silent. When she looked at him, she noticed that he was staring intently at the stage. His face reflected the light, his eyes clear but devoid of emotion. 494 Be My Girlfriend al Isabe shook her head. She knew they both understood the words, but neither wanted to say the implied meaning of them directly. They werent rted by blood, but they couldnt escape the judging gaze and moral issues from others if they chose to be together. Knowing exactly what she should do, Isabe smiled bitterly. Well, / will grow up and let go of those absurd ideas one way or another. |dont want to be like the performer who just stormed off stage. She reasoned to herself. With that in mind, she let go of his hand and sat in a morefortable position, Following that, a hrious duo took the stage and sang a hrious Spanish song. Isabe was amused and burst out laughing. After thepetition, some of the audience were ready to leave. As was customary, thest show featured all hosts singing Cant Take My Eyes Off You together. Many people leaving the stage paused and hummed along with them. Sean stood on stage, the spotlights on him. Many girls screamed when they heard his pleasant voice. A boy then approached him halfway through his song and handed him a bouquet of flowers. Everyone assumed Sean Was just a fan, so no one expected him to walk up to Isabe from the stage with a large bouquet of red roses. Isabe then came to her senses and was taken aback. At this point, the entire audience was on their feet, cheering. Everybody was staring at them, cheering. And the atmosphere was upbeat. Sean looked at Isabe with affection as he handed her the rose. He said seriously, Isabe, | met you the first day you came to this college. | didnt register for orientation that day, but | reached you and asked if there was anything | could do for you. Later, | invited you to join the debate team several times because | wanted to spend more time with you. | enjoyed 494 Be My Girlfriend ail debating with you and going out to dinner at the end of a long day. To be honest, Ive never felt so drawn to someone before. Ive given it a lot of thought, and | still dont want just to be friends with you. Do you want to be my girlfriend, Isabe? He looked at her and said fondly. After hearing thest sentence, Isabe becamepletely terrified. It happened so suddenly that she hadnt even recovered herposure. All she could hear were the crowds cheers, which felt like an invisible hand choking her throat. Isabe felt dizzy, and her ears rang. She had many thoughts, most of which had nothing to do with the man in front of her. Suddenly, she heard someone speaking in her head, so she nced at Jasper before responding. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. However, she was disappointed that he remained calm and smiled at her. He watched the drama as a mature adult, and it seemed like it was none of his business. Irritated, Isabe turned around, took the rose from Seans grasp, and said, OK. The next moment, everyone started apuding and cheering. Sean smiled with relief, although he knew Isabe would likely say yes. He hugged her tightly and then waved to the audience. When Isabe saw Jasper get up and leave with the crowd, her face turned pale Even though the audience in the inner hall was dimly lit and crowded, she could see him at a nce. Jasper remained calm because these brave and childish didnt impress him. He was also always rational and objective when it came to his feelings. He would not have minded Isabe dating a boy of such superior character and education because he was her adoptive father. As he was far too rational to act rashly, he had almost forgotten that, he, an extremely rational person, would have feelings for Isabe. Heartbroken, he quickly left the scene as if fleeing from an invisible monster. Chapter 496 Did You Drug Me? Chapter 496 Did You Drug Me? After getting into the car to iste himself from the hustle and bustle of the road, Jasper shut the door. As he leaned back against the drivers seat, ready to take a break, his cell phone vibrated. He didnt move and waited until the phone rang again before answering the call. When he heard the voice on the other end of the line, he waspletely awake Meet me at my ce for dinner. Okay. Jasper started the car slowly after hanging up the phone. More than 30 minutester, he arrived at an apartment building and took the elevator upstairs. He knocked on the door, and Lily, dressed ina pink satin silk nightgown, stood there staring at him. Pleasee in, She said this as she walked into the house. Slightly nodding, Jasper walked alongside her. He could feel the house overheating as soon as he walked in. At the doorway, he took off his jacket, hung it on the coat rack near the door, and untied his tie The moment he entered the dining room, he saw a few dishes on the table. Meanwhile, Lily went to the kitchen and took out a pot. Oh, its scorching! Lily screamed as she walked out of the kitchen door. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Hearing that, Jasper dashed to her side and grabbed the pot from her grasp. Lilyughed shyly and followed him behind. Actually, we can just eat outside, He said in a deep voice. At that time, Lily had already decanted the wine and taken two sses 495 Did You Drug Me? al from the cab behind her. The doctor said Im in poor health, and should eat more homemade food, Saying that, she poured wine for each of them. Why dont you hire a maid? Jasper asked, staring at the wine sses in front of him. Dont you think we look like a typical married couple now? Lily asked after a brief pause. Everything will be better, Lily figured, /fwe have a lovely child by our side at this time. For a brief moment, she almost forgot that they not only had no children but were also divorced. Realizing Lily was lost in her fantasy, Jasper remained silent. Awhileter, he raised his ss and toast with her, I have to go to the officeter, so | wont be here long. Lily wasnt surprised because he had always been a workaholic who frequently had to workte. He had even more things to do since he had moved most of his business to Ennd. She nodded, But you should stay for dinner. Dont worry. Ill only take up an hour of your time. In fact, | n to settle here as well. What about your property in New York? Jasper asked, surprised. | want to sell it, Lily responded calmly as if this was not a pivotal moment in her life. When Jasper saw her calm expression, he stopped asking questions about it. Back then, when he divorced her, he left her with many properties. He would allow her to decide what she wanted to do with them. All right, Jasper replied absentmindedly. He didnt feel like eating because he was preupied with something else. After taking a few bites of his steak, he stood up. 495 Did You Drug Me? all If that hadnt happened, you wouldnt have agreed toe to see me today, would you? Lily asked tentatively. Jasper remained silent as if he didnt want to reply at all Smiling wryly Lily drained the half-ss of red wine in front of her. She then poured herself another ss of wine and drank it. Just as she was about to take a third ss, Jasper snatched the ss from her grasp. Give it to me! Lily abruptly grabbed Jaspers arm and snarled. She then sagged on the table and sobbed. The doctor advised that you get some rest. Hearing that, Lily raised her head slowly and looked at Jasper with bloodshot eyes, Thats pointless! Ive already lost my child. Can we have any more children, Jasper? Jasper set the ss of wine he had snatched from her grasp aside. He fixed his gaze on her, making her feel miserable and heartbroken. Jasper, Ive known you for many years and have always admired you. Although I yearned to marry you, | never imagined youd be my husband one day. Lily appeared to be drunk. Her eyes were wandering, and she began to say things to Jasper that she would never have said before. Her long chestnut hair fell over her shoulders like satin. She swayed gently, making her look charming. In a choking voice, she touched his nose with her finger and said, But I regretted it. | regretted marrying you because youre a terrible husband. It turns out that you would give me everything except love. Do you know what was wrong with our marriage before? Because we didnt have children! Even though I finally got pregnant, you still want to divorce me. You bastard! She said this as she poured herself a ss of wine. However, Jasper 495 Did You Drug Me? _ grabbed the ss once more. And she yelled angrily, This is my wine! If you want wine, pour one yourself. Dont take that away from me! With that, Lily stood up and reached for the ss. Before she could touch the wine, Jasper grabbed her arm and drank the entire ss of wine The ss thennded on the marble table with a thud. Thats it, Lily! Im leaving right now. After finishing his drink, he was ready to leave. However, the moment he stood up, he became dizzy. To support himself, he shook his head and held the table. However, he felt his body was extremely heavy at this. time. Jasper, Im getting tired. Let us go to our room and have a good rest. Lilys voice sounded surreal to him, as if it came from the deep ocean. Jasper shoved Lily away as hard as he could. He knew that if anything happened between them at this time, it would only make everything worse. Still, he lost all sense of reason when her body pressed against his and felt like he were in a never-ending ze of fire. Lily pressed against him again, letting him feel her perfect curves beneath the half-open nightgown. Instantly, Jaspers entire body tensed. Jasper, she whispered in his ears, her voice soft and full of unquenchable desire. As she kissed his chest, she made a tempting moan. Little by little, she removed his shirt and then her own. After that, she gave him a kiss on the lips and reached for his belt. With a click, she unbuckled his belt That sound served as a wake-up call, causing Jasper to sober up. Did you drug the wine? he asked in disbelief, slowing down. Lily ignored him because all she wanted to do was have s*x with him at that moment. She burst into tears and eximed, We lost our first 495 Did You Drug Me? dl child, but we can have another. Well make it because today is my ovtion day. Our child wille back to us! At the thought of the child she had lost, Lily couldnt hold back her tears. However, she caressed his body and tried desperately to suppress her emotions as she wanted everything to go smoothly. Under the influence of the drug, Jasper was unable to think straight. He began kissing her as well and followed her into the bedroom. Chapter 497 Almost Out of Control Chapter 497 Almost Out of Control No, Im just an ordinary person too. Jasper suddenly remembered what he had said to Isabe and some images that even he himself thought he had already forgotten. And his instincts told him he needed to escape. Taking a step back, he closed the door and left the bedroom. With what was left of his sanity, he dressed himself in a panic and called his assistant Liam as he buttoned his shirt. Come and pick me up, With a shudder, he said. Ignoring Lily, who had walked out of the room and was going to chase after him, he quickly hung up the phone and left the apartment. Awhileter, Liam arrived at the apartment and found Jasper sitting on the curb alone. Liam had only been Jaspers secretary for a short time and didnt know him well. He was surprised, however, to see Jasper sitting on the curb with a pale face and shaking all over. Take me home, please, Jasper said. Then Jasper got into the car and leaned weakly against the back seat, sweat dripping from his brow onto his shirt. To control himself, he clenched his fists with all the strength he could muster. On the way, Liam had been worried about Jasper and had kept an eye on him in the rearview mirror. After a while, he noticed Jasper was no longer shaking but quietly leaning against the car window. Because he kept forcing himself to calm down, Jasper appeared to be getting better. And Jasper was shocked as he realized that he was thinking about Isabe when he lost his mind. 496 Almost Out of Control nal At that moment, all he could think about was her. He remembered how she cried andughed, how she pouted and acted irrationally in front of him. As soon as the car drove into his estate and stopped in front of the house, Jasper stumbled out of the car and made his way upstairs to his room. The maids tried to help him upstairs, but he told them to leave him alone because he needed to be alone. Holding the handrail, he struggled up the stairs, but his steps abruptly stopped in front of him blocked his way. Jasper, Isabe greeted him in a soft voice. Hearing that, Jasper raised his head and looked up at her. As his gaze shifted, he saw her fair and slender legs, her curvaceous body, and her pretty yet puzzled face. With a pale face, he clung to the handrail and tried to avoid her gaze. Then, he pushed her away and continued up the stairs. Isabe was caught off guard and stumbled, scattering the things in her hands across the floor. She didnt pick them up but continued to follow him upstairs. Youre not feeling well, right? Whats the problem? Isabe asked Jasper, grasping his arm. After feeling her touch, Jasper shuddered violently. Leave me alone! he snarled as he frowned and shook off her hand. Isabe had never seen Jasper behave in this way before. Instead of being angry with him and wondering why he was upset, she was worried about him. So, she continued walking up the stairs, following him. But you dont look well. Il tell the driver to take you to the hospital right away, She said. Again, She grabbed Jaspers arm, preventing him from entering the bedroom. And she took her cell phone from her pocket 496 Almost Out of Control and tried to call the driver with her other hand. Jasper gazed back at her without saying anything. He then reached out, snatched her phone, and threw it on the floor. Before Isabe realized what was going on, Jasper had already let go of her, so she stumbled a few steps forward and identally hit her head on his chest. Instantly, Jaspers heart began to race, and he started panting heavily. With his eyes filled with desire and affection, he looked her in the eyes, gently stroked the corners of her eyes and cheeks with his index finger, and then her lips. Feeling the warmth and softness of her lips, Jasper felt that all his sanity and rationality had disappeared in the blink of an eye. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The next second, he leaned close to her and started kissing her, inhaling the mint candy scent from her mouth. In a domineering and passionate way, he kept kissing her, trying to taste every sweet corner inside her mouth. He kissed her so deeply as if he were a wolf devouring his prey. In contrast, the way Isabe kissed him before when she was drunk was as soft and gentle as the afternoon breeze. Isabe didnt dare to breathe, her mind nk. She couldnt think clearly and had no idea why he was kissing her. But she admitted that the kiss was so good that she didnt want to push him away. Yet, she was a bit disappointed because she had just decided to get over Jasper a few hours before. And now, she hesitated once more. This time, to her surprise, Jasper wanted to do more than just kiss her. He took her by the waist and led her into the bedroom. It was dark inside the bedroom, with only the light of a streetmp reflecting off the floor-to-ceiling windows of the balcony. As Isabey down in bed, Jasper pecked her lips. Slowly, he pressed his lips against her earlobes and neck 496 Almost Out of Control ~ Isabes ears began to ring. She realized that if she didnt stop him now, things would get out of control. While Isabe was still in a trance, Jasper removed her coat, slid his hand into her cardigan, and stroked her body. The warmth of his palm spread across her skin, making her feel tingly all over Being touched like that, Isabe couldnt help but groan and decided not to resist anymore. However, Jasper came to a halt when he heard her moan. Lily, he then murmured. Isabes eyes widened with surprise. She quickly came back to her senses and pushed Jasper away with all her might before he could continue making out with her. And Jasper passed out as he fell asleep on the other side of the bed. In the darkness, Isabe could see the outline of his body. She could also smell the wine and his perfume, but it made her feel hopeless. Slightly shaking her head helplessly, she stood up, straightened her untidy clothes, andughed to herself, So, Jasper, youre still in love with Lily, right? It seems that Im the one to me for your divorce, [just made out with you and didnt try to stop you. Ifyou hadnt called out Lilys name, we might have been having s*x and made a huge mistake at this point. Having collected her thoughts, she picked up her coat from the floor and buttoned up her cardigan. Before she could put on her coat, she heard Sean call her name from outside. She then dashed to the front door. In the end, however, she paused at the door, then returned to tuck Jasper in before leaving his bedroom. Isabe, whats taking you so long? What happened? Sean asked her with concern. Nothing. Isabe shook her head and picked up the things scattered 496 Almost Out of Control on the stairs. Then, she left the house with Sean. Chapter 498 Where Has He Gone? Chapter 498 Where Has He Gone? In the bedroom, Jasper woke up after a while. His eyes hadnt adjusted to the darkness yet, but he was already feeling sad and self-conscious. Then he got out of bed, lifted the nket, and went into the bathroom. With a click sound, he turned on the light in the bathroom and ced one hand in front of the mirror. Seeing how haggard and tired he looked in the mirror, Jasper punched himself in the mirror. The next moment, his blood stained the mirror, which shattered into pieces. Immediately following that, he turned on the shower and tried to wash everything away. At the same time, Isabe and Sean took a taxi back to school. Sean looked back at her from time to time to observe her expression. He noticed Isabe was acting strangely after she left the house, but he had no idea what had happened. You smell like alcohol. Eventually, Sean decided to ask the question that had been bothering him the most. Jasper was drunk, so | helped him to the bedroom. He reeked of booze. Isabe didnt mind talking to Sean about it though she was exhausted. Later, as if lost in thought, she turned her head out the window. Sean knew she was tired, so he didnt say anything else. He gripped her hand tightly and followed her gaze out the window. The next morning, Jasper awoke early and called Liam to pick him up. 497 Where Has He Gone? nal Before leaving, he packed up his bags and asked the maid to tell Isabe that he wouldnt be home for a while and that he was too busy with business affairs. So, he would stay in his downtown apartment for a while and would not return home anytime soon. After getting into the car, Jasper started to look at hisptop. Liam, who was focused on driving, asked, Why are there so many police cars around here? Is there something wrong? Sometimes, curiosity gets you in trouble, Jasper said, raising his eyebrows. Liam realized he had asked the wrong question and quickly shut up. Half an hour before the senior management meeting, they arrived at the office. Liam walked into Jaspers office, a pile of files in his arms, and briefed him on the meetings basic outline and the necessary details. When Jaspers phone rang, Liam was just halfway through his speech. Jasper frowned as soon as he received the call. Liam, go back to my house and pick up Gary, he said. Huh? Liam was feeling a little overwhelmed after finishing the first bullet point. He hadnt expected Jasper to ask him to do something unrted to this important meeting. Therefore, he became perplexed and even doubted whether Jasper had heard what he had just said. He didnt dare to say anything about it, though. So he closed the file, nodded, and then got ready to leave. Putt here, Jasper said as he reached for the file. Okay. Before leaving, Liam ced the file on the coffee table in front of Jasper. Jasper had just moved hispany to Birmingham, so he had a lot to deal with these days. It was a tough and tedious task, he needed to be 497 Where Has He Gone? extra focused asa result. Several minutester, Jasper got up and paced to the window, looking down from the tenth floor at the entire bustling city. He was at the citys financial andmercial center, and he could see the Gabriel Group office building was two streets away. Years ago, he went to college in the United States and stayed there after graduating, Back then, he had never imagined hed return to Ennd one day. After all, things did change. When he got back to Ennd, he remembered what he had encountered here before. At the thought of that, he felt a tinging sensation on his right hand, reminding him of what had happened between Isabe and him the night before. Still, he couldnt figure out why he remembered something from twenty years ago when he pressed Isabe under himst night. He couldnt even tell the difference between Lily and Isabe in his daze. Thinking about what had happened before, he got a headache. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The meeting is about to begin, Mr. Thomas. Someone knocked on the door, forcing Jasper toe to his senses. He then calmed down and left his office. | am opposed to transferring all the resources we have in America to the UK, and | believe we can consolidate our resources. The UK market may not be asrge as the US market, and our technical capabilities are limited. This is not only a big risk to take, but we might not be able to make a profit. As a result, | dont understand your decision, One of the employees said to Jasper. Jasper responded seriously, | am not relocating resources from the United States, but rather developing a new market here. In other words, | gave up all my assets and interests in New York and transferred them to my 497 Where Has He Gone? wall ex-wife. You have the option of returning to New York or staying here with me. Of course, it would be best for you to stay. | am confident that | can build a whole new group within five years. When Jasper finished his words, the room was deafeningly quiet. | hope you will consider it carefully, he said before he left the room. As Jasper left the conference room, Liam came running up to him, saying, Mr. Thomas, the maid said Gary is missing. What?! Originally, Isabe had decided not to return home this weekend because she was afraid of running into Jasper again after what had happened the night before. She didnt expect Wendy to call her first thing in the morning and tell her that Gary had gone missing, Hearing that, her mind went nk, and she returned home right away. When she arrived home, she was surprised to find that the police had cordoned off the entire estate, including the foot of the hill. Later, when she entered the living room, she discovered many police officers sitting on the couch. Among them, Jasper was sitting on a single couch across from Ryan, and they both seemed helpless. I cant find the location of Adas phone now, and I cant even confirm whether shes still on the mountain, Ryan stared at theptop screen on the coffee table and said. Unfortunately, if her phone is turned off, we have no way of locating her. Damnit, | shouldve seen it coming. Adas phone mustve been out of power as shes out there in the mountain for days, Frowning, Jasper said in a regretful tone. Ryan scratched his brow, leaned back, and asked, So, all we can do now is wait for her to turn on her phone? 497 Where Has He Gone? nal She hasnt yet left Birmingham, so shell be looking for someone to take her away. Shell find a way to charge and turn on her phone. Ryan nodded. At that moment, Isabe rushed in and interrupted them, asking, So, she took Gary away? Ryan did not deny it but simply replied, This morning, the surveince caught Gary walking to the back of the hill. Theres a hole in the fence, and he escaped through it. There is no surveince in that area, and we dont know if Ada finds him or not. When Isabe heard this, she got a headache, and her body wobbled as if she was about to fall. Seeing that, a maid ran up behind her and held her shoulders. Before Isabe could speak, Jasper said gently, Isabe, you should go upstairs and rest. Ill tell you if there is any new information. No, | want to help you find Gary, Isabe seemed determined and tried her best to calm down. She thought to herself, Gary has already suffered a lot when he was in the welfare house. I cant bear to watch him suffer again. Ada is a dangerous woman and shes insane. God knows what she will do to Gary when she catches him?! Rest assured, Isabe. | asked a friend to post an arrest notice online. Someone on the Inte will provide clues as long as Ada is seen in public, Ryan said. At the same time, the cops were still searching the hills and the surrounding area. In the afternoon, the location Ryansptop screen shed again, and it indicated that Ada was inside a mall downtown. A group of inclothes officers immediately went there. As the rest of the group rushed there, Isabe went with them as well. The car stopped near the mall. After getting out of the car, inclothes officers quickly and expertly took up positions at various 497 Where Has He Gone? nal points and passed messages back and forth. Listening to Ryans instructions from their headsets, they approached their target slowly. They were dressed up as mall cleaners, cafe clerks, or customers. Ryan sat in a cafe on the third floor and pretended to be a college student writing a paper there. You two have no professional training, so act like youre shopping. Pretend to be Isabes father, Jasper. Dont act too conspicuous, Ryan said. What do you mean by pretending to be father and daughter; Ryan? Isabe and | are already father and daughter. Thinking of that, Jasper said nothing. He was waiting in line at the cafes door to buy a cake for Isabe. After buying the cake, he returned to the cafe and ced it in front of Isabe. Isabe was feeling down and wasnt in the mood for cakes. She was irritated when she noticed Jasper was calm as if nothing significant seemed to have happened. Jasper sat across from her, unpacked the cake box, and pushed it in front of her once more. He was as cool and collected as usual, as if he hadnt taken the things that happenedst night seriously at all. So, Isabe suspected he was too drunk to remember anything Im going to the bathroom, she said abruptly. In the bathroom, she sobered up by washing her face. Instead of returning the way she came, she went around another corner. At that time, she saw a familiar child. Chapter 499 Don鈥檛 Move Or I鈥檒l Kill Him! Chapter 499 Dont Move Or Ill Kill Him! Gary was dressed in a light gray hooded sweatshirt and a small baseball cap. Isabe almost didnt recognize him because his clothes were nothing like the ones he had worn before leaving the house. A woman was holding his hand, and her clothes matched Ryans description. Then Isabe realized the woman had to be Ada. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Before she had a chance to run away, Gary noticed Isabe. Isabe! he eximed, waving his right hand. Gary! After hearing Garys voice, Isabe decided to run to him anyway. At the same time, Gary also tried to break free from Adas hand. And Ada immediately reacted to what had happened and ran to the elevator with Gary inher arms. The target is on her way to the first floor, While speaking over the inte, the nearby police officers quickly followed her. The police officers quickly ran towards the first-floor lobby. Isabe also moved that way, with Jasper close behind. Eventually, Ada was stopped in her tracks at the mails main entrance. A group of inclothes cops drew their guns on her and ordered her to stop. She held Gary in one hand while pulling a fruit knife from her pocket. She then ced the de against his neck. If any of you dare toe over, Ill stab him right away, she warned everyone around her, her voice cold and sinister. Gary screamed in terror as everything happened so quickly. 498 Dont Move Or Ill Kill Him! al Mommy! he mumbled as he cried. On the other hand, Ada simply ignored him as if she didnt hear him. Gary was so terrified that he couldnt breathe, so he kept struggling. Ada became angry after hearing his cries and then cut him lightly on his neck with the knife. Shut up! Dont call me mom; you i***t! | worked so hard to find you a ce to live, but you ran away! She only raised you for a few months! Do you even remember who your mother is? You ungrateful brat! She yelled angrily at him. Terrified, Gary screamed and struggled to get away, his mouth wide open. As Isabe saw that, she felt heartbroken. She shouted to Ada from a distance, Youre so vicious! Gary is your own son! Why are you doing that to him?! Ada sneered and turned to face Isabe. She cast a sinister look at her and said, Arent you Annas adopted daughter? Her favorite hobby is raising children for others, doesnt she? So, you must be as cheap as she is. Gary was crying so hard that he couldnt breathe. Instead of shouting mommy, he reached out his hand and shouted Isabes name. Hearing that, Ada was enraged and shouted with wide eyes, Shut up! Shes Annas daughter. You are not allowed to talk to her! You broke my heart, Gary. | always take you as the only person | care= about in the world. And now, you re so intimate with Anna as if she were your own mother! That f*****g b***h has already stolen everything from me. Icantlet her steal you away from me! At the thought of that, Ada looked like she was going to have a nervous breakdown, so the cops were ready to shoot her at any moment. They were, however, extremely cautious because they were in a crowded mall. 498 Dont Move Or Ill Kill Him! aad ?Ada seemed to sense the tension in the room. She tightened her grip on Gary again, the cold tip of her knife resting against his neck. Then she shouted hysterically, Hell die if you shoot me! No! Isabes face turned pale with shock. She wanted to run over and save Gary right away, but Jasper stopped her. After that, she leaned against the door, unsure of what she should do. At that precise moment, a car stopped in front of the mall. Adas aplice was there to pick her up. He opened the door and shouted, Ada, get in the car, now! At that precise moment, Ada took a step back, her expression still wary. And the police officers followed her cautiously out of the door, holding their guns tightly. They all heard Ryans voice ring through their headsets, We cant let her go! Otherwise, we wont be able to catch her again! In response to his words, the police quickly implemented a shooting strategy. After being carried to the car by Ada, Gary cried and looked reluctant to go with her. Ada had run out of patience at this point. If you keep carrying this liability, hell ruin things for us, her aplice warned. Upon that, Ada paused for a moment before making her decision. Then, with her arm with the knife before dragging Gary out of the car. Do you want to save him? she asked, reaching out the knife in her hand and pointing to Isabe Isabe nodded without hesitation. Ill let him go, but I want you to be the hostage. Ill let you go as soon as we reach our destination. Desperate to save Gary, Isabe took a huge step forward. Suddenly, Jasper stopped her and yelled, Dont go, Isabe! Let me be your hostage, 498 Dont Move Or Il Kill Him! nal Ada, he said as he took two steps forward and stood in front of Isabe. No! I only want her to go with me! Ada stopped him, reached out her knife, and pointed it at Isabe. Over their headsets, everyone heard the finalmand, Prepare to fire, Eagle. Keep her alive. Eagle kept his gun drawn and watched as Isabe made her way to Ada. Let Gary go, Isabe said calmly as she approached Ada. Ignoring her words, Ada yanked Isabe, held the knife against her neck, and then pushed Gary away. Gary stumbled and fell to the ground. He stood up and clutched Isabes thigh, refusing to let go. He kept calling Isabes name, and that broke her heart. Ada was not as patient as Isabe. She continued to scold him and even kicked him hard in her rage. As a result, Gary flew out and hit his head on a nearby trash can. He screamed a few more times before stopping moving. Isabes eyes widened in disbelief as she couldnt believe Ada would do this to her son. Ada didnt seem to be expecting it either. She took a long time to catch her breath before mming Isabe. Ifyou move again, Illdo the same to you. She had just finished speaking when she heard gunshots. The next second, Ada was taken aback when she felt a sharp pain prating her chest. When she looked down, she noticed that blood was leaking from her chest. b***hll! She cursed and raised the dagger in her hand, preparing to stab Isabe. Isabe didnt have time to react and stood there wide-eyed as the 498 Dont Move Or Ill Kill Him! s knife approached her chest. She took a few big steps back. Anda stream of blood flowed down her fingers after the dagger pierced the back of her hand. Meanwhile, Jasper frowned, ming himself for not being able to save her in time. Seeing that Isabe was still in a trance, Ada immediately attempted to stab her again, and Eagle shot Ada again. Before the knife in her hand reached Isabe, Ada fell backward, and her aplice dragged her into the car before she fell down on the ground. The car soon sped away. Chapter 500 Finally Safe Chapter 500 Finally Safe The vehicle is approaching First Street. Keep up with it. After hearing the order, most police officers jumped into their cars and followed them, leaving two of their colleagues to stay behind and pacify the crowd. Isabes lips gradually turned pale, and she had sweat on her forehead. Her body trembled slightly as she bled all over the floor. What just happened was so frightening that it took her a long time to react. Jasper stood behind Isabe to hold her in case she fell. He had been nervous for her the whole time. At that moment, he was feeling conflicted, and he had a lot of things that he wanted to say to Isabe. He remained silent, however. Several minutester, Isabe came back to her senses, then turned around and tried to find Gary, who had already been picked up by a police officer at that moment. As she rushed to pick him up, the policeman said, He passed out and is likely to have a concussion. Try not to move him until the doctors arrive, please. Hearing his words, Isabe abruptly withdrew her hand and stood motionless. She then heard the sound of an ambnce approaching. Just as she took a step forward, she felt so dizzy that the world she saw was spinning around like crazy. Then, somehow, she felt someone supporting her firmly. And the world spun in her eyes before bing stable. Jasper carried her to the ambnce. He looked ahead on the road while asionally looking at her face. On their way to the hospital, Isabe locked her gaze on him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and identally left several bloody palm marks on his coat. 499 Finally Safe a When they arrived at the hospital, the doctors examined Gary. After that, they informed Isabe and Jasper that Gary had a mild concussion and was in shock. Therefore, it would take some time for him to wake up. By then, a doctor had already treated the wound on Isabes hand and wrapped her ina thick bandage. Looking down at her hand, she noticed the gauze on Jaspers. She frowned as she remembered he hadnt been hurt the night before. What happened? She asked, pointing to his right hand. | got a scratch. Thats all, He replied, his hand hidden behind his back. After this thrilling experience, hed forgotten his embarrassment from the night before. Because Isabe didnt want to leave the hospital until Gary woke up, they stayed at the hospital. Later that evening, Ryan and Wayne entered the ward. Has he woken up yet? Wayne asked, his gaze drawn to the ward. Isabe shook her head. Then Ryan gestured outside the hospital room and said, Lets go talk outside. Im afraid well disturb him sleeping. Everyone left the ward in silence then. Jasper asked as he closed the door to the room, What happened? Did you manage to catch her? Ryan shook his head, took his phone from his pocket, and showed Jasper a picture. The picture showed a sea with a broken railing on the coastal road. This is thest ce where Ada was seen. When we arrived there, there were only a few car parts at the scene, and the search and rescue team is currently salvaging them. But theres little hope for us. If Ada dies or escapes, Annas case will be even more difficult to solve, he said, 499 Finally Safe fi lowering his head. Involuntarily, Jasper looked up at Wayne, who had a solemn and determined expression. As he had expected, Wayne appeared undeterred as if nothing could stop him from saving Anna. That implies that there is still hope, Jasper said, He had never been an optimistic person, but he couldnt bear the thought of destroying thest glimmer of hope they had at this moment. Still, Wayne remained silent, not responding to his ineffective reassurance. And everyone was deafeningly quiet. After a while, a nurse came over and said, The little boy is awake, but he keeps crying. Can anyone go stay with him fora while? Gary kept crying when he woke up. He was desperate to see Isabe and refused to let anyone near him. Wayne left because he didnt want to stay long, and Ryan took a phone call and left a short time later. In front of the ward, Jasper sat by himself. The wind in the corridor was bitingly cold at night, forcing him to tighten his coat. With his back against the wall, he closed his eyes. The door was opened a long timeter. Following that, Isabe emerged from the ward with mixed feelings after seeing Jaspers exhausted appearance. She stopped beside him, her body blocking the bright light above his head. Jasper seemed to sense her approach and then suddenly opened his eyes. When he looked up, he noticed Isabe staring at him. The affection deep in her eyes vanished the moment she met his gaze. Why are you still here? she asked, averting her gaze and looking down at her watch. Is Gary asleep? Well, let me take you home. He said, avoiding answering her question. Rubbing his brow and looking at her wearily, 499 Finally Safe aa! Jasper stood up and walked toward the stairs. Isabe froze. She paused for a moment before saying, Sorry, | didnt realize you were still here. Sean is waiting for me downstairs. As she spoke, she gripped the bags strap in her hand. She was so exhausted that her fingers even went pale. Jasper stopped and turned around, looking at her with surprise as he checked his watch again. He asked, Now? He said he would take me out for dinner and then take me back to my dorm, Isabe immediately exined. Okay. Jasper realized he shouldnt be asking so many questions, so he stopped talking. He nodded and walked calmly out of the hospital. Isabe remained motionless for some time until Jasper had gone out of her side and his footsteps in the corridor had faded away. As she was overwhelmed with sadness, Isabe had a headache. She then took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and then went downstairs. Sean was pacing in front of the hospital. He was shivering from the cold and had his gaze drawn to the door at the time. Through the dim streetlight, he noticed Isabe walking out of the hospital. Suddenly, he had an idea and decided to trick her. Then he took a step back and retreated into the shadows cast by the tree in the doorway. The instant Isabe came out of the yard and stood in front of the door, he crept up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Startled, Isabe let out a short, frantic scream. And Seans body flew out before he could feel smug and exin to her. By the time he reacted, Sean had been thrown hard to the ground with an over-the- shoulder throw. He couldnt stand up because he felt hurt all over his body. Sean? Isabe was frightened when she recognized him. She 499 Finally Safe 7 immediately ran to his side and helped him up from the ground. Sean coughed and pounded his chest for a moment before looking at her in horror and asking, What was that? [had learned taekwondo for a while, Isabe patted the dust off his, body and replied. How long did a whilest? Sean asked suspiciously, as he was still in pain. Five years. You really freaked me out just now! You would have lost an arm if | hadnt stopped in time. Seans face flushed with surprise, and he coughed violently. Do you want to go in for a medical examination? Isabe asked, frowning and pointing to the door behind her. The next moment, Sean quickly waved his hand. He coughed, thenughed happily and cradled her in his arms, which shocked Isabe again. N?velDrama.Org ? content. It appears that I dont know much about you. But | enjoy the little surprises you throw at me, Sean whispered in her ear as she panicked. His lips almost touched her ear. Also, his affectionate words, along with his warm breath, reached her ears. Dumbfounded, Isabe stood there silently, her conflicted emotions causing her to do nothing in response to the current situation. Id like to make one more small suggestion, Sean added. He firmly grasped her shoulders in his hands and looked her in the eyes. Isabes first reaction was to avoid his gaze. She paused fora moment before asking, What suggestion? | think you can stop calling me by my first name now that were a couple. 499 Finally Safe why? You could call me something cute. Isabe raised her eyes to Sean. She wanted to call him honey, but she was hesitant because she couldnt say it. She eventually gave up the idea. While avoiding his gaze and breaking away from his embrace, she said, Forget it. Actually, Im used to calling you that. Its not a big deal. Hearing her answer, Sean appeared disoriented, but he quickly returned to normal. He shrugged, stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, and said, Youre right, Isabe. You can call me whatever you want. Isabe was surprised by Seans response and felt upset. She slowly raised her head and locked her gaze on him. They then fell into silence, trying to figure out what each other was thinking. Isabe thought, /can see why so many girls at school like you, Sean. Youre gifted, driven, and charming. You know what you re supposed to do and get along well with everyone. Im also an ordinary girl, so I should like you like everyone else. At the thought of that, Isabes gaze softened, and she embraced him, saying, Give me some time, please. Her voice was dull as if it wereing from a distance. Little did they know that a car was hidden in the shade of a street not far away while they were hugging. Jasper, sitting in the passenger seat, watched what had just happened and did his best to conceal his conflicting emotions. Take me back to the manor, Ina deep yet disappointed tone, he said to the driver. Chapter 501 Are You Her Uncle or Adoptive Father? Chapter 501 Are You Her Uncle or Adoptive Father? Ill be moving into my apartment next week, Jasper said without further exnation. He then leaned back in his seat hard. Closing his eyes, he felt exhausted in a way he hadnt felt in a long time. When Jasper arrived home, he went upstairs to shower before sitting on the couch in the living room downstairs. He didnt return to the study to finish his work, nor did he go upstairs to sleep as usual. The light in the living room remained turned on. Wendy came out of her room several times to check on him and discovered him watching a reality TV show. Theughter track on TV echoed through therge living room, sounding eerie in the quiet night. Jasper was staring at the TV screen with no expression on his face and didnt even move a muscle for a long time. Wendy brought him coffee several times, but he didnt drink it. Its almost two oclock. Si jendy went to see him for onest time and brought him a cup of hot milk. He remained motionless and said, Leave me alone, please. You can go back home now. Wendy put the milk on the coffee table and then couldnt help but yawn. When she opened the door, a cold wind blew in. She paused in the doorway for a moment before walking back in. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After that, she walked up through the living room to the second floor and checked if all windows were closed. She then returned to the living room with an umbre in her hand, Wendy said as she approached the door, Its raining outside, and tomorrow will be even colder. Remember to 500 Are You Her Uncle or Adopt 7 bring your down jacket if you want to get out. She then pushed the door open and left the house. The rain hit the umbre, making an annoying sound. Jaspers expression darkened as if he were a vampire used to living in the dark. He checked his watch before turning off the television. Therge living room fell silent, and it was so quiet that he could hear his own heartbeat. He then gulped down the milk and went upstairs to his room. As he stepped onto the stairs, however, he suddenly stopped. And Jasper pondered for a long time before dialing Isabes number. He called her twice more, but she still didnt answer. He then walked to his study right away. When Jasper turned on hisputer, he discovered that her location information indicated that she was in an apartment building close to her school. He frowned as he stared at the blinking red dot on the computer screen. On his way out, he put on a heavy coat and grabbed two umbres from the umbre stand. Before getting in the car, he called Isabe onest time, but she had turned off her phone. Without further dy, he drove directly to that apartment. While Jasper was stepping hard on the gas and driving faster and faster on the road, Sean and Isabe went to a small restaurant near the school. Isabe sipped some hot tea while they were waiting for their dishes. The restaurant was overheated, which caused her cheeks to burn and her vision to blur. Though feeling ufortable, she forced herself to listen to Sean talk about the debate team and asionally talk to him. Isabe could no longer hold back her nausea and walked to the restroom after the waiter had served all their dishes, of Amomentter, a waitress screamed, Someones fainted! She eximed as she stood at the lobbys entrance to the restroom. Hearing that, Sean dashed there and discovered Isabe unconscious next to the sink. When he picked her up, he sensed that her forehead was hotter than usual. She also mumbled something. Sean didnt have time to ask her what with her in his arms. As he walked away, Sean didnt notice a young man in the restaurant staring at him. When he led Isabe out of the restaurant, the young man took off his uniform and followed him. Later, Sean took Isabe into the apartment he had rented near their school. Hed just put her to bed when he heard a knock on the door. When he opened the door, he found that there stood an angry young man in the doorway. The man said nothing before he punched Sean in the face violently. What in the hell are you doing?! Eximing, Sean stumbled and grabbed the door frame to keep himself from falling. Wheres Isabe? asked the strange man, who grabbed him by the neck with one hand. Isabe? What are you talking about? | saw you leaving the restaurant with her. Did you put drugs in her food? Sean was speechless because he had done nothing wrong to her. Excuse me, who are you? he asked, breaking free from James grip. Because he didnt know how to respond, James found himself at a loss for words. He only clenched his fist and tried to hit Sean once more. 500 Are You Her Uncle or Adopt 7 Im Isabes boyfriend, Sean said calmly. Upon hearing that, James stopped and withdrew his hand. He forced himself to rx and asked, Huh? Are you her boyfriend? Sean nodded. He didnt seem to mind that blood wasing from the corner of his mouth. He knew why James was here, so he pointed to the room, saying, She has a high fever and is sleeping right now. You cane in and see for yourself if you dont believe me. James retained his angry expression. He followed Sean into the room and found Isabe asleep on the bed. Her forehead was covered with a towel, her cheeks were flushed, and she mumbled something. Trying to hear what she was saying, James moved close to her. After making out what she was mumbling, he stood up and asked Sean with a frown, Your name is Jasper? Huh? What are you talking about? Sean asked. James remained silent. He returned his gaze to Isabe and said, Sorry, | didnt know you were her boyfriend. Bye. Clenching his fists, James walked toward the apartments front door. Someone knocked again before he could reach the door. He stopped and turned to face Sean, who was also confused. Sean sensed something was wrong and hesitated before opening the door. He was shocked when he saw Jasper standing at the door. Jasper?! Is Isabe here? Jasper asked indifferently as he stood in the doorway. Sean was good at socializing, so he rarely had problemsmunicating with others. When he faced Jasper, however, he always lowered his posture. 500 Are You Her Uncle or Adopt sail Isabe is in the room. Shes not feeling well and had a fever, Sean took a step back, made room for him, and said. As Jasper entered and went straight to the bedroom, the two young men exchanged puzzled looks, neither knowing what was happening. Suddenly, James remembered something and said, Oh! So she was saying his name! Sean frowned, not quite sure what he was saying. That man is Isabes adoptive father, Jasper, James said, pointing to the bedroom. adoptive father? Sean looked into the bedroom and saw Jasper leave with Isabe in his arms. Without saying anything to them, Jasper wrapped his coat around her and walked out of the apartment building. Just when James was about to leave as well, Sean stopped James and asked, Hes her adoptive father? | thought he was her uncle. Chapter 502 We Broke Up Chapter 502 We Broke Up About an hourter, Jasper brought Isabe back to his house. The family doctor had already arrived at that moment and was also taken aback when he discovered Isabe unconscious. He examined her and found that she had a high fever and a cold. Jasper gave her a fever-reducing medication and stayed by her side all night. Her forehead was no longer as hot as it had been when it was almost dawn, so he returned to his bedroom. When the phone rang, Jasper had just fallen asleep. He awoke immediately and answered the phone. Ill be right over to your house. | need to talk to you about something important, Ryan said anxiously over the phone. When he heard Ryans engine start, Jasper felt uneasy, so he went to his study immediately. About a half-hourter, Wendy told Jasper that they had a visitor. Bring him to the study on the second floorHe replied. Minutester, Ryan followed Wendy downstairs. His jacket was soaked by the rain, but he didnt seem to mind it. As soon as Ryan entered the study, he sat in the chair in front of the desk and ced a report on the table. What is this? Jasper asked Where is Isabe? Instead of answering the question, Ryan asked anxiously. Shes sound asleep. Jasper picked up the file on the table and quickly unsealed it after Ryan dodged his question. 501 We Broke Up vail My colleague examined the knife Ada had left at the mall and found two peoples blood on the de, one from Isabe and one from Ada, Ryan exined, He tested Adas blood and found that it contained HIV antibodies. Jaspers gaze was drawn to thest indicator data in the frowned and felt a wave of panic wash over him as Ryan finished his words. As his mind was cluttered with all kinds of thoughts, Jasper couldnt think straight and felt like his thoughts were falling apart. He couldnt ept this reality, and all he could do was cling to the two pages tightly. Then Ryan continued, We cant rule out the possibility of Isabe bing infected. But, if she takes the PEP within twenty-four hours, she may be able to avoid infection. | got them from the hospital. With that, he took a pillbox from his pocket and handed it to Jasper. Jasper became dizzy as he stared at the tiny words on the packaging. He paused for a moment before getting up and walking out. And Ryan followed him upstairs to Isabes bedroom, In her bedroom, Isabe had already awoken and was sitting on her bed, sipping the soup Wendy had prepared for her. She was surprised to see Ryan. What happened? She finished thest bite of soup and asked calmly. Take the medicine, he said as he took medicine out of the package and handed it to her. Whats this? Isabe asked, then smiled. She was confused, but she swallowed the medicine because she trusted him. Jasper let out a relieved sigh. He took her ss of water and exined, Its cold medicine. He then gave Ryan a wink. Ryan realized what he meant and said to Isabe, When | heard you werent feeling well, | got you some special cold medicine. Well, Jasper and | have things to discuss. Take care! He then dragged Jasper out the door and into the study. Ryan became irritated as soon the door because he didnt agree with Jaspers decision to keep the matter from her. She must take this medication twice a day for a month. | dont think hiding it from her is a good idea. Besides, taking this medication will have side effects. Shell be suspicious even if you dont tell her the truth. Ryan tried to talk Jasper out of it. Ill tell her about it, but not now, Jasper said calmly with a solemn face. He was unprepared to deal with what would happen next, but he did not want Isabe to face this reality. Ryan nodded and reached into his pocket for another box of medication. Heres the medicine for three days, and Ill send the rest to youter. It would be best for her to take a break from school and rest at home for a while. Two dayster, a luxurious Bentley pulled up under Seans dormitory building. Jasper left the Bentley and proceeded to the third floor of the dormitory. And a lot of people were staring at him out of curiosity. Sean had just returned to his dorm when his roommate told him in a hurry, Sean, someone is looking for you. Then he closed his lunch box and walked he was also used to dealing with his hostile attitude. Where has Isabe gone? Jasper went straight to the point while trying from grabbing Seans 501 We Broke Up 7 cor. Sean found it amusing. He said, You want to know where Isabe is? I believe you should know this better than I do. He then turned around and attempted to open the dormitory door but was stopped by the two men who stood behind Jasper. One of them grabbed his right hand on the doorknob, while the other grabbed the cor of his neck from behind. Jasper said, Im giving you onest chance Sean knew from the moment he met Jasper that this man was not as nice as he appeared. His face was always gentle and calm, but he was very cold on the inside. Because the two men were grabbing him, Sean had no choice but to look back at Jasper. He asked provocatively, Is it true that you are Isabes uncle? Are you two rted? What do you mean? Jasper asked, his brow furrowed. Sean sneered and eximed, Isabe dumped me yesterday! She said she was in love with someone else. Im curious about who she loves. Sean didnt like how Isabe used this reason to end their rtionship because it made him feel like a joke. Hearing that, Jasper realized what was going on and became even more convinced that Isabe had suspected she was ill. He motioned with his hand for the two men to let go of Sean. Have you seen hertely? If you did, when? With a straight face, Jasper asked Sean rubbed his aching wrists and replied, Yesterday afternoon. Jasper nodded slightly and became less hostile. He said, Im sorry, | didnt know you two had split up. | apologize for what happened today. He then walked to the elevator quickly. 501 We Broke Up 4 For a moment, Sean was stunned, realizing that something bad had urred. Since yesterday afternoon, he had been enraged and resenttul of Isabe. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He followed Jasper towards the elevator. By then, the elevator had reached his floor. Has Isabe disappeared? Sean asked. Jasper entered the elevator and looked him in the eyes when the elevator doors closed slowly. Isabe has taken a break from school. You wont see her again, Jasper replied. Seans heart was broken by his cold words. He was upset and appeared to be out of breath. And he didnte back to his senses until he got down to the first floor. Chapter 503 Saving Life in Detention Ce Chapter 503 Saving Life in Detention Ce Annas public trial was about to begin in two days. In thest few days, Joshua had visited the detention center several times to see Anna. He imed that the best thing to do at this point was to say in court that she had acted in self-defense. Meanwhile, he believed there was a possibility she would be found guilty, which made the case trickier. A day before the trial, Anna went to the cafeteria after finishing her morning study session. At that moment, Zoe, who shared a dorm with her, stopped her. Zoe said she needed to speak with Anna, so they went into a nearby restroom. She was flushed from running and appeared to have something very important to say. However, she didnt exin anything but ced a handkerchief in Annas hand. The handkerchief was heavy and appeared to contain something. Anna wanted to open it to look inside, but Zoe grabbed her hand and stopped her. When you see yourwyer, please ask him to send this to my friend. Please! As Zoe pleaded with Anna, her eyes were filled with glistening tears. She was panting to catch her breath after saying this. Anna wiped Zoes tears away and said, Rx. Tell me what happened. Ijust found out Im going to prison after breakfast, When she finished, Zoe lowered her head. Her sobs echoed in the small restroom. Hearing that, Anna had no idea how tofort her other than to pat her on the shoulder. Dont worry, Anna said. She then stuffed the handkerchief into her pocket and reached out to hug the woman in front of 502 Saving Life in Detention Ce. a her once more. While resting her chin on the top of her head, Anna gently patted Zoes back. As Anna knew there was nothing she could say to make Zoe feel better, she remained silent. Zoe had been arrested on a counterfeiting charge, used of producing fake drugs. In the past few months, a workshop in a Birmingham suburb had made many counterfeit medicines, mainly for children. The cops had been keeping an eye on them for quite some time. They took over the workshopter while Zoe was the only one apprehended. So, the police assumed she was a scapegoat and detained her in the detention center for the time being. However, after a thorough investigation, the police discovered Zoes confession, and the clues pointed to her as the mastermind. Anna could not ept this fact because she believed counterfeit manufacturing drugs was a heinous crime. As a result, no matter how timid and soft Zoe appeared, Anna could not treat her like before. After crying for a while, Zoe was in a better mood. So, they decided to go to the cafeteria for breakfast. On their way, Zoe had held Annas arm the entire time, and her gaze had been reserved. ?Hows your feet feeling? Did the blister heal? Anna asked Zoe with concern. Much better now. Thanks for asking, Anna, Zoe replied with a smile Well, after you are transferred to the prison, just ignore what others will say about you, okay? Promise me, dont get into another fight with them. Okay, Anna, | promise. Its just Yeah. What that woman said about me was right. | am an evil person, Shaking her head and sighing, Zoe looked down at the ground 502 Saving Life in Detention Ce. a Not knowing what to say tofort her, Anna heaved a sigh as well. The two had just entered the cafeteria when a woman from their dorm room grabbed Annas arm and asked, Youre a doctor, right? Something happened in the kitchen She then led Anna upstairs to the kitchen. At this point, a group of people had already gathered at the kitchen door. They rushed there to see what happened but were all too scared toe forward. The woman led Anna through the crowd and to the center. While walking, Anna could tell that the kitchen was a shambles, with shocking blood stains on the stoves walls. Several cooks stood by with knives and spats, staring nkly at the woman on the floor. A few broken porcin pieces were scattered around the womans hands, and there was blood around her body. Her right wrist was swollen with blood from a horrific wound. Anna was taken aback by all this. Still, she quickly regained herposure and approached the woman to see what was going on with her. And the first thing she did was check to see if she was still alive. Anna then examined her wound and pressed her hand against her arm to stop the bleeding. Give me two clean towels, Anna yelled at the cook standing beside her. Following that, several people dashed to the storage room Please call an ambnce! The woman looked increasingly frail, so Anna said to the guards. The ambnce will be here soon, one of them answered her quickly. After a while, they heard the sound of an ambnceing from downstairs. Several medical workers arrived, and Anna helped them carry the woman to the stretcher. 502 Saving Life in Detention Ce. a Her breathing is weak, so | couldnt take my hands off her, Anna exined to the medical workers. Later, she followed them to the ambnce, her hand pressing firmly on the womans arm artery to stop the bleeding. A doctor told the guards, This woman must go to the hospital with us. One of you can go with us and bring her backter. Ill go with her, One of the guards dashed out and into the ambnce. The nearest hospital around the detention center was about a ten-minute drive away. The ambnce sirens wailed the entire way. Fortunately, they arrived at the hospital quickly. Once the woman was in the operating room, Anna felt relieved. She sat on a seat in the corridor and took a deep breath. The guard who had apanied them took a deep breath and asked, Will she be okay? Anna was unsure of how she should respond. After all, she thought the woman would die on the way because she had lost so much blood. After a brief moment, Anna nodded as she knew they did the best they could. She was about to say something when one of the doctors said to them condescendingly, Thank you for acting so quickly and stopping her bleeding. Even the chief doctor couldnt have saved her otherwise. This doctors voice sounded vaguely familiar to Anna. When she looked up, she noticed a male doctor staring at her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. adam? she asked after a brief moment of thought. You still remember me? Adam asked. He wore a stethoscope around his neck, which made him look professional. And he examined Annas face while his hands were in the pockets of his white coat. Anna was not wearing any makeup, which made her look even more haggard. She wore a white sweater with a blue uniform jacket over it. The jacket was a bit loose, making her look frail. 502 Saving Life in Detention Ce. a You look so different from thest time | saw you, so | almost didnt recognize you, Adam said with a fake smile. Although Anna knew he was being sarcastic, she didnt take it personally. She looked up and said tly, Youve probably seen the news. Ima suspect now, so Im obviously different from before. Anna was as assertive as she had always been. Adam felt very uneasy because her confidence and firmness made him seem small. Chapter 504 Finally Free Chapter 504 Finally Free Adam said, nodding his head. I certainly noticed it. That day, there Was news of you winning the competition and you being detained on TV. What a dramatic scene! If had known how much winning the championship would cost, | would have given it to you, Anna joked with a wry smile. She then stood up, nodded slightly to the prison guard, and said, Lets go back, shall we? | have things to do this afternoon. The guard put on her hat and stood up, saying, Lets go. They then walked away, and Adam could smell the rose shampoo in Annas hair as she passed by. Watching her back as she walked away, Adam felt less dejected. Aftering back to his senses, he proceeded to his office. Anna and the guard had just left the building when the prison guard grabbed Annas arm and winked with a sly smile. Whats the matter? Anna had no idea what was wrong, but she could guess what she was up to. So, Anna patiently waited for her response. The guard pointed to the other building and said, I need to get some medicine. Is it okay if wee backter? Arent you afraid Il take advantage of the opportunity to escape? Anna asked, surprised The young woman confidently shook her head, replying, I was on duty in the conference room and heard you speaking with yourwyer. He wanted to bail you out, but you refused. So | dont think youll run away. She then took Annas arm and led her to the outpatient facility. 503 Finally Free There werent many people picking up the medicine, but everyone was talking to the ce appear noisy. At the same time, a television nearby was broadcasting a cosmeticsmercial. Has the news program ended? A man on a bench next to him looked up, his gaze fixed on the TV screen. The news will be on in a minute. Itsmercial time, the woman next to him said. Allright, let us just wait a little longer. They both stopped talking after that. Intrigued by their conversation, Anna couldnt help but look at them and notice them leaning together and closing their eyes, looking cozy. Themercial ended just as the news preview began after the guard finished picking up the medication. Lets go, the guard said cheerfully to Anna Anna was about to walk to the front door when she heard something. She paid close attention to the news on TV. A few secondster, she was stunned and strangely excited. After hearing the beginning of the news and wishing she could watch it all, she felt conflicted. Whats the matter? The guard asked as she noticed that Anna was in a trance, and she then also started watching the news. On the screen, there was a woman in a hospital gown sitting on a cheeks were thin, and she had two distinct dark circles under her eyes. It was Johanna. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Johanna pulled out a stack of papers, unpacked one of them and stated, This is the personal information those patients, including their hospital treatment cases. This evidence suggests that those people had leukemia before working at Lemon. | am certain that they were hired on purpose to frame Ms. Wright, the owner of Lemon. 503 Finally Free Hearing that, the prison guard reached out and pointed to the TV screen in front of her, looking at Anna suspiciously.Is this news about you? Instead of answering the guard, Anna remained silent, her gaze fixed on the image on the television. What Im going to say next is also very important. Its the evidence that can prove that Ms. Wright did not kill anyone, Johanna said, picking up another file. She handed the reporter a piece of paper. It was a printout of a screenshot of a text message chat, with the time and content clearly visible. The evidence is as follows and| quote, fs there anything else you want me to do? You have two options. First, torture Anna for me. | do not want her to die, but I want her to be crippled or disfigured or to have a more miserable life than mine. Second, let Anna murder you. VI take the second, Bill replied. Annas eyes ached a little as she stared at the image, especially when she heard the words Ill take the second. Her emotions became extremelyplicated. Then Johanna smiled as she held the photograph in her hand while the reporter told her that the photo didnt prove anything because it could be faked. Johanna responded calmly, | have Bills phone card, which is where this message was saved. | asked mywyer, and Im confident that the text message can be used as direct evidence. | swear Im telling the truth. Im not going to fabricate false evidence to smear him. Finally, she took out the letter Bill had left her. The content of this letter was her secret, but she eventually chose to make it public. The letter gave a general ount of everything that had happened, beginning with 503 Finally Free Bills coboration with Ada to frame Lemon and continuing through the following events. He also told her about the evidence associated with each incident. Johanna looked as if she was about to have a nervous breakdown after reading the letter. Before the end of the statement, she shook her head and muttered, He did everything for me. Its all my fault. | want to apologize to Mrs. Wright. I never intended to hurt her, but it was all my fault. | feel so bad for her that I dont know what | can do to make it right. After some consideration, | think that the only way to prove her innocence was to make all the evidence public. Johanna finished with a genuine smile and a sign of relief. Guilt and remorse had tortured her for so long. After seeing Johanna on the screen, Anna also smiled. Despite her best efforts to remain calm and rational every day, she began to suffer from insomnia and anxiety as the public trial approached. She was prepared for the worst, but she did not expect things to be resolved in such an unexpected manner. The next afternoon, Annas public trial was canceled, and she was immediately released. When Anna walked out of the detention center, the golden sunshine shone on the road. She wrapped her coat tightly around her body and was surprised to see Wayne standing in front of the door, waiting for her. Chapter 505 I Should鈥檝e Killed You Chapter 505 I Shouldve Killed You At that moment, Anna thought she would remember this image for the rest of her life. Wayne stood there, tenderly and fondly looking at her. They were only separated by a busy street, and they could see each other. It appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary as if it were just a husband picking up his wife from home and taking her home. Step by step, Anna approached him, and he extended his hand to her. They then clutched each others hands tightly. Though they had much to say to each other. Instead, they didnt say anything and just hugged each other. By pressing their palms together, Wayne and Anna expressed the emotions they had suppressed for a long time in their own unique way. Wayne held her tight as if he never wanted to let her go. He eventually calmed down after a while. Anna, lets go home/ He spoke in hushed tones as if he was about to cry. Deeply touched, Anna buried her face in his chest and then nodded Ahem. Mr. Wright, we cant leave the car here for too long. Noel, who was in the drivers seat, suddenly said. Hearing that, Anna and Wayne let go of each others arms and smiled at each other. And Annaughed as she opened the door and climbed into the car. She turned around after getting in and asked Wayne, Why are you the only one here? Why didnt Peacee with you? When Joshua visited Anna in the detention center, he always mentioned how Peace and Karl worried about her. Therefore, Anna assumed they woulde to pick her up today as they were eager to see her. Surprisingly, neither of these two showed up. Then Anna began to 504 | Shouldve Killed You suspect that Joshua had lied to her earlier to make her feel better. Inside the car, Wayne put his warm palm against Annas cold hand and put both of their hands in his coat pocket. I told them you werenting out until tomorrow, he said calmly. Do you know how Peace will treat you when she knows the truth? Anna asked, blinking at him. Theyll see you the next day. Its the same thing. He frowned as he spoke. And Wayne thought, Peace has been barging into my office and cursing me almost every day recently. Thank goodness she isnt here today, Otherwise, she will scold me all the way. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Anna appeared to know what he was thinking and she said, Peace has been bothering you a lot these days, hasnt she? She smiled as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Thats right, With that, Wayne nodded and somehow thought of Jasper at this point. Jaspers back here, too, he said. Really? Annas eyes were closed, and she looked a bit sleepy. Lets have dinner together after Isabe returns, she said and nodded slowly. Okay, Wayne gently kissed the top of Annas head and said. He clutched Annas hand in his pocket tightly until he had warmed it. A short whileter, they returned to their house. When Anna got out of the car, she was surprised to see the servants lining up in two rows at the front door, with Henry at the front. He even had tears in his eyes when he saw Anna walkin. Then a maid emerged from the kitchen carrying soup. When she noticed everyone seated, she eximed, These horrible things have finally ended! Mr. Wright, Mrs. Wright, youll be able to have a family reunion once Tammy and Matthew return. She paused, realizing she had 5041 Shouldve Killed You said the wrong thing, and then sadly said, Peter and Isabe will both be fine, and God will bless them. Whats wrong with Isabe? Anna asked, setting down her fork. When the maid looked up, she noticed that everyone except Anna was staring at her and shaking their heads. She escaped the dining room in terror without another word. Whats the matter? Anna asked Wayne. Alot has happened recently. Ill tell you after dinner, Holding her hand, Wayne answered in a deep and soft voice. The city seemed to get colder the next morning when Wayne drove Anna to the jail in the suburbs. He had no ns to get out of the car. After turning off the engine and saying that, Wayne straightened the scarf around her neck, Ive taken care of everything, and youll be taken to the visiting room when you get in. Hearing his gentle and soft voice. Anna had been enjoying Waynes attentiveness more and more lately. Okay. She smiled as she turned to open the car door. Shed only just gotten out of the car when she felt the cold wind smack her in the face. The cold wind blew up the sand on the ground and mixed it with the air, creating a chaotic mess. Andter on, Anna followed the guards to the visiting room, her scarf covering her face. A whileter, she sat at the ss window, waiting for the guard to bring in a haggard-looking woman. The woman was dressed in an orange prison uniform and walked tiredly. She appeared tired and was not as energetic as before. Annas stepmom, Shirley, stopped in surprise when she saw Anna, and then went to the window and sat down. What exactly are you doing here? Im perfectly fine here! Shirley 504! Shouldve Killed You picked up the phone, her tone as vicious as ever. She appeared hostile as if Anna were her biggest enemy in the world. As far as | know, you were sentenced to twenty years in prison, Anna said calmly. Shirley sneered, I heard you were arrested as well, so Im hoping you coulde here and keep me company. Anna frowned and ignored Shirleys sarcastic words, adding, Im just sad for my father. He was deceived for over twenty years by a stupid woman like you, and he paid the price with his life. What?! Are you calling me stupid?! Shirley was enraged by Annas words and red at her angrily. Ignoring her hostile attitude, Anna took an insurance agreement from her bag, showed it to Shirley, and uttered, Did you go to all that trouble for my fathers insurance money? He died so long ago, and all you can think about is the money he left behind. Did you ever miss him for a second? Of course, you wont miss him because youre the one who killed him! Hearing that, Shirley shuddered violently. Her case for murdering Frank had already been tried, and she couldnt refute all of the evidence presented by the court, Then she roared madly to Anna, Your father died because he was ill! | had absolutely nothing to do with his death! That was what Shirley had told herself for the previous five years. If no one had discovered evidence that she had murdered him, she could have continued to deceive herself like that until the day she died. When the prison guards noticed Shirley was manic, they rushed to check on her. Shirley immediately calmed down when she realized he was about to take her away. She gently begged the guard, This is my stepdaughter, and she may never come to see me ever again. Please allow 504 | Shouldve Killed You me to talk to her a little longer. The guard hesitated before letting her go and stepping aside. Free from their grasp, Shirley picked up the phone again, covered the receiver with one hand, and said viciously, I shouldve killed you as well, Anna. | regret that | didnt kill you! Not intimidated by her words at all, Anna said bluntly, You wouldnt have gotten that insurance money even if you had killed me. | was testing you when I told you my father had bought idental death insurance. Ive long suspected you were the one who murdered him. In fact, his insurance was just regr critical illness insurance, and | received the money from it five years ago. You thought youd get the money if you killed me and proved that my fathers death was an ident. Youre so naive! Didnt your lover, Howard Baker, tell you to do this? What exactly did you say?! Shirley was immediately shocked and enraged. She struggled but failed to stand up. Anna gave her a cold look and sarcastically said, We wouldnt have been able to find evidence that you poisoned my father if you hadnt tried to steal the insurance money. You wont be charged with attempted murder this way. Youre going to die in jail! By the way, your lover had already sold your assets and fled before the incident. Go to hell, b***h! Shirley mmed the phone down in her hand, shouting. And the prison guard immediately took Shirley away. While watching Shirley p the ss like crazy, Anna put things on the table back into her bag with ease, thinking, Rest in peace, dad, Ive taken revenge for you. And dont worry about me. Ill be fine. Chapter 506 Come Home With Me Chapter 506 Come Home With Me Anna stood by the window, watching her walk away. She put on her scarf and carried her bag out of the visiting room. Wayne had just returned to the car when he took Annas cold hand in his. He looked at her with loving eyes, curious about what she was thinking. after a brief silence, Anna sighed. Thank you, dear, she finally uttered as she turned her head to Wayne. She truly meant it because she Was grateful for everything Wayne had done for her. Then Anna leaned against his shoulder and began to fiddle with the ring on his finger. For many years, Anna had been haunted by Franks death, but she rarely mentioned it because she had no evidence to prove that her stepmom killed her dad. As a result, she always pretended as if she didnt care. Meanwhile, Anna had no idea Shirley would do something evil for the insurance money again. Back then, Shirley had hired someone to wreck Annas car to kill her in a car ident. This insurances first beneficiary was Anna, so Shirley would receive a sizable sum of money if she died. That day, Anna got into an argument with Bill at the Lemon office building and went home with Wayne. She didnt drive her car that day asa result. On the other hand, Shirley did not expect Wayne to haveplete control over everything. And Shirley was arrested the day after Anna was admitted to the detention center and was convicted within a few days because the case moved quickly. Sighing, Anna paused for a moment to collect herself. Then, she suddenly wanted to see her father. Anna felt she owed it to Frank now that 505 Come Home With Me Shirley had received the punishment she deserved. Id like to go somewhere, Looking at Wayne, Anna said. Wayne knew what she was thinking. He nodded and drove to the cemetery in the suburbs. It was dark, and the wind whistled like a childs whimper. After getting out of the car, Anna walked slowly to Franks gravestone. She felt an unbearable sadness as she stared at the picture on it. When he Frank that picture, he didnt have gray hair, and he seemed happy and cheerful. And that picture almost made Anna forget that he had died of illness. Ill wait for you in the car. Wayne noticed Annas shoulders trembling slightly when he looked behind her. So, he turned around and drove out of the cemetery to give her some time alone. About ten minutester, Anna left the graveyard. She had regained herposure by this point. I know where Isabe might be, she said solemnly to Wayne. The weather in Seriel City was milder than in Birmingham, but the constant rain was disturbing. Isabe was sitting on the couch, typing on herptop. She felt dizzy as she stared solemnly at every word on the screen. Outside the window, the wind tapped against the ss like a breeze blowing in. Isabe tightened the nket around her and went to get herself some water. After that, she looked up What are the risks people face when they have AIDS on Google. Before pouring a ss of warm water and retrieving the medicine from the closet, she paused in the doorway for a moment. She felt sick as she swallowed the medicine and washed it with another ss of water. 505 Come Home With Me Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Just leave the takeout outside, Isabe yelled at the front door. However, the person outside did not appear to hear and rang the doorbell several more times. She didnt give it much thought and went straight to the door. When she opened the door, she was shocked and speechless by what she saw. Instantly, she dropped the cup in her hand, which thudded the carpet, and the warm water soaked her slippers. Secondster, her cup rolled to the ground and touched Jaspers feet. At the moment, the thin suit Jasper was wearing was drenched with rain. His hair and face were wet, and he seemed to have tears in his eyes. Isabe clung to the doors edge. She had no idea hed find his way here. And she could no longer hide her resignation and helplessness aftering back to her senses. She hugged him tightly as if she didnt care that the rain would get her clean clothes wet. While hugging him, she felt that his chest wasnt as warm as it used to be, but it was still strong, making her feel safe as she nearly copsed. In return, Jasper embraced Isabe as if he had found his long-lost treasure. He had been finding her for the past few days, so he hadnt even slept much. Then Liam ran over in a hurry and said, | found clean clothes for you, Mr. Thomas. You Liam came up with a few clean clothes in his arms and was taken aback by what he saw. He was so shocked that he covered his mouth with one hand. Isabe let go of Jasper when she heard Liams voice. She moved to the side and gestured for Jasper toe inside. You should take a hot shower She said to Jasper. 505 Come Home With Me Wait for me in the car, With a frown, Jasper said as he took the clothes from Liam. Liam immediately left and ran to the elevator. Ten minutester, Jasper left the bathroom and put on clean clothes. He was still attractive, but the stubble on his cheeks and the blood in his eyes made him appear pale and a bit haggard. Isabe sat on the sofa, glued to the television. The living room was dark, with only the faint light of the TV illuminating her. Come back home with me, Jasper said while the bright light behind him made him appear unreal as he stood in the kitchen doorway. No, I cant go back with you, Isabe said without looking up. Isabe had epted this fact by this point. She knew why he was here and what he was going to say. I cant go back with you right now. Ill return by myself after I finish my medication, run my tests, and make sure everything is fine, she said tly. Jasper was standing far away from her, gazing at her with cold, determined eyes. Are you prepared to deal with the worst-case scenario? Are you going to hide here for the rest of your life? Isabe, of course, considered it. But she was still in a trance when she heard Jasper say this. She turned up the volume and copsed on the couch, pretending she hadnt heard anything. Nearly shedding tears, she thought to herself, Sorry, Jasper. I really dont have the answers to your questions, if get infected, theres no way that | could stay with you. Shit! Im nothing more than a liability now! Why did it happen to me? Jasper approached her, blocking the light from the television screen He lowered his gaze to the young girl on the couch. At the same time, her long silky hair fell over her shoulders, and her expression was detached. She held a pillow in her hand and refused to look him directly in the eye. 505 Come Home With Me Come back with me, Isabe. | will take care of you for the rest of your life, no matter what happens later, Jasper sounded extremely determined. His voice rang out in therge living room like a church bell, striking Isabes fragile heart. Isabe was almost convinced after hearing the words, but she had to force herself to stay sober. She burst out crying and said, Jasper, | probably have AIDS. Its not a cold, nor is it asthma! Its god-damn AIDS! How are you going to look after me?! Ive been afraid to see or talk to people because Im afraid Ill infect them! She cried aloud after covering her face with her hands, making Jasper feel sad too. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Im only your adopted daughter! | have no biological ties to you. You can adopt another daughter if you want one. | dont want to get anyone involved in this mess, especially you. Go back home, Jasper. Leave me alone. Isabes voice became louder as she stopped sobbing. As she expected, Jasper did not leave. He called her name softly, his voice deep and affectionate, Isabe, then, dont be my daughter. Then, much to her surprise, he leaned down, lifted her chin with one hand, and kissed her softly. Instantly, everything had broken her. Their tongues were already entwined when she realized what was going on. And she had the sensation that fire was surrounding and engulfing her. Isabe tried to break free, but he held her tightly in his arms. This time, they werent drunk or being drugged, and they were kissing because they wanted to. Isabe was still desperate. Tears streamed down her cheeks, soaking her dress. She fought him with all her might but failed again. Meanwhile, Jaspers breathing became increasingly rapid. Rather than restrain himself, he began to do what he desired. He treated Isabe as if she were a woman rather than his adoptive daughter. All of those 505 Come Home With Me tortures had made him realize what he really wanted. Isabe tasted something sweet, so she opened her eyes in surprise. She waspletely desperate and began to whimper, followed by an irresistible shudder. You have no reason to refuse me, now, do you? Jasper asked as he let go of her hand. Ina panic, Isabe spat out a mouthful of blood and dragged Jasper to the bathroom. Her pale face was covered in tears. She fumbled in the cab for a bottle of mouthwash, shoved it into Jaspers hand, and said, Rinse your mouth! She then returned to the living room to retrieve her cell phone and called 911. I need an ambnce, she said in a panic. I bit him! Hell be infected. AIDS When the operator asked about her disease, Isabes mind went nk for a second. She knelt on the floor and sobbed as she hung up, feeling more desperate than ever. Later, Jasper emerged from the bathroom and hugged her from behind. His warm breath blew into her ear as he said, Come home with me, Isabe. Chapter 507 Happy Family Chapter 507 Happy Family Two monthster. Tammy approached Anna as she came down the stairs in her coat and asked, Where are you going, Mommy? Daddy is bullying Matthew. Anna nced at the living room and found Matthew and Wayne ying chess face to face. Youre going to lose again, Matthew/ Waynes face was calm, but he spoke in a smug tone. Hearing that, Tammy couldnt help butment, Matthew, youve already been defeated several times. You may have to perform a hundred push-ups if you lose again Theyre making a bet? Anna was surprised Yes, Matthew has already lost many times. | will get a camera and record him doing his push-ups later, Tammy chuckled. Anna had a brilliant idea when she realized how sympathetic Tammy appeared to Matthew. In Tammys ear, she muttered something. Upon hearing her words, Tammy became excited. She dashed toward them, leaning over Waynes shoulder and shouting, Daddy! Im so bored. Wayne turned to face her, and his solemn expression became tender. How about | y video games with you after | finish ying chess? he suggested I want to y the game right now. She sat on the wooden floor, dragging Waynes arm, so Wayne had no choice but to get up. Would you like to sit next to me and watch me beat Matthew? He asked. 506 Happy Family Tammys eyes shone brightly. OK! she said loudly, winking toward Waynes back. Are you going to the hospital now, honey? Wayne noticed Anna standing behind him and he asked. Yeah, Im leaving right now. Anna smiled sweetly, but her eyes were cunning. Wayne was in a much better mood when he saw Anna smiling happily. With a gentle smile, he reminded her, Bye, Anna. Dont forget to pick up Grandpa tonight. Ryan and Emily will be home soon as well. Allright, Im leaving, Anna said as she walked away. Matthew said impatiently, Dont y dumb, Dad. Its your turn now. Who moved my pieces? Wayne asked in surprise, looking at the chessboard. No one, Matthew said innocently. Tammy, who was sitting next to him, thought to herself, You did it, Matthew! But Im gonna keep it a secret for you because youre my brother and I love you. Later on, Anna drove to the hospital. It was Christmas Eve, but there was no holiday spirit inside the hospital. With a sigh, Anna walked straight to the ward she was familiar with. She then knocked on the door, and Johanna opened it quickly, saying, Anna,e on in. Anna followed Johanna into the ward, where she set the gifts shed brought on a table. She took off her gloves and scarf and said, You look great! Youre doing well now, arent you? Johanna drew a chair beside the bed and poured Anna a ss of water. She sat back on the bed and patted the chair to invite Anna to take a 506 Happy Family seat. The doctor said | should be able to leave the hospital in a couple of days, she exined. After Bill died, Johanna was desperate. As a result, Anna was worried about her. And she felt much more relieved seeing Joanna be noticeably better and more energetic than before. So, what are your future ns? Do you want to go back to the vige? Anna asked. I havent thought about it yet, and | dont n to return there. Back then, I donated all the money and snuck back to the vige because | wanted to die too. If you hadnt found me then, | wouldve been dead now. | thought youd hate me for what Bill did, Johanna said as she lowered her head. I hate Bill, but that has nothing to do with you. Besides, if you hadnt given the police evidence, maybe Id still be in jail. If you dont want to go back to the vige, you can work for my husbandspany or mine. You can live well in this city with your sry. Johanna shook her head and said, I appreciate it, but I still want to leave Birmingham. Id like to start over somewhere else. Feel free to contact me if you need any help, she said, clutching Johannas hand. On her way home, Anna took Peter with her. As she got into the car, she checked her phone and discovered that she had received a photo from Isabe. In the photo, the Maldives water was blue as sapphire, and Isabe and Jasper were standing together. They appeared to be well-matched. Anna called Jasper immediately. Over the phone, he sounded rxed, which was unusual for him. And Anna couldnt help but chuckle as she heard his words. Ive heard your incredible story at least a hundred times! 506 Happy Family | didnt expect you to leave so soon. Did you cancel your adoptive rtionship with Isabe? Ive already submitted the application, and it should bepleted within a few days. Jasper sipped an iced drink and nodded slightly toward the girl waving at him from the beach in the distance. He was wearing sunsses, but he couldnt conceal the fondness in his eyes. OK, | gotta go. Il call youter. Anna said. Her phone had just hung up when it rang again. She checked her phone and saw that Ryan had called her several times. As a result, she rushed back home. When she returned home, she saw her family sitting happily together at the table with many dishes. Mrs. Wright is back, the maid announced. Everyone looked up as Anna emerged from the yard. She entered the house, removed her heavy down coat, and proceeded to the table. When Emily saw Anna, she moved to the side. Anna said, shaking her head, Thank you, my dear. You can ask Ryan to get you whatever you want to eat. Emily smiled, rubbed her bulging belly, and looked at Ryan. Ryan immediately nodded and giggled. Seeing that, everyone burst outughing. Come on, let me take a family picture of you, Henry said, holding a camera in his hand. Everyone stood up and took a seat next to Peter. Soon after, each Wright received this family photograph. How nice it would be if life could be this peaceful all the time, Anna murmured as she snuggled into Waynes arms and fondled the ttened photo.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Chapter 508 My Adoptive Daughter Married My Ex-husband Chapter 508 My Adoptive Daughter Married My Ex-husband Three years passed quickly. Anna had just returned home from work when she learned that Jasper and Isabe were getting married. It was the hospitals busiest time, and Anna had to work until midnight almost every day. When Anna returned home in the evening, she heard Wayne telling the maid to prepare her something to eat. Anna was both surprised and moved. As she was about to remove her coat, Wayne grabbed her hand tightly, saying, Your hands are cold! Why didnt you wear the gloves | bought you? Isnt the project research that Matthew devised supposed tost a month? Anna asked Wayne, who was standing beside her. What happened to Matthew? Did you just leave him there? Yes. With that, Wayne took Annas hand and sat on the couch with her. He appeared unconcerned as if he didnt care about the project. Huh? Even if he is capable, he is only fifteen! Hes Anna attempted to reason with him, which was something she had wanted to do for a long time. Jasper is getting married, Before Anna could continue her reasoning, Wayne interrupted her with the shocking news. Hearing that, Anna was so shocked that she forgot what she was going to say. She froze for a moment before regaining herposure and asking, What?! Wayne picked up two lovely invitations from the coffee table, saying, | just got the invitations. Theyre getting married this weekend. 507 My Adoptive Daughter Marr. It wasnt until saw Jaspers handwriting on the invitations that she regained herposure and epted the reality. She muttered, Are they in such a rush to marry? Isabe hasnt even finished college yet. Wayneughed and rubbed Annas fingers gently. Her hands frequently hurt from holding scalpels while working, so he had be ustomed to massaging her fingers. If it werent for you, Jasper would have gotten married to Isabe two years ago. Well, Isabe had just turned 18 back then. I dont think she fully grasped what it meant to get married. And | dont think she was capable of shouldering the responsibility at such a young age. And as her adoptive parent, Im responsible for guiding her when necessary. Whats wrong with that? Looking up at Wayne, Anna asked. Although she was retorting his words, her tone was not firm, as if she couldnt defend herself either. Theres nothing wrong with it, honey. You have every right to feel worried about Isabe. But dont worry. Jasper is a good person and he will handle everything properly. He must have given the matter careful thought before making his decision, Wayne said gently as he held her close and stroked her hair. Im not worried about Isabe. Shes still a youngdy, you know. But Jasper is a very simple person. Anna began to tell Wayne what she knew about Jasper, unaware he seemed upset and even became envious and hugged her even more tightly. Are you worried that Jasper will be unhappy when he marries? Yeah, | Anna had not finished her sentence when she realized she had said something inappropriate. She raised her head to survey Waynes expression, blinked, and said, What are you thinking about? Im his friend! Im just worried about his future. 507 My Adoptive Daughter Marr. Oh? Is that true? Of course! Before she could finish her sentence, Annas phone rang. Her eyes lit up when she saw the caller ID because she knew she had found the perfect reason to leave here. She immediately stood up and said, Peace is calling me! Im going to answer the phone, honey. After that, she pressed the answer button. Peace greeted Anna with a loudugh as soon as she picked up the phone. Whats the problem? You scared the hell out of me; Anna quickly put the phone away from her ear and asked. Did you receive the invitation?* You mean Jaspers invitation? Anna asked, ncing at the invitation on the coffee table. Ah! You appear to have gotten it. Peace continued tough. Whats so funny about that? Anna asked, thinking, Gee! Peace, do you have to make such a big deal about it? Everyone knows Jasper and Isabe have been in a rtionship for over three years and that things are going well. Even if they dont marry right away, they will marry someday. Peace suppressed herughter, took a deep breath, and then asked calmly, No, Im notughing at their marriage. | just thought the wedding might be interesting. In fact, | have wanted to ask you a question for quite some time. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. What question? How do you feel about attending the wedding of your ex-husband and your adoptive daughter? With an awkward expression, Anna looked at Wayne beside her and 507 My Adoptive Daughter Marr, noticed that he had be even more upset. He still looked at her as calmly as he could, though Then Anna thought, Peace, will you shut up! What is the point of bringing this up? Wayne still minds the fact that | once got married to Jasper. Im screwed! Hell be pissed again. Not realizing she had said something wrong, Peace continued, Dont you see howplicated this situation is? You are Jaspers first wife, and Isabe is his third wife. And you are Isabes adoptive mother, which makes you Jaspers mother-inw. And now youre both Jaspers ex-wife and mother-in- law. At the mention of that, Peace became increasingly excited and even began tough again. Anna was embarrassed and said angrily, Stop it, would you? Its not funny: Then Anna immediately hung up the phone Wayne, Peace is talking nonsense. Just ignore what she said, okay? Anna said cautiously, looking up at Wayne. Actually, | dont mind that at all. Huh? Really? Wayne said as he sipped his water slowly, Jasper is your ex-husband, so Peace is telling the truth. Its nothing because nothing happened between you and him. | dont care about that, honey. So, rx. Anna chuckled and said, Of course! How could you be mad at me for something like that? | married Jasper back then because | had no choice, and it was all for our daughter. Youre not angry, are you, Honey? Im not, Wayne admitted weakly. At that point, the maid emerged from the kitchen carrying a te of food and said, Ive made you something to eat, Mrs. Wright. Do you want 507 My Adoptive Daughter Marr, to eat right now? I Before she could finish her sentence, she heard Annas voice from the living room. Ah! Wayne! Let go of me. Im sorry. By the time Anna realized what Wayne was doing to her, Wayne had already taken her to their bedroom on the second floor. Wayne realized he couldnt stay angry at her all the time. He would, however, punish her in bed slightly. With the te in her hand, The maid stood at the kitchen door with a resigned smile on her face. It happened so often that she was used to it. And she knew she had to reheat Annas mealter as it would take quite a while for Anna and Wayne to have their fun in their bedroom. Chapter 509 The Househusband Chapter 509 The Househusband The next morning, Anna woke up at nearly nine oclock. She felt her entire body ache as if all her bones had crumbled. As she picked up her phone and looked at the time before sitting up, she eximed, Sh*t! The hospital had recently be even busier than usual. So, as chief of surgery, Anna just chaired a meeting for all the doctors yesterday. She sternly told everyone they could not bete or leave work early at the meeting. However, she hadnt expected to be the first to break her rules. After quickly washing and dressing, Anna dashed downstairs. Later, she saw Wayne sitting leisurely at the table in the dining room, eating breakfast. Did you turn off my rm clock again, Wayne? I told you, if you turn off my rm clock again, | wont sleep in the same room with you! Anna yelled angrily toward the dining room. | didnt turn it off, Wayne said calmly as he buttered the bread. Who else could it be? Matthews not at home, and Tammy is staying at Selinas house. Were the only people in the house, along with a maid who cooked for us, With a sigh, Anna decided not to argue with him. Then she added, Okay, Im going to work. Ill definitely discuss this with you tonight. Arent you going to eat something for breakfast? I cant. Its toote. The patients are waiting for me. Anna rolled her eyes and walked out the door with her bag, saying, Dont bring me lunch to my office at lunchtime. 508 The Househusband Why? Wayne frowned and asked. The hospital has a cafeteria and I can eat there. If youre bored, go find Karl and kill time with him. Then Anna walked out the door without looking back before Wayne could respond. Wayne hadnt cared about thepany since he let Matthew take charge. ording to Anna, Wayne has done nothing for thest three years but causes me trouble every day. As long as he was home, she was,te for work almost every day. Beingte wasnt a big deal for Anna. What bothered her the most was that Wayne came to the hospital every day to bring her food. Wayne would bring her and her coworkers a lot of food if she happened to be on the night shift. Knowing that he was showing his love and care for her in this way, Anna still found it a bit awkward as Wayne had always the domineering CEO in her mind. And she had difficulty getting used to the fact that he somehow became a househusband. After Anna left, Wayne turned to the kitchen and asked the maid, Did you put the breakfast in her car? Yes, | packed her sandwiches and hot coffee, and | put everything on the passenger seat so she can see them as soon as she gets in, the maid said as she walked out of the kitchen. Anna has been getting busier since bing a doctor and works a lot of overtime. She doesnt get enough sleep. And she suffers from stomach problems. You should tell her how much you care for her. Otherwise, she will only think you are meddling in her business without her consent, Mr. Wright, the maid said as she brought out another ss of freshly squeezed orange juice. Wayne nodded, but he didnt take the maids words seriously. He knew he still had a long way to go before showing his love and care for her 508 The Househusband without being scolded by Anna. Yet, he didnt mind that Anna always med him for that in his mind, it was better than Anna ignoring her. By the way, you dont have to cook for me at noon, Having collected his thoughts, Wayne said to the maid. Youre not having lunch at home? No, Wayne said, I havent been back to my grandfathers house ina few days, and I should go see him Anna was wearing her white coat in her office when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up and saw Nancy looking at her thoughtfully. Why are youte today? Nancy asked, smiling. Im sorry, | got upte. Are the patients waiting in the outpatient clinic? Im on my way, Anna apologized Its all right. Dr. Barnes just returned from his exchange program in the United States and happened to cover your shift this morning. Dr. Barnes has returned? What a coincidence! I thought so, too, Nancy said, surveying Anna. I heard your husband is back. Its a coincidence, too, isnt it? Nancys expression told Anna exactly what she meant. Why does he have to be in charge of everything? Anna grumbled because she knew Wayne had probably called the hospital and asked Dr. Barnes to cover her shift in the morning. Im sorry; Anna said helplessly, and | promise you this wont happen again Hearing that, Nancy became serious and asked, Your husband cares so much about your life and work, doesnt he? So, do you think he will support you volunteering up north? 508 The Househusband Anna frowned, as she was unsure about this as well. She hadnt figured out how to tell Wayne yet. Well, if you cant go, just forget it. Do you happen to be free right now? Let me take you to meet the new interns. Some of them are excellent, and the dean loves them, Nancy said as she patted her shoulder. Does the dean have time to care about these interns? Anna tucked her stethoscope into her coat pocket and followed Nancy out of the office. They talked about those interns as they walked. Our hospital admitted several medical students as interns for the past few years. Because of the stringent selection criteria, only ten students will be chosen as interns each year, and there are only a few who have the potential to be doctors. The situation isplicated this year. There arent many students this time, but some are a bit special. What do you mean? Youll know it when you see them, Nancy said. Anna frowned, thinking this meant they were in trouble. Before they arrived there, Anna and Nancy could hear the chaos inside the interns office. The interns, who were gathered in a group, stood up respectfully when they saw the two of them enter. Hello, everyone. This is Dr. Wright from the surgery department. Shes been busytely, so you guys didnt get a chance to meet her before, Nancy said to the group. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Anna then introduced herself to everyone. She looked at the seven interns one by one and finally noticed one of them. Whats your name? she asked. The young man wore a whiteb coat and was dressed formally. His skin was perfectly tanned, and he was well-built and attractive. Meanwhile, 508 The Househusband the sparkling diamond stud in his left ear caught Annas attention. Anna assumed that he was one of the most popr boys at his school. Unfortunately, such students were her least favorite. My name is Patrick, the boy introduced himself to Anna, smiling. Have you ever read the internship handbook thoroughly? Why are you wearing earrings? Are you going to tell us you came here just to fool around? Anna grumbled. Then Everyone was silent. Chapter 510 I鈥檓 Not Taking Him With Me Chapter 510 Im Not Taking Him With Me Hearing Annas words, Patrickpletely froze. He looked embarrassed, and he quickly defended himself by saying, Sorry, but | dont see any conflict between wearing earrings and being a doctor. If this had happened a few years ago, Anna would have exined her reasoning and had a fight with him. However, Anna had grown much moreposed over the years. Then she said tly, Nancy, choose one student for me, except him. Mrs. Wright, youre judging people by their appearance, Patrick said to Anna as she left, I dont think Ive done anything wrong, Nancy, Im leaving, Ignoring Patrick, Anna said as she returned her gaze. Nancy, why did you compliment them? This student didnt even read the manual! Anna thought. Anna, wait for me! You cant do that. Theyre students, and they dont know the rules here. Weve all been interns before, and we didnt know anything either when we first got here. Nancy followed Anna and said while gasping for breath. Stop it! Your intern wore an engagement ring to the operating room two days ago, and you scolded him all day. Why are you expecting me to be nice to him now? Thats not the same thing. Really? If he wears jewelry while performing surgery, whos going to be responsible if he identally drops it in a patients stomach? Tell me, who is that Patrick? Anna stood still and asked. Nancy had no choice but to tell the truth, Patrick is the nephew of 509 Im Not Taking Him With Me our deans wife. So? The deans wife wanted you to be his supervisor. No way, Anna said tly, not even thinking about it. Then she said to herself, Patrick reminded me of some of those idle rich young men | know. He might be smart, but training him will require much of my energy. Instead of going to this trouble, it would save me a lot more trouble to find a down-to-earth student. Even if] might not be able to train that student to be an expert talent, | wont bepletely exhausted. Plus, | dont think Patrick is fit to be a doctor. Nancy winked and said, Just do me a favor, okay? Please, Anna. Youre the best! Since when did you start acting like this? You were never like this, before. Youve they have connections. What makes you break your rule this time? Frowning, Anna asked. Smiling in embarrassment, Nancy scratched her brow and mumbled, A few days ago, | went to the deans house for dinner with my father and got drunk. You know what III be like when I drink too much So, you promised him to do it. right? No wonder Youve already caused so much trouble after youre drunk before. Didnt Joshua tell you to stop drinking? Anna inquired, her voice strained. He was away on business that day. You can sell your conscience, but you cant sell mine. The deans wife knows you have more experience in this field than | do, so she appointed you as his supervisor. 509 Im Not Taking Him With Me If youre still mad at me, you can punch me. Anna indeed wanted to beat Nancy up after hearing this. However, she couldnt. Then, with a long sigh, she uttered, Tell Joshua that Lemon is getting a 20% discount on hiswyers consultation fee this year. Une No? If you cant, then forget about the deal. Panicked, Nancy grabbed Annas arm and said in a pleading tone, 20% off itis! Ill tell him as soon as | get home. Please be Patricks supervisor. Please Okay, its toote for you to go back on your word now, Anna said as she took her cell phone from her white coat pocket and shook it. Huh? You recorded our conversation?! Damn! You really are a cunning businesswoman! Nancy eximed. Dont be silly, Nancy. Jaspers wedding will be held on this weekend, and Joshua should be back by then. Ill ask Andrew to bring the contract there. Im going to see my patients. Bye, Anna said proudly as she put her phone away. Anna! Looking at her receding figure, Nancy shouted in frustration. Meanwhile, Anna thought she made a good deal because all she had to do was supervise this double- maker. She would do her best to teach him, but it was up to him whether he would learn or not. If he still couldnt meet the requirements, he wouldnt be able to practice as a doctor. However, Anna could receive a 20% discount on thewyers fee no matter what. There was a chess board in the yard at the Wright house, and Peter 509 Im Not Taking Him With Me was ying chess with Natalie. Then Henry and Wayne entered the yard. Madame asked when you and Matthew would be back this morning. | guess she really misses you, Henry said to Wayne. Matthew didnte back with me, Wayne exined. And when he saw Natalie in the yard, he asked, When did she learn to y chess? Natalie has grown up a lot and is very good at chess. Actually, she can even beat Peter once in a while. Did Grandpa let her win on purpose? To Waynes puzzlement, Henryughed but said nothing. It doesnt count! Lets start over, okay? | made the wrong move, Natalie shouted as she realized she was going to lose. And her arm was about to move the board when Peter raised his hand and stopped it. Dont backtrack now that youve made your decision. Natalie, you cant give up when you think youre going to lose, he said. OK, dont lecture me. If you keep nagging all the time, Ill stop ying chess with you. Have you really grown up, Natalie? Wayne asked her from behind them. Hearing that, Peter wentpletely still. At the same time, Natalie took advantage of the opportunity to rearrange two pieces. She then eximed triumphantly, Yeah! | won! | never want to y chess with you again! eximed Peter. It doesnt matter! | won anyway. Natalie proudly stood up and stretched, then turned to face Wayne, asking, What do you mean by that, Wayne? What are you talking about? Huh, so youre still an immature kid. | overestimated you, Wayne 509 Im Not Taking Him With Me said as he swept the pieces off the board. N?velDrama.Org ? content. What brings you here today, Wayne? Peter cut into their conversation. I just got back from the South and came to see you and Mom, Wayne exined. Is Anna here? Peter asked, crossing his gaze over Wayne and looking behind him, Shes working. Then what about Matthew? Matthew is still in the south. Oh, Peter nodded thoughtfully and asked again, Where is Tammy? Today is Wednesday, and she is at school. After mentioning all of the family members, Peter asked Wayne a bit impatiently, So, what are you doing back here? Chapter 511 Don鈥檛 You Think you Retired too Early? Chapter 511 Dont You Think you Retired too Early? Peter didnt seem to wee Wayne. When he realized no one was behind Wayne, he immediately turned away, acting as if the man in front of him was not his grandson but a stranger. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Because Henry was too embarrassed to mediate between them, Natalie had to be the one to tell Wayne the brutal reality. I told you before, my dear nephew, that the Wrights never keep idle men. Because you havent worked in years, you must bring your family with you whenever youe here. Really? Am lidle? Wayne asked, his gaze calmly fixed on Natalie. Meeting his gaze, Natalie shrank behind Peter, shivering with fear. In fact, she was the idlest member of the family. Wayne was not here to gossip, so he said, Grandpa, | need to talk to my mom. Go on, Peter replied, not raising his head. After Wayne walked into the house, Natalie drew a chair and sat down. She smiled and said to Peter, Arent you being a little harsh on Wayne, Dad? He onlyes home once in a while. What? Do you think Im too harsh on him? Yeah. You are harsher on Wayne than you are on Ryan or me. Isnt that right, Henry? Natalie winked at Henry, who was standing beside her. With a smile, Henry nodded and said, Waynes always been a loner because he did not grow up around Mrs. Wright. Peter did discipline him sternly over the years, but it was for his own good. But now that Wayne has 510 Dont You Think you Retired, stopped working, he When Peter looked up at him, he immediately shut his mouth Peter began to whine, I once thought he left the group because he had other better things to do. However, three years have passed since he quit his job, and he has done nothing but stay at home every day. Although Matthew is still young, Wayne rarely teaches him how to run the business. Im not trying to be harsh, but I dont like how he lives. Hearing that, Natalie and Henry exchanged nces, neither daring to say anything Father, what are you worried about? Are you worried that he wont be able to keep up with Anna? Natalie asked, fiddling with the chessboard. She was telling the truth. Frowning, Peter had no choice but to agree with her. And he added, Annas business has been doing well in recent years. Herpany sessfully raised funds and go public and established a good reputation. In addition, Annas career is progressing well, and she has been promoted to the chief doctor. Meanwhile, Waynes career has stalled. How is it possible that | wont be worried about Wayne? You know Wayne better than I do. Do you think hell lose his ambition and spend the rest of his life idly at home? Natalie said. and what does he want to do? Peter asked. Rx, dad. Helle around Youve been retired for years, so youd better stop caring about what young people want to do with their lives. Let me y another round with you: Natalie said, dropping a piece on the board. on the windowsill in the living room, a wooden easel was ced there, and the paints were neatly arranged next to it. The paint on the 510 Dont You Think you Retired, brushes had not yet dried, indicating that the person who had used them had not left long. Wayne had just entered when he heard someone leave the restroom. At that time, Jennie had just finished washing her hands. When she saw Wayne, she smiled awkwardly and said, Sorry, its a little messy here. | wanted to take a break, so | didnt clean it up. | have no idea you wereing back today. Hearing that, Wayne remained silent. Then Jennie walked to the easel, exining, 111 put it away. | only moved in here the day before yesterday to paint. | used to paint in the study, but Henry has been reorganizing it recently. So, here | am. Just leave it here, Wayne advised. Surprised, Jennie turned to face him. She and Wayne reconciled with each other and worked out their misunderstandings. But they didnt know each other well, because they hadnt spent much time together. As a result, Jennie still felt sorry for Wayne and she was always nervous in front of him. In the past, Jennie often traveled to other cities to paint to escape reality, leaving James and Wayne alone. And Wayne used to get upset whenever he saw her paint, so she worried he would still feel that way. In fact, she would not have dared to paint at home again if it werent for Anna and Tammys encouragement. Are you painting the yard? Wayne asked. Yeah, she said, snapping back to reality. If you move to the study, you wont be able to see the yard, Wayne said. Jennie froze, unsure of what he was saying. Can you give me this painting when you finish painting it? 510 Dont You Think you Retired. Huh? Anna said that there should be a painting on my mantel. Do you want this painting? Yes. Or do you intend to give it to someone else? Wayne asked calmly. Eventually, Jennie snapped back and said, No worries. Ill frame it and send it to your house after I finish it. As she looked at her sons calm expression, Jennie finally breathed a sigh of relief. She thought, Perhaps Ryan was correct. Wayne is indeed much gentler than before. It seems that he has already put the grudges he held against me behind his mind. Did you eat breakfast? Ill have them prepared for you. Jennie sat on the sofa, took the tea set, and poured Wayne a cup of ck tea. Wayne sipped his tea and replied, Yes, | have. | came to see you because | needed to ask you a favor. What kind of favor? Would you mind looking after a child for me? Jennie choked on her tea and coughed several times after hearing this. She looked at Wayne, surprised, and asked, Huh? Is Anna expecting a child? No, Wayne frowned and said tly, Its Gary. Gary? You mean Isabes adopted child? Yep. | might need you to look after that kid for a while, Wayne said, nodding. After a brief pause, Jennie frowned and asked, Is something wrong? Chapter 512 He Cares about You Chapter 512 He Cares about You Ever since Ada disappeared three years ago, Isabe began raising Gary, and they had been living abroad with Jasper for the past few years. And Jennie heard that Gary was doing well over there. So, Jennie found it strange that Jasper would decide to ask someone from the Wrights to take care of Gary. You see, Jasper is the president of SG Group and faces numerous business rivals from around the world. He frequently encounterspetitors. And recently, Jaspers in a bit of trouble. So, its not very safe for Gary to stay with him, Wayne exined as he set his cup down. I see, Jennie said thoughtfully, nodding, No worries. | have plenty of free time every day, so | can take care of this child. Tomorrow, Ill have the maids set up his room. Theres something else | need to ask you, Wayne said, nodding. What thing? Jennie became worried after learning what had happened to Jasper. Can you bring Anna lunch at noon? Hearing that, Jennie immediately rxed and smiled, saying, No problem! Im d Anna enjoyed the food | made. Im going to cook for her right now. Jennie then stood up and went to the kitchen. Wayne sipped his tea as he gazed at the painting on the easel. The painting was already halfway done. Jennie had painted a winter garden scene, yet it was very colorful. In the painting, there was a clear sky and golden sycamore leaves. Under the tree, an old man and a girl were ying chess on opposite sides of a chessboard. For a long time, Wayne kept 511 He Cares about You staring at the painting, then his gaze softened. Anew patient arrived at the hospital where Anna worked just as it was lunchtime. When did he arrive? In a hurry, Anna asked the nurse. About ten minutes ago. How long has it been since his ident? About a half-hour ago. When Anna pressed on the patients injured calf, a bump bulged from the wound punctured by the steel bar. Instantly, the patient screamed in pain. How would you handle this situation? Anna then asked one of the girls next to her. After a brief pause, the girl walked nervously to the patients bed, her hands clenching around her notebook. She stuttered, He, emmm, He has a broken left calf and can feel the pain, so | should Take him for a CT scan and notify the orthopedic and thoracic surgeons to treat him, Anna said to her assistant. She then turned to face the intern and said, Have you made your choice? What took you so long? If you keep being like this, the patient may have died because of your hesitation! The girls eyes turned red as she was harshly criticized in front of many people. Dont cry. You could use the time for crying to learn, couldnt you? Anna was always strict with She believed doctors must be meticulous and decisive because they hold the lives of others in their hands. 511 He Cares about You Having turned around, Anna quickly left with the nurse, followed by the interns. Patrick handed a tissue to the girl and said, Dont be afraid to be med. Youre going to be a doctor. You have to deal with it, anyways. Now, wipe your tears. Anna didnt go very far, so she heard what Patrick said to the girl. And she couldnt help but pick up the record book in her hand and look at it after that. At that moment, Patrick had just pushed that patient in from the stretcher outside. He had already told the nurse about the patients basic condition and what they should do first and had written it down in the record book. Anna thought, This guy isntas stupid as | thought he was, and hes not here to waste time. Perhaps | made the wrong judgment about him. When she turned around, Patrick was helping the nurse in pushing the stretcher cart. Hed already removed the stud from his ear. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Mrs. Wright! Someone called Annas name, and that brought her back to reality. Anna looked up to see the nursee in from outside. Someone is looking for you in the office. What for? To bring you lunch. Anna immediately frowned and appeared dissatisfied. She thought, Again? | told Wayne this morning that I didnt want him to bring me lunch. Why didnt he listen to me? Just ignore him; Shaking her head helplessly, Anna sighed. The nurse paused before responding, Really? Why dont you go get some lunch? After all, were all here, and Dr. Barnes is on duty. Anna quickly put her stethoscope into her pocket and said, No need. The ambnce is still on its way. Ill operate on the patient myself. 511 He Cares about You Two hourster, Anna finished the surgery. And it was nearly 3 p.m. when she walked out of the operating room. Having removed her sterile gown, Anna returned to her office to rest. And when Anna pushed open the office door and saw the person inside, her eyes widened in surprise. Jennie? she asked in shock. As soon as she saw Anna, Jennie set the magazine down, stood up, and said, Hello, my dear! Come on in and take a rest. Anna immediately walked into the office and asked, How long have you been waiting for me? Not for long, | hadnt seen you in a long time, so I decided toe to see you. | prepared some of your favorite dishes, but | didnt expect youre in the middle of something. | didnt bother you, did I? It was you? Oh, Im sorry! | had absolutely no idea it was you, Anna said in an apologetic tone. Jennie didnt seem to mind the long wait. She said, Come on, have some food. You might not have time to eat if you get busyter. Anna admitted guiltily, I had no idea you were here, Jennie. Im so sorry for keeping you waiting so long. Jennie said as she opened each thermos in front of her, Thats fine. | have nothing else to do anyway. Great! The food is still warm. Its been a long time since Ive tasted your cooking, and its still as good as before, Anna said as she sipped the chicken soup. You like it, dont you? From now on, Ill bring lunch to you every day. Really? Thank you, but you dont have to do that. You can let me know when youe to see me the next time, Someone wanted to bring you lunch, but he was afraid youd me 511 He Cares about You him. Thats why he asked me toe, Jennie said with a smile. Anna froze for a moment before reacting to what Jennie meant. Her facepletely flushed. Chapter 513 The Troublemaker Chapter 513 The Troublemaker By the way, Wayne told me that Jaspers sending Gary back to Ennd, As she packed her lunchbox, Jennie said. Anna nodded and said, Jasper is going through something always busy with work. So, well have to ask you to do I can absolutely look after him. Is this something rted to Garys parents? Jasper didnt tell me the specifics, but | dont think its about them After all, b both his parents died. Jennie sighed and said, Right. His parents are no longer alive, so lets not bring it up again. After saying this, Jennie put her lunchbox away and added, OK, Im leaving. Bye. TIL walk you out. Im good, dear. You should have some rest here. After seeing Jennie off, Anna sat alone behind her desk. She had wanted to take the time to look at the patients cases, but she couldnt concentrate. A few days ago, Jasper had abruptly mentioned that he would send Gary back home without exining why. She initially assumed it was due to his troubles, but her instincts told her it wasnt that simple. It was also weird that Wayne had suddenly returned from the south. Anna suspected he knew something about it, so she decided to ask him when she got home. 512 The Troublemaker At around five oclock, Tammys high school entrance was packed with students in the afternoon. Clutching her backpack, Tammy emerged from the school gates, and she had a lollipop in her mouth. As she walked, she talked happily with her friend. Tammy was fifteen years old and in her freshman year of high school. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, giving her a vibrant look. She wore a white shirt, a id skirt and a pair of white trainers. Tammy, is that your mother? Her friend asked with curiosity at the sight of Anna No way! My mother is probably at the hospital right now. Shed be too busy to pick me up! Dont try to fool me, Tammy immediately replied without even looking up. And she snatched her friends hand and asked, Tell me, who put chocte in your locker today during lunch break? | wont let you go unless you tell me Youre being mean now, Tammy, Anna said. Tammy stopped when she heard Annas teasing voice and said, Mom?! I havent seen you in a month, my dear. When did you begin to bully your friends? Tammys friend greeted Anna politely before breaking free from Tammys grip and saying, I have to go, bye! Hey! You havent told me yet! Tammy said as she tried to catch up to her friend. Anna reached for Tammys cor and asked, Why are you running? Come on, let me take you home. You should be grateful that | took the time toe and get you. Ouch! That hurts! Tammy c****d her head and struggled to break free from Annas grip. Anna was a doctor who knew how to use her 512 The Troublemaker strength, so Tammy had no way of escaping. Tammy struggled for a long time before finally stopping and pleading for mercy. She blinked her big eyes and said, Im sorry, Mom, Please let me go. Everyone is staring at you. Many of my friends are here, too. Youre worried about other people staring at you? Then why werent you worried two weeks ago when you threw the head teachers sses into the restroom? Anna released her grip and said. Tammy took a step back in horror, her eyes widening, and she asked, Huh? How did you find out about this? With one hand, Anna opened the passenger door, adding, You thought you could keep it a secret from me, didnt you? Get in the car. Well talk about itter. Tammy was forced to get in the car. She took out her phone and secretly texted someone as soon as she sat in the passenger seat. Anna lectured Tammy as she drove back home. Why didnt I realize you were so smart before? Last week, your teacher asked you to call your parents to school. Why did you let Natalie go? | thought it was your brothers job to. clean up your mess. My teacher said my brother was underage, so she asked me to bring an adult, Tammy exined. So why Natalie? Technically, she is my Grandaunt Upon hearing that, Anna stepped hard on the gas pedal in rage. She thought, Tammy, you sure are a tough nut to C**k. A troublemaker like you always got yourself into trouble at school. But youre not afraid of it because Matthew always got your back. Because | want you to focus more on your study instead of causing trouble, | transferred you to another high school and leven stopped Matthew from cleaning up your mess again. 512 The Troublemaker Well, well, well. And now you even dare to invite Natalie to your parent-teacher conference without telling me. This is way out of line, Tammy. Tammy immediately put her phone away after noticing Annas angry expression. Im sorry, Mummy. | swear Ill study hard and never bring any trouble again! She pled Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Really? | just saw you bullying your friend! You gripped her and kept her from leaving. Tammy raised her hands and said, I was just kidding her. She seems to have been in lovetely, and | asked about it. What? Anna paused before answering. Yeah! There are always a lot of snacks in her locker these days. She also got a few love letters. Then Tammy started telling Anna what the boy had done to attract her friend. Gradually, she seemed to have forgotten what Anna had just said and didnt notice the change in her expression. Anna gripped the steering wheel tightly, her gaze drawn to her beautiful daughters face from the corner of her eye. She became alittle emotional all of a sudden. And Anna thought, How quickly time passes! Youre already a teenager, and now, you became interested in love. Im curious how Wayne would react if he heard that. Why did youe to pick me up from school today, Mom? Are you not busy today? Anna snapped back, saying, I switched shifts. Your Great Grandpa misses you, so Im taking you to his house for dinner. Tammys eyes immediately lit up. She asked, Really? | want to grill fish Grandma made! Its so delicious. 512 The Troublemaker OK, Anna smiled resignedly and replied. It was gettingte, and the city lights were turning on. When they got home, they noticed that the lights at the front door were also turned on. The gentle night made even the old, solemn house appear cozy. Tammy was thrilled as soon as she saw her grandmother. She helped Jennie in the kitchen with the cooking and kept entertaining her. During the meal, Tammy kept eating the cooking ingredients until she was full. Jennie loved Tammy, so she sat next to her at dinner. She said, Tammy, youve grown up a lot! You are just as gorgeous as your mother. Im curious about which lucky man could marry you. Anna nced at Wayne and noticed that he appeared to be upset. Its too early to talk about that, he said. And he thought, Tammy is my most treasured child. | dont want her to leave me so soon. Ryan teased Wayne and said, Take a look at my son, Zac! | wonder if hell ever be lucky enough to marry someone as lovely as Tammy. Sitting next to him, this cute 2-year-old boy was eating rice pudding and appeared to be enjoying it. So? | have a daughter, but you dont, Wayne said to Ryan. Ryan shook his head and said, Whats the big deal about it? My son is adorable! Cant you see? So? You dont have a daughter, but | do. Nearly rolling his eyes at Wayne, Ryan bit into his meatbail indignantly, refusing to speak to Wayne. Chapter 514 Baby, I Miss You Chapter 514 Baby, I Miss You Wayne appeared smug and condescending whenever he showed off his daughter. Anna couldnt take it any longer and said, Dont be upset, Ryan. You can Emily can have another child when shees back. You might also have a daughterter. Ryan snapped back to his senses and said, Youre right! Ill have a daughterter. Wayne was cutting steaks for Tammy at that time. But Emily doesnt have time for that, he said calmly. What Wayne was the harsh truth that everyone was avoiding mentioning. Emily was away on missions and rarely had the chance to go back home, so she and Ryan saw each other only a few times a year. They had very little time to themselves. Anna didnt bother to keep talking to Wayne and Ryan because she thought their two childish quarrels were boring. While their fathers were still arguing over the -daughter thing, Tammy was putting meat into Zacs small bowl. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Tammy, he cant eat that, Anna stopped her immediately and said. Kids grow taller if they eat more meat, Tammy said. Anna sighed and said, Thats right. But hes only two years old, so he cant eat anything with a strong vor. Its okay. He can eat it, Tammy insisted as she ced another piece of meat in Zacs bowl. Then Zac blinked his big eyes and ate with his chubby little hand holding a fork. He picked up a piece of pizza, attempted 513 Baby, | Miss You to hand it to Tammy, and said, Tammy, eat some neat. The word is MEAT, not NEAT. How wonderful it would be if Tammy was my daughter! Ryan said. You wish! Wayne frowned and said. Ryan gave Wayne a hard stare and said, | just imagined it! Why are you so mean to me? Dont even think about it, Wayne said, pulling Tammys chair toward him. Wayne thought, /could have been much meaner! Keep your distance from my daughter, Ryan! Because they had a rare opportunity to get together, Peter asked the maid to open a nice bottle of wine. Afterward, he and his two grandchildren kept drinking and talking. The maid sent Peter to his room to rest at 9 p.m. Anna and Jennie were chatting on the living room sofa when the guys were drinking. Tammy dashed to Jennie, hugged her arm, and said she wanted to sleep in her room. Jennie stroked Tammys face and asked, Really? Youve recently been staying at Selinas house and you havent seen your mother in a long time. Dont you want to stay with your mother tonight? | like you the best, so Im going to sleep with you. Are you afraid Ill mention what happened to you at school? Anna asked, rolling her eyes at Tammy. Tammy got into a lot of trouble at school recently. If Anna wasnt so busy with work, she would meet with Tammys teacher and discuss these issues with him. 513 Baby, | Miss You Jenny, who had always been kind to the kids, agreed to Tammys request. Tammy then began to yawn. Then Jennie said, They dont appear to have had a good time. Anna, why dont you just stay here tonight? Anna turned around and faced the dining room, saying, Im sure theyre both drunk by now. Im going to go tell them to stop drinking. When Anna walked downstairs, she noticed that the two men were drunk. The maids were standing nearby, unsure of what to do. They all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Anna. Then Anna uttered, Please walk Ryan to his room, guys. Ill look after Wayne. Wayne disliked it when others other than Anna made physical contact with him. Even when he was drunk, he held fast to his principles. As a result, the servants were hesitant to move him. Anna grabbed Waynes hand, but he shook it off and grunted, Go away! Its me, Anna Anna said, frowning. And she thought, You dont know who | am? Looks like youre really drunk. Wayne raised his head, resting his face on his arm. Who are you? he asked after staring at Anna for a few moments. Who do you think | am? At that moment, Ryan was helped to his feet by the servants. He reached out, patted Wayne on the shoulder, and asked, Howe you havent recognized your own wife? Youre so stupid! Theres no way | wouldnt know my wife! Wayne propped himself up on the table and staggered to his feet. He moved closer to Anna to examine her. And Anna took a step back as she smelled the strong odor of alcohol. She worried Wayne would fall down, so she reached out to support his shoulders. Wayne, wake up, she said. 513 Baby, | Miss You When Wayne saw Annas frown, he smiled and smiled, Thats right, youre my wife. Hearing that, Anna was on the verge of bursting outughing. She realized he could only recognize her when she was angry at him. Really? Look at who she is, Wayne! Otherwise, youre screwed! Ryan made a joke. Well,e this way, please, a servant said as he helped Ryan to his bedroom. Suddenly, Wayne tightened his grip on Anna, making her almost unable to breathe. Wayne, stop that. It hurts. Caught off guard, Anna said to him. Honey, Wayne whispered, and his breath blew on her hair. No matter how hard she tried to break free, he wouldnt let her go. Im going to forbid you from drinkingter if you dont let go of me. Baby, Wayne eximed. His voice was sexy and low, making Annas, heart race. She was immediately flushed. And when she noticed the maids beside her covering their mouths and snickering, Anna was embarrassed and irritated. She really wanted to punch Wayne hard and tell him to stop talking so intimately to her in front of the servants. Baby, | miss you, Wayne said, leaning against her neck. He was trying to be cute, which made him look like a different person. Anna was enraged, but she knew hed drunk and there was no way she could talk sense into him. She then gently patted him and said helplessly, Okay, Im here. Let me take you back to your room. Wayne rubbed the back of Annas neck. As Anna didnt dare to look at the servants, she quickly walked toward their bedroom with him. 513 Baby, | Miss You Because he was so drunk and he staggered all the way, Anna could barely move him. She had to work hard to drag Wayne to the bed andy him down. After finally dragging Wayne to the bedroom, she rubbed her aching wrists and sat on the beds edge to catch her breath. Wayne, youre so heavy. Do you have any idea how tiring itis for me to drag you all the way here? Anna grunted as she removed his slippers and tossed them aside before unbuttoning his shirt. When Wayne grabbed her hands, she was halfway through unbuttoning his shirt. Before she could react, he dragged her to the bed. He began to kiss her passionately, passing her the taste of wine. The dooris still open! Anna snapped. Ouch! Be gentle! Ahi The winter wind blew the fallen leaves to the ground, making the city appear dull. The streets were still lovely, but there were few pedestrians on them. Jasper and Isabes wedding was scheduled for Sunday, so everyone nned to arrive two days early. Anna was still in the hospital operating on a patient the morning before the flight. She rushed to the airport immediately after the surgery. After arriving at the airport, Anna tried to call Wayne to ask where he was. She then noticed a woman standing in the distance. That woman was folding her arms and yelling at her husband. Donte near me! Ive told you many times that | hate your mustache! | forgot to shave it. Nonsense! | know you did it on purpos Believe me, honey! I really forgot about i Dont call me honey! Anna walked over to them after hanging up the phone. Peace, are you lecturing your husband again? she asked. Peace shook her head. She immediately smiled and hugged Anna when she saw her. Anna ced her hand on Peaces shoulder and looked sympathetically at Karl, who was sitting in the chair. Karl, what kind of art is this? she asked, looking at hisical mustache. Peace told Anna a few days ago that she and Karl had had a big fight. They argued only because he had recently developed a strong desire to grow a mustache. Anna thought it didnt matter because men always had interests that women couldntprehend. Anna had no idea what other people thought of it, but she knew that Peace disliked men with beards, regardless of how neatly trimmed they were. Peace immediately frowned. She said, What hes doing is nonsense, but not art! Im not sure what hes trying to do with that damn beard. Im telling you, Im not going to sit with himter. Karl, who had been well-tampered, told his wife with a smile, Sorry, dear. | really forgot to bring a razor. Ill shave it when we get to the Maldives. Dont be upset. Im not upset with you! Lets go sit over there, Anna; Peace walked toward an empty seat,pletely ignoring Karl. Anna motioned to Wayne on the other side, telling him to look after the kids. And Peace began chattering as soon as he sat down. Im so angry at him! Hes not the type of man for a beard! Annaughed and said, | heard he was opening an art gallery. Is he doing this to make himself look more like an artist? Huh? He did not paint the paintings or create the sculptures. He did 513 Baby, | Miss You nothing but spend money on it. He just likes to do weird stuff! He could have done more meaningful things. What do you want him to do? Clean the house and look after the kids? Oh, Martins really getting on my nervestely! Hes only eight, but hes already gotten into much trouble. He acts just like his father! And he Would rather live with his grandparents than with me. | dont know what | should do about him. Hearing that, Anna raised her head And found that Tammy was fiddling with her phone as Karl chatted with his daughter Apple in the distance. And Martin wasnt there. When Anna noticed Peace had a worried expression, she said, Youre not angry because Karl has a beard, but because of Martin. Peace raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Ive got an idea that might persuade Martin to move back home. Really? What do you have in mind? Peace asked. Chapter 515 Mom, You鈥檙e So Scary Chapter 515 Mom, Youre So Scary Who is Martins worst nightmare? Me! | would lecture him whenever | saw him, so hes definitely afraid of me most. Anna raised her chin to the sky and said, No, I dont believe so. Martin is terrified of you, but he got his grandparents to protect him. So, he may not be afraid to be lectured by you. He will not listen to you at all. What are you talking about? Other than me, who else would he listen to? Look over there. Peace looked in the same direction as Anna and found a young girl in the distance with a ponytail. Her eyes widened, and she eximed, Right! Tammy! Martin was reluctant to attend the wedding, But when | told him everyone was going, he agreed. He knew he would see Tammy there. Nothing could make Martin fearful since he was a child, but someone in the Wright family could. She was seven years older than Martin, just enough to keep him in check. Most importantly, Tammy was always a role model for Martin. So, he adored her and considered her to be a goddess. Peace took Annas hand in his and asked, So, how are we going to get Tammy to help us? | would be grateful if you could persuade Martin to move back home. You dont have to worry about that because we dont even need to make a n. Tammy can always come up with new ideas. Shes a smart kid, but she cant remember what shes been taught in school. You can just 514 Mom, Youre So Scary ask her to give you a hand. Right. Peace nodded. Weve got this figured out, havent we? You should probably stop picking on Karl. Hell be sad, Anna patted her hand and said. Thats not true. | dont care if he grows a beard or not because | dont even want to see him! Fine. Anna grabbed Tammy, who was about to sit next to Wayne after everyone had boarded the ne. Tammy looked at Anna with caution and asked, Mommy, what are you doing? Ive been acting well recently and havent caused any problems. Tammy, sit next to me. I want you to help me with something, Peace said, holding Tammys shoulders. Tammy quickly broke away from Annas grip and hid behind Peace. What favor? Consider it done! When Anna noticed her daughter hiding behind Peace, she became jealous. She shook her head and said, You have no idea whats going on. Arent you worried that aunt Peace will cause you trouble? Tammy immediately turned to face Anna and said, No, Im not. However, Im scared that you will cause me trouble. After all, sometimes, you could be the scariest woman in the whole world. What did you say? Do you dare to say it again? ?Ah! Aunt Peace,e help me! Tammy retreated behind Peace. She knew Anna couldnt catch her, so sheughed triumphantly. Anna would have taught Tammy a lesson if there hadnt been other passengers behind them. Knowing what Anna was up to, Wayne gently tugged Annas arm and invited her to sit by the window. Then Wayne 514 Mom, Youre So Scary tightened her seatbelt and said, Dont be upset, Anna. Did you forget how much you missed Tammy when she wasnt around? Stop it. | know, youre all nice people, and Im the scariest woman in town. Anna averted her gaze as she grumbled. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Wayne took her hand resignedly and said, You know how hurtful teenage can be. Shell realizeter that youre a wonderful mother. As Anna paid no attention to him, Wayneughed softly and said, Baby. Anna couldnt help but smile when she heard him call her baby. However, she continued to stare out the window and pretended to be angry. With a sigh, Wayne took her hand in his, and their fingers interlocked Its been a long time since Ive traveled with you, Wayne said quietly. Annas heart was breaking. She turned to face the man beside her and said sadly, Im so sorry. Ive promised to travel with you for years, but Ive never had the opportunity. See, were traveling together now. Waynes grip on her hand tightened, his voice soft and gentle. Anna remained silent for a moment before leaning on his shoulder. They had nned numerous trips together over the previous few years. All of their ns were canceled due to her work schedule. Wayne Wasnt upset with her at that time; he even looked after her after she got home from work. During these years at home, he spent most of his time with her. Any ambitious man would not want to do that, but he enjoyed it. Anna had known Wayne so long that she had forgotten how cold and arrogant he was when they first met. So, she began to have second thoughts about that volunteering project. 514 Mom, Youre So Scary The ne took off with a roar, and the flight attendant gently notified them that they were on their way. Outside the window, the city shrank until it was nothing more than a tiny dot among the snowy white clouds. Ill take some time off to stay home with you and the kids, Anna said over Waynes shoulder. Anna realized that both marriage and rtionships require two people to work together. As a result, she couldnt keep Wayne paying for her all the time. She knew that even if she had many ideals to pursue, she needed to give up some of them for the people she loved. They had a long flight ahead of them. The quiet first-ss cabin grew quieter and quieter as the hours passed and the sky grew darker. Only the sound of breathing remained, apart from the sound of the ne flying. It waste in the evening. A young boy stood in front of a floor-to-ceiling window in a hotel on the outskirts of town. He was dressed in anice suit. Although his face was young, his eyes were firm and calm. Maria, his assistant, approached him and said, Your luggage has been packed, Mr. Wright. The flight will depart in three hours, and | will drive you to the airport. Aunt Maria, you can call me Matthew in private, Matthew said gently. Thats okay, Maria replied, Im used to it. Are my parents on the ne by now? Matthew asked, looking at Marias silver boarding case. Maria checked her watch and replied, Yes, their flight departs at three oclock in the afternoon. Theyll most likely arrive tomorrow morning. 514 Mom, Youre So Scary Matthew said with a nod, Great. You can stay here and handle the project. Just let the driver take me to the airport. By the way, please send me the overall n for the projectter. Okay, Ill tell call the driver right now, Maria said as she took out her phone. Then Matthew walked toward the door, Matthew, Maria couldnt help but call his name as he approached the door. Yes? Maria approached him with a few steps. She wanted to straighten his suit but remembered he didnt like people to touch him. As a result, she withdrew her hand. She said, This project should go smoothly. Youve been busy for a long time, so maybe you need a break. Maria wanted to point out that Matthew was only fifteen years old. She did not say these words because she knew few 15-year-olds lived like Matthew. He was as decisive and determined as his father. | got it. Thank you, Aunt Maria, Matthew said with a smile. Please tell me when you take off and when yound. Okay. Maria became worried as she watched Matthew leave. She always felt that letting Matthew run the entire Carousel Group alone was not a good idea. But there was nothing she could do about it. Her phone rang at that moment, bringing her back to her senses. Hello? Hello. Are you Miss Maria Miller? A man asked. His voice was mature and low. Yes, Who is it, please? Youve probably forgotten about me. My name is Noah, and we met at a business reception about a month ago. Maria thought for a moment but had no recollection of this man. She asked, What can | do to assist you? Maria was also curious as to how this man had her phone number. Theres something Id like to talk to you about the Carousel Groups new project in the south, the man said. As Maria heard him mention the project, she frowned and thought, Manypanies covet this project, so it took a lot of work for the Carousel Group to get it. As a result, many people wanted to get some benefit from us. Many people called me and even negotiated terms to tempt me since we took on that project. | have worked for the Carousel Group for many years and Im Matthews aunt, so | will not allow anyone to take advantage of us. I apologize, sir. Dont be in a rush to say no. Im not going to talk about cooperation, but | want to remind you of a few things. Maria almost burst outughing when she heard this. She said, Sorry, maybe | dont need that. She thought, You think too highly of yourself. Is this a new kind of scam? Thatnd belonged to someone else before the Carousel Group won the bid. You would not have been able to win this project if we hadnt given up oni Then Maria asked in shock, Is that you? The Azul Group? The manughed and said, You seem to be very familiar with this project. Why dont you come downstairs and meet me right now? Chapter 516 Lost in Maldives Chapter 516 Lost in Maldives Everyone arrived in the Maldives around noon. As soon as she stepped out of the airport, Anna felt the warm tropical sunshine. Before leaving, they had already changed into their holiday clothes in the airports dressing room. Many people on the street were staring at them as they walked out together. Not only were all four adults good-looking, but so were the adolescent girl and the two children. Later, all of them met Jasper at the airport in his Lincoln Stretch Limousine. What are you doing here? Dont you have a lot to prepare for your wedding? Anna asked after getting into the car, smiling as she sized Jasper up. Jasper looked very rxed in a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt and pants. However, the outfit was clearly not his style at all. And Anna knew Isabe had bought him the shirt and convinced him to wear it. Sitting in the passenger seat, Jasper had to turn around if he wanted to talk to his friends. He said, I have nothing to do, but Isabe has a lot on her te. She asked for my help and said she was waiting for you to clean up her mess. Really? Even apetent man couldnt handle them all? Leaning forward, Peace asked. At that moment, Peace was leaning in between Anna ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. and Wayne, the wide brim of her straw hat directly blocking Waynes eyes. So, Wayne leaned ufortably against the car window. Then Jasper said, Shes still a young girl, so shes always coming up with new ideas. In the morning, Isabe became dissatisfied with the setup 515 Lost in Maldives again and is now having it torn down and redone. Peace raised her hat brim, stretched her neck, and said, Is she undergoing pre-wedding anxieties? Well, if that is the case, | quite understand her. After all, shes in her early twenties and she has a lot to figure out. So, Jasper, | have to warn you ahead. She might be a runaway bride. Frowning, Wayne couldnt stand it any longer, asking Peace, How about | switch seats with you? Then he blocked the brim of Peaces hat with one hand. No problem, Peace said. She immediately nodded and crawled from thest row to the second row on her hands and knees Wayne then made his way to thest row and sat next to Karl, who was staring out the window sadly because he was left out by his wife. As soon as Peace sat next to Anna, she said, Isabes far too impulsive. You have the responsibility to tell her to stop, Anna. After all, youre her former adoptive mother. Originally, Anna was amused by their conversation. As soon as she heard this, however, she stomped hard on Peace as she was a bit angry with what she said. Ah! Peace let out a painful scream. Hearing Peace screaming, Anna thought, What the hell are you talking about? Thank goodness Wayne is in the back row and didnt hear anything you said, Peace. Ifyou keep talking nonsense, Il tell Jasper the truth, Anna said, ring at Peace. What are you talking about? Jasper asked, puzzled. Smiling awkwardly, Peace wiped her leather shoes with her hands and said, Nothing! Anna was just joking with me. Youre right. Isabe does 515 Lost in Maldives have a temper. Ill speak with herter. Afraid Anna would tell Jasper that she had given Isabe some ideas if she became angry, Peace winked at Anna. Jasper had no idea what was going on while Anna knew everything. She knew that Peace was the main reason for Isabes pre-wedding drama. Previously, Peace insisted on Isabe having a big fight with Jasper before the wedding so she could see his craziest side. That way, Isabe would know how to get along with him after getting married To Annas surprise, Isabe was convinced by Peace. She began arguing with Jasper about a month ago and caused a lot of trouble. Anna tried several times to persuade them to stop, but they didnt listen to her. Then Jasper said as he rubbed his temples with one hand, You dont have to say anything to her. Could you please help her with the preparation? The wedding is tomorrow, and Im worried she wont make it ontime. Peace tried to say something else, but she stopped as she felt Annas re. Youre the one who caused all of this trouble, so you should be the one to clean up this mess, Anna thought while ring at Peace. About half an hourter, the car stopped in front of a luxurious resort hotel. Anna and Peace had just gotten out of the car when they noticed a young boy in a suit standing by the hotel door. Tammy! the boy eximed, waving arge bouquet of roses. He was dressed like a gentleman. The boy, who looked charming and cute, resembled Karl a lot. Both Anna and Peace were shocked as they looked at each other. 515 Lost in Maldives What the hell are you trying to do again, kiddo? Peace asked, frowning. Anna squeezed her hand to calm her down before asking softly, Did you forget what | told you? Hearing that, Peace forced herself to hold back her anger. Later, right after Karl got out of the car and stood behind them, Peace stomped him hard. The next second, Karl fell back into the car in pain before he could say anything Tammy was the mostposed one. She just carried her tablet and walked straight to the hotel. Tammy, this is for you! Martin eximed as he ran up to her and handed her the bouquet of roses. Tammy looked calmly at him, then at the roses. What are you doing with the flowers? She asked coldly. Martin froze and then quickly responded, Im here to wee you! Arent you hot in that suit? Tammy asked, then walked toward the hotel without looking back at Martin. Hearing that, Martin was not deterred. He handed the flower to the bodyguard and then quickly followed Tammy. He asked, Are you thirsty, Tammy? Ive got drinks ready for you. Thank you, Im good. Ive also got some delicious food for you. Ive checked the map, and | found many good restaurants nearby. Ill take you to a fancy restaurant this afternoon. Im sorry, but Im not avable. When are you going to be free? I have games to y this afternoon. May | join in? You? Nah. Peace was about to lose it as she watched her son chase Tammy into the hotel. She would have publicly stripped her son of his suit if Anna hadnt intervened. Karl! Peace yelled angrily. Yes? Karl jumped out of the car and stood up straight. He began to break out in a cold sweat. Peace gave him a vicious re and said, Take a look at your son! Did you teach him to coax girl like that? To be honest, hes our son. What did you just say? Peace asked in anger. Apple, Peaces daughter, was shivering with fear. She muttered to Wayne, Uncle Wayne, Mommy is going to be furious. Lets go! Anna and Wayne exchanged nces before proceeding cautiously to the hotel. Chapter 517 Are You Jealous? Chapter 517 Are You Jealous? Aiter arriving at the second floor and dropping her luggage, Anna pushed open the floor-to-ceiling window and walked onto the balcony. Then she felt hot air puffing on her face, making her feel like she was in a spa. Looking out at the beautiful beach in the distance, she sighed, Isntit a lovely ce? Meanwhile, Wayne ced Apple on the couch and gave her some toys. Hearing Annas words, he looked up and out the window, replying, Indeed, the beach and the scenery are beautiful.* When will Matthew get here? Anna asked as she leaned over the balcony railing. Tonight, Wayne said, stepping into the balcony. He took Annas hand and hugged her tightly. The two stood side by side, looking toward the beach in the distance. I havent seen Matthew for a long time. Hed have stayed down south until he finished the project if it hadnt been for the wedding, right? Thats right. Hes a workaholic just like you. Im not working, honey,** Wayne said. What he meant was that Anna was the biggest workaholic of all. She looked at him and asked, Youre ming me? Im not saying that. Every time they discussed it, she felt uneasy. She frowned and said, That is exactly what you are saying. | believe we should still send him to 516 Are You Jealous? school. Jasper had previously found him a good high school in Switzend, and he must have enjoyed his time there. | think its perfectly fine for him to manage thepany after graduation. This is entirely your fault! Why did you retire so soon, anyway? I didnt ask him toe back from Switzend. Matthew wanted toe back to manage the company. Hearing that, Anna was rendered speechless. She sighed as she thought of the situation at the time. Three years ago, Jasper had found a nice high school in Switzend for the kids. Tammy had always been a troublemaker. She became bold when she arrived there because she had no one to discipline her. As her brother, Matthew didnt stop her and even helped her clean up her mess. Anna couldnt take it any longer, so she asked the two children toe back. She only wanted to give the two kids a normal life, but their upbringing was different. Matthew had always had a calm and collected personality and was not influenced by Tammy. Anna worried that if Matthew continued to spoil Tammy, she would grow into an idle youth. Waynes arm on Annas shoulder tightened slightly as he heard her sigh. Tammy and Matthew are both good kids, so you dont need to worry about them. | hope so. Anna didnt want to think about it any further. She was content as long as both of her children were around her. Lets talk about you then, Wayne said, lowering his gaze. Whats the matter with me? Youre always busy and preupied with other peoples problems. Youre even worried about Karls children. You want to take care of everything except for your own husband. 516 Are You Jealous? Are you jealous? Anna asked, looking up at the man in front of her. Yes. For a brief moment, Anna was frozen by his confident tone. Waynes face appeared gilded with soft golden sunlight, and his beautiful eyes looked like a calm ocean as he blinked. Seeing that, Annas heart started racing right away. Then Wayne lowered his head and said word for word, Ves, Im jealous: Anna subconsciously wanted to take a step back, but Wayne reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, tightening his grip. The next second, Anna felt a tingling sensation on her waist and couldnt help but whimper. And Wayne began kissing her before she could return to her senses. At that precise moment, Karl shouted as he opened the door, interrupting them, Sorry, guys! | came at a bad time. Embarrassed, Anna pushed Wayne away and took a quick step back. She peered awkwardly into the house through the balconys floor-to- ceiling windows Karl smiled as he stood in the doorway, looking at them both. He didnt appear to be sorry at all. Compared with Anna, Wayne seemed much moreposed. You know its not the right time toe, so why are you still standing here? he N?velDrama.Org ? content. said coldly to Karl. Karl took Apple in his arms as he replied, I came to pick up Apple because | was afraid she would bother you. Im not interrupting anything, ami? After Karl shut the door, Wayne and Anna were the only ones left in the 516 Are You Jealous? room. Anna was embarrassed because she knew Karl would tell everyone about what he had seen. Im leaving, Anna said as she walked ahead. Before she could take more steps, Wayne embraced her in his arms. Caught off guard, she shouted, Ah! What are you doing? Why are you leaving? Wayne asked while carrying her directly into the bedroom. Heter dropped Anna on the big, soft bed. A bit panicked, Anna pressed her hands against his chest to stop his next move and said, Stop! | have to see Peace and Isabeter. Get off me. Youve been on the ne for too long, so youre tired. And you need some rest, Wayne said slowly, propping his elbow on her side. Im not! If youre tired, you should go to bed, Anna said, pausing her struggle but remaining alert. They came to a halt for a brief moment. When Wayne realized Anna was resisting, hey down beside her in silence. The moment Anna saw Waynes sad expression, she was ovee with regret. I can sleep with you for a while now, she whispered as she gently pulled up the covers. You should sleep now, dear. To Annas surprise, the next second, Wayne immediately lifted the covers instead of sleeping just as she told him to. In the living room, Peace was watching TV with her legs crossed. She was holding a dragon fruit in one hand and changing the channel with the remote. As she heard the door m behind her, she asked, Can I turn around now? Flushing, Anna asked in surprise when throwing a pillow at Peace, How did you get in here? Peace raised her hand and precisely caught the pillow. She spun 516 Are You Jealous? around, smiled at Anna, and asked, Did you know that our houses balconies are connected? | stay right next door from you. With puzzlement, Anna cast a subconscious nce out the window, suspecting that Peace had heard her and Wayne having s*x earlier. Dont worry, Ive just got here. | didnt hear anything. Knowing what Anna was thinking, Peace exined. Nah! | dont believe you. Just dont do it again, okay? It creeps me out, Anna rolled her eyes at Peace and said. She then went to the bathroom to fix her hair and clothes and conceal the hickeys on her neck with foundation. Not wanting to continue the awkward conversation, Anna rushed Peace out of the room after a quick makeup to keep her mouth shut. Anna said, Are you full now? Lets go! Isabe is waiting for yo All right, Peace said as she threw out the peel. It flew in a perfect parab andnded directly in the trash can. Isabe didnt live in the same house as them, but she was close by. The beach was directly essible from Isabes house, making it easier to practice thewn ceremony. When Anna and Peace arrived there, they discovered that the wedding venue had been torn down. The blue curtain swayed in the sea breeze. The beach volleyball partition was next to the stage. Isabe was dressed in sports shorts and a tank top, and her hair was tied back. She appeared very energetic in bright sunlight. Tammy, catch the ball! She yelled. Tammy, who was also good at sports, threw back the ball with a foul shot. And Isabe failed to make the catch and then fell down on the sand. Then Tammy proudly pped her hands and eximed, Yay! 516 Are You Jealous? Here you go, Martin said as he handed her a ss of iced coconut juice. As for Isabe, she got up from the ground and patted the sand on her legs. As soon as she saw Anna and Peaceing, she immediately ran over to them, waving as she did so. They then sat under the awning by the beach, watching the kids in the distance. At the same time, Martin continued to follow Tammy and tried to talk with her. His full suit stood out against everyone elses short sleeves and skirts, making him appear bizarre. Raising her chin to take a look at the wedding venue in the distance, Anna asked Isabe, Isnt this lovely? Why did you ruin it? Isabe shook her head and said, Actually, | think its quite nice, too. Peace said that blue tones are overused and that my wedding should be unique. So, | ruined it. | knew it! Anna shouted. Peaceughed but said nothing. She sat on a chaise longue, sunsses covering most of her face. And she asked, What is this got to do with me? | didnt say anything wrong. Everything has to be perfect because you only get married once in your life. And Jasper has to pay something for marrying such a lovely youngdy as you. Chapter 520 You Look Gorgeous Tonight Chapter 520 You Look Gorgeous Tonight Leisurely, Anna and Peace walked along the beach while the men yed beach ser. Peace grinned as she said, They rented half an ind here, so! expected the wedding to be luxurious. This ceremony is much simpler than | thought. Anna said, Jasper indeed wanted to have avish wedding. But Isabe didnt want to spend too much money on this, so she held a simple ceremony and invited a few family and friends. | think it also allowed us to get together. Thats right. | havent seen her in quite some time. Peace abruptly took both of Annas hands in hers and said, Speaking of which, hasnt it been a long time since the two of us have seen each other? We live in the same city, but we rarely see each other. Yes, weve both been preupied. Im not busy with work, but you are. You always workte at the hospital and rarely return home. Did Wayne tell you that? N?velDrama.Org ? content. Peace removed her shoes and walked on the wet sand. She said, Obviously not. How could he possibly say that to me? | once had a fight with Karl, and he moved to your house for a few days. Really? Anna asked in shock. You see, you had no idea Karl stayed at your house for so long, right? During that time, you didnt even return home. By the way, have you told Wayne about your ns to volunteer in the rural area? 519 You Look Gorgeous Tonight Actually, Ive decided not to go there, Anna said, shaking her head. Peace froze and then asked in surprise, Huh? Really? Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and youve been nning for it for a long time. Ive heard that youll be promoted to vice president after staying for a year there. That isnt going to happen, but it would undoubtedly benefit my career. Anyway, Ive decided to give it up because | wanted to spend more time with my family. After listening to Annas words, Peace had a sad expression. Dontfort me. It will make me sad, Anna said right away. Hearing Annas words, Peace stood still in the water for a while. She suddenly bent down and scooped up a handful of water, sshing it toward Anna. Then she chuckled and said, Im not going tofort you! Ill be happy if you dont go because youll have time for me. Peace! You ruined my dress! Peace then sprayed her with water once more. Youre screwed, Peace! Anna immediately took off her shoes and dashed into the water, chasing Peace. Together, they were fighting andughing together. At the same time, Mona was lying on the railing of the vis balcony on the second floor, looking out at sea. She was envious when she saw the scene of Anna and Peace ying. Have some water, Andrew said, handing her a ss. Mona sighed and took a seat on the couch. She said, Look how happy they are! | really want to hang out with them. When exactly is my due 519 You Look Gorgeous Tonight date? Its not due for another month, my dear. Then Mona gave Andrew a stern look and said, But | cant leave after our child is born! | never want to be pregnant again! Its entirely your fault! Why are you ming me? Andrew asked. Monas cheeks flushed as she muttered, Stop asking! | dont want to talk to you right now. Okay, its all my fault if you insist. Is it too hot outside? Do you want toe inside? Mona shook her head. By the way, who just called you? she asked, taking a sip from her ss of water. Oh, that was my colleague, Andrew replied. Whats wrong? Dont worry, everythings fine. | believe Julia can handle everything on her own. Did you tell her what to do before you left? Im still worried about the new branding, Andrew patted her on the back and said, Dont think about it too much, honey. Im confident they can handle everything, Humph! You just want me to stay home and give you babies all day so | dont have to work. Right? Mona appeared dissatisfied as she sipped her water. Andrewughed resignedly and said nothing. The phone call just now disturbed him and he had a hunch that something terrible was about to happen. Everything was going so well with Lemons design that he felt someone was helping them. 519 You Look Gorgeous Tonight The dinner was held at a beachfront hotel, and the tables in the open-air garden were piled high with delectable dishes and wine. Anna looked like a noble ck swan in a backless evening dress and a beautiful emerald ne. Wayne walked out of the bedroom after putting on his suit. He folded his arms and stared at Anna when he saw her. When she noticed this expression on his face in the mirror, Anna became a bit angry. She spun around and asked, Whats the problem? How do | look? Youre beautiful, Wayne said, leaning against the door frame, But | dont want anyone to see you looking this beautiful. Anna froze and then blushed. Dont be ridiculous, she said with a smile. Then she turned around to fix her hair and said, I was going to dress more casually. Isabe mentioned that some of Jaspers business partners would arriveter, so it is a more formal asion. Theyll think Im rude if! dont wear a dress. Without saying a word, Wayne encircled her waist with his arms. Surprised, Anna shrank her shoulders and said, Oops! Please dont mess up my hair! It took like forever for me to fix it. Wayne pressed his lips to her ear, his warm breath blowing through her hair. Baby, youre so gorgeous today, He whispered to her in a low and deep voice. Hearing that, Anna felt that her heart was racing. Instantly, her face flushed, making her afraid to look at herself in the mirror. In a hushed tone, she asked, Really? Ive been noticing wrinkles on my face for the past week. Youre the most stunning woman Ive ever seen. Youre kidding, right? 519 You Look Gorgeous Tonight Im not, Wayne said as he kissed her neck. A few secondster, Annas entire body began to heat up, causing the faint perfume scent to evaporate and permeate the air. And Wayne wanted to do more naughty things with her after smelling the fresh rose scent. Chapter 521 What Do You Want? Chapter 521 What Do You Want? Being turned on by Wayne, Anna began to breathe heavily. However, the fireworks exploded in the sky made her snap back to her senses, just as she was about to lose it. Then Anna grabbed Waynes hand and said, Stop right there. Everyone is waiting for us, and the party is about to begin. Lets go. While she gently pushed Wayne away, Wayne was still thinking about that perfect kiss. He ran his fingers over his lips and then red at the fireworks. Why do they have to set off fireworks now? He thought, Humph! Im not moving an inch away from Anna tonight. What if someone tries to hit on her? No, | wont let that happen. The party had already begun by the time Anna and Wayne arrived there. During the day, Only the couples friends attended the wedding ceremony so everyone was rxed. The kids were running wild on the beach, and the adults chased them down like they were in their backyards By night, however, everyone was dressed formally and walking around with cocktail sses in a dignified and elegant manner. People exchanged polite greetings and pleasantries, and even the few mischievous children became restrained. Wee! Jasper greeted Anna and Wayne as soon as they entered the venue. Wheres Isabe? Anna gripped Waynes hand tightly, asking. Shes with Peace over there. 520 What Do You Want? As she asked the two women in the distance, Anna frowned, Whats the problem with Peace? She doesnt look happy. Jasper was about to exin what happened to her when a woman approached them. Mr. Thomas, hello, the woman said in a deep voice. Her features were not delicate, but she had stunning blue eyes. She was dressed elegantly in a shirt dress with a brown belt around her waist. Her ck hair cascaded over her shoulders, making her look chic. As Anna sized the woman up, Jasper said, This is Miss Beatrice Jones, Anna, a friend of Isabes and mine. Anna thought she had heard the name before but couldnt remember more information about her. and then theres Beatrice interrupted Jasper with a cheerfulugh. Its been a long time, Wayne, she said, looking at him. Do you know each other? Anna asked. Wayne was surprised when he saw Beatrice just now but quickly regained hisposure. Well, we know each other, he said, nodding his head. Beatriceughed and said, Dont worry, Mrs. Wright. Wayne and | are just friends. Our grandfathers are very good friends. | spent a summer at my grandfathers house when | was a child, so I knew Wayne and Karl. And | havent seen them since | moved to the United States. Anna politely smiled and nodded her head. She thought, Why do you have to exin yourselfin detail? | didnt say anything just now. Are you implying that you had a romantic history with Wayne and Karl? 520 What Do You Want? I wasnt expecting to see you at Mr. Thomas wedding. When | saw Karl just now, | was more than surprised. Beatrice went on. Hearing that, Anna realized why Peace was upset. Then she looked at Jasper, asking him whether Beatrice was Karls girlfriend with her eyes secretly. Jasper gave her a nod in response. Excuse me, | need to check on my children. Anna made an excuse to. leave because she disliked this woman. Plus, she was worried about Peace. She then gave Wayne a sharp pinch on the back as a warning on her way out. Wayne frowned because it really hurt, Seeing that Anna and Wayne were somewhat off, Beatrice asked them, Whats the problem? Do you feel ufortable? Wayne took a step back to keep a safe distance between himself and her. He said, Nothing. | must leave now, sorry. | have to find my daughter with Anna. Beatrice immediately stopped smiling. She touched her hair as she said, We havent seen one another in years. Wayne, youre still as cold as ever. Waynes brow furrowed slightly as if he was unhappy. He hated exchanging pleasantries with people he didnt know. Even though he had known Beatrice since she was a child, to him, she was nothing more than the granddaughter of his grandfathers friend. The two of them didnt even talk much when they were kids. After both Anna and Jasper left, Beatrice said to Wayne, The domestic market has been much better than | expected in recent years. So | n to move back. Congrattions, Wayne said perfunctorily, looking a little impatient. He kept his gaze fixed on Anna in the distance and even considered leaving right away. 520 What Do You Want? Isnt your wifes clothingpany called Lemon? The instant he heard that, Wayne froze and then looked at the woman in front of him. Then he asked impatiently, What are you trying to say? If Beatrice hadnt mentioned Anna, Wayne would have left by now. His insts told him that a woman like Beatrice would not be so nice to him simply It came as no surprise when she mentioned Lemon Beatrice grinned. The sea breeze blew her long hair, making her look like a goddess. Dont get me wrong. I didnt check about it on purpose, but it just so happens that Lemon is apetitor of mine. And based on What Ive heard from my assistant, she poses a huge threat to me. Shes yourpetitor? Wayne asked. The first thing | wanted to do in Ennd is put on a big show for my brand, Unfortunately, my show falls on the same day as Lemons. Weve invited some of the industrys biggest names, so Im not sure which one theyll attend. Beatrice seemed confident as if she was certain everyone would attend her show. Wayne was well aware of it. He realized Beatrice was going to get Anna in big trouble. What do you want? Wayne asked tly. Beatrice nced at Wayne and said, | just wanted to say hello. Doing business is like being at war, so everyone has enemies. We dont want that to ruin our friendship because of that, do we? While Beatrice and Wayne were still talking, Anna approached Peace and asked her what was going on. Peace said, gritting his teeth, I knew he wouldnt change his bullshit lifestyle for me! He told me that he and his ex girlfriend had broken up long 520 What Do You Want? ago and that he was sure | would never ever meet his ex! He lied to me! What? Ex-girlfriend? Anna asked, puzzled, then looked at Isabe. Isabe was the bride and the dinner party hostess, but she left Jasper and the guests behind tofort Peace. Peace said Miss Jones is Karls ex-girlfriend, Isabe said carefully after a brief pause. What?! Anna cast a nce in the distance and asked. Beatrice was talking to Wayne face to face at that moment. She wasnt beautiful, but she looked elegant and charming. Is she Karls ex-girlfriend? Shes clearly not his type! With that in mind, Anna asked, Are you sure?N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 522 He Loves You Chapter 522 He Loves You Perhaps its also a misunderstanding, like what happened when, Anna said Peace yelled, No way! He still has a picture of her inside his parents house! Hearing this, Anna suddenly remembered who had mentioned Beatrice to her. Oh, you told me before that her she said. Karl is a total jerk! He told me that she had died of leukaemia! So shes now a ghost?! Peace said loudly. Anna had no idea what to say. She thought, What the hell were you thinking, Karl? | know you said it because you didnt want to irritate Peace. But why did you have to fabricate such a ridiculous lie? Is telling the truth that difficult? Isabe, the guests are waiting for you. Ill stay here with Peace, Anna winked at Isabe and said. Isabe left after patting Peace on the shoulder. Then Anna took a seat next to Peace and asked, What exactly is going on? Even if shes his ex- girlfriend, you dont have to be that angry. Something else happened, right? Where is Karl now? Hes dead, Peace replied briefly. Wm serious. Following a brief moment of silence, Peace said, That woman had just told Karl that her luggage was still outside the hotel, so he went to get it for her. Hes probably still in her room waiting for her, hoping to rekindle their love. 521 He Loves You Dont be ridiculous! Karl is not that kind of person. You should trust me in this! You werent there, so you dont know what happened. She hugged him, grabbed his ear, and stroked his hair. They seemed so intimate! Really? Anna asked, frowning. Yes! Looking at the sad expression on Peaces face, Anna knew she was telling the truth. Then Peace began to tell Anna what was going on. Itall happened half an hour ago before the party began. Back then, Karl and | were staying on the beach with the kids. We were worried that Martin would ruin the venue, so we needed to keep an eye on him. While | was lying on a lounge chair with a drink, | heard a woman call Karls name Then Karl, that goddamn son of a b***h, ran to Beatrice happily and called her *Bea. Later, the two of them just hugged intimately RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Can you believe it?! And then | heard Beatrice say, Youre even taller than | am. | remember you were still a chubby kid when | first met you. Youre a lot more attractive than you used to be. Wow! | love your moustache! She actually likes his ridiculous mustache! | wondered why he suddenly wanted to grow a beard, and now | know why. They must have stayed in touch over the years. He knew his ex-girlfriend wasing back, so he dressed up for her. These two pretended they hadnt seen each other in along time. Its disgusting! Peace said with gritted teeth. Anna immediately imagined that scene after hearing Peaces vivid description. Since she was an outsider, she was more sensible than Peace. You said Karl called her Bea? she asked. Yes! Its so disgusting! 521 He Loves You Actually, | dont think you should be worried about the rtionship between Karl and Beatrice, Anna said Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. What do you mean? Peace asked in surprise. Beatrice said that her grandfather and Waynes grandfather were old friends, so she spent a summer in Birmingham and met Wayne and Karl. Isnt she older than both of them? Whats the problem with that? He dated many women who were older than him. Thats not what | mean. Karl may have had feelings for her in the past, but she didnt feel that way about him: What? asked Peace, surprised. Young adolescent boys are always drawn to women who are older than them. Anyway, | dont think shes his ex-girlfriend. You said Beatrice is much older than Karl, so she probably just thinks of him as her younger brother. Even if Karl had once liked her, so what? That happened almost twenty years ago. Why do you think so much about it?* Then why did he keep her picture? Peace asked angrily. Karl left home after starting junior high school and rarely came back. If he truly valued that photograph, he would have brought it with him to his own home. Nah. | dont believe you. He did so because he was worried his girlfriends would find out. Hearing Peaces words, Anna chuckled and said, Well, you can just talk to Karl about it if you cant let it go. Perhaps things arent as bad as you think. Anyway, he lied to me and said shes already dead. Im not going to let him off the hook. 521 He Loves You Anna wanted to say something else to persuade Peace, but she gave up when she realized her friend wouldnt listen to anyones advice right now. Then, with the purpose of helping Peace shill, she asked the waiter for two sses of wine and handed one to Peace. Here you go. Its a big day today, so let us not dwell on unhappy things. Peace gazed at the ss in Annas hand for a while before reaching out to take it. She then finished it all at once. Hey! Dont drink so quickly! Anna immediately said Peace felt dizzy after drinking, but she became much more sober and calm. She shook her ss and looked down, lost in thought. Anna, do you think | treat Karl too harshly? Peace asked. Well, you did treat him harshly, sometimes. But | can tell that Karl is very happy with you, Anna said after careful consideration, You see, his parents didnt want you to take care of your children alone and even wanted to take them away from you because you once suffered from schizophrenia. And Karl tried hard and finally managed to convince them that you had recovered and could take care of your children After a short pause, Anna said firmly with a smile, We all know Karl was a yboy before he met you. And yet, after he met you, he changed a lot for you. Even though Im always busy with work and seldom have time to see Karl, | can tell how much he cares about you and your children: Whatever happens, remember Karl loves you, and thats all that matters. Chapter 523 Where Did He Go? Chapter 523 Where Did He Go? After Anna left, Peace looked up and asked Karl, Why are you running? Its not an emergency. Isabe told me that something big happened and that I needed to see you right away. What did Anna mean, by the way? Is it about Beatrice?* Karl asked, his voice trembling. Peace rolled her eyes at him and said, Im not sure because | didnt ask her. Did you help Beatrice with her luggage? You delivered the luggage so quickly? | dashed over as soon as Isabe called me. And I left the luggage in the hotel lobby and asked the staff to deliver it to her room. Fine. Tell me about the photo then, Peace said after calming down. 4*Huh? What photo? Karl froze and asked, unable toprehend what she was saying. It seemed that he had long forgotten that he had kept Beatrices photograph in his study. Are you serious? You should exin it now while Im still in a good mood. Why do you have her picture in your study at your parents ce? Doi even have a study? Hearing that, Peace was speechless. And she was lost in thought, Right, | nearly forgot about that. You rarely go to your study because you always think you dont belong there. Maybe Annas right. You didnt keep Beatrices picture on purpose, Karl. And you said Beatrice had leukemia earlier because you didnt even bother to exin your rtionship with 522 Where Did He Go? Beatrice. Is that right? Whats the matter, honey? Seeing that Peace was unusually silent, Karl frowned and asked. Nothing. Drink some water. Peace handed him a ss of sparkling water. Karl panicked because he knew his wifes temper well. He carefully leaned down and examined Peaces face before swallowing hard and saying, Whats the matter, dear? Did I do something wrong? Please, just tell me! Nothing. Dont be nervous. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Something is definitely going on! | can feel that youre getting angry. Let me guess Did it bother you that I didnt shave? Or did Martin get into another mess? No! Will you shut up? Impatiently, Peace snapped and pped the table. Then Karl stumbled and fell to the floor with a terrified expression. After realizing she was being a little aggressive, Peace reached out to help him. To her surprise, Karl abruptly nodded and said, Ah! Thats my girl! What the hell, Karl?! Are you disappointed because I didnt kick your ass like | always did? At the thought of that, Peace became enraged and even wanted to hit him with a chair. However, she didnt get physical and said to Karl instead, Karl, get up! Youre embarrassing me! | wont get up until you tell me what I did wrong What have you ever done right? Uh Let me think about it. 522 Where Did He Go? At the same time, Anna and Wayne were standing on the balcony on the second floor. Looks like they made it up, Anna eximed as she watched Peace drag Karl toward the beach. Waynes gaze remained fixed on her bare back. He removed his suit and draped it across her shoulders, saying, Do you think its still a little chilly here? You can wear my jacket. Anna had no idea what he meant by that. She sat in a chair nearby and then took the wine brought by the waiter. With a crisp sound, her and Waynes sses clinked together. Smiling, Anna said, By the way, Wayne, what did Miss Jones say to you when | went to talk to Peace? She mentioned Lemon. Lemon? What is she up to? | knew it! I knew she approached me for a reason! Anna uttered in surprise. After briefly telling Anna what Beatrice had said about the show, Wayne assured her, Dont worry. She could be boasting. Anna, she will not pose a big threat to you, even if she is telling the truth. Lemons position is rtively secure because Andrew has been here for so long. No, | have to talk to Andrew, Anna said, shaking her head. | already spoke with him. Shocked, Anna froze and turned to face Wayne, who took a slow sip of his wine and smiled calmly at her. Knowing that Wayne was protecting her, Anna felt at ease. She then said with a smile, Thank you, Wayne, for everything. | guess | dont have to worry about anything when youre around me. It appears to me that you have a lot to worry about. | thought you 522 Where Did He Go? would be helping them out all the time tonight, Wayne grumbled as he lifted his chin toward the two people fighting on the beach in the distance. Sorry about that, my dear. | should not have kept you waiting for so long, Anna knew Wayne was jealous again. She leaned over to him and gently said. While she was talking, the tender moonlight was reflected in Annas bright eyes. Her gaze was gentle and powerful, like a star shining brightly in the dark night. Seeing that, Waynes heart beat faster. He realized that no matter how long he and Anna had been together, he would always have a soft spot in his heart for her. What happened between Beatrice and Karl? Peace was so angry that she didnt tell me what was happening, Anna brought up the topic. Karl had a crush on Beatrice when he was a kid, he exined briefly and frowned. Clearly, Wayne was unwilling to talk about someone elses problems at such a romantic time. Anna sipped her wine, eager to hear the whole story. Wayne, on the other hand, said nothing else. Then? Who is this Beatrice? she asked, blinking at Wayne. The granddaughter of Grandpas friend. Anna was speechless because she had already heard Beatrice say it. She wasnt particrly interested in Beatrice. But because this woman was threatening Lemon, Anna felt she should take some precaution. As night fell, a full moon above sea level shone brightly on the water. Peace led Karl away from the crowd to the beach, where she nned to have a fight with him 522 Where Did He Go? Just as Karl thought Peace was about to begin the quarrel, she asked abruptly, Where has Gary gone? Karl struggled as his feet sank deep into the sand. He, too, froze as he looked into the distance. At the time, Tammy was at the beach with the kids. Martin, Apple, Monas daughter, and other children brought by guests Were present. The beach was crowded, but Gary was nowhere to be found. Peace asked anxiously, Why is Gary not here? Rx, dear. Ill ask Tammy. Karl said as he drew his feet out of the sand. He dashed through the crowd to Tammy, not even bothering to put on his shoes. Whats the matter, Uncle Karl? Tammy asked Karl as she noticed him approaching her. Wheres Gary? Hes not here? Huh? He was here ten minutes ago! Tammy froze as. she looked into the distance. Gary had never been a big fan of sports. When the other kids ran around, he stayed on the beach alone. However, only a pile ofpleted castles was left on the beach Then Tammys voice trembled as she said, Ill go find him. Chapter 524 An Uninvited Guest Chapter 524 An Uninvited Guest What are you looking for? A woman dressed in ck asked Gary. Startled by the womans voice, Gary turned his gaze to the person behind him. He couldnt see the womans face clearly because it was too dark. The only thing he could tell was that the woman might be in her fifties. Who are you? Gary asked warily, bing nervous. The womanughed out loud and then asked him, I should be the one to ask that question. Youre on my doorstep right now. Do you have any idea about that? It wasnt until Gary saw the gate that he realized he had identally wandered into someone elses home. Then the woman stepped out of the shadows. Her dark green eyes sparkled like emeralds in the pale moonlight. Gary stepped back and said, Im sorry, madame. Ill leave right now. | came here to find a moon- shaped shell for my friend. As he spoke, he looked down at the shell at the womans feet. Are you looking for this? the woman asked, picking up the shell after looking down Gary nodded. There are many unique shells here that you cant find anywhere else, the woman said as she stood up and took the tiny moon shell in her palm. She then extended her hand to Gary. Hesitant, Gary paused for a moment before walking directly toward the woman. He approached the woman, reached out his small hand, and 523 An Uninvited Guest took the shell from her. Then he said with a smile, Thank you. Youre very wee, The woman spoke softly, Your parents will be worried if you stay here for so long. You should leave right now, my dear. Hearing that, Gary turned around and left. As he walked, he looked back several times and saw the woman still standing in the same spot, waving at him. Because he was scared by the woman in ck, he started running. After a while, he was surprised to see the light ahead Tammy! He yelled. Tammy ran to Gary immediately upon hearing his voice and asked, Gary! Where did you go? Meanwhile, Peace knelt in fear and asked Gary, Are you all right? Tammy was so worried about you that she almost called the cops! Wed been looking for you for so long. Tammy turned away from Gary to wipe her tears. She said angrily, Why would | call the cops? | wasnt the one who got lost. Tammy, Gary called out and grabbed one of her hands. Dont touch me! Tammy screamed, refusing to look at him. Dont be mad, Tammy. This is for you, Gary said as he took her arm and shoved something into her hand. What is it? Tammy asked, looking impatiently at her hand. She wentpletely still when she noticed a snowy white moon-shaped shell in her palm. The moonlight reflected off the shell, making it appear crystal clear. Sorry! | only found two shells like that, and one of them was missing aer, Gary said, tilting his head and smiling. You came all that way to find this? Tammy asked, surprised. 523 An Uninvited Guest Wm sorry. | should have told you before | left. | know you like such shells, so | went to find them for you. Gary said. Hearing that, Tammy was silent for a few moments and then took Garys hand in hers while clutching the shell. Look at the sand and mud on your shirt! You got dirty all over! Come on, lets go back to the hotel, she said. Later, she and Gary walked toward the hotel together. And Peace and Karl walked alongside the kids on the way back. Anna gave up her volunteer opportunity, Peace said to Karl while walking slowly. Why? Karl asked, surprised. She felt bad because Wayne had been doing nothing at home for years. Why does she think that? She didnt make Wayne stay at home. Hes doing it because of his father Shh! Peace interrupted Karl immediately. It wasnt until then that Karl realized he shouldnt have said that. So he lowered his voice and said, Although few people knew the truth, Wayne still worried that it wouldnd him in hot water. He resigned for the sake of the Wright familys reputation, not his own. Peace couldnt help but be worried about this. A few secondster, she replied, Yeah, youre right. Only a few people know Wayne actually has nothing to do with the Wrights by blood. If the Carousel Groups board of directors knew the truth, Matthew might be forced to resign. Anyways, Karl, lets not bring this up again in the future. Got it. Anna and Wayne were talking in the hotel when her phone rang. 523 An Uninvited Guest Hello? Anna raised an eyebrow and asked, What? Stop her! Ill be right there. After hanging up, Anna went outside hurriedly. Whats wrong? Wayne asked. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Lilys here. Peace stopped her at the hotel lobby. Im afraid shell ruin the wedding. Were not going to let her get away with it! Anna said, looking quite nervous. Isabe is no longer a child, Wayne said as he stopped her. What do you mean? You can help her once, but you cant help her all the time. You should let Isabe handle this on her own. Besides, | believe it is time for Jasper to meet Lily and solve their problems. Ill talk to Isabe and ask her what she wants to do about it, Anna said after a brief pause. Isabe left the party immediately after hearing the news. As Wayne expected, she said she wanted to see Lily alone. Do you want me to go with you? Anna asked Isabe after knowing that she wanted to confront Lily by herself. Peace added, Lets go there together. Lily knows karate, so Im afraid shell. Isabe took Anna and Peaces hands in hers calmly and said, Rx. Lily hasnt spoken to Jasper in years. So it is impossible that she suddenly came here just to fight with me. Shed never do something like that. Fine. Be careful, okay? Well be waiting outside the door for you. If anything happens, just let us know, Anna patted her shoulder and said. Okay. 523 An Uninvited Guest After pushing open the door to the lounge, Isabe saw a woman standing in front of the window. Lily appeared to be as strong and confident as ever. She was dressed in a suit and had her long chestnut brown hair tied in a high ponytail. When she heard the door open, Lily turned around and looked at Isabe, who was standing in front of her. Then, withposure, she greeted Isabe, Its been a while. Chapter 525 The Bride Ran Away Chapter 525 The Bride Ran Away Yes, Lily, is been a while, Isabe said as she walked in. She was dressed in a pink satin slip dress with her hair cascaded over her shoulders. Even though she only wore light makeup, she appeared attractive and energetic. Lily couldnt help but clench her fist when she saw Isabes beautiful face. I wasnt expecting you to marry Jasper. | assumed you had a crush on him then and that you would fall in love with someone else in a few years. Alot of things also happened out of your expectations. For example, you didnt expect Jasper to go looking for me when you kicked me out, Isabe sat quietly on the sofa and said, Please take a seat. | dont want Jasper to think | cant entertain guests because hell be here in a few minutes. Lily folded her arms and said mockingly, Do you really believe you can take my ce as hostess? You are so naive! Isabe, if it werent for Anna, you mightve died on that ind! Also, if it werent for the fact that Jasper adopted you and put a lot of hard work into educating you, you wouldve been ill- mannered and uneducated even if you were to survive on that istand! Isabe ignored Lilys sarcasm because she was getting used to it. Lily remained as cynical as ever, but Isabe was no longer the cranky little girl with the highest self-esteem she used to be. Having poured herself a cup of hot tea, Isabe said, I dont care what you think of me. | got what | wanted, and Im satisfied with it. So you admit it, right? With a sneer, Lily asked in disbelief. 524 The Bride Ran Away: oil What? Caught off guard, Isabe asked in puzzlement. You lived in my house because you wanted to rece me, right? You asked him to adopt you so you could live in his home and spend time with him every day. Finally, you managed to seduce Jasper. Isabe, youre a lot more sophisticated than I thought you were. As she walked towards Isabe, Lily said resentfully, To be honest, | hated you from the moment | saw you. | hated you from the moment Jasper brought you home. Womens intuition has always been urate. Isabe took a deep breath because she was exhausted. Have you been thinking about this every day for the past few years? she asked after a brief pause. What do you mean? Lily asked, frowning, He abandoned you, but you me it all on me. Why cant you just ept reality? Why did you Itseems you dont even know that Jasper was the one who told me to kick you out of the house, Lily interrupted Isabe. And Isabe froze when she heard Lilys words. Under her gaze, Lily slowly took a ring box from her handbag and ced it on the table, continuing, Jasper proposed to me with this ring. He told me at the time that after we remarried, he would send you back to Ennd. Isabe fixed her gaze on the blue ring box and couldnt help but shiver. In the light, the wedding ring on her ring finger shone like moonlight. What are you trying to say? Isabe asked, trying to remain calm. Because you left America angrily, Jasper came to Ennd to find you. He agreed to be your boyfriend because he thought you were dying of 524 The Bride Ran Away: dl AIDS. He had no feelings for you at all! He did it because he was your adoptive father and he thought he was supposed to be responsible for you! This responsibility is like a shackle that restricts him from breaking free! Bullshit! Thats not true! Lily sneered as she asked, You know more about this than | do, dont you? Youve lived in his house for years, so hes used to you being around him. Let me ask you, have you two ever had physical contact? These words pierced Isabes heart like a knife. Isabe couldnt help thinking to herself, Damn it! Jasper and / have been together for three years, but he has never taken the initiative to make out with me. Hes always patient with me, and that attitude made me feel like he still treats me like a child, Its so annoying! Anna and Peace stood outside the door for a long time. They were both worried because they couldnt hear anything inside. After a while, Jasper arrived. He asked anxiously as he dashed toward the door, Wheres Isabe? Theyre still inside, Peace said, pointing to the room. Jasper then tried to open the door. Seeing that, Anna immediately stopped him, saying, Wait! Isabe said she would solve the problem herself. Just leave her alone. She wont be able to solve it, Jasper said quickly. The next second, however, he was surprised that no matter what he tried, he couldnt turn the knob. Anna had never seen Jasper so nervous, so she was terrified. Peace, go get the key from the front desk, she said 524 The Bride Ran Away ey Without further ado, Peace rushed to find the waiter, but Jasper had kicked the door open before she left. Then the three of them found that Lily was the only person left in the room. Anna and Peace dashed into the room and looked at every corner. They did not, however, see Isabe Where is Isabe, Lily? Anna asked as she made her way to the couch. Lily sat calmly on the sofa as if this had nothing to do with her. Shes gone, she said coldly and contemptuously. Where? Peace asked. Lily cast a nce at the table. Im not sure and I dont care about that. What did you say to her? Anna asked once more. Rolling up her sleeves, Peace shouted, Stop asking, Anna! Shes definitely here to sabotage the wedding. Lily, tell me where Isabe is, NOW! Fearing that Peace would cause trouble, Anna immediately stopped her. Lily, what did you say to Isabe? Jasper asked indifferently after he made sure that Isabe wasnt in the bathroom. Lily stood up and set her cup down. She looked resentlully at Jasper and said, You finally talk to me. | didnt do anything other than tell her the truth. If she wanted to leave, | have no right to stop her. What did you say to her? Sneering, Lily pointed to the table and said, Ive juste to return the wedding ring to you. | had to give it to your wife because youve been too busytely. | wasnt expecting her to break down when she saw this. Shes still as impulsive as ever. 524 The Bride Ran Away: oil When Anna and Peace looked over at the table, they noticed a blue ring box with Isabes wedding ring next to it Whats going on? In disbelief, Peace asked. Jasper approached the table. He didnt even look at the ring box Lily had brought. Instead, he took the ring from the table. He then found that there was a note pressed underneath the ring. Anna was close to him, so she could see what was written on this note. It only had one sentence: I dont want to get married. Leave me alone, please. Dont bother looking for me. After seeing the ring and the words on the note, Jasper fell silent. Anna, who also fell silent, felt that her heart skipped a beat. Realizing that it was pointless for her to stay there, Lily picked up her bag and said, Alright. | should leave now that Ive returned the ring and told her the truth. We dont owe each other anything anymore, Jasper. Do you think youll be able to leave? Peace asked loudly. She tried to stop Lily from leaving. Peace! Rx! Anna shook her head and told her not to get involved. Then she whispered to Peace, Isabe is an adult now. Shes capable of making rational decisions. Now that she chose to marry Jasper, she would not abandon her marriage because of a few words from Lily. If she gives up, it will indicate that shes not mature or ready enough to get married. All of this has nothing to do with Lily. The lounge was extremely quiet after Lily left. Sighing, Anna asked, Jasper, why dont you send someone to find Isabe? She shouldnt have already left the ind. Thats not necessary, Jasper grumbled as he clutched the note, If she hasnt figured it out yet, Ill give her some time. Why? Peace asked, surprised. 524 The Bride Ran Away: Nothing can change the fact that she is my wife now. Im not going? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. to leave her alone for long. He replied coldly. Chapter 526 She鈥檒l Come Around Chapter 526 Shell Come Around Peace wanted to say something tofort Jasper. However, when she saw his somber expression, she shut her mouth. She secretly grabbed Annas arm and asked her what to do. Anna frowned, thinking shed overestimated Isabe. After everything Isabe had been through, Anna once thought she had be a mature adult. Isabe shouldnt have left without exining herself, no matter what Lily had said to her or what had just happened here. Shes in her twenties, and she shouldnt have left with total disregard for anyone elses feelings, leaving Jasper to clean the mess for her. What the hell was she thinking?! Anna thought. After exiting the lounge, Peace asked Karl to contact the police and ask them to locate Isabe At that moment, Anna said, We dont have to go look for her. Shes an adult. She can look after herself But she didnt have her bag with her when she left! Isabe probably didnt bring any money. What if shes in danger? She asked for it. If she wants to leave, then let her leave. She married on the spur of the moment and left without exnation. Shell only realize she was wrong if she goes through some pain, With a calm expression, Anna said. Peace knew Anna was still upset with Isabe, so she gazed at her in silence. Get some people to keep an eye on Lily, Anna said after a while. 525 Shell Come Around od With his brow furrowed tightly, Karl sighed every few moments. Will you please stop sighing? Its annoying! Peace asked, her gaze fixed on him. | didnt do anything! | was just sighing! Youre breathing too loudly! Everyone was used to the two of them arguing, so no one intervened. Soon, Karls phone rang N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Hello? Karl nodded and said, Okay, | got it. Please contact me as soon as you have any new information: As soon as he hung up the phone, Karl resignedly said to everyone looking at him expectantly, Lily is staying at the hotel next door. Jasper has sent some people to look for Isabe in this area, but none of them has seen her so far, Ive told the airport to keep her from leaving. Well, she didnt bring her passport, so she couldnt leave the country. Just as they were about to begin another round of discussion, Matthew opened the door and entered the lounge. In the bright light, his face looked almost identical to Waynes. Then he said to Anna, Mom, the kids are asleep, and Tammy is in there with them. Anna nodded and said, Thank you, honey. You have a flight back tomorrow morning, right? Hows the project going? Its going on pretty well, Mom. Great. Good night, dear. After Matthew walked away, Peace turned around and said, Gee! Even Matthew, a fifteen-year-old teenager is more reliable than Isabe! Looking at Wayne, who seemed to be deep in thought, Anna asked him, Wayne, what do you have in mind? 525 Shell Come Around She doesnt have a passport, so how can she leave? Wayne replied ina low voice. Im afraid shes out of options because were on an ind surrounded by the sea on all sides. She wouldnt swim across the ocean, would she? What if she left the ind by boat? Crossing his arms before his chest, Wayne looked Anna in the eye and said. While Anna and the rest of them were still wondering if it was likely that Isabe left the ind by boat, a private cruise ship was about to sail from the dock in the night. A woman ina ck cloak stood on the ships second deck. The wind was so strong that it blew a corner of her robe up. Her eyes were sad and lonely as if shed been through a lot in her life. Then a man in a white robe and a beard emerged from the cabin. Madam, do we really have to take the girl with us? he asked her respectfully. The woman turned to face the ind and said, Were just giving her arride. Its not as tricky as you think. Isnt that too dangerous? After all, shes part of that group. So if they check. They cant find her fast enough because shes already thrown away her phone. Ill give her some money and send someone to take her Wherever she wants to go after the boat docks. Im not concerned with where she goes after that. The woman sounded confident in herself. Her assistant appeared to want to persuade her further, but he eventually just said, Yes. 525 Shell Come Around s The ship set sail after the assistant had left. And the woman was still on deck, staring at the ind that was getting farther and farther away from her. Her dark green eyes were calm, yet it seemed like a tornado wasing soon. Three dayster, Anna and her friends returned to Ennd. Although everyone was worried about Isabes safety, they could do nothing by staying on the ind. So, Jasper had hired private investigators to find her in the Maldives, and Wayne had asked Ryan to find her in Ennd. Anna then dialed Ryans number. Take your time, Ryan. She knows how to look after herself, so she will be fine. By the way, is Emilying back this month? Yes! | finally got in touch with her the day before yesterday, and she told me that the mission was completed. She woulde back soon, but she has no idea when. Okay. | really want to meet her. Ask her if she can have lunch with me, will you? No worries. Isabe will definitelye back after shes not angry anymore, so please dont worry. All right, thanks. Good night. Anna sighed as she hung up the phone and sat on the couch. Wayne walked downstairs after saying good night to the kids. Are you still worried about Isabe? he asked after hearing Annas sigh. Yeah, Anna admitted it. / told everyone that Isabe was old enough to care for herself these days. But, who am | kidding? Isabe hasnt been through difficulties since she left the ind ten years ago. Because Jasper treats Isabe like a princess, shes likely forgotten how to survive alone. Anna thought. Shell be just fine, Stroking Annas hair, Wayneforted her. 525 Shell Come Around I hope so. How is Gary? Hes already dozing off. Ill drop him off at Moms tomorrow morning. Ill go there with you. That wont be necessary. Dont you still have work to do at the hospital? Wayne stroked her hair and asked. You heard me on the phone, didnt you? Slightly frowning, Anna asked as she stopped Wayne stroking her hair. Yes. Good night, dear! Wayne spoke softly. Anna pursed her lips and wrapped her arms around Wayne. Ill be doing less work now and wont be as busy as | used to be. Tammy cane home and stay with us, she said, pressing her head against his chest. Good, Wayne said as he hugged her and stroked her long hair. Before boarding the ne, Karl told Wayne that Anna was considering volunteering in a country named Fleosil. Wayne was lost in thought after hearing that news. Although he wished Anna would spend more time at home, he wouldnt force her to do something she didnt want todo. After Anna had fallen asleep, Wayne took his phone out to the balcony and dialed Karls number, saying, I have something else in mind for that project we discussedst time. You can tell me now. Ive basically nned everything, and | should be able to find an investor within a month. No, Id like to invest that money in something else. Im not going to put it in the UK. Karl asked, surprised, Are you serious? Can you find a better ce 525 Shell Come Around than the UK? Wayne paused for a moment before responding, Chapter 527 My Family Needs Me Chapter 527 My Family Needs Me The next morning, Anna got up early because she had a meeting. Grabbing a few bites of breakfast, she then hurried to the hospital. At the hospital, while Anna was still putting on her white coat, Nancy barged into her office, saying, What took you so long to get here? The meeting is about to begin! Anna replied, I need to put on my white coat first. Whats this meeting about? | heard the dean is coming. They are seeking volunteers. Ive heard that the epidemic is. resuming in Fleosil, and the International Medical Association is requesting help from all over the world. The small countries surrounding it will suffer if they cant control the epidemic, Nancy spoke up right away. Sighing, Nancy added, The documents in your hands contain all of the information our hospitals doctors learned during their research trip to Fleosil. The situation is far worse than we had anticipated, so we decided to send twice as many teams as originally nned to assist. Frowning, Anna flipped through the files in her hand. She knew clearly what was going on in Fleosil because she had checked the situation before the hospital dispatched a team of doctors to investigate. And she was sure that none of the doctors in the room knew more about the epidemic than she was. Dr. Wright, the dean abruptly said while Anna was still busy browsing the file in her hand. Yes? Anna asked, raising her head. You will be in charge of coordinating volunteer sign-ups. Anyone 526 My Family Needs Me interested in participating should contact you. all right, | get it, Nodding, Anna put away the file and was about to leave for the meeting room. About an hourter, the meeting was over. After that, almost everyone left the meeting room quickly. Patrick, however, didnt leave as most of them did. Instead, he approached Anna and Nancy as they exited the conference room. Good morning, Dr. Wright and Dr. Moore, he said. Yes? Whats wrong? Nancy turned around and asked. | heard Dr. Wright was back from vacation. And | happened to have a few cases to ask her about, Patrick smiled and replied, She wont be able to talk to me once she begins workingter. Sorry, shes busy right now. You can ask other doctors for help, Nancy said, waving her hand Patrick immediately asked, Why? | heard the hospital is sending volunteers to Fleosil. Is that the purpose of todays meeting? Anna felt conflicted after hearing him say this. As she handed Patrick the file, she said, If you have nothing else to do right now, you can sort this out and stick posters on the bulletin board for me. Dont forget to ask the interns how many of them would be willing to volunteer. Smiling joyfully, Patrick took the files and eximed, Really? Yeah! Are you going there, Mrs. Wright? Hearing that, Anna instantly frowned tightly as she herself was also debating this issue then. On the one hand, she wanted to volunteer in Fleosil to help the suffering civilians there. On the other hand, she didnt want to be separated from her family for so long as she had promised them she would try to spend more time with them. 526 My Family Needs Me Nearly rolling her eyes at him because of what he said, Nancy gave Patrick a stern look and said, Keep your mouth shut! Do as Ms. Wright told you, and dont ask any more questions that are not of your concern! Doctor Wright, wont you go there? Arent you going to help the people there, As if he hadnt heard what Nancy said to him, Patrick persisted. | dont think its any of your business, Anna grumbled, wanting to end the topic and leave with Nancy as soon as possible. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. How could it possibly have nothing to do with me? Because youre my mentor, whether or not you go to Fleosil will directly influence my decision. In addition, | heard that one of our hospitals retiring doctors has signed up for the project. You Patrick! Nancy cut Patrick off in the middle of his sentence, thinking, Would it kill you to listen to me and keep your mouth shut?! Cant you see that both Anna and are reluctant to continue the topic, especially Anna? Its a voluntary project; not a mandatory project! Why do you have to make it sound like Anna must sign up for the project? Damn it! You really pissed me off, Patrick! | must teach you a lesson today! Just when Nancy was going to speak her mind out loud, Anna raised her head to Patrick and asked expressionlessly, What exactly do you want to say to me? Say it. Clenching his teeth, Patrick plucked up his courage and said, If you dont go, it means youre scared of dying. You once said doctors are expected to save lives and treat as many patients as possible. But now, you just chose to turn around and walk away from those who need you. You hypocrite! There was no one else in the hallway except Anna, Nancy, and Patrick. He didnt say it loudly, but every word he said was clear and 526 My Family Needs Me shocking. Knowing Anna was already quite annoyed even before Patrick came to talk to them, Nancy worried that Anna would lose it and scream at him. Are you done yet? Anna turned to face Patrick, saying indifferently, which was much to Nancys surprise. Patrick froze. Before he came back to his senses, Anna said to him, If so, then make the posters as soon as possible and hang them on the bulletin board, Mr. Rich Boy. Also, send me the list of those who sign up for the project within three days After finishing her words, Anna walked away, totally ignoring Patrick, who was still in shock. Crossing her arms, Nancy gave Patrick a stern look and said, Do you know what youre talking about? Itis up to Dr. Wright to decide whether or not to go to Fleosil. What makes you think she should listen to you? Besides, even if she doesnt go, she can still help save patients at the hospital. What on earth were you thinking? Dont you EVER think that you have the authority to tell others what to do simply because you learned something in school, MR. RICH BOY! Nancy then took a quick step away, attempting to catch up with Anna. Dont be angry, Anna. Patrick is young and stupid. Dont take his, words personally. She eximed as she dashed into Annas office. Without looking up, Anna ced the file on her desk and said, Im fine. Nancy asked, Are you sure youre not going? You heard me. Im not signing up for the project. Nancy, dont ask me that question again. Ive already missed so much precious time that | couldve used to spend with my family. | cant just go away as | want. My family needs me, Anna raised her head, looked Nancy in the eyes, and 526 My Family Needs Me said. After realizing how determined she was, Nancy stopped trying to persuade Anna. She said, Well. To be honest, | was hoping youd be appointed associate dean through that project. Its ten oclock now, Nancy. Shouldnt you be taking care of your patients right now? Anna asked. Chapter 528 Are You Afraid? Chapter 528 Are You Afraid? At noon, Anna went back to her office for a break after finishing her shift. Soon, Patrick appeared at the door, asking, Mrs. Wright, may |e in? Anna nced at him and replied, Youve already entered my office before I can answer you. What happened? I finished the poster you asked me to work on this morning. | printed the first draft, as well as some flyers. Ill make some changes if you find anything wrong with it, Patrick raised the stack of papers in his hand and said. Take a seat, Anna said, pointing to the seat beside her. Patrick, you can be rude sometimes, but I got to admit that youre a hardworking guy as you never failed to finish the tasksssigned you. Anna thought to herself. Taking a look at the posters, Anna said, Great! You canter post them on the bulletin board. Send the flyers to your coworkers and collect the list as soon as possible. This is just a first draft. Dont you want to make some changes to that? Confused, Patrick asked. Thats not necessary. Besides, you did an excellent job. Those who want to go will sign up, while those who dont will not, regardless of how good your flyers are. Tomorrow afternoon, the dean will tell everyone about this at the pep rally. Standing there silently, Patrick opened his mouth a few times but eventually shut it. As sharp as Anna was, she knew what Patrick was 527 Are You Afraid? thinking, Then she dropped the posters in her hand, saying, You can go there with Nancy if you want. Ill speak with her about itter. That Thats not what | meant, Patrick said after a brief pause, I came here to apologize to you, Mrs. Wright. Im so sorry! | shouldnt have said those words to you in the morning. Dr. Moore told me you hadnt taken a vacation in a long time and you have been so preupied that you didnt even have much time to spend with your family. Again, | sincerely apologize for what | said to you. | shouldnt have judged you like that. Its okay, Anna nodded, I didnt take it personally. How about | take you out to lunch, Mrs. Wright? Theres a new Spanish restaurant nearby, and my friends say the food there is excellent.* No, thank you. Ive got ns for noon. Are you still upset with me? Patrick didnt leave, as if he needed Anna to forgive him badly. After a brief pause, Anna said, Okay. Ill take you somewhereter Sure! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Dont you even want to ask where Im taking you before answering me? Arent you worried Ill kidnap you? Youd never do something like that! Besides, | totally trust you. allright, pack your belongings ande with me, Anna said with a smile. Half an hourter, Anna stopped in a building in a medical school What are we doing here? Patrick asked. He had many doubts in his head; nheless, he got out of the car and helped Anna with her stuff, a Thank you, but | can take these myself. | need to get some stuff from 527 Are You Afraid? theb and give it to the volunteers, Anna said, pointing to theboratory building in front of her, Actually, ve been preparing for the volunteer thing for years. And recently, ve been visiting theb for six months to conduct experiments to study Fleosils infectious disease virus. Although | decided not to go there, | still want to do something to help you guys. And | want to share with you the information | gathered with my other colleagues. In any case, | want to be a part of the action. Astonished by what he heard, Patrick gasped and said, Why didnt you tell me earlier, Mrs. Wright? If you had told me earlier, none of the misunderstandings wouldve happened. I Just let bygones be bygones, okay? Theres no point talking about it now. Go get my stuff and follow me, A bit impatient, Anna interrupted Patrick and said. Alright! Im on itt As she entered theb, Anna waved to a gray-haired man, greeting, Hi, Dr. Foster! Anna! Hello! Dr. Foster greeted back as he ced the paper in his, hand. Following that, several other students in theb greeted Anna. This is Patrick Dawson, my intern. This is Dr. Foster, Patrick. Anna then introduced them to each other. Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Foster. | took your ssst semester, Patrick said in excitement. Dr. Foster said coldly after surveying Patrick, You were Dr. Burtons student, werent you? | certainly remember you. Anna immediately knew Dr. Foster meant wasnt satisfied with the young man he was looking at, and she looked at Patrick thoughtfully. She 527 Are You Afraid? s thought to herself, Patrick must be a nuisance at school as well. Someone as lenient as Dr. Foster could not have treated him any other way. No wonder the deans wife tried to get Nancy drunk so that she would promise to look out for Patrick. Lcame here to see the experiments results, Dr. Foster, Having collected her own thought, Anna said. The results havente out yet because the experiment is only halfway through. Are you preparing to leave for Fleosil? Pushing his sses upward, Dr. Foster asked Anna. The outbreak is serious there, and it has not been widely publicized. My colleagues who went there gave us firsthand feedback, so the dean nned a pep rally for us. | think the second medical team will depart this weekend. Fine. You can go directly to theb. Okay. Before entering theb, Anna said to Patrick as she pointed to the mens locker room, Change your clothes and disinfect yourself before entering theb. Patrick smiled wryly and said,! know the procedure, Mrs. Wright. Thanks for the reminder, though. Awhileter, they began to check the virus. The virus in the petri dish was spreading much faster than Anna had predicted. However, its mutation worried her more than the viruss spread. Mrs. Wright, in my opinion, in the current situation, the most important thing Fleosil should do is iste the patients, Patrick said seriously. It would be difficult to put it into action. Most people there live in slums, and some still work in factories. Every day, they must travel back 527 Are You Afraid? and forth between the outbreak origin and the factory. But we cant even keep up with their infection rate! A little frustrated, Patrick added. Dont worry about it, Anna said as she recorded the most recent data and handed the book to Patrick, The document of the experiments here. | need experimenters now that the first batch of medicine is, ready. You mean Patrick hesitated. We dont have much time left, so we have no other options. I need you to deliver these medications to the patients. Should we report this to the government? Anna said, shaking her head, It will take a long time to file for approval, and dont forget about the clinical data analysis results. In that case, the drug may be rendered ineffective. Whats the problem? Are you scared? Finally, Patrick realized why Anna had brought him to theb. Chapter 529 Don鈥檛 You Dare Covet My Wife Chapter 529 Dont You Dare Covet My Wife Anna had no intention of giving the medicine to Patrick before because he was still a student. However, she couldnt think of anyone to whom she should give the medicine. So, she had nned to sneak it there herself. Patrick remained silent. Anna set the medicine down and said, | was only kidding you! You dont have to do that for me. All| ask is that you keep my secret. Do you trust me, Mrs. Wright? Anna froze after hearing Patricks words. In his cleanroom suit, Patrick looked like a pr bear. Through the goggles, his beautiful green eyes were staring intently at Anna. What? Why are you so excited? ts the first time someone has put me in charge of something so important. Dont worry, Mrs. Wright. Ill bring the medicine there for you. Are you willing to do that? Without a doubt! Since | was a child, Ive been anticipating the fantastic opportunity to save the world. Im so excited! Patrick exined. Anna frowned and said, Stop it, please. You are going there to help the sick, not to be a hero. To be honest, there are risks involved in doing so. I cannot guarantee that the medication will be effective or that there will be no side effects. So | should stay in touch with you and give you timely feedback on the 528 Dont You Dare Covet My. oF condition of everyone who took medicine. Patrick had already calmed down by that point. Remember to take precautions when you get there. Feel free to contact me if you run into any problems, Anna said slowly. will While talking, Anna noticed a man in a gray coat standing outside thebs ss door. Wayne waved toward her. He was smiling at her, but he kept his gaze on Patrick. What are you doing here? Anna ran toward Wayne and asked in surprise. Wayne held up a lunchbox and said, ! went to the hospital to bring lunch to you, but you werent there. | came over because | knew you would be here. The food is starting to get cold. So, eat it while its still hot. Anna said with a nod, Lets eat out. Oh, | forgot to let you meet my intern, Patrick. Patrick, this is Wayne, my husband. So youre Mrs. Wrights husband, huh? Patrick examined Wayne before asking in a weird tone. And Waynes instincts told him that the boy was interested in Anna. Come on, Anna. Lets go out for lunch, Wayne said while reaching his hand to Anna. He didnt even bother to shake hands with Patrick, as if he wasnt aware of his presence. After taking Annas hand, Wayne prepared to lead her out of this ce. Anna spun around and asked, Patrick, have you had lunch yet? If not, feel free to join us. In excitement, Patrick took a big step forward and said, Sure! Should we eat at the cafeteria at school or somewhere else? | know a great Italian restaurant nearby. 528 Dont You Dare Covet My. a Hearing that, Wayne frowned furiously. Apparently, he was jealous. Meanwhile, Anna didnt notice Waynes angry expression. She said, waving her hand, We have to go back to the hospital this afternoon, so lets just grab something at the cafeteria. Great! | love the food there, Patrick immediately echoed. Later, they went directly to the cafeteria. It was mealtime, so the ce was packed with students. Patrick kept his gaze fixed on Anna while he ate. After some time, he said, Can I call you Anna from now on, Mrs. Wright? | think we already know each other well. Almost rolling his eyes at Patrick after hearing what he said, Wayne took a drumstick from his te and dropped it into Annas te, saying, Honey, eat some meat. Youve lost some weight recently. Anna said, without even looking at Patrick, You cant, Im afraid. Im your mentor, and you should treat me with respect. Besides, Im afraid people will misinterpret our rtionship if you call me so. Pleased with Annas response, Wayne removed the peppers on her te that she disliked for her. A bit awkward, Patrickughed but said nothing. He then turned to Wayne and said, Mr. Wright, you seem to be quite a meticulous man, dont you? What do you do for a living? | dont have a job; Wayne replied calmly. Patrick asked in surprise, Huh? Youre unemployed at your age? Anna coughed as she choked on her macaroni. She only felt better after taking a big gulp of water. Secondster, she gave Wayne an awkward look and said, Dont think much about it, dear. He didnt mean to offend you. 528 Dont You Dare Covet My.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Wayne appeared annoyed. However, he couldnt say anything because Anna was present. Does it matter to you? he asked Patrick coldly. Patrick responded with a blink, No, it doesnt. Mrs. Wright is a professional doctor, so she deserves a man who stays at home and cares for her every day. Im not saying youre a kept man. Anna took arge bite of herfood. She thought. Patrick, will you please stop talking? You just implied Wayne is old, and then you refer to him as a kept man. This is so embarrassing! Please take it to heart, Wayne, Anna said, attempting to calm him down. Seeing that Patrick was about to say something else that might irritate Wayne more, Anna gave him a death stare to silence him. She gave him a stern look and said, Youd better stop talking while you eat! Its bad for your stomach. Hearing that, Patrick couldnt say anything because he sensed that Anna was angry. Still, he smiled at Anna as he thought she was cute while eating. What the hell, Patrick?! Anna is a married woman! Shes my wife! And Vmsitting right opposite you! How dare you look at her with affection right at my face! At the thought of that, Wayne was so angry that he mmed his fork against the table. Whats the matter? Anna asked, startled. As things went off, she had also lost her appetitepletely and regretted bringing Patrick there. Nothing, Wayne said calmly. Ill get you a new set of utensils then, Anna said as she stood up and walked away. After she left, Wayne turned to Patrick across from him and asked, 528 Dont You Dare Covet My. Youre Patrick Dawson, arent you? Yeah I heard youre the deans nephew. Yes. Patrick immediately replied. Wayne said coldly, You just mentioned that my wife is a professional doctor. Since you already know that, you should be clear about what you should not do. I wont do anything to you because youve already an intern. But | hope you wont cause her any trouble in the future. Patricks smile faded. He gave Wayne a serious look and said, Before you say that, Mr. Wright, you should figure out who is causing her problems. | was confused why Mrs. Wright couldnt go to Fleosil until | met you. Wayne, | have to say that youre hindering Annas career. Im sure she didnt sign up for the project because you wouldntlet hergo. At the same time, Patrick sneered secretly. When Wayne heard that, he frowned. And Patrick was about to say something when he saw Anna, who had no idea what the two men had just said. Here you go, honey, Smiling, Anna handed the knife and fork to Wayne. Thank you, SWEETIE, Wayne said as he ced another piece of meat on Annas te, stressing the word sweetie. Chapter 530 I Miss You Chapter 530 I Miss You Anna and Patrick returned to the hospital after lunch while Wayne went home alone. On the way back, Wayne received a call from Maria Is Anna there? | called her several times, but she didnt return my calls. She asked. When did you call her? About an hour ago. Wayne realized Anna was in theb at that moment. He said, She was in theboratory at the time, and there was no signal. What happened? Something happened to Matthew, Maria said. Shocked, Wayne mmed on the brakes immediately. He clutched the steering wheel tightly, feeling worried. Are you all right? In a panic, Maria asked. Im fine. How is Matthew doing? His arm had three stitches. | took him back to the hotel after the doctor treated his wounds. | advised him to rest for a while, but he didnt listen to me. Hes working in his room right now. Wayne clenched his fist around his phone, saying a bit anxiously, Dont tell Anna about it, please. Ill get there as soon as possible. Could you gather information about this project and email it to me? Sure. Maria exhaled a sigh of relief after telling Wayne of this. After hanging up the phone, Wayne pulled over to the side of the road. He thought to himself, Matthews been through a lot since he was a kid, and this must be very painful for him. Actually, | didnt want Matthew 529 Miss You to be in charge of the entirepany at such a young age. However, I have no choice. Gosh | used to dream that Matthew and Tammy would live a carefree life and do whatever they want, and/ didnt want to make Matthew take over our family business. But the cruel fact is, | have no choice but to do so because tons of people are coveting our family business. If! hadnt raised Matthew to be apetent heir, those vultures mightve taken everything we have, and worse still, they mightve hurt Matthew and Tammy. | cant let that happen! At the same time, Anna and Patrick both went back to the hospital. After lunch, Anna had been feeling uneasy She walked absentmindedly to her office after leaving a patients room. Anna, whats wrong? Do you want to take some time off? Nancy asked. Anna nodded. She didnt have to work the night shift tonight, so she was free to leave work as usual today. As Ryan had gotten some clues about Isabes whereabouts, she nned to go to Wrights house in the evening and ask him about the clues in detail. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. With an evil smile, Nancy said, I heard you took Patrick out at noon, by the way. Where have you two been? Why are you asking me that? Nancy, dont look at me like that. We just have a regr lunch together. Thats it, Anna responded. | was just asking. Why so serious? Patrick couldnt possibly do anything to you with Wayne around. Anna couldnt understand Nancy because she was suffering from a headache. She said, Stop the nonsense, okay? | have to go to work now. Bye. After saying this, Anna returned to her office and shut Nancy out of the door, Her phone abruptly rang, and she was surprised to find that it was Wayne calling. Hello? Anna said. Honey, are you busy right now? Waynes voice sounded drained Anna immediately dropped the notebook on the table, asking, Whats the matter? Nothing, | miss you. Annas heart began to race. She said, with a sheepish smile, Im not workingte tonight, so Ille back home early today. Ill make you your favorite shrimp. Wayneughed and asked, Did you say that on purpose? Actually, Im not going to be home for dinner tonight. Surprised, Anna asked, Youre not having dinner at home tonight? Where are you going? Why didnt you tell me when we met for lunch? Iwas bored at home, so | decided to see Matthew. Huh? When? Wve already arrived at the airport. Why are you in such a hurry? Is there something wrong with Matthew? Anna asked, perplexed. Nothings wrong. Ill be right back. Anna put down her heart after hearing his exnation. She felt it was hard for Matthew to do so much work alone. So if Wayne could help her, she would be much relieved. She added, You can stay there a little longer, dear. Im worried he wont be able to handle it alone. Okay. Bye, Im going to board the ne. Fine. Text me when you see Matthew. Got it. | know youve been busy recently, but dont forget to eat 5291 Miss You dinner. Im no longer a child! Ive got to go, bye! Anna said. Anna didnt suspect anything. Although Wayne had been staying at home for the past few years, he frequently traveled to other cities. Also, she was preupied with her work, so she never asked him what he was up to. At the end of the day, Anna left the hospital and went home. Mrs. Wright, hello. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. The maid greeted Anna and said to her as Anna opened the door. Honey, help me find my cardigan, Anna shouted toward the second floor. Nobody responded to her. Anna froze for a second before realizing Wayne had left this afternoon The maid walked out of the kitchen and said, Mr. Wright has left town. He left quickly this afternoon, saying he needed to see Matthew. He didnt know how long he was going to be there. Hell be back soon, Nodding, Anna said. While Anna was having dinner, Waynes ne hadnded at Cliatin Airport. Cliatin was a rtively underdeveloped city in the south. However, because it was a coastal city, it drew the attention of many real estate developers, including the Carousel Group. And the project that Matthew was in charge of was located on the west coast of the city. In the study of the hotel room, Matthew was carefully reading the nning scheme on hisptop. Because his right hand was wrapped in gauze and dangling from his neck, he moved the mouse with his left. When he was upied with his work, a man ced a ss of milk on Matthews table. Thanks, Matthew assumed it was Maria, so he said so without raising his head. He looked up subconsciously when he noticed the person still standing there. Surprised, Matthew paused for a moment before saying, Dad. What are you doing here? Just sit, Wayne said as he sat next to Matthew. His gaze was drawn to Matthews injured arm. Matthew frowned as he looked down at his arm. Im fine, Dad. It doesnt hurt at all. Did Aunt Maria tell you about it? Were you nning on not telling me anything? Wayne asked. After a brief pause, Matthew sighed, Its not a big deal, and | dont think you and Mom need to worry about me. Wayne frowned and appeared dissatisfied. After seeing Matthews gauze-wrapped hand, he sighed resignedly. He thought, Matthew, know that thest thing you like is to have people worry about you. Ever since you were a kid, youve often kept it to yourself And its mainly because | didnt take good care of you before. For that, Im deeply sorry. Havinge back to his senses, Wayne said to Matthew firmly, Youre free to leave now. Ive already asked Maria to book you a flight for tomorrow. No. This project is not yetpleted, With a straight face, Matthew refused. You dont have to be worried about the project. Ill take care of it for you. m not going, Matthew said firmly, looking at Wayne. Wayne asked, Why? Do you think Im not doing as well as you? Shaking his head, Matthew said, I wouldnt have said anything if you were taking over before the ident. But youd better not do it for me now. What do you mean? | think theyreing for me. Chapter 531 Can We Trust Them? Chapter 531 Can We Trust Them? This ident is just a warning, Matthew frowned as he said, and Im afraid theyll do something else after that. If you intervene now, they will be intimidated. That way, Ill never find out who they are. Wayne was conflicted after hearing Matthews words. He didnt want Matthew to be in danger. But when he put himself in Matthews shoes, he thought the boy had a point. He knew better than anyone the problems Matthew faced as the president of this group. Do you have a n? He asked. Matthew nodded. Dont worry. Im ready for it. Can |help you in any way? Yes. Hearing that, Wayne raised his eyes to Matthew. want you to go back home and stay out of things here, Matthew said calmly. Wayne froze for a second, as he didnt expect Matthew to say anything like that. He even suspected that the two of them had been adversaries in a previous life. Matthew never allowed his father to be involved in anything he did and thought he was a pain in the ass. Wayne thought things would improve once Matthew grew up, but they didnt. Yet, Wayne was relieved that no one was nearby to witness this awkward moment. You can have more rest, son. Ill be here for a few days. Wayne said. He then stood up and exited the room. Matthew took a sip of the milk on the table after his dad left. He 530 Can We Trust Them?? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. smiled as he looked toward the rooms door. Maria sat in the living room, waiting, She stood up when she saw Wayne and asked, How is he? Wayne did not respond. Instead, he asked, What did the doctor say about his injuries He said they were not serious. Something fell from the top of the building and hit Matthew. The police have apprehended the troublemakers. Who are these people? They bought some apartments in this unfinished building. Though We have spent arge amount of money helping thest contractor pay off the debt andpensated the residents, they still tried to ckmail us. | didnt see these people thest time | came, so Im suspicious about why they gathered there on the day Matthew went there. Theyre not just trying to ckmail us, Im afraid. Hearing Waynes analysis, Maria wentpletely still. Are the people around Matthew trustworthy? Wayne raised his head to look at Maria. Im going to find out who gave out his schedule, Maria clenched her fist. Wayne nodded. Great, Ill stay here for a few days and look into the matter. Ill go back to my room now. Call me if you find any clues. Okay. By the way, did you tell Anna about this? Maria replied, shaking her head. No, | didnt. | told her I called 530 Can We Trust Them? because there was a minor issue with the project, but you werent returning my calls. allright, thanks. Anna has been very busy recently, so lets keep this under wraps for the time being. Gott. After returning to his room, Wayne texted Anna to let her know he had arrived. Anna then quickly called him. Are you already there? Did you see Matthew? Wayne smiled as he listened to Annas sweet voice. Why are you asking about your son first? Dont you care about me at all? allright, Im sorry. Have you had your dinner yet? No, not yet. | just got off the ne, so Im not particrly hungry. How about you? What did you have for dinner? | ate a lot of foodst night. Mom had just brought over somesagna, and | couldnt stop eating half of it. What about | get you some take-out? You should at least eat something. You always tell me | should eat healthy dinners, but you eat nothing healthy at work. Everyone knows what to eat is bad for their health, but we still like to eat junk food when were on night shifts, Anna said right away, Jasper called me today, by the way. He said that he searched the whole ind and was certain that Isabe could only leave there by boat. Thats simple. We can check the boats that leave the ind. Jasper has already done so. However, many boats depart from the ind these days, includingrge cruise ships and small boats. Many local guides use boats to bring tourists to the ind. Its almost impossible for us to track her down. 530 Can We Trust Them? Did Jasper say anything? He said he could only try again. Isabes phone is currently turned off, and I guess perhaps she identally lost it. Dont worry. Shell be fine. Anna frowned and replied, Im hoping so. Ive had a bad feeling all day, and Im guessing its because of her. Wayne said calmly, his brow furrowed. Maybe. Oh, my meals are here. Im going to hang up now. The wind was bitterly cold at night in Cliatin. The only convenience store near Cliatin University was still open. When Anthony entered the store, he heard the store manager yelling at someone. I told you to put the most recent items in the back! And why are you always pouring coffee? A girl stood across from the store manager. She kept her head down but didnt seem to believe she had done anything wrong. Her long brown hair was silky smooth, and her eyes were as soft as moonlight. She pursed her lips tightly and didnt say a word in her own defense. Good evening, Anthony said as he walked in. Anthony! | was about to cal 11 you. Do you realize you brought me a terrible employee? She made me lose a lot of money on the first day she came here! And shes been here for only one day! The store manager expressed his displeasure. Anthony stood between the girl and the manager and said, Its Chelseas first day here! She has never worked before, so she has no idea how anything works. Shell realize what shes supposed to doter. I dont have time for her! Please tell her not toe back ever again. 530 Can We Trust Them? Ill hire a better employee tomorrow. | will apany Chelsea whenever shees to work and train her. Im sure shell be proficient by next week. The store manager hesitated for a while, then said, But | can only pay you one sry. No problem; Anthony replied right away. The store manager smiled as he walked away. Then Anthony exhaled a sigh of relief and turned to face the girl behind him, asking, Are you okay? Thank you, the girl whispered. Anthony shook his head and said, Thats okay. If you work here for a while, youll notice hes a nice guy. Hes just alittle stingy. The girl walked silently to register and began sorting the disposable coffee cups. Anthony kept his gaze fixed on her. You still cant remember anything? he asked after a brief pause. The girl froze for a moment before shaking her head. Its fine. Youll remember who you areter. Do you want me to take you to the police station tomorrow? No, the girl said in a firm tone as she abruptly lifted her head, Im not going to the police station. You can ignore me if you think| ama liability. Anthony frowned. At this point, the girl became apathetic, like a stray cat trying to protect itself. Thats not what | meant. | dont think you should be here by yourself. Anthony exined The girl remained silent. As a result, Anthony could only shut up. After the staff on the night shift arrived, Anthony left with that girl. 530 Can We Trust Them? Anthony had a small apartment close to his university. His parents bought him that ce two years ago when he was a freshman. Heter renovated it himself and lived there instead of his dormitory. As soon as Anthony opened his door, he was interrupted by a man who asked loudly, You lied to me, Anthony! What is this? Are you living with a girl? Chapter 532 Aren鈥檛 You Afraid She鈥檚 A Fraud? Chapter 532 Arent You Afraid Shes A Fraud? Franz, Anthonys college roommate, was standing in the living room with a pink towel in his hand. What are you doing here? Anthony asked. Franz replied, Im here to surprise you. | heard you saved a homeless girl from the beach and brought her home. Look what | discovered! A pink towel! Before Franz could finish his sentence, he found a girl standing behind Anthony. Raising his brows, he yelled, What? Are you serious? Antonys face flushed. He yanked the towel from Franzs grasp and grumbled, Dont be ridiculous, Franz. Leave us alone now. Ill exin this to youter. Refusing to leave, Franz fixed his gaze on the girl. Ill give you two some privacy, the girl said coldly. OK. Im so sorry, Chelsea. Please ignore him, said Anthony. Only after Chelsea had closed the bedroom door behind her did Franz return to attention. He immediately grabbed Anthonys shirt cor and asked, Are you two dating? | cant believe | didnt know you moved in with your girlfriend! No wonder you havent returned to your dorm for a long time. Thats not true! Shes not my girlfriend! Anthony said, yanking Franz away. Really? Then who the hell is she? Im not sure who she is. Anthony sighed as he sat on the couch. When he went to the beach to watch the sunrise the day before, he 531 Arent You Afraid Shes A Fr. = picked up this girl. When he saw her, she was sitting beside a sunk boat. She was shivering all over and appeared to be about to die. She was drenched in mud and even had shells in her hair, so Anthony was taken aback at first sight of her. His friends advised him to leave her alone or call the police. On the beach, however, there was no signal. That day was bitterly cold. Anthony believed that if he had left her on the beach alone, she would have died of cold when the police arrived. So, he brought her back to his apartment. When she arrived at the t, the first thing she did was take a shower. He almost didnt recognize her when she came out of the bathroom. She became beautiful and clean. The girl did not tell him who she was or ask him who he was. Instead, she just asked, Can you find me a ce to stay other than a hotel? Her beautiful wet brown eyes locked on Anthony, making his heart race. As a result, he allowed her to stay in his apartment. You brought a stranger into your home? Anthony, have you gone insane? Franz expressed his surprise, pulling Anthonys mind back to the present. She didnt have a ce to stay, so | had no choice. Jesus! You should watch the news more often! Have you ever considered the possibility that she is a fraud? No way, she doesnt look like a Franz said, shaking his head, What do you want to say? You should let her exin who she is. In fact, | think | should call the police right now. She appears to be in her twenties, so she cant possibly forget her name! She even asked you to find her a job, right? That is insane! Anthony immediately stopped Franz and prevented him from walking to the bedroom. Dont go! Youll startle her. 531 Arent You Afraid Shes A Fr. = The girl emerged from the bedroom while the two were arguing. She stood in the doorway, calmly looking at them. Her eyes were as limpid as the purest snow. She gave Franz a mocking look because she had just heard what he had just said. Then she approached the two men calmly and ced a ne on the table, uttering, | want to pay my rent with this. Antony and Franz were both taken aback. Franz yelled, Wait! Are you sure? How do we know if the ne is a real one or not? You could have it appraised at jewelry stores. The girl then returned to her room without saying anything. Anthony and Franz stood there in disbelief, staring at each other. The next morning, the city became even colder. Yesterday, Matthew realized that something was wrong with the projects nning, so he worked all night. Yet, he felt he couldnt even finish the project because of the ident yesterday. Maria expressed concern as she watched Matthew put on his jacket and leave, Matthew, you havent slept all night. Why dont you go to bed? Ill go to the mall for you. Matthew shook his head before striking out. Looking at his back, Maria felt like she had traveled back in time. She remembered that Wayne always stayed upte working a few years ago, too. And Maria was both relieved and worried when she realized this. On his way to the mall, Matthew received a phone call from Anna. Hello? Mom. What are you doing, Matthew? Have you had breakfast yet? As a person who rarely smiled, Matthew smiled and answered, Yes, | have. Im going to the mall to check out their operation. 531 Arent You Afraid Shes A Fr. How is the project? Wheres your dad? Everything is in order here. Aunt Maria was worried too much. And Dad should be home soon, Matthew replied. He then asked Maria to forgive him for his words. Tell him he doesnt need to return so soon! He can stay and help you for a while. Hell only irritate me if he stays at home, son. Matthew burst outughing. No, | dont think so. No one will know how Tammy is doing at school if he isnt home. Even when hes at home, he rarely cares about Tammy, Anna grumbled. She then went on to tell Matthew which exams Tammy had failed again. Matthew patiently listened to Annas words. Mr. Wright, weve arrived. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Hearing Matthews assistants voice, Anna then realized she had been chattering for quite some time. She said, OK, Ill get off the phone now. Stay safe, my dear. | will, Mom. Anna was relieved as she hung up the phone. Wayne left home in a hurry yesterday, so Anna assumed Matthew might have had some kind of ident. She was worried that callingst night would wake Matthew, so she called him first thing in the morning. When she heard Matthew say that everything was fine, Anna was relieved. Its time to check on patient number seven, Dr. Wright, said an intern standing in the office doorway. All right, | got it. Anna grabbed her notebook and walked out the door. Tell Patrick to get three people in for the surgery observation this afternoon, she told the intern. 531 Arent You Afraid Shes A Fr. Got it. wee Just as Matthew and Maria were getting out of the car, a bicycle pulled across the road. Anthony said as he tried to stop Franz, Lets just forget about it, Franz. | dont want to do this. No! Weve already arrived here. | need to know if this diamond ne is real or not. That way, youll know you shouldnt trust others so easily. Chelsea isnt that kind of person. The hell?! You named her Chelsea?! | remember that your sister is also called Chelsea. Damn! This is getting creepy, Franz sneered. Rolling his eyes, Franz headed towards the mall after picking up his backpack. He said as he walked, How do you know shes not a liar if youve only known her for a few days? Anthony remained silent. After Franz had finished speaking, Anthony said, I still dont think we should go ahead with it. Its her ne, and | dont even think we can take it out. She said she wanted to use the ne to pay her rent! Yes, and | agreed to it. Irritated, Franz wished he could punch Anthony in the face. What if its a forgery? Do you want a fake diamond ne? Anthony frowned as he said, I dont care if the diamonds are real or not. | wasnt going to charge her rent in the first ce. Franz gave him a stern look before continuing on his way. He mumbled, | dont care what you think. Im definitely going to the jewelry store to have this ne authenticated. 531 Arent You Afraid Shes A Fr. Franz, please wait for me The two young men entered the mall one after another. They went straight to the jewelry store on the fourth floor as soon as they walked in. Franz took the ne from his bag and ced it on the counter. Hello, please help identify whether the diamonds on this ne are real or not, he said aloud to the appraiser. The appraiser politely said, Sure. The fee for the appraisal is twenty dors. | have to pay for that? | only ask that you do me a favor! Franz asked. Anthony ran over. Franz! Please wait for me! Franz thought Anthony was aplete fool. So, he said angrily, OK, Ill pay the bill now. I must prove to Anthony that this woman isa fraud! he thought. The appraiser then led them to a private room with manyplicated instruments. After putting on a pair of white gloves, the jewelry appraiser ced the diamond ne on the ck velvet and examined it carefully with a magnifying ss. Are these real diamonds? Franz couldnt help but ask. The appraiser did not reply. Instead, she said, Actually, young man, that isnt the point. The point is that this is an extremely valuable emerald. I need more time to look into it. After a long time, the appraiser raised her head and asked, Does this ne belong to you? It belongs to a friend Instantly, Franz covered Anthonys mouth. He gave the appraiser a nod and said, Its mine. My grandmother gave me this ne and said she got it from her mother. But its thetest model, the appraiser said skeptically. Franz looked embarrassed. He then exined, Maybe my grandmother remembered it wrong. You know how old people have bad memories, right? The appraiser still seemed confused. Then Franz asked impatiently, How much does this ne worth? My grandmother ims its worth $600,000, but I dont believe her. If your grandmother told you it was worth $600,000, she was lying to you, the appraiser said with a smile. Franz patted Anthony on the shoulder, saying, I knew it! It isnt even worth it The appraiser named a number before he could finish his sentence. Hearing that, both boys froze, unable to believe the ne was so valuable. Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Wait, six million dors? Franzs eyes widened in amazement. He had never seen anything so valuable in his whole life. | think this ne is worth $6 million. Because this emerald is one of a kind, it may be more valuable than | thought. It is not only worth collecting, but it will be worth even more in the future. | can call our store manager now if you want to pawn it. He cane up with a more reasonable price. When the appraiser realized how valuable the ne was, her attitude toward the boys changed dramatically. However, Anthony immediately shook his head and said, No, were not going to pawn it. What? Are you insane? Franz looked at Anthony and asked. He saw this as an excellent opportunity for Anthony to be wealthy quickly. Anthonypletely ignored him. He walked away with the ne after he thanked the appraiser. Wait for me, Anthony! You have the right to pawn this ne because it is the rent she gave you. Franz said as he pursued his friend. Anthony ced the ne in his bag after leaving the jewelry store. He said, With that money, | can now buy several houses. But | cant do that to her. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Are youpletely insane? She gave you this ne, so its already yours. She gave you the ne herself. And if she doesnt give you the ne, are you going to let her stay in your home for free? Its a one-of-a-kind ne. She needs help right now, so she has no choice but to do this. Dont forget she lost her memory. Perhaps she 532 | Wanna Divorce That Bast, forgot how much it was worth. Are you sure? Franz asked. He was still trying to persuade Anthony. They were walking through the mall when they noticed a group of people dressed in suits. They gathered around a fifteen-year-old teenager, and all respectfully addressed him as Mr. Wright. Franz couldnt help but notice what was going on over there. He said, Wow! Look at him! He must havee from a wealthy family. When will we get this kind of treatment? Anthony couldnt stop thinking about the pricey ne. | think Ive seen him somewhere, he said, looking at the teenager. Really? Hes got to be a big shot! Are you trying to shift the topic? Lets return to the jewelry store and pawn it for cash. No! Anthony replied, clutching his backpack. The two boys then fought again. However, Franz had to give up after realizing how determined Anthony was. On the way back, Franz began to wonder about this mysterious girl. | cant believe she has no recollection of anything. She appears to have been around, so she must be hiding something from us. Im guessing shes a girl from a wealthy family. Perhaps she became broke and has no choice but to live on the streets. No way. Even once rich, she couldnt have be a stray overnight. She appears to be cruel and unkind. Franz then tried to persuade Anthony to sell the ne again. In fact, Anthony was convinced by him. He was sympathetic to the homeless girl, so he did not want to sell her ne. However, he soon realized that the girl was not homeless. And Anthony guessed she wasnt even from this town because she had an American ent. One day, a 532 | Wanna Divorce That Bast, dl French tourist who did not understand English came to the store. Chelsea spoke to him in fluent French. So, Anthony thought she was definitely educated and most likely from a big city. At lunch break, Annas assistant hung an on break sign on the door of her office. Anna had just sat down in her chair when her cell phone rang. Hello? Peace shouted, Im divorcing Karl right now! | cant take him any longer! Whats wrong? Anna asked, sitting up straight. Meet me at the cafe now. Anna then went to the cafe. The ce was crowded because it was right after work hours. Peace drank an entire cup of Cappino with ice in one gulp. This time, Im serious! | must divorce that jerk! Ill never mind his business again if he let me raise my kids. Anna looked at her watch and said to Peace, Whats going on? Karl and that b***h have started a business behind my back! What?! Anna asked, surprised. He recently sold off all of thepanies he liquidated in bankruptcy. | expected him to do some kind of business with Wayne, but | didnt expect him to invest in Beatrice Jonespany! Are you saying Karl invested in Beatrices design firm? Yes! Is hepletely insane? Doesnt he know that damnpany and Lemon arepetitors? On the way here, | heard the Daydreammercial on the radio! Peace eximed excitedly. Anna frowned and said, Karl didnt do anything wrong. He only did it 532 | Wanna Divorce That Bast, because he wanted to make some money. And youre speaking for him? He must be doing this because of her! | cant forgive him, even if Wayne can. Did you think | would be angry? Dont worry, | wont be bothered by it. With a smile, Anna said. Peace looked annoyed. However, Anna knew she would never get a divorce because of this. With a wink, Anna said, I know what youre thinking. First, you yed pity to get my sympathy, and then you tested my attitude. Rx, | wouldnt me you. Peace immediately said, | swear | had a big argument with Karl beforeing here. He brought some of those dolls she designed home, and | threw them away. | told him to either sell his stock or leave my house. Anna felt a pang of sympathy for Karl, thinking, Peace, you used Karl of not working hard enough and not being a good role model for the children. However, after he started doing something serious to earn money, you wanted to kick him out of the house. What exactly do you want, Peace? But no matter what, Anna still echoed with Peace, But | believe you have a valid point. Lets go to the office tonight and see what Andrew thinks about that. Sure! Chapter 534 Her And Her Three Husbands Chapter 534 Her And Her Three Husbands As soon as Anna got off work in the evening, she noticed Peaces car in front of the hospital. They then headed to Lemons office. The fashion show was about to begin, so Andrew stayedte at the office with a group of designers. Surprised to see Anna, he asked, What are you doing here, Anna? Are you here to see if were cking off? Anna was too preupied with her job, so she rarely came into the office and never attended their Christmas parties. The staff was all terrified to see Anna arrive at such ate hour. | bought some snacks for everyone. Come on, take a break. Will you help me share these with everyone? Anna handed Andrews assistant the food she had brought. Thank you very much, Mrs. Wright, said Andrews assistant. She had recently graduated from college, so she was ecstatic about everything at work. What brings you here, Peace? Andrew asked, his gaze drawn to Peace behind Anna. Peace felt awkward when she saw Andrew. She was embarrassed, not because they had dated back in the day, but because Karl was constantly getting her in trouble and making her feel embarrassed. Anna understood why they were silent. She said, Peace has something he wants to talk to you about, Andrew. Its about Daydream. Andrew solemnly nodded and said, Sure. Lets go to my office. Andrews office wasrge, with a massive stacked desk full of design 533 Her And Her Three Husbands 533 Her And Her Three Husbands As soon as Anna got off work in the evening, she noticed Peaces car in front of the hospital. They then headed to Lemons office. The fashion show was about to begin, so Andrew stayedte at the office with a group of designers. Surprised to see Anna, he asked, What are you doing here, Anna? Are you here to see if were cking off? Anna was too preupied with her job, so she rarely came into the office and never attended their Christmas parties. The staff was all terrified to see Anna arrive at such ate hour. | bought some snacks for everyone. Come on, take a break. Will you help me share these with everyone? Anna handed Andrews assistant the food she had brought. Thank you very much, Mrs. Wright, said Andrews assistant. She had recently graduated from college, so she was ecstatic about everything at work. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. What brings you here, Peace? Andrew asked, his gaze drawn to Peace behind Anna. Peace felt awkward when she saw Andrew. She was embarrassed, not because they had dated back in the day, but because Karl was constantly getting her in trouble and making her feel embarrassed. Anna understood why they were silent. She said, Peace has something he wants to talk to you about, Andrew. Its about Daydream. Andrew solemnly nodded and said, Sure. Lets go to my office. Andrews office wasrge, with a massive stacked desk full of design 533 Her And Her Three Husbands drawings. The table made the rest of the furniture appear small. Please take a seat, Andrew said as he began to pour them tea. Peace was impatient, so she said right away, Karl has invested in Beatricespany! Ive heard that thispany has been expanding rapidly recently. If your twopanies do bepetitors, please do your best to outperform them. | couldnt care less what my husband thinks. Anna patted Peaces shoulder and said, Okay, Peace, rx. Andrew, do you remember that | asked you to check Beatrices background information? What did you find out about her? | thought it was strange when | saw her at Jaspers wedding. What is she trying to do? Anna didnt believe it was a coincidence. She thought, There must be a reason why Beatrice showed up at Jaspers wedding! | think that she is dering war on me. She even pretended to be surprised when she saw Wayne. Pulling, a file from his drawer, Andrew handed it to Anna. Ive actually heard about this woman before. Well, | actually dont see anything wrong with Karl purchasing a stake in Daydream. Peace leaned on Annas shoulder as she opened the file. Then she asked in surprise, She has been married more than once? Through the files, they knew that Beatrice was fifteen years old when her family filed for bankruptcy. She was in high school in the United States at the time and was staying at a married couples home. Later, the man divorced his wife and married Beatrice. As a result, she was granted a green card. Two yearster, Beatrice divorced him. She then became a real estate agent and married one of her clients. A yearter, however, she divorced again. Her second ex-husband gave her arge portion of the money anda 533 Her And Her Three Husbands di small clothing store. That was Beatrices first introduction to the fashion industry. Ive heard of this man! Peace said, pointing to the name of Beatrices third husband. She paused for a while, then eximed, Isnt he a famous director? Beatrice met a famous Fleosil film director on a flight to Chicago after being introduced to the clothing industry, and she quickly became his assistant. Six monthster, they got married andter had a son. Almost no one knew she had been married to this director, and | had to go to great lengths to learn the details. She and this director were also not together for long, but she received a fair share of his property after their divorce. Daydream must have meant nothing to her because she was extremely wealthy. Andrew said. In that case, Karl wont be taking any risks, Anna said. Andrew nodded. Thats right. Im curious about why Beatrice chose Karl when there were so many people interested in investing in Daydream. Anna frowned and began to think about it as well. Beatrice became extremely wealthy after these divorces. So, even if she needed money, she wouldnt have chosen Karl, an idle rich guy. Im sure that Beatrice didnt choose him for his money. Peace mmed the folder shut and tossed it on the coffee table. She said, Thats because the two of them had an affair before. Carl didnt get her before, so hes been regretting it. | m sure he was the one who offered to cooperate! Anna said, shaking her head, Dont be ridiculous! Karl isnt that type of person. Perhaps she did it to get at Lemon. Its part of her business 533 Her And Her Three Husbands strategy. Hearing that, Anna became worried about the situation. Do you mean she might use Karl against Lemon, Andrew? If he betrays us, Peace dered, Ill divorce him. Stop overthinking! It might not be thatplicated. You can have a good talk with Karl when you get home. Dont forget to tell him to always keep his guard up. Im not mad at him. But Im afraid Beatrice will ask him to do something that will harm Lemonter. Im hoping hell be more cautious in the future, Anna said. Karl was already in, so convincing him to leave now would be nearly impossible. Anna felt it was best to warn him about the dangers he was about to face first. Peace was not entirely irrational, so she calmed down after thinking it through. Dont worry, Ill keep an eye on him, she said, nodding. That woman is smarter than | thought. Anna nodded. By the way, hows our show going? she asked Andrew after seeing the drawings on the table. Almost done. Actually, theres something | need to talk to you about. Were having difficulty finding models. Mona suggested a great idea, but Im not sure if youd agree or not. What idea? Weve designed a lot of clothes for adolescent girls. However, we are having difficulty finding suitable models. Could you please ask Tammy to model for us? Anna froze in shock. Tammy? Can she work as a model? | believe she can. She could outperform many models if she were professionally trained. But Im worried that you and Wayne wont like this 533 Her And Her Three Husbands idea. Peace said, | think its an excellent opportunity! You think Tammy is a troublemaker, dont you? You can make Tammy work for you! That way, shell know how hard it is to work. Sounds good to me. Peace remained concerned after leaving the office. Next to her, Anna asked, Are you still thinking about it? Didnt Andrew tell you not to dwell on it too much? Yeah. But Andrew also advised me to keep an eye on Karl. Dont you realize hes just joking with you? In fact, Karl doesnt have to face any risk at all. Even if there is a risk, Beatrice, as thergest shareholder, would bear most of the me. So you dont need to worry about it, Peace. But | dont think Andrew sounded like he was joking right now. So what if Karl did indeed reveal Lemons secrets? Hes always been untrustworthy. With a frown, Peace said. No way! | dont even know Lemons secrets, so how could Karl possibly know about them? In awe, Peace asked, You have no idea about that? But | think Andrew sounded serious. Anna was speechless, so she decided to send Peace home right away. She asked, So? Do you want to ask him about that now? Stop thinking about it! Ill take you home right now. Andrews analysis was far too rational and objective. In fact, there was a good chance that Karl would do something to hurt Lemon without even realizing it. He might not only reveal trade secrets, but he might cause Lemon to losework resources. 533 Her And Her Three Husbands i Anna knew a smart businessman like Beatrice would definitely let herpany benefit from all of Karls client resources. Lemon made a lot of efforts to obtain these customer resources. Anna, on the other hand, believed Karl would do nothing. Beatrice was the only one she had to keep an eye on. Peace was prone to overthinking, so Anna thought it would be best not to tell her the worst-case scenario. After all, Andrews words were still a little ambiguous. When Anna arrived at Peaces door, she noticed someone standing there. He moved his body from time to time to keep warm. Thats your husband, Anna reminded Peace as she pulled over to the side of the road. Peace rolled her eyes as she saw Karl through the car window. She said, Im not going back home. Take me back to your house, please. That wont be a problem, but | think you should tell him about it. | dont want to talk to him! Just take me to your ce, Peace said obstinately. Karl approached the two women while they were talking. Because he was so cold, he walked like a robot. Anna sighed., Okay. Ill go talk to him. Then Anna stepped out of the car. She was startled when she realized Karls face had turned pale because of the cold. How long have you been standing here? she asked, surprised. Almost the entire afternoon, Karl sniffed. Wheres your housekeeper? No one is willing to open the door for you? Anna looked around the house, surprised. Despite what Peace said, Anna was confident their housekeeper would open the door for Karl. Karl said, shaking his head, Im fine. Is my wife here? Chapter 535 Will You Kick Me out? Chapter 535 Will You Kick Me out? Did she tell you all of this? Karl asked. Yes. So, why do you want to invest in Daydream? Anna replied. Karlughed and said, Im just doing this to show everyone what Im capable of. Peace always thinks Im a cker, and Wayne canceled the project of our newpany. So | had no choice but to Peace didnt think of you that way at all. Anna thought carefully about his words before asking, What did you just say? What do you mean that Wayne isnt going to start a new business? He had never told me that before! It wasnt until then that Karl realized he had spilled the beams, so he covered his mouth regretfully. Are you guys hiding something from me? Anna asked, her gaze fixed on Karl. ae At night, the temperature in Cliatin dropped below zero. And there were few people on the street. In the morning, the weather forecast showed that there would be a snowstorm in the evening. But it hadnt yet snowed at 11 pm. All day, Anthony hadnt said much to Chelsea during work After thest customer had left, Anthonys expression returned to seriousness. Anthony then began to wipe the cash register clean. He wiped it slowly and seemed to be in deep thought. Youve wiped the register five times already. It will melt if you keep doing it. Chelsea pouted and said. Her demeanor remained unfriendly, 534 Will You Kick Me out? 534 Will You Kick Me out? Did she tell you all of this? Karl asked. Yes. So, why do you want to invest in Daydream? Anna replied. Karlughed and said, Im just doing this to show everyone what Im capable of. Peace always thinks Im a cker, and Wayne canceled the project of our newpany. So | had no choice but to Peace didnt think of you that way at all. Anna thought carefully about his words before asking, What did you just say? What do you mean that Wayne isnt going to start a new business? He had never told me that before! It wasnt until then that Karl realized he had spilled the beams, so he covered his mouth regretfully. Are you guys hiding something from me? Anna asked, her gaze fixed on Karl. ee At night, the temperature in Cliatin dropped below zero. And there were few people on the street. In the morning, the weather forecast showed that there would be a snowstorm in the evening. But it hadnt yet snowed at 11 pm. All day, Anthony hadnt said much to Chelsea during work After thest customer had left, Anthonys expression returned to seriousness. Anthony then began to wipe the cash register clean. He wiped it slowly and seemed to be in deep thought. Youve wiped the register five times already. It will melt if you keep doing it. Chelsea pouted and said. Her demeanor remained unfriendly, 534 Will You Kick Me out? and her expression cold. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Hearing that, Anthony froze for a second. He wanted to tell her what he was thinking, but he expression. All right, then Ill go clean the coffee machine, he said. He then wiped the coffee machine with the rag. Chelsea kept her arms folded as she stared at him, then she said coldly, Youve wiped it three times, too. Instantly, Anthony stopped walking. Do you want to say something to me? Chelsea asked. She didnt seem to be asking him but rather forcing him to speak. Yes, | have something to ask you about, he said briefly after a pause. You can ask me right now. Fixing his gaze on the girl in front of him, he didnt know which of the many questions he wanted to ask shoulde first. What is your name? What brought you here? Why dont you bring your ID card? Why did you decide to visit this small town? Are you a college student? How old are you? /s that ne yours? Who gave it to you? He thought. Eventually, Anthony decided to go with the most basic one, Whats your name? Chelsea fixed her gaze on him, expecting him to ask another question. Chelsea, she finally replied. | mean, your real name. | gave you the name Chelsea. | just want to know Anthony didnt finish his sentence because he couldnt look Chelsea in the eyes anymore. And how long do you intend to stay? He asked once more. It depends on when youre going to kick me out, Shrugging, she 534 Will You Kick Me out? answered. Anthony shook his head and said helplessly, No, Im not kicking you out! Please ignore Franz. Hes just too vignt. Ill change the code tomorrow, so he wont be able to get in. He then looked Chelsea in the eyes and said, You can stay in my house as long as you want if you dont mind. After the conversation was over, Anthony started restocking the shelves. After finishing this work, he looked at his watch and said, We can leave now. Nobody would be here tonight. Chelsea nced at the wall clock, then shook her head. Its not yet time to switch shifts. Sally couldnt come tonight. | promised to switch shifts with her. Thats fine. Ill tell the store manager. The manager didnt intend to keep the store open in such bad weather, anyways. As they were leaving, it began to snow. Anthony wheeled his bike ahead, and Chelsea followed close behind. Its snowing. He said. Chelsea asked, looking at the back of his car, When did you put a back seat on your bike? | put one on yesterday because | thought | could take you on my bike, Anthony exined, scratching his brow. Lets go, Chelsea said, putting on her backpack and pulling on the back of her bike. She stared at Anthony quietly. She didnt say anything, but her bodynguage suggested she wanted Anthony to take her on his bike. Knowing that, Anthonys eyes glowed. Come on, lets go, he said right away. 534 Will You Kick Me out? A The street was spacious, with stores and restaurants on both sides. A few college students walked down the street, all wrapped in thick scarves and hats. Anthony rode slowly because his bike was old. And Chelsea tugged tightly on his down jacket to prevent herself from falling. When she put on her hat, she felt warm. She smiled, as she had never smiled so happily for the past few days. This is the life / should be leading. Its a little difficult, but everything is real, She thought. The blizzardsted all night. By midnight, the entire city had been nketed in snow. When Anthony awoke the next morning, he noticed snow plows were working on the road. Anthony called the store manager to tell him that he and Chelsea were taking time off. He then made breakfast for two and waited for Chelsea to get up. How about | take you to lunch today? Ill introduce you to some of my friends. Theyre all good people, With a smile, Anthony said to the girl. Chelsea took a seat at the table. All right, she said. And her eyes widened when she heard the news on the TV. Seeing that, Anthony reached for the remote and attempted to change the channel, but she stopped him. Where is this ce? she asked. Thatmercial development is being built on Fleet Street. Is there a problem? Meanwhile, news reporter was at the construction site, as seen on TV. A construction project on Fleet Street copsedst night at 2:10 am. The fire department is doing everything possible to search and rescue, and there have been no casualties. The Carousel Group owns the project, and the groups leader visited the site this morning to assess the situation in person. Well keep tuned Then the photographer focused his lens on a young woman in the distance. And the reporter approached her quickly and then pointed the microphone at her. However, the bodyguards stopped the reporters. And the woman used her hands to block the camera, saying, Sorry, noment. The bouncer knocked over the camera, causing the screen to go dark. The news screen returned to the indoor broadcast in the next second. The next second, the host said, In order to gain profit, the Carousel Group has done something illegal. The head of the Group is not yet 18 years old, so we cant judge whether he can take responsibility for this matter. But there is no doubt that the Carousel Group will be solely responsible for this matter. Shocked, Chelsea ced her fork firmly on the table. Whats wrong? Anthony asked Chelsea in surprise. Chelsea frowned and asked, Where is Fleet Street? Im going there. Chapter 536 They鈥檙e Coming for Me Chapter 536 Theyre Coming for Me Arge number of reporters had gathered at the site at this point. And Matthews bouncers stopped them from entering the perimeter. With his helmet on, Matthew stood at the construction site looking worried. What should we do now, Mr. Wright? Maria walked carefully in her high heels through the snow. She looked worriedly at Matthew and said, Its a problem with the preliminary engineering, but | cant reach the engineer responsible for that right now. Weve obviously been set up. Matthew replied with a frown, Tell the PR team to handle the news. Send me the surveince video from around here, please. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. | already asked them to find the video. But since the power was outst night, the cameras didnt capture anything, Maria said. Where are the people who are supposed to be guarding the site? Matthew asked with a darkened face. They didnt evene to work. Who gave them the day off? Maria remained silent for a moment before responding, Its one of the engineers. But | cant contact him right now. The entire management team is absent. Some have resigned, while others have simply run away. So, | have no idea which was to me. And the Carousel Group has no choice but to take responsibility for it. After all, we didnt tell the public what was wrong with the building when we took it over. The companys engineering department has been debating whether to solve the problem or build a new building for quite a while. Unfortunately, the ident urred before they could reach a final 535 Theyre Coming for Me decision. What should | do? Seeing that Maria appeared nervous and unsure of what to do, Matthew pulled his mind back to reality and signed, Dont worry about it, Maria. Lets start with the PR. Im sorry, but you need to return to headquarters for me. Are you worried that the board will hold you ountable for it? Theyre definitely going to make a big deal out of it, Matthew said. Yet, Maria couldnt hear him because the wind was so loud. Then the snow stopped falling. At the same time, a crowd had gathered outside the barrier fence surrounding the construction site. The reporters, who had nothing better to do, interviewed them and asked about their reactions to the ident. The crowd all took the moral high ground. As a result, almost everyone med the Carousel Group. | heard that Carousel Groups president is a fifteen-year-old boy. Thats insane! Can a fifteen-year-old really run a business? This rich kid must view his job as a game, which exins why he doesnt care about other peoples lives. Exactly! How could their parents do something like this? Isnt there any other talent in thispany? Seriously, are his parents still alive? What are you talking about? Why are you so mean to them? Chelsea screamed. She had just arrived when she heard these hurtful words. What are you up to? A man from the crowd asked her with a tight frown. | should be the one to ask you what you were up to! Snarling, Chelsea was about to approach the man. 535 Theyre Coming for Me Seeing that things might get out of control, Anthony rushed over to stop Chelsea and protect her before he could park her bike. Excuse me, please dont take her words seriously, he said to the crowd. Do you not care about other peoples lives, girl? Why are you defending him? Is it because you think hes attractive? Hearing that, Chelsea was bing enraged. She rolled up her sleeves and looked like she was about to fight them. While covering her mouth, Anthony dragged her away from the crowd. He then took her to a store nearby. Chelsea asked angrily after he broke free of his grip, What the hell are you doing?! Calm down! There are many people there. You cant even beat them all on your own. Anthony patiently persuaded her, Also, do you know the CEO of the Carousel Group? Anthony then cast a subconscious nce at the boy in the barrier. He had just seen that teenager in the mall the day before. However, he had not expected him to be the president of the Carousel Group and the projects leader. Then Anthony thought, He must be a rich boy born with a silver spoon in his mouth. And he must have had the best of everything since he was a child. Frowning, Chelsea said to him, Why would | know him? Im just a nobody. A nobody? Really? Then how did you get such an expensive ne? Tell me, Chelsea, who are you? Chelsea remained silent. Then she was lost in thought, /n fact, / also wanted to ask myself who | am. Since Anna rescued me from that ind years ago, Ive relied on others, including Anna and Jasper. Ive been living under others roof, but none of them are rted to me. Though my life has 535 Theyre Coming for Me be much better after Anna rescues me, | would still dream about the life | had before leaving that ind. Im no one! Chelsea collected her own thoughts and eximed before turning and walking away. Anthony froze for a moment before rushing to her. Chelsea, wait for me! Im sorry! | shouldnt have been so nosy! he said. ae Not long after the news came out, Anna immediately left the hospital, purchased the earliest flight avable, and flew to Cliatin with Tammy. They saw Matthew as soon as they walked into the hotel room. He still had a bandage on his arm and appeared much thinner than before. Whats going on? Anna asked Matthew with concern, her voice trembling. Matthew didnt expect Anna toe. He froze, then looked at Wayne sitting on the couch. Wayne frowned at Matthew, implying that it had nothing to do with him. Why didnt you tell me that you were hurt! Mom and | would still be in the dark if | hadnt seen the news! Tammy shouted, Whats wrong with those people? Matthew, you werent there when the ident happened. So why are they ming you? When exactly did you get hurt? Did you get hurtst week? Anna asked. Matthew felt a headache as he looked at his mom and his sister. Its okay, Im fine. The doctor said Ill be fine in half a month, he exined. Anna blinked away her tears and then gave Wayne a stern look. Then she questioned Wayne, Did you come here the other day because Matthew was hurt? What were you thinking? Why didnt you tell me? 535 Theyre Coming for Me i You really let me down, Dad! Tammy eximed. She was so enraged that then she kept ignoring Wayne. I didnt tell you because | didnt want you to worry about Matthew. Why did youe without telling me? Youre not helping me here, but youre only causing me trouble, Wayne thought to himself as he was speechless. After calming down, Anna asked about the project. Were discussing what we should do. There have been a lot of idents recently, and one thing led to another. I think theyre doing this because they want thend we bought, Matthew said, There are few companies that canpete with us. A Group called Azul was the winning bidder, but theyter abandoned their bid. Im unsure what they want or why they want to do it. | believe Azul Group did it, Wayne said, Ill have Gabe look into what theyve been up totely. Dad, what are the shareholders saying about this? Matthew asked thoughtfully. Wayne responded, Im not sure about that. Whats the problem? These people look like they want to ruin the project, but | think theyreing for me. Matthews gaze remained fixed on Wayne as he spoke as if he wanted to find some information in his eyes. Having pondered for a while, Wayne said, No, youre overthinking it. They didnt say anything about this. Its not a big enough deal, after all. If youre still worried, Ill go back and keep an eye on them. You only need to take care of things around here. Mom. Tammy, since youre here, why dont you stay for a few days? Ill have a guide to show you around. Matthew suggested. Tammy eximed, What? Im not in the mood to go anywhere! Im staying here to look after you. Taken aback By what Tammy said, Wayne shook his head, thinking this was a bad idea. He felt that Tammy would not only fail to take care of Matthew but would cause him trouble. While they were talking, Anna noticed that the door was slightly ajar. And she was pouring herself a cup of tea when she saw someone outside the door. Then Maria entered the room. She looked professional in a light beige suit. Maria, did you just stand in the doorway? Anna asked. No, | just got here. Anna, will you and Tammy stay here for a while? Do you want me to show you around town? Maria asked with a smile. Anna replied, No, thank you. By the way, thank you for looking after Matthew. Thats what Im supposed to do since hes my boss, Maria looked at Wayne and asked, Do you want to go to theunch site for Matthew, Mr. Wright? Right now, the public rtions department is handling the situation. Chapter 537 Why Did You Run Away? Chapter 537 Why Did You Run Away? Everyone turned to look at Wayne after hearing Marias words. Then Wayne asked Matthew, What do you think? Before Matthew could answer Waynes question, Anna said anxiously, Wayne! Matthew cant handle this alone. You must go for him. No, | can handle it by myself, Matthew replied. With a gloat, Wayne tapped Anna on the shoulder as she was about to say something else. Later, Maria exited the room after confirming theunch date. Everyone else then left because Matthew had work to do. Then Anna and Wayne dined at the restaurant on the hotels top floor. Why did you leave Matthew to deal with this on his own? Matthew is still a child! Anna asked Wayne, who sat across from her. Putting his knife away, Wayne said solemnly, Matthew nned the entire Cliatin project on his own. So, if | attend the press conference instead of him, the board will believe that the project has nothing to do with him, whether it seeds or fails. In other words, despite Matthews efforts, the shareholders would still doubt his ability. Hearing that, Anna started to sigh. She couldnt help butin, I told you earlier that you shouldnt have let Matthew run thepany by himself so early! Hes still a teenager! The shareholders certainly wont listen to him. After you resigned, thepanys stock price plummeted. Although the share price was then brought back under control, it was still a knock to the head for Matthews career. He must be under a lot of stress right now, 536 Why Did You Run Away? Anna said while shaking her head. Pouring Anna a cup of tea, Wayne gently said, Matthew is not as fragile as you think, dear. Have some faith in him. Look, Ive brought you your favorite cherry pie. Wayne, you always believe that a man has to be sessful in his career, so youre harsh on our son. Thank goodness that Matthew is talented in business and hes willing to follow your steps. Otherwise, it will be torturing for him if you keep pushing him like this. Yet, you never expected much from Tammy. Thinking of that, Anna began to worry about Tammys future once more, Jammy begged me to take her to see Matthew before we left. Where is she now? Is she truly worried about Matthew? Or did she simply want to have fun in a different city? nee As she left the hotel with her favorite song ying through her headphones, Tammy was wearing a ck down jacket. Sheter stopped a cab and told the driver, Please take me to Cliatin University. Thirty minutester, before getting out of the car, Tammy handed the driver fifty dors and said, Keep the change. Tammy followed Google Maps to a convenience store. As soon as she pushed open the door, she heard a soft voice, Wee to our store. As Tammy looked up, she saw Isabe, who was lowering her head. Tammy instantly smiled, eximing, Wow! Isabe, youve changed so much! Isabe looked up, her eyes brightening when she saw Tammy. Tammy! What are you doing here? Chelsea, do you know each other? After getting out of the storage room, Anthony asked, looking at Tammy nkly, then at Chelsea beside him. 536 Why Did You Run Away? ) Isabe removed her apron and handed it over to Anthony. She said, This is my sister. | need to leave for a while, Anthony. Ill exin it to youter. Isabe and Tammy then went into a nearby small bar. An orange juice, please, Isabe said to the bartender after ordering a drink. | want cocktails, Tammy winked as she said. Isabe turned to the bartender and said, Shes still a minor. Just give her orange juice. her eyes at her and saying, Dont think you can do whatever you want just because your mom isnt here. Tammy shook her head. Says the one who ran away on your wedding day! You just vanished out of the blue and even changed your name! Thats insane! Isabe frowned as she said, Lets drop the topic, okay? Are your brother still doing okay, by the way? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Hes fine. Matthew is a genius, so he can certainly fix this. Where have your parents gone? Theyre still at the hotel. To be honest, | dont think theyll be much help. Well only be here for a few days. So, do you want to meet them? Of course not! You didnt tell your parents | was here, did you? Isabe said nervously. No! Im not a bber like Natalie. | didnt say anything to them. Thats good, Isabe said thoughtfully. She felt she couldnt tell anyone, especially Anna, that she was in Cliatin. Otherwise, Jasper would know it right away. Later, the waiter served them drinks. Tammy sipped her orange juice while chewing on the straw. She asked, So, are you nning to stay here 536 Why Did You Run Away? sad forever? | havent considered it yet, but Ill stay here for a while. Did you bring everything | asked you to bring? Tammy pulled a stack of things from her coat pocket and handed them to her. I had a friend make this for me. You can buy airline tickets with this fake ID card. But why dont you just use your own ID? No, Im not that dumb. Your parents will certainly find out where | am if | use my ID. Saying that, Isabe put that ID card into her pocket. So its really over between you and Uncle Jasper? Tammy asked, nodding. For a brief moment, Isabe frowned in silence. Stop asking questions! | dont want to talk about it. Fine! Im not even interested in that at all. Who is that guy in the convenience store, by the way? | noticed him staring at Isabe as soon as | walked into the store. | bet that he must be crazy in love with you! No, hes not! Hes myndlord. And he saved my life, Isabe exined. It appears you have quite a story to tell about this adventure, Tammy said thoughtfully. | didnt invite you here to hear my stories, Tammy! Did you bring me any cash? Of course! Why did you run away without any money? Here, this is my dads supplementary card, Tammy said, pulling a card from her pocket. No! | cant use a credit card. Just give me some cash. How am | going to get you cash right now? | dont have it! With a pout, Tammy said in dissatisfaction. Chapter 538 It鈥檚 A Deal Then Chapter 538 Its A Deal Then Tammy was holding Waynes credit card. Isabe knew that every time she used the card, Wayne would receive a message from the bank. Dont you have any money of your own? Frowning, Isabe asked. Why would I? My father wont freeze my credit card! Tammy said confidently. Shaking her head, Isabe said, Girl, youre so naive. When youre older, youll realize that your father wont freeze your card, but your mother will. So, what should | do? Should | go to the bank and take out some cash Isabe sipped her wine and then shook her head. Just give me all the cash you have. After looking in every pocket on her clothes, Tammy took out some change. The sum was less than a hundred dors. In embarrassment, she uttered, I only took two hundred dors when | left home. | should have brought along more money. Isabe ced the cash in her pocket. Thank you. Ill tell you when | run out of money. Tammyughed. Do | have your financial resources? Does that mean | can boss you around now that Im your boss in a way? Shut up, Tammy, Isabe said, rolling her eyes. Ive already helped you out. So, you should do me a favor in return, 537 Its A Deal Then right? What favor? Puzzled, Isabe asked. Tammy handed her phone to Isabe. At that time, Isabe was sipping her cocktail. She almost spit out her drink when she saw the live feed on the phone screen. Is that you on the screen? She asked in astonishment. Yep! Its me, Tammy said, c g her head proudly. Do your parents know about this? Certainly not! | would never tell them about this! Are you insane? Why the hell do you want to be a live streamer? Do you have any idea how much effort your mom and dad have made so that you could live a low-profile life? If your parents find out about this, they will destroy this social tform, Isabe said loudly. You should delete these videos before many people know who you are. Where is the delete button? Isabe asked, her voice trembling. No! You cant delete it, Tammy said anxiously, grabbing her phone, | have over 8,000 loyal followers. | y games when Im live streaming, and my audiences give me rewards. Its not much, but its all Ive earned through my own efforts. And | asionally read bedtime stories to them. My God! If your mother found out, she would be so mad. Will you stop doing that? Isabe eximed, surprised. Why are you so agitated? Its not like Im breaking anyws! Having been there before, Isabe knew that going against a teenager would only backfire. Then she sighed helplessly, How do you want me to help you? In a few days, there will be a live contest, and | need you to find 537 me. Isnt the guy in the convenience store a college student? Can you persuade him to ask his ssmates to vote for me? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. And you want to participate in a contest? Isabe was even more taken aback. Tammy asked with widened eyes, You dont want to help me? with me, Isabe! Isabe was shocked. She paused for a moment before saying, OK, | can help you. But Im going to lay down some ground rules for you. First and foremost, you are not permitted to reveal any personal information about yourself to the public, including your school, rtives, or friends. Second, you cant skip sses anymore. You can be a live streamer, but not at the expense of your studies. Tammy said, | have previously skipped ss before. This is not why | failed the tests. Rx! No one will find out about it even if | skip sses. Youve got to be kidding me! Im calling your mother right now, Tammy! No! Please dont tell my mother! Tammy said in a panic. Hearing her pleading, Isabe breathed a sigh of relief. OK. | havente up with a third rule yet. But youd better not get into any trouble. They said goodbye in front of the bar after finishing their drinks. As Isabe had to return to work at the convenience store, she told Tammy to 537 Its A Deal Then text her when she arrived at the hotel. She didnt until she saw Tammy get into acab. Anthonys face lit up when he saw Isabe return. I thought you werenting back, he said. Why? Isabe asked as she fastened her apron. Nothing. Where is your sister? Anthony looked behind her, but there was no one there. She returned to her hotel. | caught up with her just now. So Are you going to stay here? Anthony asked after a brief pause. How long are you nning on staying? | dont know, Isabe had no idea how long she would be in the city, so that was all she could say. She couldnt go anywhere else but here. And she didnt feel like going anywhere until she figured out the thing between her and Jasper. | heard her call you Isabe, Antony said, looking at her. Isabe paused for a moment before nodding. To her surprise, Anthony didnt say anything else. Whats wrong? she asked, looking up at him. | wanted to return this to you. You must need it more than | do, Anthony said, pulling the ne from his bag behind him. You didnt sell it? Isabe asked, surprised. Anthony shook his head. My name is Isabe Thomas, Isabe said, clutching the ne tightly. Isabe? Thats a beautiful name. And what do you want me to call you from now on? | still want you to call me Chelsea. | told you my name because | trust you, but | have no ns to continue using it. Anthony froze for a moment before breaking into a smile. OK, Ill still call you Chelsea, he said. When she saw Anthonys smile, Isabe felt a pang of guilt inside. She wasnt sure if she was using him by doing so. But she was aware that, aside from Anthony, she didnt appear to have anyone she could rely on at the moment. Chapter 539 Playing It By Ear Chapter 539 ying It By Ear The copsed construction site was close to several universities. So, it might endanger the university town and surrounding towns. In response to the copse, Carousel Group nned to hold a press conference to address the public. At the same time, they wanted to publicize the ns for future development to reassure the residents. Therefore, Carousel Group held a press conference in Cliatin the following afternoon. Before the conference began, Anna came to encourage Matthew in the hotel lounge. Originally, Wayne refused toe, but Anna persuaded him to do so. In a hurry, Maria handed a stack of papers to Matthew and said, These are the questions that the journalists will ask here. Ive written appropriate responses to each question, so you can just answer them ording to it. Matthew took a quick nce at the script before tossing it aside. Thanks, but thats not necessary, He said. Mr. Wright Maria made an attempt to persuade him. To her surprise, Matthew motioned with his hand that she didnt need to say anything else. Confused, Maria cast a nce at Wayne, who sat next to her. Then Wayne nodded in approval and told her to leave Matthew alone. Later, after Matthew went to the stage, Maria said to Anna and Wayne Shall | let the driver drive you to the airport? You may miss your flight if you dont leave now. Extremely nervous, Anna said with a frown, I still want to stay here with Matthew. Never mind; | can change my tickets. Hearing her response, Maria froze for a moment before walking away. 538 ying It By Ear Dont worry, Matthew will take care of everything, Wayne said, taking Annas hand. At the conference, Matthew sat on stage in his suit while reporters were photographing him. They took pictures of him so quickly that he didnt even have time to blink. Then one of the reporters began asking questions, Mr. McCarthy, how does the Carousel Group intend to deal with this copse? We will strictly adhere to the engineering n. In fact, this building had a foundation and internal structure deterioration issues before we took it over. As a result, we will not make the next nned changes to it until these issues are resolved, Withposure, Matthew answered the question logically and coherently. The person in charge is said to have fled after the incident happened. Is this because hemitted an illegal act, Mr. McCarthy? No. In fact, we signed a contract before making the deal and we didnt do anything illegal. Maria had prepared a script with all the questions the reporters might ask. However, after a while, out of her expectations, all of the reporters on the scene began to murmur as if they werent satisfied with Matthews answers. Then a reporter abruptly stood up and said, | heard one of your groups car brands was issues with many of its products. Did it happen because of a break in your capital chain? Stunned, Anna stood up right away backstage. She said, Those cars? Why do they want to know about that? What does it have to do with the copsed building? After rereading the manuscript and ensuring she didnt miss anything, Anna asked Wayne, who was next to her, Whats going on here, Wayne? 538 ying It By Ear Shaking his head, Wayne frowned and sighed, saying, -Ten minutes ago, there was news exposing that one of the car brands of Carousel Groups had defects, and the court filing note was also made public. This incident sparked a huge uproar on the Inte. Then what should we do? Can Matthew handle it himself? If he cant, we have to do something to help him, Anna asked, her voice trembling. Meanwhile, Maria had also just learned the news. She frowned, not knowing what to say. As Matthew tapped the microphone twice and pushed the speech into his hand., the meeting room gradually became quieter. The next second, what he said amazed Anna, Wayne and Maria, After we received the feedback that showed one of our car brands had ws, we immediately recalled all of the vehicles in this batch andpensated the owners. Whether the quality of these cars is truly defective still remains unknown, so we will examine and study them further to verify itter. But since you have recalled these vehicles, so you haveplete control over the findings. What if about the actual result of the testing? One of the reporters asked sharply. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Rest assured. A third-party agency will fully supervise the entire process. So, its impossible for us to falsify the result, Matthew calmly answered calmly. Seeing how Matthew was good at ying it by ear, Anna finally felt relieved. And the heavy stone on her chest finally dropped Shall we leave now? Wayne asked, taking her hand in his. Where to? Still immersed in the amazement that Matthew brought her, Anna was a bit confused as to what Wayne was talking about. Then Wayne disyed the news on his phone to Anna. Lets go home. You dont need to worry about Matthew. See, just as | told you 538 ying It By Ear before; the kid is a natural. He can handle the crisis excellently. And Im sure he can handle everything on his own in the future. And now, | need to go back to the headquarters and deal with the situation. And Wayne analyzed to himself, This time, someone mustve deliberately leaked the news about the so-called ws of our brands car during the press conference. Clearly, someone is doing this to tarnish our groups reputation and make Matthew panic. And Im curious as to who the ck sheep is. Following the press conference, Matthew and his staff returned to the hotel. On the way, Maria kept apologizing to Matthew, saying, Mr. Wright, Im sorry. This is entirely my fault. | shouldve predicted the situation and been more prepared. It wont happen again. Im sorry! Its OK, Matthew said in a t tone, By the way, where are my parents? Theyve arrived at the airport. Matthew nodded and continued, Come back to Birmingham with me when everything is finished here. Why? The international racingpetition is about to begin. | want to form a professional racing team with a group of racers. Racingpetition? Maria froze for a while and asked. Nodding firmly, Matthew exined, wMy father has acquired several car brands before | took over the group. It took him a lot of effort to acquire those car brands. So, Im determined not to let my fathers efforts go in vain. The annual international racingpetition will provide an excellent opportunity for major automobile manufacturers to promote themselves. And manypanies invest in racing teams to show off their vehicles to the public. Therefore, | cant miss the chance to clear the name of our group. 538 ying It By Ear After his evening shower, Anthony grabbed a Coke from the fridge. Then, his cell phone rang. When Anthony saw the caller ID, he pressed the answer button. Hello? Mom. What? Hold on, Im going to call Alicia right now. Then Anthony called Alicia three times, but she didnt answer. Whats the matter? Isabe asked as she noticed something was off. My cousin Alicia has run away from home. Its not a big deal because she does it all the time. Shes most likely hiding out at a friends house, said Anthony How old is your cousin? Fifteen. Shes a total troublemaker and often skips sses. Isabe thought, Fifteen. Shes the same age as Tammy. My uncle doesnt have any high expectations of her. He just hopes that she could run his tea ntationter. My uncle lives in the mountains. Ill take you to see their tea ntation when Im on vacation. OK, Isabe said with a smile. Aweekter, Matthew solved the whole thing. Anna went to the airport to see her colleagues off after knowing everything was going well. And Patrick was among the second group of volunteers. Anna told him, Dont forget to bring your protection. Did you bring any insect repellent? Patrick replied, Yes. Dont worry, Mrs. Wright. He then leaned in close to Annas ear and said, I will finish the task you assigned to me and will certainly send you the experimental data as soon as possible. Before Anna could speak, Nancy walked close to them and said, Anna 538 ying It By Ear is your supervisor, not your mother, Patrick. Are you done or not? If you dont leave, none of us will be able to board the ne. Mrs. Wright is only a few years older than me, so she cant have a son my age, Patrick grumbled. Ha! Annas son is only fifteen, but hes about your height. Am | right, Anna? Nancy said with a sneer. Im talking about my age! Age! Wanting the stop the nonsense, Anna interrupted their conversation. OK, bye, she said as she patted Patricks backpack. Patrick then walked away reluctantly. At the same time, Nancy remained at the end of the line to count the people. She nudged Anna with her elbow, whispering, Anna, you are amazing. Patrick is so smitten with you! What? Dont be ridiculous! Im not! Its great that youre not going to Fleosil because it gives you the opportunity to keep him away from you. | was afraid your husband would be envious if Patrick spent too much time with you. Everyone will me me for this if that happens! Anna rolled her eyes andmented, Thats ridiculous! Have you finished counting? Im afraid you wont make the ne if you dont leave now. Youre the team leader? Arent you supposed to set a good example for your team members? Holy crap! Nancy eximed as she checked her watch for the time. She then tucked the roll call into her pocket and dashed towards the security checkpoint, pulling her suitcase behind her. Standing still and Anna watched them leave. She turned around and exited the airport hall only after seeing them pass through security. As soon as she turned around, a girl ran into her. Ouch! The girl shouted in pain. When Anna looked up, she noticed a girl sitting on the ground. The girl was cute looking and looked about the same age as Tammy. Are you all right? Anna immediately helped her up. Chapter 540 Did You Run Away From Home? Chapter 540 Did You Run Away From Home? Ouch! It hurts! the girl kept yelling in pain Where does it hurt? Is it here? Anna asked, putting her hands on the girls arms Ah! The girl shouted in pain Your arm is probably dislocated, Anna said with a frown Dont move, Anna said as she held her arm, Im a doctor, trust me If you move one more time, youll maybe never be able to lift your arm again. The little girls eyes widened in surprise, and she stopped crying. She panicked and looked at Anna. After the girl stopped moving, Anna touched her joints and tried to reassemble them During the process, Anna started making small talk with the girl to distract her. Why are you running around the airport by yourself? Where are your friends? | came here by myself, the little girl replied You dont sound like a Birmingham native. Did youe here for a trip? The girl shook her head So, did you run away from home? Anna asked In an instant, the girl became pale and looked at Anna warily. The next second. Anna attached her joints with a click. Alright! You can move your arm now, Anna said, pping her hands The little girl didnt even react to what had happened. She looked at Anna in panic, then at her arm. She moved her arm a few times carefully 540 Did You Run Away From Home? No, it doesnt hurt anymore. Thank you, maam! Before the girl turned around and left, Anna took up the bag on the ground and handed it to her, saying, Stay safe, my dear. Dont forget to tell your parents youre here. The girlughed and said, My parents dont even care about what Im doing. Maam, you are awesome. Which hospital are you working at? If | dislocate my shoulder again, Ill ask you to help me with it. Hearing that, Anna couldnt stopughing and asked, Are you sure? | dont want you to get hurt again. And Im going to leave now. Anna then exited the airport lobby Alicia, the girl, clutched her bag tightly as she watched Anna leave She stared at Annas back and thought, Thedies here are so stunning and elegant! Will | be as beautiful as she is if | live here in the future? At that precise moment, the cell phone in her pocket rang. And she answered the call Hello? Anthony. Where are you, Alicia? Why havent you returned home yet? Ive gotten a job! Im going to support myself, so | wont go home for a while. What? You have a job?! Who would hire you? Youre still underage! Holding her phone in her hand, Alicia strapped her bag to her back and stopped a taxi at the airport exit. After getting into the taxi, she said, So, what? Someone hired me! Thats ridiculous! You should go home now, Alicia. You should at 539 Did You Run Away From Ho least finish high school! Alicia then told Anthony, | hate going to school. My high school is terrible, and Im not learning anything there. Okay, Im hanging up now. Im very safe here. Dont call me again because you are interfering with my work. Hey! Alicia! Wai Alicia hung up the phone before he could finish. Why is he even more nagging than before? she grumbled. Then, looking out of the window, she asked the driver, Is that a long drive, sir? The driver said, Nope. Well be there in about a half hour because the address is in the heart of town. Is this your first time visiting Birmingham? Yes! Ive heard that Birmingham is a lovely city, so Ive wanted to visit here for a long time, Alicia replied, leaning out the window. She saw many beautiful sceneries on the streets that she had never seen in her hometown. As a result, she couldnt stop taking photos with her phone Why are there so many racing car advertisements at the bus stop? Is there going to be an event? Looking at the racing car advertisements, Alicia couldnt help but ask Yes, these are all Carousel Groups advertisements. The international racingpetitions opening ceremony will be held here at the end of this month, Holding the steering wheel firmly, the driver nodded and replied What is the Carousel Group? Alicia blinked and asked, Is it famous? They are well-known here because they are powerful. Also, their president is very young. Well, | dont think he knows anything about business. Do you know what hes up to now in business? Car racing! Can you believe it? After a short break, the driver kept on saying, You may not have heard of this group, but you have probably bought something from their brand They own manypanies. Well, this is not the point. Believe it or not, the president of the group is only fifteen years old. Alicia eximed in surprise, Wow! Can a fifteen-year-old manage such arge corporation? No way! He can run the business because his father guides him secretly. In fact, | bet that he knows nothing. You see, instead of doing serious business, he beganpeting in racingpetitions. Last week, the site of the project he was working on copsed. The incident made the news. He will ruin the group if he does not take serious business! With her eyes widened in astonishment, Alicia asked, So there are no other heirs in the group? Why do they want a fifteen-year-old boy to manage the whole group? He has a sister, but no one knows her name. | heard that his father had to retire early because he was in poor health. Hearing his words, Alicia nodded and thought fora moment. Seems like rich kids also have a lot to worry about, she thought About halfan hourter Weve arrived, youngdy. Thanks. Keep the change! After getting out of the taxi, Alicia stood at the curb with her suitcase She smiled as she looked at the tall building in front of her, thinking, This is where my dream begins! | cant believe | managed to make it this far! Then she took a selfie with her phone 539 Did You Run Away From Ho wae The location of her interview was on the twentieth floor of the building. And Alicia stood at the elevators entrance after pressing the elevator button At that moment, a ck car pulled up in front of the building Matthew stepped out of the car, surrounded by a group of bodyguards and assistants. They arrived at the elevator entrance at the same time Then Matthews subordinate reported, Mr. Wright! The man in charge has arrived in the conference room. Theyve found the right person, and the application deadline is today. Hearing that, Alicia took a cautious step to the side. She then blushed when she saw Matthew, who was in the middle of the crowd. Staring at his handsome face, she thought to herself, This young man is so good-looking! Is everyone in this city so attractive? Im so d that | will be working ina building with this handsome boy in the future! Minutester, the elevator doors opened slowly. Alicia was about to go in when she was stopped by the bodyguards as there would be no more room in the elevator after they all entered it Alicia was so thin that she could barely fit in. However, a warning bell rang as she stepped into the elevator. As Alicia looked around to see who would exit the elevator. To her surprise, none of the men beside her moved. They didnt appear to want to leave the elevator. Annoyed, Alicia frowned Excuse me, youngdy. Were in a hurry, so please wait for the next elevator. One of the men said Alicia frowned, turned around, and grumbled, Why should | go? | also have urgent things to do now. | got here first, and Id been waiting a long time. Without saying a word, that strong man stared at her expressionlessly Sensing the hostility in his gaze, Alicia swallowed hard. She was terrified, but she refused to admit defeat. Then, she heard a boy ask in a low, clear, and powerful voice, Why are you all standing here? What? Are you expecting me to leave so that the elevator will go up? When Alicia looked up, she noticed it was the handsome boy who had just spoken. And she realized that the boy was not only attractive, but he also had a pleasant voice Everyone in the elevator seemed to be afraid of this boy. The man who had just spoken to Alicia said, Im so sorry, Mr. Wright. Im getting out now. The elevators rm went off after the man left. Alicia couldnt help but turn around and look at the boy again as the elevator rose. However, because there were so many people in the elevator, no one went down until they reached the twentieth floor. They appeared to be working on a higher floor. So, Alicia failed to take a closer look at Matthew We seem to be the same age! Is hea celebrity? Alicia thought. She knew there were a lot of media companies and celebrity studios in this office building ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Hello, Im here to apply for an interview, Alicia said to the receptionist after she arrived at the front desk of thepany that might hire her Who are you looking for? The receptionist asked with a smile Im looking for Amber. Chapter 541 Tammy鈥檚 Double Life Chapter 541 Tammys Double Life Its the second one down the road on the right. The receptionist answered Thanks. After she reached the door to the office, Alicia nervously knocked on the door Pleasee in, a girl in the room said Hello, is Amber there? Alicia cautiously pushed the door open m Amber, the girl said as she turned to face Alicia Alicia was taken aback when she saw the girl. Her eyes were the deep blue of the sea, and her cheeks were the color of ripe raspberries. She was dressed in a dark green jersey, which added charm to her youthful appearance. At that moment, in Alicias heart, the girl in front of her was as stunning as a movie star Are you youre Amber? You look stunning, Alicia stammered nervously Yes, in the flesh! Why are you standing there? Come here! the girl said in a soft and sweet voice as she extended her hand to Alicia, Youre Alicia, right? Thanks for yourpliment, by the way. Tammy had been an e-sports live streamer for a while, and she had always gone by the name Amber. Nobody knew her appearance because she never let the camera capture her face. So, she could understand why Alicia was so surprised So, are we doing the interview now, Miss Amber? Heres my resume Please have a look at it, While struggling to catch her breath, Amber That wont be necessary. Back when wemunicated with each other, | found that you knew how it goes with live streaming very well. So, | believe that yourepetent enough for the position. If youre okay with the sry, youre hired, Tammy said, setting her resume aside, And Ill tell you the specifics later. Im totally okay with the sry. Thank you for hiring me, Alicia said with a nod, smiling happily All right, then. Take your time reading the contract. Ive already signed it, so you can also sign it if you think its okay. You cane to work tomorrow. Tammy took two papers from beneath the table and ced them on the desk. She then picked up her book bag from the hangar and ced one foot on the chair to tie her shoces I still have to get back to school, she exined, so just take your time reading the contract. Feel free to send me messages anytime if you have any questions about it. All right. Nodding, Alicia replied By the way, heres the ess card, Tammy pulled a card from her bag and handed it to Alicia before leaving, Ill send you the code to open the doorter, and you can input your fingerprints there. Okay. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. After Tammy left the room, Alicia still gripped the ess card tightly She then suddenly realized that Tammy hadnt told her where she was supposed to live. So, she texted Tammy and asked her about it Before long, Tammy texted her back, saying, Youll live in the apartment on the top floor of this building. You can just take the elevator there. Reading the text, Alicia let out a sigh of relief, /s this where Im going 540 Tammys Double Life to live for the time being? Anyways, at least | dont need to worry about themute, She thought ae The moment she stepped out of the building, Tammy took a taxi to school. To her surprise, her phone kept ringing on the way. And Tammy swallowed hard when she saw the caller ID Hello? Mom, she said cautiously as she pressed the answer button Dont leave after school is over today. Ill pick you up, Anna said softly Why? Youll be walking in the show tomorrow, and tonight is the final rehearsal, remember? Your Aunt Emily ising back, so Im taking you home for dinner. Is Emily back? She hasnt been back in months, Tammy eximed Yeah, so Ill take you to meet her. And Im not sure how long shell be here this time. | can take a cab there myself, mom. You really dont have to pick me up yourself. Im getting out of work early today, so Ill just pick you up on the Way. Oh, fine, Frowning, Tammy said in dissatisfaction Wait! Arent you supposed to be in ss right now? Why did you pick up the phone immediately right after | called you? Did you skip ss again? Anna asked suspiciously No, | didnt! | was supposed to have a gym ss now, but Im not feeling well. So, | asked for a leave. Im going to have to hang up now. My teacher ising. Bye! Tammy quickly hung up the phone and exhaled a sigh of relief. She thought to herself, Well, technically, | wasnt lying to mom. Ummm At least | didnt lie to her about having a gym ss today. Anyways, | hope that mom wouldnt find out about it. Otherwise, | will suffer tonight At her office, Anna felt as if she couldnt breathe because the phone hung up before she could finish her sentence Sensing that Anna was annoyed, Peace, who was sitting opposite her, asked, Whats the problem? Why are you so serious? Enraged, Anna mmed her phone down on the table and grumbled, | suspect that Tammy skipped ss again. Otherwise, she wouldnt have been able to answer my call! It doesnt matter. Tammy isnt a study material, is she? As she ate her nachos, Peace said Rolling her eyes, Annamented, So? Of course, | know she hates to study. But what kind of future if she drops out at such a young age? Its fine. You have enough money to support her anyway, Wiping her mouth with the tissue, Peace said calmly Are you serious, Peace? Anna asked, grabbing the te of nachos in front of her. Then she changed the topic, Youre not worried about Beatrice now, are you? Why should | be worried? Peace crossed her legs and said proudly, Karl is now responsible for taking care of the kids on his own, and he is too busy to deal with Beatrice. He wouldnt have the energy to cheat even if he wanted to. And | fired all of the housemaids. That way, he could experience the fun of raising children on his own. Good for you! Anna said and even wanted to give Peace a standing ovation Thats what has happened to me recently. So, how are things going with you, Anna? You didnt cry when you realized you couldnt sign up for the volunteering project? Anna chuckled and said, Im not sad at all. | know | have to maintain the bnce between my work and family. Theres been a lot going on at home recently, and Matthew got injured. him to let him know that Im always there for him. Peace stared at Anna for a long time before saying, In fact, Ive always had a feeling that youll go to Fleosil for the project sooner orter My intuition has always been correct, believe me. Anna shook her head, lowering her head to drink her coffee. She then reminded Matthew toe home for dinner tonight via text message wee In thete afternoon, a group of people gathered for a meeting at the office of a mediapany owned by the Carousel Group. Their most recent task was to do publicity for the racingpetition Then one of Matthews subordinates said to him, We are participating in thepetition to highlight our brands innovative and performance advantages. And weve put the racers through their paces for the race team. Please take a look at the final list of participants, Mr.Wright. After looking through the list of people on the slide, Matthew asked, Kevin was previously banned from racing for three years because he was involved in high-speed racing. Is he now qualified for the competition? The person in charge exined, His three-year ban was lifted earlier 540 Tammys Double Life than expected. He previously donated half a million dors to the slums and is now a charity ambassador. After that Matthew sighed and interrupted, I dont care about that. Just find someone else to rece him. The event is a fantastic opportunity for our brands to showcase their vehicles, and its especially important for ourpany. We have just got started in the car industry. So, we cant afford to make even the smallest mistake. But, Mr. Wright, Kevin has consistently been ranked in the top three We cant guarantee that other contestants will finish in the top ten if we rece him. Please show me the list. Here it is, the assistant said as he handed over the list to Matthew Matthew looked through the list on the screen. Put Jayden in his ce, he said halfway through Jayden? Everyone started murmuring Mr. Wright is a neer. Hes done well in all of his previouspetitions, but hes neverpeted in anything like this. Yeah! Jaydens too young for this. For a brief moment, Matthews phone, which was on the table, lit up Then he saw a text message Anna sent him: Matthew, Ryan, and Emily areing back home. Remember to go to the Wrights house tonight for dinner. Love you! After reading the text, Matthewughed. He then raised his head and said to his employees, Thats it. ce Jayden on the field and Kevin on the bench. Hearing that, the crowd looked at each other in surprise. Matthew Chapter 542 The Family Gathering Chapter 542 The Family Gathering Aunt Emily, where did you go on your mission this time? Last month, | saw on the news that special forces were rescuing hostages in Irnd. Did you go there? Have you ever seen any drug gangs? What do the drug lords look like? Tammy kept asking questions as soon as she saw Emily Anna handed Tammy a ss of orange juice and asked, Will you shut up for a minute? Emily cant tell you that because these are top secrets Why are you asking so many questions, by the way? Aunt Emily cant talk about it, but that doesnt mean | cant ask her about it, Tammy said, shaking her head Please dont tell your ssmates about this, or youll get your aunt in trouble. Do you know how strict the armys discipline is? Shaking her head helplessly, Anna said Okay, okay. | already know that. | never mentioned that my aunt is a soldier at school. Will you please stop nagging, mom? Tammy asked mockingly Then Emily said with a smile, Thanks. | missed you guys terribly when | was away. Let me propose a toast to all of you for helping me take care of my child. And your husband, Natalie added, winking Hearing that, Ryan gave Natalie a stern look and said, Thats nonsense! | dont need anyone else to look after me! Didnt | take care of youst month when you had a fever? Natalie questioned Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. How dare you mention that! | asked you to bring me a ss of water, but you gave me hot water! | got a blister on my tongue, and it hasnt even healed now! Youre ming me now? Why didnt you say that when you were weakly lying in bed? Natalie asked loudly Knowing the argument between them might ruin the family gathering, Anna made a stop motion and said, Ryan, Natalie, Emily is still giving us a toast right now. Will you two be quiet? Feeling awkward, they immediately stopped arguing. Everyone then raised their sses to Emily. After that, Emily asked how things were going at home. Is everything all right with Peace? | havent seen her in quite some time. Anna responded with a nod, Shes all right. They are still our biggest source of gossip . After noticing that Matthew had been silent, Emily asked him, Are you still working at the group, Matthew? Are your wounds healed? Matthew nodded, his serious expression mirroring that of his father, who sat beside him. Im almost recovered, thank you for asking, he replied Anna felt heartbroken as she thought of his injury. Then she said, I told him not to go to the construction site alone, but Wayne said it would help him be more independent. He got injured just as he stepped to the construction site. Matthew said, shaking his head, Im fine, mom. Aunt Emilys job is much more dangerous than mine, but she has neverined about ee Emily said, To be honest, Im exhausted and even want to retire now Matthew, youve always been a considerate boy, right? Oh, by the way, do you have a girlfriend yet? My brother is only fifteen years old now and doesnt have a girlfriend yet. However, some of us are old enough to get married. Right? Tammy asked, elbowing Natalie next to her Then Everyone turned to look at Natalie. Under everyones gaze, Natalie had grease stains on her hands and face as she ate a chicken wing with her head down. She was licking her fingers when she noticed everyone staring at her. And she asked, Why are you all staring at me? Im not in a rush to get married. Im still young! Anna yanked Waynes sleeve from beneath the table, reminding him it was time to speak. Natalie was, after all, his aunt When Wayne realized Natalies hands were full of grease, he frowned at her. Forget it. Its none of my business, he whispered Surprised, Anna lowered her voice, What? Mr. Carter has already discussed this with us. He didnt appear to be joking. Mr. Carter is old, so hes maybe confused, With a shrug, Wayne answered carelessly | think maybe youre confused! Anna retorted When Jennie noticed Anna and Wayne muttering with their heads down, she asked with suspicion, What are you two talking about? Who is Mr. Carter? Nothing, Anna replied, raising her head up Sensing that Jennie was looking at him with suspicion, Wayne exined calmly, Last month, Anna, Natalie, and | went to Mr. Carters house for his birthday party. Mr. Carterter asked if Natalie was seeing anyone. Taken aback, Jennie asked while handing a tissue to Natalie, who choked on water just now, Anna, is Wayne telling the truth? Anna nodded, Yes. Mr. Carter has a son named Harry, and he is now the family groups chairman. The next moment, Peter cut Anna off before she could finish her sentence. No, Im not going to agree to that, he said Why? Have you ever met Harry, Dad? Jennie asked in surprise Unhappily, Peter said, Ive never met him, but Im not going to agree to Natalie marrying him. He doesnt seem to be proposing this because he thinks Natalie is a good girl, but for another reason. Id rather she marry a normal guy. We are different from the Carters because we do not need to rely on our childrens marriages to help our family business. Actually, the rumors arent always true. | still think you should meet Harry before making your decision, Anna said No, | would never disagree with that. None of you have the authority to decide Natalies marriage but herself, Peter put down his fork, So, dont bring this up again. Im tired now, so please excuse me. Then Peter stood up and was ready to leave Seeing that, Anna was about to say something, but Wayne cut her off And Natalie, who noticed that her dad was upset, dropped the chicken wings, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and ran away, saying, Im not marrying anyone, Dad. Id like to spend the rest of my life at home. Dont listen to them! Later, Peter and Natalie walked out of the dining room. Ryan sighed and said, | knew Grandpa wouldnt approve of the proposal. Frowning, Jennie asked, Ryan, you know about this as well? Howe no one told me of it? | wanted to mention it, but no one asked me about it, Ryan sighed Having put her ss of water down, Anna said, Ive met Harry a few times and think he seems like a nice guy. Yet, Grandpa believes he wants to marry Natalie for the money. However, | quite understand why Grandpa is opposed to the idea. After all, Harry was divorced once and has a child with his ex-wife. Jennie eximed immediately, her eyes widened in astonishment, Huh? Natalie will be a stepmother to his kid if she marries him. Emily nodded, Isnt that a pain in the neck? Natalie can totally marry a young man her own age. | dont think it seems right either, Jennie said, nodding Anna couldnt exin it because she thought it was tooplicated However, when she talked to Harryst month, she noticed that he seemed to have known Natalie for a long time. He wasnt doing it for the Wrights money, as Peter assumed Knowing what was going on in Annas mind, Wayne patted her shoulder and said, Well, maybe you should stay out of this. Youve only met Harry a few times and dont know him very well. How do you know if hes doing it for the money? Anna nodded, thinking he had a valid point. She thought, They are right. | shouldnt bet on Natalies happiness for the rest of her life gB Melina Levine a Chapter 543 The Runway Show Chapter 543 The Runway Show Natalie followed Peter and entered his room with him. She said, Dad, its still early. Why dont we y chess? Im not in the mood, Peter said tly Are you mad because of what they said about me? With a worried look, Natalie asked Peter Why shouldnt I? Do you want to get married to that guy simply for the business interests of our family? Youre my little girl. | wont let it happen! Hearing that, Natalie said with a cheeky smile, Dad, you really dont have to worry about it. Matthew is now running thepany, and | am his grandaunt. He will not exchange my marriage for anything. Besides, we dont even have to do that. Our family business is doing great! Much to Natalies surprise, Peter didnt soften his face after hearing her words. Instead, he frowned, lost in thought. Well, Natalie, actually, the Carousel Group has faced many difficulties in recent years. Moreover, ever since Matthew took over the group, the board members have been giving him a hard time because they doubt that a young boy like him isntpetent enough to run such arge group at such a young age Moreover, Matthew is indeed inexperienced in managing the Carousel Group. And Wayne has to help him frequently even though he has already announced his retirement. s! [just want you to live a carefree life. So, | rarely mentioned what was going on in our family business. Youre an innocent and simple girl. And 1 want you to be yourself. But, sometimes, | fear that you will get hurt because youre innocent and simple As Peter had remained silent for a long time, Natalie realized something was wrong. So she asked, Whats the problem, Dad? Is there something wrong with our companies? No. Everything is fine, Natalie, Peter smiled and answered Thats good. Dont worry about me, Dad. | dont want to get married at all! | just want to be at home with you. If | get married, Ill have to care for my inws and my husband. | dont want to do that! ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Natalie spent every day at home watching TV shows, wishing she could stay home for the rest of her life. And she had always been content with her life and considered herself the happiest person in the world. As a result, she had no desire to get married at all ee The next day, Lemons runway show was held at a downtown luxury hotel Anna was nervous because Tammy was about to walk on stage. She was afraid Tammy would make a mistake and ruin the show that Andrew had worked so hard on for the past year. So, she paced back and forth backstage with a worried look Dont be so nervous! Come sit in front with me, After Anna repeatedly told Tammy to focus, Peace couldnt take it any longer and said But Im still worried about Tammy, Frowning, Anna looked Peace in the eye and said Just chill, okay? Tammy got this. Please have some faith in your daughter. Its not like the first time that shes done it. You know how good she is on the runway. Now, rx and find ourselves seats before someone else takes the seats in the front, Rolling her eyes at Anna, Peace said impatiently All right, Anna said reluctantly and followed Peace Someone tapped Anna on the shoulder shortly after she took her seat, calling, Anna. Hearing that, Anna turned her head and smiled as she recognized Monas voice. Today, Mona was dressed in a strappy pantsuit and a cashmere jacket Mona? What brings you here? Anna looked at her stomach and said, Its crowded here. Monaughed as she held her belly, My due date has passed for a week. The doctor advised me to go out more instead of staying home all the time. Good, then you should get out of the house more often, Anna said with a smile Sitting next to her, Peace handed Mona a bag of potato chips and said, | think your kid will probably be azy bone. They wont even move in your stomach. Would anyone bezier than you? Anna asked, rolling her eyes Im serious. Mona said that she hadnt felt a single movement from her baby when she was more than six months pregnant, and she wondered if something was wrong with the baby. So, she went to the hospital for a checkup, but everything was normal. Guess what? She was nearly eight months pregnant when the child kicked her for the first time. Mona, too, couldnt help butugh. She said, Yep, thats azy kid. Awhileter, Emily and Ryan arrived with their baby, Zac, who was a spitting image of Ryan but had pink cheeks and a round little tummy When Zac saw Anna, he extended his chubby little hand and said, Aunt Anna, hug! Anna then snatched him from Ryans grasp, eximing, Wow! Youve gained a lot of weight, havent you, Zac? Zac smiled and kissed Anna on the cheek. Emily was jealous because Zac had refused to hug her since she arrived home Seeing Emily was a bit upset, Ryan took her hand andforted her, Honey, dont be sad. You dont spend much time at home. So, Zac might be shy when seeing you. Just give him some time, honey. Youre his mom He loves you! At that point, the music began to y and the first model went on the stage The outfit is designed by a designer who just graduated from college, Mona exined to them. She was involved in the design process of each item, so she knew a lot of the details Its quite nice, Anna said, nodding. Suddenly, she thought of something, so she turned around and asked, By the way, isnt Daydreams show also held today? Has their show begun as well? Mona nodded and looked around the stage. Fortunately, we devised a backup n and invited many other celebrities. Two-thirds of those on the original list did not show up at our show as they have promised. Hearing her words, Anna frowned. At that point, she was more convinced that Beatrice was a strong opponent. Then she asked, What? Two-thirds of them didnt make it to our show? Did they tell us they changed their mind before the show began? Certainly not! Beatrice wouldnt allow them to do so because she didnt want us to have time to prepare. She poached those celebrities from our list, although there are many other celebrities in the entertainment industry. She only did it to catch us off guard! We have a long history of working with these celebrities. So, we know what Daydream is up to, but they dont. But why would they do that? Anna asked. Then she reasoned to herself, Most of the celebrities we invited have previously coborated with ourpany. They know that breaking a contract is a minor offense, but offending a partner is a major blunder. Not to mention that theyre well aware of Lemons rtionship with the Carousel Group. | just cant see why they would take such a big risk What kind of offer can Daydream make to persuade so many people to offend Lemon and Carousel? Anna asked You mean they went not because the offer was good but because Beatrice might know their secrets? Mona asked Peace casually said, Is it difficult to tell? Almost every celebrity in showbiz has their dark side. Seemingly enlightened, Monas eyes glowed. Then she said in a hurry before standing up, | have to go backstage now. Watch your step, Anna yelled behind Monas back while Mona walked away happily as if she hadnt heard anything Shaking her head, Peace said, Shes about to have a baby! Why does she still walk around like that? She had better not give birth backstageter. Shh, Monas fine. You dont have to worry about her, Anna said You knew she wasing here to make sure the show would go smoothly, but why didnt you ask her not toe beforehand? Why do you act like you have nothing to do with Lemon while youre the biggest shareholder of it? Peace said in dissatisfaction Actually, | dont have the energy to run thispany. You see how busy | am at the hospital! Last year, | told Andrew at the shareholders meeting that | wanted to sell my shares to him for a low price. But he was not interested in it. And it took me quite some time to persuade him to agree to the proxy shareholding. ae As the lights in the venue changed, the first show of one collection ended. The second collection was all about clothing for young girls Tammys here! Peace said excitedly as soon as she spotted Tammy She then quickly took out her phone and prepared to take pictures of Tammy. Meanwhile, Peace kept waving towards the stage, looking more excited than Anna Wearing a stunning blue dress, Tammy walked on the stage withposure. The hem of the dress was studded with diamonds, and they shone like the entire gxy. While posing for the photo, Tammy winked at Peace with her right eye. The next second, everyone started pping, and some were taking pictures of Tammy Peace eximed cheerfully, Amazing! She looks like a professional model! Guys at her school must be crazy about her, right? By the way, why isnt Matthew here? Is he busy with something else? Anna replied, I just called him, and he said Jasper had sent Tammy something from the United States to the office. He was on his way to her apartment to deliver the package. The apartment? You mean the duplex on the buildings top floor, right? Is Tammy still staying there? Thats right. She would rather live there than at home. That breaks my heart. Hearing Annas words, Peaceughed and asked, You know, | get her Every time she came home, you would keep nagging at her. | wouldnt go home either if | were Tammy. Oh, and now youre lecturing me? Dont you forget that you guys are spoiling her more often than me. And you have to be med for it, too. Chapter 544 Stay Away From Me! Chapter 544 Stay Away From Me! While the fashion show was going on, a ck car arrived at the office building. Matthew stepped out of the car, carrying arge delivery box. He then told the driver, You dont have to wait for me. You can get off work now. Thanks, Mr. Wright. The car drove off as Matthew walked into the building. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. As soon as Matthew left the elevator, he saw the door to the apartment. When he opened the door, he heard the sound of running water from the bathroom /s it Tammy? But Didnt she go to Lemons show today? Is this show over now? Thinking of that, Matthew removed his jacket and ced the box on the table. He then took a can of lemon tea from the refrigerator At the same time, Alicia was taking a hot bath in the bathroom. She thought, This city is fantastic! Even the hot water here is better than that in my hometown. Ambers apartment is wonderful! Ive always wanted to live in a beautiful house like this one After the shower, Alicia wrapped herself in arge bath towel. She looked around before realizing she hadnt brought her clothes with her And she paused for a moment before deciding to go out and get her clothes, assuming that she was the only one there. Then she walked out of the bathroom The instant she saw a boy standing in the living room, she screamed Panicked, Amber dashed back into the bathroom, shut the door, and yelled, Who are you?! What are you doing here?! Hearing that, Matthew froze. He frowned and asked, | should be the one to ask you that. How the hell did you get into MY HOUSE? What? What are you talking about? This is Ambers house! Who is Amber? And who the hell are you? Matthew asked as he approached the bathroom. Knowing that Tammy often forgot to lock the door when she left the house, Matthew thought, 7he girl must have snuck in the house. What is she up to? Also, who the hellis Amber? In the bathroom, Alicias face had turned pale from fear. She stood in the bathroom helplessly, only wearing a bath towel. And she regretted not taking the phone into the bathroom right now. Then, through the translucent bathroom door, she saw Matthew standing just outside the door. And when she saw the toilet plunger next to her, she came up with an idea The next second, Alicia yanked open the bathroom door and dashed out, holding the toilet plunger in the air. p*****t! she yelled while pointing the plunger at the boy a few steps away. Dont get any closer! Ill call the cops right now if you get any closer! Youve got to be kidding me! | should be the one to call the police! With a long face, Matthew said impatiently Alicias heart skipped a beat when she saw his arrogant demeanor And she snarled, Dont think they wont believe youre a p*****t just because youre a cute guy! For the record, YOU BROKE INTO MY HOUSE! | own this ce! Who are you to call me a p*****t?! Are you out of your mind? Matthew snarled back, his face flushing from anger Youre insane! This is my bosss house, not yours! Who is your boss? Alicia quickly grabbed her phone from the coffee table before 543 Stay Away From Me! Matthew could finish his sentence. Im calling the police right now, she said as she dashed behind the couch OK, call them as you want, Matthew said, nodding his head withposure. After saying that, he turned around and walked away Where are you going? You cant leave here! Alicia yelled Its my house, so | can do whatever | want here. Why should | listen to you? Without even turning around, Matthew replied with hostility. He then opened the refrigerator door, took a packet of ice from it, and ced it on his forehead as Alicia just hit his forehead with the plunger. He thought, 7hat lunatic almost poked me in the eye! Even if she doesnt call the police, | will! Wait a minute! Im calling them right now. Alicia held the phone in her left hand and clutched the bath towel she was wearing with her right hand. She couldnt find a ce to put the toilet plunger, so she threw it on the floor. In a panic, she dialed 911 Why dont you stay in the bedroom? Matthew asked impatiently Why? Alicia asked, her gaze fixed on him The police will be here in a few minutes. Do you want them to see you dressed like this? Im free to wear whatever | want because Im at my bosss house! Its none of your business! Fine, Matthew said, I dont care. He sat on the couch and applied an ice pack to the bruise on his head. At that moment, he already had a rough guess as to why Alicia got into the house Who is this girl in your apartment? he texted Tammy while waiting for the police. At the time, Tammy was walking the runway. So, she didnt have time to check her phone Then Alicia gripped the bath towel tightly. After that, she was surprised to find that she couldnt tie the towel after the water dried on her body. She panicked, and she could only move slowly towards the bedroom Meanwhile, Matthew appeared much calmer and rxed inparison to her. He was bored, so he grabbed his phone and began ying Tetris Seeing that, Alicia thought to herself, What the hell are you thinking? Why are you still in the mood for ying games when you broke into someone elses house? Alicia was enraged, but she needed to change her clothes desperately. After entering the bedroom, she quickly locked the door Hearing the door closing, Matthew cast a cold nce at the bedroom door ee Meanwhile, Lemon was in the second half of his show. And Wayne, Anna, and their friends were chatting in the front row of the audience Peace disyed the news on her phone to Anna. She said, Mona is amazing! She immediately bought rumors from the press about those celebrities. Anna said, Shes been here for a long time, so she has plenty of experience. Shes not the same little girl who just graduated from college. Seems like youre very proud of her. Why shouldnt | be? Im kind of her mentor. And she learns from the best mentor. Wow! Professor Wright! Youre really good at bragging! 543 Stay Away From Me! = While Anna and Peace were still bickering, Monas secretary ran out of the backstage area and rushed to them, calling Anna in a panic, Mrs Wright! Whats the matter? Anna put her smile away, looked at the secretary seriously and asked After the secretary whispered to her and told her what happened in a low voice, Anna widened her eyes in shock. Wayne was close to her, so he heard everything the secretary said. And then, he frowned Peace couldnt hear anything because she was separated from Anna by a small table. She put down the bag of nachos in her hand and asked, Whats the problem? Why are you so surprised? Anna did not respond to her. | need to go backstage, she said calmly as she stood up and straightened her dress Go ahead, Wayne said with a nod All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Peace became even more intrigued as she watched Anna leave. She set the bag of nachos down and asked Wayne, Whats wrong? What were you two muttering about? Shes my wife. | can mutter with her all | want, Wayne said, looking at her Cut the crap! Just tell me why Anna is leaving, Peace said Mona is inbor, Wayne said calmly Peaces eyes widened in surprise. She turned back and saw that Anna had just left the audience If you want to go, youd better keep calm. Dont let anyone notice you, Wayne warned Peace in a low voice At the same time, Mona was moaning in pain on the couch in the backstage lounge Anna was preparing to take Mona to the hospital when Peace arrived backstage. At the sight of Peace, Anna said to her, Peace, please stay here Tell Andrew to go straight to the hospital after the show. No, Im going to tell him right now. He needs to know about this. Mona yelled once more. Dont tell him yet, please! Just wait until the show is over, she said, grabbing Peaces arm Why? No! Dont tell him. Weve been preparing for this show for months, and Daydream ispeting with us. Andrew has to be here. If both of us leave, something will definitely happen, Mona said Peace wasnt convinced, but she had no choice but to agree. OK, Im not going to tell him. Dont worry, Ill be here. By the way, Wayne is still here, too. Anna, hurry up and take Mona to the hospital, she said Ah! Mona, your water has broken! In the chaos, Monas secretary eximed Chapter 545 It鈥檚 A Girl! Chapter 545 Its A Girl! Anna fixed her gaze on Peace and said, Dont make a fuss, Peace. Its not a big deal. Im going to drive Mona to the hospital. We dont have time to wait for the ambnce. While helping Mona walk out, Anna said to her softly, Dont be afraid, Mona. Everything will be fine. Can you start timing now? Then tell me how many contractions a minute youre havingter. Please tell me how many times a minute you feel hurt, okay? Um, okay, Mona said, biting her lip and nodding At the same time, arge show was also taking ce in another luxury hotel in Birmingham. After reading the news, Beatrice became enraged. She growled, These journalists arepletely untrustworthy! They sold the gossip to others that | had bought from them! The reporters didnt dare to offend you, and Lemon isnt powerful enough for them to do so. Hearing her assistants words, Beatrice frowned and asked, Do you mean the Carousel Group did this? Does it have anything to do with Wayne Wright? No, | dont believe so. Look, heres the call log. Mona, one of Lemons executive directors, called Matthew an hour ago, The assistant said as she handed Beatrice her iPad Did that kid tell the press to do that? The assistant said with a nod, Lemon has a strong connection to the Carousel Group, as its founder is the wife of Wayne Wright. And their son Matthew has a close rtionship with Lemons executive directors, Andrew and his wife. Clenching her fists, Beatrice said, Theyre more united than | expected. Why does this brat have to get involved in our business? Beatrices assistant said cautiously, We probably underestimated Matthew Wright. Although he is still a teenager, he behaves exactly like his father. Hepleted that difficult project in the south by himself. Hepleted it? | dont think so, Beatrice sneered, Prepare a gift for the president of Azul Group. Yes, said the assistant Peed Right after they arrived at the hospital, Anna sent Mona into the operating room. On the way, she kept comforting Mona, Take a deep breath, Mona. The best doctor will deliver your baby. And, Ill be right beside you. Ah!!! Mona continued to scream in agony Save your strength, Anna said as she held out her hand, The babys going toe. Youll be alright. Mona nodded, her teeth clenched tightly. Meanwhile, her contractions became more and more frequent After the doctors and nurses pushed Mona into the operating room the light outside the operating room remained turned on. A whileter, a babys cry broke the silence Look, its a girl, Anna said as she walked over to Mona with the baby in her arms With tears stained on her face, Mona raised her head and fixed her gaze on the baby. After a while, she burst into tears Why are you crying? In a panic, Anna asked She must be very excited to see her baby, the midwife said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead Mona, however, kept crying. After a while, she calmed down and said, Oh, no! Shes so ugly! Somewhat awkwardly, Anna asked, Huh? All newborn children are ugly. Theyll look nicerter. Still, Mona kept crying, making herself weaker and weaker. Shes so ugly! How could she look so ugly?! Really? But | think shes adorable. Anna said No matter what Anna said, Mona refused to hold her daughter. So, Anna had no choice but to let the nurse hold the baby girl instead By that time, Andrew had arrived at the hospital and he was anxiously waiting outside the operating room door. He was thrilled to learn that his wife had given birth to a baby girl and was excited to see his daughter As soon as she saw Andrew, Mona burst into tears. She said she had high hopes for this child, but she did not expect her to be so ugly Andrew looked at the child, then at his wife, and said in confusion, Shes not ugly, honey. | think she looks like you. Hearing that, Mona cried even louder. And after Anna walked out of the ward, Ryan called shortly Hello? Anna answered the call Hows Mona? She just had a baby girl, Anna eximed joyfully Wow! Congrattions! Emily and | will visit Mona tomorrow. Monas not very stable. | think you guys can visit her a few dayster, Anna said, looking behind her Whats the matter? Puzzled, Ryan asked Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. wee At the same time, Alicia frowned at Matthew awkwardly Could you please stop staring at me? Matthew asked Hearing that, Alicia snapped back to her senses. When she locked eyes with Matthews deep blue eyes, she blushed Someone was knocking on the door at the time. Alicia jumped up from the couch and eximed, Ill get it for you. It must be Amber! She dashed for the door before Matthew could say anything. As she passed, the corner of her coat brushed up against Matthews face, causing him to frown again On her way to the door, Alicia had already decided what she should do next. She wanted to tell Tammy about it before Matthew. Im sorry! | didnt mean to do it! She said as she opened the door The next second, Alicia froze when she saw the woman in the doorway. Anna froze as well, thinking she was in the wrong ce. Then Matthews voice came from the living room, Mom! Is that you? Anna then realized she hadnt gone to the wrong house. Still, Anna was shocked when she looked at the cute girl in front of her. Why are you two here alone in the middle of the night? she asked, looking back and forth at them both Chapter 546 It鈥檚 A Misunderstanding Chapter 546 Its A Misunderstanding Maam, please dont get me wrong. I dont even know him! Alicia eximed, her eyes widening What are you talking about? Anna asked, surprised, I havent said anything, my dear. What are you doing here, Mom? Matthew asked Your Uncle Ryan and I said someone called the cops to arrest you, so I came to see you, Anna exined. As she noticed the swollen lump on Matthews forehead, Anna eximed, Matthew, what happened to your forehead? Without answering Anna, Matthew cast a re at Alicia. Under his re, Alicia felt so guilty that she wanted to run away. Herees his mother. Im so screwed! I have no chance to be with him anymore she thought to herself Lowering her head, Alicia whispered, Maam, Im sorry. After seeing the little girls pajamas, Anna realized she might live there. Then Anna panicked even more and thought, = What? Youre living here with Matthew?! Youre still a teenager! Thinking of that, Anna questioned Matthew, What is going on here, Matthew? What are you doing? Huh? What? Matthew asked, puzzled Why do you have a girl living in your house? Mom, I dont live here, remember? Matthew frowned I know you sometimes live here. The point is, you dont seem to respect this girl at all! Matthew, you cant do that! 545 Its A Misunderstanding Maam Alicia couldnt help but interrupt her However, Anna kept on saying, Dont worry, I will take responsibility for this. Where do your parents live, girl? Id like to go meet them. Alicias eyes widened in surprise as she realized Anna had misunderstood the situation Matthew sighed and said, Huh? No! Its not what you think, Mom. Ive seen you living with this girl! Anna eximed anxiously. She then sighed and appeared to be ming herself. Im sorry. Its all my fault I should have been more concerned about your life, Matthew. At that point, Alicia realized she couldnt remain silent any longer She said, Were not really living together, maam. Your son and I have just met. Huh? Anna wentpletely still Mom, I told you, Matthew said calmly to Anna Then, scratching her nose, Alicia exined awkwardly, Im Ambers Oh, Tammys new Shes Tammys friend, Matthew cut in, giving her a wary look Can either of you two exin to me what this is all about? Anna asked while crossing her arms Matthew interrupted Alicia by saying, I came here to deliver a package to Tammy. I had no idea Tammys friend was staying here for the time being, so I walked right in. I thought she broke into her house, and she thought I broke into hers. So, we called the police Is that it? Anna asked, frozen Puzzled, Matthew looked at his mother, and said, Yes, that is all What else do you think it could be? Hearing Matthews exnation, Anna felt relieved. She told Alicia, Im really sorry. I got the wrong idea about that. Shaking her head, Alicia said, No, I should apologize for it. Before I hit him, I didnt even ask who your son was. Its fine. Thats not serious at all. Anna spoke calmly After hearing this, Matthew looked surprised because he knew Anna was acting as if she didnt care. She had to make a big deal out of every time he was hurt before. And he couldnt figure out why Anna said that While Matthew was still wondering what had gotten into Anna, Alicia said, His forehead is swollen and has bled. We should take him to the hospital. Is it bleeding? Oh, its not serious. He just scraped the skin there. Ill take care of his woundter, Anna cast a nce at Matthews forehead and said What? We dont have to go to the hospital? Alicia asked in surprise That wont be necessary. Im a doctor myself. Anna then took the medicine box from the coffee table. You dont sound like a local, do you? Anna asked Alicia while cleaning Matthews wounds Alicia froze because that sounded vaguely familiar. After surveying Annas pretty face, she realized Anna was somewhat familiar. Then she asked, Maam, have we met before? Anna misinterpreted what she was saying. She said, Is that so? Maybe its because of our fate. See, you and my son met because of fate, too. Maybe we knew each other in a previous life, so were meant to be family in this life. What are you talking about, Mom? Matthew asked, frowning After sparing a quick nce at Matthew, Alicia asked Anna, Did you go to the airport yesterday? How did you know that? Anna asked, frozen Alicias eyes sparkled. Yesterday, I dislocated my arm, she said, holding up her arm It wasnt until then that Anna remembered that theyd met before Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Surprised, Anna said, Oh my goodness! Its you! Alicia eximed excitedly, Wow! It seems we do have a special bond Ive been dying to find out where you work because I owe you so much! With a gauze on his forehead, Matthew asked coldly, And thats how you would like to express your gratitude to her? By attacking her son? Hearing that, Alicia looked embarrassed. To her surprise, Anna did not me her. Instead, Anna asked Matthew, Why are you treating her with such an attitude? Smiling, Anna and looked at Alicia before saying, Sorry, Matthew is just joking. Please dont take it personally. How do you and Tammy know each other, by the way? Did you go to the same school? Alicia froze and looked at Matthew, waiting for him to save the day What are you doing staring at Matthew? Are you and Tammy friends? Howe Ive never seen you before? Anna took Alicias hand in hers and asked Tammy switches schools all the time, so you definitely didnt have the chance to meet all her friends, said Matthew Huh? Anna was lost in thought. Just as she was about to ask another question, someone opened the apartment door Matthew! Tammy yelled as soon as she walked in In response, the three people on the couch rose to their feet. Among them, Alicia practically jumped off the couch. She muttered, Youre finally here! Thank goodness you showed up just in time, Tammy! Otherwise, /II be screwed! I cant handle Matthews hostile demeanor and your moms questions on my own! Alicia thought to herself The moment she saw Anna, Tammy asked in astonishment, What are you doing here, Mom? Arent you supposed to be at the hospital? How is Aunt Mona doing? Why didnt you tell your brother that you allowed your friends to stay here? Do you realize how much confusion youve caused them? Anna grumbled My friend? Tammy asked, surprised. She didnt realize what was happening until she noticed Alicia blinking desperately at her Oh Yes! Alicia is one of my friends. She only moved in yesterday, so I havent had a chance to tell Matthew about that yet. Ive been so preupied with rehearsals since then that Ipletely forgot about it. After finishing her words, Tammy drew Alicia behind her and then went to see Matthews injuries. Then she squeaked, Holy crap! You got a wound on your forehead? Does it hurt? Im fine, Matthew said, sighing helplessly, Lets go, Mom. The girls need some rest. All right, lets go. Before leaving, Anna asked Alicia again and handed her a note with her phone numbers on it, Are you okay? Heres my phone number. Please contact me if you need anything. You should leave, Mom. Ill tell Alicia your phone numberter, Tammy said After Anna and Matthew left, Tammy leaned against the door panel and let out a long sigh of relief, saying, That was close. Yeah, and Im sorry for what happened. So, what should we do now? Alicia said nervously Chapter 547 Go After Your Dream Chapter 547 Go After Your Dream With her eyes fixed on Alicia, Tammy asked, You told my mother were friends, right? You didnt say you were my assistant, did you? I didnt say that because your brother didnt let me have the chance to say so, Alicia said, nodding Right, you cant tell my mother about this. My brother has been helping me to keep this secret. If my mother finds out, Ill be screwed. Is that why you used a fake name? Alicia asked in astonishment Yeah. My name is Tammy Wright, by the way, Tammy said with a nod Alicia. Im sorry, but I just mistook your brother for a p*****t. And I hurt him. He must hate me a lot. He wont. Tammy took a Coke from the refrigerator. She opened the bottle quickly and then sipped the foam. She then added, My brother only cares about his work. Maybe hell forget who you are the next time he sees you Hearing that, Alicia froze for a moment, feeling disappointed Awhileter, Anna and Matthew were already sitting inside Annas car, heading for home. On the way, Anna asked Matthew while driving, Tammys friend is not a local, isnt she? Are you sure shes a ssmate of Tammys? Matthew was silent for a moment before saying calmly, She probably transferred from another school. By the way, how are you preparing for that racingpetition? Anna asked thoughtfully Almost done. Ive already chosen the best yer. Will he win? I believe he will be able to ce in the top three. After thispetition, our car brand can ess the domestic market. People will no longer believe those rumors this way. Matthew said What about Clintons project? Youre not going there anymore? Its almost finished there, so I asked Aunt Maria to take care of everything. Anna frowned, saying, Maria is still there? Why didnt you ask her to help you with thepetition here? Well, I didnt ask her toe back. And the project there is quite urgent. So, I asked her to stay there. Knowing that Matthew got this, Anna didnt ask too many business-rted questions A weekter, as Christmas was around the corner, the hospital where Anna worked was busier than usual. While most of her colleagues had already got off work, Anna was still in the office on a video call with Patrick All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Patrick said, Ive already dispatched the first batch of medication. So far, there have been no widespread adverse reactions. Yet, some people have reported mild vertigo and vomiting. How are these patients? Anna asked Theyre all elderly. Reduce the dosage when you give them the second batch of medication. Okay. How much should I cut? Approximately 30%. No problem, Patrick scribbled in his notebook. By the way, I heard from Dr. Moore that the American medical team ising in a couple of days. When ites to treatment ns, who should we listen to? Really? Anna frowned, realizing she had a problem. After thinking for awhile, she answered, Dont worry, Dr. Moore will figure it out. Just focus on the drug trials, and dont tell anyone about this. If the American medical team arrives, you should stop the medication. Shaking his head, Patrick asked, Really? But you said they should take this medicine for at least three courses. Otherwise, our previous efforts would have been in vain. Safety first. Just as Anna was about to say something else, the screen turned nk. Patrick? Anna asked, frowning. She looked down to see if there was an issue with herputerwork, but their video call then was being cut off At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Who is it? Anna asked, raising her head Its me. Mom asked me to bring you something to eat, he said as he pushed open the door and handed Anna a lunchbox Are you sure Mom asked you to bring this? Or did you use it as an excuse to bring me meal? Anna asked, turning off herputer If you dont believe me, just give her a call and ask her about it, Wayne said as he ced the lunchbox on the table Anna was speechless because she knew Jennie would say that she had asked Wayne to do it. Everyone in the family knew she didnt want Wayne to bring her meals. As a result, they all pitched in to help him cover the fact Having put the lunchbox on the table, Anna asked, What is this? It smells fantastic. Oh! Its my favorite lasagna! You should take a break, Wayne said as he sat beside her Anna quickly opened the lunch box and took a bite of food. She asked as she ate, Are you waiting for me? Sorry, dear. Im working the night shift tonight. Cant I just stay with you for a little while? Wayne asked, his brow furrowed Looking at his puppy eyes, Anna couldnt stop herself fromughing She said, No one will kick you out! You can stay here as long as you want Im just telling you that I work night shifts and you do not have to wait for me I have nothing nned, anyways, so Ill just sit here and wait for you By the way, I heard about the project your hospital established. Are you going to Fleosil? Wayne asked. At the time, he was reading a medical journal on Annas desk Anna froze for a moment, looking surprised at Wayne, who continued to flip through the magazine, his face calm and rxed. He didnt seem to think it was a big deal and continued the topic, I believe it is meaningful for you to participate in the project because you can contribute to world peace. Im sure youve always wanted to do it. Do you really want me to go there? Hearing Annas question, Wayne raised his head and said calmly, Actually, I dont want you to be in danger. However, no one has the right to stop you from doing anything you want. And Im more than willing to help you realize your dream. Deeply moved, Anna asked with her eyes reddened, When did you find out about this? A long time ago. I read the news that many people there were getting infected there every day. The second medical team had just left, right? And your intern went there, too. And you still remember him? Anna asked, smiling Wayne raised his chin and said, I wont forget about him! I would have talked you into signing up sooner if he hadnt been going this time. I did it on purpose. And for what? I wanted to separate you two. Are you jealous? Hes only a child to me! But he is a man to me. Okay, Im not going to argue with you about this, Anna said as she set her spoon down and leaned back in her chair. Have you considered it? Do you really want me to go volunteering? Wayne shook his head and shrugged slightly. In fact, he had made that decision when they were at Jaspers wedding. He postponed it until now because he needed to prepare for something else Both happy and touched, Anna hugged Wayne tightly and told him, Thank you for your help and support, honey. I love you! Patting her back, Wayne asked, When is the third medical team leaving? At the end of this month, just before Christmas. They really need more doctors there. Do you mean you wont be able to spend Christmas with us? At the thought of that, Anna felt even sadder. Why dont I hold off a little longer? I can go thereter. Wayne shook his head and smiled, saying, Its fine, honey. Just go ahead. Youre going to leave sooner orter. If you arrive there earlier, you can save more lives. Youll be able to return sooner as well. Anna, youre my superhero. Anna wanted to cry when she heard Wayne say those heartfelt words She pressed her face against Waynes shoulder and hugged him more tightly. While the two were hugging each other, they didnt say anything, but they could tell what the other was thinking tacitly A monthter, Anna and the hospitals third medical team left Birmingham. Wayne brought arge group of people to the airport to say goodbye to Anna. And Peace cried the entire time when hugging Anna Dont cry. Ill be fine, Anna said, blushing. She kept winking at Karl, telling him to take Peace away Then Karl put his hand on Peaces shoulder and said, Honey,e on. There are a lot of people here. The kids are staring at us. Anna, dont worry. Karl and I will help you take care of the children and your husband after youre gone, Peace cried as she said Chapter 548 He鈥檚 So Screwed! Chapter 548 Hes So Screwed! Thank you, Peace. Rx. Ill be alright, Anna said Peace took Annas hand and said, Remember to call me when you arrive. Sorry. The signal is poor there, so maybe I cant call you, Anna replied in a soft voice Anna will be boarding soon. Wayne also needs to speak to her, honey, Karl said as he used a tissue to wipe Peaces tears Do you want to say something? Peace asked, ring at Wayne Wayne said, shaking his head, Nothing. I had already said what I wanted to say to her before we left. Then Anna hugged and kissed the children goodbye Mommy, be safe, Matthew said Anna tapped him on the shoulder and said, Remember to get more rest. You might want to spend more time with Tammys friend, by the way. I think shes adorable. Matthew gave an awkward smile, thinking Anna had misunderstood something. Anna hugged Tammy then. It wasnt until then that she realized her daughter was already taller than she was Youll be free when Im not around, Tammy. But I hope you can spend more time on your studies this holiday. Tammy turned her head away and ignored Anna. Shed only found out Anna was leaving yesterday, so shed been upset all night and hadnt even eaten Well, theres not much else I need to say. Goodbye, guys. Waving her hands at them, Anna then walked toward her colleagues. She hadnt gone more than a few steps when she heard Tammys voice, Mom, Ill take care of everyone! Ill keep an eye on Daddy for you. I guarantee no other woman will evere close to him! Thank you, Tammy. Thats so sweet and considerate of you. Im so lucky to have a wonderful daughter like you. And guys, Ill return home safe and sound. I promise. At the thought of that, Anna began to cry. She didnt turn around, afraid the children would see her tears The ne flew smoothly through the night, its cruise lights constantly shing. Anna sat back in her seat, gazing out the window. She couldnt see anything because it was so dark outside. She wasnt looking out the window but was thinking about Wayne and the kids as they walked away from the airport Madam, how can I help you? The flight attendant asked as she brought Anna a nket, pulling her mind back to the present A ss of wine, please, Anna replied The flight from Ennd to Fleosil would take a day. They had to get to work as soon as they arrived, and there was no time to rest. So, everyone on the ne was sleeping at the time. Anna couldnt sleep, so she thought a ss of wine might help Meanwhile in Birmingham, it was already day. Alicia kept telling Tammy to hurry up and leave the house. Hurry up! The driver has already arrived! Well bete if we dont leave right away. Tammy yawned as she left her room. She asked, Why are you in such arush? Im not in a rush! This is the first major task Ive received since bing your assistant. Of course, I have to take it seriously! 547 Hes So Screwed! The meeting was held at a posh downtown club. Alicia and Tammy arrived half an hour ahead of schedule. They each ordered a ss of juice and waited for Evan, the representative sent by the company, to arrive Evan! As soon as she saw a man walk in, Alicia stood up and waved at him enthusiastically Tammy looked at her and asked, Have you ever met him? How did you know what he looks like? Alicia remained smiling. She whispered to Tammy, I had nned ahead of time. I went through his Instagram posts from thest two years. Amazing! eximed Tammy, giving Alicia a thumbs up from beneath the table Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Evan was nearly thirty years old. He was dressed formally and carried a briefcase. He smiled when he saw the juice in the hands of the two girls He said, You two are much younger than I anticipated. Working at such a young age should be difficult. Tammy casually bit into her straw and said, All jobs are difficult to do It has nothing to do with age. Alicia stepped on Tammys foot under the table. She knew Tammysst business partnership was canceled because she had spoken too casually Please dont mind what she said, Evan. We are young, but we know the rules. For this coboration, we came up with three options, Saying that, Alicia handed her iPad to Evan Lets not rush into this, Evan said as he set the iPad down. He ordered himself a cup of tea. Then he continued, The copy of the post is unimportant because what we really care about is the KOLs fan base Amber doesnt have a lot of fans, and we have other options. My boss 547 Hes So Screwed! = finally agreed to this coboration because I strongly rmended Amber. Hearing that, Tammyughed and said, Youre quite insightful. Not wanting Tammy to ruin the talk, Alicia kicked her under the table again, telling her to stop talking. After that, she put on a smile and said to Evan, Thank you so much. Evan said, Amber is very attractive, so I think maybe she should consider modeling. Shed make far more money shooting posters and videos than she would do business promotions. Sorry, we dont have that in mind right now. We are only thinking about doing simple promotion work, Alicia shook her head and said No, dont reject me so quickly. In fact, I believe you should think about it further. Im free this afternoon. At that moment, a waiter served him tea. And then, Alicia stood up to help Evan in pouring the tea, uttering, I believe we should respect Ambers opinion on this matter. Amber currently has no ns to pursue advertising endorsements, and she enjoys participating in e-sports behind the scenes In fact, this is beneficial for Young people have their own dreams. I understand that, Evan said Then, he touched Alicias hand Instantly, the teapotnded heavily on the table with a loud ng after Alicias hand shook. She drew her hand back and stared at him, stunned Tammy was engrossed in a game on her phone at the time. When she heard the sound, she looked up to see Alicia with an embarrassed expression. Whats wrong? Tammy asked suspiciously Nothing, Alicia said as she sat down Todays tea isnt very good, so wed better talk about itter, Evan 547 Hes So Screwed! gave Alicia a disapproving look. He then walked away, carrying his briefcase Evan! Alicia was worried, and she shouted, Wait! Before she could say a word, however, Evan gave her a room key and said, Ill be in Birmingham for a few days on business and will stay at this hotel. You cane to see me this evening if youve made a decision. We can talk about it again. Tammy instantly understood everything when she saw the room card She frowned and was about to get up and argue with him. Yet, Alicia tightened her grip on her shoulders and told her not to act on impulse That p*****t! Tammy shouted after Evan left As it was the first time that Alicia faced this situation, so she had no idea what to do. He just touched my hand, she muttered What? Tammy yelled after hearing that. She stared at the room card on the table and shouted, That p*****t is so screwed! Chapter 549 Right Back at You, Sucker! Chapter 549 Right Back at You, Sucker! In the evening, a hotel waitress pushed a food cart to a room door She then gently pressed the doorbell. After hearing the doorbell and opening the door, Evan gave her a suspicious look Sir, this is the meal you ordered, the waitress said. She was dressed professionally in a brown uniform. At the time, she was smiling politely at Evan But I didnt order anything, Confused, Evan said to the waitress Really? Ady ordered a meal for you this afternoon and asked that we deliver it to your room, With her head low, the waitress uttered in a low voice Hearing that, Evan smiled and said as the image of Tammy popped up in his mind, Oh, I know who that person is. Pleasee in. Okay. The waitress walked into the room with the food cart. A few secondster, she stopped, turned around and asked Evan, Would you want me to open the wine for you? Sure. Sir, you can start with a cup of tea. The wine will taste better if you drink the tea first. This is the Earl Grey tea that thedy ordered for you She said Its your favorite. With his legs crossed, Evan sat at the table. Taking the tea from the waitress, he sipped his tea slowly with a smug expression on his face All right, have a nice evening, the waitress said, pushing the food cart out the door Wait. I didnt say you could leave yet, said Evan 548 Right Back at You, Sucker! ad Panicked, the waitress froze and asked, What else can I do for you, sir? Evan took out two twenty-dor bills and ced them on the food cart, saying, Heres your tip. Seeing that, the waitress made an awkwardugh and felt relieved Nheless, she said, Thank you, sir. As she pushed the food cart out the door, she counted down in her mind, Three, two, one, The moment she counted down to one, the sound of something copsing echoed throughout the room Come on in, guys, Natalie, who was disguised as a waitress just now, said as she opened the door to the room Wheres that jerk? Tammy asked as she craned her head out of the doorway. Then she saw Natalie pointing at E van, who was unconscious in the room Well done! Tammy eximed and gave Natalie a high-five before walking into the room slowly At this point, Evan was lying on the table unconsciously. Tammy shoved him, and then he copsed to the floor Alicia came in after Tammy. Hes not dead, is he? she asked nervously Natalie replied, Dont worry, hes fine. I just gave him some sleeping pills. And the pills work best when mixed with tea. Are you sure you didnt overdose him on the pills? Alicia asked Nearly rolling her eyes at Alicia, Tammy borated, Rx! He wont die. Hell be asleep for a while; thats all. Dont worry. Weve used this drug before. Im sure it will not kill him. Right after finishing her words, Tammy looked down at Evan with 548 Right Back at You, Sucker! a disgust and hatred in her eyes before stomping on his face, and cursing, You damn jerk! Seeing that, Alicia panicked a bit and shouted, Tammy, you cant do that! Its against thew! Tammy rolled her eyes and asked, Huh? Are you afraid? But you werent afraid at all when you hit my brother, right? Why are you being such a coward now? What? Did you hit Matthew? Wow! I didnt see iting, Natalie looked at Alicia and asked with her eyes widened in surprise Extremely embarrassed, Alicia exined, It was aplete misunderstanding. I didnt do it on purpose! Taking a deep breath, Alicia looked Natalie in the eyes and reached out her hand to her, saying, By the way, I havent introduced myself properly, have I? Hi, my name is Alicia. Natalie, Tammys Grandaunt, With a smile, Natalie shook Alicias hand and replied Ah? Grandaunt? But you look quite young! What skincare products do you use? Alicia eximed, surprised Natalie smiled as she touched her face. Thank you very much for yourpliment. Im not a big fan of skincare products. I guess Im naturally attractive. Speechless, Tammy said, Okay, thats enough. Alicia, Natalie is the adopted daughter of my great- grandfather. And shes only a few years younger than us. You can just call her Natalie. Alicia wasnt in the mood to think about theirplicated rtionship; all she could think about was what she would do with this man. And then she asked, So, what should we do with him now? Tammy sat down on the chair and ced one foot on Evans back 548 Right Back at You, Sucker! while saying, I have a brilliant idea. How about we put him in a sack and then toss him into the river? Oh, we also need to tie some heavy rocks to him in case he doesnt sink deep to the bottom! Huh? No way! I know hes a jerk, but we cant kill him! Maybe we can beat him up, Alicia said in an anxious tone Upon hearing Alicias words, Tammy and Natalie exchanged nces Knowing what Tammy wanted, Natalie took a golf club from the desk and handed it to Alicia. Okay, n B it is. Alicia, hit him with the golf club then, she said Startled, Alicia wentpletely still. Tammy, who was standing next to Alicia, sped her hands together and said, You suggested that we could beat him up instead. Okay, Ill let him go. Now its your turn to hit him now. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Are you sure you want me to do that? Alicia swallowed hard and asked in a trembling voice Sure! Well, if you change your mind, Natalie and I will be more than d to throw him into the water, Shrugging, Tammy said jokingly Somehow, Alicia couldnt tell whether she was joking or speaking her mind out loud You cant do that! Alicia immediately took the club. She stared at the man lying on the ground and hesitated for a long time without being able to make a move. Shed never done anything like this before. Just when she raised the club and was about to hit the man with it, the doorbell rang. The next second, Alicia dropped the golf club, which made a thud Police! Open the door! shouted the man at the door The police are here?! Alicia asked with a pale face, her voice shaking. At the same time, Tammy and Natalies faces turned pale as well 548 Right Back at You, Sucker! Though flustered, Tammy opened the door as the man outside ordered A group of men walked in as soon as the door opened. Three security guards led the way, followed by two men dressed in suits. One of them wore a badge that said Lobby Manager. Looking at them, Alicia nervously clutched her sleeve. At that precise moment, Tammy yelled at the door, Uncle Ryan? Is that you? From the back of the crowd, a tall, handsome man in a ck jacket approached them. Wait outside, he said to the others after he saw that all three girls were fine After Ryan shut the door, Tammy reassured Alicia, Dont worry, Alicia Were fine. Hes my uncle. Stunned, Alicia looked back and forth at several of them, at a loss for words Where is he? Ryan asked Natalie directly Rubbing her nose, Natalie asked as if she had no idea who Ryan was referring to, Who? Dont try to fool me! Frowning, Ryan said impatiently Sorry, I have no idea what youre talking about. Why are you yelling at me, Ryan? You should be respectful of your aunt, Natalie replied with a serious expression Looking at the cup of tea on the table, Ryan eximed, Cut the crap! I know what you did. Who gave you two this drug once again? Fine, well talk about thister. He then walked to the bathroom. Tammy tried to stop him but failed As Ryan opened the bathroom door and pulled back the bathtub curtain, he saw Evan in the bathtub, with bruises on his face You two are so bold! Do you even know what youre doing? Ryan 548 Right Back at You, Sucker! asked, trying his best to hold back his anger Leaning against the bathroom doorway, Natalie bowed her head and whispered, He hit on Tammy and threatened her. I What?! Ryan interrupted Natalie in disbelief Well, Ill shut up now, Natalie said Uncle Ryan, Im the one who asked Natalie for help, Tammy exined Whats in your hand? Ryan asked. Tammy froze, then subconsciously hid the object in her hand Just give it to me. After Tammy reluctantly handed it to him, Ryan took the club and said to the girls, Wait here for me. He then closed the bathroom door How did your uncle know about this? Alicia nervously tugged on Tammys sleeve God knows why! Theyve got informants everywhere! Im not sure which i***t told him! Damn! Alicia stumbled, What? Your uncle is The Deputy Director of Intelligence, Natalie said calmly. Hearing that, Alicia became tenser. She started to regret that she was involved in this After some time, Ryan opened the door and walked out of the bathroom Uncle Ryan, Tammy said, smiling Do you really think you can deal with this on your own? What if your n fails and he attacks you? Have you ever thought of the worst case scenarios? What on earth were you thinking?! Wiping his hand with the towel, Ryan couldnt hold back his anger anymore and scolded Are you going to tell my brother about this, Uncle? Please dont tell him that! Looking at Ryan with puppy eyes, Tammy pled Of course, I wont tell your brother about it. If I do so, God knows what your brother will do to that prick? Ryan mmed the guest room door open and said coldly, Call the ambnce now. The three girls behind the door froze and looked into the bathroom at the same time. At the moment, Evans face had be swollen. Looking at the blood stains on the golf clubs on the floor, Alicia was taken aback 8 Melina Levine u Chapter 550 What Brings You Here in the Middle of the Night? Chapter 550 What Brings You Here in the Middle of the Night? After asking his assistant to take Evan into the ambnce, Ryan walked to the three girls and asked, Why are you still standing there? Natalie replied, Weve been working all night and havent eaten anything yet. And we couldnt decide between barbecue and sushi. Ryan rolled his eyes and asked, You worked all night? I cleaned up this mess for you, remember? Im also hungry! Then Tammy said, Why dont you join us for dinner, uncle Ryan? Its on me. Shaking his head, Ryan patted Tammy across the forehead. Ouch! What are you doing? Tammy eximed, covering her forehead Ryan said, Ill tell your mother if you do something like that again. So, where are you guys going to eat? Ill drive you there. Are you noting with us? No, I still have work to do. Its dangerous around heretely, so youd better get straight home after dinner, Ryan answered Awhileter, the three girls dined at a barbecue restaurant. Sitting at the table and browsing the menu, Tammy said, That prick deserved it! Im so d that Uncle Ryan dealt with him for me so that I wouldnt have to get my hands dirty! Evan seems seriously injured. He wont get back to uster, will he?Alicia said absentmindedly At the same time, Natalie was roasting meat for them. She said, Dont worry, Alicia. Tammy will protect you. I cant guarantee anything else, but I promise you that you will never be wronged. No one dares to 549 What Brings You Here in th mess with her because she is the most precious one in her family. Tammy proudly raised her brows and said, Thats for sure! My father and brother are the best in the world! Everyone is envious of me because of that. Oh, please! Dont forget you have the grumpiest mother in the whole world! Natalie sneered and said Surprised, Alicia asked, Is Mrs. Wright grumpy? I thought she was very gentle. Thats not the case. Shes only grumpy with me, With a sigh, Tammy answered Chuckling, Natalie said to Tammy, If I were your mom, I wouldve been grumpy towards you! You failed every test, so your mother was always upset with you! Tammy, you should learn more from your brother Hes indeed a genius. So, what? Its none of my business. Im bad at studying, but Im good at live streaming. Thats all that matters, Pouting, Tammy retorted Then Natalieughed and said to Alicia, In case you dont know, Tammys brother is smart, mature, and impressive. Everyone else envies Anna for having such a son! With a nod, Alicia said, My cousin is very good at studying, so my parents always told me to look up to him as a role model. Alicia, its a pleasure to meet you. Im sure Isabe would have liked you too. Too bad shes not here. Isabe? Who is she? Alicia asked Tammy said, Dont talk like shes already dead, Natalie. Maybe shes having more fun than us. She finally got the freedom she wanted, after all. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. 549 What Brings You Here in th. 4 Natalie rolled her eyes. Whats the matter with you? Isabe has been missing for a long time, and even Uncle Jasper couldnt find her. Im really worried about her. Dont worry. Im sure shes all right now. Tammy replied calmly Meanwhile, Anthony was enjoying a barbecue with his friends in Cliatin City Please allow me to toast Anthony. One of his friends said Why? Id like to congratte Anthony on not having to go on blind dates after he returns home for the holidays. Except for Anthony, who appeared embarrassed, everyone erupted inughter Dont be ridiculous, Anthony stammered with a blush Why are you so nervous? Are you going to bring Chelsea home with you? Chelsea, are you going back home with him for Christmas? At that moment, Isabe was focused on eating her food. When she heard someone saying her name, she froze. And she didnt reply to the question, which made the situation awkward Rubbing his nose in embarrassment, Anthony said, Will you guys stop that nonsense? Youre embarrassing Chelsea. Well, well stay out of your business then, Anthonys friend said After a while, Isabe asked, Were you talking about me going home with Anthony for Christmas? I wasnt paying attention to your conversation just now. Im sorry. While Anthony wentpletely still, Isabe continued, Well go there in a few days. Anthony mentioned that his uncle owns a beautiful tea mountain, so I decided to visit there. The boys froze for a moment, and then they allughed Congrattions, Anthony! Youre going to get married, arent you? Please let me be your childrens godfather! It took Anthony quite a long time to figure out what Isabe meant. A brief momentter, he told his friends, Stop that! Turning his head, he looked Isabe in the eye and asked, Do you want some chicken wings? After dinner, Anthony and Isabe returned to his apartment together The winter break had just begun a few days before, so Anthonys ssmates were all eager to leave. However, he had to stay a few more days because he still needed to work at the convenience store for a few days My friends like to make fun of me that way. Please dont take what they said personally, On the way, Anthony said to Isabe Its all right, Isabe said. She abruptly came to a halt after a while Anthony froze for a moment and looked in the direction Isabe was looking. He noticed a woman and a man leaving the restaurant across the street side by side. Theyter got into the Mercedes that was parked on the street Whats wrong? Anthony asked You can go home now. I need to go somewhere. Isabe then stopped a cab Anthony also got into the cab after locking his bike on the curb Whats wrong? Just tell me, he asked Sir, please follow the ck Mercedes in front of you, Ignoring 549 What Brings You Here in th. Anthony, Isabe said to the driver Are you a cop? the driver asked after a brief pause. To shut the driver up, Isabe gave the driver some cash Then the drivers eyes glowed. And he said in excitement,Fasten your seat belt, please. Ashort whileter, the car quickly caught up to the Mercedes. After two blocks, the car stopped in front of the Carousel Groups construction site Please stop right here, Isabe said. She immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and left the car What are you doing? Anthony asked as he followed Isabe into the construction site Shhh! Isabe crept behind the discarded floorboards. She then saw aman and a woman get out of a car and walk into the building together Who is it? asked the doorman Its me, the woman said Miss Miller? What brings you here in the middle of the night? Chapter 551 Drop the Gun Now! Chapter 551 Drop the Gun Now! It waste in the evening. The wind blew through the unfinished building, rustling the white stic bags on the ground Maria frowned and said to the man, Ive shown you the ns, and Im sure theres nothing you can do here. My cousin and her husband are watching my every move, so I cant do anything too obvious. The man was standing in the shadows. He had a cigarette in his hand, and the butt glowed red. Then he opened his mouth and uttered, Do you think youll be able to stay in the Carousel Group after this? What do you mean? What else do you want to do? Are you trying to put all the mes on me? Do you realize the gravity of the situation if someone dies here? Panicked, Maria snapped I wouldnt have done it when no one was present if I wanted to frame you. The full moon was visible in the sky. Neither of these two realized that two other people had been lying on their backs behind the rubble pile eavesdropping on them At the Fleosil border medical station, Patrick was administering medications to the sick Sorry. You cant get in. Suddenly, he heard someone outside arguing. Then Patrick cast a nce at the door. He told the patient to lie down and rest after quickly injecting him with medication At that point, several people from outside the door burst in. The man in front was a medic from the United States Medical Corps. He was dressed 550 Drop the Gun Now! in an earthy camouge military uniform and appeared oppressive. What are you doing? he asked, looking around vigntly with his icy blue eyes Patrick shook his head and asked, What do you think Im doing? Im keeping track of the patients vital signs. Do you want to take care of that as well? How about letting our medical team leave and leaving the cepletely in your hands? Smith asked indifferently, Are you collecting the patients information? I learned from a confidential source that you privately administered medications to patients. And we suspect that your country nned this epidemic. Frowning, Patrick said, What? Do you have any evidence? Do you realize that if I report what you said to the media, it will cause serious diplomatic problems between three countries? Well get the answer after we search the ce. Well find out if the rumors are true. With that, Smith waved a hand. Then his men held Patrick down Hey! What are you doing?!Struggling to break free, Patrick snarled Were going to search the ce, Smith said coldly. Several other men then started rummaging around the room Hands off our instruments! All of them are super expensive! Dont touch that! Keep your hands off them! Shut the f**k up! Annoyed, Smith aimed his gun at Patricks temple Feeling the coldness of the gun, Patrick was shocked, then he swallowed hard nervously If you keep talking nonsense, Ill shoot you in the head. ring at 550 Drop the Gun Now! Patrick, Smith threatened Patricks forehead was drenched in a cold sweat as he was frustrated as to whether Smith would lose it and shoot him in the head. At that precise moment, someone opened the door Hearing the sound, Smith turned around and looked at the door alertly, asking, Whos there? Leave the scene now orpll shoot! Doctor Wright! At the sight of Anna, Patrick said in surprise as if he had seen his life savior Dont go too far, Smith. Drop your gun NOW! Not intimidated by Smith at all, Anna frowned and demanded firmly Smith sneered at Anna and gave her a contemptuous look. With a snort, he said, Mrs. Wright, your student is doing something shady here We now have every reason to believe that he is a spy! Bullshit! Im warning you; DROP THE GUN NOW! Anna yelled Still, Smith remained motionless. After a brief moment of silence, Anna pulled a pistol from her pocket and pointed it at the back of Smiths head, threatening, You are free to shoot him. But I want to see who will react faster. Everyone in the room was shocked because no one expected Anna to have a gun. At that point, one of Smiths men said, We didnt find anything, sir. There is only information about the patients here. Smiths eyes widened in shock. He became increasingly agitated after he felt the cold metal on the back of his head. After a brief moment, he finally lowered the gun, turned around and said to Anna, I was wrong about you, Mrs. Wright. You should never underestimate me. Mr. Smith, I told you about that the first time we met. 550 Drop the Gun Now! Smith took a look around and finally slid the pistol onto his belt. And he said, You know what youre doing, dont you? You wont be so fortunate every time. So, youd better not let me find evidence of this, or youll pay the price. Im not sure what youre talking about. We are simply doctors who want to help people. We never get involved in politics. Lets go, Smith said with a sneer. They mmed the door shut as they left Instantly, Annas hand trembled as she gripped the gun tightly. She didnt feel at ease until the Americans drove away Are you okay, Dr. Wright? Patrick asked her with concern Im fine, Anna said, waving her hand Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Howe you have a gun? Before I left Anna paused for a moment before deciding to keep her mouth shut. She then changed the topic abruptly, Thats not the point. Did you give them the medicine? Patrick nodded. He then spread his palms carefully. He had just been clutching that syringe tightly and he knew he would have been in trouble if Smith had searched his body. With a smug, Patrick said, He probably didnt think Id dare to keep this to myself. Well have to be more cautious in the future. Smith is already suspicious of us. Dont worry. The patients are very cooperative with us. Theyre not going to say anything. They all have faith in us. Also, what should we do if Smithes back, Dr. Wright? Patrick asked Anna exhaled deeply and replied, I dont know. Ive submitted a request to the Foreign Ministry. I hope it will establish additional 550 Drop the Gun Now! reinforcements to protect the medics. Is that why Dr. Moore left? Patrick asked No, she went to attend to other matters, Anna said thoughtfully Later, after leaving the room, Anna entered the lounge. She sat on the edge of the bed in the lounge, polishing the gun in her pocket Before she left Birmingham, Wayne had told her to see the captain first when she got off the ne without telling her what it was about. It wasnt until she got the captains gun that she realized what he meant Wayne agreed to let her volunteer, but he was still worried about her safety. The fact that he gave her the gun indicated that he knew the situation would be far worse than anyone had anticipated +e After getting off work, Ryan came straight home. He had just sat down when the maid handed him a hot tea Ryan said, Thank you very much. You dont have to clean up here, Mary. I need to speak with Wayne for a few minutes. Sitting opposite Ryan, Wayne sipped his whiskey. No one knew what he thought because his expression was calm Jennie invited him to return to the house after Anna had left. She imed he wouldnt be alone at home since the kids lived here. Wayne never said yes, but he always came there. Every day, as soon as the sun went down, he would arrive on time and invite Ryan to join him fora drink Crossing his arms, Ryan asked Wayne while frowning, You didnt bribe anyone in my office, did you? How do you know when Ill get home from work? Is it difficult to know where you are? Youre the leader of your 550 Drop the Gun Now! bureau, With a calm look, Wayne took another sip of whisky before answering Ryan Seriously, Wayne? Just as Ryan was about to retort him, he noticed that Wayne looked lonely. So, he changed the subject, Are you lonely at home now that Anna has gone? Emily hasnt been home much either, but you dont appear lonely. Id grown ustomed to her absence, and habits are difficult to break. You wont be able to get used to it for the time being, With a bitter smile, Ryan tried to console Wayne Wayne nodded but said nothing. In silence, he looked out the window at the raindrops falling from the eaves. Have you seen Matthew in thest few days? he asked Matthew? No. Whats the problem? The board has made another move. Whats going on? Its a long story. Whats the story? Tell me, Wayne. Ive got a lot of time on my hands right now. And Ryan thought to himself, No one in the Wright family has ever questioned Matthews ability, as he has even outperformed you. At fifteen, he took over the entire Carousel Group with no one to guide him. He has been fighting all the pressure alone for thest few years. And yet, Wayne, you look quite worried. Did something happen to Matthew? Is there something wrong with the board? After collecting his own thoughts, Ryan asked Wayne made no denials. He sipped his wine and said, Ryan, I can no 550 Drop the Gun Now! longer meddle in the groups affairs. If Matthew is forced to resign, I may need your help. Are you serious? Matthew couldnt possibly resign, could he? Im talking about it just in case. No way! Im not very good at business and I cant leave my job right now. Stop overthinking, okay? They wont force Matthew to resign. Wayne wanted to say something. But after some hesitation, he fell silent. Only he knew that not being a legitimate Wright had caused him many problems. This matter was like a ticking time bomb, constantly threatening him Chapter 552 You Stole Our Contract! Chapter 552 You Stole Our Contract! The weather was getting warmer as Christmas approached After she lost that opportunity, Alicia was worried every day. She did, however, gain some weight from eating delicious food with Tammy every day If | fail again this time, you can fire me, Alicia said to Tammy Tammy looked at her phone as she followed Alicia to the elevator. She asked, without looking up, Huh? Why? Because | feel like Ive ruined your career. Nelly gave us such a great opportunity, but we lost it. Its such a shame! Why are you so worried? Im your boss, and Ive said nothing about it Nobody is gonna fire you, With a pout, Tammy replied know youre not interested in making money, but Alicia had no idea how she should express her thoughts. So she could only keep them to herself, Many people became live streamers to make money. However, as a rich girl, youre not short on cash and only y e-sports because you enjoy it, Tammy. You dont want to make money from it but | do! Also, |! want to have my own career Awhileter, Alicia and Tammy left the elevator together. As soon as they walked to the reception, Alicia put on a polite smile and said to the receptionist, Hello, Im Ambers assistant. We have a meeting with Louise to talk about the keyboard ad. Hearing that, the receptionist appeared unsure of what to do. She nced toward the office and said hesitantly, Please wait a moment. Ill call her right now. 551 You Stole Our Contract! All right. Hello, Louise. Ambers here. The receptionist said after the call was answered. She then sighed and quickly hung up the phone. In an apologetic tone, she said to Tammy and Alicia, Sorry,dies. Louise said that she has signed the contract with someone else. What?! When did that happen? Louise texted mest night and asked me to bring Amber here to sign the contract today! What on earth is going on? Alicia asked, surprised | sincerely apologize for it. They had only signed the contract five minutes ago. Our president chose this KOL, who is also an e-sports yer Actually, Louise has no control over the situation. Alicia frowned, thinking she couldnt let this go. Who is that person? Who could be as attractive and well-known as Amber? Shes in the top ten for that game on the charts! Sorry. Although Amber is stunning, thismercial does not require her to take photographs. The point is that Amber is not as well-known as this yer. Who is it then? Dominic. Youve probably heard of him. Hearing that, Alicia was shocked. She had heard of him because he was one of the most well-known e- sports yers. Tammy was wearing headphones and ying a game at the time. When she felt Alicia poke her, she removed one of her headsets and asked, Whats wrong? Alicia was about to say something when she noticed a boy leaving the office. It was a young boy dressed in a ck trench coat. As he walked, he slowly put on his sunsses, like a movie star. And he walked past them, ignoring Alicias stunned expression Is that Dominic? Alicia asked, turning to face the receptionist 551 You Stole Our Contract! Thats right, the receptionist said, nodding Wide-eyed, Alicia, asked, Really? But | thought he sounded like a tough guy. Why is he so | have no idea about that. Sorry. The receptionist chipped in Is he the one who stole our contract The receptionist replied, Yes and no. Louise said she was d you two came here. We will reimburse your travel expenses. Okay, Nodding, Alicia responded with an awkward smile Before she could say anything else, Tammy took Alicias hand and ran Then she yelled, You dont have to pay me. Bye! Tilemail you my credit card number, Alicia said, waving her hand Tammy, please wait for me. Why are you walking so quickly? Theyll cover the cost of our taxi bills. Come on, let me buy you lunch to celebrate, Tammy said as she put on her headphones For what? Puzzled, Alicia asked For the fact that you blew your second chance to sign me a contract. Im so sorry! You can fire me now, Tammy, Alicia said Nobody is going to fire you! They waved at a cab approaching in the distance. However, another person stopped the car before getting to the two of them Alicia frowned and eximed angrily, Hey! We stopped the car first! She then yanked on the car door and stopped that person The man froze, turned around, and removed his headset. He looked at Alicia, puzzled, and asked, What? Alicia froze as soon as she saw the mans face. Its you again? she 551 You Stole Our Contract! eximed. You stole our contract a few minutes ago! Why are you stealing our cab now? she thought Whats the matter? Dominic asked, perplexed Alicia became even more enraged. She pointed to the cab and said, We stopped this cab first! Do you have to do this? ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Im sorry, | didnt see you stop the car, Dominic said as he froze What? You want me to provide evidence, dont you? You just stole our contract, and now youre stealing our taxi! Did you do it on purpose? Alicia shouted Your contract? Who are you? Dominic turned to face Alicia, then to Tammy behind her Sorry. My friend is having a bad day today. You can leave now, Tammy said Hearing that, Alicia froze and even thought she had heard it wrong. In her mind, Tammy had always been the most indignant one whenever this situation happened. But she was acting strangely today Are you all right? Alicia asked, her gaze fixed on Tammy We can take another car, Tammy said calmly. She then took a step back as if attempting to avoid Dominic Wait! Its rush hour, so its hard to get a cab. We can take this car together, if you dont mind? Dominic asked Do you know where were going? Alicia asked No, but I can give you a ride. Alicia wanted to say something else, but Tammy was ready to get in the car Tammy! Alicia shouted and thought to herself as she watched Tammy get into the back seat, What on earth is going on here? Why are you 551 You Stole Our Contract! behaving so strangely today, Tammy? Were going to the Central Avenue, Tammy said to the driver after entering the cab Sitting in the passenger seat, Dominic looked at Tammy in the rearview mirror after hearing that. He assumed that Tammy was under the age of 18. At that time, she was dressed in a white down jacket with headphones around her neck. She was staring at her phone and didnt seem to want to talk to anyone Then Dominic asked, What did you mean when you said | stole your contract just now? Were they originally nning to sign with you? Alicia gave him a stern look and said, Didnt you just notice us? We came here today just to sign that damn contract. Are you Amber? Hearing Dominiques question, Tammy finally stopped staring at her phone and raised her head. Just when she was about to answer the question, Alicia asked warily before her, Huh? How do you know that? Louise just told me, Dominic exined Tammy put her phone down and asked seriously, Do you know me? Ive seen yourmentary live. | thought you did a good job. Thanks. Of course! No one is better than Amber! Alicia said After they arrived at their destination, Alicia asked before leaving the car, How much is it? Ill pay for it, Dominic said without hesitation Alicia had just been expecting him to say that. Thank you! she Chapter 553 I Own This Place Chapter 553 I Own This ce Dominic froze for a moment, and nodded when he realized Tammy was serious. He said, Okay, fine. Tammy handed the driver a bill before asking Dominic, Can I have your cell phone number? Sure. Dominic dialed his cell phone number into Tammys phone And he smiled as he watched the two girls walk together toward the building. He thought, 7hats interesting. I must say that knowing you two is much more interesting than signing the contract. Im looking forward to seeing you again, Amber After getting back into the cab, Dominic made a phone call. Youll get your money tomorrow, he said Really? Wow! Thanks! I promise Ill pay you back the money with interest by the end of the year. You havent paid me back what you owed mest year, Frowning, Dominic said in dissatisfaction Im so sorry. Ive recently been losing money in my racing business. Are you sure you will not lose money next year? Yeah! One of our teamspetitors has qualified for this race! Ill be rich as soon as he wins first ce in thispetition. Then Dominic calmly looked out the window and said, I like your optimistic attitude. wee Later, Tammy and Alicia returned to the office together. And Alicia said 552 I Own This ce to Tammy anxiously, We really dont have much to lose, do we? Dominic is the most well-known yer here! Youre honored to be able topete with him. Right, Tammy? Noticing that Tammy remained silent, Alicia turned around. And then, she saw Tammy daydreaming. Raising one of her brows, Alicia snapped her fingers in front of Tammys eyes, asking loudly, What are you doing? Youve been preupied all day. Whats the problem? After returning to her senses, Tammy said, I heard Dominic isnt going to be in the pro league next year. What? Why? Hes retiring. No way! Alicia said, pulling out a chair and sitting in it, Hes so young! Why would he want to retire at such a young age? Instead of answering Alicias questions, Tammy shook her head. She had no idea what was going on as well Alicia noticed that Tammy was behaving strangely. Surprised, she asked, Are you worried about him? Tammy, youre not his fan, are you? Do you think thats possible? Tammy asked, rolling her eyes Im only kidding, Alicia replied. Then she said to herself, / Anow your only idol is Scott, Tammy. And there is no way that youre Dominics fan! Well, he has a lot of fans, though Having collected her thoughts, Alicia sighed and exined, Forget about it. I should think about what Im going to say to Nelly about this. Then she was lostin thought, Since losing thest contract, Ive been anxious every day. And I begged Nelly of thepanys business department for a contract every day after that. Unfortunately, many celebrities in the entertainment industry are scrambling at the time for 5521 Own This ce advertising contracts. As a result, at the end of the year, fewpanies are willing to sign contracts with eSports yers. Gosh What should I do now? Why hasnt anyone told me before that this job would be so difficult? wae Since she arrived at work in the morning, Alicia had been sitting in Nellys office. And she asked Nelly in a pleading tone, Can you help me think of another way? Does anyone have extra advertising contracts right now? Amber has never taken an advertising contract before, and Im worried for her as her assistant. Alicia, I want to help you, too, Nelly sighed, But you see, the whole industry is in a slump right now, as it is this time of year. Maybe it will be better after next years tournament. But didnt Pearl just see a toothpastemercial? Her teeth arent even white! Shh! Keep your voice down. The toothpastepanies love Pearl now. Shes probably going to be in every toothpastemercial in the future, Nelly whispered What were they thinking? Shes just a mediocre live streamer! Actually, shes the most beautiful female e-sports streamer now. At least the ranking list says so, With a shrug, Nelly responded Shes the most live streamer?! Really? Amber is ten times prettier than her! Whoever made the list must be joking, right? Alicia nearly snapped If Amber hadnt refused to let people see what she looks like, she couldve reced Pearl. Seriously, if Amber was willing to release her photos, her fan base would be muchrger than it is now. And she would receive advertising contracts every day 5521 Own This ce Thats not going to work. Amber wont do that, Alicia said, shaking her head Then theres nothing I can do for you, dear, Nelly said as she walked out the door Nelly! Alicia stomped her foot in frustration as she watched Nellys figure vanish through the office door. She muttered, Why do people care so much about other peoples looks nowadays? After calming herself down, Alicia walked out of Nellys office. As soon as she shut the door and turned around, she saw Tammy, who didnt seem to be in a bit of a hurry. Anxious, Alicia said to Tammy, Tammy, for real? The tournament is three months away! Arent you nervous about it? Do you have any idea how important it is for you to get advertising deals done? Well, actually, I do. But I dont need advertising deals. After all, Im rich. Though Tammy wanted to speak her mind out loud, she swallowed her words back when seeing Alicias blushed face. And Tammy found it amusing when she realized how anxious Alicia was. You dont have to be in such a rush, Alicia. Im going to take you somewhere right now, and you can help me sign a contract, she said Really? You? Alicia asked, frozen Tammy immediately put down her video game and said, Yes. Lets go Where are we going? Are you going, or are you not going? Do you really want that contract? All right, lets go! Half an hourter, they arrived at the Carousel Groups headquarters Looking at the building in front of them, Alicia asked, Is this the ce you 552 I Own This ce told me about? Yes! With a smug, Tammy replied Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Alicia took a deep breath to keep herself from passing out. Then she uttered, Tammy, you cant just do whatever you want because youre a famous live streamer. Do you know what kind of ce this is? Isnt this just the Carousel Group? Tammy asked as she found Alicias words hrious So, you know what kind of ce this is! Can we really coborate with them? Stop daydreaming. Tammy, When you be famous, Ill try to get you a contract with them, Alicia said sincerely Trying hard to hold back herughter, Tammy almost stammered, You havent even gotten inside the building! What makes you think it wont work? I dont need to go in. I just know it wont work, Looking at Tammy in disbelief, Alicia nearly rolled her eyes at her What if it will work? Huh? You own this ce? Again, Alicia asked in disbelief Yeah. And you are Looking at Tammys serious look, Alicia suddenly thought of something. She looked at the Carousel Groups logo and then at Tammy. Really? You own this ce?! Tammy nodded. Lets go. Its freezing outside. Then Tammy strolled into the luxurious lobby with Alicia. Alicia waspletely frozen, and it took her a long time to follow Tammy The receptionist treated Tammy with great respect. She jogged over to them and helped them press the elevator button Is my brother at work today? Tammy asked the receptionist 552 I Own This ce Yes, he came here early this morning. Great! Well just go up on our own. Thanks. Okay. Alicia followed Tammy into the elevator, even if she couldnt believe the fact. And then she followed Tammy, who walked quickly through the corridor and into the presidents office Wheres my brother? Tammy asked a secretary as soon as she reached the door of the office Miss Wright, hello. Mr. Wrights still holding a meeting right now. You are wee to wait here for a moment. Ill tell him that youre here. Thats fine. Well wait for him here. Nodding, Tammy answered with a polite smile After the secretary left, Alicia pinched her thigh, assuming that she was dreaming Seeing that, Tammy asked in surprise, What are you doing, Alicia? Alicia replied, rubbing her thigh, I wanted to check if I was dreaming And it turns out that Im not dreaming. But there must be a problem with my brain. Rolling her eyes, Tammy asked, What are you doing? You have already met my brother, havent you? But I had no idea he was the Carousel Groups president then! Curling the corners of her lips upward, Tammy began to eat the cookies. She said, Im sorry, I forgot to tell you this. Im giving you an opportunity to talk to my brother. What should I say to him then? Alicia asked nervously About advertising contract, of course! Chapter 555 Is She Having A Blind Date? Chapter 555 Is She Having A Blind Date? After finishing his work, Matthew took Tammy and Alicia to a nearby high-end restaurant. That restaurant was located on the top floor of a luxury hotel and served only VIP customers When Alicia looked at the menu, she was shocked. She worried her savings would not be sufficient to cover the cost. From that moment on, she decided it was best not to act rich in front of wealthy people As she sipped her drink, Tammy asked, Matthew, hows your preparation for the start of that racing competition going? Its supposed to begin in two days, isnt it? Almost done. Would you like toe? No. Im not interested in it, Tammy shook her head and replied Then Alicia said, I want to see thepetition so bad, but the tickets were sold out as soon as they went on sale. Some scalpers even sell the tickets online at sky-high prices, but I still dont get the chance to buy them. Meanwhile, she pitied herself secretly, The race will feature several attractive professional racers. They participated in a variety showst year and got a lot of fans. As a result, many people wanted to see that race, and ticket prices became unusually high. If only I have that much money to buy the tickets! If you want to go, Ill ask my secretary to get two tickets for you, Matthew said Really?! Alicias eyes sparkled with excitement No, thanks. Im not going. I prefer to stay at home and y games, Still sipping her drink, Tammy rejected Matthew without hesitation Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. 554 Is She Having A Blind Date? You can y games every day, but this race takes ce only once a year! Alicia persuaded Tammy while kicking her legs under the table secretly Since when did you be so interested in racing? Kicking Alicias leg away, Tammy raised her brows in surprise and asked Ive always had a fascination with racing. Huh? You Tammy froze before she could finish what she was saying. Her gaze moved from Alicia to a short distance behind her. In the middle of the hall was a grand piano. Natalie was one of the two people sitting at a table by the window on the other side of the hall Alicia followed her gaze into the distance, surprised, and asked, Isnt that Natalie? Whos that sitting across from Natalie? Thats Harry, Matthew said Urgh! That guy! Really? But didnt great-grandfather say that he didnt allow Natalie to date him? Then what are they doing here? Tammy stood up to see what Harry looked like. However, arge potted nt in the middle obscured her view. She could only see the side of his face Sitting down, she added with a pout, I heard Harry has a bad temper and even beat his ex-wife. She divorced him because she couldnt stand him and then escaped to America to avoid him. They also have a child. Is Natalie crazy? Why would she want to date him? What?! That guy is violent?! Thats a big red g! Alicia eximed in surprise I agree. That is why our entire family opposes her dating him, Tammy echoed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest Mom and Dad think its fine. In fact, I dont think those rumors are true. You cant just believe everything people say. Ive met him in person, and I think hes a gentleman, Matthew said 554 Is She Having A Blind Date? But hes a divorced man with a child, remember? Youre going to make Natalie someones stepmother?! She cant even take care of herself! She asked her maids to do everything for her! That old bastard! What the hell is he up to? Eximed Tammy. She then stood up angrily What are you doing? Astonished, Alicia looked at Tammy and asked Im going to prove to Natalie what kind of nasty man he is! Tammy waved at the waiter and then spoke into his ear After a brief pause, the waiter said with hesitation, Miss Wright, about this What are you scared of? If something goes wrong, Ill take the me, Patting her chest, Tammy said with certainty Sorry, but I dont believe that is a good idea. Mr. Carter is my managers friend, Smiling awkwardly, the waiter still tried to talk Tammy out of it Its OK, just do what she says. Ill take responsibility for everything/ Matthew said And the waiter agreed and left after gaining Matthews guarantee Surprised, Alicia asked, Why dont you ask her what shes doing directly? Why bother getting a stranger involved in it?* Tammy, you drugged Evan and beat him up a few days ago. Thank goodness your uncle covered your ass. And this time, youre messing with that violent man? Are you out of your mind?! At the thought of that, Alicia felt a headache I just wanted to test if he really liked Natalie, Tammy said triumphantly, Just wait and see what happens. wee At the same time, Natalie was flipping through the menu impatiently Whats wrong? You cant find the dish you want? Harry, who was sitting across from her, asked No. Tammy and I used toe here every day. Later, whenever they created a new dish, they would leave us some. I dont think theres something worth eating here. Then what would you like to eat? We can go to your favorite restaurant if you dont like this one. Natalie shook her head and said, Forget it. In fact, I understand why you came to see me. Your family forced you toe here, right? Harry said nothing. He just gazed at her tenderly. Then Natalie handed the menu to the waiter and said, Thats all. And please bring me a cup of jasmine tea. After the waiter left, Natalie leaned back and rested against the back of the chair. She raised her head to look at Harry, saying tly, I know what kind of trouble you are facing as a divorced young man. Your family must be urging you to hurry up and get married every single day, right? And I want you to know that everyone has a different attitude towards marriage. What do you mean? Harry asked eagerly Some think marriage willplete them, and some feel its nice to live alone. What type of person are you, then? Natalie blurted out, Thetter one. Im not interested in getting married at all. ying games and watching TV is much more interesting than getting married. I dont want to get married simply because I can financially benefit from it. 554 Is She Having A Blind Date? Do you think youd marry someone just because you like him? No! I like a lot of things. And I wouldnt give up many of my other interests just to get married. Actually, I really like you, Taking a deep breath, Harry said Thank you. Im ttered, Natalie said calmly Harry was surprised by her calm attitude. Then he asked in confusion, Arent you curious about why I like you? No. I already know why. You like me because of my fathers power and money, right? You are not the first to express an interest in me immediately after meeting me. Some people have said even crazier things But, seriously, just get to the point, okay? Natalie said with a shake of her head Ignoring Harry, who was frowning, Natalie continued, Im a Wright, but Im only my fathers adopted daughter. Youll get nothing from me after you marry me because I have no shares or property. You shouldnt expect anything from me. Still, Harry remained silent. However, in fact, thoughts kept flooding his mind. He thought, I knew /had fallen for the right person. Natalie, youre more sophisticated than you look. And I like everything about you, especially your bright eyes. Though it would be difficult to make you fall in love with me, Ill be patient. Youre worth the wait, I know While Natalie was waiting for Harry to break the silence, a waiter approached them, carrying a teapot. He then poured each of Natalie a cup of tea. However, the waiters hand shook when he was pouring tea for Harry, and the teacupnded on Harrys suit Im so sorry! I didnt mean it! Said the waiter in a fluster Does it hurt? Natalie stood up and asked, knowing the tea was boiling hot 554 Is She Having A Blind Date? Harry told the waiter he was fine and then wiped his shirt with a paper towel. Sorry, I need to go to the restroom. Please wait a moment. Sir, pleasee with me to the dressing room. Ill get you anew shirt. All right, thanks, Saying that, Harry followed the waiter and left As she sipped her tea, Natalie had a sense of deja vu. She suspected the waiter had done it on purpose. Later, Natalie stood up and asked a waitresses, Hello, could you tell me where the dressing room is? That way, miss. wee Tammy put down the magazine she was using to shield her face after Natalie left. Is she gone? she asked nervously Alicia replied nervously as well, She just left. What do you want to do? Follow me. Tammy stood up and wiped her mouth Wait for us here, Matthew. Matthew calmly ate his steak. OK. Be safe, he said Got it. Awhileter, the two girls walked together toward the dressing room Tammy sent a voice message to someone as they walked, asking, Have you arrived yet? How are things going? Who is it? A journalist. I asked her to do me a small favor. Why did you invite her? Alicia widened her eyes in shock and asked I didnt just invite a reporter, I also invited Fiona Donovan. Fiona Donovan? That actress? Alicia asked, surprised Chapter 556 What the Hell?! Chapter 556 What the Hell?! How did you get her here? Do you two know each other? Curious, Alicia asked Sort of. Shes my friends cousin. My friend says she is now desperate to marry a rich man. She stalks Harry every day, trying to get him to fall in love with her. So, she agreed toe here immediately after I texted her. So Natalie wont be dating him then? Without a doubt! Our entire family opposes her dating him because we all believe he is only interested in our property. Natalie would regret it if she married him. Shes not very smart, you know. Then Why are you still hesitating? Shut up and follow me. With that, Tammy pulled Alicia into the next lounge At that moment, the waiter brought Harry a new shirt. After saying thanks to the waiter and shutting the door, Harry took off his shirt and put on the new one. He found the shirt a little small for him and it didnt really fit him Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. While fastening his buttons, Harry walked towards the door. He frowned as soon as he opened the door and saw Fiona. What are you doing here? he asked The woman was dressed in a brown cashmere coat, beige boots, anda ck leather skirt. It was cold outside, but she was dressed like it was fall Her eyes widened when she saw Harry. Mr. Carter, youre really here! I thought she was lying to me! What? Why dont you answer my calls? Didnt we agree to meet againter? Fiona said as she rubbed her huge boobs against Harrys body In disgust, Harry took a step back in surprise. And Fiona took the opportunity to enter the room. The next second, she closed the door behind her. As she took off her coat and tossed it on the couch, Fiona said to Harry in a flirtatious tone, We can keep doing the things we didnt finishst time. What do you think? Alicia and Tammy, who were secretly watching them on the balcony, were taken aback. Neither of them expected Fiona to be wearing a sexy ck lingerie Oh my God! What a killer body! Alicia murmured in surprise I would have chosen her if I were Harry. Natalie has no boobs or ass, though she eats a lot every single day, Tammy said At the same time, in the dressing room, Harry pushed Fiona away, saying, Put on your clothes and go to the balcony. Why? Dont make me say it again, Harry said coldly to her. His stare was so cold that both girls on the balcony were shocked Fiona gritted her teeth. She then made her way to the balcony. And Fiona had just entered the balcony when Tammy tightly covered her mouth After straightening his shirt, Harry pushed open the door of the dressing room, trying to get out. To his surprise, the moment he pushed the door open, he saw Natalie. Then he asked, Natalie! What are you doing here? I came to see you. Have you already changed? Yeah. At that precise moment, they heard a group of people approaching them, shouting, Theyre here! Fiona and Mr. Carter went into this door! Hurry and follow them! Natalie was puzzled, as she had no idea who Fiona was. Just as Natalie was still in a trance, Harry grabbed her wrist and yanked her into the room. He then quickly locked the door By ident, Natalie ran into the wall. She rubbed her forehead and red angrily at him. And as soon as she looked up, she met Harrys gaze Looking at him so closely, she realized that he was actually a handsome man Does it hurt? Harry asked in a gentle tone, reaching his hand to her Panicked, Natalie immediately pushed him away. She said, Im fine! What was that all about? There are some journalists outside. Theyre here for the gossip. Natalie frowned. So? Does it have anything to do with me? Why did you drag me into the room? If Ihadnt dragged you into the room, you mightve been on headline tomorrow. Do you want that? With a faint smile, Harry said helplessly Natalie nced at him before taking a seat on a side couch. Can you make headlines that easy? Neither of us is a public figure. What the hell do you want from me? What do you mean? Harry asked in puzzlement You got your clothes wet on purpose. And then you went to the dressing room to change. After I came to see you, you locked me here Dont And tons of reporters happened to be outside. It cant be a coincidence! Natalie said, somewhat frustrated So, you think I set all of this up? Harry asked, frowning Yes. What if I told you I didnt? Harry asked Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Im not going to make you say it. Ive seen this kind of trick before when I was a kid. To be honest, I thought it was pretty boring. With that, Natalie began munching on the spicy nachos on the table Harry found it amusing that she pretended to be mature. He poured a ss of water for her Thanks. Natalie drank half of the ss of water all at once You just drank it without checking it? Arent you afraid I would put drugs in your water? Harry asked Natalie paused for a moment before shaking her head and saying, You wouldnt dare do that. Why? Im pretty sure youd never dare to do anything to me. After all, even if you cant marry me, you can still do business with my family. However, if you hurt me, my family will not let you off. Emmm Interesting. You said you werent important to the Wrights, didnt you? Then why wouldnt they let me off if I hurt you? Rubbing his chin, Harry looked at Natalie and asked teasingly Hearing that, Natalie was speechless. She just realized how smart Harry was. He had gotten her to tell the truth in just a few words. To hide her embarrassment, she coughed a few times awkwardly on purpose At that precise moment, Harrys phone rang. Hello? Harry answered the phone right in front of Natalie. I know. Just get rid of the reporters. Im fine. After hanging up the phone, Harry exined, My assistant is already handling this. We can leave hereter. I want to go home, Natalie said calmly But we havent eaten dinner yet. Im not in the mood to eat right now. You can tell your family that you have seen me and things didnt go well. You think I had this dinner with you because my family forced me to do so? Harry frowned Yeah. You can stop pretending because its just the two of us here, Natalie said nonchntly Meanwhile, on the balcony Tammy, maybe you should let go of her, Alicia whispered Hearing that, Tammy realized she had been covering Fionas mouth and nose for quite some time. She then warned Fiona, Ill let you go if you will be quiet. Otherwise Wink if youll do as we told you, Alicia said In response, Fiona blinked quickly. Before she could react, Tammy shed her hand across the neck shortly after releasing her. And Fiona passed out and leaned against the wall When did you learn this? Alicia asked in surprise Tammy replied with a smile, Aunt Peace taught me that. Lowering her voice, Alicia asked, Why does Natalie have to keep saying that? He appears to be very interested in her. You have no idea how many weirdos Natalie has met before. Since graduating from high school, she has gone on numerous blind dates. Id be exhausted if I were her, Tammy sighed and rolled her eyes Really? Are those guys she has had a blind date with so desperate to find themselves girlfriends? Nope. They want to marry Natalie because they want to gain benefits from our family, Tammy answered in a calm tone, Let me tell you the most hrious thing. Once, my fathers friend said his cousin was ideal for Nataliest Christmas. So, that guy insisted on Natalie meeting his cousin Guess what? Whats the problem? Hes ugly? No! That kid was only eleven years old at the time, Tammy said Youve got to be kidding me! Really? Alicia asked, her eyes wide Yes! He was about ten years younger than Natalie. Thats so awkward. My great-grandfather only stopped letting Natalie go on blind datesst year Alicia gave a thoughtful nod and said, So, Harry wasnt the worst shed ever seen? Hes just a little older than her and has a child. It makes no difference if she marries a poor man. Our family has more than enough money to support them. While they were talking, Harrys assistant told him that the reporters had left Wonderful! Thank you. See youter, Natalie said as she rose from the couch Ill drive you home. I Natalie had not finished speaking when she heard somebodys phone abruptly ring. Is your phone ringing? Natalie asked Harry Ican exin, Harry said with a frown What do you mean? Are you hiding someone on the balcony? Chapter 557 Busted Chapter 557 Busted Natalie looked out at the balcony and said aloud, That wont be necessary. Im not interested in that. Im going to leave right now. Please dont follow me. Then Natalie walked away from Harry, shutting the door loudly When Tammy and Alicia noticed that Natalie left, they both breathed a sigh of relief. And they climbed quickly to the next balcony before Harry came there to check on Fiona Thank God Natalie didnt As she stood on the balcony, Alicia saw Natalie. Stunned, she stopped talking, not knowing what to say to save herself from the awkward situation We definitely cant tell Natalie?! Tammy said. At the sight of Natalie, Tammy almost fell off the balcony What a COINCIDENCE! Natalie waved at them awkwardly, frowning Hello, Alicia and Tammy said at the same time Then, the three of them stood on the balcony looking at Fiona, who was leaning unconsciously against the next balconys corner You just let her stay there? Its getting cold! What if she freezes to death? Natalie asked Chill, Natalie. Shell be fine. Harry wille out to see herter Come on. We need to go now, Tammy replied Then Alicia frowned and said, But Harry didnt seem too interested in her, even though she got such a good figure. I dont think he will look for her. What time is it? Tammy asked Its 8:30. It has been five minutes since Natalie left the room, but Harry still didnt go to the balcony, Alicia replied Why dont we drag her into the room? Shes barely wearing any clothes. Tammy suggested, bent down and grabbed Fionas arms, trying to drag her to the room Hearing that, Natalie and Alicia both looked at Tammy at the same time and remained still. Why are you all staring at me? Dont just stand there! Do you expect me to drag her into the room all by myself? Give me a hand, would you? Tammy asked, surprised Sighing, Alicia and Natalie helped Tammy drag Fiona, even though they were reluctant to do so. And the three of them struggled to get Fiona into the room as they lifted her up After finally making it to the room, Alicia said, panting.Guys, I have a question. What is it? Why is she so heavy, by the way? She looks skinny! But even the three of us have difficulty in carrying her into the room, Tammy said with a pout Alicia paused to catch her breath. Since Harrys gone, why didnt we go through the front door? she asked At that time, Tammy had already sat down on the couch for a break She then snatched the water from Natalies grasp and drank it. But what if hes still there? she asked Nah. Im sure he left. However, to their surprise, the next second, they heard the sound of footsteps. Instantly, the girls froze as they noticed Harry standing in the doorway to the bathroom What the hell?! You you didnt leave?! Natalie screamed in horror Because Harry was so tall, his head nearly touched the door frame. He first looked at Fiona, who was lying on the carpet, then at Natalie and the two girls behind her. You didnt leave either, did you? he asked Natalie with a hint of teasing I, [dont know them, Natalie said, her face slightly twitching There you are. Ive been looking for you for ages. You guys nearly scared the hell out of me, you know? Thank goodness youre safe and sound, Suddenly, Matthews voice came from the door. Hearing that, all of them turned around and looked at Matthew in surprise. Then they followed Matthew and returned to the hall. On the way, none of them uttered a word out of embarrassment. Following that, they were seated at arge table near the window Im sorry, but my sister is always like this, Taking a sip of the tea, Matthew said to Harry apologetically So, this youngdy turns out to be your sister. Then whos the girl sitting next to her? Harry asked, eyeing Alicia Shes my sisters friend, Matthew replied for Alicia, who was nervous under Harrys gaze Hello, girls, Harry said with a nod Extremely embarrassed, Alicia asked Tammy in a whisper, When can we leave? Arent you hungry? Dont you want to eat here? Tammy said in a low voice Its so embarrassing! I just wanna leave here as soon as possible. Agreed, Natalie echoed, So why dont we eat Thai foodter? Great idea! I know a really good Thai restaurant nearby. How about I take you there? Harry chipped Hearing that, the girls froze. Then Natalie said with a shake of her head, No, thanks. Were leaving now. Are you sure? The food there tastes really good, Though rejected, Harry insisted on taking them there, seemingly not wanting to let them go With a frown, Tammy thought to herself, Why are you treating Natalie like this? What are you up to, Harry? Cant you see shes not interested in you at all? The next moment, Tammy decided to speak her mind out loud, Harry, I think youre pretty strange. Cant you see Natalie isnt interested in you? Why dont you leave her alone? She hasnt gotten to know me better yet. Why are you so sure a light smile Youre a divorced man with a kid, remember? And Natalie has never had a boyfriend. Who are you to ask her to be a stepmother to your child? Stop daydreaming! Tammy pped the table and snapped, her face blushing because of anger Right after Tammy finished his words, Harry frowned. Gradually, his face darkened Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. In embarrassment, Natalie coughed a few times before grabbing Tammys arm. She felt Tammy had crossed the line even though that was the truth. Sensing that Natalie was grabbing her arms, Tammy also realized she shouldnt have said that either. Still, she was determined to run away from the awkward situation, saying, Im leaving. Enjoy your meal. Tammy! Alicia looked at Matthew and Harry apologetically before Sf chasing after Tammy Ill go check on them, Natalie said, carefully setting aside her fork, Please dont take what Tammy personally, Mr. Carter. After making this excuse, Natalie also left quickly. Dumbfounded, Harry looked up as they walked away. At the same time. Matthew said nothing. He just calmly raised his champagne ss and clinked sses with Harry You need to work harder, Harry, Matthew said Yes, I know, Harry replied with a smile After leaving the restaurant, Tammy kept running while Natalie was chasing after her, gasping for breath. Stop running, Tammy! Youre not going to marry him! Promise me! Still running, Tammy shouted Why are you so worried about that? I havent even agreed to date him. What?! Youre even hesitant about dating him or not? Looking at Natalie in disbelief, Tammy stopped running and questioned Alicia couldnt run as fast as Natalie, so she was left behind. When she noticed them arguing, she stepped in between them. Chill, guys! Lam chill! Tammy said, her gaze fixed on Natalie OK, we can stop now, Natalie said as she looked behind Alicia, No ones catching up. Hold on Were you two just acting? Surprised, Alicia asked Yeah! Theres no way for us to get out of there otherwise. Natalie and Tammyughed together. Alicia realized they had nned that out at that point Chapter 558 Run! Chapter 558 Run! The opening ceremony of the racingpetition was held in the Birmingham suburbs on the day before Christmas Eve. All racing teams would arrive at the official race venue following the opening ceremony The day before the opening ceremony began, Alicia received the tickets Matthew had sent her. She was so happy that she kept begging Tammy to go with her. Tammy was drowsy the entire way because they had an early start in the morning. She grumbled, Whats the big deal about this? It is only an opening ceremony, not a race. Do you realize this will be over once everyone has brought their cars in? I dont think itll evenst half an hour. I cant believe Im waking up so early for that. Alicia said, Im not interested in the official game! Im only here to take a photo with Kevin. Whos Kevin? A very cute racer. He was on a variety showst year and is now very famous. How cute can he be? Is he as cute as Scott? Tammy asked mockingly Alicia flipped through the brochure, looking for a picture of Kevin They are not the same type. Here! This is Kevin. Tammy frowned and asked, Are you sure? Hes a reserve yer for mypanys team. Hes not even a regr on the team. Why do you find him attractive? What? Hes a backup yer?! Alicia wentpletely still. She wouldnt have known it if Tammy hadnt pointed it out. On the brochure, Kevins name had a yellow line next to it, indicating that he was a substitute How did that happen? With her eyes widened in shock, Alicia asked Tammy yawned and appeared to be about to fall asleep. She looked around and froze when she noticed someone Alicia. Yeah? Look! Alicia turned to face the front row, following Tammys gaze. She asked after seeing the man, Isnt that Dominic? What id he doing here? Tammy frowned when she noticed the logo of Brisco Group on the small g Dominic was holding. Brisco Group was Carousel Groups biggestpetitor Dominic seems to be on your opponents team. Nudging Tammy, Alicia said with a sly smile Tammy mockingly looked at Alicia and said, Of course I noticed that! I hate him! You dont have to judge him that way, Tammy. Its just a game, and everyone is ying fair. Brisco doesnt care about fairness or even morals. Tammy snorted after she said so Whats the matter? This happened a few years ago. Back then, the real estate industry wasnt so heavily regted. So, the Brisco group demolished many old buildings with bulldozers and even killed some residents. From then on, they are known for their tough demolition practices. Really? Alicia asked, surprised Theyve also done a lot of dirty deeds. Tammy didnt want to bring up these heinous details again. She cast a nce at Dominic and then frowned Thats Kevin! Tammy. Im going to ask him for an autograph. Wait for me here! Alicia then quickly ran away /t seems you dide here just to see Kevin. Then why did you ask me toe here with you? Tammy thought At that point, the opening ceremony had already begun. As the teams of each brand entered the field, the host introduced them to the audience At the same time, the audience could hear the roaring engines and see the floating smoke While most of the audience were cheering like crazy, Tammy remained silent as she had no interest in racing at all. She waited for Alicia for a long time before deciding to go looking for her. Absentminded and bored, Tammy followed the signs instructions and walked to the lounge Looking at the Brisco brand logo on the lounge door, Tammy sighed She thought to herself, Whats going on with me, today? Why on earth would I go to the lounge for the Brisco group? Urgh! She was about to leave when she heard a man talking inside the lounge. The only thing you have to do at the opening ceremony is to wreck the Carousel Groups car. You should kick their racer out of the officialpetition. Tammy froze, unable to believe what she was hearing. All of a sudden, Alicia came up behind her and asked, What are you doing here? Ive been looking for you for a long time. I just came back from getting you some coffee. Alicia winked at Tammy while holding two cups of coffee Then conversation in the lounge came to a halt. Sensing that something was off, Tammy grabbed Alicias arm and shouted, Run! My coffee! The two girls ran down the wall in a frenzy. Immediately after that, two men walked out of the lounge and began running after them, shouting, Stop! Alicias face became pale with fear. Who did you piss off again? she asked Tammy as she ran Stop asking! I dont have time to exin it right now. Ah! I cant run anymore! Alicia had used up all of her energy. And the two men were getting closer and closer to them at that moment. In the blink of an eye, Tammy shoved Alicia behind a trash can at the intersection. While panting, she whispered to Alicia, Stay here. Dont move until they leave. Then Tammy slowed down on purpose. And she started to run quickly after the two men behind her had caught up Stop! The men shouted again ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. After she left the venue, Tammy noticed tall grass in front of her. Just as she was about to say something, a hand reached out from the grass, covered her mouth, and yanked her in Ah!!! Panicked, Tammy nearly screamed her lungs out Shhh! The person who just yanked her quickly covered her mouth Both scared and curious, Tammy wanted to turn around and see who the person was. And when she was going to do so, she heard the footsteps of the two men who went after her, and they sounded like they were right beside her. So, she perished the thought and decided to stay still and J silent Where has she gone? One of the men asked You tell me! Didnt she just walk over here? The other man asked me Is it possible that she ran into the woods? Maybe. Lets go find her there! They then ran past Tammy and eventually disappeared into the woods After a long time, Dominic finally let go of Tammy. You could have been in real danger if you had just run into the woods, he said The moment she heard his voice, Tammy wentpletely still. She was surprised to see Dominic when she looked up. She wanted to say something to thank him, but she didnt You! What the hell are you doing here?! She immediately stood up and asked, surprised I just saved your life! You should thank me, Amber. Im not going to thank you, scumbag! I dont even need you to save me! Tammy said Whats wrong? Why are you calling me a scumbag? Dominic asked in surprise Youre as cruel as Brisco! You even wanted to Tammy clenched her teeth. She hesitated for a moment and decided it was better to keep her mouth shut What? What do you think I want to do? Stop talking to me! Tammy yelled angrily before turning around and walking away Wait a minute! Dominic said. He held out his hand, trying to get her to stop Ah! Tammy identally stepped into a pit. She screamed and then fell straight down on the grass I just wanted to remind you that there are pits all over this ce. Are you all right? Dominic asked, reaching out his hand to her Tammy remained on the ground. Im not okay! she eximed angrily Come on. Theyll probably go back here if they cant find you in the woods. Well both be screwed if they find us. Ill be the only one who gets screwed! You dont have to be so hostile. I mean no harm. Tammy rolled her eyes and grumbled, Shut up, okay? Im not talking to you! She stood up, clutching a nearby tree. At the moment, her ck down jacket was soiled with grass and mud, giving her a wretched appearance. However, she didint care about it at all. All she ever wanted at that moment was to tell Matthew the news she had just heard as soon as possible Though Tammy was already hurt, she insisted on walking alone. She stumbled as she walked and appeared to be about to trip again. As Dominic couldnt bear to watch her like that anymore, he held Tammys arm after he dropped the branch in his hand What are you doing? I can walk on my own! Tammy was already on Dominics back before she could react Shh. Dominic carried her to the venue on his back Tammy appeared hesitant. On the one hand, she didnt want Dominic to carry her like that. On the other hand, however, the pain in her ankle was so unbearable that she couldnt walk on her own. So, she had no choice but to let Dominic carry her like that What gives you the impression that Im one of them? While walking, Dominic turned his head and asked Tammy, who was on his back You were holding their g. Arent you a fan of their racing team? Huh? Someone just handed out gs like that to everyone at the entrance. Didnt they hand one to you? Hearing that, Tammy wentpletely still. Then she analyzed secretly, Right. Employees from many brands, including the Carousel Group, have just handed out banners and small gs to the audience at the venues entrance. So, Dominic might not have anything to do with the Brisco group. Gosh This is so embarrassing Youre not one of them? Tammy asked in shock Of course not! So, why did you hold their g? I was too embarrassed to throw it away in front of them. Tammy believed he had a valid point. She was sorry for saying that about him earlier. After several minutes, they arrived at the venue a littleter than expected Tammy! Alicia yelled as soon as she saw them When Tammy looked up, the first person she saw was Matthew. She tapped Dominic on the shoulder and said, Thank you very much. You may now put me down. Matthew approached Tammy and asked anxiously, What happened? Did you get hurt ? Im fine. Actually, I identally sprained my ankle. Tammys hand remained on Dominics shoulder as she spoke. At the same time, Matthew gave Dominic a wary look Pleasure to meet you. Im Dominic, Dominic said, extending his hand to Matthew Matthew. Looking at the two young boys, who were exchanging hostile nces, Alicia trembled in fear Chapter 559 Safe At Last Chapter 559 Safe At Last On their way back to the venue, Tammy told Matthew what the the Brisco group was up to. As his eyes turned dark, Tammy said in a serious tone, Thank you for telling me that, Tammy. Damn it! Are they out of their mind? They are even willing to sacrifice their team members just to go against us. Pouting, Tammy snapped, How dare they! Theyre so despicable! What should we do now, Matthew? Matthew said calmly before leaving, Ill take care of it. You should stay here. Dont go anywhere, okay? I will send you and Alicia back after the opening ceremony is over. Still, Tammy was worried as she watched Matthew walk away Tammy, take it easy. Your brother is so powerful, so he will definitelye up with a solution, Alicia said as she patted Tammy on the shoulder But Im afraid theyll do something even more outrageous. They wont do anything to Matthew, will they? Alicia asked with wariness Im not sure. Hearing that, Alicia asked, surprised, What?! This is way too outrageous! Calm down,dies. They wouldnt dare to do anything here, Dominic chipped in. Both Tammy and Alicia turned around as they heard his voice. Its on me, Dominic said as he handed them each a Coke Thanks. Alicia drank her Coke right away. She elbowed Tammy, who was still frozen, and said, Hey! He got you a drink. It wasnt until then 558 Safe At Last hd that Tammy snapped back to attention I had no idea your brother was the president of the Carousel Group Its no surprise that you always act recklessly, Looking at Tammy, Dominic said straightforwardly Are you ming me for what happened before? No. Implimenting you. Really? But I dont think so. Lowering her head, Tammy hesitated for quite a while before looking up at Dominic and continuing, -Dominic, Im sorry for misunderstanding you earlier. Dominic froze before reaching out and rubbing Tammys hair. And Tammy asked in astonishment, her eyes widening in shock, What are you doing?! Later, she avoided his hand Dominic burst outughing and said, Rx! I didnt take it personally anyways. After all, youre just a kid. Im not a kid anymore. Im only sixteen years old. Exactly! Alicia, who was next to Tammy, also muttered in dissatisfaction So? Youre both kids to me. But your brother looks like an adult to me. You know, adults have to shoulder a great deal of responsibility and sacrifice of many of their favorite things when its necessary, Dominic said as he sat on the following step I have to admit that I envy you two. Both of you are at a point when you try to be independent and hate being treated like children. Ive been there, too. So, Igetit. However, when you be a real adult, you must learn to weigh the pros and cons and hide your emotions sometimes Besides, you will have no choice but to be forced to ept the numerous unavoidable things that life throws at you. Dominic thought to himself Is that why you retired? Youre not old enough to retire, and your record is still at the top of the charts. Are you doing this because of the so-called responsibilities? Tammy asked With a resigned smile, Dominic replied, What makes you think that way? Turning my hobby into a career is boring, and I no longer want to do it. I can also give young people more opportunities by retiring. Actually, Im doing this for everyones own good. Tammy frowned when she thought of Dominics advertising contract And she didnt believe a single word he was saying At that moment, they could see on the big screen that the first car had safely crossed the finish line while the second was in the midst of a full sprint. Anumber of cars also stopped halfway through the race due to taking a corner too fast or breaking down Thats the car of the Brisco Group! Alicia yelled Thementator said, Jayden from Team Carousel is pursuing Ben from Team Brisco. Jayden will win if he surpasses Ben in the front corner. Thementator kept exining to the audience what was happening on the spot. The two cars were preparing to drift through the turn, one in front of the other. And Jaydens car drove to the front after a sharp braking sound All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. In excitement, thementator said, Jayden just made a breathtaking move! He managed to get rid of Ben. This is Jadens best result since he entered the industry, and it could make him a dark horse. Perfect! Did you hear that? He made it! Alicia eximed excitedly Tammy fixed her gaze on the screen. And everyone noticed Briscos car hanging on the cliffs edge when the smoke cleared. The next second, everyone was taken aback and they starteddiscussing Whats going on here? Something happened to Bens car. Right. Thementary immediately said, The rescue team has arrived, and they said no one was harmed. Hearing that, Tammy exhaled a sigh of relief. She thought, No wonder the two cars didnt collide! Turns out Ben drove his car into the guardrail himself. Thank God Jayden dodged a bullet Jayden is so lucky! But if Kevin was here, he would have performed better. Alicia expressed her dissatisfaction Dominic said, Jayden did it not because hes lucky, but because hes a good racer. How do you know? Because Im his friend. Overtaking in corners is his strongest skill, and hes rarely facedpetition in that, Smiling, Dominic answered Tammy froze and asked, Is he your friend? So youvee to see Jayden today? Yeah. Didnt I just say that? Dominic asked, winking at her You Tammy felt even more humiliated, as she had just called him a jerk. She had no idea he would be on her team Alicia was Kevins big fan. Because the yer in thepetition was Jayden, Kevin could only be the substitute yer. Alicia appeared upset when she found out Dominic was Jaydens friend. And she snapped, You two are both jerks! Its not surprising that you two are friends! You can call him a jerk, but not me, Dominic said You stole our contract, and then your friend Jayden stole my idols spot in thepetition. Thats Because Dominic had just saved her life, Tammy felt she had to speak up for him. Then she chipped in, Did you get Kevins autograph, Alicia? No! I couldnt find him anywhere. Dominic asked, Would you like to meet him? Of course! Can you tell me where he is? All the substitutes will arrive at the finish line the other way. Kevin is at the finish line? Great! Im going to find him now. Alicia eximed happily Did you guys drive here? Dominic asked No, With a wry smile, Alicia answered I can drive you there. That wont be necessary, Tammy replied, shaking her head. She was so embarrassed by what had just happened that she didnt want to spend any more time with Dominic anymore. Im going to call my brother right now and let his driver take us there. With that, Tammy immediately stood up and gripped the gpole to keep her bnce. She dialed Matthews number Hello? Matthew. Whats up? Alicia and I both want to go to the finish line. Can you arrange for your driver to take us there? Hes currently driving me there. My assistant is still at the venue, so Ill let him Tammy then heard a loud bang. And then she heard something hit the ground. Soon, the phone was disconnected What happened, Matthew? Are you okay? Tammy asked anxiously over the phone Whats the matter? Alicia asked the moment she noticed that Tammy was nervous Something happened to my brother! Tammy said in a panic Chapter 560 It鈥檚 A Trap Chapter 560 Its A Trap As soon as they arrived at the scene, they saw that the road to the nearby mountain was closed off. The guardrail was shattered, and pieces of the cars bumper and headlights were scattered on the ground. Tammy kept her fists clenched as she looked down at the cliff, and Alicia stood beside her. Then Dominic approached Tammy and handed her a bottle of water. Have some water, Tammy. There is still hope for us. Your brother will be alright. Tammy did not drink the water. Instead, she stood there as still as a statue. A whileter, Many people came to the ident site to help Tammy! Peace yelled as soon as she stepped out of the car Havinge back to her senses, Tammy returned her gaze. At the sight of Peace, she threw herself into Peaces arms and sobbed Peace then stroked her hair andforted her. Im so sorry, dear Hell be just fine. At the moment, Peaces eyes were red as she spoke because she cried the entire way there Later, both Karl and Andrew arrived. Looking rather anxious, Karl asked the rescue team, You guys still cant find him? One of the members of the rescue team shrugged and said, We cant go down there by helicopter because the cliff is too deep and the terrain is tooplicated. Only the most primitive method, rock climbing, is avable. We tried several times, but we all failed. Its too difficult to climb down there, and the cliff face is covered in ice. So, what are we supposed to do? Karl asked Meanwhile, Tammy couldnt stop crying, which made Peace even 559 Its A Trap A more anxious. She asked the rescuers, So youre going to stand here and do nothing the whole time? Then why did you guyse here? Calm down, honey! Karl immediately said Im his godmother, and its my job to keep him safe. How can I exin to Anna if something happens to Matthew? Peace started crying Let me do it! Suddenly, a woman said with determination. Peace stopped crying right away. When she turned around and saw who wasing, her eyes widened. Emily! Emily approached Peace and asked, Are you all right? Tammy cried harder when she saw Emily. She said, Aunt Emily! Thank God youre here! Emily wiped the tear on Tammys face gently. Dont cry, sweetie There are many people here. Your parents would be heartbroken if they knew how sad you were. Dont worry. Ill save your brother right now. After that, Emily turned around and approached the rescue team at the cliffs edge. Hows it going? she asked His car crashed off the cliff. We couldnt hold the climbing spikes up because the cliff is icy and slippery. We can only go halfway down the mountain. Before starting to remove her jacket, Emily looked at the survey results. Give me the rescue suit and the rope, she said What? the rescue team leader asked, surprised Give it to her, Ryanmanded. He then showed the team leader his badge Mr. Tyler, hello, the captain said right away Hello. You can give her the rope now. Got it. Emily had been trained as a special forces soldier and excelled at rock climbing. The rescue team members required rock climbing spikes to safely get down this cliff. She was, however, able to go down with her bare hands. The other rescue team members gathered around and stared in awe at Emily. While Emily was climbing down, the data tester kept reporting the length of the rope going down deep. Twenty meters Now thirty meters Captain, who is she? Shes awesome! Shes probably a subordinate of Mr. Tyler, the captain said, scratching his head Actually, shes Mr. Tylers boss, Karl exined Howe? Shes Mrs. Tyler. Hearing that, the captain began shivering. He nervously asked one of his team members, You just double-checked everything, didnt you? Are you sure that the ropes are secure? Im sure its safe, said one of the team members Mrs. Tyler herself went down there? Who was the one who fell off the cliff? Mr. Tylers nephew, Karl replied Realizing that, the captain was on the verge of passing out. The entire rescue team stood nervously on the cliffs edge. They were worried about Emily the entire time, even wishing they were on the cliff themselves And at the same time, Tammy clung to Peace, nearly crying her eyes out. Then Peace carried her to the car and left her to rest Wheres Wayne? Peace asked after closing the car door, I dialed his 559 Its ATrap A number, but he did not answer my calls. Without answering her question, Karl pulled Peace to the side What? What happened to him? Does he even care about Matthew? With a darkened face, Peace snapped Shh, keep your voice down. Dont let Tammy hear what youre saying, Looking at Tammy warily, Karl made a shush gesture to Peace and said in a low voice As Karl lowered his voice, Peace lowered her voice, too. She asked, What exactly is going on? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He should be on the ne by now, Karl said quietly What? Where is he going?! Karl responded when looking up at the sky and saying, Fleosil. His ne has been in the air for two hours. Wayne flew to Fleosil this afternoon without telling anyone because he didnt want us to go to the airport to see him off. Who wouldve expected Matthew to have an ident at such a critical time? An hourter, Emily said over the inte, Ive found the car. Hearing that, everyone felt relieved. Then Ryan asked, Hows Matthew? I dont know. No one is in the car. Where is he? Clenching the inte more tightly, Ryan asked nervously I have no idea. The next morning, the headlines read, Carousel Group CEO Falls Off Cliff, Missing. In the morning, the anchor of the local morning news told the public about it How could he have vanished? Karl asked, perplexed. At that time, he and his friends were staying in a hotel near the ident site Peace appeared to be very worried. Is it possible that Matthew survived the fall and left on his own? It cant be. Emily went down to find him, and she couldnt be wrong After all, theyve already brought his car up here and theres still no sign of Matthew. Thats not what I meant! Why are you misinterpreting my words? Peace asked furiously. When Peace saw Emily walk out of the bathroom, she said, Emily, you know thats not what I meant. Im just Sigh I just want Matthew to be okay. Emily nodded, I get it. Actually, I am as anxious as you are. Peace, I think youre right. Ive always thought the ident might not be as simple as it seems, Andrew abruptly said Then everyone stared at him in surprise. Under their gaze, Andrew continued calmly, He was in his car when he fell off the cliff. Since the car was there, Matthew should be there as well. So, how could it be? What? No one would have known where Matthew had gone if Tammy hadnt called him. When I asked the employees at the venue, they said Matthew went to the finish line on the spur of the moment. So So what? Dont keep us guessing. Peace expressed concern They wanted to divert our attention with this ident. In fact, Matthew may not have even been in the car at the time the car drove off the cliff, Emily said Chapter 561 What Do You Need So Man we 560 What Do You Need So Many Guns For? Chapter 561 What Do You Need So Man we 560 What Do You Need So Many Guns For? Ill have them look up all the surveince in the neighborhood right away, Ryan said as he stood up Ill go with you, Emily said Peace remained frozen as she had no idea what was going on Looking at her with sympathy, Karl grabbed her hand and said gently, Peace, we should leave this matter to Ryan and Emily. After all, theyre professionals. Also, let Tammy stay at our house for the time being. I dont want anything to happen to her, either. Then Andrew said, Ill take care of the social media. Wayne and Anna are both out of the country now and they cante back for a while. If they hear the news, they will be worried. So were just keeping it from them? Peace asked, surprised I believe we can tell them once we find some clues. Okay. In the afternoon, Tammy awoke from a long nightmare. When she opened her eyes, she saw Alicia lying next to her Youre awake? Alicia asked, rubbing her eyes in drowsiness Wheres my brother? Did they find him? Tammy asked. She could barely keep her eyes open Sorry, theres still no news about your brother, Alicia said, shaking her head Tammy was about to get out of bed when she lifted the covers. But as she stood up, she copsed back onto the bed. In a fluster, Alicia 560 What Do You Need So Man 7 immediately helped her sit up, asking with concern, You have a fever, Tammy! You should rest in bed! Tammy began crying once more. She kept asking, So? I dont care! Wheres my brother now? I want to see him! Theyre all trying to figure out what to do. Dont cry, okay? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Tammy, however, cried louder and louder after hearing Alicias words What happened to my brother? Tammy asked, her eyes welling up with tears Ill tell you if you eat some breakfast, Alicia said, handing hera sandwich and a ss of milk Tammy finished her sandwich quickly. Then she asked, You can tell me now, cant you? Uncle Ryan is checking the surveince. Well surely hear good news from him in a few minutes. So, all you have to do is wait now. Alicia then turned around and walked away Tammy immediately realized that Alicia was lying to her. So, she tried to smash the cup on the ground in a fit of anger. And meanwhile, she snapped, You lied to me! Hearing that, Alicia quickly took her hand in hers and said, Dont! Please calm down, Tammy. Youve spent the entire morning sleeping. And you havent eaten anything. Also, youre still having a fever. Just listen to me, Tammy. You really need to get some rest. The adults will take care of everything. Clenching her teeth, Tammy sobbed. She thought to herself, Matthew, please be safe and sound! You have to be.. tee In Fleosil, Anna and Patrick left the station early in the morning to go 560 What Do You Need So Man WZ shopping in the nearest town. As Patrick decided to drive the car, Anna chose to in the passenger seat. As soon as she got in the car, she began reading through the shopping list. And she said, Thats so typical of Nancy. She didnt even forget to ask for a bottle of whiskey. Dr. Moore is such an alcoholic. Luckily, our medical team has ano drinking policy. She would have gone shopping for supplies if she hadnt been on duty today. Do you think she would drink a lot on her way to the store? Thank goodness she didnte, or she would have gotten into more trouble. Is there a bakery in town, by the way? Anna asked. She tucked her shopping list into the pocket of her jacket I know theres a bakery there, but please dont get your hopes up The cakes there taste like candles. Its fine. I just need to buy a cake. What for? Nancys birthday is tomorrow. I want to celebrate it for her. Patrick froze for a moment before saying mockingly, I think shell be happier if you buy her a six-pack of beers instead of a cake. The trip from their station to town took them half a day. Because this town had a high crime rate, people who came to buy supplies had to spend the night in town and then leave the next morning. Otherwise, they mighte across robbers if they drove at night After they finished shopping at the grocery store, Patrick carried the groceries they ordered back to the car while Anna checked out at the store and double-checked that she had purchased everything on the list Did the stuff I ordered arrive? Hearing that deep and familiar male voice, Anna froze and then 560 What Do You Need So Man YY quickly ducked behind the shelves. She turned around, and she was surprised to see Smith talking to the grocery store owner The owner didnt seem to notice Anna in the store. He looked around before carefully pulling a medium-sized leather case from beneath the counter. Heres what you want, he said and patted the case As Smith was about to open the case, the owner shook his head and said a bit impatiently, Please follow the rules, Smith. Cash first. Smith snorted. Then the soldiers behind him tapped the suitcases edge with their guns. Afraid that they would hurt him, the owner had no choice but to let Smith open the suitcase Extremely cautious, Anna moved closer to the shelves without drawing their attention. Through the gap in the shelves, she could see Smith opening the suitcase. And when she saw what was inside the case, Anna was shocked It was already dark when Anna left the grocery store. Is there anything else we need to buy? We need to return to the station first thing in the morning, and we wont be able toe here until next month. Patrick asked as the two of them got into the car Anna appeared to be very nervous. Is there a gun shop here? she asked Patrick looked surprised, asking, What do you need the guns for? Just get me some guns, okay? Ill exin to youter. Okay, With a nod, Patrick made a U-turn. Though he was suspicious as to why Anna would suddenly want to buy a gun, he didnt ask her about it anymore ae 560 What Do You Need So Man ZF This town was near the countrys border. As a result, there were a lot of mercenaries and smugglers around, and shootings were prevalent However, the nightlife there was colorful. Because most of them didnt know if theyd see the sun the next day, those criminals were all into instant pleasure In a bar in that town, the snooker table in the middle was illuminated by dazzling lights. A couple of blondes were setting up the balls, and some men were watching them intently. Then a young man wearing a floral shirt and a gorgeous blonde woman walked into the bar Wee! The bartender greeted them, What would you like to drink? A mojito and a tequ. Thanks, said the man A moment, please. Seated at the bar, Patrick tugged on his shirt cor and asked Anna, Dr. Wright, do I look good in this? While tucking strands of her blonde wig to the back of her ear, Anna asked suspiciously, Is this the ce you mentioned to me before? Do they actually sell Its best if you keep your mouth shut here. Hearing Patricks words, Anna gave a thoughtful nod The bartender was also the bars owner. In her ck uniform and cowgirl hat, she appeared attractive and exotic. She made the two drinks quickly and ced them in front of Anna and Patrick, saying, Here you are. Enjoy your mojito and tequ. Thank you, Raising his ss, Patrick smiled and thanked the bartender Youre wee. The owner then started to wipe the marble bar 560 What Do You Need So Man NS) And she said to Patrick, Cam asked me for your cell phone number thest time you left. But I didnt have it. I told her you would definitelye back, but she didnt believe me. Wheres Cam? Patrick asked She has a cold and has been resting for a few days. Would you like to go check on her? Of course, Patrick said with a wink. The owner also blinked in response. Her dark green eyes glowed in the light like two emeralds When Anna saw Patrick stand up, she said, Can I go with you? Id like to meet the lovelydy you mentioned. Is she really more attractive than your ex-girlfriend? Patrick, you havent introduced this charmingdy to me yet, the owner said Hello there, my name is Anna. Im his sister. Anna said Patrick frowned, clearly dissatisfied. But he knew that because Anna was going to meet Cam, it was best if she pretended to be his sister. So, he said nothing about it eventually The owner said joyfully, Cam will be over her cold in no time if she knows youre bringing your family to see her, Patrick! She may be able to return to work tomorrow. Haha! Were going to check on her now. Bye. After waving goodbye to the bar owner, Patrick and Anna made their way to the back of the bar. On their way there, Anna asked Youve only been here for a little over a month, havent you? How did you get to know everyone at the bar so well? Patrick exined, Im doing it to make more friends in town. I know 560 What Do You Need So Man who Ill turn to for help if I get into trouble. Are you sure Cam can help you? Yes. She is the bar owners sister. And both of them are the mayors daughters. Nobody dares to mess with her! Really? What does she see in you? Im not sure. Perhaps its because Im hot. Hearing that, Anna rolled her eyes. Are you sure Cam can help us buy guns? If she cant, then no one in this town can. By the way, you still havent told me why youre suddenly buying so many guns, Anna. Can you tell me now? I want to buy them to protect ourselves. Chapter 562 They Knew About Wayne鈥檚 True Identity Chapter 562 They Knew About Waynes True Identity Dont you already have a gun? Why do you need more? Puzzled, Patrick asked Ill distribute the guns to everyone on the team. In this way, we can keep ourselves safe and gain the initiative. What do you mean? Anna frowned, saying, Today, I saw Smith at the grocery store. He wasnt wearing a uniform. And he was apanied by two soldiers. He appeared to have ced an order with the grocery store owner some time ago. What is it? Its a time bomb hidden inside a leather case. Surprised, Patrick asked, Really? Are you sure? Of course. Then Patrick asked with suspicion, How is this even possible? They came here with many soldiers and arge number of weapons. Why would they bother to customize a bomb at such a town? I suspect hes keeping that bomb for himself, Furrowing her brows, Anna said Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Patrick froze for a moment. When he thought of the fact that Anna had suddenly decided to buy guns in bulk, he realized what was going on Is he nning on blowing up our station? In shock, he asked Shh! Keep your voice down! With a frown, Anna said. As Patrick stopped the car, Anna asked, lifting her chin toward the lighted room in the front yard, Does she live there? 561 They Knew About Waynes ] Hearing the sound of a woman coughinging from that room, Patrick said with a nod, Thats right. Lets go. In the evening, a group of police officers arrived at the hospital in the town near the mountain. Have you seen this young man? A young inclothes officer asked several nurses. He showed them a picture of Matthew One of the nurses looked at the photo for a moment before saying, Im sure Ive seen him. He arrived last night. Is he still in the hospital? He left the hospital early this morning. Someone picked him up here. Who? Im sorry, I dont know. Did the person take any notes when they left? Yes. Although this was a small hospital, the staff kept meticulous records on each patient. So, it didnt take the officer long to find the note A few minutester, Ryan received a text message. He froze when he saw that picture How are things going? Did they find any clues ? Karl asked Ryan paused for a moment before handing Karl his phone. Confused, Karl asked, Huh? Anna took Matthew away? How is this even possible? Annais still at Fleosil at the time, and there is no way shed return and take Matthew away from the hospital. But this is her handwriting. Someone mustve faked her handwriting. That person is so shrewd! 561 They Knew About Waynes A] The hospital is run-down, and there isnt even a security camera there. We cant find anything there! Where are they taking Matthew? Karl said anxiously Ryan exhaled deeply and said, Calm down. The very least we can do now is ensure Matthews safety. Well. Its highly likely that he got hurt Otherwise, they would not have taken the risk of sending him to the hospital. So, how is he? Matthew was diagnosed with a concussion. He was in aa when he was taken to the hospital. Shocked, Karl stood up right away. Huh? If he doesnt get treatment right away, his condition will get worse! Have you sent them out to find him yet? Ive dispatched people to look for him, but theres no word from them yet. I have no idea whats going on. Ryans phone rang at that precise moment. And he answered the call, Hello? Whats up, Emily? Did you find Matthew yet? Over the phone, Emily asked Were still looking for him The board is back with a new drama. Whats going on? Ryan asked, shocked Long story short, they found out about Waynes true identity and called a shareholders meeting and invited all of the directors. Your mom is on her way there. Ill be right there! After hanging up the phone, Ryan quickly grabbed his jacket and left the room. He didnt have time to exin anything to anyone. On his way, he kept thinking, This is so strange! Why did everything happen all at once recently? First, Matthew went missing. And now, the board of directors tried to find someone to rece him. It cant be a coincidence that these two things happened at the same time! Meanwhile, in one of the meeting rooms of the Carousel Group headquarters, many people were arguing. Hes not even a member of the Wright family, and hes still a teenager. What gives him the authority to be the groups president? No, youre wrong! Hes beening to the office a lot since he was a kid, so I know him well. I know hes a business genius! Hes outperformed the adults since taking over the group. But no one believes he can manage the group well. In short, we cannot let him manage such arge group! At that moment, someone opened the meeting room door. After seeing Jennie, the crowd fell silent. Jennie was dressed in a long ck dress and a ck coat, giving her an oppressive appearance What brings you here, Mrs. Wright? Where is Matthew? One of the board members asked condescendingly With a calm face, Jennie replied, Matthew has been resting at hometely because he isnt feeling well. Im filling in for him at the meeting. Is he sick, or has something else happened to him? Mrs. Wright, you cant fool us. Everyone has heard that Matthews car crashed off a cliff. Jennie looked at that man and said, You should have seen on the news that the rescuers had found the empty car. Matthew was not in the car when it crashed. He suffered minor injuries, and the doctor said he would be fine after some rest at home. You can send the documents he needs to sign directly to my house. One of the directors sneered and said, Mrs. Wright, are you serious? Why would we send files to your home? We wont allow anyone outside the 561 They Knew About Waynes. YY Wright family to handle these matters. What? Do you dare to say that in front of my father again?! Yes, of course. Mrs. Wright, you know best who Waynes father is. Of course, you know whether or not he is your fathers biological grandson! Isnt thepanys discretion distributed based on equity? Whats the point of caring about such trivial matters? Yes, it is true that it is distributed based on equity. But, sorry, I propose that its time for us to elect a new executive president. Matthew owns less than fifty percent of thepany. So, as long as two- thirds of people here vote to re-elect, he will no longer be president. Matthews identity has no direct bearing on whether he will be elected president, but it would undoubtedly influence the shareholders decision. At that thought, Jennie frowned deeply Then a director said, Many of us here have been working at thepany for many years. Carousel can achieve such sess because of Peters hard work. He cant work right now, but thats not the reason we should leave hispany in the hands of someone who isnt a Wright. Mrs. Wright, if you want to make decisions on Matthews behalf, you can also vote. Ipletely agree with this, and I believe everyone else also does. You Jennie was trembling with rage. She was well aware that these people were taking advantage of the fact that neither Peter nor Matthew were present. As a result, they wanted to steal the painstaking fruits of the Wrights At that precise moment, someone opened the door. Ryan then stormed in with a group of people. And everyone in the meeting room was taken aback by their presence Chapter 563 Matthew, Where Are You? Chapter 563 Matthew, Where Are You? Ryan had never been involved in thepanys operations because he worked for the government. This was his first time entering the Carousel Group headquarter. Also, he had brought a group of subordinates with him What brings you here, Ryan? I can handle it all. You can go back home now. Jennie appeared nervous, fearful that Ryan would ruin his career on impulse Its okay, Mom, Ryan said, clutching his mothers hand This is an internal meeting of the groups board members, Mr. Tyler Why did you suddenly break in with government officials? What do you want? Let me tell you, what youre doing is illegal! One of the board members said to Ryan in dissatisfaction I havent told you what Fm going to do yet. Why are you using me? If you really think Im abusing my power, please report me. I am willing to ept all investigations, Ryan turned to face everyone and said, I brought people here today because the Carousel Group is suspected of disrupting the stock market. So, I need all of you to cooperate with the investigation. The groups operations will be halted until the investigation is over. Hearing that, everyone was shocked. Then another board member stood up and snapped, No way! The Carousel Group is a publicly traded corporation. So, if we stop all of our operations, we will lose a large sum of money every day. The group paid a lot of money every day to keep it running. And we will not be able to survive a week if we suspend all of our operations. Youre threatening us! 562 Matthew, Where Are You? dl Not at all. This investigation follows the formal procedure. We will investigate each of you within the next week. Remember that you should not use tricks to get away with it, Withposure, Ryan replied to the board member with contempt in his eyes. And he thought to himself, Most of you are involved in shady dealings. And I guess that none of you expected that I would look into these things. Im sure I will dig out a lot of dirty secrets through this investigation eer Late at night, a cab pulled up in front of a grocery store in the town near where the incident urred. After that, Tammy, Alicia, and Natalie stepped out of the cab Can you stay here and wait for us? Tammy asked the driver The driver pressed his hand against the window and asked, How long do you want me to wait for you? Its quite a distance from downtown Birmingham. Tammy handed him some cash from her purse. She said, Will this make you change your mind? Ill give you more if you stay here for us. The driver was taken aback. He thought, You muste froma rich family. Didnt your parents ever tell you not to show strangers how rich you were? You should feel lucky that Im not a bad guy With that in mind, the driver answered, Im not interested in your money, so keep it to yourself. Ill be waiting for you here. Pleasee back soon. Smiling, the girls all thanked him gratefully. The driver then put on his sunsses and leaned back in his seat. Gradually, he was lost in thought By the time the three of them arrived at the town, it was already getting dark. As they walked in the town, Alicia clutched Tammys arm 562 Matthew, Where Are You? C along the way. She asked, Tammy, are you sure your brother is in this town? For sure. Isabe would never lie to me. Why dont you tell everyone where Isabe is, Tammy? Everyone is looking for her like crazy. Im sorry, but I couldnt betray her. Isabe refused to let me tell anyone. She said that if I told you guys, she would immediately leave again. Id be worried if I couldnt reach her. Isabe is a grown-up! Why is she still doing childish things like running away from home? Come on, we need to focus on what matters most now. Plus, we wouldnt have known where my brother is now if Isabe hadnt run away. Are you sure this is the right way? Looking around vigntly, Alicia asked in a trembling voice while clutching Tammys arm more tightly Im sure. Isabe mentioned a tea shop at the end of an alley near the grocery store. Well see a small courtyard if we go any further in, and thats where she said Matthew would be. Shortly after, the three arrived at their destination. The courtyards wall of the house was somewhat high, and the gate was locked Lets go over the wall, Tammy said, patting the wall Natalie drew Tammy back and said, No, we cant go in together. We must leave someone outside to keep an eye in case something happens. Can you stay here?* Tammy spared a nce at Natalie and said, I dont think youre capable of going over the wall. Ill get in with Alicia. Ive recently gained some weight, so I cant climb the tree, Natalie 562 Matthew, Where Are You? said awkwardly Oh, please! You couldnt even climb a tree when you were a kid, Rolling her eyes at Natalie, Tammy immediately climbed the tree, with Alicia close behind Ouch! Tammy eximed after leaping from the wall Whats the matter? Alicia sat against the wall, staring down, wondering what was wrong with Tammy. But she couldnt see anything because it was so dark I think Ive broken my ankle, Clenching her teeth in pain, Tammy replied Huh? Are you all right? Im fine! Watch out when youre about tond. Theres a pool of water against the wall! Okay. As Alicia jumped off the wall, she discovered that Tammy was sitting on the ground. And she asked her with concern, Are you all right? I cant stand up now. Hearing that, Alicia frowned. She looked around the room and noticed a bright light. Someone is in there. Shh! Can you find my brother on your own? Ill figure out a way outter. Tammy asked Alicia knew this was the only option, so she entered the courtyard and walked alone along the wall. Then she found that only two rooms had their lights turned on. Slowly and carefully, she approached the door of one room and pressed her ear against it, trying to eavesdrop on the people in the room Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Does this kid really forget everything? 562 Matthew, Where Are You? It appears so. So, do we still need to give him sleeping pills? Hell, yeah! Our boss said that this child is super smart. And if something bad happens to him, we wont be able to take responsibility. Okay, Ill just put some medicine into his mealter. If he truly lost his memory, he will eat whatever we give him. They were talking about Matthew! It seems that hes in the other room. I need to go findhim now! At that thought, Alicia dashed into the other room while the two men were still talking. However, the next second, she nearly screamed out loud as she pushed the door open Shhh! Matthew dragged her into the room while covering her mouth. He let go of her after a short while, asking, What are you doing here? Alicia exhaled deeply and replied, Im not the only one who came here! Tammy and Natalie are here too. I just overheard the bad guys talking about giving you sleeping pills. You Just as Natalie was about to continue, she heard the sound of footsteps outside. And both of them were taken aback Before opening the door, Matthew pushed Alicia into the closet Shhh! Be quiet! He muttered Following that, a man came into the room and asked Matthew, Are you feeling better? Matthew sat up in bed, staring nkly at him You need to eat more, kid. Its the only way youll get better. Through a gap in the closet, Alicia saw the man hand Matthew a te of food. Matthew then took a big bite of food Dont eat it, Matthew! They put drugs in there. Alicia thought After seeing Matthew finish his meal, the man was ready to leave Youd better get some rest tonight. Were leaving here tomorrow. Where are we going? Frowning, Matthew asked Home. Youve been wondering when were going to take you home, havent you? Were sending you home tomorrow. Matthew nodded. And he stood up and walked around the room after the man had gone. Seeing that, Alicia attempted to get out of the closet, but Matthew shut the door and stopped her. With a long face, he said to Alicia, Dont make a sound. Before leaving, the man stood in the doorway for a long time. And Matthew opened the locker door after making sure no one was outside Are you all right? Alicia expressed her concern as soon as she got out of the closet, Spit it out! They out some sleeping pills the dishes! Its toote, Matthew said, frowning, Tve been in this room every day for thest few days. And I would sleep until noon the next day after each dinner, so of course, I know whats in the meal. However, if I refuse to eat, they will be suspicious. Tammy and Natalie are outside waiting. Ill get you out of here, Alicia said with determination Im sorry, but I cant, Shaking his head in despair, Matthew replied Chapter 564 Chapter 564 ? Bookmark This Website ?NinjaNovel.Com? Click Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. 563 Matthew, Where Are You? Ryan had never been involved in thepanys operations because he worked for the government. This was his first time entering the Carousel Group headquarter. Also, he had brought a group of subordinates with him What brings you here, Ryan? | can handle it all. You can go back home now. Jennie appeared nervous, fearful that Ryan would ruin his career on impulse Its okay, Mom, Ryan said, clutching his mothers hand This is an internal meeting of the groups board members, Mr. Tyler Why did you suddenly break in with government officials? What do you want? Let me tell you, what youre doing is illegal! One of the board members said to Ryan in dissatisfaction | havent told you what Fm going to do yet. Why are you using me? If you really think Im abusing my power, please report me. | am willing to ept all investigations, Ryan turned to face everyone and said, | brought people here today because the Carousel Group is suspected of disrupting the stock market. So, | need all of you to cooperate with the investigation. The groups operations will be halted until the investigation is over. Hearing that, everyone was shocked. Then another board member stood up and snapped, No way! The Carousel Group is a publicly traded corporation. So, if we stop all of our operations, we will lose a large sum of money every day. The group paid a lot of money every day to keep it running. And we will not be able to survive a week if we suspend all of our operations. Youre threatening us! 562 Matthew, Where Are You? dl Not at all. This investigation follows the formal procedure. We will investigate each of you within the next week. Remember that you should not use tricks to get away with it, Withposure, Ryan replied to the board member with contempt in his eyes. And he thought to himself, Most of you are involved in shady dealings. And | guess that none of you expected that | would look into these things. Im sure | will dig out a lot of dirty secrets through this investigation eer Late at night, a cab pulled up in front of a grocery store in the town near where the incident urred. After that, Tammy, Alicia, and Natalie stepped out of the cab Can you stay here and wait for us? Tammy asked the driver The driver pressed his hand against the window and asked, How long do you want me to wait for you? Its quite a distance from downtown Birmingham. Tammy handed him some cash from her purse. She said, Will this make you change your mind? Ill give you more if you stay here for us. The driver was taken aback. He thought, You muste froma rich family. Didnt your parents ever tell you not to show strangers how rich you were? You should feel lucky that Im not a bad guy With that in mind, the driver answered, Im not interested in your money, so keep it to yourself. Ill be waiting for you here. Pleasee back soon. Smiling, the girls all thanked him gratefully. The driver then put on his sunsses and leaned back in his seat. Gradually, he was lost in thought By the time the three of them arrived at the town, it was already getting dark. As they walked in the town, Alicia clutched Tammys arm 562 Matthew, Where Are You? C along the way. She asked, Tammy, are you sure your brother is in this town? For sure. Isabe would never lie to me. Why dont you tell everyone where Isabe is, Tammy? Everyone is looking for her like crazy. Im sorry, but | couldnt betray her. Isabe refused to let me tell anyone. She said that if | told you guys, she would immediately leave again. Id be worried if | couldnt reach her. Isabe is a grown-up! Why is she still doing childish things like running away from home? Come on, we need to focus on what matters most now. Plus, we wouldnt have known where my brother is now if Isabe hadnt run away. Are you sure this is the right way? Looking around vigntly, Alicia asked in a trembling voice while clutching Tammys arm more tightly Im sure. Isabe mentioned a tea shop at the end of an alley near the grocery store. Well see a small courtyard if we go any further in, and thats where she said Matthew would be. Shortly after, the three arrived at their destination. The courtyards wall of the house was somewhat high, and the gate was locked Lets go over the wall, Tammy said, patting the wall Natalie drew Tammy back and said, No, we cant go in together. We must leave someone outside to keep an eye in case something happens. Can you stay here?* Tammy spared a nce at Natalie and said, I dont think youre capable of going over the wall. Ill get in with Alicia. Ive recently gained some weight, so | cant climb the tree, Natalie 562 Matthew, Where Are You? said awkwardly Oh, please! You couldnt even climb a tree when you were a kid, Rolling her eyes at Natalie, Tammy immediately climbed the tree, with Alicia close behind Ouch! Tammy eximed after leaping from the wall Whats the matter? Alicia sat against the wall, staring down, wondering what was wrong with Tammy. But she couldnt see anything because it was so dark | think Ive broken my ankle, Clenching her teeth in pain, Tammy replied Huh? Are you all right? Im fine! Watch out when youre about tond. Theres a pool of water against the wall! Okay. As Alicia jumped off the wall, she discovered that Tammy was sitting on the ground. And she asked her with concern, Are you all right? | cant stand up now. Hearing that, Alicia frowned. She looked around the room and noticed a bright light. Someone is in there. Shh! Can you find my brother on your own? Ill figure out a way outter. Tammy asked Alicia knew this was the only option, so she entered the courtyard and walked alone along the wall. Then she found that only two rooms had their lights turned on. Slowly and carefully, she approached the door of one room and pressed her ear against it, trying to eavesdrop on the people in the room Does this kid really forget everything? 562 Matthew, Where Are You? It appears so. So, do we still need to give him sleeping pills? Hell, yeah! Our boss said that this child is super smart. And if something bad happens to him, we wont be able to take responsibility. Okay, Ill just put some medicine into his mealter. If he truly lost his memory, he will eat whatever we give him. They were talking about Matthew! It seems that hes in the other room. | need to go findhim now! At that thought, Alicia dashed into the other room while the two men were still talking. However, the next second, she nearly screamed out loud as she pushed the door open Shhh! Matthew dragged her into the room while covering her mouth. He let go of her after a short while, asking, What are you doing here? Alicia exhaled deeply and replied, Im not the only one who came here! Tammy and Natalie are here too. | just overheard the bad guys talking about giving you sleeping pills. You Just as Natalie was about to continue, she heard the sound of footsteps outside. And both of them were taken aback Before opening the door, Matthew pushed Alicia into the closet Shhh! Be quiet! He muttered Following that, a man came into the room and asked Matthew, Are you feeling better? Matthew sat up in bed, staring nkly at him You need to eat more, kid. Its the only way youll get better. Through a gap in the closet, Alicia saw the man hand Matthew a te of food. Matthew then took a big bite of food 562 Matthew, Where Are You? Dont eat it, Matthew! They put drugs in there. Alicia thought After seeing Matthew finish his meal, the man was ready to leave Youd better get some rest tonight. Were leaving here tomorrow. Where are we going? Frowning, Matthew asked Home. Youve been wondering when were going to take you home, havent you? Were sending you home tomorrow. Matthew nodded. And he stood up and walked around the room after the man had gone. Seeing that, Alicia attempted to get out of the closet, but Matthew shut the door and stopped her. With a long face, he said to Alicia, Dont make a sound. Before leaving, the man stood in the doorway for a long time. And Matthew opened the locker door after making sure no one was outside Are you all right? Alicia expressed her concern as soon as she got out of the closet, Spit it out! They out some sleeping pills the dishes! Its toote, Matthew said, frowning, Tve been in this room every day for thest few days. And | would sleep until noon the next day after each dinner, so of course, | know whats in the meal. However, if | refuse to eat, they will be suspicious. Tammy and Natalie are outside waiting. Ill get you out of here, Alicia said with determination Im sorry, but | cant, Shaking his head in despair, Matthew replied Chapter 565 What Do They Want? Chapter 565 What Do They Want? Alicia shivered as she hid in the grass. All she could hear were the wind and those peoples footsteps. And she began to break out in a cold sweat After a few minutes, she heard the sound of gunshots. Looking at the frightened crows that flew up into the sky from the valley, Alicia was shocked, and her face immediately turned pale. I Matthew, are you still alive? she thought to herself. For fear that the bad people would find her, she didnt dare to move, and her heart was racing. Then various thoughts flooded her mind /ve been on an adventure since I arrived in Birmingham. Ive seen some exciting things, but most of them are dangerous. Damn! If had known I would die in the middle of nowhere, I would have chosen to stay in my hometown! Are you going to stay here forever? As he stood next to her, Matthew asked. His voice was as fresh as a mint, bringing Alicias wandering mind back to the present Through the grass, Alicia noticed there was a boy standing next to her She thought she was dreaming at that moment. Matthew? Youre still alive? She asked in a shaky voice You just told me Im the luckiest person on the. So, how could I possibly die? With a bitter smile, Matthew replied Alicia rose from the ground immediately. She grabbed Matthews jacket and jumped into his arms. Then she burst into tears As it was the first time that Matthew had faced such a situation, he 564 What Do They Want? = was terrified and had no idea where to ce his hands. All he could do at the moment was tofort Alicia by saying, Dont cry, please. At least were both still alive.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Alicia cried for a while before she noticed a group of people in the distance smiling at her. In embarrassment, she pushed Matthew away right away. Then she greeted the person in lead, Hello, Ms. Tyler. Emily smiled, You can just call me Aunt Emily like Matthew did, Alicia Are you alright? Alicia wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. I heard gunshots just now, so I thought Matthew frowned as he dusted off his jacket. Thank goodness Aunt Emily arrived on time. They took care of everything. Oh! Natalie and Tammy are still in town! Alicia said as she suddenly remembered this. And she appeared to be about to cry again Noticing that, Emily immediately said, Come on, I know Tammy asked you to do this. When I find her, Ill definitely teach her a lesson! Alicia remained frozen. Then Matthew nudged her gently and asked, Lets go. Well run into wolves if we stay here longer. What?! Say that again?! Alicia nearly screamed There are wolves in this mountain. Alicia shivered in fear. She then caught up with the group While driving back downtown, Emily received a phone call from Ryan She asked, So, have you picked up Tammy and Natalie? How did this happen? Seeing that Emily was unusually quiet, Matthew asked, Aunt Emily, whats wrong? Im curious as well. aera Later, Emily took Matthew and Alicia to Karls house. Natalie was sitting on the couch as they walked in. At that moment, she was covered in mud, looking quite a mess. With tears on her face, Natalie said sobbingly, Tam Tammy sprained her ankle, so she asked me to go first and left her behind. What was going on, Natalie? Calm down, Emily asked Before Emily could get close to Natalie and ask her what was going on in detail, Ryan told Emily to go to the kitchen. He said, Dont push her, honey. Natalie was terrified. Peace just asked her about it, so I know what happened. Wheres Tammy? Frowning, Emily asked Tammy was kidnapped before I arrived. Are those kidnappers the same people who kidnapped Matthew? Im not sure, but Im pretty sure theyre all mercenaries. They are very efficient and brutal. The CID is currently investigating the deaths of two people in town, which are said to be linked to Night Eagle. When I saw Matthew today, the people who wanted to kill him were also wearing ck masks, Emily frowned Is any of them still alive? Yes, Emily brought in a team of elite special forces, but they werent as quick as the mercenaries. Six of the seven mercenaries ingested poison andmitted suicide at that time. Emily dislocated the jaw of one of the men to stop him from killing himself. That way, the police could interrogate him At that precise moment, Ryans phone rang Hello? Mom, whats wrong? Ryan became worried after hearing Jennies sobs. Take it easy, Mom. Take your time. What is going on?.. What? Gary is missing again?! Everyone in the room was stunned. A strange series of events had urred recently. They had just found Matthew when Tammy and Gary disappeared at the same time Howe they only went after the kids? Peace was the first to notice this Emily and Ryan didnt have time to think about it. One of them was going to question the mercenary, while another was going to find Gary And Emily said, Ryan and I must leave now. Peace, Karl, can you guys look after the kids? I already have the police patrolling the area. All right, be safe, Peace said, Dont you think it isnt coincidental? Apparently, theyreing for the kids. Are they trying to wipe out the descendants of the Wright family? Dont talk nonsense, honey. Gary isnt one of the Wrights. Karl shrugged as he faced a group of teenagers in the living room. He said, Your name is Alicia, right? Why dont you take Natalie to the shower? Nodding, Alicia took Natalie to the bathroom ee Awhileter, Emily and Ryan walked together to the police station They kept talking about a group called Night Eagle on the way Why did they send so many people this time? First, something happened to Matthew, and then Tammy and Gary disappeared. Everything is about the Wrights. Did Wayne and Anna offend someone? Shaking his head, Ryan said, I have no idea. Theyre both now in Fleosil. Its a shambles there, but Night Eagle has never been before Besides, I dont think their enemies did so. Dont forget about Gary. I dont think theyre doing this to retaliate against Wayne and Anna. While they were talking, someone pushed the door open and came into the room, saying, Someone is looking for you, Emily and Ryan. She imed to be your sister. Isabe?! Ryan and Emily exchanged nces as they both spoke at the same time Down the hall, a young girl in a white coat was walking restlessly Isabe! Ryan recognized her right away the moment he spotted her Isabe asked when she saw Ryan and Emily. Have you found Matthew yet? How are Tammy and Natalie doing? Matthew and Natalie are fine. But Tammy is missing, Emily replied Isabe hung her head. Its all my fault. Im sorry. I should have told you guys sooner. Tammy always acts on impulse, but I still told her about that. What is going on? Emily and Ryan werepletely unaware of what was going on. They couldnt figure out why the three girls knew where Matthew was and went to save him Then Isabe told them everything she knew, I saw Maria meeting with a man in Cliatin and that they were trying to ruin the Carousel Group Later, I tracked Maria back to Birmingham, where I saw her visiting Matthew at the hospital and taking him out. Maria then took him to the base of the bad guys. What? Did Maria do it? Ryan asked, his face pale Chapter 566 You Can鈥檛 Save Them Both Chapter 566 You Cant Save Them Both No wonder her signature is the same as Annas, Emily said, nodding Im sorry! Its all my fault, With her face buried in her hands, Isabe sobbed Stop ming yourself, Isabe. Its already happened, so we should just face it. I know you didnt expect Tammy to go there without telling anyone. We still have some hope because we havent heard anything about Gary or Tammy, Emily said What happened to Gary? Isabe asked, as she had no idea Gary had gone missing as well After hearing Emilys ount of the situation, Isabe asked, surprised, Night Eagle? Wait, I heard of them before! She then took a rag from her coat pocket and showed it to them Emily was taken aback when she saw the logo on it. How did you get this? Isabe said, A woman allowed me to leave the Maldives on her boat She was the woman who lives in the mansion next door to our hotel, and she had this sign all over her boat. Emily wentpletely still. She didnt attend Isabes wedding because she was on a mission at the time. Meanwhile, Ryan was aware of the whole situation, as Jasper even asked him to find Isabe after she ran away Are you talking about the group of people in ck? Isabe responded with a nod, That woman is their leader. She took 565 You Cant Save Them Both sad me off the ind without asking for money, but she gave me sleeping pills on the way. When I woke up, I was already in Cliatin. Seeing that Emilys eyes widened in shock, Isabe quickly exined to her, Its all right. I wasnt hurt. They did it because they didnt want me to know who they were or where they were going. Emily sighed with relief, So, why didnt youe back? Everyone has been looking for you nonstop. I Isabe paused, unsure of how to exin Its all right. We dont have time for that now. What else was in that ship, Isabe? Tell us everything you heard and saw in the ship, Ryan helped Isabe dodge the question by changing the subject I overheard her arguing with her assistant about whether or not to bring back a child. I didnt hear anything else. Emily asked, Bring a child back? Which one? Its Gary, Isabe clenched her fists Both suspicious, Emily and Ryan exchanged nces. Ill look into it, Emily said as she stood up. At the same time, she thought to herself, For the past several years, no one mentioned Garys parents. Everyone knows who his mother is, but no one knows anything about his father. Gays father couldnt possibly be Dragon because he wasnt that powerful After a long drive, Emily returned to Karls house. Before turning off the inte, she opened the curtains to check the situation outside. At that moment, Peace, Karl, Matthew, and Isabe all sat in the living room When they heard the sound of an engine outside the yard, everyone froze Ill go check it out, Isabe said, standing up After getting out of the car, Jasper noticed Isabe standing in front of 565 You Cant Save Them Both = the house. She bowed her head and appeared to be ashamed Isabe, Jasper said as he approached her Im so sorry, Isabe said quietly Jasper held her close and stroked her hair gently. He said, It is not your fault. I knew they had been nning to take Gary away for a long time. They would do so whether you leave or not. They then walked into the living room together. Isabe kept whimpering because she was drowning in grief. And Jasperforted her by holding her hand tightly Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. This organization has been mysterious, so there is very little information about them, Jasper exined to the crowd, But they are mercenaries, after all, so its not difficult to find some people who have worked with them. Whats going on? Garys still a kid. How could he possibly have anything to do with this goddamned organization?! Peace asked This whole thing has everything to do with Ada. Emily, you should have guessed Garys biological father wasnt Dragon, right? The person who brought her to Irnd in the first ce had close ties to the Night Eagle. AllI know is that the mansst name was Lawrence, and he died a few years ago. He was an Irishman who ran a casino. We knew about a few years ago, but we all thought this guy was just temporarily dating Ada at first, Emily exined Pretty much. Marcel Lawrence had several mistresses. As for Gary Jasper revealed everything he had learned to everyone, Ada returned to Ennd a few years ago, wanting to bring Gary back to Irnd because she wanted Marcels inheritance. Marcel had just died, so Gary was Adasst hope. Marcel and his wife had five children, but all died unexpectedly. Gary was his only son. Five? Peace asked, but what does this have to do with Night Eagle? The head of Night Eagle is Victoria Burton, Marcels cousin. She has never been married and has no children. If Im correct, she wants to take her nephew away and raise him to be the next leader of Night Eagle, Jasper exined Did all five of Marcels children die by ident? Ryan asked They definitely all went through rigorous training, Jasper said, And its possible they died in training or were assassinated. Ive heard of things like that before. Shes crazy, isnt she? Shes been using her cousin and his mistresses, forcing them to keep having children. Plus, she treated those children cruelly, Peace said Then Jasper continued, Marcel didnt want Victoria Burton to know anything about Gary, so he didnt tell anyone about his rtionship with Ada. Victoria would have learned about Gary sooner if Marcel hadnt done that. By doing so, he was preventing her from taking his son away. So why didnt she just take Gary away? Why did she kidnap Matthew? Emily asked At night, a boat slowly floated in the sea. Several speedboats soon approached it from all sides. And a crowd of people dressed in ck gathered on the deck The leader of the group was a woman wearing a ck mask. Her eyes shone with a sinister light in the moonlight. How are the two kids? she asked The girl made a big fuss and kept shouting at us, but Gary got her to stop. Hearing that, the woman snorted mockingly and said, She doesnt seem to be a smart one. I guess theyll be able to find out about us soon. Do we need to leave here now? No. Give them the signal and tell them they can only save one of these two children. One? That doesnt appear to be a difficult decision. Whatever they choose, the result will not be what they desire. Lets leave the girl here to keep Gary company. The woman waved her hand, her robe swaying in the breeze. On her wrist, something silver glowed. It was a tiny silver snake wrapped around the womans slim arm Chapter 567 Drama on the High Seas Chapter 567 Drama on the High Seas Hearing Emilys question, Jasper shook his head and said, Perhaps shes the only one who knows why she did it. Night Eagle has always been mysterious, so I had to work hard to find out about this. Peace asked anxiously, So what should we do now? Can we find Tammy and Gary? What will that crazy b***h do to Tammy? Take it easy, dear, Karl said as he patted her shoulder I cant! Lets get Wayne and Anna back. No, thats not necessary. I dont believe they can help. After all, Isabe and I are Garys parents, so well figure it out together, Jasper said Isabe nodded, and she felt she had never been so desperate. Then she asked worriedly, Then what can we do? Since they are here inrge numbers, I guess they must live around here. They wont stay in Birmingham, so the high seas should be the closest option, Jasper replied Enlightened, Emily and Ryan stood up at the same time. Ill go back to the Intelligence Bureau immediately and contact the marine police on the high seas to search for them, Emily said, grabbing her jacket The next day, in the early morning hours, a warship was cruising on the high seas Captain, I got a message from the one-way transmission on the high seas, Emilys teammate said. After converting the video signal, he pressed the y button. Then Emily and Ryan stared intently at the screen 566 Drama on the High Seas Its Tammy and Gary! eximed Peace That video was a surveince video showing Tammy and Gary locked in a room. Tammy was walking irritably around the room while Gary sat in a chair. She would kick at the door andin aloud every now and then. Tammy knocked the tes over whenever someone brought them food through the window Damn it! My aunt and uncle will turn this boat upside down if you dont let us out! Ill throw you into the sea and let the sharks eat you alive! Do you hear what Im saying? Are you deaf? Do you not understand English? Tammy continued to yell. At the same time, Gary gave her a resigned look Emily was relieved to see that both children were fine. However, Peace was still as anxious and worried as ever. And she expressed her concern, asking, What is Tammy doing? Isnt she afraid of pissing them off? Emily raised her hand and asked Peace to stop talking. Suddenly, the surveince footage vanished, reced by darkness. A few momentster, aman appeared on the screen and said, Half an hour later, well turn on the signal receiver. But you can only save one of the two children. So, youd better make a smart decision. Right after the man finished his words, he turned off the camera What does he mean? Are we only allowed to save one child? I thought they only wanted Gary. Peace asked in puzzlement What should we do now, Captain? Emilys teammate asked her Peace reached out and grabbed Emilys shoulders, saying, We must save Tammy! Isnt Gary the organizations sessor? This lunatic wont even hurt Gary! Of course, we have to save Tammy. Seeing that Emily frowned and Ryan remained silent, Peace panicked 566 Drama on the High Seas even more and snapped, Whats the problem? Say something, you guys! Afraid that Peace would do something irrational now that she was so emotional, Karl pulled Peace back. Then he analyzed, I dont think the rescue will be so easy and smooth. Thats right. Victoria is not going to be that nice to us. She only gave us a choice, but that doesnt mean that she would meet our demands Even if we do make a decision, there is a chance that we will not get what we want, Jasper echoed Taken aback, Peace asked, What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying that shes not letting Tammy go? Can you look into where the signal ising from? Instead of answering Peace, Emily asked her teammate Im still looking for it. And the signal is too weak because they activated the shielding, One of her teammates replied So many inds were in the sea, so finding a boat was difficult At that moment, another teammate of Emilys shouted excitedly, Captain! The first signal is approaching! I found them! Theyre not far from us. Drive the ship at full speed and prepare a submarine for me, Emily ordered right away, *We have to save the two kids without alerting Victoria Victoria has never wanted to give us a choice. She did it simply because she wanted to trick us. We need to be highly alert on this matter. It was already dark when Ryan received a second reception signal twenty minutes after Emily boarded the submarine. Out of nervousness, Peace clutched Karls wrist. Karl was in a lot of pain, but he didnt say anything On the other side, in the midst of the mist, a submarine floated up in the vast ocean quietly. Emily soon left the submarine while dressed ina diving suit. After surfacing, she approached Victorias boat slowly. And Emily quietly killed a mercenary on patrol with her knife after she went on deck At the same time, Tammy and Gary were locked up in a room on the first floor. Looking at Tammy, Gary tried to persuade her, Tammy, you should at least eat something. Youll get tired if you keep shouting like this. Well, Ill stop shouting. Im exhausted, anyways. Damn! They wouldnt have caught me if I hadnt hurt my ankle! Who the hell are they? Do they think theyre scary because theyre wearing ck masks? Ive seen these people in the Maldives, Gary said after hesitating for a short while Tammy froze and asked with her eyes widened in astonishment, They know you?! Yeah. It probably has something to do with my father. Jasper and Isabe are my adopted parents. I know that, Gary said after a brief pause Dont be ridiculous! Why did they wait so long if they wanted to take you away at first? And why did they kidnap me if it was you that they were after? It doesnt make sense at all! Tammy snapped Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Im sorry for getting you into trouble, Tammy. But rest assured; I will definitely protect you, Gary said As Tammy flicked Garys forehead, she said, What are you talking about? Were family! My aunt and uncle are trying their best to us, and so are your parents. Hearing that, Gary was lost in thought. Suddenly, a loud bang rang out from outside the cabin. Scared and alert, Tammy wrapped her arms Gary and patted him on the back, whispering, Dont worry. Im here. The next second, someone kicked open the cabin door. It was a person wearing a ck mercenary uniform but without a mask. And she smiled at the two children in the moonlight Oh, Aunt Emily! Upon seeing Emily, Tammy shouted happily Shh! Are you two okay? Emily made a shush gesture and said to them in a low voice Tammy quickly nodded her head Come on, lets get the hell out of here. With that, Emily dragged the dead mercenary in through the front door. Then she took his ck robe and asked Tammy to put it on And what about Gary? While getting herself dressed, Tammy asked Ill hide him in my robe. Emily said when she covered Tammys face with a musk Later, Emily walked to the deck with the kids. Their submarine was not far away, so they only needed to swim a short distance. From time to time, they would hear the sound of wavespping at the cabin Suddenly, the zipping sound came over Emilys miniature inte, Captain! But then, the sound was gone. Somehow, Emily had a feeling something was wrong. Just as she was wondering what to do next, she felt that someone was watching her in the dark. It turned out that there was a red dot on Emilys back. Apparently, someone was aiming a sniper at her Are you Emily Tyler? asked a woman standing on the boats second deck Emily was surprised to see Victoria when she looked up. At that moment, Victoria stood on the deck like a ghost, looking at the three of them from above. And she asked condescendingly, Did you just show up on my ship uninvited? You kidnapped my family! Im on the high seas, so I can do whatever I want here. Gary is my nephew and part of my family. I dont think Ive done anything wrong. Twitching her lips, Victoria said Meanwhile, Tammy drew Gary close behind her, trying to protect her And in the blink of an eye, Victoria aimed her gun at Tammy and warned her, Dont move! Chapter 568 You Finally Came to Save Us! Chapter 568 You Finally Came to Save Us! What are you doing?! Gary is innocent, and hes been doing fine all these years. Are you doing this to take revenge for his mother? Emily asked as her face turned pale That stupid b***h isnt worth it, Victoria snorted coldly Then what do you want? Isnt Matthew around here? I heard hes a smart young man. Hell be able to help Gary be a better leader if hees with me, As she stroked the little silver snake on her wrist, Victoria said, How about we make a deal? Ill give you Matthews dumb sister back if you let me take him away. Thats not going to happen! Tammy yelled at Victoria, You cant take my brother away, you evil witch! Would you mind shutting your mouth, little girl? Victoria asked sternly All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Then Emily patted Tammy on the shoulder and told her to be quiet And she thought to herself, 7here are only Victoria and a few mercenaries on the deck. However, I suspect that dozens of people are hiding all over the ship, including at least two snipers. If we fight with them, we might not be able to escape Have you made up your mind? After a while, Victoria asked But its not a deal at all. If you want to switch the hostages, you should at least give us an option, Emily said through gritted teeth So? Cant you just ask the kid toe here? With an indifferent expression, Victoria said impatiently 567 You Finally Came to Save Us! Upon hearing her words, Emily felt that she had lost all hope Suddenly, the sound of rumbling helicopter propellers came from the sky In the blink of an eye, a man dressed in ck fell from the top deck to the first floor. And his sniper rifle landed on the metal deck, making a loud noise. Shortly after, another sniper on the opposite side of the deck was also killed Still figuring out what was going on, Victoria widened her eyes in shock. And Emily took the chance and pushed Tammy and Gary into the water. Following that, she jumped into the sea as well The helicopter was flying low, its propellers louder than the waves, so even though Emily was still in the sea, she could still hear the deafening rumble of the helicopter. The helicopter was piloted by a blonde woman dressed in green camouge. While piloting the helicopter, she blinked at Victoria, who was on deck triumphantly s**t! its her! Lets go! Victoria shouted and ordered her men. The next moment, several mercenaries rushed to Victorias aid and led her to the cabin. It was, however, toote As the helicopters ps rose on either side, the ammunitionuncher was activated. Then the helicopter fired a steady stream of shells at the sea, and subsequently destroyed half of the ship. In fact, it was a modified fighter jet, not a helicopter Victorias ship immediately made an emergency U-turn and opened its defenses. Then machine guns came from both sides of the nacelles, aimed at the helicopter in the sky. Later, a puff of smoke rose from the ground, blurring the image on the monitor Because Ryans subordinates had never seen anyone engaged in a direct firefight at the border, everyone inside the battleship of the sea defense was shocked Whats going on here, Mr. Tyler? One of Ryans subordinates asked Leave it alone. Is there any new information from Emily? She saved them. Great! Ryan paused for a moment, staring at the battle scene on the screen. And he added, Contact the police on the high seas and have them help this fighter. Capture Victorias boat before they escape. Yes, Mr. Tyler! Without further dy, the Coast Guard dispatched two battleships on both sides to intercept Night Eagles ship. But they didnt dare to approach it because the helicopter kept firing gunfire. The Coast Guard didnt know who was flying the ne, so they didnt even know who they were supposed to attack wae In the early hours of the morning, Night Eagles ship was shot through and sunk. The sun rose over the sea at that precise moment. Finally, the mists faded away, and everything fell silent Inside the battleship, Ryans subordinate reported to him, Mr. Tyler, Aman opened the door to the helicopter. He appears to be trying to senda message to us. Who is he? Ryan asked, pointing to the screen, Get a closer look. As the camera zoomed in, they saw a man at the helicopters door, waving an infrared receiver towards the battleship Hold on Wayne, is that you?! Ryan eximed in surprise. He then saw Anna standing behind Wayne. Wayne and Anna stood on the deck one after the other. At the sight of them, everyone on the battleship let out a 567 You Finally Came to Save Us! gasp of surprise How did you two get on the helicopter? Ryan asked, surprised Anna said, Its a long story. Anyway, the pilot of the ne is a friend of mine. Thanks to her, we know exactly what happened. Are Tammy and Gary all right? Yeah, theyre safe and sound. Emily found themst night. Theyre now resting in the cabin. Great! Then Anna called out to the helicopter hovering in the sky, Thank you, Cam! My kids are fine! With a thumbs up, Cami flipped the ne around and took off into the rising sun The marine police handled the mess, so everyone got on a boat for the trip home. On the way, Anna told her friends what had happened Under everyones gaze, Anna began her storytelling, We were shopping in town when we discovered that Smith had bought many explosives privately. To protect ourselves, we went to Cams house to buy guns. Later, we found out that Cam was a Night Eagle member and one of its leaders. She was identally infected with an epidemicst month and was abandoned by the organization. Anna took a potion bottle from her pocket and said, Patrick and I healed her with the medicine we developed. In return, Cam helped us find out why Smith purchased the explosives. As we dug deeper and deeper, we found out that Smith was attempting to destroy the rescue teams station. After Cam had him arrested, she discovered that Night Eagle had hired him to do it. Hes been attempting to kill me since the first time we met. Cam then learned about Victorias recent movements. We discovered that Victoria had been nning to pick up Gary for quite some time. 567 You Finally Came to Save Us! That insane woman went to all that trouble just to get Gary? What a sociopath! Peace shouted Victoria is desperate to find a sessor for Night Eagle. She has a lot of kids in imprisonment besides Gary. Anna added Hearing that, Peace was so shocked that she was at a loss for words Anyway, Im d its all over. Karl let out a sigh of relief. He lifted his arm and showed everyone the bruises on his wrist, continuing jokingly, Look at that, guys! Peace has to clutch my wrist every time I get nervous Thank goodness you saved the kids just in time. Otherwise, Im afraid Ill have to say goodbye to my beloved wrist. And everyoneughed out loud when hearing what he said. And the atmosphere became a bit more rxing. While they wereughing, the door to the bedroom was pushed open. Then, Tammy, who still looked drowsy, came into their view Mom! Tammy yelled as she jumped into Annas arms, her eyes filling with tears right away Ouch! Caught off guard, Anna didnt have the time to react. The next second, they both copsed on the couch together. Anna gently touched the back of Tammys head and said to her softly, Dont cry, Tammy. See, everyones fine! No! I havent cried enough! Mommy, dont leave me again! Sitting beside them, Wayne and Matthew exchanged nces and smiled helplessly wae Soon, the boat was getting ready to dock at the pier. Andrew and Mona had arrived at the pier in advance, bringing several children with them. At the moment, Natalie was on the dock with Alicia, Martin, and 567 You Finally Came to Save Us! other kids While the boat was approaching the pier, Anna and Wayne waved to everyone from the deck. Then Peace appeared from behind them, acting as a barrier between the couple. And she asked curiously, Do you ever feel that this is all a set-up for something bigger? Wayne frowned as he asked, Dont you have your own husband? Why do you keep haunting my wife? Peace took Annas arm proudly and said, Before you married her, I was her only friend. You should be kinder to me, mister. Anna then winked toward Wayne, telling him not to argue with Peace Pointing to the dock. Peace said, Congrattions! Look at all those kids! Did you notice the chemistry between Matthew and Alicia? Following Peaces finger, the first thing that Anna noticed was Alicias lovely face. And she said, They indeed look like a lovely couple. Actually, I like Alicia. And I bet that Matthew will be d to have a girlfriend like her What do you think, Wayne? In approval, Wayne nodded No! Peace said, pointing to Natalie, I mean Natalie! Cant you see theres a guy behind her? When Anna and Wayne look up, they both notice Harry. And Peace asked, Is he Natalies boyfriend? I think I probably saw him somewhere before. Without saying a word, Anna and Wayne smiled at each other, exchanging nces tacitly Chapter 569 I Can Protect You, Too Chapter 569 I Can Protect You, Too Late at night, all of them returned to Peace and Karls house after their adventure. Except for Matthew, the kids were all tired and quickly went to bed. At the same time, the adults gathered to talk about their experiences over the past few days All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Isabe told them about what she saw while following Maria earlier In brief, Anyways, Maria met a strange Azul Group employee at the construction site andter coborated with him to frame Matthew Tammy and I happened to witness it. Peace couldnt hold back her rage any longer after hearing the story She pped the table hard and asked, Why would Maria do such a thing? Matthew trusted her so much! How could she be so shameless and be a traitor?! Then, they turned to look at Matthew, who had remained silent the entire time. Matthew was only sixteen years old, but he possessed the maturity of an adult. At the moment, he was sitting on the sofa with a frown, and he was seemingly lost in thought Annas heart broke when she saw Matthew being like this. She thought, Matthew, youve taken on too much responsibility for your age Right now, your peers are stillin high school. And yet, you have to manage a huge group while youre supposed to be partying with kids at your age Do you know that that I often wonder why your father would ask you to manage such arge group? Yeah Sometimes, I even want to scold him for being an irresponsible father But, hes not the only one to be med for it After all, Im not a good mother, either Heaving a long sigh, Anna walked to Matthews side, took his hand, 568 I Can Protect You, Too and said, Im sorry, Matthew. Its entirely my fault. No, mom. This is not your fault, Matthew said softly But you wouldnt have believed Maria if I hadnt arranged for her to be your secretary. It is not your fault, Mom. I should have known she was that type of person. And I shouldve dealt with her a long time ago, Shaking his head, Matthew said helplessly Then, Peace, who was crossing her arms, chipped in with a pout, Why are you both ming yourselves? Stop arguing! Its all Marias fault! You should me her for it! Yes! Stop ming yourselves. Well, actually, I should be med for that too. I should have told you about what I found out earlier instead of telling Tammy, Isabe said Wayne, who had been silent for a long time, finally asked, What are you going to do about this, Matthew? Matthew looked at Anna and looked as if he was hesitating. From his eyes and expression, Anna could tell what Matthew was thinking. She then stroked his hair and said, Dont worry about my feelings, Matthew. Youre my son. I care about you. So, I will never forgive her for what she did, regardless of why she did it. I know, Matthew replied with a nod You dont have to be worried about Selina or Joe either. Okay. Ill let mywyer handle this. Let me help you in gathering evidence, Ryan, who sat in the corner, said I appreciate it, Uncle Ryan, said Matthew So, its all set, then. Good night, Matthew. You need a good nights 568 I Can Protect You, Too sleep, Anna said All right. Goodnight, Mom. With that, Matthew took the elevator to the third floor Awhileter, Matthew returned to his room. He noticed Tammy dozing on the couch as soon as he pushed open the door. Tammy was swaying because she wasnt sitting still. And she was even talking in her sleep Afraid that shed fall to the ground, Matthew then approached her and shook her arm. As soon as he got close to Tammy, she opened her eyes, saying, Youre finally here, Matthew! What did you guys talk about? Ive been waiting for you for ages! Matthew sat on the couch, looking at Tammy curiously. Then he asked, Why are you waiting for me? Dont you think you should be sleeping right now? Im worried about you! Okay, a quick question for you. What really happened at the race that day? With her eyes filled with excitement and curiosity, Tammy asked Why do you want to know that? Matthew turned to face Tammy. He had the impression that she had changed a little after this incident Meanwhile, he said to himself, Tammy, you were born ten minutester than me, but I always feel that youre much younger than me. As a lively and talkative person, you frequently get yourself into trouble. Still, as your big brother, I enjoy cleaning the messes you made. And as your big brother, / love and care about you very much, Tammy. In the past, I always wonder who is going to back you up when you grow up. I mean, even though I want to protect you all the time, I cant possibly stay with you all the time. But now, Im more relieved than before, because I know that youve finally started to mature Dominic said Im a child, and youre an adult, but were actually the same age. Mommy also said you took on too much responsibility. I will never do anything so risky again. Thank you for protecting me, Matthew. I want to tell you that I can also protect you, Tammy sobbed as she spoke And her words brought Matthew back to the present Matthew wiped her tears with a tissue. Actually, he didnt need Tammys protection, but he was still deeply moved when he heard her say these words. And somehow, Matthew felt that there was a warm surge urring in the softest part of her heart, bringing himfort and warmth. And to him, this cold winter became much warmer becauseTammy was there for him. Earlier, he was still angry about the fact that Maria had betrayed him. Heter realized, however, that it couldnt hurt him because he had a wonderful family As Tammy whimpered and leaned on his shoulder, Matthew answered, That day, someone hit my car, and I cked out. When I awoke, I was in that towns hospital. And Maria visited me there. I fell asleep againter and awoke in an empty room. Thats also where the three of you went to save me. Luckily, Aunt Emily showed upter. I really dont know how I can survive otherwise! As Tammy said this, tears streamed down her cheeks once more Tammy, stop crying. Does your broken ankle still bother you? Is that why youre crying nonstop? Matthew asked in a teasing tone, trying to lighten the mood No. I just overheard your conversation when you were downstairs How could Maria be so cruel to you? Tammy asked as she sobbed had suspicions about her before, but I wasnt sure. Well, Maria must have told the Azul Group about my schedule because she conspired with them. Besides, I know they hit my car. They wanted to kill me and destroy my group to steal the project. They were so naive. Even if something bad happens to me, Dad will not let them get away with it. But why did that insane woman want to take you away? Did the Azul Group have any involvement with her? Tammy asked Aunt Emily said that Victoria Burton was here for Gary, so I dont believe they have anything to do with the Azul Group. They know how close Gary is to us, and my parents would never let them take me away. So I guess the person they really want is you, not me. Huh? Why? Tammy asked, puzzled They know how close you and Gary are, so they want you to stay with him. Or, more urately, they want to threaten Gary with you. They believe that once they have you under control, Gary will do whatever they say. Oh! Damn it! Tammy swore Victoria Burtons ship was smashed, so maybe shes dead now Cam now became their leader. So, theyll no longer threaten me in the future. Matthew said as he stroked Tammys head However, there is still a lot of danger all around you, Tammy said with a worried face Dont worry, Ill figure it out. Tammy, thank you for being worried about me. Believe me. Ill be fine. Okay. By the way, can I sleep in your room tonight? I had a nightmare yesterday. I dreamed that I kept falling into the deep sea and couldnt swim to shore no matter how hard I tried, Staring at Matthew with her watery eyes, Tammy required in a pleading tone No, problem, sis. You are wee to sleep on the bed. Im going to sleep on the couch. Thanks! Youre the best. Tammy kissed him on the cheek. Then she went to bed, and tucked herself under the covers Matthew gave her a tender smile. At the same time, he realized he still had a lot of work to do to protect his family Chapter 570 Getting Rid Of the Black Sheep Chapter 570 Getting Rid Of the ck Sheep Ryan meticulously investigated everything Maria had done the night before. The next morning, he asked his assistant to ce the information he found on Matthews desk And Matthew frowned tightly as he looked through the data. At that moment, Tammy was eating a snack on the couch in his office. She said, You frowned again, Matthew! Youre only 16, and that makes you look like an old man. Dont you have to go to school today? Matthew asked as he sighed I decided to take the day off. My nightmares are still haunting me, you know. Matthew shook his head helplessly. He thought, But you dont look like youre in shock at all. Youre just looking for an excuse to skip school Am I right, Tammy? Never mind. Youre not fit for school, anyways and our family is well-off. So, you can still get by without going to school or working Having collected his thoughts, Matthew said, So, think about how you are going to promote instant noodles for me. Remember that you signed a contract with me. I will not pay you the promotion fee if your ads do not meet thepanys promotion requirements. Dont worry. Ive already asked Alicia to write the proposal, While cing a piece of chips into her mouth, Tammy answered withposure Why dont you do it yourself? With his bros raising, Matthew asked Im the boss! I dont have to do the work myself. Why should I do it when I have apetent assistant to help me out? Thinking that she had a point, Matthew sighed and then shook his head resignedly again. Later, he returned his focus to the information The files read that Maria worked for Azul Group because her grandmother was critically ill and required a kidney transnt. They helped her find a kidney donor and asked her to work for them in exchange Maria, you have a good reason to work with the Azul Group. Still, I cant forgive you for what youve done to me. I cant believe Ive trusted someone who tried to set me up for years! And I trusted you for the past few years because youre rted to Anna. If you had told me about your grandmothers illness earlier, I would have helped you! Why? Why did you prefer to trust outsiders over your family and even betrayed me? Matthew read through the information quickly. Soon, someone knocked on the door and said, Miss Miller has arrived, Mr. Wright. Please let her in, Matthew said without looking up Hearing that, Tammy looked surprised at Matthew. And she asked in astonishment, Oh, no! How does she have the guts toe in here?! IL asked my secretary to invite her over, said Matthew A few momentster, Maria came into the office. She appeared calm, but Matthew could tell that she was a little flustered from the way she walked. With a forced smile, Maria uttered, Morning, Mr. Wright. Ive been away for a few days, so Im not sure whats been going on in thepany recently. What can I do for you? Matthew leaned back in his chair and gazed at her with calm. Take a look at it yourself and give me an exnation after that, he said, throwing 569 Getting Rid Of the ck She arge stack of papers in front of her Maria quickly opened the file and browsed through it. Her face turned pale a few momentster, and her entire body trembled. She stumbled and snapped, What is going on? Why are you looking into me? Youre invading my privacy! I can totally tell the HR department you did that on purpose! Enraged, Tammy mmed a half-bag of potato chips into Marias face. The chips flew out of the bag and scattered all over Maria What are you doing?! Maria asked in surprise Shut your filthy mouth! Id p you if it werent for the fact that youre my mothers cousin! Why are you so cruel to us? Tammy said as she waved her hand frantically in the air Tammy, youre so rude! Maria said Im rude? Shut up! Why did you betray my brother? He was so kind to you and even gave you so many opportunities. Why?! Tammy screamed What are you talking about? I cant understand you! Maria pretended to be calm, but her fists clenched nervously Stop ying dumb! Weve found the proof. Do you want to continue to deny it? No! I didnt work with them! Maria shook her head as she said Stop talking nonsense! Did you forget who my uncle is? He found out everything about what you did. You dont want to admit it, do you? You shouldnt have messed with my brother! You could have had a lot more, but Im afraid youll lose everything from now on. Maria, you do not deserve the love and support you have received from Selina and Joe! Tammy shouted All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. 569 Getting Rid Of the ck She. Thats enough, Tammy, Matthew said. He stood up and approached Maria, and Tammy then stood behind him. And he continued, It makes no difference if you dont admit it because Ive already called the cops. Ill leave everything to them. Marias body shook even more violently. She opened her mouth, but she said nothing Send the police in, Matthew said as he walked over to his desk Soon after, two police officers arrived. They approached Maria, handcuffed her, and solemnly said, Miss Miller, because you are suspected of k********g a minor, youre under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say in court will be used against you. Before Maria was taken away by two police officers, Matthew abruptly said, Maria, wait! My mom wanted to ask you something. We would definitely help her find a kidney if you told us about your grandma. Maria stared at her handcuffs for a moment before breaking outughing. Why? Im not sure why. Perhaps because you are Annas son Honestly, I really dont know how she can be so happy all the time. I am the Millers adopted daughter, but they treated your mother better than me They were always d to help her and sometimes, theyre even willing to help her raise her children. So, they sometimes would neglect me. Look how well God treated your mother! Shes so beautiful and smart, and she has it all. She not only got to marry a wonderful man like your father, but she also got to have a perfect son like you. I am so jealous of her! You are one of the most important people to her. So if I screw you over, shell be a lunatic like I am. In disbelief, Matthew stared at the crazy woman in front of him as if he didnt know who she was. Furious, Tammy dashed to Maria and tried to hit her, but Matthew stopped her. Then Matthew whispered to Tammy, Dont worry, shell get what she deserves. Shell spend the rest of her life in prison. And it wasnt until then that Tammy took a step back With Ryans help, Matthew quickly resolved the issue. They had ample evidence, so the case was closed in a week. She was sentenced to eleven years in prison for k********g a minor. Also, Ryan and Wayne made it clear to the prison staff that they would not be able tomute her sentence At the same time, Noahs assistant was convicted. Noah should have gone to prison as well, but he only provided ideas and did not participate in the action. Therefore, his assistant ended up taking the fall for him. During the trial, Noahs assistant revealed that Beatrice was also involved in the n. However, she would not be punished because he had no proof of her involvement From then on, Wayne and Matthew started to take revenge on Azul Group. And the rivalry between Lemon and Daydream heated up. And Beatricespany struggled as Wayne made things difficult for her Chapter 571 How Does It Feel to Be Alone and Helpless? Chapter 571 How Does It Feel to Be Alone and Helpless? Recently, Beatrice had a tough time because the public kept talking about the scandals of her company. No matter how much money she spent, she couldnt make things right First, there was news that said that Daydream used subpar fabrics and that a customer developed a skin disease after wearing them. That customer filed awsuit against Daydream, and soon after, the police went to herpany to investigate them While the public was still debating the issue, the main designer of Daydream was sued by a famous French designer for copying one of his collections. As a result, many designers pointed the finger at Daydream A few dayster, someone anonymously reported theirpany for tax evasion. Soon after, the tax and audit departments inspected thepanys financial situation. After all of this, it was difficult for her business to function normally These troubles were one more tricky than the other. Beatrice tried to get people she knew to help her out of these troubles, but no one hada solution. Beatrice was worried but didnt know what to do. As a result, she called a meeting with all of thepanys executives and asked for suggestions During the meeting, one executive asked, somewhat nervously, Have you offended anyone, Ms. Jones? Apparently, someone is trying to retaliate against us. After he finished, another person echoed, Yes! Miss Jones, could you please apologize to them? Our stock is already shrinking. If this trend 570 How Does It Feel to Be Alon. I continues, ourpany will be doomed. Beatrice became enraged when she heard their criticism. She mmed her water ss against the wall and yelled, Get the hell out of here, idiots! The next second, the executives left her office one by one. Meanwhile, Beatrices assistant did not leave but just stood still and watched her. After Beatrice waved her hand, signaling him to leave, the assistant left as well When she was the only one left in the meeting room, Beatrice took a seat in her chair tiredly. She knew roughly what was going on. And she was lost in thought Earlier, I was enraged at Matthew for helping Lemon to fight back. So, I called Noah, the president of the Azul Group, hoping that he would join me in destroying the Carousel Group. I did not participate in their k******** operation. I just gave them some suggestions. Why did the Carousel Group go against me like crazy? f**k! What should I do now?! canpete with Lemon on my own, but she cantpete with the Carousel Group. Im no match for the Wright family! Urgh! I thought everything would go smoothly just as the n goes. Why did it end up like this?! Beatrice paced back and forth in her office, pondering her next move She had never been in so much trouble in her life. Things were so easy for her in the past thirty years that she had never lost once. She gained arge fortune by marrying several times, which made her very proud. As a result, she didnt take Lemon seriously Beatrice also considered pleading with Wayne to forgive her because they had known each other since they were children. But she knew he wasnt going to be nice to her. Beatrice knew this was herst chance, so 570 How Does It Feel to Be Alon. Jf she called Wayne right away And she was surprised that he didnt answer her phone. She called him again a few minutester, but he still didnt answer. After dialing five times a row, Beatrice abandoned the n as she realized Wayne had ckedlisted her phone number Seems that Wayne knew I would call him, so he cked me out; Beatrice thought. As her forehead was covered with sweat, Beatrice flipped through her address book, trying to find her lifesaver. Suddenly, her fingertip stopped on Karls phone number It wasnt until then that she realized she hadpletely forgotten about Karl all this time. Beaming with joy and excitement, Beatrice thought to herself, Karls a shareholder in mypany, so this issue is rted to his interests. Im sure Karl will beg mercy on my behalf! He definitely doesnt want all his money to go to waste Beatrice then dialed his number. Once the call was through, she heard a womans voice. for a moment before realizing the woman was Karls wife. Peace Good day, Miss Jones. Sorry, my husband is currently unavable What can I do to help you? Peace asked. Her tone was slightly mocking, but Beatrice wasnt in the mood to care about it Mrs. Xavier, I need to speak with Karl right away. Could you please contact him? Beatrice asked cautiously. Beatrice knew that this hot- tempered woman hated her, but she had no choice but to beg her What is it? You can talk to me because I might be able to help you, Peace said mockingly Im afraid I cant tell you about it, Mrs. Xavier. Its confidential because its about thepany we invested in together. Oh. But my husband is so busy teaching our son his homework now Irritated by Peaces nonchnt demeanor, Beatrice wanted to curse Peace right away. After taking a deep breath, however, she suppressed the urge to do so and asked anxiously instead, I really need to talk to him right away. Please! Oh? Well, Ill ask him if he wants to talk to you then. Then Peace shouted, Karl, Miss Jones says she needs to speak with you. Do you want to answer the phone? No! Just answer it for me, honey! Im teaching Martin math. Hes really giving me a headache now! While checking the test Martin had just finished, Karl shouted back in annoyance With a triumphant smile, Peace picked up the phone and snorted, Miss Jones, did you hear that? I didnt lie to you, did I? You are wee to talk about the situation with me. Beatrice had no choice but to tell Peace of thepanys recent problems, and she then said that she hoped Karl could talk to Wayne When Peace heard this, she said, Are you sure Wayne and Anna did these things? I dont think theyre that type of people. Maybe you misunderstood them. Upon hearing that, Beatrice became even more enraged. Still, she managed to hold back her anger as Karl might be herst straw. Clenching her phone tightly, she asked, Well, youre right. Its just a guess. It would be perfect if they did not do it. But what if it was really them? So I hoped Karl could talk with Wayne about it. Oh, said Peace. She made no promise to help Beatrice Feeling her blood boiling with rage, Beatrice snapped, Remember that your husband is a shareholder in mypany! If things get worse, hell lose arge sum of money as well! You dont have to be worried about that. He didnt put much money into your business, so I dont mind if he loses all of them. Besides, if Wayne and Anna really did this, theyllpensate me. Its fine. Hearing that, Beatrice had no idea what to say in response. Her ears were ringing, and her heart was beating fast. She desperately wanted to argue with Peace but tried her best not to. Then she said, But things dont have to end like this. If Karl lends me a hand, then All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Before Beatrice could finish, Peace said, Oh! I have a brilliant idea Miss Jones, why dont you sell your shares to Karl? When he bes the CEO of thepany, the company will be mine. That way, the Wrights will stop attacking thispany. What do you think? What?! Beatrice couldnt believe her ears Dont be upset, Miss Jones. You cant beat the Wrights no matter what, in my opinion. If they continue to target you, the value of your shares will dwindle no matter what. You should sell these shares to us as soon as they are worth something. You can still keep some of your money that way, right? Why dont you think about my advice? Beatrice was so enraged that she hung up the phone immediately She then raised her phone and mmed it on the ground 2 Melina Levine u Chapter 572 Selling the Company Chapter 572 Selling the Company In the following days, the stock price of Daydream fell while the media continued to write articles about thepanys shady activities Furthermore,izens learned everything they could about Beatriz. They all called her an ungrateful b***h and advocated boycotting Daydreams products In the articles, others learned that Beatriz married for the first time when she was only 18 years old. Back then, she was a high school student in the United States, living with a middle-ss couple. The wife was a kind woman who not only helped her adjust to life in the United States but also helped her study. However, Beatrice was too eager to stay in America. She seduced the womans husband and persuaded him to divorce his wife Later, after the man divorced his wife, Beatrice got married to him right away. Beatrice didnt love that man as she only cared about his money. So, she began looking for her next target after receiving her green card After graduating from high school, Beatrice worked as a real estate agent for a well-known real estate company. After meeting a very wealthy client, Beatrice divorced her first husband and married the wealthy client Their marriage was still short, but she benefited greatly from the divorce And she used the money to start a small clothing business Many of the men who had met Beatrice were attracted to her. She was beautiful, outgoing, and ambitious. She was like a weed, desperately seeking nourishment. A few yearster, Beatrice met one of Fleosils most famous film directors. She quit her job to work as his assistant and married him six monthster. The rtionshipsted three years, and she had be a wealthy woman with numerous assets by the time she divorced 571 Selling the Company wy him All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Once everyone knew her story, they all began to despise her. Some were envious of her wealth and good fortune, while others thought she was a horrible person. Everyone mocked her as a gold-digger, saying she was only good at one thing: getting married. When she went out, she was frequently followed by paparazzi. Many people called her names to lecture her, and some even crept around her house After all of this, Beatricespany stock continued to fall. It eventually reduced to one-third of its original value. Beatrice couldnt keep her cool any longer and was desperate to find a way to save herself. She thought of Karl at this point. Again, she called Karl And again, Peace answered the phone for Karl, Have you made your choice yet, Ms. Jones? Your companys market value has already dropped by two-thirds. If you keep hesitating, I believe it will be delisted shortly.1 will sell my stock to you. You are wee to bring yourwyers to my office tomorrow to discuss it, Beatrice said after a sigh A few dayster, Karl took over thepany and changed the brand name to Peace. Simultaneously, he dered his intention to enter the American market with Lemon. Just as Wayne had nned, Beatrice paid a high price for her evilness wee Anna did not return to Fleosil because she needed to deal with these issues at home. Patrick called her whenever he had a problem, as themunication there was better than she had expected. After resolving these issues, Anna took Matthew and Tammy to see the Millers Joe and Selina had been depressed since Maria was arrested. They were angry at Maria for betraying them, but they still cared about her. So, 571 Selling the Company = they took her grandmother to the best hospital in the country for a kidney transnt and then to a nice nursing home Selina was delighted when she saw the kids. She sat on the couch with Matthews hand in hers, saying, Thank goodness nothing bad happened to you! I cant imagine living without you, Matthew. Matthew was always at ease around his family, and he chatted with them like a kid. Grandaunt, thank you for your concern. Im perfectly fine and even have a good appetite. Maybe Granduncle can kill a cow for me for lunch at noon. Matthew remarked jokingly Then Anna approached Matthew and flicked him on the head Why are you hitting Matthew? Selina rubbed Matthews head and asked Anna angrily Anna was speechless, believing Selina had nevervished such attention on the children. Meanwhile, Tammy, who was sitting next to Selina, said, Grandaunt doesnt want to talk to Mom! Yay! Tammy said as she shook Selinas arm, Granny, I missed you so much. While saving Matthew, I broke my foot and even jumped into the sea. I was so terrified that I had nightmares for several days. Really? Let me take a look at your ankle. It doesnt hurt anymore, Tammy said before leaping into Selinas arms So, do you have nightmares anymore? Why dont you sleep in my room tonight? Ill read you bedtime stories like I used to when you were a kid. Yeah! Great! Tammy burst outughing in Selinas arms. And Selina smiled cheerfully and stroked Tammys hair gently Tammy, youre no longer a child. And dont forget that you talk a lot in your sleep! Shaking her head, Anna said to Tammy. And then she 571 Selling the Company turned to Selina, saying, Tammy moves around in her sleep as if shes fighting with someone in her dreams, Selina. Shell wake you up in the middle of the night if she sleeps with you. Its best to let her sleep alone. Yeah, Mommys right, Matthew said Howe everyone is ming me? Tammy asked, her face flushed Tammy is almost an adult, Selina, so maybe you can stop treating her like a child. She even convinced Natalie and Alicia to help her save Matthew! Anna said. She was irritated every time she thought about it So, what? Theyre still kids to me no matter how old they are. To be frank, Anna, I actually think youre still a child now, With a smile, Selina said. Patting Tammys back gently, Selina said to Tammy, You cant put yourself in danger anymore, dear. Otherwise, youll bring more trouble for Matthew. Thats right! Nodding, Matthew echoed Matthew! Tammy yelled, attempting to get him to stop talking Then Matthew made a funny expression at her Where is Joe? Hes not home ? Suddenly, Anna asked with a frown Hes visiting Maria in prison. Ill never visit her there, let alone forgive her. Ive spent thest few days trying to figure out why she did that horrible thing. Joe and I reflected on ourselves, but neither of us felt we had done anything wrong. We got her into a good college and gave her a lot of money over the years. However, it seems that she just took it for granted. Marias probably just jealous that you guys are so nice to me, Selina, We are supposed to be nice to you. I am your aunt and we are blood rtives. In fact, weve always treated you as if you were our own child Your mother passed away when you were young, and your father married another woman, so we wanted to take care of you as much as possible Anna, youre not going to me us for what happened to Matthew, are you? Certainly not! You did what you were supposed to do, and I appreciate it. Maria is the one to me now. Actually, I also treat you as my parents. So never say anything like that again, Anna said as s he pretended to be upset Im sorry. I wont say that again. Im so old that sometimes, I dont even know what Im saying, Selina said apologetically Grandaunt, you are not old at all! I sometimes believe were the same age! Tammy said. Her joke made everyoneugh Anna took a breath and said, Maria has already paid for her mistakes Joe is free to visit her in prison, and you are free to do so, too. Youve spent so much time together with Maria before, so you must have a special bond with her. We dont have a problem with that. Right, Matthew? Yeah. Dont worry, Grandma. I can totally understand you. Matthew quickly added will visit you more often from now on, Grandaunt, Tammy said, smiling Aw How sweet of you! Selina replied with a bright smile Chapter 573 After Rain Comes Sunshine Chapter 573 After Rain Comes Sunshine Recently, Karl was so busy at work that he didnt have time to tutor Martin on his homework. So, Peace took Martin and Apple to Wrights house and asked Tammy to teach Martin math As Martins grandparents spoiled him so much, he always did whatever he wanted regardless of what others thought. Yet, what everyone found odd was that the only person Martin was afraid of was Tammy. Hed do anything Tammy asked him. So whenever Peace needed a break, she would take them to Annas house After Peace showed up at the Wright residence with her two kids, Tammy taught Martin his math homework in the study, and she kept asking him why he couldnt solve such simple problems. Instead of retorting her, Martin lowered his head without saying a word and seemed deep in thought Peace began to enjoy this rare moment of rxation. Shey on the couch, happily munching on a banana. Looking at Anna, who was sitting opposite her, Peace sighed, Martin sneaks out of school every day, but Matthew can already manage arge group on his own. How I wish Matthew was my son! Tammy also often skips ss and keeps failing her exams. I doubt shell be able to help Martin with his homework. Do you think Tammy can handle that? Anna asked, looking in the direction of the study Its all right. Martin adores her and thinks of her as a goddess. Martin is bad enough as it is, so I dont mind if he gets even worse. Really? Anna asked, looking at Peace in surprise Actually, Matthew is so pitiful. When he was a kid, he followed Wayne on business trips and had never actually enjoyed his childhood. He began taking on such arge responsibility as managing thepany when he was fifteen years old. Hes neverined, has he? Is he really happy? Anna, are you sure you want him to do this stressful job at such a young age? He doesnt even have a dependable assistant now that Maria is in jail. Hearing Peaces heartfelt words, Anna remained silent. Frowning, she thought to herself, /m worried about Matthews health and I dont want him to be so exhausted, either. s I owed Matthew far too much. Thank goodness hes a considerate kid and he doesnt me me for it Peace shut her mouth when she saw Annas sad expression. At that precise moment, Wayne emerged from his study. He said, You dont have to be worried about that. Ive asked Gabe toe back and work as Matthews assistant. He has sessfully managed a branch in Australia for the past few years, so he can certainly help Matthew a lot. Hes now the branchs general manager, but you want him to work as Matthews assistant? Didnt he feel offended? Anna asked, surprised Actually, when he heard the news, he was thrilled. His wife and children are still in Ennd, so he has been attempting to transfer his job back for several years. He even said hed be willing to work as a janitor to get back to Ennd. Besides, the position of assistant to the president is important. So, I dont think Gabe will feel offended. Do you want Matthew to be president all of the time? Anna asked She was still worried that Matthew had taken on too much Its not that I dont care about him. You see, I helped him whenever he was in trouble. But, because our son is so gifted, he rarely meets a 572 After Rain Comes Sunshine wo problem he cannot solve alone. Its your fault that youre always away from me. I would have had more time to spend with you if I had given thepany to Matthew earlier, Wayne said, smiling. He lifted his chin and gave a smug look Peace sarcastically tossed the banana peel into the trash can and said, Shut up, you two love birds! Lazy parents typically have diligent children, while diligent parents havezy ones. This rule appears to work well in your family. Wayne, youre just toozy, and Im just too hard-working. Right! Its no surprise that I work so hard, Tammy said. She came down the stairs, picked up a banana, and sat on the couch Whats Martin doing? Peace asked Hes doing his homework. Great! I knew you could keep him quiet! Peace gave Tammy a thumbs up Anna moved her gaze between the two people on the couch and said, Tammy resembles you so much. Peace. You two almost speak in the same tone. For sure! Tammy is my sweetest little darling! With a smile. Peace said All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Wayne said coldly, You wish. After seeing his grim expression, Peace assumed Wayne didnt think she was joking. Why is he so serious? she shrugged, whispering to Anna Tammy approached Wayne and handed him the half-eaten banana she was holding. I know youve always been the best to me. Dad. My mother even wanted to kick me out of the house but you stopped her Here, this is the reward you deserve. You dont want to eat it anymore, do you? Wayne asked, his brow furrowed. Still, he began eating her unfinished banana Seeing that. Peace was taken aback. She thought. Since when did you change so drastically, Wayne? 1 remember that you used to be so aloof! IL can actually help my brother with his work, Mom and Dad, While Peace was still lost in thought, Tammy said thoughtfully Really? Id be grateful if you didnt make a mess for Matthew, Anna said. She clearly didnt think Tammy could work well Tammy nned to tell Anna she would promote thepanys new product in a few days. But when she realized she couldnt tell her mom that she was working as an e-sports anchor, she kept her mouth shut +e In her office, Alicia was working on an advertising proposal. Shed already written four proposals, but none of them satisfied Tammy. Tammy found the proposals either too mundane or too ordinary Alicia stared at theputer screen, worried. She hadnt expected being an assistant to be so difficult, but she wanted to be good at it. In any case, Tammy had never done amercial before. If they got it right this time, they would have more opportunities in the future. Alicia was immediately motivated to work because she believed she could make a lot of money Immediately after leaving the Wrights house, Tammy returned to her office. She walked into the house as cool as a superhero, kicking open the office door Stunned, Alicia asked, Can youe in like a regr person? Youll break the door. Tammy handed her a bag of cakes and a cup of coffee, saying, I cant 572 After Rain Comes Sunshine Oo open the door with those stuff in my hands. I brought you some desserts because I know you love them. Wow! Great! Thanks! The only thing that will make me feel better is dessert, Alicia said. She then began gobbling up the cakes Are you still working on your advertisement? Tammy asked, looking at Alicia sympathetically should have the fifth edition finished by tonight. Alicia, forget it. I can set up a raffle on the live stream. Are you serious? Isnt that kind of unprofessional? Why? How about you show us how to drink with your eyes closed? No! eximed Alicia Or could you finish five bags of instant noodles in five minutes? That shouldnt be difficult, but dont forget youre a live streamer And you dont want to show your face in public, remember? Well Yeah I nearly forgot about that. Seriously, stop writing it. Ill improvise as I go live. I doubt youll have any good ideas! Rubbing her head awkwardly, Tammy said Dont you think youre underestimating me? Alicia wanted to punch Tammy, but she knew she couldnt Am I? Im just being considerate! Goodnight, Im going to bed, Tammy then entered her bedroom Taking a long and deep sigh, Alicia stared at herputer, unsure whether she should keep writing Chapter 574 Help Me, Brother! Chapter 574 Help Me, Brother! After the live streaming ended, Alicia excitedly handed Tammy her phone and showed her the text message. Tammy didnt seem as excited as Alicia, as she knew the bonus came from Matthews personal ount Tammy had always been rich since she was born. She wasnt a big spender, but she didnt care much about money. As a result, she was unwilling to do things she didnt want to do simply for the sake of money Only after the advertising department of the Carousel Group sent Tammy some figures and complimented her that she did a good job that Tammy felt pleased In the past, TAMMY had always felt that Matthew was too talented and that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to seed like him. Moreover, Anna always med Tammy for failing her exams, so she sometimes felt she was useless. In fact, she really wanted to help Matthew manage thepany so that he would be less tired, but she was incapable of helping him in anyway Although this advertisement was not substantial, it made Tammy confident. She felt capable of aplishing something for the first time in her life. After a while, she even felt she could help Matthew share some of the pressure. Just thinking about it made her thrilled like crazy Tammy worked all night. But to her surprise, she didnt feel tired at all. She even felt excited, as if she could keep working for a long time. Then Tammy said to Alicia excitedly, Thank you for your hard work, Alicia. Im going to give you half of the bonus. Really? Thats fantastic! Youre the best! I knew it! Alicia began cheering Tammy, youre the best boss Ive ever met, Alicia said as she hugged Tammy tightly Thank you. Im going to bed now. You may continue to cheer, but please do not disturb me when Im sleeping, Tammy then walked away She was sleepy and desperately needed a good nights sleep That night, she slept exceptionally well and had a sweet dream. She made the national gaming team in her dream. Their team won the championship at one of the tournaments, and she was named the best yer. Tammy was so happy that she just keptughing in her dream. And because she wasughing so hard, she woke up soon When Tammy opened her eyes again the next morning, it was already ten oclock. The weather was a little overcast, making it an ideal day for sleeping. Tammy had just closed her eyes again when Alicia stormed into her room, terrified Tammy! Wake up! Scratching her hair anxiously, Alicia shouted Whats the problem? Did the zombies take over the world? Youd better get Wonder Woman to solve this problem, not me! Tammy said She sat up and then started to straighten her unkempt hair. Knowing Alicia didnt take this seriously at all this time Someone on Twitter exposed your true identity! Oh my goodness! What should we do?! Is this going to land you in hot water? Why dont we have your brother get you some bodyguards? Huh? Tammy was still dizzy from her sleep. She couldnt understand what was happening because Alicias words were so confusing Raiding her brows, Tammy grabbed Alicias phone and immediately opened Twitter. She was taken aback when she saw those hashtags, which 574 Help Me, Brother! wa were all about her: Amber, the e-sports anchor, Amber has the best brother in the world, and Carousel Groups instant noodles and functional drinks. After she clicked a hashtag, Tammy discovered an article written by a Paparazzi. He appeared to have been stalking them for some time, as he had posted photos of Matthews office and Tammy entering his office with Alicia. The photo wasnt particrly clear, but it captured Tammys face The paparazzi also wrote Tammy Wright in bold letters on the photo The article that the paparazzi wrote was well-reasoned and logical He deduced from a series of details that Amber was Matthew Wrights sister, Tammy. So, of course, the best brother in the world Amber mentioned was Matthew. The article also said they were twins, though one took their mothersst name and the other took their fathers Netizens were all thrilled about those information. Someone discovered a video of the fall/winter show on Lemons official website and a photograph of Tammy walking the show. All information about Amber, aka Tammy, was thus made public All of these paparazzi and inte users are Sherlock Holmes! Ive never thought that they would dig out my true identity that easily! Tammy yelled Later on, many people began to follow Tammy because they found her so pretty. Her Instagram ount gained tens of thousands of followers overnight, and she received numerous private messages praising her On Twitter, someone said, Amber is stunning, and her brother and father are so handsome! So, her mother must be a gorgeous woman. Amber, you have the potential to work in the entertainment industry Please do not let your e-sports career prevent you from bing an idol! 574 Help Me, Brother! ww Amber is rich and beautiful! She even promotes noodles and drinks for her familys business! What a considerate girl! It must be amazing to be Matthew Wrights sister! Its no surprise she looks up to her brother. Amber is so lucky! Tammy was conflicted after reading thesements. Her parents and brother had shielded her so well over the years that no one knew her name. They did that to protect her, as she was kidnapped twice as a child Also, Tammy was terrified as she thought she would be surrounded by paparazzi every time she went out in the future. She didnt want to be caught on video when she sneaked out of school Her head hurt from thinking about all this mess, so she immediately called Matthew and asked for help Matthew answered the phone a few momentster. Whats wrong? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Im in huge trouble, Matthew! Youre the only one who can help me right now! Take it easy, Tammy. Whats going on? Matthew asked calmly Our names are trending on Twitter, and theyve made all of my personal information public. Can you figure out how to delete them? Mom will probably know Im a live streamer now. Shes not going to let me off the hook! Ill look into it right now. Matthew then started looking up her name on Twitter. Then he said calmly, Do you think you can keep it hidden from her forever? You should have known this day woulde sooner orter. Tammy shuddered as she remembered thest time Anna had been angry with her. And she snapped, Im so scared! You must help me, Matthew! Mom isnt as scary as you think, With a frown, Matthew said Humph! Shes gentle with everyone else but cranky with me! It isnt her fault. Whatever. I cant do this by myself! Youre myst hope, Matthew. Dont worry, Ill handle it. Chapter 575 Please Don鈥檛 Be Angry Chapter 575 Please Dont Be Angry After hanging up the phone, Tammy sat in her bed, still in a trance She was confident Matthew would solve this matter for her, but she was afraid Anna had seen the tweet. Once again, Tammy thought of the scene in which Anna shouted at her angrily As if her phone was a hot potato, Tammy threw it at Alicia. Then she covered her head with the covers, trying to cover all the trouble awaiting her by doing so Then, in a trembling voice, Tammy said, Alicia, please keep an eye on my phone for me. Dont answer anyones calls but my brothers! If my mother keeps calling me, tell her Im not here.1 You want to keep hiding it from her? That is not a good idea, in my opinion. It doesnt matter. Im not in the mood to talk about it right now! Tammy then crawled back under the covers, ready to sleep as it was the only way she could get away from reality Tammy had just closed her eyes when her phone began to vibrate She sat up and asked nervously, Whos calling? Your dad. Do you want to answer it? Of course not! He and my mother are on the same side. They even share the same opinion on literally everything. Thats horrible! Should I hang up? Alicia asked again Dont hang up! Hell know I saw him call if you do that. I want to pretend I didnt notice it. Okay. Ill put your phone on silent mode then. 575 Please Dont Be Angry Zo Suit yourself, Tammy said nervously. When Alicia was about to give the phone back to her, Tammy suddenly snapped, Take this evil thing away from me, will you? I just want to get some rest right now. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ah! Tammy, its your mother. Are you sure you wont answer it? Yes, Im sure! Tammy shouted Then Alicia left the room with Tammys phone After a while, Tammy woke up because she felt cold. When she opened her eyes, she noticed her quilt was gone. She sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She then noticed a few people standing in her bedroom. Anna was standing on the edge of her bed, holding a quilt. She appeared irritated. And Wayne was standing behind Anna, winking at Tammy Tammy was dizzy from having just awoken, so she couldnt understand what Wayne was trying to tell her. She looked around the room and noticed Matthew standing in the doorway, looking at her. Alicia, who was always timid, stood outside the door, watching them As she finally came back to her senses, Tammy realized that her judgment day hade. Mom, Dad, what brings you here? Tammy asked with a smile on her face, deciding to y dumb You know well why were here! Anna shouted Im sure youre here because you missed me, right? Tammy asked as she put her arms around Anna. She winked at Matthew at this point, hoping he could help her. To her disappointment, Matthew shook his head at her, indicating that he could do nothing to help her was going toe home tomorrow to see you, Still ying dumb, Tammy said in a sweet voice Yet, Anna didnt buy it at all. Then she said in a cold voice, Get up! You now have five minutes to freshen up. Well be in the living room waiting for you.After that, Anna walked out the door, followed by Wayne 575 Please Dont Be Angry wo and Matthew Startled, Tammy leaped from the bed and dashed into the bathroom It only took her four minutes to brush her teeth and clean her face. When she entered the living room, she found Alicia had already left. At the moment, Anna appeared agitated and on the verge of losing her cool. The two men sitting next to Anna seemed to be terrified of her Am I fast, Mom? Smiling stiffly, Tammy said in a low voice Anna said, Stand there. Dont move without my permission. Tammy realized Anna was angry because she wasnt scolding her or pretending to punch her. Anna just stared at her, expressionless. Not daring to look Anna in the eye, Tammy looked down at her pink bunny slippers She tried to remain calm and respond to Annas question rationally However, she felt like she was in an interrogation room because Anna appeared so oppressive Did you skip ss today again? Anna asked, sounding intimidating Huh? I didnt. I took a leave of absence. Why? Because I dont feel well. Whats the matter? had diarrheast night and only fell asleep after midnight. Is that true? Didnt you do a live streamingst night? Tammy, I really didnt expect you could be famous so quickly. Anna said with a sneer Famous? I didnt expect things to turn out this way, Mom. Tammy grumbled Weve been careful to protect you all this time, so no one knows 575 Please Dont Be Angry WZ about you. Youve ruined our efforts! Do you realize youre putting yourself in danger? Tammy bowed her head, not daring to speak. She underestimated the abilities of inte users and paparazzi to gather information. And she apologized, Im so sorry, Mom. I shouldnt have done that. You know you were wrong? Fine. Then tell us about your career! As Anna had expected, Tammy remained silent. Shaking her head, Anna said, You dont want to talk about it? Well, Id love to. Its just Do you usually skip ss just to y video games? Anna cut in Sometimes, but not always. Do you mean most of the time? Anna asked I only take a leave when I have a game topete in. Tammys voice became huskier as she continued to exin Really? I spoke with your teacher today, and she told me that you have taken five days off this month. Besides, your test results are getting worse. I doubt youll be epted by a college in the future. dont like studying. Mom. I just want to do what I want. What? All you have to do now is study hard and catch up on the sses you missed before. You cant skip ss or take any days off anymore. Seriously, you cant y games for the rest of your life. Anna became increasingly enraged as she spoke Tammy has always been a good kid, honey. I can assure you that she will have a bright future, Wayne patted Annas shoulder, attempting to calm her down Did you know she was going to be the game streamer? Anna looked 575 Please Dont Be Angry a at Wayne, then at Matthew, who had remained silent had no idea about that. I would have stopped her if I had known she was doing something like this, Wayne said Matthew, how about you? You already know about this, right? You would not have allowed her to do that ad otherwise. Anna fixed her gaze on Matthew Yes, Mommy. I knew this a long time ago, said Matthew Anna became even more agitated. I knew you were a good boy, Matthew, so I asked you to keep an eye on Tammy before I went to Fleosil. I didnt expect you to spoil her like that, how could you help her skip school so that she can y video games?! Mom, Matthew is always working. He has no time for me. You cant me him, Tammy said, and it took a lot of guts for her to say so So, you realize how busy your brother is? Then cant you just stop making trouble for him? Youre not only ignoring me, but youre also keeping this from me. You dont need me anymore, do you? Anna asked, her eyes welling up with tears Hearing that, both Tammy and Matthew were surprised & Melina Levine 4 Chapter 576 All Roads Lead to Rome Chapter 576 All Roads Lead to Rome You know thats not true, honey. Wayne stood up and approached Anna. He took her hand in his and said, They will always need you, and they will always love you. You cant say that in front of the kids anymore Otherwise, theyll be sad. Dads right! Even if Im 30, Ill still stick with you, Mom! Tammy said Anna hadnt cried in front of her in a long time, which made Tammy nervous. Tammy remembered that Anna had never cried even when the two of them lived alone Matthew, who was next to Wayne, thought with a frown. Mom,l actually quite understood your feelings. On the one hand, the hospital has been pressuring you to return to Fleosil to help the patients there and you indeed want to help save the people there. On the other hand, however, you cant bear to leave us because youre worried about us and you want to stay with us a while longer Mom, I know you always feel that you owed us too much, especially Tammy and me. But, to be frank, I dont me you for it cause I know youve tried your best to be a good mom while bncing your life and your work. Also, I took over thepany at such a young age for various reasons. And one of the major reasons is that I believe that Dad will have enough time to apany you that way. And in this way, we will have more time to stay together as a family With that in mind, Matthew said to Tammy, Why dont you go to your room, Tammy? Ill speak with Mom. Really? Tammy mouthed at him Matthew nodded. Tammy trusted Matthew, but she was worried that 576 All Roads Lead to Rome wa Anna would be even more upset with her because she had left. She nced at Anna, then at Wayne. At that moment, Wayne and Anna were whispering. They both didnt even notice her. Then Tammy quickly returned to her room and locked the door After that, Matthew walked to his parents and sat on the carpet Mom, dont you think that we put a lot of pressure on Tammy? he said thoughtfully, taking Annas hand Did we? Anna looked at her son before turning her head to Wayne, puzzled. Wayne shrugged, seemingly didnt think it that way either We expect too much from her because were all too talented. Tammy is the most ordinary member of the family inparison to the rest of us That idea got into her subconscious, so I guess she just wanted to be different from us. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Did you study psychology, son? Wayne asked Let Matthew finish, okay? Anna expressed her displeasure to Wayne Tammy just has different hobbies from the rest of us. She hates studying and prefers to do things she enjoys, such as ying video games I watched a few of her live streamings and discovered that she is quite skilled at that. Do you know what her fans say about her? They said she was an excellent yer. Shes only been a game streamer for a few months, but shes already the youngest and most sessful game streamer. Isnt she wonderful? Shes just a beginner, but shes acting like a pro. If she has professional training, she will be unstoppable. Yes. All of us in our family are very talented! Wayne eximed proudly Is she really that good at ying games? Anna asked with doubt 576 All Roads Lead to Rome wy Without a doubt. If we prove her abilities to those well-known teams, they will want her to join them. Do you think we should let her do that? We need to respect her opinion. Mom, you said you wanted us to be happy, didnt you? Thats right. But She will be unhappy if we force her to study, and shes only happy when she is ying games. I know Tammy gets thrilled every time she breaks her record, so I encourage her to participate in games and be a live streamer. Like you, I also want her to be happy. Anna bowed her head and considered Matthews words carefully You always think Im taking on too much responsibility for running a business at such a young age, Mom. You always wondered if I was really happy, didnt you? Matthew knew what Anna was thinking. He had never discussed it with his parents before, but he was willing to do it for Tammy Im sorry, Matthew, Anna said Its fine. Since I was a child, Ive learned a lot about business and management from Dad. To be honest, it gives me a sense of aplishment. I dont feel like Im taking on too much. I do so much because I want Tammy to have the chance to do what she wants. I dont want her to be unhappy because she is forced to do something she dislikes. Mom, you understand what Im saying, right? Emotional as Anna was, she still found it hard to ept the fact that Tammy would be a dropout. And Anna said worriedly, But Tammys not good at studying, and she probably wont even get into college. Whats the problem with that? A college degree isnt all that matters Tammys smart. If she is truly gifted in e-sports and can achieve sess, Ill 576 All Roads Lead to Rome YS set up apany for her. I can put her in charge of a professional team and train her to be the best international e-sports yer. Matthew is right, honey. You should listen to him, Wayne said to Anna, love Tammy, so I dont mind if she pursues a different career. I just want her to be happy and healthy at all times. It doesnt matter if she cant get into college or find a job because we have plenty of money to support her. I wouldnt me her if she didnt work a day in her life. Well, Peace once told me the exact same thing, With a wry smile, Anna replied But you didnt to her, did you? Wayne said with a smile, Ill give her some shares of our group and enough money. And Im confident that Tammy will be sessful because her abilities are exceptional. Shes only 16 years old, and she has much potential. What we need to do now is help her figure it out on her own. She should know what she wants to do and what she intends to do in the future. Shes nice and smart, but she just has hobbies different than us. You, too, should have faith in Tammy, Mom. Matthew echoed So, are you saying that we should stop caring about her academic performance? No. Ill hire more tutors for her to make up for the sses shes missed. We should try to get her into college. Matthew had been tutored at home as a child, so he had never experienced college life. That was one of his regrets, and he didnt want Tammy to experience the same All right, you have a point, Matthew. Just leave this to me. I got this, Mom Matthew gave a confident smile Tammy ran out of the bedroom after Anna and Wayne had left. She heard their entire conversation just now. She hugged Matthew tightly and appeared to be about to cry. She said, Matthew, Im not going to let you worry about me anymore. You have my word! Okay, I believe you. Also, Moms going back to Fleosil, Matthew stroked Tammys head and said Chapter 577 We鈥檙e in This Together Chapter 577 Were in This Together Two dayster, Anna and Wayne went to Fleosil together. Anna went to the medical team station, while Wayne established a medicalpany there, specializing in producing hospital supplies such as masks and protective suits. Wayne did this because he genuinely wanted to help Annas career All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The international airport in Fleosil was small and run-down, and the road outside was not even paved with concrete. As Anna and Wayne stepped out of the airport, they noticed a broken Jeep car approaching them. The car appeared to be on itsst legs, and it was a miracle it was still running. It then stopped in front of Anna after a slight drift The back of the car generated a massive cloud of dust. When the dust them vanished, Anna and Wayne finally realized who was sitting in the drivers seat: Patrick. And Patrick was smiling brightly at Anna After getting off the car, Patrick approached them. He yanked Annas backpack from her shoulders and slung it over his own back. Dr. Wright, wee back, he greeted Anna happily. Meanwhile, Patrick pretended not to notice Wayne, who was apparently wary and disgusted We appreciate youing to get us, Anna said to Patrick politely | was worried you wouldnte back. Did you get everything taken care of? Thats fantastic! Cam told me you were in danger at the time. You werent hurt, were you? Patrick asked, then began to eye Anna Seeing that, Wayne set his suitcase down and took Annas hand to bring her closer to him. He wanted to stop Patrick from looking at Anna that way Were all fine, thanks to Cam, Anna didnt want to go into those specifics because they were highly confidential Great. Later, after they walked to the car, Patrick said as he opened the passenger door for Anna, Dr. Wright, please get in. Anna looked at Wayne, then at the beat-up car. Because this Jeep only had two seats, one of them needed to sit in the trunk. After hesitating for a while, Anna said, How about | sit in the trunk? Shaking his head, Patrick replied, Just get in the car, Dr. Wright. You know how rough the roads are here. Its ufortable enough to sit in the seat, let alone stand in the trunk. There will be dust and bugs in the air. With a brief pause, Patrick said to Wayne teasingly, Besides, | dont think Mr. Wright would agree to let you sit in the trunk. Wayne stared at the young man in front of him as he had no idea what he was thinking. Ofall the women your age in the hospital, why do you have acrush on my wife? Shes ten years older than you and shes married! Dont you think you should avoid Anna because shes married? Wayne thought Wayne would not have been offended if Patrick had just had feelings for Anna. However, Patrick seemed very proud about it and wanted the entire world to know he had feelings for Anna. And he was hostile to Wayne and always seemed ready to fight him. As a result, Wayne was terrified of leaving Anna alone in the hospital because he was afraid Patrick would hit on her. And he decided to follow Anna around every day Patrick, how about | drive the car? Youre a young man, so you wont 577 Were in This Together Ww possibly feel ufortable staying in the trunk for a while, right? Youve been here for months, and | bet that youve already gotten used to the bumpy roads here, Wayne smiled as he said this Patrick was surprised when Wayne said that. He wanted to refuse, but he didnt say anything after thinking for a while. He was afraid that Anna would think he was petty if he refused Waynes proposal Im your instructors husband, so you should respect me just as much as you respect her. Wayne continued As she looked back and forth at the two drama queens, Anna was speechless. She didnt expect they would still fight after not seeing each other for so long Why dont you go back to your office first, Wayne? Our hospital is at the heart of the infected area, so its quite dangerous there. What about you call your driver and ask him toe to get you? Right! You cant help Dr. Wright in any way. Patrick spoke up. He appeared to want to get rid of Wayne right away can do the work from home. Ive already been vinated, so | shouldnt get infected. When youre not with me, Anna, Ill be worried about you. And | wont be able to concentrate on my work. Are you sure? With a frown, Anna asked in uncertainty Yes, Im sure. Were in this together, arent we? Wayne replied with resolution Wayne was an eyesore, in Patricks opinion. So, Patrick knew the only way Wayne could stop talking was to bring up professional topics. After some thought, Patrick said, Dr. Wright, by the way, | got about 500 patients to try the drug we brought earlier. They tried this drug three times and the results were getting better. The good news is the cure rate is nearly 95%. But, some patients also have side effects. Why dont | report back to 577 Were in This Together of youter with the details? Wayne knew Patrick had said it on purpose, but he also knew Anna took that test seriously. Raising his brows, he had no choice but to throw the case into the trunk and then sit in it After seeing Wayne get into the trunk, Patrick smiled smugly and said to Anna, Pleasee in, Dr. Wright. Ill tell you more about the specifics on our way. He took a stack of files from his shoulder bag and showed it to Anna after they got into the car Anna then began to carefully read it. And she uttered, We need to re-examine those patients who are experiencing side effects to make sure what the cause is. We must make everything perfect so the medicine can be sessfullyunched. You know, the American medical team is here too. We will turn our country into aughing stock if we make a mistake. All right, Ill tell them when we get to the hospital. The engine made a humming roar when the car started As the car bumped along the rough road, Wayne was feeling very ufortable. He grew up in a wealthy family with the best of everything, so he never imagined he would ride in a car like this. Wayne thought, / shouldnt have let Patrick pick us up! Why didnt ljust call my driver? At the same time, Wayne could tell Anna and Patrick were talking, but he couldnt hear them clearly. He gripped the roof rails tightly to keep himself from falling. To make his mood worse, the dirt and dust from the country road blew in his face, making it impossible for him to open his eyes Undoubtedly, Wayne was in a bad mood. He was jealous of Patrick because that lucky guy got to sit with Anna. However, all he could do was stand in the trunk like a sucker and keep trying to dust himself off. For him, a clean freak, this was one of the scariest things in the world About an hourter, they arrived at the hospital. Patrick drove them straight to the dormitory where they had earlier stayed. After dropping off her luggage, Anna went straight to the hospital, leaving Wayne alone in the empty room Wayne was relieved to find a cell phone signal there. He then called his assistant and asked him to prepare a car and some food. Wayne knew he couldnt help Anna at work, so he wanted to make her life morefortable. He took a shower and went to bed after making that call And when Wayne woke up hourster, he realized he was alone in the room, and Anna was still at work. Then Wayne began to feel worried. He worried about Annas safety because her workce was virus-infested and dangerous. So, he decided to go to the hospital to check on her Chapter 579 The Thoughtful Husband Chapter 579 The Thoughtful Husband When Wayne left the dorm, it was already one oclock in the morning With a mask on his face and a shlight in his hand, he walked toward the hospital. A few minutes later, he arrived at the doctors office Because the hospital was built in an emergency following the outbreak, it was small and simple. It was a single-story house divided into three ward areas for mild, moderate, and severe patients. The doctors office was directly across from the wards At that moment, the hospital was deafeningly quiet. Some wards had lights on, and some patients asionally moaned in pain. Wayne was upset when he realized that Anna needed to work there every day from now on. For amoment, he wanted to ask Anna to go back to Ennd with him. But on second thought, he perished the thought Anna is a doctor, and its herjob to save peoples lives. Also, it has always been her dream to help those in need. | dont want to stop her from realizing her dream. And | need to stay by her side when she needs me, just like what she did for me in the past. Wayne reasoned to himself As he approached the office, he noticed two rooms had lights on. And he was relieved because he assumed that Anna and Patrick would be in different rooms. But to his surprise, no one was in the first office. Later, Wayne discovered two people inside the second office after opening the door Dressed in a white coat, Anna was sleeping on a makeshift bed in the office. Patrick, thest person Wayne expected to see, was sitting by the table beside her Patrick was typing on hisputer at the time. When he saw Wayne, 578 The Thoughtful Husband LY he made a silent gesture and whispered, Dr. Wright is exhausted. She said that she needed to rest, but she then fell asleep. We were just getting started on the case. Wayne frowned and asked, Why didnt you ask her to go back to her room for some rest? Shes already worn out. After that, Wayne leaned down and gently picked up Anna. The moment he touched her, Anna opened her eyes. When she realized Wayne was holding her, she muttered, Did | fall asleep? Yes. Come on, honey, let me take you to your room, Wayne said Slightly nodding, Anna wrapped her arms around Waynes waist and dozed off in his arms. She snored while breathing steadily. Earlier, Anna came to the hospital as soon as she stepped off the ne, so she was really exhausted After carrying her back to the dorm, Wayne took her to the bathroom, bathed her and helped her change into her pajamas. During the period of time, Anna was sound asleep like a baby. And Wayne couldnt help but sigh seeing her so worn out When he stopped sighing, Wayneid Anna on the bed gently. He then The next morning, Anna awoke at ten oclock, which was muchter than usual. She had a good nights sleep and was energetic when she awoke. She didnt realize she waste for work until she checked her phone 578 The Thoughtful Husband wy After she looked around, she realized she was in her own dorm. Wayne had carried her back herest night, as she vaguely remembered Wayne, she yelled to the outside of the room After hearing her voice, Wayne entered the room with some bags Anna was surprised when she saw the supermarket bags in his hands, which seemed to contain ingredients for food. W owl Look at you, Wayne The once sessful and domineering president of a huge group cooked for me! | stillremember how domineering and aloof you were back then. And now, youre even willing to follow me to a war zone and take care of me Thank you, babe. Anna couldnt help but smile at the thought that he was looking after her As he noticed Anna was in good spirits, Wayne smiled and asked, How are you feeling, honey? Im feeling much better now. Did you turn off my rm clock again? She asked, pretending to be annoyed just want you to have a good rest. You know, youll only be able to work efficiently if you get a good nights sleep. Im doing this for your own good, honey. Fine. Ill spare you this time. But if you do it next time, dont me me for punishing you, Raising her fist, Anna said jokingly Oops! My bad, honey. Just so you know, | support your efforts to save lives, but you need to make sure youll be healthy first. You cant work too hard, Anna. Think about our kids. Do you want them to lose their mother at such a young age? get it, babe. Thanks for the heads up though. Okay, enough with the topic. Guess what? | made you your favorite spaghetti! With a broad smile, Wayne changed the topic What? How did you get the ingredients? Anna asked with her eyes widened in shock My assistant sent me some food and a car. | can send you anywhere you want to go with the new car. You dont have to ride in that brats crappy car anymore. Hearing that, Anna burst outughing. She then got out of bed and hugged Wayne tightly gratefully, saying, Are you still jealous because of what Patrick did yesterday? Come on! Dont be jealous. You know me. | love you and | will always love you. Well, Wayne, do you really want to stay here and look after me? Will you regret it?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 580 Thank You, Honey Chapter 580 Thank You, Honey No. Why would I? Do you have any idea how exhausting it could be to run arge group like the Carousel Group? Id rather spend more time with you and take care of you every day! Gently rubbing Annas hair, Wayne said lovingly, Ill go get your breakfast. You should go brush your teeth now. Okay, Wayne. Feel free to talk to me if you need anything, Smiling happily, Anna gave Wayne a kiss before walking toward the restroom Because the dormitory was so small, Wayne could only cook in the hallway. Despite the fact that there was only a stove and some simple cooking utensils, Wayne didntin about it for once, and he managed to make a delicious meal for Anna under such a condition. Also, when he pictured Anna smiling happily while eating the meal he cooked, Wayne couldnt help beaming with joy Instead of cooking their own meals, the medical team all ate at the cafeteria. Since the cooks of the cafeteria were all locals, their eating habits differed greatly from those of the British. After staying there fora while, many doctors lost a lot of weight, including Patrick. As a result, Wayne wanted to make Anna more of what she liked to eat because she was already very fit After freshening up, Anna walked out of the restroom and headed to her dorm. The moment she entered the dorm, she smiled a pleasant aroma. Wow! It smells so good and it looks so delicious! Since when did you be such a good cook, Wayne? Anna eximed as shey her eyes on the spaghetti and then on Wayne Well, | learned from the best. Do you like the food | brought you every 579 Thank You, Honey Zw day when you were in the hospital back when we were in Ennd? With a smile, Wayne asked Anna proudly Yes. What about it? Originally, my mom cooked for you every day. And then one day, | said to myself, Now that Ive already retired, and | have like, all the time in the world. Why dont | start learning how to cook and cook for you every day? Later, | began to cook lunch for you. Yes, you heard me. | cooked them all by myself! Oh, my! You cooked them all on your own?! Wow Honey, thank you so much. Im so lucky to have you, Covering her mouth in surprise, Anna replied in a shaking voice Upon seeing that the rims of her eyes turned red, Wayne said to her softly with a smile, Come now, Anna. Its just cooking. You used to cook for Matthew almost every day even before were in a rtionship, remember? Im just returning the favor. You dont have to be so thrilled about it. At the same time, Wayne stretched his arms open, waiting for Anna to approach him and hug him Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Knowing that he was eager for a hug, Anna walked to Wayne and hugged him tightly. She mumbled, But | have to thank you no matter what. Thank you for being there for me unconditionally. | Before Anna could finish her words, Annas stomach let out a growl. Pfftl Wayne suddenly chuckled. Seeing that, Anna blushed because of embarrassment, saying, What are youughing at? Nothing. Imughing because you looked so cute just now, Wayne answered after finally holding back hisughter. Then he added, Go have your brunch now. Otherwise, itll get cold. Okay, Anna answered. As she was starving, it didnt take Anna long to finish the entire te of pasta. After that, Wayne smiled contentedly and 579 Thank You, Honey wy gently kissed her on the cheek We need you, Dr. Wright! Weve got new patients! Suddenly, a nurse yelled through the door. Hearing that, Anna immediately put on her white coat. Yet, before dashing out the door toward the hospital, she looked at Wayne with uncertainty. It wasnt until Wayne assured her that he would be okay that she left for the hospital Whats going on? As soon as she reached the ward, Anna asked while gasping for breath Theres a riot in the city center. Some patients were causing problems because they couldnt get medical treatment after infection Many people got injured and went to the emergency room because of the riot. The nurse borated in a hurry The other doctors were already working when Anna ran into the emergency room. Anna then approached an operating table and told a young doctor, Let me do the surgery. Will you go over there and stop the bleeding on that patient? Before giving emergency care to all patients, Anna worked for four hours straight. After it was over, she couldnt even feel her legs As she went back to her office, Patrick walked in and handed her a ss of water. Anna was extremely thirsty, so she began to drink it inrge gulps A few momentster, Wayne appeared in the doorway, saying, I knew you were too busy to eat, so | made you lunch, Anna, And then, he entered Annas office with the meal in his hand When she looked at the time, Anna was surprised to find that it was already 3:00 p.m. At that moment, she was so hungry that she couldnt actually feel hungry anymore Then Wayne ced the lunch box on the table in his hand and 579 Thank You, Honey Ww showed her the small boxes inside, one by one. And Anna was thrilled to find that he had brought her favorite ck pepper steak. Wayne had already cut the steak into bite- sized pieces for her. Asparagus, mashed potatoes, and cubed fruit were also included in the lunchbox. She had worked long hours, so she really needed nutritious lunch With a smile, Anna forked a piece of steak into her mouth. However, she felt embarrassed when she saw Patrick across the table Wayne casually looked at Patrick and said, Im sorry, | didnt expect you to be there. | only brought food for Anna. Thats fine. | already ate in the cafeteria at noon. Patrick replied Great. By the way, could you please leave us alone? | want to talk to my wife about something, Wayne said. He was clearly driving Patrick away No worries. | need to see my patients now. Goodbye, Dr. Wright. Wayne grinned as he watched Patrick walk away What do you want to say to me? Anna asked lied to him. He kept bothering us here, and he seemed to do it on purpose. So, | had to be the bad guy to kick him out, Wayne said Dont worry, dear. Im not going to like him. He is still a child to me, Anna assured him know, but | still dont like him. Chapter 581 Captured Chapter 581 Captured After Anna finished her meal, Wayne began packing the lunch box Are you going to workte tonight? he asked Yes, Im sorry, but | probably wont have time for youtely, Anna said, smiling at Wayne Its okay. After all, youre not here to have a honeymoon with me, Wayne exined. He sounded upset, though | apologize. Ill be there for you every day after we return to Ennd. Can we go on atrip to St. Tropez? Wayne asked Sure, Anna said with a smile Great! Its a deal. Deal. Im off, honey. Ill be back tonight to bring you dinner, Wayne said as he walked away with his lunchbox. Then Anna changed into her white coat and went to check on her patients At night, Wayne prepared a delicious dinner for Anna, including seafood sd, fried eggs, andmb chops. When he arrived at her office, however, no one was there. He had a bad feeling all of a sudden. Wayne trusted his instincts because he felt the same way when the children were kidnapped. He assumed it was because of his bond with the people he loved. When Wayne thought of how many people in the hospital had infectious diseases, he realized that Anna might be in danger In a hurry, Wayne ced the lunchbox on her desk and went into the wards after putting on a protective suit. Everyone in the hospital knew who 580 Captured a he was, so they wouldnt stop him from entering the ward as long as he wore a protective suit. A while later, Wayne rushed into a ward, only to find that there was no doctor inside. Immediately after, he noticed several doctors running in that direction in a panic Waynes heart began to race, and he dashed after them. He then noticed a crowd gathered around a bed in the distance. Because Wayne was surrounded by many people, he couldnt see what was going on inside the ward As Wayne approached the crowd, he heard Patricks voice, Please let go of that nurse, maam. We promise to give you the best treatment possible. Your condition is not serious, so well cure you. At that moment, a woman in a protective suit was aiming a gun ata nurses head. The young nurse looked scared, but she did not ask for help need to see someone. If you bring her here, Ill let this nurse go, the woman said. Her voice was a little hoarse as if her throat was inmed, which was amon symptom of this infectious disease Does she think the doctors arent doing everything they can to save her? But she doesnt look like she is seriously ill. Otherwise, she wouldnt have had the strength to hostage the nurse. Wayne thought If you let her go, we will help you find that person, Patrick said patiently Im not as stupid as you think. Youve got five minutes, and Ill kill this nurse if she doesnt show up, With that, the woman pressed the gun on the nurses temple The nurse was so nervous that she screamed. And the crowd let out a gasp. Wayne was standing behind Patrick. He found that the womans voice sounded familiar, but he couldnt remember where hed heard it 580 Captured Ww before. Even after thinking about it for a while, he still couldnt recall who she was OK. Who are you looking for? Well find that person for you. Please dont hurt her, Patrick said in a pleading tone I m looking for a British doctor named Anna Wright. | hope shell be in front of me in a few minutes. Ill release the nurse as soon as she arrives Otherwise, Anna will be the one to me for her death! What? Patrick was taken aback, as what this woman said shocked him Do | need to repeat it? The clock is ticking, The woman said impatiently. Her voice was as eerie as a ghost, giving everyone goosebumps Waynes heart began to race even faster right after he heard what the woman said. He couldnt believe Anna was the person this woman was looking for. And he had no idea who she was or what kind of feud she had with Anna. After a brief moment, however, Wayne realized who this woman could be. He couldnt see her face, but her voice and appearance reminded him of Victoria, who was supposed to have died on the high seasst month. That woman had kidnapped Tammy to take Gary away, and she had also threatened to kidnap Matthew. Wayne was shocked because he had assumed she had drowned in the sea Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Moreover, Wayne didnt expect shed be alive because her ship was sunk in the deep sea. Not only was she alive, but she came to Fleosil seeking revenge. Thinking of that, Wayne nned to find Anna and tell her not toe. He was about to turn around when Anna came in Is anyone looking for me? She asked calmly Everyone returned their attention to her Dr. Wright, please! Please do note here! Patrick shouted 580 Captured WZ Anna Wright, youre finally here, Victoria said with clenched teeth Victoria, its you. | didnt believe Cam when she said you werent dead. You lost to her, but now you want to take your revenge on me? Youre such a loser! Shut the f**k up! Victoria yelled Wayne was nervous because he was afraid Anna would irritate the insane woman. He knew clearly that Victoria had been Night Eagles leader for many years and was notorious for her cruelty. Then Wayne looked over nervously at Anna, but he was surprised to find her calm. She didnt seem scared at all Are you looking for me? Im here now. Let that nurse go, Looking at Victoria coldly, Anna said seriously Come closer, Victoria growled | wonte closer to you unless you let the nurse go. Ive never met her. The only person | want to kill is you. OK. Throw the scalpel away and raise your hands! Victoria said Anna followed her instructions and then moved slowly over to her Dont go over there, Dr. Wright! Its dangerous! At the same time, Patrick yelled, not wanting Anna to put her life on the line Suddenly, Victoria raised her gun and fired into the roof. She screamed in annoyance, Shut the f**k up! If you say one more word, youll be the next to die! The gunshot startled everyone. Patrick immediately closed his mouth, fearful that she would do something even worse. And the nurse shook even more, and she appeared to be on the verge of copsing. Seeing that, Anna rushed over and took hold of the nurse. She said, Ive already got here. Let her go. Then Victoria moved the gun to Annas temple. Anna shoved the nurse toward Patrick, hoping he would protect her. And when Anna noticed Wayne, who was standing tall behind Patrick, she froze What exactly do you want, Victoria? Ive read through your case Youve only recently been infected. So, we could cure you, Trying to remain calm, Anna asked. She tried to negotiate calmly with Victoria | need your special medication. Okay. | just happened to have that in my pocket. You and your husband made me lose everything. So, you need to give me $10 million. No problem. Im going to kill Cam and get back everything that was mine. This time, Anna did not respond Can you do it or not? If you cant, then go to hell! Victoria yelled hysterically and then kicked Anna on the calf Chapter 582 Living Hell Chapter 582 Living Hell Anna nearly fell to her knees, and then stood up straight with all her strength. Seeing that, Wayne was in more pain. He wanted to rush to Anna and help her out of the situation at that moment, but he knew he had to wait for the right time. Therefore, he stood in the crowd, silent Im just a doctor. Im not that capable enough to defeat mercenaries! Anna said through gritted teeth Hearing that, Victoria kicked her once more. Are you trying to fool me? Im sure you know some special forces! Isnt Ryan Tyler your brother-inw? Anna let out a painful groan. She took a deep breath and said, | had no idea you knew it. But, sadly, none of them is in Fleosil. Thats fine. | can wait. Theyll agree to my request as long as youre my hostage! Waynes gun was in his pocket, but he didnt have the guts to touch it At that time, Victorias gun remained pressed against Annas temple, making him nervous. His hands were sweating, and he was even more nervous than he had been when he saved Tammyst month Then Wayne thought, Everyones dressed in protective suits, so Victoria isnt going to recognize me. He knew it would be challenging to find the gun through the suit because he was afraid he would make some noise. And thest thing he wanted to do was to attract Victorias attention. Then, by pinching the edge with his fingers carefully, Wayne ripped the suit open. To his delight, he didnt make a loud noise. After that, he leaned forward and took cover behind Patrick 581 Living Hell ww Slowly and steadily, Wayne took hold of the pistol at his waist. At t the same time, Anna kept her gaze fixed on Wayne. After a brief moment, Wayne reached out his left hand and quietly motioned to her, mouthing, Get down in three seconds. Anna blinked at him as she understood exactly what he meant. After years of being together, they formed an extraordinary bond. Knowing that Anna got the hint, Wayne counted from one to three quietly. The next second, he yelled out the window as he quickly drew his pistol, Cam, shoot! In the blink of an eye, Wayne pulled the trigger when Victoria turned her head to look out the window. Anna grabbed the opportunity, rolled on the floor and leaned down at the same time Then, caught off guard, Victoria was hit precisely in the hand that she held her gun. Blood sprayed from her hand, and her gun fell to the ground The next moment, Anna grabbed the gun on the floor and pointed it at Victoria Squatting, Victoria screamed out loud in pain, then looked down to check at her hand. And Wayne took the chance to shoot her in the hands and legs a few more times. As a result, Victoria was unable to move andy on the ground, looking half-dead In a hurry, Wayne dashed over to Annas side and held her in his arms It wasnt until he felt the heat of her body and smelled the lovely scent of her hair that he finally rxed abit. | Thank God / didnt lose you, Anna Thank goodness youre still safe and sound, He thought As he took Annas hand in his, Wayne turned around and said to Patrick, Ill leave Victoria to you then. Huh? What do you want me to do? You want me to remove the bullets from her body? Patrick asked in puzzlement 581 Living Hell Ww Suit yourself. Cam will be here soon, so just leave it to her, Wayne said calmly as if the incident had nothing to do with him What? | thought Cam was at the window! Stunned, Anna said No, she wasnt. | lied to Victoria earlier to divert her attention. Hearing Waynes words, Anna looked surprised at him. Then sheughed in amazement. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Wayne asked worriedly, Anna, how are you feeling? Are you hungry? Yes! My stomach keeps growling, Anna answered when touching her belly with her hands Lets go back to your office for dinner then. | made you somemb. Okay! After that, under everyones gaze, Anna and Wayne returned to Annas office, holding hands. Meanwhile, Patrick sent Victoria into the operating room. Her blood dripped onto the hospital floor, looking quite unsettling wee | had no idea Victoria was still alive. How did she get away after their ship sank? Anna asked while munching themb in her office That surprised me as well. | think it might have something to do with her past. You know, she used to be a mercenary, and shes stronger than | thought. Otherwise, she couldnt have been the chief for so long, Resting his chin on his palm, Wayne looked at Anna and replied Thats right. We might not have been able to defeat her if she hadnt be weak after being infected. Shes probably in a lot of pain now that shes been shot so many times. Im not going to let her die so easily. | want to torture her and make 581 Living Hell WwW her life a living hell! Gritting his teeth, Wayne said She deserves it. What the hell was she thinking? Using special forces to take down Night Eagle? Dream on! With that, Anna took a hard bite of themb She shouldnt have threatened you in the first ce. Youre my people, Wayne expressed his dissatisfaction While they were still eating, Cam called Anna. Then Anna switched the phone to speaker mode to let Wayne hear their conversation My assistant ising to your hospital to pick up Victoria. | heard you shot her. Is that true? Cam asked excitedly Yeah. You should bring a stretcher bed because she cannot walk right now. Shes been shot in each of her limbs. Even if you remove the bullets, she will be unable to walk afterwards, Anna said You guys are incredible! Wayne did that, right? Youre far too kind to do this. Yes. Hes right next to me now, With a smile, Anna said, What do you intend to do with her? Ill keep her locked up in jail. There will be rats and cockroaches to entertain her. Cam exined calmly Wow! Youre even tougher than Wayne. But, in any case, she deserves its Sure. Shed probably rather kill herself. Dont worry. We have plenty of ways to keep her frommitting suicide. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Great. ae 581 Living Hell Ww The Carousel Group won the racing racest month. As a result, their new car brand received a great deal of attention. Unfortunately, Matthew was abducted before the race ended. The Carousel Group had nned a post-race celebration party as nned, but it was canceled because they didnt find Matthew Tammyter told Matthew that Jaydens friend Dominic drove her and Alicia to find him. And Tammy said she wanted to take Dominic to dinner to thank him. Matthew appreciated Jaydens efforts for the race, so he invited them both to dinner. Meanwhile, Alicia suggested bringing Kevin because she was his fan That night, the six of them went out to dinner. They were all the same age and shared many interests, so they had a great time together. Because several of them were underage, they all drank juice rather than wine When Alicia saw Kevin, she blushed. But she still asked Tammy to take a picture of them. Tammy didnt find Kevin as handsome as Alicia did. Her brother, she thought, was the most attractive of the three boys, followed by Dominic Tammy saw Matthew and Dominic as two different kinds of cute guys Matthew was stern, cold, and oppressive. Because he became president at such a young age, he had always kept a poker face to make himself appear untouchable. On the other hand, Dominic was far more easygoing than Matthew. He had soft ck curly hair and gentle green eyes, and his smile was always as warm and bright as the sun Matthew had only met Dominic twice, yet both times had been unpleasant. The first time they met, Dominic stole her contract and she mistook him for her enemy. The second time they met, Tammy even yelled at him. Later, when everyone assumed Matthew had fallen off a cliff, Dominic drove Tammy and Alicia to find him. It wasnt until then that Tammy thought of Dominic as a wonderful friend who was generous and cheerful. Most importantly, he was an excellent yer Tammyter watched a lot of videos of his games and discovered that he was indeed fantastic, as people said. Tammy admired him because he was good at mind games At the moment, Tammy had Matthew to her left and Dominic to her right. She couldnt help but ask Dominic, Why did you decide to retire so soon? Youre still young. And you have the potential to win more awards, Dominic. Chapter 583 I Know You Have A Crush Chapter 583 I Know You Have A Crush Do you really want to know about it? Dominic asked after some thought Yes, Tammy said I might tell you after we get to know each other better. But, you know, were not even friends now, He said Well, Im not interested in that anymore, Tammy said. She became impatient, so she stopped talking to Dominic Are you angry? Dominic asked No. I know you wont get angry that easily. Thats because I know getting angry easily is bad for my health. It has nothing to do with you. Hearing Tammys words, Dominic burst outughing. He knew Tammy loved sashimi, so he gave her that te. Well, were friends now, he said At that time, Alicia was talking to Kevin, and Matthew was talking to Jayden. On the other hand, Matthew kept a close eye on Dominic and paid attention to his every move Dominic quickly realized this, so he turned to look at Matthew. The two boys then locked their gazes on each other. Matthew appeared wary and hostile, whereas Dominic didnt seem to be bothered by Matthews gaze at all. Tammy, however, was so concentrated on eating that she had no idea what was going on between her brother and Dominic Can you teach me how to y games? Tammy asked, her gaze fixed 582 I Know You Have A Crush o wa on Dominic Youre doing a good job as a live streamer, Dominic replied, sounding as if he was genuinely complimenting her No, Im not as great as you. Im a pro, so I have to be good. Do you want to be a part of the professional team as well? Dominic asked, looking rather intrigued I havent thought it through yet, but Im interested in it. My brother said hell be supportive of that, With a shrug, Tammy replied Then let me know when you figure it out. Hearing that, Tammy became thrilled right away. She asked, Really? Are you willing to do that? Only if I happen to be in Birmingham at the time. Dominic had been living in London beforeing to Birmingham Because his family did not support him to be an e-sports yer, he moved to Birmingham with a group of friends and formed his own team He won somepetitions and broke the national record over the years, but he became disoriented about his life. His father had recently be ill, which made him realize it was time for him to return to London Great! Let me toast you! Tammy said. She picked up her juice ss and clinked it with Dominics Are you sure you want me to be your teacher? Dominic asked jokingly. Heughed when he locked eyes with Tammy and saw her excited expression In response, Tammy nodded her head and smiled. Seeing that, Dominic wanted to stroke her hair, but he gave up that idea because he saw Matthew was looking at him with hostility 582 I Know You Have A Crush o. Ww After a while, Dominic went to the bathroom. And Matthew followed him after paying the bill. Dominic stopped in the hallway when he realized Matthew was following him. He turned around and asked, Matthew, do you have anything to say to me? Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Do you have a crush on Tammy? Matthew asked directly It seems you are as straightforward as your sister, Dominicughed as he said this Answer my question. Matthew tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible. However, the thought of a man being attracted to Tammy made him ufortable Whoa, whoa. Easy, dude. Dominic was ufortable about the conversation, but he soon calmed down. Then he added, Yes, I think shes cute. Shes unique, and Ive never met a more beautiful or sweeter girl than Tammy. I became even more interested in her after learning that she was Amber. Shes only seventeen. She is still considered a minor. Matthew quickly got to the point I understand, which is why I didnt want to do anything to her. I swear Ill only be her friend until shes an adult. I hope youll keep your promise, said Matthew. Despite what he said, he was still worried. He was afraid Dominic would hurt Tammy, but he also feared she would miss out on happiness because of his intervention Sure. I guarantee it. If you hurt her, Ill Youre only 16, so dont act like youre in your forties. I really like her, so Ill only do things to make her happy. Youre the same age as her, but why are you acting like her dad? Dominic asked 582 I Know You Have A Crush o. Ww My parents arent here, so Im responsible for taking care of her as her brother. Matthews face was expressionless. He then turned and entered the private room What a bizarre couple of twins! Tammy is naive and innocent, whereas Matthew is mature and dependable. Until this day, I still feel surprised whenever! think of the fact that they are the same age. Matthew is smart and mature. Most importantly, he became a well-known businessman at a young age. At the same time, taking on too many responsibilities makes his life difficult. Am / a little too selfish in comparison to him? Should I also take on the responsibility just as my parents expected? Dominic thought to himself ke The next morning, Matthew arrived at his office on time. He hadnt gotten much sleep the night before because he had a dream where Dominic was a wanted fugitive And his dream made him even more interested in learning more about Dominic. / have to keep Tammy away from him if hes abad guy. Matthew thought Last month, Matthew wanted to hire some bodyguards to protect Tammy, but she refused, telling Matthew that it wasnt necessary Matthew then called Gabe, who arrived at thepany on his first day back from Australia. He used to be Waynes assistant, so he was delighted to be back at work Soon, Gabe entered Matthews office Hello there, Mr. Wright. How can I help you? He asked politely. He appeared to treat Matthew as an adult rather than a child You can just call me by my first name, Matthew said. Gabe used to look after Matthew when he was younger, so they were close Its fine. Ill call you Matthew in private. Matthew then continued to pace in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. He said, OK. Id like you to look into someone for me. Who? Dominic. Actually, I dont believe this is his real name. Hes a well-known e-sports yer, and hes quite young. I want to know everything about him, so Im hoping you can find out as much as possible. All right, Ill do it right now. Please tell me as soon as you learn anything about him. Sure. Im on it. 584 All About Him 584 All About Him Gabe was very efficient. Two dayster, he managed to ce the information he had gathered about Dominic on Matthews desk Then Matthew started reading it carefully Dominic Deleon was Dominics full name. He was born and grew up in London, and he was 20 years old. His great grandfather was a politician who once held a high government position, and his grandfather was a sessful businessman who owned arge corporation. As for his father, he was a businessman who made thepany well Dominic was the familys only child, but he was uninterested in business. He fell in love with e-sports in college and soon signed up with an e-sportspany. Later, he made it to one of the best teams in the country and was named captain due to his outstanding performance. He once led his team to a world championship victory Before moving to Birmingham, Dominic attended a university in London. However, after he fell out with his parents he transferred to a college in Birmingham because several of his teammates were from this city Dominic was actually in his junior year of college and would not graduate until the following year. When he was a junior, he stopped asking his parents for money because he was not only paid but also had ad contracts. He wouldnt be short on cash if his friends werent constantly borrowing money from him After reading Dominics profile, Matthew felt relieved because he knew he wasnt a bad guy. He was just a carefree rich young man. Although his family was not the wealthiest in the city, he was well-educated. On the 583 All About Him YQ other hand, Matthew knew Dominic would return to London after college Matthew hoped Tammy hadnt fallen in love with Dominic. That way, she wouldnt run away with him out of love Matthew was just as worried about Tammy as Wayne was. He thought, /f Dad knew Dominic liked Tammy, he might get on a ne ande back immediately to beat himup. As he imagined Wayne chasing Dominic with a long face Matthew couldnt help butugh wee At 7 pm, when Matthew finally got off work and arrived at Tammys apartment, Alicia was in the kitchen cooking. She didnt get much better at her job, but her cooking skills had greatly improved recently. As a result, Tammy rarely ate out at restaurants after that. Whenever Tammy told Alicia what she wanted to eat, Alicia would learn to cook it for her Tammy was in the study at the time, ying games. She was wearing earplugs and focused on the game, so she didnt hear Matthew enter the room Standing behind Tammy, Matthew watched her y the game, but he couldnt understand what she was doing. Matthew hardly ever yed video games and had no idea how to y them While ying the game, Tammy was chatting with her teammates, but Matthew could only hear her voice because she was wearing headphones Dont do that! Let me do it! Tammy quickly tapped her keyboard while shouting, No! | want to kill him! I know. | had someone behind me to protect me. Its fine. Just let me do it. Wait! Ugh! | know you want to, but these guys cantpete with you! 583 All About Him Ww Dont move! I can handle them on my own, but! can do better with your help. | understand. | see reinforcements on the way. Its okay. Im not panicking! Why are you nagging as much as my brother? Hearing that, Matthew wanted to flick Tammys forehead as a punishment. However, he didnt do it because he was afraid he would disturb her A few momentster, Tammy killed her enemys entire team herself Her character finally stood calmly on the hill, facing the wind. Tammy did this on purpose to make her character look cool That was far too simple. Should | go pro, Dominic? Ill talk about it with my brother. Okay. Time for dinner! Ill see you at this time tomorrow. Bye! Tammy then removed her headphones and switched off herputer. When she turned around, she noticed Matthew standing behind her. Startled, Tammy shouted, When did you get here, Matthew? You scared the hell out of me! Without saying a word, Matthew pointed at her headphones Oh. | didnt hear you. Sorry, Tammyughed a bit awkwardly as she said Its okay, Smiling, Matthew answered briefly You came back early than usual today. | thought you had tons of work to do today, Tammy expressed her surprise Now that Gabe bes my assistant, Ill be working less overtime. You mean you let him do your work? It must be torturing for him to 583 All About Him WZ do all the work for you, Tammy said, smiling Looking at her smiling face, Matthew suddenly thought of Dominics words: -Tammy is as sweet as honey. Jammy, you and / are twins. And yet, our personalities are pr opposites. | guess that its because youre more like Mom while Im more like Dad. Matthew thought to himself Then, having brought himself back to his senses, Matthew uttered, I never said that. By the time they left the study, Alicia had already prepared dinner The dining room was filled with the aroma because she had made a pot of seafood soup Im hungry! Tammy yelled. She then took a spoon and prepared to drink the soup The next second, Alicia gently patted Tammys hand, saying, Have you washed your hands? Youve just spent a whole afternoon touching the keyboard. Therefore, Tammy was forced to put down the spoon. And she went to the kitchen to wash her hands reluctantly. As she washed her hands in the sink, she muttered This is so unfair. You two are just like my parents You both like to boss me around. Thats because you always make me worry, sis. Thinking of that, Matthew also went to the sink to wash his hands. A whileter, the three of them began to eat Who were you talking to when you were ying the game, Tammy? Matthew asked. He knew the answer, but he still wanted to ask Tammy about it. Matthew reasoned that if Tammy kept it from him, it would prove that she liked Dominic Its Dominic. Hes awesome! He said hell help me join Team 583 All About Him YY Wolf. Hearing Tammys answer, Matthew exhaled a sigh of relief. Thest thing he wanted to happen was for Tammy to fall in love with Dominic y Ive heard of this team. Dominic used to be one of them, right? Matthew asked on purpose Yeah. Its a fantastic team. They even won the world championship twice. So, is it easy for you to join the team? Actually, its a little difficult because Dominic said | must pass their exam first. Even if | could join the team, I would only be a substitute in the beginning, Tammy replied, forking the food on her te Are you confident enough to join the team then? Im not sure. | haventpeted against the pros after all. Well, you should find a way topete against professionals. Right. Has Dominic retired? Matthew asked Tammy. He wanted to know about it because the documents he read earlier didn t mention Dominics retirement Probably. | asked him about it, and he didnt deny it. What a bummer! Tammy replied with a pout All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Do you want to be a part of that team? Matthew asked. He was really curious about that Can I? Tammy asked. She set her fork down and gave Matthew a serious look Are you not confident in yourself, or do you think | wont support you? In fact, | dont know howpetent | am, Tammy said after some 583 All About Him ww thought You should be more confident! Dominic is willing to be your teacher, and thats a great opportunity. I believe that youll learn from him. Thats exactly what | think. And let me know when you make your decision, Tammy. Ill handle the contract details for you. Thank you very much, Matthew. Here is my gift to you! Tammy spooned some steak onto Matthews te Matthew set his knife and fork down and said solemnly, You really think this through, Tammy. You have to do your best once youre a pro, and you cant give up halfway because of the difficulties you face. When you are a live streamer, you can do whatever you want and quit whenever you want. But once youve joined that team, anything you do could impact everyone. So, you really need to think twice before making your decision. Okay. | know, Nodding, Tammy uttered Take your time. You can also ask Dominic about his experience and the difficulties he faced as a pro. Ive heard they need to work out very hard and that training can be more difficult than studying. All right, Ill ask him about it tomorrow. 585 All About Him 585 All About Him Gabe was very efficient. Two dayster, he managed to ce the information he had gathered about Dominic on Matthews desk Then Matthew started reading it carefully Dominic Deleon was Dominics full name. He was born and grew up in London, and he was 20 years old. His great grandfather was a politician who once held a high government position, and his grandfather was a sessful businessman who owned arge corporation. As for his father, he was a businessman who made thepany well Dominic was the familys only child, but he was uninterested in business. He fell in love with e-sports in college and soon signed up with an e-sportspany. Later, he made it to one of the best teams in the country and was named captain due to his outstanding performance. He once led his team to a world championship victory Before moving to Birmingham, Dominic attended a university in London. However, after he fell out with his parents he transferred to a college in Birmingham because several of his teammates were from this city Dominic was actually in his junior year of college and would not graduate until the following year. When he was a junior, he stopped asking his parents for money because he was not only paid but also had ad contracts. He wouldnt be short on cash if his friends werent constantly borrowing money from him After reading Dominics profile, Matthew felt relieved because he knew he wasnt a bad guy. He was just a carefree rich young man. Although his family was not the wealthiest in the city, he was well-educated. On the Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. 583 All About Him YQ other hand, Matthew knew Dominic would return to London after college Matthew hoped Tammy hadnt fallen in love with Dominic. That way, she wouldnt run away with him out of love Matthew was just as worried about Tammy as Wayne was. He thought, /f Dad knew Dominic liked Tammy, he might get on a ne ande back immediately to beat himup. As he imagined Wayne chasing Dominic with a long face Matthew couldnt help butugh wee At 7 pm, when Matthew finally got off work and arrived at Tammys apartment, Alicia was in the kitchen cooking. She didnt get much better at her job, but her cooking skills had greatly improved recently. As a result, Tammy rarely ate out at restaurants after that. Whenever Tammy told Alicia what she wanted to eat, Alicia would learn to cook it for her Tammy was in the study at the time, ying games. She was wearing earplugs and focused on the game, so she didnt hear Matthew enter the room Standing behind Tammy, Matthew watched her y the game, but he couldnt understand what she was doing. Matthew hardly ever yed video games and had no idea how to y them While ying the game, Tammy was chatting with her teammates, but Matthew could only hear her voice because she was wearing headphones Dont do that! Let me do it! Tammy quickly tapped her keyboard while shouting, No! | want to kill him! I know. | had someone behind me to protect me. Its fine. Just let me do it. Wait! Ugh! | know you want to, but these guys cantpete with you! 583 All About Him Ww Dont move! I can handle them on my own, but! can do better with your help. | understand. | see reinforcements on the way. Its okay. Im not panicking! Why are you nagging as much as my brother? Hearing that, Matthew wanted to flick Tammys forehead as a punishment. However, he didnt do it because he was afraid he would disturb her A few momentster, Tammy killed her enemys entire team herself Her character finally stood calmly on the hill, facing the wind. Tammy did this on purpose to make her character look cool That was far too simple. Should | go pro, Dominic? Ill talk about it with my brother. Okay. Time for dinner! Ill see you at this time tomorrow. Bye! Tammy then removed her headphones and switched off herputer. When she turned around, she noticed Matthew standing behind her. Startled, Tammy shouted, When did you get here, Matthew? You scared the hell out of me! Without saying a word, Matthew pointed at her headphones Oh. | didnt hear you. Sorry, Tammyughed a bit awkwardly as she said Its okay, Smiling, Matthew answered briefly You came back early than usual today. | thought you had tons of work to do today, Tammy expressed her surprise Now that Gabe bes my assistant, Ill be working less overtime. You mean you let him do your work? It must be torturing for him to 583 All About Him WZ do all the work for you, Tammy said, smiling Looking at her smiling face, Matthew suddenly thought of Dominics words: -Tammy is as sweet as honey. Jammy, you and / are twins. And yet, our personalities are pr opposites. | guess that its because youre more like Mom while Im more like Dad. Matthew thought to himself Then, having brought himself back to his senses, Matthew uttered, I never said that. eK By the time they left the study, Alicia had already prepared dinner The dining room was filled with the aroma because she had made a pot of seafood soup Im hungry! Tammy yelled. She then took a spoon and prepared to drink the soup The next second, Alicia gently patted Tammys hand, saying, Have you washed your hands? Youve just spent a whole afternoon touching the keyboard. Therefore, Tammy was forced to put down the spoon. And she went to the kitchen to wash her hands reluctantly. As she washed her hands in the sink, she muttered This is so unfair. You two are just like my parents You both like to boss me around. Thats because you always make me worry, sis. Thinking of that, Matthew also went to the sink to wash his hands. A whileter, the three of them began to eat Who were you talking to when you were ying the game, Tammy? Matthew asked. He knew the answer, but he still wanted to ask Tammy about it. Matthew reasoned that if Tammy kept it from him, it would prove that she liked Dominic Its Dominic. Hes awesome! He said hell help me join Team 583 All About Him YY Wolf. Hearing Tammys answer, Matthew exhaled a sigh of relief. Thest thing he wanted to happen was for Tammy to fall in love with Dominic y Ive heard of this team. Dominic used to be one of them, right? Matthew asked on purpose Yeah. Its a fantastic team. They even won the world championship twice. So, is it easy for you to join the team? Actually, its a little difficult because Dominic said | must pass their exam first. Even if | could join the team, I would only be a substitute in the beginning, Tammy replied, forking the food on her te Are you confident enough to join the team then? Im not sure. | haventpeted against the pros after all. Well, you should find a way topete against professionals. Right. Has Dominic retired? Matthew asked Tammy. He wanted to know about it because the documents he read earlier didn t mention Dominics retirement Probably. | asked him about it, and he didnt deny it. What a bummer! Tammy replied with a pout Do you want to be a part of that team? Matthew asked. He was really curious about that Can I? Tammy asked. She set her fork down and gave Matthew a serious look Are you not confident in yourself, or do you think | wont support you? In fact, | dont know howpetent | am, Tammy said after some thought You should be more confident! Dominic is willing to be your teacher, and thats a great opportunity. I believe that youll learn from him. Thats exactly what | think. And let me know when you make your decision, Tammy. Ill handle the contract details for you. Thank you very much, Matthew. Here is my gift to you! Tammy spooned some steak onto Matthews te Matthew set his knife and fork down and said solemnly, You really think this through, Tammy. You have to do your best once youre a pro, and you cant give up halfway because of the difficulties you face. When you are a live streamer, you can do whatever you want and quit whenever you want. But once youve joined that team, anything you do could impact everyone. So, you really need to think twice before making your decision. Okay. | know, Nodding, Tammy uttered Take your time. You can also ask Dominic about his experience and the difficulties he faced as a pro. Ive heard they need to work out very hard and that training can be more difficult than studying. All right, Ill ask him about it tomorrow. 586 A Wonderful Surprise 586 A Wonderful Surprise After the game was over, the lights in the hall lit up. And the host invited the two teams to the stage after congratting the winners Matthew and his parents took a seat in the first row. People around them began to whisper in surprise, and they only stopped when Team Wolf showed up on stage The stage was well-lit, but the auditorium was dark. So, Tammy had no idea her parents, whom she hadnt seen in a long time, had arrived on the scene Standing on the stage, Tammy smiled while waving at the audience She sparkled like a diamond, and nothing seemed to be able to dim her light Meanwhile, Anna looked at Tammy as if she were her biggest fan. She felt proud of Tammy from the bottom of her heart Initially, Anna was furious when she learned that Tammy wanted to be an e-sports yer. However, she began to regret it after Tammy became aworldchampion. /f/ stopped her back then, | would have stopped her from seeding. Thank goodness | didnt doso, Annathought to herself. As for Wayne, he was also staring at Tammy intently as if he couldnt see anyone else on the stage Soon, it was Tammys turn to give her eptance speech. She coughed a few times after she picked up the microphone. A few secondster, she started her speech jokingly. In fact, | never imagined | could be an e-sports yer because | was the only failure in my family. | hated studying and always failed my exams. Now, Im d Im not the ck sheep in my family anymore. Above all, Id like to thank my brother. | would not have be a professional e-sports yer if he had not given me the opportunity. Id also like to thank my parents for allowing me to do whatever | want. Im thankful for having cool parents like them. They dont have high expectations of me because they only want me to be happy Their love has given me courage. Id also like to thank Team Wolf. You guys are all incredible. Youve shown me what a great team is, and Ill always be a part of it. Id also like to thank Dominic, my teacher, for introducing me to this industry. He taught me how to y the game and tons of practical tactics. Finally, Id like to thank my fans and family for your support and love. You gave me the confidence and strength to believe in myself. Thank you all. | love you! Anna was moved to tears after hearing Tammys words. She became much colder after bing a doctor, and she had forgotten how gentle she had once been. But when she saw Tammy, her heart melted. Tammy not only didnt me Anna but also thanked her. Anna was happier than she had ever been Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Because the Carousel Group was one of the sponsors, Matthew had to go up on stage to present the award to the winning team. Everyone knows that | am Ambers brother, aka the best brother in the world, he said after presenting the award Hearing that, the audience began tough. What Tammy said on the air before quickly became a catchphrase in the gamingmunity. People often use the phrase the best brother in the world to praise others always felt that she wasplimenting me in front of you guys on purpose. In this way, | have no reason to refuse to help her, Matthew continued Everyoneughed once more cant believe our son is so funny! Anna said, poking Wayne with her 585 A Wonderful Surprise I] elbow Its because he loves Tammy as much as | do, Wayne eximed proudly She raised everyones expectations of me. | had no choice but to continue helping her to meet your expectations, With a smile, Matthew added You were supposed to do that! A girl in the audience shouted Youre right! With a smile, Matthew said. And the girl jumped for joy when Matthew proved her words Then Matthew continued, My sister didnt have a single advertising contract a few years ago. She and her assistant said they wished to promote mypanys new energy vehicle. Wait until you get a world championship; Thats what | told them back then. | had no idea shed be sessful two years later. And now, | couldnt get them to endorse the new energy vehicle, but our groups new gaming laptop is the best choice. So, Im going to let Team Wolf be the promoters. Matthew had made this decision long ago, and he only revealed it now because he wanted to surprise Tammy. After hearing Matthews words, Tammys teammates froze. They only realized what that meant after a while. Then ty gathered around Tammy and threw her up in the air joyfully The atmosphere became more lively than ever. The best brother in the world! eximed one audience member. People then started chanting this phrase Ovee with mixed emotions, Anna began to cry. Why are you crying? Wayne asked, wiping away her tears Im so happy to have these two wonderful children. | havent seen them in a long time, but theyve matured into responsible adults. | feel we 585 A Wonderful Surprise Ww are bad parents. Dont you think youre lucky? You met me, and then you have such wonderful children like Matthew and Tammy. No, youre the lucky one. You met a wonderful woman like me, and | gave birth to a twin for you! Yeah. Thank you, Anna. We are lucky to have each other! The award ceremonysted half an hour. Martin suggested that everyone stand up so that Tammy wont see Anna and Wayne A few minutester, Tammy finally left backstage, followed by Alicia, who was carrying her bag. The moment she saw Peace, Tammy ran up to her and said proudly, Im brilliant, arent 1? Peace tightly hugged Tammy and said, Youre incredible, Tammy Youre the world champion now. Im so proud of you! Then Emily hugged them both, saying, | want to hug the champion too. Come on, guys! Line up behind me if you want to hug the champion. Hearing that, Anna and Wayne moved silently to the end of the line. At the same time, Tammy hugged each of them one by one. When she saw her parents, she asked Martin, Am | dreaming? Martin, can you see them? You can pinch yourself to see if it hurts, Martin joked. And Tammy began crying after heavily pinching her thigh With a worried face, Anna hugged Tammy and asked, Whats wrong, honey? Did you pinch yourself too hard? Does it hurt? Wayne mumbled, My daughter is still that cute little fool. Martin asked, Why are you crying, Tammy? Youre the world champion now. You made it! Tammy hugged her parents tightly. Why didnt you tell me you were here? We wanted to give you a surprise! Are you surprised? Then Matthew chimed in, I reserved arge private room at the Carousel Hotel. Im throwing a party for Tammy and to wee my parents home. Lets go! The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! 587 The Birthday Party 587 The Birthday Party What do you have in mind? Tammy was at a loss for words because she already had it all. Sorry, I havent thought about it yet, she said Fine. I heard your birthday is approaching. Thats right. Its on next Saturday. Great! Youre finally bing an adult. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Im going to be 18! Hooray! I finally dont have to be bossed around by my brother on anything. Ive been waiting for this moment for years! Youre really looking forward to this? Why? Do you want to start dating? Dominic asked No! The boys will only stand in the way of my sess. Well What would you like for your birthday? If you cant think of anything, Ill choose something for you. Its up to you. I thought you were going back to London. Youve been so busy recently, havent you? Ill, go back after your birthday party. You know, too much flying exhausts me. Plus, one of my branches is in Birmingham. I need to go there someday. Really? Actually, my birthday isnt that important. No. Its your 18th birthday. Its very special! Well, you dont want me to go to your birthday party, do you? Thats not what I meant. Ill definitely invite you! After texting Dominic for a long while, Tammy finally fell asleep. And she had a sweet dream The pandemic in Fleosil was finally under control. Furthermore, after some time, the British medical team developed an effective vine and special medicine. As a result, Anna was not required to return to Fleosil She intended to take her annual leave before returning to her job at the hospital Anna had mixed feelings about Matthew and Tammy, who would soon be adults. She was happy for her children, but she was also emotional. She knew that when her children grew up, they would live the lives they wanted, which meant they would leave home Later on, Anna and Wayne decide to throw their children a big birthday party. Their family and friends became excited about nning the party after hearing the news Aweekter, Tammy and Matthews birthday party was officially held in the Carousel Hotels top-floor ballroom. Anna invited many guests, including some big shots of the city. Apart from that, she specifically requested that the security guards prevent the media and paparazzi from entering the ballroom At noon, Anna and Wayne took the two children to see a well-known stylist. The stylist thought Matthews image was fine, so she simply gave him a haircut. However, she asked Tammy to stay in her studio for the whole afternoon And Tammy received aplete makeover from head to toe from the stylist, and she appeared different when she left the studio. The instant he saw Tammy, Matthewmented that she appeared to be apletely different person Tammy was impatient throughout the whole afternoon because she rarely wore makeup. However, she was also taken aback when she saw herself in the mirror. Tammys skin was so fair and glowing that she looked like a fairy. Also, the skin on her whole body was as smooth and nearly 586 The Birthday Party wless. She looked like one of those elegant noble girls in oil paintings Her blue eyes were as limpid as melting snow in spring, and the dimples on her face added to her charm. Like sweet cherry wine, she was intoxicating and attractive Also, Tammy was tall and in good shape and she was both energetic and lively. After the stylist dressed her up and did her makeup, Tammy appeared to be every teenage boys dream girl At the moment, Tammy was dressed in one of the dresses that Anna had carefully selected for her. The dress was elegant and chic, and it stood out from the crowd with a beautiful beige ribbon that formed a beautiful twist. As for Tammys long hair, it was curled into wavy curls Oh my goodness! Are you really Tammy? I thought you were an angel Matthew, Wayne! Take a look at Tammy! Anna wrapped her arms around Tammys shoulders and eximed Both men, who were staring at their phones, looked up at the same time. They smiled after seeing Tammy, but then they both began to frown Whats the problem? You dont think she looks great? Anna asked, her arms crossed Tammy looks perfect, Matthew said seriously, nodding She looks great, but Im worried the boys will keep staring at her. Wayne expressed his dissatisfaction Actually, I dont see it that way. Tammys an adult now, and you must ept that fact, Anna said. She didnt appear to be bothered by it ae In the evening, they went to the venue together. Wayne held Annas hand while Tammy and Matthew followed them. Because all four of them were very attractive, they drew everyones attention as soon as they walked into the room. Everybody was looking at them in awe Because he was so engrossed, one waiter identally dropped the tray on the floor. Many people who had been dazed returned to their senses after hearing the loud noise As the family greeted their friends, many guests still talked about them Have you seen them? They all look so good. What a lucky family! They all look stunning. They look like the family in the Ralph Laurenmercial. Indeed! I wish Matthew could be my boyfriend! Imagine how attractive our children would be. You wish! A little daydream wont hurt anyone! I wish Tammy was my girlfriend. Youll have to first convince her brother and father. Forget about it. Im afraid to even talk to them. Wee back to the real world. Almost all their rtives and friends came, including Peace, Karl, Jasper, Isabe, and Gary. Natalie not only came, but she brought Harry with her. And they brought Tammy and Matthew numerous gifts After greeting their closest friends, the Wrights started to entertain other guests. Tammy had never been to a party like this before, but Matthew had. Although everyone knew Tammy was Waynes daughter, she rarely appeared at social gatherings. As a result, everyone was curious about her Anna took Tammy to greet every guest, especially the wealthydies and girls. And Tammy noticed Dominic while walking around the hall Dominic wore a white suit, which made him look very dapper. He was attractive, so she couldnt help but notice him Sensing Tammys gaze, Dominic turned around and met her gaze Then he gave Tammy a soft smile that warmed her heart like sunshine At that moment, Tammy realized that his temperament waspletely different from Matthews. People were afraid to approach Matthew because he had always been cold and aloof. On the other hand, Dominic was more like the boy next door. He was only as aggressive and cruel as a wolf when ying games Tammy, you look great today! Dominic said after seizing her up 588 Birthday Present 588 Birthday Present Dominic saw Tammy the moment she walked into the room. He stared at her as if he couldnt take his eyes.off her Tammy shone like a star that was even more dazzling than the bright chandelier. Whenever he looked at her, his heart beat faster, and his palms sweat Ever since Tammy entered the hall, Dominic had been staring at her He watched her as she walked around the venue to greet the guests. And he was disappointed when he noticed that many young boys were staring at her as much as he was Later on, the host asked Tammy and Matthew toe on stage. They sang the birthday song together and then cut the multi-tiered cake. Wayne then announced that the party was started It wasnt until then that Tammy was free. When she saw him after she left the stage Tammy moved quickly towards Dominic. Every step she took seemed to step on his heart, causing it to beat like a drum Dominic had been waiting for Tammy to be an adult for the past two years, but she had no idea about that. The day he had been anticipating had finally arrived. He had promised her brother that he would only ask her if she wanted to date him after she was 18. So, Dominic was relieved that he no longer had to hide his feelings for her Tammy, you look stunning today! You have the vitality of sunflowers and the charm of lilies, From the bottom of his heart, heplimented her Tammy couldnt help but smile shyly when she heard this straightforwardpliment. Thank you very much, Dominic! But Ive heard that appointments for custom jewelry must be made six months in advance. So, how did you manage to customize it right before my birthday? Tammy asked, perplexed I ordered this braceletst year, but they only finished it this year. Huh? Is this the gift you had nned to give mest year? Tammy was even more taken aback Nope. I already decided to give this to you for your eighteenth birthdayst year. Really? Youve been preparing this perfect gift for me sincest year? Tammy thought. Her face flushed instantly, and her heart beat like a drum Dominic stroked her hair and gently asked, Do you like it? After taking the bracelet out of the box, Tammy carefully examined it Are these real diamonds? This must have cost a fortune! She asked, thinking that the gift was way too costly Its fine. Im happy that you like it. Do you need me to put it on for you? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Thanks! Then Dominic ced the gleaming diamond bracelet on Tammys delicate wrist. And the diamonds glowed brightly in the light, enhancing her skins radiance Tammy! From a distance, Alicia came running towards them. As she approached them, she noticed the diamond bracelet on Tammys wrist Wow! This is beautiful! Did Dominic give it to you? Alicia asked Tammy nodded her head, smiling. A few minutester, Matthew walked over to them behind Alicia. After seeing the bracelet on Tammys ~ wrist and Dominics tender smile, he frowned. He knew the day had finally arrived. Ma?hew thought to himself, My worst nightmare hase true! Dominic, you havent given up hitting on my sister yet? Shes just turned eighteen today! Thinking of that, Matthew felt depressed, as if Tammy were his daughter Tammy, could you go to the restroom with me? Gosh I feel so terrible right now. I shouldnt have drunk so much champagne earlier, Alicia said as she grabbed Tammys sleeve Lets go. Well be right back, Matthew. Matthew cast a wary nce at Dominic after the two girls had left Then Matthew asked Dominic wearily.You cant hold back anymore, can you? Whats the problem, Matthew? I kept my word for thest two years I didnt hit on her until she was eighteen, and I never even told Tammy about my feelings for her. I have no reason to wait now that she is an adult As you may have noticed, a lot of boys around her are interested in her Theyll take her away from me if I dont do something about it. Dominic smiled as if he wasnt even trying to defend himself when he said that Humph! Are you sure she has feelings for you? Actually, she has a lot of better options, said Matthew Ill do my best to show her what a good guy I am. Look, how many young men do you think are better than me in this room? Dominic asked, pointing to those young men. He then took a ss of champagne from the wajters tray and drank it all at once. The way Dominic drank wine was elegant, and Matthew could tell he was a well-educated young man Are you that confident? Matthew asked, looking at him dismissively Im much more confident than you think. Dominic seized Matthew up with suspicion and asked, Youre not going to sabotage my rtionship with Tammy, are you? You should know that your sister will grow up and start dating boys sooner orter. I hope you wont say anything negative about me to her. Do you honestly believe rd do something like that? Matthew asked, his brow furrowed Dominic patted Matthew on the shoulder and said, I hope you wont Youd know Im a nice guy if you get to know me better. Besides, Im just as wealthy as you are. Dont you think Id be the ideal person for Tammy to date? I dont think so, Matthew replied coldly I could help you expand your business to London, Dominic thought for a moment before saying You dont have to do that. In my family, we never sacrifice anyones happiness for profit. My parents and I just want her to be happy. Fine. If she bes my girlfriend, Ill make her the happiest girl on the. Are you serious? Matthew asked Without a doubt. I havent dated any of the girls in thest two years because I really like Tammy, Dominic said. He even put away his smile and wore an anxious expression when he said that When will you tell her who you really are, Dominic Deleon? Matthew asked. He said Dominics full name aloud on purpose, trying to provoke him You didnt tell her? I knew youd looked into me, so I assumed youd told her long ago. I never intended to keep it from you. You should tell her yourself, Matthew said Maybe. After a while, the screen next to the stage began to disy photos of Matthew and Tammy. Dominic smiled as he saw Tammys childhood pictures. At the same time, Matthew stood next to him, exining what happened when each photo was taken Suddenly, there was a shout from the ballrooms entrance. Many people walked out to see what was going on. Then someone yelled, Oh no! Something happened in the restroom! Dominic and Matthew exchanged nces before running fast towards the restroom Ah! Yet, before they even got to the restroom, they heard someone screaming. At that critical moment, Matthew felt his heart skip a beat 589 Crazy Woman 589 Crazy Woman Awoman in a janitors uniform rushed out of the tool room as Tammy and Alicia left the restroom. The woman then pressed a fruit knife against Tammys neck. Tammy had no idea what was going on because it happened so quickly. She couldnt stop shaking when she felt the cold metal against her skin Alicia was so scared that she screamed. She then immediately covered her mouth. After hearing her voice, many people made their way to the restroom. However, no one dared to approach them. They all stood back and watched Tammy grabbed the womans arm from behind as she wanted to wrestle her to the ground. She thanked Anna for forcing her to take so many taekwondo sses at this moment However, the woman clearly realized what Tammy was trying to do She whispered in a husky voice, Dont do anything. Ill slit your throat if you move one more time. By then, your blood will flow like a waterfall, and youll die tragically! The womans voice was so husky that it made Tammy feel like a saw was cutting into her ears. She then took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. Okay, Ill do as you said. Calm down, please. What do you want from me? I can give you anything you want. Tammy said in fear Hearing that, the woman said nothing. She just grunted coldly As she felt the cold tip of the knife on her skin, Tammy didnt even dare to breathe. Her hands were sweating as she feared the woman would do something crazy the next second Do you want money? Ill give you money. Tammy asked. She guessed the woman was around forty years old and probably homeless because she smelled like rotting meat in a garbage dump. Maybe shes got some mental problems. Tammy thought Im not interested in money! The woman replied with a strangeughter What do you want then? AllI want to do is kill you, The woman said through gnashed teeth She then dragged Tammy backward until they were both leaning against a wall Why are you doing this to me? You could have asked for money instead of killing me. Money can buy you a good life. Tammy spoke calmly while winking at Alicia and motioning for her to dial 911 Getting Tammys hint, Alicia quickly blended into the crowd, escaped the restroom, and dialed 911 Cut the bullshit! Are you Anna GabrielS daughter? The woman asked Huh? Im not. Have you mistaken me for someone else? I dont know her. At this crucial moment, Tammy realized that this person was here to seek revenge on Anna. /S this person Moms enemy? Is she trying to use me to threaten Mom? It seems that |am in real danger! Stop lying! The woman screamed. She then made a light cut on Tammys skin with the tip of her knife Instantly, Tammy felt the pain in her neck, followed by a warm liquid sliding down her bare skin. Tammys white dress was stained with her blood as if she had bright red flowers on her chest At the realization that she was in serious danger this time, Tammy was terrified. Shed been kidnapped before, but shed never been harmed Ive already called her, so shell be there soon. Can I be the hostage instead of my sister? You can ask for more when holding me hostage because Im the groups president. The woman looked at Tammy and Matthew before shaking her head No. I dont trust you! Youre stronger than your sister! Suddenly, a group of people dashed this way, led by Wayne and Anna Tammy! Anna yelled. She felt dizzy when she saw what had happened to her daughter Mom! Donte over! Tammy yelled Anna. Its been a while. Do you still remember me? The woman asked. She sounded like a shattered saw. The woman was dressed in soiled and tattered clothes and wore a ragged baseball cap. She also wore a ck mask to cover up her face Anna could smell a stinky odor from the woman a long way away. She suspected this woman was a homeless living in a garbage dump Who are you? Do you know me? Anna asked. Then, when she looked at Wayne, Wayne shook his head You dont remember me? No! This is not possible! The woman then burst outughing What do you want? If you let my daughter go, Ill give you anything. Wayne spoke calmly Im not sure what I want. I know youre wealthy, but money means nothing to me. I wont be around much longer. After hearing the womans words, Anna had a sudden realization. She suddenly thought of a woman who was supposed to be dead. Could this woman possibly be Ada? How could she still be alive? Why did she change so much? What happened to her? Annathought, Hold ona second Ada has Aids! People with Aids will develop skin ulcers. That exins why she smells so bad With that in mind, Anna asked, Are you Ada? Are you still alive? Adaughed like crazy after a brief pause. Anna, youve always been quite clever. I am still alive, but I would rather be in hell right now! Ada, we can find you the best doctors to treat your illness. Even if they cant cure you, youll still be able to live a little longer, Anna said Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. No, I dont need that. Ive lived long enough and been through enough pain. I know Ill never be able to beat you, Anna. Are you sure you dont want to live any longer? Will you just let Tammy go? We have a history, but my daughter is entirely innocent. Well do whatever you say if you let Tammy go, Anna had no idea what Ada was trying to do. She also knew that if Ada truly wanted to murder someone, she would do it immediately. As a result, Anna concluded that Ada was holding Tammy hostage because she wanted something else You hate me, right? How about letting me be your hostage? Anna asked Chapter 589 Chapter 589 589 Crazy Woman Awoman in a janitor''s uniform rushed out of the tool room as Tammy and Alicia left the restroom. The woman then pressed a fruit knife against Tammy''s neck. Tammy had no idea what was going on because it happened so quickly. She couldn''t stop shaking when she felt the cold metal against her skin Alicia was so scared that she screamed. She then immediately covered her mouth. After hearing her voice, many people made their way to the restroom. However, no one dared to approach them. They all stood back and watched Tammy grabbed the woman''s arm from behind as she wanted to wrestle her to the ground. She thanked Anna for forcing her to take so many taekwondo sses at this moment However, the woman clearly realized what Tammy was trying to do She whispered in a husky voice, "Don''t do anything. I''ll slit your throat if you move one more time. By then, your blood will flow like a waterfall, and you''ll die tragically!" The woman''s voice was so husky that it made Tammy feel like a saw was cutting into her ears. She then took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Okay, I''ll do as you said. Calm down, please. What do you want from me? I can give you anything you want." Tammy said in fear Hearing that, the woman said nothing. She just grunted coldly As she felt the cold tip of the knife on her skin, Tammy didn''t even dare to breathe. Her hands were sweating as she feared the woman would do something crazy the next second 588 Crazy Woman "Do you want money? I''ll give you money." Tammy asked. She guessed the woman was around forty years old and probably homeless because she smelled like rotting meat in a garbage dump. Maybe she''s got some mental problems. Tammy thought "I''m not interested in money!" The woman replied with a strangeughter "What do you want then?" "AllI want to do is kill you," The woman said through gnashed teeth She then dragged Tammy backward until they were both leaning against a wall "Why are you doing this to me? You could have asked for money instead of killing me. Money can buy you a good life." Tammy spoke calmly while winking at Alicia and motioning for her to dial 911 Getting Tammys hint, Alicia quickly blended into the crowd, escaped the restroom, and dialed 911 All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Cut the bullshit! Are you Anna Gabriel''S daughter?" The woman asked "Huh? I''m not. Have you mistaken me for someone else? I don''t know her." At this crucial moment, Tammy realized that this person was here to seek revenge on Anna. /S this person Mom''s enemy? Is she trying to use me to threaten Mom? It seems that |am in real danger!" "Stop lying!" The woman screamed. She then made a light cut on Tammy''s skin with the tip of her knife Instantly, Tammy felt the pain in her neck, followed by a warm liquid sliding down her bare skin. Tammy''s white dress was stained with her blood as if she had bright red flowers on her chest At the realization that she was in serious danger this time, Tammy was terrified. She''d been kidnapped before, but she''d never been harmed 588 Crazy Woman "I''ve already called her, so she''ll be there soon. Can I be the hostage instead of my sister? You can ask for more when holding me hostage because I''m the group''s president." The woman looked at Tammy and Matthew before shaking her head "No. I don''t trust you! You''re stronger than your sister!" Suddenly, a group of people dashed this way, led by Wayne and Anna "Tammy!" Anna yelled. She felt dizzy when she saw what had happened to her daughter "Mom! Don''te over!" Tammy yelled "Anna. It''s been a while. Do you still remember me?" The woman asked. She sounded like a shattered saw. The woman was dressed in soiled and tattered clothes and wore a ragged baseball cap. She also wore a ck mask to cover up her face Anna could smell a stinky odor from the woman a long way away. She suspected this woman was a homeless living in a garbage dump "Who are you? Do you know me?" Anna asked. Then, when she looked at Wayne, Wayne shook his head "You don''t remember me? No! This is not possible!" The woman then burst outughing "What do you want? If you let my daughter go, I''ll give you anything." Wayne spoke calmly "I''m not sure what I want. I know you''re wealthy, but money means nothing to me. I won''t be around much longer." After hearing the woman''s words, Anna had a sudden realization. She suddenly thought of a woman who was supposed to be dead. Could this woman possibly be Ada? How could she still be alive? Why did she change so much? What happened to her? Annathought, Hold ona second... Ada has Aids! People with Aids will develop skin ulcers. That exins why she smells so bad With that in mind, Anna asked, "Are you Ada? Are you still alive?" Adaughed like crazy after a brief pause. "Anna, you''ve always been quite clever. I am still alive, but I would rather be in hell right now!" "Ada, we can find you the best doctors to treat your illness. Even if they can''t cure you, you''ll still be able to live a little longer," Anna said "No, I don''t need that. I''ve lived long enough and been through enough pain. I know I''ll never be able to beat you, Anna." "Are you sure you don''t want to live any longer? Will you just let Tammy go? We have a history, but my daughter is entirely innocent. We''ll do whatever you say if you let Tammy go," Anna had no idea what Ada was trying to do. She also knew that if Ada truly wanted to murder someone, she would do it immediately. As a result, Anna concluded that Ada was holding Tammy hostage because she wanted something else "You hate me, right? How about letting me be your hostage?" Anna asked The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!